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Ezekiel 26-28
New English Translation
Ezekiel 26-28
New English Translation
A Prophecy Against Tyre
26 In the eleventh year, on the first day of the month,[a] the Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, because Tyre[b] has said about Jerusalem, ‘Aha, the gateway of the peoples is broken; it has swung open to me. I will become rich,[c] now that she[d] has been destroyed,’ 3 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look,[e] I am against you,[f] O Tyre! I will bring up many nations against you, as the sea brings up its waves. 4 They will destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers. I will scrape her soil[g] from her and make her a bare rock. 5 She will be a place where fishing nets are spread, surrounded by the sea. For I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder for the nations, 6 and her daughters[h] who are in the field will be slaughtered by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
7 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: Take note that[i] I am about to bring King Nebuchadrezzar[j] of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north, with horses, chariots, and horsemen, an army and hordes of people. 8 He will kill your daughters in the field with the sword. He will build a siege wall against you, erect a siege ramp against you, and raise a great shield against you. 9 He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and tear down your towers with his weapons.[k] 10 He will cover you with the dust kicked up by his many horses.[l] Your walls will shake from the noise of the horsemen, wheels, and chariots when he enters your gates like those who invade through a city’s broken walls.[m] 11 With his horses’ hooves he will trample all your streets. He will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars will tumble down to the ground. 12 They will steal your wealth and loot your merchandise. They will tear down your walls and destroy your luxurious[n] homes. Your stones, your trees, and your soil he will throw[o] into the water.[p] 13 I will silence[q] the noise of your songs; the sound of your harps will be heard no more. 14 I will make you a bare rock; you will be a place where fishing nets are spread. You will never be built again,[r] for I, the Lord, have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Oh, how the coastlands will shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan at the massive slaughter in your midst! 16 All the princes of the sea will vacate[s] their thrones. They will remove their robes and strip off their embroidered clothes; they will clothe themselves with trembling. They will sit on the ground; they will tremble continually and be shocked at what has happened to you.[t] 17 They will sing this lament over you:[u]
“‘How you have perished—you have vanished[v] from the seas,
O renowned city, once mighty in the sea,
she and her inhabitants, who spread their terror![w]
18 Now the coastlands will tremble on the day of your fall;
the coastlands by the sea will be terrified by your passing.’[x]
19 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you desolate like the uninhabited cities, when I bring up the deep over you and the surging[y] waters overwhelm you, 20 then I will bring you down to bygone people,[z] to be with those who descend to the Pit. I will make you live in the lower parts of the earth among[aa] the primeval ruins, with those who descend to the Pit, so that you will not be inhabited or stand[ab] in the land of the living. 21 I will bring terrors on you, and you will be no more! Though you are sought after, you will never be found again, declares the Sovereign Lord.”
A Lament for Tyre
27 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “You, son of man, sing a lament for Tyre.[ac] 3 Say to Tyre, who sits at the entrance[ad] of the sea,[ae] merchant to the peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘O Tyre, you have said, “I am perfectly beautiful.”
4 [af] Your borders are in the heart of the seas;
your builders have perfected your beauty.
5 They crafted[ag] all your planks out of fir trees from Senir;[ah]
they took a cedar from Lebanon to make your mast.
6 They made your oars from oaks of Bashan;
they made your deck[ai] with cypress wood[aj] from the coasts of Cyprus.[ak]
7 Fine linen from Egypt, woven with patterns, was used for your sail
to serve as your banner;
blue and purple from the coastlands of Elishah[al] were used for your deck’s awning.
8 The leaders[am] of Sidon and Arvad[an] were your rowers;
your skilled men,[ao] O Tyre, were your captains.
9 The elders of Gebal[ap] and her skilled men were within you, mending cracks;[aq]
all the ships of the sea and their mariners were within you to trade for your merchandise.[ar]
10 Men of Persia, Lud,[as] and Put were in your army, men of war.
They hung shield and helmet on you; they gave you your splendor.
11 The Arvadites[at] joined your army on your walls all around,
and the Gammadites[au] were in your towers.
They hung their quivers[av] on your walls all around;
they perfected your beauty.
12 “‘Tarshish[aw] was your trade partner because of your abundant wealth; they exchanged silver, iron, tin, and lead for your products. 13 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech were your clients; they exchanged slaves and bronze items for your merchandise. 14 Beth Togarmah exchanged horses, chargers,[ax] and mules for your products. 15 The Dedanites[ay] were your clients. Many coastlands were your customers; they paid[az] you with ivory tusks and ebony. 16 Edom[ba] was your trade partner because of the abundance of your goods; they exchanged turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies for your products. 17 Judah and the land of Israel were your clients; they traded wheat from Minnith,[bb] millet, honey, olive oil, and balm for your merchandise. 18 Damascus was your trade partner because of the abundance of your goods and of all your wealth: wine from Helbon, white wool from Zahar, 19 and casks of wine[bc] from Izal[bd] they exchanged for your products. Wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were among your merchandise. 20 Dedan was your client in saddlecloths for riding. 21 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your trade partners; for lambs, rams, and goats they traded with you. 22 The merchants of Sheba and Raamah engaged in trade with you; they traded the best kinds of spices along with precious stones and gold for your products. 23 Haran, Kanneh, Eden, merchants from Sheba, Asshur, and Kilmad were your clients. 24 They traded with you choice garments, purple clothes and embroidered work, and multicolored carpets bound and reinforced with cords; these were among your merchandise. 25 The ships of Tarshish[be] were the transports for your merchandise.
“‘So you were filled and weighed down in the heart of the seas.
26 Your rowers have brought you into surging waters.
The east wind has wrecked you in the heart of the seas.
27 Your wealth, products, and merchandise, your sailors and captains,
your ship’s carpenters,[bf] your merchants,
and all your fighting men within you,
along with all your crew who are in you,
will fall into the heart of the seas on the day of your downfall.
28 At the sound of your captains’ cries the waves will surge;[bg]
29 They will descend from their ships—all who handle the oar,
the sailors and all the sea captains—they will stand on the land.
