◀ All Reading Plans / Book of Common Prayer / Ps. 87 90; Ps. 136; Ezek. 3:4–17; Heb. 5:7–14; Luke 9:37–50 (New English Translation)

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Book of Common Prayer

Daily Old and New Testament readings based on the Book of Common Prayer.

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Psalm 87

Psalm 87^[a]

Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.

87 The Lord’s city is in the holy hills.^[b]
²The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
³People say wonderful things about you,^[c]
O city of God. (Selah)
⁴I mention Rahab^[d] and Babylon to my followers.^[e]
Here are^[f] Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia.^[g]
It is said of them, “This one was born there.”^[h]
⁵But it is said of Zion’s residents,^[i]
“Each one of these^[j] was born in her,
and the Most High^[k] makes her secure.”
⁶The Lord writes in the census book of the nations,^[l]
“This one was born there.”^[m] (Selah)
⁷As for the singers, as well as the pipers—
all of them sing within your walls.^[n]

Footnotes

Psalm 87:1 sn Psalm 87. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s presence in Zion and the special status of its citizens.
Psalm 87:1 tn Heb “his foundation [is] in the hills of holiness.” The expression “his foundation” refers here by metonymy to the Lord’s dwelling place in Zion. The “hills” are the ones surrounding Zion (see Pss 125:2; 133:3).
Psalm 87:3 tn Heb “glorious things are spoken about you.” The translation assumes this is a general reference to compliments paid to Zion by those who live within her walls and by those who live in the surrounding areas and lands. Another option is that this refers to a prophetic oracle about the city’s glorious future. In this case one could translate, “wonderful things are announced concerning you.”
Psalm 87:4 sn “Rahab,” which means “proud one,” is used here as a title for Egypt (see Isa 30:7).
Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “to those who know me” (see Ps 36:10). Apparently the Lord speaks here. The verbal construction (the Hiphil of זָכַר, zakhar, “remember” followed by the preposition ל [lamed] with a substantive) is rare, but the prepositional phrase is best understood as indicating the recipient of the announcement (see Jer 4:16). Some take the preposition in the sense of “among” and translate, “among those who know me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). In this case these foreigners are viewed as the Lord’s people and the psalm is interpreted as anticipating a time when all nations will worship the Lord (see Ps 86:9) and be considered citizens of Zion.
Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “Look.”
Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “Cush.”
Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “and this one was born there.” The words “It is said of them” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarification and stylistic purposes (see v. 5). Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand “there” as referring to Zion, but it seems more likely that the adverb refers to the nations just mentioned. The foreigners are identified by their native lands.
Psalm 87:5 tn Heb “and of Zion it is said.” Another option is to translate, “and to Zion it is said.” In collocation with the Niphal of אָמַר (ʾamar), the preposition ל (lamed) can introduce the recipient of the statement (see Josh 2:2; Jer 4:11; Hos 1:10; Zeph 3:16), carry the nuance “concerning, of” (see Num 23:23), or mean “be named” (see Isa 4:3; 62:4).
Psalm 87:5 tn Heb “a man and a man.” The idiom also appears in Esth 1:8. The translation assumes that the phrase refers to each of Zion’s residents, in contrast to the foreigners mentioned in v. 4. Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand this as a reference to each of the nations, including those mentioned in v. 4.
Psalm 87:5 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
Psalm 87:6 tn Heb “the Lord records in the writing of the nations.”
Psalm 87:6 tn As noted in v. 4, the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5.
Psalm 87:7 tc Heb “and singers, like pipers, all my springs [are] in you.” The participial form חֹלְלִים (khol^elim) appears to be from a denominative verb meaning “play the pipe,” though some derive the form from חוּל (khul, “dance”). In this case the duplicated ל (lamed) requires an emendation to מְחֹלְלִים (m^ekhol^elim, “a Polel form). The words are addressed to Zion. As it stands, the Hebrew text makes little, if any, sense. “Springs” are often taken here as a symbol of divine blessing and life”), but this reading does not relate to the preceding line in any apparent way. The present translation assumes an emendation of כָּל־מַעְיָנַי (kol maʿyanay, “all my springs”) to כֻּלָּם עָנוּ (kullam ʿanu, “all of them sing,” with the form עָנוּ being derived from עָנָה, ʿanah, “sing”).

