Romans 8:28-30

8:28 And we know that all things work together ¹  for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, 8:29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son ²  would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³  8:30 And those he predestined, he also called; and those he called, he also justified; and those he justified, he also glorified.

Romans 9:23-24

9:23 And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects ⁴  of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory – 9:24 even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

Romans 9:1

Israel’s Rejection Considered

9:1 ⁵ I am telling the truth in Christ (I am not lying!), for my conscience assures me ⁶  in the Holy Spirit –

Romans 2:12

2:12 For all who have sinned apart from the law ⁷  will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

Romans 2:2

2:2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth ⁸  against those who practice such things.

Romans 2:13-14

2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but those who do the law will be declared righteous. ⁹  2:14 For whenever the Gentiles, ¹⁰  who do not have the law, do by nature ¹¹  the things required by the law, ¹²  these who do not have the law are a law to themselves.

Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ¹³  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ¹⁴ 

Hebrews 3:1

Jesus and Moses

3:1 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, ¹⁵  partners in a heavenly calling, take note of Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess, ¹⁶ 

Hebrews 1:3-4

1:3 The Son is ¹⁷  the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, ¹⁸  and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. ¹⁹  1:4 Thus he became ²⁰  so far better than the angels as ²¹  he has inherited a name superior to theirs.

Hebrews 1:13

1:13 But to which of the angels ²²  has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? ²³ 

Hebrews 1:1

Introduction: God Has Spoken Fully and Finally in His Son

1:1 After God spoke long ago ²⁴  in various portions ²⁵  and in various ways ²⁶  to our ancestors ²⁷  through the prophets,

Hebrews 5:10

5:10 and he was designated ²⁸  by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek. ²⁹ 

Hebrews 5:2

5:2 He is able to deal compassionately with those who are ignorant and erring, since he also is subject to weakness,

Hebrews 1:3

1:3 The Son is ³⁰  the radiance of his glory and the representation of his essence, and he sustains all things by his powerful word, ³¹  and so when he had accomplished cleansing for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. ³² 

[8:28]  ¹ tc ὁ θεός (Jo qeos, “God”) is found after the verb συνεργεῖ (sunergei, “work”) in v. 28 by Ì⁴⁶ A B 81 sa; the shorter reading is found in א C D F G Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï latt sy bo. Although the inclusion is supported by a significant early papyrus, the alliance of significant Alexandrian and Western witnesses favors the shorter reading. As well, the longer reading is evidently motivated by a need for clarification. Since ὁ θεός is textually suspect, it is better to read the text without it. This leaves two good translational options: either “he works all things together for good” or “all things work together for good.” In the first instance the subject is embedded in the verb and “God” is clearly implied (as in v. 29). In the second instance, πάντα (panta) becomes the subject of an intransitive verb. In either case, “What is expressed is a truly biblical confidence in the sovereignty of God” (C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:427).

[8:29]  ² tn Grk “he”; the referent (God’s Son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:29]  ³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.

[9:23]  ⁴ tn Grk “vessels.” This is the same Greek word used in v. 21.

[9:1]  ⁵ sn Rom 9:1–11:36. These three chapters are among the most difficult and disputed in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. One area of difficulty is the relationship between Israel and the church, especially concerning the nature and extent of Israel’s election. Many different models have been constructed to express this relationship. For a representative survey, see M. Barth, The People of God (JSNTSup), 22-27. The literary genre of these three chapters has been frequently identified as a diatribe, a philosophical discussion or conversation evolved by the Cynic and Stoic schools of philosophy as a means of popularizing their ideas (E. Käsemann, Romans, 261 and 267). But other recent scholars have challenged the idea that Rom 9–11 is characterized by diatribe. Scholars like R. Scroggs and E. E. Ellis have instead identified the material in question as midrash. For a summary and discussion of the rabbinic connections, see W. R. Stegner, “Romans 9.6-29 – A Midrash,” JSNT 22 (1984): 37-52.