30 They will lament loudly[bh] over you and cry bitterly.
They will throw dust on their heads and roll in the ashes;[bi]
31 they will tear out their hair because of you and put on sackcloth,
and they will weep bitterly over you with intense mourning.[bj]
32 As they wail they will lament over you, chanting:
“Who was like Tyre, like a tower[bk] in the midst of the sea?”
33 When your products went out from the seas,
you satisfied many peoples;
with the abundance of your wealth and merchandise
you enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are wrecked by the seas, in the depths of the waters;
your merchandise and all your company have sunk[bl] along with you.[bm]
35 All the inhabitants of the coastlands are shocked at you,
and their kings are horribly afraid—their faces are troubled.
36 The traders among the peoples hiss at you;
you have become a horror, and will be no more.’”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 The Lord’s message came to me: 2 “Son of man, say to the prince[bn] of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Your heart is proud[bo] and you said, “I am a god;[bp]
I sit in the seat of gods, in the heart of the seas”—
yet you are a man and not a god,
though you think you are godlike.[bq]
3 Look, you are wiser than Daniel;[br]
no secret is hidden from you.[bs]
4 By your wisdom and understanding you have gained wealth for yourself;
you have amassed gold and silver in your treasuries.
5 By your great skill[bt] in trade you have increased your wealth,
and your heart is proud because of your wealth.
6 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
Because you think you are godlike,[bu]
7 I am about to bring foreigners[bv] against you, the most terrifying of nations.
They will draw their swords against the grandeur made by your wisdom,[bw]
and they will defile your splendor.
8 They will bring you down to the Pit, and you will die violently[bx] in the heart of the seas.
9 Will you still say, “I am a god,” before the one who kills you—
though you are a man and not a god—
when you are in the power of those who wound you?
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised[by] by the hand of foreigners;
for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
11 The Lord’s message came to me: 12 “Son of man, sing[bz] a lament for the king of Tyre, and say to him, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You were the sealer[ca] of perfection,
full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.
13 You were in Eden, the garden of God.[cb]
Every precious stone was your covering,
the ruby, topaz, and emerald,
the chrysolite, onyx, and jasper,
the sapphire, turquoise, and beryl;[cc]
your settings and mounts were made of gold.
On the day you were created they were prepared.
14 I placed you there with an anointed[cd] guardian[ce] cherub;[cf]
you were on the holy mountain of God;
you walked about amidst fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your behavior[cg] from the day you were created,
until sin was discovered in you.
16 In the abundance of your trade you were filled with violence,[ch] and you sinned;
so I defiled you and banished you[ci] from the mountain of God—
the guardian cherub expelled you[cj] from the midst of the stones of fire.
17 Your heart was proud because of your beauty;
you corrupted your wisdom on account of your splendor.
I threw you down to the ground;
I placed you before kings, that they might see you.
18 By the multitude of your iniquities, through the sinfulness of your trade,
you desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I drew fire out from within you;
it consumed you,
and I turned you to ashes on the earth
before the eyes of all who saw you.
19 All who know you among the peoples are shocked at you;
you have become terrified and will be no more.’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 The Lord’s message came to me: 21 “Son of man, turn toward[ck] Sidon[cl] and prophesy against it. 22 Say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Look, I am against you,[cm] Sidon,
and I will magnify myself in your midst.
Then they will know that I am the Lord
when I execute judgments on her
and reveal my sovereign power[cn] in her.
23 I will send a plague into the city[co] and bloodshed into its streets;
the slain will fall within it, by the sword that attacks it[cp] from every side.
Then they will know that I am the Lord.
24 “‘No longer will Israel suffer from the sharp briers[cq] or painful thorns of all who surround and scorn them.[cr] Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I regather the house of Israel from the peoples where they are dispersed, I will reveal my sovereign power[cs] over them in the sight of the nations, and they will live in their land that I gave to my servant Jacob. 26 They will live securely in it; they will build houses and plant vineyards. They will live securely[ct] when I execute my judgments on all those who scorn them and surround them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 26:1 tc Date formulae typically include the month. According to D. I. Block (Ezekiel [NICOT], 2:34, n. 27) some emend to “in the twelfth year in the eleventh month,” relying partially on the copy of the LXX from Alexandrinus, where Albright suggested that “eleventh month” may have dropped out due to haplography.sn April 23, 587 b.c.
- Ezekiel 26:2 sn Tyre was located on the Mediterranean coast north of Israel.
- Ezekiel 26:2 tn Heb “I will be filled.”
- Ezekiel 26:2 sn That is, Jerusalem.
- Ezekiel 26:3 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) draws attention to something and has been translated here as a verb.
- Ezekiel 26:3 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî ’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
- Ezekiel 26:4 tn Or “debris.”
- Ezekiel 26:6 sn That is, the towns located inland that were under Tyre’s rule.
- Ezekiel 26:7 tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) draws attention to something.
- Ezekiel 26:7 tn Heb “Nebuchadrezzar” is a variant and more correct spelling of Nebuchadnezzar, as the Babylonian name Nabu-kudurri-uṣur has an an “r” rather than an “n.”
- Ezekiel 26:9 tn Heb “swords.”
- Ezekiel 26:10 tn Heb “From the abundance of his horses he will cover you (with) their dust.”
- Ezekiel 26:10 tn Heb “like those who enter a breached city.”
- Ezekiel 26:12 tn Heb “desirable.”
- Ezekiel 26:12 tn Heb “set.”
- Ezekiel 26:12 tn Heb “into the midst of the water.”
- Ezekiel 26:13 tn Heb “cause to end.”
- Ezekiel 26:14 sn This prophecy was fulfilled by Alexander the Great in 332 b.c.
- Ezekiel 26:16 tn Heb “descend from.”
- Ezekiel 26:16 tn Heb “and they will be astonished over you.”
- Ezekiel 26:17 tn Heb “and they will lift up over you a lament and they will say to you.”
- Ezekiel 26:17 tn Heb “O inhabitant.” The translation follows the LXX and understands a different Hebrew verb, meaning “cease,” behind the consonantal text. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel [WBC], 2:72, and D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:43.
