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Ezra 4
New English Translation

Opposition to the Building Efforts

4 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles[a] were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel, 2 they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders[b] and said to them, “Let us help you build,[c] for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him[d] from the time[e] of King Esarhaddon[f] of Assyria, who brought us here.”[g] 3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the leaders of Israel said to them, “You have no right[h] to help us build the temple of our God. We will build it by ourselves for the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.” 4 Then the local people[i] began to discourage[j] the people of Judah and to dishearten them from building. 5 They were hiring advisers to oppose them, so as to frustrate their plans, throughout the time[k] of King Cyrus of Persia until the reign of King Darius[l] of Persia.[m]

Official Complaints Are Lodged Against the Jews

6 [n] At the beginning of the reign of Ahasuerus[o] they filed an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 7 And during the reign[p] of Artaxerxes, Bishlam,[q] Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues[r] wrote to King Artaxerxes[s] of Persia. This letter[t] was first written in Aramaic but then translated.

[What follows is in Aramaic][u]

8 Rehum the commander[v] and Shimshai the scribe[w] wrote a letter concerning[x] Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows: 9 From[y] Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues—the judges, the rulers, the officials, the secretaries, the Erechites, the Babylonians, the people of Susa (that is,[z] the Elamites), 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Ashurbanipal[aa] deported and settled in the cities[ab] of Samaria and other places in Trans-Euphrates.[ac] 11 (This is a copy of the letter they sent to him.)

“To King Artaxerxes,[ad] from your servants in[ae] Trans-Euphrates: 12 Now[af] let the king be aware that the Jews who came up to us from you have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and odious city.[ag] They are completing its walls and repairing its foundations. 13 Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury[ah] will suffer loss. 14 In light of the fact that we are loyal to the king,[ai] and since it does not seem appropriate to us that the king should sustain damage,[aj] we are sending the king this information[ak] 15 so that he may initiate a search of the records[al] of his predecessors[am] and discover in those records[an] that this city is rebellious[ao] and injurious to both kings and provinces, producing internal revolts[ap] from long ago.[aq] It is for this very reason that this city was destroyed. 16 We therefore are informing the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, you will not retain control[ar] of this portion of Trans-Euphrates.”

17 The king sent the following response:

“To Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their colleagues who live in Samaria and other parts of Trans-Euphrates: Greetings![as] 18 The letter you sent to us has been translated and read in my presence. 19 So I gave orders,[at] and it was determined[au] that this city from long ago has been engaging in insurrection against kings. It has continually engaged in[av] rebellion and revolt. 20 Powerful kings have been over Jerusalem who ruled throughout the entire Trans-Euphrates[aw] and who were the beneficiaries of[ax] tribute, custom, and toll. 21 Now give orders that these men cease their work and that this city not be rebuilt until such time as I so instruct.[ay] 22 Exercise appropriate caution so that there is no negligence in this matter. Why should danger increase to the point that the king sustains damage?”

23 Then, as soon as the copy of the letter from King Artaxerxes was read in the presence of Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their colleagues, they proceeded promptly to the Jews in Jerusalem[az] and stopped them with threat of armed force.[ba]

24 So the work on the temple of God in Jerusalem came to a halt. It remained halted until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.[bb]