Psalm 90

Book 4 (Psalms 90-106)

Psalm 90^[a]

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90 O Lord, you have been our protector^[b] through all generations.
²Even before the mountains came into existence,^[c]
or you brought the world into being,^[d]
you were the eternal God.^[e]
³You make mankind return^[f] to the dust,^[g]
and say, “Return, O people.”
⁴Yes,^[h] in your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday that quickly passes,
or like one of the divisions of the nighttime.^[i]
⁵You bring their lives to an end and they “fall asleep.”^[j]
In the morning they are like the grass that sprouts up:
⁶In the morning it glistens^[k] and sprouts up;
at evening time it withers^[l] and dries up.
⁷Yes,^[m] we are consumed by your anger;
we are terrified by your wrath.
⁸You are aware of our sins;^[n]
you even know about our hidden sins.^[o]
⁹Yes,^[p] throughout all our days we experience your raging fury;^[q]
the years of our lives pass quickly, like a sigh.^[r]
¹⁰The days of our lives add up to seventy years,^[s]
or eighty, if one is especially strong.^[t]
But even one’s best years are marred by trouble and oppression.^[u]
Yes,^[v] they pass quickly^[w] and we fly away.^[x]
¹¹Who can really fathom the intensity of your anger?^[y]
Your raging fury causes people to fear you.^[z]
¹²So teach us to consider our mortality,^[aa]
so that we might live wisely.^[ab]
¹³Turn back toward us, O Lord.
How long must this suffering last?^[ac]
Have pity on your servants.^[ad]
¹⁴Satisfy us in the morning^[ae] with your loyal love.
Then we will shout for joy and be happy^[af] all our days.
¹⁵Make us happy in proportion to the days you have afflicted us,
in proportion to the years we have experienced^[ag] trouble.
¹⁶May your servants see your work.^[ah]
May their sons see your majesty.^[ai]
¹⁷May our Sovereign God extend his favor to us.^[aj]
Make our endeavors successful.
Yes, make them successful.^[ak]