- Ezekiel 26:17 tn Heb “she and her inhabitants who placed their terror to all her inhabitants.” The relationship of the final prepositional phrase to what precedes is unclear. The preposition probably has a specifying function here, drawing attention to Tyre’s inhabitants as the source of the terror mentioned prior to this. In this case, one might paraphrase verse 17b: “she and her inhabitants, who spread their terror; yes, her inhabitants (were the source of this terror).”
- Ezekiel 26:18 tn Heb “from your going out.”
- Ezekiel 26:19 tn Heb “many.”
- Ezekiel 26:20 tn Heb “to the people of antiquity.”
- Ezekiel 26:20 tn Heb “like.” The translation assumes an emendation of the preposition כ (kaf, “like”) to ב (bet, “in, among”).
- Ezekiel 26:20 tn Heb “and I will place beauty.” This reading makes little sense; many, following the lead of the LXX, emend the text to read: “nor will you stand,” with the negative particle before the preceding verb understood by ellipsis; see L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:73. D. I. Block (Ezekiel [NICOT], 2:47) offers another alternative, taking the apparent first person verb form as an archaic second feminine form and translating “nor radiate splendor.”
- Ezekiel 27:2 tn Heb “lift up over Tyre a lament.”
- Ezekiel 27:3 tn Heb “entrances.” The plural noun may reflect the fact that Tyre had two main harbors.
- Ezekiel 27:3 sn Rome, another economic power, is described in a similar way in Rev 17:1.
- Ezekiel 27:4 tn The city of Tyre is described in the following account as a merchant ship.
- Ezekiel 27:5 tn Heb “built.”
- Ezekiel 27:5 tn Perhaps the hull or deck. The term is dual, so perhaps it refers to a double-decked ship.
- Ezekiel 27:6 tn Or “hull.”
- Ezekiel 27:6 tc The Hebrew reads, “Your deck they made ivory, daughter of Assyria.” The syntactically difficult “ivory” is understood here as dittography and omitted, though some construe this to refer to ivory inlays. “Daughter of Assyria” is understood here as improper word division, and the vowels are repointed as “cypresses” and translated as “cypress wood.”
- Ezekiel 27:6 tn Heb “from the coastlands (or islands) of Kittim,” generally understood to be a reference to the island of Cyprus, where the Phoenicians had a trading colony on the southeast coast.
- Ezekiel 27:7 sn This is probably a reference to Cyprus.
- Ezekiel 27:8 tc The MT reads, “the residents of”; the LXX reads, “your rulers who dwell in.” With no apparent reason for the LXX to add “the rulers,” many suppose something has dropped out of the Hebrew text. While more than one may be possible, Allen’s proposal, positing a word meaning “elders,” is the most likely to explain the omission in the MT from a graphic standpoint and also provides a parallel to the beginning of v. 9. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:81.
- Ezekiel 27:8 sn Sidon and Arvad, like Tyre, were Phoenician coastal cities.
- Ezekiel 27:8 tn Or “wise.”
- Ezekiel 27:9 sn Another Phoenician coastal city located between Sidon and Arvad.
- Ezekiel 27:9 tn Heb “strengthening damages.” Here “to strengthen” means to repair. The word for “damages” occurs several times in 1 Kgs 12 about some type of damage to the temple, which may have referred to or included cracks. Since the context describes Tyre in its glory, we do not expect this reference to damages to be of significant scale, even if there are repairmen. This may refer to using pitch to seal the seams of the ship, which had to be done periodically and could be considered routine maintenance rather than repair of damage.
- Ezekiel 27:9 sn The reference to “all the ships of the sea…within you” suggests that the metaphor is changing; previously Tyre had been described as a magnificent ship, but now the description shifts back to an actual city. The “ships of the sea” were within Tyre’s harbor. Verse 11 refers to “walls” and “towers” of the city.
- Ezekiel 27:10 sn See Gen 10:22.
- Ezekiel 27:11 tn Heb “sons of Arvad.”
- Ezekiel 27:11 sn The identity of the Gammadites is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 27:11 tn See note on “quivers” in Jer 51:11 on the meaning of Hebrew שֶׁלֶט (shelet) and also M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:553.
- Ezekiel 27:12 sn Tarshish refers to a distant seaport sometimes believed to be located in southern Spain (others identified it as Carthage in North Africa). In any event it represents here a distant, rich, and exotic port that was a trading partner of Tyre.
- Ezekiel 27:14 tn The way in which these horses may have been distinguished from other horses is unknown. Cf. ASV “war-horses” (NASB, NIV, NRSV, CEV are all similar); NLT “chariot horses.”
- Ezekiel 27:15 tn Heb “sons of Dedan.”
- Ezekiel 27:15 tn Heb “they returned as your gift.”
- Ezekiel 27:16 tc Many Hebrew mss, Aquila’s Greek translation, and the Syriac version read “Edom.” The LXX reads “man,” a translation that assumes the same consonants as Edom. This reading is supported from the context as the text deals with Damascus, the capital of Syria (Aram), later (in v. 18).
- Ezekiel 27:17 sn The location is mentioned in Judg 11:33.
- Ezekiel 27:19 tc The MT leaves v. 18 as an incomplete sentence and begins v. 19 with “and Dan and Javan [Ionia] from Uzal.” The LXX mentions “wine.” The translation follows an emendation assuming some confusions of vav and yod. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:82.
- Ezekiel 27:19 sn According to L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 2:82), Izal was located between Haran and the Tigris and was famous for its wine.
- Ezekiel 27:25 tn Or perhaps “Large merchant ships.” The expression “ships of Tarshish” may describe a class of vessel, that is, large oceangoing merchant ships.
- Ezekiel 27:27 tn Heb “your repairers of damage.” See v. 9.
- Ezekiel 27:28 tn Compare this phrase to Isa 57:20 and Amos 8:8. See M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:561.
- Ezekiel 27:30 tn Heb “make heard over you with their voice.”
- Ezekiel 27:30 tn Note a similar expression to “roll in the ashes” in Mic 1:10.
- Ezekiel 27:31 tn Heb “and they will weep concerning you with bitterness of soul, (with) bitter mourning.”
- Ezekiel 27:32 tn As it stands, the meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. The translation follows the suggestion of M. Dahood, “Accadian-Ugaritic dmt in Ezekiel 27:32, ” Bib 45 (1964): 83-84. Several other explanations and emendations have been offered. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:83, and D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:85-86, for a list of options.