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:1 tn Heb “the sons of the exile.”
  2. Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” So also in v. 3.
  3. Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “Let us build with you.”
  4. Ezra 4:2 tc The translation reads with the Qere, a Qumran ms, the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and the Arabic version וְלוֹ (velo, “and him”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, וְלֹא (veloʾ, “and not”).
  5. Ezra 4:2 tn Heb “days.”
  6. Ezra 4:2 sn Esarhaddon was king of Assyria ca. 681-669 b.c.
  7. Ezra 4:2 sn The Assyrian policy had been to resettle Samaria with peoples from other areas (cf. 2 Kgs 17:24-34). These immigrants acknowledged Yahweh as well as other deities in some cases. The Jews who returned from the Exile regarded them with suspicion and were not hospitable to their offer of help in rebuilding the temple.
  8. Ezra 4:3 tn Heb “not to you and to us.”
  9. Ezra 4:4 tn Heb “the people of the land.” Elsewhere this expression sometimes has a negative connotation, referring to a lay population that was less zealous for Judaism than it should have been. Here, however, it seems to refer to the resident population of the area without any negative connotation.
  10. Ezra 4:4 tn Heb “were making slack the hands of.”
  11. Ezra 4:5 tn Heb “all the days of.”
  12. Ezra 4:5 sn Darius ruled Persia ca. 522-486 b.c.
  13. Ezra 4:5 sn The purpose of the opening verses of this chapter is to summarize why the Jews returning from the exile were unable to complete the rebuilding of the temple more quickly than they did. The delay was due not to disinterest on their part but to the repeated obstacles that had been placed in their path by determined foes.
  14. Ezra 4:6 sn The chronological problems of Ezra 4:6-24 are well known and have been the subject of extensive discussion since ancient times. Both v. 5 and v. 24 describe the reign of Darius I Hystaspes, who ruled Persia ca. 522-486 b.c. and in whose time the rebuilt temple was finished. The material in between is from later times (v. 16 describes the rebuilding of the walls, not the temple), and so appear to be a digression. Even recognizing this, there are still questions, such as why Cambyses (530-522 b.c.) is not mentioned at all, and why events from the time of Xerxes (486-465 b.c.) and Artaxerxes (464-423 b.c.) are included here if the author was discussing opposition to the building of the temple, which was finished in 516 b.c. Theories to explain these difficulties are too numerous to mention here, but have existed since ancient times: Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, rearranged the account to put Cambyses before Xerxes and replacing Artaxerxes with Xerxes (for further discussion of Josephus’ rearrangement see L. L. Grabbe, “Josephus and the Reconstruction of the Judean Restoration” JBL 106 [1987]: 231-46). In brief, it seems best to view the author’s primary concern here as thematic (the theme of opposition to the Jewish resettlement in Jerusalem, including the rebuilding of the temple and restoration of Jerusalem’s walls) rather than purely chronological. In the previous verses the author had shown how the Jews had rejected an offer of assistance from surrounding peoples and how these people in turn harassed them. The inserted account shows how, in light of the unremitting opposition the Jews experienced (even extending down to more recent times), this refusal of help had been fully justified. Some of the documents the author employed show how this opposition continued even after the temple was rebuilt. (The failure to mention Cambyses may simply mean the author had no documents available from that period.) For detailed discussion of the difficulties presented by the passage and the various theories advanced to explain them, see H. G. M. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC), 56-60.
  15. Ezra 4:6 sn Ahasuerus, otherwise known as Xerxes I, ruled ca. 486-464 b.c.
  16. Ezra 4:7 tn Heb “And in the days.”
  17. Ezra 4:7 tn The LXX understands this word as a prepositional phrase (“in peace”) rather than as a proper name (“Bishlam”). Taken this way it would suggest that Mithredath was “in agreement with” the contents of Tabeel’s letter. Some scholars regard the word in the MT to be a textual variation of an original “in Jerusalem” (i.e., “in the matter of Jerusalem”) or “in the name of Jerusalem.” The translation adopted above follows the traditional understanding of the word as a name.
  18. Ezra 4:7 tc The translation reads the plural with the Qere rather than the singular found in the MT Kethib.
  19. Ezra 4:7 sn Artaxerxes I ruled in Persia from ca. 465-425 b.c.
  20. Ezra 4:7 tc It is preferable to delete the MT’s וּכְתָב (ukhetav) here.
  21. Ezra 4:7 sn The double reference in v. 7 to the Aramaic language is difficult. It would not make sense to say that the letter was written in Aramaic and then translated into Aramaic. Some interpreters understand the verse to mean that the letter was written in the Aramaic script and in the Aramaic language, but this does not seem to give sufficient attention to the participle “translated” at the end of the verse. The second reference to Aramaic in the verse is more probably a gloss that calls attention to the fact that the following verses retain the Aramaic language of the letter in its original linguistic form. A similar reference to Aramaic occurs in Dan 2:4b, where the language of that book shifts from Hebrew to Aramaic. Ezra 4:8-6:18 and 7:12-26 are written in Aramaic, whereas the rest of the book is written in Hebrew.
  22. Ezra 4:8 tn Aram “lord of the command.” So also in vv. 9, 17.
  23. Ezra 4:8 sn Like Rehum, Shimshai was apparently a fairly high-ranking official charged with overseeing Persian interests in this part of the empire. His title was “scribe” or “secretary,” but in a more elevated political sense than that word sometimes has elsewhere. American governmental titles such as “Secretary of State” perhaps provide an analogy in that the word “secretary” can have a broad range of meaning.
  24. Ezra 4:8 tn Or perhaps “against.”
  25. Ezra 4:9 tn Aram “then.” What follows in v. 9 seems to be the preface of the letter, serving to identify the senders of the letter. The word “from” is not in the Aramaic text but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  26. Ezra 4:9 tn For the Qere of the MT (דֶּהָיֵא, dehayeʾ, a proper name) it seems better to retain the Kethib דִּהוּא (dihuʾ, “that is”). See F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 25, §35; E. Vogt, Lexicon linguae aramaicae, 36.
  27. Ezra 4:10 tn Aram “Osnappar” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV), another name for Ashurbanipal.sn Ashurbanipal succeeded his father Esarhaddon as king of Assyria in 669 b.c. Around 645 b.c. he sacked the city of Susa, capital of Elam, and apparently some of these people were exiled to Samaria and other places.
  28. Ezra 4:10 tc The translation reads with the ancient versions the plural בְּקֻרְיַהּ (bequryah, “in the cities”) rather than the singular (“in the city”) of the MT.
  29. Ezra 4:10 tn Aram “beyond the river.” In Ezra this term is a technical designation for the region west of the Euphrates river.
  30. Ezra 4:11 tn The Masoretic accents indicate that the phrase “to Artaxerxes the king” goes with what precedes and that the letter begins with the words “from your servants.” But it seems better to understand the letter to begin by identifying the addressee.
  31. Ezra 4:11 tn Aram “men of.”
  32. Ezra 4:12 tn The MT takes this word with the latter part of v. 11, but in English style it fits better with v. 12.
  33. Ezra 4:12 sn Management of the provinces that were distantly removed from the capital was difficult, and insurrection in such places was a perennial problem. The language used in this report about Jerusalem (i.e., “rebellious,” “odious”) is intentionally inflammatory. It is calculated to draw immediate attention to the perceived problem.
  34. Ezra 4:13 tn Aram “the treasury of kings.” The plural “kings” is Hebrew, not Aramaic. If the plural is intended in a numerical sense the reference is not just to Artaxerxes but to his successors as well. Some scholars understand this to be the plural of majesty, referring to Artaxerxes. See F. C. Fensham, Ezra and Nehemiah (NICOT), 74.
  35. Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “we eat the salt of the palace.”
  36. Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “the dishonor of the king is not fitting for us to see.”
  37. Ezra 4:14 tn Aram “and we have made known.”
  38. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “the book of the minutes.”
  39. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “of your fathers.”
  40. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “discover…and learn.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
  41. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “is a rebellious city.”
  42. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “revolts they are making in its midst.”
  43. Ezra 4:15 tn Aram “from olden days.” So also in v. 19.
  44. Ezra 4:16 tn Aram “will not be to you.”
  45. Ezra 4:17 tn Aram “peace.”
  46. Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “from me was placed a decree.”
  47. Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “and they searched and found.”
  48. Ezra 4:19 tn Aram “are being done.”
  49. Ezra 4:20 sn The statement that prior Jewish kings ruled over the entire Trans-Euphrates is an overstatement. Not even in the days of David and Solomon did the kingdom of Israel extend its borders to such an extent.
  50. Ezra 4:20 tn Aram “were being given to them.”
  51. Ezra 4:21 tn Aram “until a command is issued from me.”
  52. Ezra 4:23 tn Aram “to Jerusalem against the Jews.”
  53. Ezra 4:23 tn Aram “by force and power,” a hendiadys.
  54. Ezra 4:24 sn Darius I Hystaspes ruled Persia ca. 522-486 b.c.
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Ezra 3
Ezra 5
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Ezra 5
New English Translation

Tattenai Appeals to Darius

5 Then the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son[a] of Iddo[b] prophesied concerning the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. 2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began[c] to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

3 At that time Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and their colleagues came to them and asked, “Who gave you authority[d] to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?”[e] 4 They[f] also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are building this edifice?” 5 But God was watching over[g] the elders of Judah, and they were not stopped[h] until a report could be dispatched[i] to Darius and a letter could be sent back concerning this.

