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John 5:16-47
New English Translation

Responding to Jewish Leaders

16 Now because Jesus was doing these things[a] on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders[b] began persecuting[c] him. 17 So he[d] told[e] them, “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.”[f] 18 For this reason the Jewish leaders[g] were trying even harder to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God.

19 So Jesus answered them,[h] “I tell you the solemn truth,[i] the Son can do nothing on his own initiative,[j] but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father[k] does, the Son does likewise.[l] 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he does, and will show him greater deeds than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life,[m] so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes.[n] 22 Furthermore, the Father does not judge[o] anyone, but has assigned[p] all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all people[q] will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

24 “I tell you the solemn truth,[r] the one who hears[s] my message[t] and believes the one who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned,[u] but has crossed over from death to life. 25 I tell you the solemn truth,[v] a time[w] is coming—and is now here—when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself, 27 and he has granted the Son[x] authority to execute judgment,[y] because he is the Son of Man.

28 “Do not be amazed at this, because a time[z] is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out—the ones who have done what is good to the resurrection resulting in life, and the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation.[aa] 30 I can do nothing on my own initiative.[ab] Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just,[ac] because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.[ad]

More Testimony About Jesus

31 “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another[ae] who testifies about me, and I know the testimony he testifies about me is true. 33 You have sent to John,[af] and he has testified to the truth. 34 (I do not accept[ag] human testimony, but I say this so that you may be saved.) 35 He was a lamp that was burning and shining,[ah] and you wanted to rejoice greatly for a short time[ai] in his light.

36 “But I have a testimony greater than that from John. For the deeds[aj] that the Father has assigned me to complete—the deeds[ak] I am now doing—testify about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified about me. You people[al] have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time,[am] 38 nor do you have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the one whom he sent. 39 You study the scriptures thoroughly[an] because you think in them you possess eternal life,[ao] and it is these same scriptures[ap] that testify about me, 40 but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

41 “I do not accept[aq] praise[ar] from people,[as] 42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God[at] within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept[au] me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept[av] him. 44 How can you believe, if you accept praise[aw] from one another and don’t seek the praise[ax] that comes from the only God?[ay]

45 “Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father. The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope.[az] 46 If[ba] you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 47 But if you do not believe what Moses[bb] wrote, how will you believe my words?”