Footnotes

Psalm 90:1 sn Psalm 90. In this communal lament the worship leader affirms that the eternal God and creator of the world has always been Israel’s protector. But God also causes men, who are as transient as grass, to die, and in his fierce anger he decimates his covenant community, whose brief lives are filled with suffering and end in weakness. The community asks for wisdom, the restoration of God’s favor, a fresh revelation of his power, and his blessing upon their labors.
Psalm 90:1 tn Or “place of safety.” See Ps 71:3.
Psalm 90:2 tn Heb “were born.”
Psalm 90:2 tn Heb “and you gave birth to the earth and world.” The Polel verbal form in the Hebrew text pictures God giving birth to the world. The LXX and some other ancient textual witnesses assume a Polal (passive) verbal form here. In this case the earth becomes the subject of the verb and the verb is understood as third feminine singular rather than second masculine singular.
Psalm 90:2 tn Heb “and from everlasting to everlasting you [are] God.” Instead of אֵל (ʾel, “God”) the LXX reads אַל (ʾal, “not”) and joins the negative particle to the following verse, making the verb תָּשֵׁב (tashev) a jussive. In this case v. 3a reads as a prayer, “do not turn man back to a low place.” However, taking תָּשֵׁב as a jussive is problematic in light of the following wayyiqtol form וַתֹּאמֶר (vatoʾmer, “and you said/say”), unless one reads the form as a simple vav plus imperfect as indicated by Aquila and Jerome.
Psalm 90:3 tn In this context the shortened prefix form does not function as a preterite, but indicates what is typical of the world.
Psalm 90:3 tn The Hebrew term דַּכָּא (dakaʾ) carries the basic sense of “crushed.” Elsewhere it refers to those who are “crushed” in spirit or contrite of heart (see Ps 34:18; Isa 57:15). If one understands this nuance here, then v. 3 is observing that God leads mankind to repentance (the term שׁוּב, shuv, “return,” which appears twice in this verse, is sometimes used of repentance.) However, the following context laments mankind’s mortality and the brevity of life, so it is doubtful if v. 3 should be understood so positively. It is more likely that דַּכָּא here refers to “crushed matter,” that is, the dust that fills the grave (see HALOT 221 s.v. s.v. I דַּכָּא; BDB 194 s.v. דַּכָּא). In this case one may hear an echo of Gen 3:19.
Psalm 90:4 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 90:4 sn The divisions of the nighttime. The ancient Israelites divided the night into distinct periods, or “watches.”
Psalm 90:5 tn Heb “you bring them to an end [with] sleep.” The Hebrew verb זָרַם (zaram) has traditionally been taken to mean “flood” or “overwhelm” (note the Polel form of a root זרם in Ps 77:17, where the verb is used of the clouds pouring down rain). However, the verb form here is Qal, not Polel, and is better understood as a homonym meaning “to make an end [of life].” The term שֵׁנָה (shenah, “sleep”) can be taken as an adverbial accusative; it is a euphemism here for death (see Ps 76:5-6).
Psalm 90:6 tn Or “flourishes.” The verb is used of a crown shining in Ps 132:18. Perhaps here in Ps 90:6 it refers to the glistening of the grass in the morning dew.
Psalm 90:6 tn The Polel form of this verb occurs only here. Perhaps the form should be emended to a Qal (which necessitates eliminating the final ל [lamed] as dittographic). See Ps 37:2.
Psalm 90:7 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 90:8 tn Heb “you set our sins in front of you.”
Psalm 90:8 tn Heb “what we have hidden to the light of your face.” God’s face is compared to a light or lamp that exposes the darkness around it.
Psalm 90:9 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 90:9 tn Heb “all our days pass by in your anger.”
Psalm 90:9 tn Heb “we finish our years like a sigh.” In Ezek 2:10 the word הֶגֶה (hegeh) elsewhere refers to a grumbling or moaning sound. Here a brief sigh or moan is probably in view. If so, the simile pictures one’s lifetime as transient. Another option is that the simile alludes to the weakness that characteristically overtakes a person at the end of one’s lifetime. In this case the phrase could be translated, “we end our lives with a painful moan.”
Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “the days of our years, in them [are] seventy years.”
Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “or if [there is] strength, eighty years.”
Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “and their pride [is] destruction and wickedness.” The Hebrew noun רֹהַב (rohav) occurs only here. BDB 923 s.v. assigns the meaning “pride,” deriving the noun from the verbal root רָהַב (rahav, “to act stormily [boisterously, arrogantly]”). Here the “pride” of one’s days (see v. 9) probably refers to one’s most productive years in the prime of life. The words translated “destruction and wickedness” are also paired in Ps 10:7. They also appear in proximity in Pss 7:14 and 55:10. The oppressive and abusive actions of evil men are probably in view (see Job 4:8; 5:6; 15:35; Isa 10:1; 59:4).
Psalm 90:10 tn or “for.”
Psalm 90:10 tn Heb “it passes quickly.” The subject of the verb is probably “their pride” (see the preceding line). The verb גּוּז (guz) means “to pass” here; it occurs only here and in Num 11:31.
Psalm 90:10 sn We fly away. The psalmist compares life to a bird that quickly flies off (see Job 20:8).
Psalm 90:11 tn Heb “Who knows the strength of your anger?”
Psalm 90:11 tc Heb “and like your fear [is] your raging fury.” Perhaps one should emend וּכְיִרְאָתְךָ (ukh^eyirʾat^ekha, “and like your fear”) to יִרְאָתְךְ (yirʾat^ekha, “your fear”), removing the כ (kaf) as dittography of the kaf ending the previous word. In this case the psalmist asserts “your fear [is] your raging fury,” that is, your raging fury is what causes others to fear you. The suffix on “fear” is understood as objective.
Psalm 90:12 tn Heb “to number our days,” that is, to be aware of how few they really are.
Psalm 90:12 tn Heb “and we will bring a heart of wisdom.” After the imperative of the preceding line, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates purpose/result. The Hebrew term “heart” here refers to the center of one’s thoughts, volition, and moral character.
Psalm 90:13 tn Heb “Return, O Lord. How long?”
Psalm 90:13 tn Elsewhere the Niphal of נָחַם (nakham) + the preposition עַל (ʿal) + a personal object has the nuance “be comforted concerning [the personal object’s death]” (see 2 Sam 13:39; Jer 31:15). However, here the context seems to demand “feel sorrow for,” “have pity on.” In Deut 32:36 and Ps 135:14, where “servants” is also the object of the preposition, this idea is expressed with the Hitpael form of the verb.
Psalm 90:14 sn Morning is used metaphorically for a time of renewed joy after affliction (see Pss 30:5; 46:5; 49:14; 59:16; 143:8).
Psalm 90:14 tn After the imperative (see the preceding line) the cohortatives with the prefixed conjunction indicate purpose/result.
Psalm 90:15 tn Heb “have seen.”
Psalm 90:16 tn Heb “may your work be revealed to your servants.” In this context (note v. 17) the verb form יֵרָאֶה (yeraʾeh) is best understood as an unshortened jussive (see Gen 1:9; Isa 47:3).
Psalm 90:16 tn Heb “and your majesty to their sons.” The verb “be revealed” is understood by ellipsis in the second line.
Psalm 90:17 tn Heb “and may the delight of the Master, our God, be on us.” The Hebrew term נֹעַם (noʿam, “delight”) is used in Ps 27:4 of the Lord’s “beauty,” but here it seems to refer to his favor (see BDB 653 s.v.) or kindness (HALOT 706 s.v.).
Psalm 90:17 tn Heb “and the work of our hands establish over us, and the work of our hands, establish it.”