6 This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai, and his colleagues (who were the officials of Trans-Euphrates) sent to King Darius. 7 The report they sent to him was written as follows:[j]

“To King Darius: All greetings![k] 8 Let it be known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God. It is being built with large stones,[l] and timbers are being placed in the walls. This work is being done with all diligence and is prospering in their hands. 9 We inquired of those elders, asking them, ‘Who gave you the authority to rebuild this temple and to complete this structure?’ 10 We also inquired of their names in order to inform you, so that we might write the names of the men who were their leaders. 11 They responded to us in the following way: ‘We are servants of the God of heaven and earth. We are rebuilding the temple which was previously built many years ago. A great king[m] of Israel built it and completed it. 12 But after our ancestors[n] angered the God of heaven, he delivered them into the hands[o] of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this temple and exiled the people to Babylon.[p] 13 But in the first year of King Cyrus of Babylon,[q] King Cyrus enacted a decree to rebuild this temple of God. 14 Even the gold and silver vessels of the temple of God that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and had brought to the palace[r] of Babylon—even those things King Cyrus brought from the palace of Babylon and presented[s] to a man by the name of Sheshbazzar whom he had appointed as governor. 15 He said to him, “Take these vessels and go deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt in its proper location.”[t] 16 Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment[u] it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’

17 “Now if the king is so inclined,[v] let a search be conducted in the royal archives[w] there in Babylon in order to determine whether King Cyrus did in fact issue orders for this temple of God to be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Then let the king send us a decision concerning this matter.”

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 5:1 tn Aram “son.” According to Zech 1:1 he was actually the grandson of Iddo.
  2. Ezra 5:1 tn Aram “and Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo the prophet.”
  3. Ezra 5:2 tn Aram “arose and began.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.
  4. Ezra 5:3 tn Aram “who placed to you a command?” So also v. 9.
  5. Ezra 5:3 tn The exact meaning of the Aramaic word אֻשַּׁרְנָא (ʾussarnaʾ) here and in v. 9 is uncertain (BDB 1083 s.v.). The LXX and Vulgate understand it to mean “wall.” Here it is used in collocation with בַּיְתָא (baytaʾ, “house” as the temple of God), while in 5:3, 9 it is used in parallelism with this term. It might be related to the Assyrian noun ashurru (“wall”) or ashru (“sanctuary”; so BDB). F. Rosenthal, who translates the word “furnishings,” thinks that it probably enters Aramaic from Persian (Grammar, 62-63, §189).
  6. Ezra 5:4 tc The translation reads with one medieval Hebrew ms, the LXX, and the Syriac Peshitta אֲמַרוּ (ʾamaru, “they said”) rather than the reading אֲמַרְנָא (ʾamarnaʾ, “we said”) of the MT.
  7. Ezra 5:5 tn Aram “the eye of their God was on.” The idiom describes the attentive care that one exercises in behalf of the object of his concern.
  8. Ezra 5:5 tn Aram “they did not stop them.”
  9. Ezra 5:5 tn Aram “[could] go.” On this form see F. Rosenthal, Grammar, 58, §169.
  10. Ezra 5:7 tn Aram “and it was written in its midst.”
  11. Ezra 5:7 tn Aram “all peace.”
  12. Ezra 5:8 tn Aram “stones of rolling.” The reference is apparently to stones too large to carry.
  13. Ezra 5:11 sn This great king of Israel would, of course, be Solomon.
  14. Ezra 5:12 tn Aram “fathers.”
  15. Ezra 5:12 tn Aram “hand” (singular).
  16. Ezra 5:12 sn A reference to the catastrophic events of 586 b.c.
  17. Ezra 5:13 sn Cyrus was actually a Persian king, but when he conquered Babylon in 539 b.c. he apparently appropriated to himself the additional title “king of Babylon.” The Syriac Peshitta substitutes “Persia” for “Babylon” here, but this is probably a hyper-correction.
  18. Ezra 5:14 tn Or “temple.”
  19. Ezra 5:14 tn Aram “they were given.”
  20. Ezra 5:15 tn Aram “upon its place.”
  21. Ezra 5:16 tn Aram “from then and until now.”
  22. Ezra 5:17 tn Aram “if upon the king it is good.”
  23. Ezra 5:17 tn Aram “the house of the treasures of the king.”
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Ezra 4
Ezra 6
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Proverbs 8
New English Translation

The Appeal of Wisdom[a]