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Footnotes

  1. John 5:16 sn Note the plural phrase these things which seems to indicate that Jesus healed on the Sabbath more than once (cf. John 20:30). The synoptic gospels show this to be true; the incident in 5:1-15 has thus been chosen by the author as representative.
  2. John 5:16 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.
  3. John 5:16 tn Or “harassing.”
  4. John 5:17 tc ‡ Most witnesses (P66 A D L Θ Ψ ƒ1,13 33 M latt co) have ᾿Ιησοῦς (Iēsous, “Jesus”) here, while generally better witnesses (P75 א B W {0141} 892 1241 pbo) lack the name. Although it is possible that Alexandrian scribes deleted the name due to proclivities to prune, this is not as likely as other witnesses adding it for clarification, especially since multiple strands of the Alexandrian text are represented in the shorter reading. NA27 places the word in brackets, indicating some doubts as to authenticity.
  5. John 5:17 tn Grk “answered.”
  6. John 5:17 sn “My Father is working until now, and I too am working.” What is the significance of Jesus’ claim? A preliminary understanding can be obtained from John 5:18, noting the Jewish authorities’ response and the author’s comment. They sought to kill Jesus, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was also calling God his own Father, thus making himself equal with God. This must be seen in the context of the relation of God to the Sabbath rest. In the commandment (Exod 20:11) it is explained that “In six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth…and rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” Philo, based on the LXX translation of Exod 20:11, denied outright that God had ever ceased his creative activity. And when Rabban Gamaliel II, R. Joshua, R. Eleazar ben Azariah, and R. Akiba were in Rome, ca. a.d. 95, they gave as a rebuttal to sectarian arguments evidence that God might do as he willed in the world without breaking the Sabbath because the entire world was his private residence. So even the rabbis realized that God did not really cease to work on the Sabbath: Divine providence remained active on the Sabbath, otherwise, all nature and life would cease to exist. As regards men, divine activity was visible in two ways: Men were born and men died on the Sabbath. Since only God could give life and only God could deal with the fate of the dead in judgment, this meant God was active on the Sabbath. This seems to be the background for Jesus’ words in 5:17. He justified his work of healing on the Sabbath by reminding the Jewish authorities that they admitted God worked on the Sabbath. This explains the violence of the reaction. The Sabbath privilege was peculiar to God, and no one was equal to God. In claiming the right to work even as his Father worked, Jesus was claiming a divine prerogative. He was literally making himself equal to God, as 5:18 goes on to state explicitly for the benefit of the reader who might not have made the connection.
  7. John 5:18 tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.
  8. John 5:19 tn Grk “answered and said to them.”
  9. John 5:19 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
  10. John 5:19 tn Grk “nothing from himself.”
  11. John 5:19 tn Grk “that one”; the referent (the Father) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  12. John 5:19 sn What works does the Son do likewise? The same that the Father does—and the same that the rabbis recognized as legitimate works of God on the Sabbath (see note on working in v. 17). (1) Jesus grants life (just as the Father grants life) on the Sabbath. But as the Father gives physical life on the Sabbath, so the Son grants spiritual life (John 5:21; note the “greater things” mentioned in v. 20). (2) Jesus judges (determines the destiny of people) on the Sabbath, just as the Father judges those who die on the Sabbath, because the Father has granted authority to the Son to judge (John 5:22-23). But this is not all. Not only has this power been granted to Jesus in the present; it will be his in the future as well. In v. 28 there is a reference not to spiritually dead (only) but also physically dead. At their resurrection they respond to the Son as well.
  13. John 5:21 tn Grk “and makes them live.”
  14. John 5:21 tn Grk “the Son makes whomever he wants to live.”
  15. John 5:22 tn Or “condemn.”
  16. John 5:22 tn Or “given,” or “handed over.”
  17. John 5:23 tn Grk “all.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for stylistic reasons and for clarity (cf. KJV “all men”).
  18. John 5:24 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
  19. John 5:24 tn Or “obeys.”
  20. John 5:24 tn Or “word.”
  21. John 5:24 tn Grk “and does not come into judgment.”
  22. John 5:25 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
  23. John 5:25 tn Grk “an hour.”
  24. John 5:27 tn Grk “him.”
  25. John 5:27 tn Grk “authority to judge.”
  26. John 5:28 tn Grk “an hour.”
  27. John 5:29 tn Or “a resurrection resulting in judgment.”
  28. John 5:30 tn Grk “nothing from myself.”
  29. John 5:30 tn Or “righteous,” or “proper.”
  30. John 5:30 tn That is, “the will of the Father who sent me.”
  31. John 5:32 sn To whom does another refer? To John the Baptist or to the Father? In the nearer context, v. 33, it would seem to be John the Baptist. But v. 34 seems to indicate that Jesus does not receive testimony from men. Probably it is better to view v. 32 as identical to v. 37, with the comments about the Baptist as a parenthetical digression.
  32. John 5:33 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
  33. John 5:34 tn Or “I do not receive.”
  34. John 5:35 sn He was a lamp that was burning and shining. Sir 48:1 states that the word of Elijah “burned like a torch.” Because of the connection of John the Baptist with Elijah (see John 1:21 and the note on John’s reply, “I am not”), it was natural for Jesus to apply this description to John.
  35. John 5:35 tn Grk “for an hour.”
  36. John 5:36 tn Or “works.”
  37. John 5:36 tn Grk “complete, which I am now doing”; the referent of the relative pronoun has been specified by repeating “deeds” from the previous clause.
  38. John 5:37 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to clarify that the following verbs (“heard,” “seen,” “have residing,” “do not believe”) are second person plural.
  39. John 5:37 sn You people have never heard his voice nor seen his form at any time. Cf. Deut 4:12. Also see Deut 5:24 ff., where the Israelites begged to hear the voice no longer—their request (ironically) has by this time been granted. How ironic this would be if the feast is Pentecost, where by the 1st century a.d. the giving of the law at Sinai was being celebrated.
  40. John 5:39 tn Or “Study the scriptures thoroughly” (an imperative). For the meaning of the verb see G. Delling, TDNT 2:655-57.
  41. John 5:39 sn In them you possess eternal life. Note the following examples from the rabbinic tractate Pirqe Avot (“The Sayings of the Fathers”): Pirqe Avot 2:8, “He who has acquired the words of the law has acquired for himself the life of the world to come”; Pirqe Avot 6:7, “Great is the law for it gives to those who practice it life in this world and in the world to come.”
  42. John 5:39 tn The words “same scriptures” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify the referent (“these”).
  43. John 5:41 tn Or “I do not receive.”
  44. John 5:41 tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).
  45. John 5:41 tn Grk “from men,” but in a generic sense; both men and women are implied here.
  46. John 5:42 tn The genitive in the phrase τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ (tēn agapēn tou theou, “the love of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“God’s love”) or an objective genitive (“love for God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, the emphasis would be on the love God gives which in turn produces love for him, but Jesus’ opponents are lacking any such love inside them.
  47. John 5:43 tn Or “you do not receive.”
  48. John 5:43 tn Or “you will receive.”
  49. John 5:44 tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).
  50. John 5:44 tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).
  51. John 5:44 tc Several early and significant witnesses (P66,75 B W a b sa) lack θεοῦ (theou, “God”) here, thus reading “the only one,” while most of the rest of the tradition, including some very significant mss, has the name (א A D L Θ Ψ 33 M). Internally, it could be argued that the name of God was not used here, in keeping with the NT practice of suppressing the name of God at times for rhetorical effect, drawing the reader inexorably to the conclusion that the one being spoken of is God himself. On the other hand, never is ὁ μόνος (ho monos) used absolutely in the NT (i.e., without a noun or substantive with it), and always the subject of the adjunct is God (cf. Matt 24:36; John 17:3; 1 Tim 6:16). What then is to explain the shorter reading? In majuscule script, with θεοῦ written as a nomen sacrum, envisioning accidental omission of the name by way of homoioteleuton requires little imagination, largely because of the succession of words ending in -ου: toumonouqMuou. It is thus preferable to retain the word in the text.
  52. John 5:45 sn The final condemnation will come from Moses himself—again ironic, since Moses is the very one the Jewish authorities have trusted in (placed your hope). This is again ironic if it is occurring at Pentecost, which at this time was being celebrated as the occasion of the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai. There is evidence that some Jews of the 1st century looked on Moses as their intercessor at the final judgment (see W. A. Meeks, The Prophet King [NovTSup], 161). This would mean the statement Moses, in whom you have placed your hope should be taken literally and relates directly to Jesus’ statements about the final judgment in John 5:28-29.
  53. John 5:46 tn Grk “For if.”
  54. John 5:47 tn Grk “that one” (“he”); the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
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John 6
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Mark 6:6-11
New English Translation