- Ezekiel 27:34 tn Heb “fallen.”
- Ezekiel 27:34 tn Heb “in the midst of you.”
- Ezekiel 28:2 tn Or “ruler” (NIV, NCV).
- Ezekiel 28:2 tn Heb “lifted up.” sn See Prov 16:5.
- Ezekiel 28:2 tn Or “I am divine.”
- Ezekiel 28:2 tn Heb “and you made your heart/mind (לֵב, lev) like the heart/mind of gods.”
- Ezekiel 28:3 sn Or perhaps “Danel” (so TEV), referring to a ruler known from Canaanite legend. See the note on “Daniel” in 14:14. A reference to Danel (preserved in legend at Ugarit, near the northern end of the Phoenician coast) makes more sense here when addressing Tyre than in 14:14.
- Ezekiel 28:3 sn The tone here is sarcastic, reflecting the ruler’s view of himself.
- Ezekiel 28:5 tn Or “wisdom.”
- Ezekiel 28:6 tn Heb “because of your making your heart like the heart of gods.”
- Ezekiel 28:7 sn This is probably a reference to the Babylonians.
- Ezekiel 28:7 tn Heb “they will draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom.”
- Ezekiel 28:8 tn Heb “you will die the death of the slain.”
- Ezekiel 28:10 sn The Phoenicians practiced circumcision, so the language here must be figurative, indicating that they would be treated in a disgraceful manner. Uncircumcised peoples were viewed as inferior and unclean. See 31:18 and 32:17-32, as well as the discussion in D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:99.
- Ezekiel 28:12 tn Heb “lift up.”
- Ezekiel 28:12 tn For a discussion of possible nuances of this phrase, see M. Greenberg, Ezekiel (AB), 2:580-81.
- Ezekiel 28:13 sn The imagery of the lament appears to draw upon an extrabiblical Eden tradition about the expulsion of the first man (see v. 14 and the note there) from the garden due to his pride. The biblical Eden tradition speaks of cherubim placed as guardians at the garden entrance following the sin of Adam and Eve (Gen 3:24), but no guardian cherub like the one described in verse 14 is depicted or mentioned in the biblical account. Ezekiel’s imagery also appears to reflect Mesopotamian and Canaanite mythology at certain points. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 2:119-20.
- Ezekiel 28:13 tn The exact identification of each gemstone is uncertain. The list should be compared to that of the priest in Exod 28:17-20, which lists twelve stones in rows of three. The LXX apparently imports the Exod 28 list. See reference to the types of stones in L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:14 tn Or “winged”; see L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:14 tn The meaning of this phrase in Hebrew is uncertain. The word translated here “guards” occurs in Exod 25:20 in reference to the cherubim “covering” the ark.
- Ezekiel 28:14 tn Heb “you (were) an anointed cherub that covers, and I placed you.” In the Hebrew text the ruler of Tyre is equated with a cherub, and the verb “I placed you” is taken with what follows (“on the holy mountain of God”). However, this reading is problematic. The pronoun “you” at the beginning of verse 14 is feminine singular in the Hebrew text; elsewhere in this passage the ruler of Tyre is addressed with masculine singular forms. It is possible that the pronoun is a rare (see Deut 5:24; Num 11:15) or defectively written (see 1 Sam 24:19; Neh 9:6; Job 1:10; Ps 6:3; Eccl 7:22) masculine form, but it is more likely that the form should be repointed as the preposition “with” (see the LXX). In this case the ruler of Tyre is compared to the first man, not to a cherub. If this emendation is accepted, then the verb “I placed you” belongs with what precedes and concludes the first sentence in the verse. It is noteworthy that the verbs in the second and third lines of the verse also appear at the end of the sentence in the Hebrew text. The presence of a conjunction at the beginning of “I placed you” is problematic for the proposal, but it may reflect a later misunderstanding of the syntax of the verse. For a defense of the proposed emendation, see L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:15 tn Heb “ways.”
- Ezekiel 28:16 tn Heb “they filled your midst with violence.”
- Ezekiel 28:16 tn Heb “I defiled you.” The presence of the preposition “from” following the verb indicates that a verb of motion is implied as well. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:16 tn Heb “and I expelled you, O guardian cherub.” The Hebrew text takes the verb as first person and understands “guardian cherub” as a vocative, in apposition to the pronominal suffix on the verb. However, if the emendation in verse 14a is accepted (see the note above), then one may follow the LXX here as well and emend the verb to a third person perfect. In this case the subject of the verb is the guardian cherub. See L. C. Allen, Ezekiel (WBC), 2:91.
- Ezekiel 28:21 tn Heb “set your face against.”
- Ezekiel 28:21 sn Sidon was located 25 miles north of Tyre.
- Ezekiel 28:22 tn Or “I challenge you.” The phrase “I am against you” may be a formula for challenging someone to combat or a duel. See D. I. Block, Ezekiel (NICOT), 1:201-2, and P. Humbert, “Die Herausforderungsformel ‘hinnenî ’êlékâ’” ZAW 45 (1933): 101-8.
- Ezekiel 28:22 tn Or “reveal my holiness.” God’s “holiness” is fundamentally his transcendence as sovereign ruler of the world. The revelation of his authority and power through judgment is in view in this context.
- Ezekiel 28:23 tn Heb “into it”; the referent of the feminine pronoun has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Ezekiel 28:23 tn Heb “by a sword against it.”
- Ezekiel 28:24 sn Similar language is used in reference to Israel’s adversaries in Num 33:55 and Josh 23:13.
- Ezekiel 28:24 tn Heb “and there will not be for the house of Israel a brier that pricks and a thorn that inflicts pain from all the ones who surround them, the ones who scorn them.”
- Ezekiel 28:25 tn Or “reveal my holiness.” See verse 22.
- Ezekiel 28:26 sn This promise was given in Lev 25:18-19.