8 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the top[b] of the prominent places along the way,
at the intersection[c] of the paths she has taken her stand;
3 beside the gates opening into[d] the city,
at the entrance of the doorways she cries out:[e]
4 “To you, O people,[f] I call out,
and my voice calls[g] to all mankind.[h]
5 You who are naive, discern[i] wisdom!
And you fools, understand discernment![j]
6 Listen, for I will speak excellent things,[k]
and my lips will utter[l] what is right.
7 For my mouth[m] speaks truth,[n]
and my lips[o] hate wickedness.[p]
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;[q]
there is nothing in them twisted[r] or crooked.
9 All of them are clear[s] to the discerning
and upright to those who find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction[t] rather than[u] silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies,
and desirable things cannot be compared[v] to her.
12 “I, wisdom, have dwelt[w] with prudence,[x]
and I find[y] knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate[z] evil;
I hate arrogant pride[aa] and the evil way
and perverse utterances.[ab]
14 Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me;[ac]
I possess understanding and might.
15 By me kings reign,
and by me[ad] potentates[ae] decree[af] righteousness;
16 by me princes rule,
as well as nobles and[ag] all righteous judges.[ah]
17 I will love[ai] those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently will find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me,
long-lasting wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than the purest gold,[aj]
and my harvest[ak] is better than choice silver.
20 I walk in the path of righteousness,
in the pathway of justice,
21 that I may cause[al] those who love me to inherit wealth,
and that I may fill[am] their treasuries.[an]
22 The Lord created[ao] me as the beginning[ap] of his works,[aq]
before his deeds of long ago.
23 From eternity I have been fashioned,[ar]
from the beginning, from before the world existed.[as]
24 When there were no deep oceans[at] I was born,[au]
when there were no springs overflowing[av] with water;
25 before the mountains were set in place—
before the hills—I was born,[aw]
26 before he made the earth and its fields,[ax]
or the top soil[ay] of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there;
when he marked out the horizon[az] over the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above,
when he secured the fountains of the deep,[ba]
29 when he gave the sea his decree[bb]
that the waters should not pass over his command,[bc]
when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30 then I was[bd] beside him as a master craftsman,[be]
and I was his delight[bf] day by day,
rejoicing before him at all times,
31 rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth,[bg]
and delighting[bh] in its people.[bi]
32 “So now, children,[bj] listen to me;

blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction[bk] so that you may be wise,[bl]
and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one[bm] who listens to me,
watching[bn] at my doors day by day,
waiting[bo] beside my doorway.[bp]
35 For the one who finds me has found[bq] life
and received[br] favor from the Lord.
36 But the one who misses me[bs] brings harm[bt] to himself;[bu]
all who hate[bv] me love death.”