6 And he was amazed because of their unbelief. Then[a] he went around among the villages and taught.

Sending Out the Twelve Apostles

7 Jesus[b] called the twelve and began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority over the unclean spirits.[c] 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff[d]—no bread, no bag,[e] no money in their belts— 9 and to put on sandals but not to wear two tunics.[f] 10 He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there[g] until you leave the area. 11 If a place will not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off[h] your feet as a testimony against them.”

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 6:6 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  2. Mark 6:7 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Mark 6:7 sn The phrase unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.
  4. Mark 6:8 sn Neither Matt 10:9-10 nor Luke 9:3 allow for a staff. It might be that Matthew and Luke mean not taking an extra staff, or that the expression is merely rhetorical for “traveling light,” which has been rendered in two slightly different ways.
  5. Mark 6:8 tn Or “no traveler’s bag”; or possibly “no beggar’s bag” (L&N 6.145; BDAG 811 s.v. πήρα).
  6. Mark 6:9 tn Or “shirts” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, chitōn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a “tunic” was any more than they would be familiar with a “chiton.” On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.
  7. Mark 6:10 sn Jesus telling his disciples to stay there in one house contrasts with the practice of religious philosophers in the ancient world who went from house to house begging.
  8. Mark 6:11 sn To shake the dust off represented shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; 18:6. It was a sign of rejection.
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Mark 5
Mark 7
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Matthew 9:35-10:42
New English Translation

Workers for the Harvest

35 Then Jesus went throughout all the towns[a] and villages, teaching in their synagogues,[b] preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness.[c] 36 When[d] he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless,[e] like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38 Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest[f] to send out workers into his harvest-ready fields.”[g]

Sending Out the Twelve Apostles

10 Jesus[h] called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits[i] so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness.[j] 2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles:[k] first, Simon[l] (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew;[m] Thomas[n] and Matthew the tax collector;[o] James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;[p] 4 Simon the Zealot[q] and Judas Iscariot,[r] who betrayed him.[s]

5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows:[t] “Do not go on a road that leads to Gentile regions[u] and do not enter any Samaritan town.[v] 6 Go[w] instead to the lost sheep[x] of the house of Israel. 7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead,[y] cleanse lepers,[z] cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9 Do not take gold, silver, or copper[aa] in your belts, 10 no bag[ab] for the journey, or an extra tunic,[ac] or sandals or staff,[ad] for the worker deserves his provisions. 11 Whenever[ae] you enter a town or village,[af] find out who is worthy there[ag] and stay with them[ah] until you leave. 12 As you enter the house, greet those within it.[ai] 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.[aj] 14 And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off[ak] your feet as you leave that house or that town. 15 I tell you the truth,[al] it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah[am] on the day of judgment than for that town!

Persecution of Disciples

16 “I[an] am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves,[ao] so be wise as serpents[ap] and innocent as doves.[aq] 17 Beware[ar] of people, because they will hand you over to councils[as] and flog[at] you in their synagogues.[au] 18 And you will be brought before governors and kings[av] because of me, as a witness to them and to the Gentiles. 19 Whenever[aw] they hand you over for trial,[ax] do not worry about how to speak or what to say,[ay] for what you should say will be given to you at that time.[az] 20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

21 “Brother[ba] will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against[bb] parents and have them put to death. 22 And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved! 23 Whenever[bc] they persecute you in one town,[bd] flee to another! I tell you the truth,[be] you will not finish going through all the towns[bf] of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

24 “A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave[bg] greater than his master. 25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much worse will they call[bh] the members of his household!