Ezekiel 26-28
New International Version
Ezekiel 26-28
New International Version
A Prophecy Against Tyre
26 In the eleventh month of the twelfth[a] year, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:(A) 2 “Son of man, because Tyre(B) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!(C) The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’ 3 therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Tyre, and I will bring many nations against you, like the sea(D) casting up its waves. 4 They will destroy(E) the walls of Tyre(F) and pull down her towers; I will scrape away her rubble and make her a bare rock. 5 Out in the sea(G) she will become a place to spread fishnets,(H) for I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord. She will become plunder(I) for the nations,(J) 6 and her settlements on the mainland will be ravaged by the sword. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
7 “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: From the north I am going to bring against Tyre Nebuchadnezzar[b](K) king of Babylon, king of kings,(L) with horses and chariots,(M) with horsemen and a great army. 8 He will ravage your settlements on the mainland with the sword; he will set up siege works(N) against you, build a ramp(O) up to your walls and raise his shields against you. 9 He will direct the blows of his battering rams against your walls and demolish your towers with his weapons.(P) 10 His horses will be so many that they will cover you with dust. Your walls will tremble at the noise of the warhorses, wagons and chariots(Q) when he enters your gates as men enter a city whose walls have been broken through. 11 The hooves(R) of his horses will trample all your streets; he will kill your people with the sword, and your strong pillars(S) will fall to the ground.(T) 12 They will plunder your wealth and loot your merchandise; they will break down your walls and demolish your fine houses and throw your stones, timber and rubble into the sea.(U) 13 I will put an end(V) to your noisy songs,(W) and the music of your harps(X) will be heard no more.(Y) 14 I will make you a bare rock, and you will become a place to spread fishnets. You will never be rebuilt,(Z) for I the Lord have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Tyre: Will not the coastlands(AA) tremble(AB) at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan(AC) and the slaughter takes place in you? 16 Then all the princes of the coast will step down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and take off their embroidered(AD) garments. Clothed(AE) with terror, they will sit on the ground,(AF) trembling(AG) every moment, appalled(AH) at you. 17 Then they will take up a lament(AI) concerning you and say to you:
“‘How you are destroyed, city of renown,
peopled by men of the sea!
You were a power on the seas,
you and your citizens;
you put your terror
on all who lived there.(AJ)
18 Now the coastlands tremble(AK)
on the day of your fall;
the islands in the sea
are terrified at your collapse.’(AL)
19 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I make you a desolate city, like cities no longer inhabited, and when I bring the ocean depths(AM) over you and its vast waters cover you,(AN) 20 then I will bring you down with those who go down to the pit,(AO) to the people of long ago. I will make you dwell in the earth below, as in ancient ruins, with those who go down to the pit, and you will not return or take your place[c] in the land of the living.(AP) 21 I will bring you to a horrible end and you will be no more.(AQ) You will be sought, but you will never again be found, declares the Sovereign Lord.”(AR)
A Lament Over Tyre
27 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, take up a lament(AS) concerning Tyre. 3 Say to Tyre,(AT) situated at the gateway to the sea,(AU) merchant of peoples on many coasts, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You say, Tyre,
“I am perfect in beauty.(AV)”
4 Your domain was on the high seas;
your builders brought your beauty to perfection.(AW)
5 They made all your timbers
of juniper from Senir[d];(AX)
they took a cedar from Lebanon(AY)
to make a mast for you.
6 Of oaks(AZ) from Bashan
they made your oars;
of cypress wood[e] from the coasts of Cyprus(BA)
they made your deck, adorned with ivory.
7 Fine embroidered linen(BB) from Egypt was your sail
and served as your banner;
your awnings were of blue and purple(BC)
from the coasts of Elishah.(BD)
8 Men of Sidon and Arvad(BE) were your oarsmen;
your skilled men, Tyre, were aboard as your sailors.(BF)
9 Veteran craftsmen of Byblos(BG) were on board
as shipwrights to caulk your seams.
All the ships of the sea(BH) and their sailors
came alongside to trade for your wares.
10 “‘Men of Persia,(BI) Lydia(BJ) and Put(BK)
served as soldiers in your army.
They hung their shields(BL) and helmets on your walls,
bringing you splendor.
11 Men of Arvad and Helek
guarded your walls on every side;
men of Gammad
were in your towers.
They hung their shields around your walls;
they brought your beauty to perfection.(BM)
12 “‘Tarshish(BN) did business with you because of your great wealth of goods;(BO) they exchanged silver, iron, tin and lead for your merchandise.
13 “‘Greece,(BP) Tubal and Meshek(BQ) did business with you; they traded human beings(BR) and articles of bronze for your wares.
14 “‘Men of Beth Togarmah(BS) exchanged chariot horses, cavalry horses and mules for your merchandise.
15 “‘The men of Rhodes[f](BT) traded with you, and many coastlands(BU) were your customers; they paid you with ivory(BV) tusks and ebony.
16 “‘Aram[g](BW) did business with you because of your many products; they exchanged turquoise,(BX) purple fabric, embroidered work, fine linen,(BY) coral(BZ) and rubies for your merchandise.
17 “‘Judah and Israel traded with you; they exchanged wheat(CA) from Minnith(CB) and confections,[h] honey, olive oil and balm(CC) for your wares.(CD)
18 “‘Damascus(CE) did business with you because of your many products and great wealth of goods.(CF) They offered wine from Helbon, wool from Zahar 19 and casks of wine from Izal(CG) in exchange for your wares: wrought iron, cassia(CH) and calamus.
20 “‘Dedan(CI) traded in saddle blankets with you.
21 “‘Arabia(CJ) and all the princes of Kedar(CK) were your customers; they did business with you in lambs, rams and goats.
22 “‘The merchants of Sheba(CL) and Raamah traded with you; for your merchandise they exchanged the finest of all kinds of spices(CM) and precious stones, and gold.(CN)
23 “‘Harran,(CO) Kanneh and Eden(CP) and merchants of Sheba, Ashur(CQ) and Kilmad traded with you. 24 In your marketplace they traded with you beautiful garments, blue fabric, embroidered work and multicolored rugs with cords twisted and tightly knotted.
25 “‘The ships of Tarshish(CR) serve
as carriers for your wares.
You are filled with heavy cargo
as you sail the sea.(CS)
26 Your oarsmen take you
out to the high seas.
But the east wind(CT) will break you to pieces
far out at sea.