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 8:1 sn In this chapter wisdom is personified. In 1:20-33 wisdom proclaims her value, and in 3:19-26 wisdom is the agent of creation. Such a personification has affinities with the wisdom literature of the ancient Near East, and may have drawn on some of that literature, albeit with appropriate safeguards (Claudia V. Camp, Wisdom and the Feminine in the Book of Proverbs, 23-70). Wisdom in Proverbs 8, however, is not a deity like Egypt’s Ma'at or the Assyrian-Babylonian Ishtar. It is simply presented as if it were a self-conscious divine being distinct but subordinate to God, but in reality it is the personification of the attribute of wisdom displayed by God (R. B. Y. Scott, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes [AB], 69-72; and R. Marcus, “On Biblical Hypostases of Wisdom,” HUCA 23 [1950-1951]: 157-71). Many have equated wisdom in this chapter with Jesus Christ. This connection works only in so far as Jesus reveals the nature of the Father, just as Proverbs presents wisdom as an attribute of God. Jesus’ claims included wisdom (Matt 12:42) and a unique knowledge of God (Matt 11:25-27). He even personified wisdom in a way that was similar to Proverbs (Matt 11:19). Paul saw the fulfillment of wisdom in Christ (Col 1:15-20; 2:3) and affirmed that Christ became our wisdom in the crucifixion (1 Cor 1:24, 30). So this personification in Proverbs provides a solid foundation for the similar revelation of wisdom in Christ. But because wisdom is a creation of God in Proverbs 8, it is unlikely that wisdom here is to be identified with Jesus Christ. The chapter unfolds in three cycles: After an introduction (1-3), wisdom makes an invitation (4, 5) and explains that she is noble, just, and true (6-9); she then makes another invitation (10) and explains that she is valuable (11-21); and finally, she tells how she preceded and delights in creation (22-31) before concluding with the third invitation (32-36).
  2. Proverbs 8:2 tn Heb “head.” The word רֹאשׁ (roʾsh, “head”) refers to the highest area or most important place in the elevated area. The contrast with chapter 7 is striking. There the wayward woman lurked at the corners in the street at night; here wisdom is at the highest point in the open places in view of all.
  3. Proverbs 8:2 tn Heb “at the house of the paths.” The “house” is not literal here, but refers to where the paths meet (cf. ASV, NIV), that is, the “crossroads” (so NAB, NRSV, NLT).
  4. Proverbs 8:3 tn Heb “at the mouth of.”
  5. Proverbs 8:3 tn The cry is a very loud ringing cry that could not be missed. The term רָנַן (ranan) means “to give a ringing cry.” It is often only a shrill sound that might come with a victory in battle, but its use in the psalms for praise shows that it also can have clear verbal content, as it does here. For wisdom to stand in the street and give such a ringing cry would mean that it could be heard by all. It was a proclamation.
  6. Proverbs 8:4 tn Heb “men.” Although it might be argued in light of the preceding material that males would be particularly addressed by wisdom here, the following material indicates a more universal appeal. Cf. TEV, NLT “to all of you.”
  7. Proverbs 8:4 tn The verb “calls” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of style.
  8. Proverbs 8:4 tn Heb “sons of man.” Cf. NAB “the children of men”; NCV, NLT “all people”; NRSV “all that live.”
  9. Proverbs 8:5 tn The imperative of בִּין (bin) means “to understand; to discern.” The call is for the simple to understand what wisdom is, not just to gain it.
  10. Proverbs 8:5 tn Heb “heart.” The noun לֵב (lev, “heart”) often functions metonymically for wisdom, understanding, discernment.
  11. Proverbs 8:6 tc The MT reads נְגִידִים (negidim) “nobles.” HALOT interprets this as the plural form of the noun that lies behind the preposition נֶגֶד (neged), meaning “correct, proper expressions” (HALOT 667, s.v. נֶגֶד). The translation follows BHS in reading נְגָדִים (negadim) “noble things” as a substantival adjective based on the same root.
  12. Proverbs 8:6 tn Heb “opening of my lips” (so KJV, NASB). The noun “lips” is a metonymy of cause, with the organ of speech put for what is said.
  13. Proverbs 8:7 tn Heb “roof of the mouth.” This expression is a metonymy of cause for the activity of speaking.
  14. Proverbs 8:7 tn The word “truth” (אֱמֶת, ʾemet) is derived from the verbal root אָמַן (ʾaman) which means “to be firm, trustworthy.” There are a number of derived nouns that have the sense of reliability: “pillars,” “master craftsman,” “nurse,” “guardian.” Modifiers related to this group of words include things like “faithful,” “surely,” “truly” (ʾamen). In the derived stems the verb develops various nuances: The Niphal has the meanings of “reliable, faithful, sure, steadfast,” and the Hiphil has the meaning “believe” (i.e., consider something dependable). The noun “truth” means what is reliable or dependable, firm or sure.
  15. Proverbs 8:7 sn Wise lips detest wickedness; wisdom hates speaking wicked things. In fact, speaking truth results in part from detesting wickedness.
  16. Proverbs 8:7 tn Heb “wickedness is an abomination to my lips” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).
  17. Proverbs 8:8 tn The phrase could be rendered with an understood ellipsis: “all the words of my mouth [are said] in righteousness”; or the preposition could be interpreted as a beth essentiae: “all the words of my mouth are righteousness.”
  18. Proverbs 8:8 sn The verb פָּתַל (patal) means “to twist.” In the Niphal it means “to wrestle” (to twist oneself). It was used in Gen 30:8 for the naming of Naphtali, with the motivation for the name from this verb: “with great struggling.” Here it describes speech that is twisted. It is a synonym for the next word, which means “twisted; crooked; perverse.”
  19. Proverbs 8:9 tn Heb “front of.” Describing the sayings as “right in front” means they are open, obvious, and clear, as opposed to words that might be twisted or perverse. The parallel word “upright” means “straight, smooth, right.” Wisdom’s teachings are in plain view and intelligible for those who find knowledge.
  20. Proverbs 8:10 tn Heb “discipline.” The term refers to instruction that trains with discipline (e.g., Prov 1:2).
  21. Proverbs 8:10 tn Heb “and not” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “in preference to.”
  22. Proverbs 8:11 tn The verb יִשְׁווּ (yishevu, from שָׁוָה, shavah) can be rendered “are not comparable” or with a modal nuance, “cannot be compared” with her.
  23. Proverbs 8:12 tn The verb שָׁכַנְתִּי (shakanti) is a perfect form which should normally be past or perfective. Some of this root’s perfect forms follow stative morphology (though the imperfect forms consistently use the morphology of dynamic verbs). The meanings of some verbs drift across the stative vs. dynamic boundary over time. If interpreted as a stative verb, it would be present tense.
  24. Proverbs 8:12 tn The noun is “shrewdness,” i.e., the right use of knowledge in special cases (see also the discussion in 1:4); cf. NLT “good judgment.” The word in this sentence is an adverbial accusative of specification.
  25. Proverbs 8:12 tn This verb form is an imperfect, showing habitual action.tc It has been reasonably proposed, based on Greek witnesses, that the verb can be read as a Niphal rather than a Qal. The proposal keeps the same consonants for this verb (but reads different vowels), however the Greek implies that the noun “knowledge” should be emended to a participle (requires adding a מ, [mem]). The meaning of this reading is “I reveal myself (or “am found”) making discretion known.