Fear God, Not Man

26 “Do[bi] not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden[bj] that will not be revealed,[bk] and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear,[bl] proclaim from the housetops.[bm] 28 Do[bn] not be afraid of those who kill the body[bo] but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.[bp] 29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny?[bq] Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will.[br] 30 Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. 31 So do not be afraid;[bs] you are more valuable than many sparrows.

32 “Whoever, then, acknowledges[bt] me before people, I will acknowledge[bu] before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven.

Not Peace, but a Sword

34 “Do not think that I have come to bring[bv] peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword![bw] 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.[bx]

37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy[by] of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take up his cross[bz] and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life[ca] will lose it,[cb] and whoever loses his life because of me[cc] will find it.

Rewards

40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.[cd] 41 Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoever[ce] receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones[cf] in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth,[cg] he will never lose his reward.”

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 9:35 tn Or “cities.”
  2. Matthew 9:35 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
  3. Matthew 9:35 tn Grk “every [kind of] disease and every [kind of] sickness.” Here “every” was not repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons. Although the present translation, like several other translations (e.g., NASB, NKJV, NLT), has opted for “every kind of disease and sickness” here, understanding the Greek term πᾶς to refer to “everything belonging, in kind, to the class designated by the noun” (BDAG 784 s.v. 5), it may be possible to understand the word to mean “all” in the sense of totality (i.e., “every disease and every sickness”), given that the same Greek term occurs at the beginning of the verse in the phrase “all the towns and villages” and the phrase at the end of the verse may be intended as a contrast. Arguing against this is the evangelist’s usage of the exact same phrase “every disease and every sickness” in 4:23 referring to Jesus’ healing ministry and in 10:1 to refer to the ministry of the disciples. In the two last-mentioned passages the contrast with “all the towns and villages” does not occur.
  4. Matthew 9:36 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  5. Matthew 9:36 tn Or perhaps “because they had been bewildered and helpless.” The grammatical issue is whether the perfect participles are to be regarded as predicate adjectives or as pluperfect periphrastic constructions (i.e., εἰμί in the indicative plus a perfect participle). Wallace regards these as pluperfect periphrastics, stating: “There may be a hint in Matthew’s use of the pluperfect, esp. in collocation with the shepherd-motif, that this situation would soon disappear” (ExSyn 584).
  6. Matthew 9:38 sn The phrase Lord of the harvest recognizes God’s sovereignty over the harvest process.
  7. Matthew 9:38 tn Grk “harvest,” but by extension of meaning this refers to the crops awaiting harvest in the fields. See BDAG 453 s.v. θερισμός 2.a.
  8. Matthew 10:1 tn Grk “And he.”
  9. Matthew 10:1 sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.
  10. Matthew 10:1 tn Grk “every [kind of] disease and every [kind of] sickness.” Here “every” was not repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons. The present translation, like several other translations (e.g., NASB, NKJV, CEV, NLT), has opted for “every kind of disease and sickness” here (KJV “all manner of sickness and all manner of disease”), understanding the Greek term πᾶς to refer to “everything belonging, in kind, to the class designated by the noun” (BDAG 784 s.v. 5).sn The same statement about healing was made concerning Jesus’ ministry in Matt 9:35, which likewise repeated Matt 4:23. By the choice of wording the evangelist thus links the ministry of the disciples with the ministry of Jesus himself.
  11. Matthew 10:2 sn The term apostles is rare in the gospels, found only here, Mark 3:14, and six more times in Luke (6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10).
  12. Matthew 10:2 sn In the various lists of the twelve, Simon (that is, Peter) is always mentioned first (see also Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:13) and the first four individuals listed are always the same, although not in the same order following Peter.
  13. Matthew 10:3 sn Bartholomew means “son of Tolmai” in Aramaic. It has frequently been suggested that this is another name for Nathanael mentioned in John 1:45, although this is not certain.
  14. Matthew 10:3 sn This is the “doubting Thomas” mentioned in John 20:24-29.
  15. Matthew 10:3 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
  16. Matthew 10:3 tc Witnesses differ on the identification of the last disciple mentioned in v. 3: He is called Λεββαῖος (Lebbaios, “Lebbaeus”) in D and Judas Zelotes in the Old Latin witnesses. The Byzantine text, along with a few others (C(*),2 L N W Γ Δ Θ ƒ1 33 565 579 700 1424 M), conflates earlier readings by calling him “Lebbaeus, who was called Thaddaeus,” while codex 13 conflates by way of transposition (“Thaddaeus, who was called Lebbaeus”). But excellent and early witnesses (א B ƒ13 892 lat co) call him merely Θαδδαῖος (Thaddaios, “Thaddaeus”), a reading which, because of this support, is most likely correct.