27 Your wealth,(CU) merchandise and wares,
your mariners, sailors and shipwrights,
your merchants and all your soldiers,
and everyone else on board
will sink into the heart of the sea(CV)
on the day of your shipwreck.
28 The shorelands will quake(CW)
when your sailors cry out.
29 All who handle the oars
will abandon their ships;
the mariners and all the sailors
will stand on the shore.
30 They will raise their voice
and cry bitterly over you;
they will sprinkle dust(CX) on their heads
and roll(CY) in ashes.(CZ)
31 They will shave their heads(DA) because of you
and will put on sackcloth.
They will weep(DB) over you with anguish of soul
and with bitter mourning.(DC)
32 As they wail and mourn over you,
they will take up a lament(DD) concerning you:
“Who was ever silenced like Tyre,
surrounded by the sea?(DE)”
33 When your merchandise went out on the seas,(DF)
you satisfied many nations;
with your great wealth(DG) and your wares
you enriched the kings of the earth.
34 Now you are shattered by the sea
in the depths of the waters;
your wares and all your company
have gone down with you.(DH)
35 All who live in the coastlands(DI)
are appalled(DJ) at you;
their kings shudder with horror
and their faces are distorted with fear.(DK)
36 The merchants among the nations scoff at you;(DL)
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(DM)’”
A Prophecy Against the King of Tyre
28 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man(DN), say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘In the pride of your heart
you say, “I am a god;
I sit on the throne(DO) of a god
in the heart of the seas.”(DP)
But you are a mere mortal and not a god,
though you think you are as wise as a god.(DQ)
3 Are you wiser than Daniel[i]?(DR)
Is no secret hidden from you?
4 By your wisdom and understanding
you have gained wealth for yourself
and amassed gold and silver
in your treasuries.(DS)
5 By your great skill in trading(DT)
you have increased your wealth,(DU)
and because of your wealth
your heart has grown proud.(DV)
6 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Because you think you are wise,
as wise as a god,
7 I am going to bring foreigners against you,
the most ruthless of nations;(DW)
they will draw their swords against your beauty and wisdom(DX)
and pierce your shining splendor.(DY)
8 They will bring you down to the pit,(DZ)
and you will die a violent death(EA)
in the heart of the seas.(EB)
9 Will you then say, “I am a god,”
in the presence of those who kill you?
You will be but a mortal, not a god,(EC)
in the hands of those who slay you.(ED)
10 You will die the death of the uncircumcised(EE)
at the hands of foreigners.
I have spoken, declares the Sovereign Lord.’”
11 The word of the Lord came to me: 12 “Son of man, take up a lament(EF) concerning the king of Tyre and say to him: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘You were the seal of perfection,
full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.(EG)
13 You were in Eden,(EH)
the garden of God;(EI)
every precious stone(EJ) adorned you:
carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,
topaz, onyx and jasper,
lapis lazuli, turquoise(EK) and beryl.[j]
Your settings and mountings[k] were made of gold;
on the day you were created they were prepared.(EL)
14 You were anointed(EM) as a guardian cherub,(EN)
for so I ordained you.
You were on the holy mount of God;
you walked among the fiery stones.
15 You were blameless in your ways
from the day you were created
till wickedness was found in you.
16 Through your widespread trade
you were filled with violence,(EO)
and you sinned.
So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,
and I expelled you, guardian cherub,(EP)
from among the fiery stones.
17 Your heart became proud(EQ)
on account of your beauty,
and you corrupted your wisdom
because of your splendor.
So I threw you to the earth;
I made a spectacle of you before kings.(ER)
18 By your many sins and dishonest trade
you have desecrated your sanctuaries.
So I made a fire(ES) come out from you,
and it consumed you,
and I reduced you to ashes(ET) on the ground
in the sight of all who were watching.(EU)
19 All the nations who knew you
are appalled(EV) at you;
you have come to a horrible end
and will be no more.(EW)’”
A Prophecy Against Sidon
20 The word of the Lord came to me: 21 “Son of man, set your face against(EX) Sidon;(EY) prophesy against her 22 and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘I am against you, Sidon,
and among you I will display my glory.(EZ)
You will know that I am the Lord,
when I inflict punishment(FA) on you
and within you am proved to be holy.(FB)
23 I will send a plague upon you
and make blood flow in your streets.
The slain will fall within you,
with the sword against you on every side.
Then you will know that I am the Lord.(FC)
24 “‘No longer will the people of Israel have malicious neighbors who are painful briers and sharp thorns.(FD) Then they will know that I am the Sovereign Lord.
25 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: When I gather(FE) the people of Israel from the nations where they have been scattered,(FF) I will be proved holy(FG) through them in the sight of the nations. Then they will live in their own land, which I gave to my servant Jacob.(FH) 26 They will live there in safety(FI) and will build houses and plant(FJ) vineyards; they will live in safety when I inflict punishment(FK) on all their neighbors who maligned them. Then they will know that I am the Lord their God.(FL)’”
Footnotes
- Ezekiel 26:1 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text does not have month of the twelfth.
- Ezekiel 26:7 Hebrew Nebuchadrezzar, of which Nebuchadnezzar is a variant; here and often in Ezekiel and Jeremiah
- Ezekiel 26:20 Septuagint; Hebrew return, and I will give glory
- Ezekiel 27:5 That is, Mount Hermon
- Ezekiel 27:6 Targum; the Masoretic Text has a different division of the consonants.
- Ezekiel 27:15 Septuagint; Hebrew Dedan
- Ezekiel 27:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Edom
- Ezekiel 27:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:3 Or Danel, a man of renown in ancient literature
- Ezekiel 28:13 The precise identification of some of these precious stones is uncertain.
- Ezekiel 28:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.
1 Peter 2
New English Translation
1 Peter 2
New English Translation
2 So get rid of[a] all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. 2 And[b] yearn[c] like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk,[d] so that by it you may grow up to[e] salvation,[f] 3 if you have experienced[g] the Lord’s kindness.[h]
A Living Stone, a Chosen People
4 So as you come to him,[i] a living stone rejected by men but[j] chosen and precious[k] in God’s sight, 5 you yourselves, as living stones, are built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood and to offer[l] spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it says[m] in scripture, “Look, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone,[n] and whoever believes[o] in him[p] will never[q] be put to shame.”[r] 7 So you who believe see[s] his value,[t] but for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the[u] cornerstone,[v] 8 and a stumbling-stone[w] and a rock to trip over.[x] They stumble[y] because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.[z] 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you may proclaim the virtues[aa] of the one who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 You[ab] once were not a people, but now you are God’s people. You were shown no mercy,[ac] but now you have received mercy.