  26. Proverbs 8:13 tn The verb שָׂנֵא (saneʾ) means “to hate.” In this sentence it functions nominally as the predicate. Fearing the Lord is hating evil.sn The verb translated “hate” has the basic idea of rejecting something spontaneously. For example, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Mal 1:2b, 3a). It frequently has the idea of disliking or loathing (as English does), but almost always with an additional aspect of rejection. To “hate evil” is not only to dislike it, but to reject it and have nothing to do with it.
  27. Proverbs 8:13 tn Since גֵּאָה (geʾah, “pride”) and גָּאוֹן (gaʾon, “arrogance; pride”) are both from the same verbal root גָּאָה (gaʾah, “to rise up”), they should here be interpreted as one idea, forming a nominal hendiadys: “arrogant pride.”
  28. Proverbs 8:13 tn Heb “and a mouth of perverse things.” The word “mouth” is a metonymy of cause for what is said; and the noun תַהְפֻּכוֹת (tahpukhot, “perverse things”) means destructive things (the related verb is used for the overthrowing of Sodom).
  29. Proverbs 8:14 tc In the second half of v. 14 instead of אֲנִי (ʾani) the editors propose reading simply לִי (li) as the renderings in the LXX, Latin, and Syriac suggest. Then, in place of the לִי that comes in the same colon, read וְלִי (veli). While the MT is a difficult reading, it can be translated as it is. It would be difficult to know exactly what the ancient versions were reading, because their translations could have been derived from either text. They represent an effort to smooth out the text.tn Heb “To me [belong] counsel and sound wisdom.” The second colon in the verse has: “I, understanding, to me might.”sn In vv. 14-17 the pronouns come first and should receive greater prominence—although it is not always easy to do this with English.
  30. Proverbs 8:15 tn The words “by me” are understood to apply from the first line through the technique of ellipsis and double duty.
  31. Proverbs 8:15 tn The verb רָזַן (razan) means “to be weighty; to be judicious; to be commanding.” It only occurs in the Qal active participle in the plural as a substantive, meaning “potentates; rulers” (e.g., Ps 1:1-3). Cf. KJV, ASV “princes”; NAB “lawgivers.”
  32. Proverbs 8:15 sn This verb יְחֹקְקוּ (yekhoqequ) is related to the noun חֹק (khoq), which is a “statute; decree.” The verb is defined as “to cut in; to inscribe; to decree” (BDB 349 s.v. חָקַק). The point the verse is making is that when these potentates decree righteousness, it is by wisdom. History records all too often that these rulers acted as fools and opposed righteousness (cf. Ps 2:1-3). But people in power need wisdom to govern the earth (e.g., Isa 11:1-4 which predicts how Messiah will use wisdom to do this very thing). The point is underscored with the paronomasia in v. 15 with “kings” and “will reign” from the same root, and then in v. 16 with both “princes” and “rule” being cognate. The repetition of sounds and meanings strengthens the statements.
  33. Proverbs 8:16 tn The term “and” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and readability.
  34. Proverbs 8:16 tc Many of the MT mss read “sovereigns [princes], all the judges of the earth.” The LXX has “sovereigns…rule the earth.” But the MT manuscript in the text has “judges of righteousness.” C. H. Toy suggests that the Hebrew here has assimilated Ps 148:11 in its construction (Proverbs [ICC], 167). The expression “judges of the earth” is what one would expect, but the more difficult and unexpected reading, the one scribes might change, would be “judges of righteousness.” If that reading stands, then it would probably be interpreted as using an attributive genitive.
  35. Proverbs 8:17 tn The verb אָהֵב (ʾahev, “to love”) is stative, so in the imperfect form it is future tense. It still states a general truth.sn In contrast to the word for “hate” (שָׂנֵא, saneʾ), the verb “love” (אָהֵב, ʾahev) includes within it the idea of choosing spontaneously. So in this line “loving” and “seeking” point out the means of finding wisdom.
  36. Proverbs 8:19 tn The two synonyms, “than gold, than fine gold” probably form a hendiadys here to express “the very finest gold.”
  37. Proverbs 8:19 tn The noun תְּבוּאָה (tevuʾah) means “harvest, yield of crops, produce” and by extension “profit” (HALOT 1679, s.v.). The agricultural imagery is an implied metaphor (hypocatastasis) for the gains that wisdom produces in one’s life.
  38. Proverbs 8:21 tn The infinitive construct expressing the purpose of the preceding “walk” in the way of righteousness. These verses say that wisdom is always on the way of righteousness for the purposes of bestowing the same to those who find her. If sin is involved, then wisdom has not been followed.
  39. Proverbs 8:21 tn Heb “and their treasuries I fill.” The imperfect verb expresses purposive modality because of the parallelism with the infinitive beginning the verse.
  40. Proverbs 8:21 tc The LXX adds at the end of this verse: “If I declare to you the things of daily occurrence, I will remember to recount the things of old.”
  41. Proverbs 8:22 tn There are two roots קָנָה (qanah) in Hebrew, one meaning “to possess,” and the other meaning “to create.” The earlier English versions did not know of the second root, but suspected in certain places that a meaning like that was necessary (e.g., Gen 4:1; 14:19; Deut 32:6). Ugaritic confirmed that it was indeed another root. The older versions have the translation “possess” because otherwise it sounds like God lacked wisdom and therefore created it at the beginning. They wanted to avoid saying that wisdom was not eternal. Arius liked the idea of Christ as the wisdom of God and so chose the translation “create.” Athanasius translated it, “constituted me as the head of creation.” The verb occurs twelve times in Proverbs with the meaning of “to acquire,” but the Greek and the Syriac versions have the meaning “create.” Although the idea is that wisdom existed before creation, the parallel ideas in these verses (“appointed,” “given birth”) argue for the translation of “create” or “establish” (R. N. Whybray, “Proverbs 8:22-31 and Its Supposed Prototypes,” VT 15 [1965]: 504-14; and W. A. Irwin, “Where Will Wisdom Be Found?” JBL 80 [1961]: 133-42).
  42. Proverbs 8:22 tn Verbs of creation often involve double accusatives; here the double accusative involves the person (i.e., wisdom) and an abstract noun in construct (IBHS 174-75 §10.2.3c).
  43. Proverbs 8:22 tn Heb “his way” (so KJV, NASB). The word “way” is an idiom (implied comparison) for the actions of God. sn The claim of wisdom in this passage is that she was foundational to all that God would do.
  44. Proverbs 8:23 tn The MT reads נִסַּכְתִּי (nissakhti), which would come from one of the homonymous roots נָסַךְ (nasakh). The LXX reads ἐθεμελίωσέν με (ethemeliōsen me, “he founded me”) suggesting נוֹסַדְתִּי (nosadti, “I was founded, established”) from יָסַד (yasad, see HALOT 417, s.v.). BHS proposes נְסַכֹּתִי (nesakkoti, “I was shaped, woven”), which uses the same consonants as the MT but is from the root סָכַך (sakhakh). BDB created an entry for Ps 2:6 and Prov 8:23 (BDB s.v. III נָסַך), citing the Akkadian verb nasaku, which it then related to the noun nasiku, “prince.” BDB’s proposed meaning is “set, install,” however, this is not the meaning of the Akkadian verb and the noun is a West Semitic word brought into Akkadian (see CAD N2 15, s.v. nasaku A and 27, s.v. nasiku). HALOT lists this verb under II נָסַך, “to be woven, shaped” in the Niphal, and also calls II נָסַך a by-form of סָכַך (sakhakh) (see HALOT 703, s.v. II נָסַך and 754, s.v. 2 סָכַך). The Concise DCH suggests the possibilities that it is related to I נָסַך (nasakh) “be poured out, i.e., emanate” or II נָסַך (nasakh) “be woven, fashioned” (See The Concise Dictionary of Classical Hebrew 275, s.v. I נָסַך and II נָסַך). The root סָכַך (sakhakh) is used in Ps 139:13 where it is parallel to קָנָה (qanah, “to create”) just as the verb here is parallel to קָנָה in 8:22. The translation attempts to capture the notion of being “created, fashioned, formed” in the two parallel verbs whether this verb is from II נָסַך or סָכַך. Note that the parallel in 8:24 is being born, another verb of making.