  17. Matthew 10:4 tn Grk “the Cananean,” but according to both BDAG 507 s.v. Καναναῖος and L&N 11.88, this term has no relation at all to the geographical terms for Cana or Canaan, but is derived from the Aramaic term for “enthusiast, zealot” (see Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), possibly because of an earlier affiliation with the party of the Zealots (cf. TEV “Simon the Patriot”). He may not have been technically a member of the particular Jewish nationalistic party known as “Zealots” (since according to some scholars this party had not been organized at that time), but simply someone who was zealous for Jewish independence from Rome, in which case the term would refer to his temperament (cf. CEV “Simon, known as the Eager One”).
  18. Matthew 10:4 sn Just as Peter is always mentioned first in all the lists, Judas Iscariot is always mentioned last, presumably because he was considered unworthy. There is some debate about what the name Iscariot means. It probably alludes to a region in Judea and thus might make Judas the only non-Galilean in the group. Several explanations for the name Iscariot have been proposed, but it is probably transliterated Hebrew with the meaning “man of Kerioth” (there are at least two villages that had that name). For further discussion see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 1:546; also D. A. Carson, John, 304.
  19. Matthew 10:4 tn Grk “who even betrayed him.”
  20. Matthew 10:5 tn Grk “instructing them, saying.”
  21. Matthew 10:5 tn Grk “on the way/road of the Gentiles.” The objective genitive “of the Gentiles” indicates the direction (BDAG 554 s.v. ὁδός 1.a); the restriction is on the territory to be visited rather than contact with individual Gentiles or Samaritans (compare the mission of the seventy-two in Luke 10:4 where even standard greetings along the road are prohibited). sn Since Galilee was surrounded on all sides by Gentile territory except the south, where it bordered on Samaria, this restriction effectively limited the mission of the twelve to Galilee on this occasion.
  22. Matthew 10:5 tn Grk “town [or city] of the Samaritans.”sn This is the only mention of Samaritans or Samaria in the Gospel of Matthew.
  23. Matthew 10:6 tn Grk “But go.” The Greek μᾶλλον (mallon, “rather, instead”) conveys the adversative nuance here so that δέ (de) has not been translated.
  24. Matthew 10:6 sn The imagery of lost sheep probably alludes to Jer 50:6, where the Jewish people have been abandoned by their leaders (“shepherds”) and allowed to go astray.
  25. Matthew 10:8 tc The majority of Byzantine minuscules, along with a few other witnesses (C3 K L Γ Θ 579 700txt* 1424c sa mae), lack νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε (nekrous egeirete, “raise the dead”), most likely because of oversight due to a string of similar endings (-ετε in the second person imperatives, occurring five times in v. 8). The longer version of this verse is found in several diverse and ancient witnesses such as א B C* (D) N 0281vid ƒ1, 13 33 565 579mg lat bo; P W Δ 348 syh have a word-order variation, but nevertheless include νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε. Although some Byzantine-text proponents charge the Alexandrian witnesses with theologically-motivated alterations toward heterodoxy, it is interesting to find a variant such as this in which the charge could be reversed (do the Byzantine scribes have something against the miracle of resurrection?). In reality, such charges of wholesale theologically-motivated changes toward heterodoxy are immediately suspect due to lack of evidence of intentional changes (here the change is evidently due to accidental omission).
  26. Matthew 10:8 sn See the note on leper in Matt 8:2.
  27. Matthew 10:9 sn The gold, silver, and copper probably represent varying degrees of provision, with gold the most valuable and copper the least. Jesus’ point appears to be that not even minimal provision (copper) was to be taken along, forcing the disciple to be totally dependent on God.
  28. Matthew 10:10 tn Or “no traveler’s bag”; or possibly “no beggar’s bag” (L&N 6.145; BDAG 811 s.v. πήρα).
  29. Matthew 10:10 tn Grk “two tunics,” that is, wearing one and carrying one as a spare. See the note on the word “tunic” in Matt 5:40.
  30. Matthew 10:10 tn Mark 6:8 allows one staff. It is possible that Matthew’s “two” with regard to the tunics (NET “an extra tunic”) extends to cover the sandals and staff as well (although “staff” is singular), making this a summary (cf. Luke 9:3) meaning not taking an extra pair of sandals or an extra staff (like the tunics). It is also possible the expression is merely rhetorical for “traveling light” which has been rendered in two slightly different ways.sn The point of the prohibitions seems to be not so much urgency as total dependence on God. Lack of a staff, in particular, would leave the traveler extremely vulnerable to wild animals and robbers.
  31. Matthew 10:11 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  32. Matthew 10:11 tn Grk “Into whatever town or village you enter.” This acts as a distributive, meaning every town or village they enter; this is expressed more naturally in English as “whenever you enter a town or village.”
  33. Matthew 10:11 tn Grk “in it” (referring to the city or village).
  34. Matthew 10:11 tn Grk “there.” This was translated as “with them” to avoid redundancy in English and to clarify where the disciples were to stay.sn Jesus telling his disciples to stay with them in one house contrasts with the practice of religious philosophers in the ancient world who went from house to house begging. Staying in one location would give the disciples a base of operations for mission in the area as long as they were there.
  35. Matthew 10:12 tn Grk “give it greetings.” The expression “give it greetings” is a metonymy; the “house” is put for those who live in it. The translation clarifies this because it sounds odd in contemporary English to speak of greeting a building.
  36. Matthew 10:13 sn The response to these messengers determines how God’s blessing is bestowed—if the messengers are not welcomed, their blessing will return to them. Jesus shows just how important their mission is by this remark.
