Revelation 2:4

2:4 But I have this against you: You have departed ¹  from your first love!

Job 17:9

17:9 But the righteous man holds to his way,

and the one with clean hands grows stronger. ² 

Psalms 92:14

92:14 They bear fruit even when they are old;

they are filled with vitality and have many leaves. ³ 

Proverbs 4:18

4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light, ⁴ 

growing brighter and brighter ⁵  until full day. ⁶ 

John 15:2

15:2 He takes away ⁷  every branch that does not bear ⁸  fruit in me. He ⁹  prunes ¹⁰  every branch that bears ¹¹  fruit so that it will bear more fruit.

John 15:2

15:2 He takes away ¹²  every branch that does not bear ¹³  fruit in me. He ¹⁴  prunes ¹⁵  every branch that bears ¹⁶  fruit so that it will bear more fruit.

John 3:18

3:18 The one who believes in him is not condemned. ¹⁷  The one who does not believe has been condemned ¹⁸  already, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only ¹⁹  Son of God.

[2:4]  ¹ tn The Greek word translated “departed from” (ἀφίημι, afihmi; L&N 15.48) can actually be used of divorce (L&N 34.78), so the imagery here is very strong.

[17:9]  ² tn The last two words are the imperfect verb יֹסִיף (yosif) which means “he adds,” and the abstract noun “energy, strength.” This noun is not found elsewhere; its Piel verb occurs in Job 4:4 and 16:5. “he increases strength.”

[92:14]  ³ tn Heb “they are juicy and fresh.”

[4:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “like light of brightness.” This construction is an attributive genitive: “bright light.” The word “light” (אוֹר, ’or) refers to the early morning light or the dawn (BDB 21 s.v.). The point of the simile is that the course of life that the righteous follow is like the clear, bright morning light. It is illumined, clear, easy to follow, and healthy and safe – the opposite of what darkness represents.

[4:18]  ⁵ tn The construction uses the Qal active participle of הָלַךְ (halakh) in a metaphorical sense to add the idea of continuance or continually to the participle הוֹלֵךְ (holekh). Here the path was growing light, but the added participle signifies continually.

[4:18]  ⁶ tn Heb “until the day is established.” This expression refers to the coming of the full day or the time of high noon.

[15:2]  ⁷ tn Or “He cuts off.”

[15:2]  ⁸ tn Or “does not yield.”

[15:2]  ⁹ tn Grk “And he”; the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has been omitted in the translation in keeping with the tendency in contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.

[15:2]  ¹⁰ tn Or “trims”; Grk “cleanses” (a wordplay with “clean” in v. 3). Καθαίρει (kaqairei) is not the word one would have expected here, but it provides the transition from the vine imagery to the disciples – there is a wordplay (not reproducible in English) between αἴρει (airei) and καθαίρει in this verse. While the purpose of the Father in cleansing his people is clear, the precise means by which he does so is not immediately obvious. This will become clearer, however, in the following verse.

[15:2]  ¹¹ tn Or “that yields.”

[15:2]  ¹² tn Or “He cuts off.”

[15:2]  ¹³ tn Or “does not yield.”

[15:2]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “And he”; the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has been omitted in the translation in keeping with the tendency in contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.

[15:2]  ¹⁵ tn Or “trims”; Grk “cleanses” (a wordplay with “clean” in v. 3). Καθαίρει (kaqairei) is not the word one would have expected here, but it provides the transition from the vine imagery to the disciples – there is a wordplay (not reproducible in English) between αἴρει (airei) and καθαίρει in this verse. While the purpose of the Father in cleansing his people is clear, the precise means by which he does so is not immediately obvious. This will become clearer, however, in the following verse.

[15:2]  ¹⁶ tn Or “that yields.”

[3:18]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “judged.”

[3:18]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “judged.”

[3:18]  ¹⁹ tn See the note on the term “one and only” in 3:16.