  45. Proverbs 8:23 tn The verb “existed” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation in the light of the context.
  46. Proverbs 8:24 sn The summary statements just given are now developed in a lengthy treatment of wisdom as the agent of all creation. This verse singles out “watery deeps” (תְּהֹמוֹת, tehomot) in its allusion to creation because the word in Genesis signals the condition of the world at the very beginning, and because in the ancient world this was something no one could control. Chaos was not there first—wisdom was.
  47. Proverbs 8:24 tn The third parallel verb is חוֹלָלְתִּי (kholalti), “I was birthed (through labor pains).” Some (e.g., KJV, NAB, NASB, NRSV) translate it “brought forth”—not in the sense of being presented, but in the sense of being “begotten, given birth to.” Here is the strongest support for the translation of קָנָה (qanah) as “created” in v. 22. The verb is not literal; it continues the perspective of the personification.
  48. Proverbs 8:24 tn Heb “made heavy.”
  49. Proverbs 8:25 tn This is not the common verb for being born (Niphal of יָלַד, yalad). The nuance of חוֹלָלְתִּי (kholalti, the Polal of חִיל, [khil]) emphasizes being birthed through labor pains.
  50. Proverbs 8:26 tn Heb “open places.”
  51. Proverbs 8:26 tn Heb “the head of the soil of the world.” The noun ראֹשׁ (roʾsh, “head”) can refer to the topmost of something or the first of something. The noun עָפָר (ʿafar, “dirt clods”) can refer to dust (“fine dry top soil”), loose earth, or soil (HALOT 862, s.v.).tc BHS proposes דֶשֶׁא (desheʾ, “grass”) instead of ראֹשׁ which assumes both the common confusion of ד (dalet) and ר (resh), as well as the reversal of the final two letters. This would mean “the vegetation of the world’s soil.”
  52. Proverbs 8:27 sn The infinitive construct בְּחוּקוֹ (bekhuqo, “to cut; to engrave; to mark”) and the noun חוּג (khug, “horizon; circle”) form a paronomasia in the line.
  53. Proverbs 8:28 tc The MT has the Qal infinitive בַּעֲזוֹז (baʿazoz), “when [they] grew strong” (cf. NASB “when [they] became fixed”). The LXX, supported by the Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate, implies the Piel infinitive plus pronominal suffix בְּעַזְּזוֹ (beʿazzezo) “when he made [them] strong.” The proposed reading suggests metathesis (switching positions) of the last two consonants. In addition the parallel to the infinitive beginning the verse supports the pronominal suffix and the meaning of the verb (cf. NIV “when he… fixed securely”; NLT “when he established”).
  54. Proverbs 8:29 tn Heb “when he set his decree on the sea.”
  55. Proverbs 8:29 tn Heb “his mouth.”
  56. Proverbs 8:30 tn This preterite verb provides the concluding statement for the temporal clauses as well as the parallel to v. 27 “I was there.”
  57. Proverbs 8:30 tn Or “I was beside him faithfully,” or “I was beside him, the master craftsman.” The interpretation of this line depends on אָמוֹן (ʾamon) for which there are three main proposals. The majority of translations understand II אָמוֹן to be a craftsman (HALOT 62, s.v.), referring to wisdom (cf. ASV, NASB, NIV [1973], ESV, NRSV, NKJV). C. Z. Rogers has argued that “craftsman” is in apposition to “him,” describing the Lord (C. Z. Rogers, “The Meaning and Significance of the Hebrew Word אָמוֹן in Prov 8, 30” ZAW 109, [1997] 208-21). It is also understood as “nursing child” (cf. NCV, Darby, KJV), assuming it to be אָמוּן (ʾamun) a passive participle of II אָמַן (ʾaman, see HALOT 24, s.v.). The image of a child is consistent with the previous figure of being “given birth to” (vv. 24, 25). It may also derive from I אָמַן (ʾaman) meaning “faithful” (see HALOT 63, s.v. I אָמַן, and 62 s.v. I אֵמוּן or אָמוּן) (cf. NIV 2011 “constantly”). R. B. Y. Scott chooses “faithful” (“Wisdom in Creation: The ‘Amon of Proverbs 8:30, ” VT 10 [1960]: 213-23). However, “craftsman” has the most support (LXX, Vulgate, Syriac, Tg. Prov 8:30, Song 7:1; Jer 52:15; also P. W. Skehan, “Structures in Poems on Wisdom: Proverbs 8 and Sirach 24, ” CBQ 41 [1979]: 365-79).
  58. Proverbs 8:30 tn The word is a plural of intensification for “delight”; it describes wisdom as the object of delight. The LXX has the suffix; the Hebrew does not.
  59. Proverbs 8:31 tn The two words are synonymous in general and so could be taken to express a superlative idea—the “whole world” (cf. NIV, NCV). But תֵּבֵל (tevel) also means the inhabited world, and so the construct may be interpreted as a partitive genitive.
  60. Proverbs 8:31 tn Heb “and my delights” [were] with/in.”
  61. Proverbs 8:31 tn Heb “the sons of man.”
  62. Proverbs 8:32 tn Heb “sons.”
  63. Proverbs 8:33 tn Heb “discipline.”
  64. Proverbs 8:33 tn The construction uses two imperatives joined with the vav (ו); this is a volitive sequence in which result or consequence is being expressed.
  65. Proverbs 8:34 tn Heb “the man.”
  66. Proverbs 8:34 tn The form לִשְׁקֹד (lishqod) is the infinitive construct serving epexegetically in the sentence. It explains how the person will listen to wisdom.
  67. Proverbs 8:34 tn Heb “keeping” or “guarding.”
  68. Proverbs 8:34 tn Heb “at the posts of my doors” (so KJV, ASV).
  69. Proverbs 8:35 tc The Kethib reads the verb as a plural participle: “the one who finds me are finders of life.” The LXX reads a plural subject: “those who find me.” But the Hebrew Qere reads a singular perfect verb. The next verb is a preterite, which commonly follows the perfect but very rarely a participle. The perfect form of a dynamic verb should be translated as past or perfective.
  70. Proverbs 8:35 tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive continues the time frame of the perfect verb that came before it. sn The sage uses these verb forms in contrast with the following verse, which is present tense. The antithetic parallelism contrasts not just the subject (who finds vs. who misses) and the verb (to find vs. to harm) but also the state of the outcome. This person found life and continues in the benefit: “had found life.”
  71. Proverbs 8:36 tn Heb “the one sinning [against] me.” The verb חָטָא (khataʾ, “to sin, to err”) forms a contrast with “find” in the previous verse, and so has its basic meaning of “failing to find, miss.”
  72. Proverbs 8:36 tn The Qal active participle functions verbally here. The word stresses both social and physical harm and violence. sn Brings harm. While the previous verse used past time verbs, the sage employs the participle here as an ongoing activity. Whoever tries to live without wisdom is inviting all kinds of disaster into his life.
  73. Proverbs 8:36 tn Heb “his soul.”
  74. Proverbs 8:36 tn The basic idea of the verb שָׂנֵא (saneʾ, “to hate”) is that of rejection. Its antonym is also used in the line, “love,” which has the idea of choosing. So not choosing (i.e., hating) wisdom amounts to choosing (i.e., loving) death.
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2 Timothy 3
New English Translation