[9:1]  ⁶ tn Or “my conscience bears witness to me.”

[2:12]  ⁷ sn This is the first occurrence of law (nomos) in Romans. Exactly what Paul means by the term has been the subject of much scholarly debate. According to J. A. Fitzmyer (Romans [AB], 131-35; 305-6) there are at least four different senses: (1) figurative, as a “principle”; (2) generic, meaning “a law”; (3) as a reference to the OT or some part of the OT; and (4) as a reference to the Mosaic law. This last usage constitutes the majority of Paul’s references to “law” in Romans.

[2:2]  ⁸ tn Or “based on truth.”

[2:13]  ⁹ tn The Greek sentence expresses this contrast more succinctly than is possible in English. Grk “For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous.”

[2:14]  ¹⁰ sn Gentile is a NT term for a non-Jew.

[2:14]  ¹¹ tn Some (e.g. C. E. B. Cranfield, Romans [ICC], 1:135-37) take the phrase φύσει (fusei, “by nature”) to go with the preceding “do not have the law,” thus: “the Gentiles who do not have the law by nature,” that is, by virtue of not being born Jewish.

[2:14]  ¹² tn Grk “do by nature the things of the law.”

[3:1]  ¹³ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “of our confession.”

[3:1]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 2:11.

[3:1]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “of our confession.”

[1:3]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “who being…and sustaining.” Heb 1:1-4 form one skillfully composed sentence in Greek, but it must be broken into shorter segments to correspond to contemporary English usage, which does not allow for sentences of this length and complexity.

[1:3]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “by the word of his power.”

[1:3]  ¹⁹ sn An allusion to Ps 110:1, quoted often in Hebrews.

[1:4]  ²⁰ tn Grk “having become.” This is part of the same sentence that extends from v. 1 through v. 4 in the Greek text.

[1:4]  ²¹ tn Most modern English translations attempt to make the comparison somewhat smoother by treating “name” as if it were the subject of the second element: “as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, CEV). However, the Son is the subject of both the first and second elements: “he became so far better”; “he has inherited a name.” The present translation maintains this parallelism even though it results in a somewhat more awkward rendering.

[1:13]  ²² sn The parallel phrases to which of the angels in vv. 5 and 13 show the unity of this series of quotations (vv. 5-14) in revealing the superiority of the Son over angels (v. 4).

[1:13]  ²³ sn A quotation from Ps 110:1.

[1:1]  ²⁴ tn Or “spoke formerly.”

[1:1]  ²⁵ tn Or “parts.” The idea is that God’s previous revelation came in many parts and was therefore fragmentary or partial (L&N 63.19), in comparison with the final and complete revelation contained in God’s Son. However, some interpret πολυμερῶς (polumerw") in Heb 1:1 to mean “on many different occasions” and would thus translate “many times” (L&N 67.11). This is the option followed by the NIV: “at many times and in various ways.” Finally, this word is also understood to refer to the different manners in which something may be done, and would then be translated “in many different ways” (L&N 89.81). In this last case, the two words πολυμερῶς and πολυτρόπως (polutropw") mutually reinforce one another (“in many and various ways,” NRSV).

[1:1]  ²⁶ tn These two phrases are emphasized in Greek by being placed at the beginning of the sentence and by alliteration.

[1:1]  ²⁷ tn Grk “to the fathers.”

[5:10]  ²⁸ tn Grk “having been designated,” continuing the thought of Heb 5:9.

[5:10]  ²⁹ sn The phrase in the order of Melchizedek picks up the quotation from Ps 110:4 in Heb 5:6.

[1:3]  ³⁰ tn Grk “who being…and sustaining.” Heb 1:1-4 form one skillfully composed sentence in Greek, but it must be broken into shorter segments to correspond to contemporary English usage, which does not allow for sentences of this length and complexity.

[1:3]  ³¹ tn Grk “by the word of his power.”

[1:3]  ³² sn An allusion to Ps 110:1, quoted often in Hebrews.