11 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, 12 and maintain good conduct[ad] among the non-Christians,[ae] so that though[af] they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears.[ag]
Submission to Authorities
13 Be subject to every human institution[ah] for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme 14 or to governors as those he commissions[ai] to punish wrongdoers and praise[aj] those who do good. 15 For God wants you[ak] to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Live[al] as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves.[am] 17 Honor all people, love the family of believers,[an] fear God, honor the king.
18 Slaves,[ao] be subject[ap] to your masters with all reverence, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are perverse. 19 For this finds God’s favor,[aq] if because of conscience toward God[ar] someone endures hardships in suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if you sin and are mistreated and endure it? But if you do good and suffer and so endure, this finds favor with God.[as] 21 For to this you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving an example for you to follow in his steps. 22 He[at] committed no sin nor was deceit found in his mouth.[au] 23 When he was maligned, he[av] did not answer back; when he suffered, he threatened[aw] no retaliation,[ax] but committed himself to God[ay] who judges justly. 24 He[az] himself bore our sins[ba] in his body on the tree, that we may cease from sinning[bb] and live for righteousness. By his[bc] wounds[bd] you were healed.[be] 25 For you were going astray like sheep[bf] but now you have turned back to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 2:1 tn Or “put away.”
- 1 Peter 2:2 tn Here “And” has been supplied in the translation to show clearly the connection between vv. 1 and 2.
- 1 Peter 2:2 tn Grk “getting rid of…yearn for.”
- 1 Peter 2:2 tn The word for spiritual in Greek is λογικός (logikos), which is a play on words with the reference in 1:23-25 to the living and enduring word (λόγος, logos) of God, through which they were born anew. This is a subtle indication that the nourishment for their growth must be the word of God.
- 1 Peter 2:2 tn Or “in, in regard to.” But the focus of “salvation” here, as in 1:5, 9, is the future deliverance of these who have been born anew and protected by God’s power.
- 1 Peter 2:2 tc The Byzantine text lacks εἰς σωτηρίαν (eis sōtērian, “to salvation”), while the words are found in the earliest and best witnesses, along with others (P72 א A B C K P Ψ 33 81 630 1241 1505 1739 al latt sy co). Not only is the longer reading superior externally, but since the notion of growing up [in]to salvation may have seemed theologically objectionable, it is easy to see why some scribes would omit it.
- 1 Peter 2:3 tn Grk “have tasted that the Lord is kind.”
- 1 Peter 2:3 sn A quotation from Ps 34:8.
- 1 Peter 2:4 tn Grk “to whom coming…you are built up…” as a continuation of the reference to the Lord in v. 3.
- 1 Peter 2:4 tn Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two phrases more than can be easily expressed in English.
- 1 Peter 2:4 tn Grk “chosen, precious.”
- 1 Peter 2:5 tn Grk “unto a holy priesthood to offer.”
- 1 Peter 2:6 tn Grk “it contains,” “it stands.”
- 1 Peter 2:6 tn Grk “chosen, precious.”
- 1 Peter 2:6 tn Grk “the one who believes.”
- 1 Peter 2:6 tn Grk either “in him” or “in it,” but the OT and NT uses personify the stone as the King, the Messiah whom God will establish in Jerusalem.
- 1 Peter 2:6 tn The negative (οὐ μή, ou mē) is emphatic: “will certainly not.”
- 1 Peter 2:6 sn A quotation from Isa 28:16.
- 1 Peter 2:7 tn Grk “to you who believe is the value,” referring to their perception of the stone in contrast to those who reject (vv. 7b-8). But the expression may also be translated as “to you who believe is this honor,” referring to the lack of shame cited in v. 6b.
- 1 Peter 2:7 tn Grk “the value” or “the honor,” but the former is preferred since it comes from the same root as “priceless” in vv. 4, 6, and it is in contrast to the negative estimate of the stone by those who reject (vv. 7b-8).
- 1 Peter 2:7 tn Grk “the head of the corner.”
- 1 Peter 2:7 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 (cf. Matt 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11).
- 1 Peter 2:8 tn Grk “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” The latter phrase uses the term σκάνδαλον (skandalon), denoting an obstacle to faith, something that arouses anger and rejection.
- 1 Peter 2:8 sn A quotation from Isa 8:14.
- 1 Peter 2:8 tn Grk “who stumble,” referring to “those who do not believe” in vs. 7. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 2:8 tn Grk “to which they were also destined.”
- 1 Peter 2:9 sn This verse contains various allusions and quotations from Exod 19:5-6; 23:22 (LXX); Isa 43:20-21; and Mal 3:17.
- 1 Peter 2:10 tn Grk “who,” continuing the description of the readers from vs. 9. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 2:10 sn The quotations in v. 10 are from Hos 1:6, 9; 2:23.
- 1 Peter 2:12 tn Grk “keeping your conduct good.”
- 1 Peter 2:12 tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.
- 1 Peter 2:12 tn Grk “in order that in what they malign you.”
- 1 Peter 2:12 tn Or “when he visits.” Grk “in the day of visitation,” denoting a time when God intervenes directly in human affairs, either for blessing (Luke 1:68, 78; 7:16; 19:44) or for judgment (Isa 10:3; Jer 6:15). This phrase may be a quotation from Isa 10:3, in which case judgment is in view here. But blessing seems to be the point, since part of the motive for good behavior is winning the non-Christian over to the faith (as in 3:1; also apparently in 3:15; cf. Matt 5:16).
- 1 Peter 2:13 tn Or “every human being”; Grk “every human creation,” denoting either everything created for mankind (NRSV mg: “every institution ordained for human beings”) or every creature who is human. The meaning of the verb “be subject” and the following context supports the rendering adopted in the text.
- 1 Peter 2:14 tn Grk “those sent by him.”