  37. Matthew 10:14 sn To shake the dust off represented, on one level, shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; 18:6. At another level, however, it is similar to a prophetic sign, representing the termination of all fellowship with those individuals or localities that have rejected the messengers along with their message of the coming kingdom of heaven. This in essence constitutes a sign of eschatological judgment, as confirmed in the following verse.
  38. Matthew 10:15 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
  39. Matthew 10:15 sn Sodom and Gomorrah were widely regarded as the most wicked of OT cities from the actions described in Gen 19:1-29; even in OT times their wickedness had become proverbial (Isa 1:9-10). The allusion to God’s judgment on these cities is not intended to indicate that they might be shown mercy on the day of judgment, but to warn that rejecting the messengers with their current message about the coming kingdom is even more serious than the worst sins of Sodom and Gomorrah and will result in even more severe punishment.
  40. Matthew 10:16 tn Grk “Behold I.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
  41. Matthew 10:16 sn This imagery of wolves is found in intertestamental Judaism (see Pss. Sol. 8:23, 30; also 1 Enoch 89:55). For more on the sheep imagery see H. Preisker and S. Schulz, TDNT 6:690. The imagery of sheep surrounded by wolves suggests violence, and prepares the hearers for the persecutions of disciples described in vv. 17-26.
  42. Matthew 10:16 sn The craftiness of serpents is proverbial and can be traced as far back as Gen 3:1. As for how it applies to Jesus’ disciples sent out with the message of the coming kingdom, interpreters have been far less certain, and there is a great diversity of opinion.
  43. Matthew 10:16 sn Doves were regarded in both Greek and Jewish culture of the first century as symbols of purity, integrity, and harmlessness (see H. Greeven, TDNT 6:65-67).
  44. Matthew 10:17 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  45. Matthew 10:17 sn Councils in this context has a non-technical sense referring to local judicial bodies (courts) attached to the Jewish synagogue (cf. BDAG 967 s.v. συνέδριον 1.a). These courts would be responsible for meting out justice and discipline within the Jewish community.
  46. Matthew 10:17 tn Or “and have you flogged” (a causative sense). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”
  47. Matthew 10:17 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
  48. Matthew 10:18 sn These statements look at persecution both from a Jewish context as the mention of councils and synagogues suggests, and from a Gentile one as the reference to governors and kings suggests. Some fulfillment of Jewish persecution can be seen in Acts 4:3; 5:17-18, 40-41; 6:12; 7:1-60; 8:1-3, and of Gentile persecution in Acts 25:2-12, 24-27.
  49. Matthew 10:19 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  50. Matthew 10:19 tn Or “hand you over into custody,” in particular “as a t.t. of police and courts ‘hand over into [the] custody [of]’” (BDAG 762 s.v. παραδίδωμι 1.b). In context some sort of trial is implied (cf. Luke 12:11).
  51. Matthew 10:19 tn Grk “how or what you might speak.”
  52. Matthew 10:19 tn Grk “in that hour.”
  53. Matthew 10:21 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.sn The mention of father and child in the following clause indicates that brother here refers to actual siblings, the members of one’s own family.
  54. Matthew 10:21 tn Or “will rebel against.”
  55. Matthew 10:23 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  56. Matthew 10:23 tn The Greek word πόλις (polis) can mean either “town” or “city” depending on the context (BDAG 844 s.v. 1, “population center of varying size, city, town”).
  57. Matthew 10:23 tn Grk “For truly (ἀμήν, amēn) I say to you.” Here γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated.
  58. Matthew 10:23 tn The Greek word πόλις (polis), can mean either “town” or “city” (see previous note in this verse). “Town” was employed here to emphasize the large number of places to visit (not just the largest cities) and thus the extensive nature of the disciples’ ministry.
  59. Matthew 10:24 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
  60. Matthew 10:25 tn The words “will they call” are not in the Greek text but are implied, and have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  61. Matthew 10:26 tn Grk “Therefore do not.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
  62. Matthew 10:26 tn Or “concealed.”
  63. Matthew 10:26 tn The passive voice here and with the next verb is probably used for rhetorical effect. Although it is common to understand such usage, particularly in the gospels, as examples of the so-called “divine passive” where God is the unstated performer of the action, according to Wallace (ExSyn 438) this category is overused.sn The passive verbs revealed and made known suggest the revelation comes from God. The text is both a warning about bad things being revealed and an encouragement that good things will be made known.
  64. Matthew 10:27 tn Grk “what you hear in the ear,” an idiom meaning “say someth. into someone’s ear, i.e., secretly or in confidence, whisper” (BDAG 739 s.v. οὖς 1).
  65. Matthew 10:27 tn The expression “proclaim from the housetops” is an idiom for proclaiming something publicly (L&N 7.51; BDAG 266 s.v. δῶμα). Roofs of many first century Jewish houses in Judea and Galilee were flat and had access either from outside or from within the house. Something shouted from atop a house would be heard by everyone in the street below.
  66. Matthew 10:28 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
  67. Matthew 10:28 sn A similar exhortation is found in 4 Macc 13:14-15, reflecting the view of Judaism in the intertestamental period. The statement here assumes there is more to a person than a body. As J. Nolland states, “Fear of God is to displace fear of death-dealing persecutors. The stakes are higher with God” (Matthew [NIGTC], 436).