Ministry in the Last Days

3 But understand this, that in the last days difficult[a] times will come. 2 For people[b] will be lovers of themselves,[c] lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, savage, opposed to what is good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, loving pleasure rather than loving God. 5 They will maintain the outward appearance[d] of religion but will have repudiated its power. So avoid people like these.[e] 6 For some of these insinuate themselves[f] into households and captivate weak women[g] who are overwhelmed with sins and led along by various passions. 7 Such women are always seeking instruction,[h] yet never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 8 And just as Jannes and Jambres[i] opposed Moses, so these people—who have warped minds and are disqualified in the faith[j]—also oppose the truth. 9 But they will not go much further,[k] for their foolishness will be obvious to everyone, just like it was with Jannes and Jambres.[l]

Continue in What You Have Learned

10 You, however,[m] have followed my teaching, my[n] way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, 11 as well as the persecutions and sufferings[o] that happened to me in Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra.[p] I endured these persecutions and the Lord delivered me from them all. 12 Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil people and charlatans will go from bad to worse,[q] deceiving others and being deceived themselves.[r] 14 You, however, must continue[s] in the things you have learned and are confident about. You know[t] who taught you[u] 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy writings, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 Every scripture[v] is inspired by God[w] and useful for teaching, for reproof,[x] for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the person dedicated to God[y] may be capable[z] and equipped for every good work.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Timothy 3:1 tn Or perhaps, “dangerous,” “fierce.”
  2. 2 Timothy 3:2 tn Grk “men,” but here ἄνθρωποι (anthrōpoi) is generic, referring to both men and women.
  3. 2 Timothy 3:2 tn Or “self-centered.” The first two traits in 2 Tim 3:2 and the last two in 3:4 are Greek words beginning with the root “lovers of,” and so bracket the list at beginning and end.
  4. 2 Timothy 3:5 tn Or “form.”sn Outward appearance. Paul’s contrast with power in 3:5b shows that he regards this “form” to be outward, one of appearance rather than reality (cf. 1 Cor 4:19-20; 1 Thess 1:5).
  5. 2 Timothy 3:5 tn Grk “and avoid these,” with the word “people” implied.
  6. 2 Timothy 3:6 tn Grk “For from these are those who sneak.”
  7. 2 Timothy 3:6 tn Or “silly women.”
  8. 2 Timothy 3:7 tn Grk “always learning,” continuing the description of the women from v. 6. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
  9. 2 Timothy 3:8 sn Jannes and Jambres were the traditional names of two of Pharaoh’s magicians who opposed Moses at the time of the Exodus.
  10. 2 Timothy 3:8 tn Grk “disapproved concerning the faith.”
  11. 2 Timothy 3:9 tn Grk “for they will not progress any more.”
  12. 2 Timothy 3:9 tn Grk “as theirs came to be,” referring to the foolishness of Jannes and Jambres. The referent of “theirs” (Jannes and Jambres) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  13. 2 Timothy 3:10 sn There is a strong emphasis on the pronoun you in contrast to the people described in vv. 2-9.
  14. 2 Timothy 3:10 tn The possessive “my” occurs only at the beginning of the list but is positioned in Greek to apply to each of the words in the series.
  15. 2 Timothy 3:11 tn Grk “persecutions, sufferings,” as a continuation of the series from v. 10.
  16. 2 Timothy 3:11 sn In Antioch, in Iconium, and in Lystra. See Acts 13-14 for the account of these persecutions.
  17. 2 Timothy 3:13 tn Grk “will advance to the worse.”
  18. 2 Timothy 3:13 tn Grk “deceiving and being deceived.”
  19. 2 Timothy 3:14 tn Grk “but you, continue,” a command.
  20. 2 Timothy 3:14 tn Grk “knowing,” giving the reasons for continuing as v. 14 calls for.
  21. 2 Timothy 3:14 tn Grk “those from whom you learned.”
  22. 2 Timothy 3:16 tn Or “All scripture.”sn There is very little difference in sense between every scripture (emphasizing the individual portions) and “all scripture” (emphasizing the composite whole). The former option is preferred, because it fits the normal use of the word “all/every” in Greek (πᾶς, pas) as well as Paul’s normal sense for the word “scripture” in the singular without the article, as here. So every scripture means “every individual portion of scripture.”
  23. 2 Timothy 3:16 sn Inspired by God. Some have connected this adjective in a different way and translated it as “every inspired scripture is also useful.” But this violates the parallelism of the two adjectives in the sentence, and the arrangement of words makes clear that both should be taken as predicate adjectives: “every scripture is inspired…and useful.”
  24. 2 Timothy 3:16 tn Or “rebuke,” “censure.” The Greek word implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.
  25. 2 Timothy 3:17 tn Grk “the man of God,” but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is most likely used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
  26. 2 Timothy 3:17 tn This word is positioned for special emphasis; it carries the sense of “complete, competent, able to meet all demands.”
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