- 1 Peter 2:14 tn Grk “for the punishment…and the praise.”
- 1 Peter 2:15 tn Grk “because thus it is God’s will.”
- 1 Peter 2:16 tn There is no main verb in this verse, but it continues the sense of command from v. 13, “be subject…, as free people…not using…but as slaves of God.”
- 1 Peter 2:16 tn Traditionally, “servants” or “bondservants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) 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.). One good 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. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
- 1 Peter 2:17 tn Grk “love the brotherhood.” The Greek term “brotherhood” is used in a broad sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God. BDAG 19 s.v. ἀδελφότης 1 suggests “a fellowship,” but in the present context “love the fellowship of believers” could be taken to mean “love to participate in fellowship with believers,” whereas the present verse suggests the Christian community as a whole, in familial terms, is in view. This same word occurs in 5:9; there it has been translated “brothers and sisters.”
- 1 Peter 2:18 tn The Greek term here is οἰκέτης (oiketēs), often used of a servant in a household (who would have been a slave).
- 1 Peter 2:18 tn Grk “being subject,” but continuing the sense of command from vs. 13.
- 1 Peter 2:19 tn Grk “For this [is] favor/grace,” used as a metonymy of that which pleases him, which he looks on with favor (cf. BDAG 1079 s.v. χάρις 2). Cf. 1 Pet 2:20.
- 1 Peter 2:19 tc The expression “consciousness/conscience of God” (συνείδησιν θεοῦ; suneidēsin theou) is unusual, occurring only here in the NT. Because θεοῦ was liable to misinterpretation, several witnesses altered the text, either replacing it with ἀγαθήν (agathēn; C Ψ 323 442 614 630 945 1175 1241 1243 1505 1611 1739 1852 2492 sy) or expanding the expression by adding ἀγαθήν before θεοῦ (P72 [A* 33 2344] 81). Replacing θεοῦ with ἀγαθήν conforms to other NT phrases, notably in this same letter (Acts 23:1; 1 Tim 1:5, 19; 1 Pet 3:16, 21), suggesting that such a reading is motivated. The reading θεοῦ, however, has superior support (א Ac B P 049 5 436 1735 M lat co), and best explains the rise of the others.tn Grk “conscious(ness) of God,” an awareness of God and allegiance to him.
- 1 Peter 2:20 tn Grk “For this [is] favor/grace with God,” used as a metonymy as in vs. 19 of that which pleases him, which he looks on with favor (cf. BDAG 1079 s.v. χάρις 2).
- 1 Peter 2:22 tn Grk “who,” referring to Christ and applying the quotations from Isa 53 to him. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 2:22 sn A quotation from Isa 53:9.
- 1 Peter 2:23 tn Grk “who being maligned,” continuing the reference to Christ. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 2:23 tn Grk “he did not threaten, but.”
- 1 Peter 2:23 sn An allusion to Isa 53:7.
- 1 Peter 2:23 tn Grk “to the one”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- 1 Peter 2:24 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 2:24 sn A quotation from Isa 53:4, 12.
- 1 Peter 2:24 tn The verb ἀπογίνομαι (apoginomai) occurs only here in the NT. It can have a literal meaning (“to die”; L&N 74.27) and a figurative meaning (“to cease”; L&N 68.40). Because it is opposite the verb ζάω (zaō, “to live”), many argue that the meaning of the verb here must be “die” (so BDAG 108 s.v.), but even so literal death would not be in view. “In place of ἀποθνῃσκιεν, the common verb for ‘die,’ ἀπογινεθαι serves Peter as a euphemism, with the meaning ‘to be away’ or ‘to depart’” (J. R. Michaels, 1 Peter [WBC 49], 148). It is a metaphorical way to refer to the decisive separation from sin Jesus accomplished for believers through his death; the result is that believers “may cease from sinning.”
- 1 Peter 2:24 tn Grk “whose.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
- 1 Peter 2:24 tn Grk the singular: “wound”; “injury.”
- 1 Peter 2:24 sn A quotation from Isa 53:5.
- 1 Peter 2:25 sn A quotation from Isa 53:6.
1 Peter 2
New International Version
1 Peter 2
New International Version
2 Therefore, rid yourselves(A) of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander(B) of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,(C) so that by it you may grow up(D) in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.(E)
The Living Stone and a Chosen People
4 As you come to him, the living Stone(F)—rejected by humans but chosen by God(G) and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built(H) into a spiritual house[a](I) to be a holy priesthood,(J) offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.(K) 6 For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,(L)
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”[b](M)
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,(N)
8 and,
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.(R)
9 But you are a chosen people,(S) a royal priesthood,(T) a holy nation,(U) God’s special possession,(V) that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.(W) 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God;(X) once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Living Godly Lives in a Pagan Society
11 Dear friends,(Y) I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,(Z) to abstain from sinful desires,(AA) which wage war against your soul.(AB) 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds(AC) and glorify God(AD) on the day he visits us.
13 Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority:(AE) whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong(AF) and to commend those who do right.(AG) 15 For it is God’s will(AH) that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.(AI) 16 Live as free people,(AJ) but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil;(AK) live as God’s slaves.(AL) 17 Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers,(AM) fear God, honor the emperor.(AN)
18 Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters,(AO) not only to those who are good and considerate,(AP) but also to those who are harsh. 19 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.(AQ) 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.(AR) 21 To this(AS) you were called,(AT) because Christ suffered for you,(AU) leaving you an example,(AV) that you should follow in his steps.
23 When they hurled their insults at him,(AY) he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats.(AZ) Instead, he entrusted himself(BA) to him who judges justly.(BB) 24 “He himself bore our sins”(BC) in his body on the cross,(BD) so that we might die to sins(BE) and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”(BF) 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”[f](BG) but now you have returned to the Shepherd(BH) and Overseer of your souls.(BI)
Footnotes
- 1 Peter 2:5 Or into a temple of the Spirit
- 1 Peter 2:6 Isaiah 28:16
- 1 Peter 2:7 Psalm 118:22
- 1 Peter 2:8 Isaiah 8:14
- 1 Peter 2:22 Isaiah 53:9
- 1 Peter 2:25 Isaiah 53:4,5,6 (see Septuagint)
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