  68. Matthew 10:28 sn While destroy is sometimes taken to mean annihilation, it does not necessarily have to imply that here (“Of eternal death… Mt 10:28, ” BDAG 116 s.v. ἀπόλλυμι 1.a.α). There are some Jewish intertestamental texts that appear to reflect a belief in everlasting punishment for the wicked (Jdt 16:17; 1QS 2:8) as well as Rev 14:11 in the NT. See also the note on the word hell in 5:22.
  69. Matthew 10:29 sn The penny refers to an assarion, a small Roman copper coin. One of them was worth one-sixteenth of a denarius or less than a half hour’s average wage. Sparrows were the cheapest items sold in the market. The point of Jesus’ statement is that God knows about even the most financially insignificant things; see Isa 49:15.
  70. Matthew 10:29 tn Or “to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father.”sn This is a typical form of rabbinic argumentation, from the lesser to the greater: If God cares about the lesser thing (sparrows) how much more does he care about the greater thing (people).
  71. Matthew 10:31 sn This represents the third call by Jesus not to be afraid in the section (previously in vv. 26, 28). Since these two previous references were related to fear of persecution, it is probable that this one does as well. Once again the sparrows are mentioned and the argument is from lesser to greater (if God cares about individual hairs on the head and about sparrows, how much more does he care about people).
  72. Matthew 10:32 tn Or “confesses”; cf. BDAG 708 s.v. ὁμολογέω 4, “to acknowledge someth., ordinarily in public, acknowledge, claim, profess, praise.”
  73. Matthew 10:32 tn Grk “I will acknowledge [or, confess] him also.”sn This acknowledgment will take place at the judgment. On Jesus and judgment, see Luke 22:69; Acts 10:42-43; 17:31.
  74. Matthew 10:34 tn Grk “cast.” For βάλλω (ballō) in the sense of bringing about (or causing) a state or condition, see L&N 13.14; BDAG 163-64 s.v. 4.
  75. Matthew 10:34 sn For rhetorical reasons, Jesus’ statement is deliberately paradoxical (seeming to state the opposite of Matt 10:13 where the messengers are to bring peace). The conflict implied by the sword is not primarily eschatological in this context, however, but immediate, and concerns the division and discord even among family members that a person’s allegiance to Jesus would bring (vv. 35-39).
  76. Matthew 10:36 tn Matt 10:35-36 are an allusion to Mic 7:6.
  77. Matthew 10:37 tn Here “worthy” (ἄξιος, axios) means “does not deserve to belong to me” (BDAG 94 s.v. 2.a), i.e., “is not worthy to be my disciple” (cf. Luke 14:26) or perhaps “is not worthy to participate in the kingdom” (to be undeserving of Jesus is to be undeserving of the kingdom he brings).sn The statement demands uncompromising, radical loyalty to Jesus, a loyalty so powerful that it surpasses normal human relationships, even familial ones.
  78. Matthew 10:38 sn According to Plutarch, “Every criminal who is executed carries his own cross” (De sera numinus vindicta 9.554b). Jesus is speaking figuratively here in the context of rejection. If one’s allegiance to Jesus does not have absolute priority, then one will not follow him in the face of possible rejection and persecution.
  79. Matthew 10:39 tn Grk “his soul.” The Greek ψυχή (psuchē) has many different meanings depending on the context. The two primary meanings here are the earthly life (animate life, sometimes called “physical life”) and the inner life (the life that transcends the earthly life, sometimes called “the soul”). The fact that the Greek term can have both meanings creates in this verse both a paradox and a wordplay. The desire to preserve both aspects of ψυχή (psuchē) for oneself creates the tension here (cf. BDAG 1099 s.v. 1.a; 2.d,e). Translation of the Greek term ψυχή (psuchē) presents a particularly difficult problem in this verse. Most English versions since the KJV have translated the term “life.” This preserves the paradox of finding one’s “life” (in the sense of earthly life) while at the same time really losing it (in the sense of “soul” or transcendent inner life) and vice versa, but at the same time it obscures the wordplay that results from the same Greek word having multiple meanings. To translate as “soul,” however, gives the modern English reader the impression of the immortal soul at the expense of the earthly life. On the whole it is probably best to use the translation “life” and retain the paradox at the expense of the wordplay.
  80. Matthew 10:39 sn The Greek word translated life can refer to both earthly, physical life and inner, transcendent life (one’s “soul”). In the context, if a person is not willing to suffer the world’s rejection and persecution in order to follow Jesus but instead seeks to retain his physical life, then that person will lose both physical life and inner, transcendent life (at the judgment). On the other hand, the one who willingly gives up earthly, physical life to follow Jesus (“loses his life because of me”) will ultimately find one’s “soul” (note that the parallel in John’s Gospel speaks of “guarding one’s ‘soul’ for eternal life” (John 12:25).
  81. Matthew 10:39 tn Or “for my sake.” The traditional rendering “for my sake” can be understood in the sense of “for my benefit,” but the Greek term ἕνεκα (heneka) indicates the cause or reason for something (BDAG 334 s.v. 1).
  82. Matthew 10:40 sn The one who sent me refers to God. Reception of the messengers (and by implication, the message they bring) is equivalent to reception of both Jesus and God the Father himself.
  83. Matthew 10:41 tn Grk “And whoever.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
  84. Matthew 10:42 sn Mention of these little ones in the context seems slightly odd since Jesus is addressing disciples, and this seems to refer to disciples. Probably it is another reference to the itinerant messengers mentioned previously (v. 40). Even a minimal act of kindness shown to one of these (a cup of cold water) will not go unacknowledged and unrewarded.
  85. Matthew 10:42 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
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Luke 9:1-5
New English Translation

