Romans 12:17

12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people. ¹ 

Romans 13:13

13:13 Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy.

Romans 13:2

13:2 So the person who resists such authority ²  resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment

Colossians 1:21

Paul’s Goal in Ministry

1:21 And you were at one time strangers and enemies in your ³  minds ⁴  as expressed through ⁵  your evil deeds,

Colossians 1:7

1:7 You learned the gospel ⁶  from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave ⁷  – a ⁸  faithful minister of Christ on our ⁹  behalf –

Philippians 4:8

4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, ¹⁰  whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.

Philippians 4:1

Christian Practices

4:1 So then, my brothers and sisters, ¹¹  dear friends whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand in the Lord in this way, my dear friends!

Philippians 4:12

4:12 I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, ¹²  whether I go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing.

Philippians 4:1

Christian Practices

4:1 So then, my brothers and sisters, ¹³  dear friends whom I long to see, my joy and crown, stand in the Lord in this way, my dear friends!

Philippians 2:2

2:2 complete my joy and be of the same mind, ¹⁴  by having the same love, being united in spirit, ¹⁵  and having one purpose.

Hebrews 13:18

13:18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to conduct ourselves rightly in every respect.

[12:17]  ¹ tn Here ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic and refers to both men and women.

[13:2]  ² tn Grk “the authority,” referring to the authority just described.

[1:21]  ³ tn The article τῇ (th) has been translated as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[1:21]  ⁴ tn Although διανοία (dianoia) is singular in Greek, the previous plural noun ἐχθρούς (ecqrous) indicates that all those from Colossae are in view here.

[1:21]  ⁵ tn The dative ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς πονηροῖς (en toi" ergoi" toi" ponhroi") is taken as means, indicating the avenue through which hostility in the mind is revealed and made known.

[1:7]  ⁶ tn Or “learned it.” The Greek text simply has “you learned” without the reference to “the gospel,” but “the gospel” is supplied to clarify the sense of the clause. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[1:7]  ⁷ tn The Greek word translated “fellow slave” is σύνδουλος (sundoulo"); the σύν- prefix here denotes association. Though δοῦλος is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:7]  ⁸ tn The Greek text has “who (ὅς, Jos) is a faithful minister.” The above translation conveys the antecedent of the relative pronoun quite well and avoids the redundancy with the following substantival participle of v. 8, namely, “who told” (ὁ δηλώσας, Jo dhlwsa").

[1:7]  ⁹ tc ‡ Judging by the superior witnesses for the first person pronoun ἡμῶν (Jhmwn, “us”; Ì⁴⁶ א* A B D* F G 326* 1505 al) vs. the second person pronoun ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “you”; found in א² C D¹ Ψ 075 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy co), ἡμῶν should be regarded as original. Although it is possible that ἡμῶν was an early alteration of ὑμῶν (either unintentionally, as dittography, since it comes seventeen letters after the previous ἡμῶν; or intentionally, to conform to the surrounding first person pronouns), this supposition is difficult to maintain in light of the varied and valuable witnesses for this reading. Further, the second person is both embedded in the verb ἐμάθετε (emaqete) and is explicit in v. 8 (ὑμῶν). Hence, the motivation to change to the first person pronoun is counterbalanced by such evidence. The second person pronoun may have been introduced unintentionally via homoioarcton with the ὑπέρ (Juper) that immediately precedes it. As well, the second person reading is somewhat harder for it seems to address Epaphras’ role only in relation to Paul and his colleagues, rather than in relation to the Colossians. Nevertheless, the decision must be based ultimately on external evidence (because the internal evidence can be variously interpreted), and this strongly supports ἡμῶν.

[4:8]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[4:1]  ¹¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[4:12]  ¹² tn The words “of contentment” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by Paul’s remarks at the end of v. 11.

[4:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[2:2]  ¹⁴ tn Or “and feel the same way,” “and think the same thoughts.” The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated “and be of the same mind” to reflect its epexegetical force to the imperative “complete my joy.”

[2:2]  ¹⁵ tn The Greek word here is σύμψυχοι (sumyucoi, literally “fellow souled”).