The Sending of the Twelve Apostles

9 After[a] Jesus[b] called[c] the twelve[d] together, he gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure[e] diseases, 2 and he sent[f] them out to proclaim[g] the kingdom of God[h] and to heal the sick.[i] 3 He[j] said to them, “Take nothing for your[k] journey—no staff,[l] no bag,[m] no bread, no money, and do not take an extra tunic.[n] 4 Whatever[o] house you enter, stay there[p] until you leave the area.[q] 5 Wherever[r] they do not receive you,[s] as you leave that town,[t] shake the dust off[u] your feet as a testimony against them.”

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 9:1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  2. Luke 9:1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Luke 9:1 tn An aorist participle preceding an aorist main verb may indicate either contemporaneous (simultaneous) action (“When he called…he gave”) or antecedent (prior) action (“After he called…he gave”). The participle συγκαλεσάμενος (sunkalesamenos) has been translated here as indicating antecedent action.
  4. Luke 9:1 tc Some mss add ἀποστόλους (apostolous, “apostles”; א C* L Θ Ψ 070 0291 ƒ13 33 579 892 1241 1424 2542 lat) or μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ (mathētas autou, “his disciples”; C3 al it) here, but such clarifying notes are clearly secondary.
  5. Luke 9:1 sn Note how Luke distinguishes between exorcisms (authority over all demons) and diseases here.
  6. Luke 9:2 sn “To send out” is often a term of divine commission in Luke: 1:19; 4:18, 43; 7:27; 9:48; 10:1, 16; 11:49; 13:34; 24:49.
  7. Luke 9:2 tn Or “to preach.”
  8. Luke 9:2 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
  9. Luke 9:2 sn As Jesus’ own ministry (Luke 4:16-44) involved both word (to proclaim) and deed (to heal) so also would that of the disciples.
  10. Luke 9:3 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  11. Luke 9:3 tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
  12. Luke 9:3 sn Mark 6:8 allows one staff. It might be that Luke’s summary (cf. Matt 10:9-10) means not taking an extra staff or that the expression is merely rhetorical for “traveling light” which has been rendered in two slightly different ways.
  13. Luke 9:3 tn Or “no traveler’s bag”; or possibly “no beggar’s bag” (L&N 6.145; BDAG 811 s.v. πήρα).
  14. Luke 9:3 tn Grk “have two tunics.” See the note on the word “tunics” in 3:11.
  15. Luke 9:4 tn Grk “And whatever.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  16. Luke 9:4 sn Jesus telling his disciples to stay there in one house contrasts with the practice of religious philosophers in the ancient world who went from house to house begging.
  17. Luke 9:4 tn Grk “and depart from there.” The literal wording could be easily misunderstood; the meaning is that the disciples were not to move from house to house in the same town or locality, but remain at the same house as long as they were in that place.
  18. Luke 9:5 tn Grk “And wherever.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  19. Luke 9:5 tn Grk “all those who do not receive you.”
  20. Luke 9:5 tn Or “city.”
  21. Luke 9:5 sn To shake the dust off represented shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; 18:6. It was a sign of rejection.
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