Psalm 136

Psalm 136^[a]

136 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his loyal love endures.^[b]
²Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his loyal love endures.
³Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his loyal love endures,
⁴to the one who performs magnificent, amazing deeds all by himself,
for his loyal love endures,
⁵to the one who used wisdom to make the heavens,
for his loyal love endures,
⁶to the one who spread out the earth over the water,
for his loyal love endures,
⁷to the one who made the great lights,
for his loyal love endures,
⁸the sun to rule by day,
for his loyal love endures,
⁹the moon and stars to rule by night,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁰to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
for his loyal love endures,
¹¹and led Israel out from their midst,
for his loyal love endures,
¹²with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
for his loyal love endures,
¹³to the one who divided^[c] the Red Sea^[d] in two,^[e]
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁴and led Israel through its midst,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁵and tossed^[f] Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁶to the one who led his people through the wilderness,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁷to the one who struck down great kings,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁸and killed powerful kings,
for his loyal love endures,
¹⁹Sihon, king of the Amorites,
for his loyal love endures,
²⁰Og, king of Bashan,
for his loyal love endures,
²¹and gave their land as an inheritance,
for his loyal love endures,
²²as an inheritance to Israel his servant,
for his loyal love endures,
²³to the one who remembered us when we were down,^[g]
for his loyal love endures,
²⁴and snatched us away from our enemies,
for his loyal love endures,
²⁵to the one who gives food to all living things,^[h]
for his loyal love endures.
²⁶Give thanks to the God of heaven,
for his loyal love endures!

Ezekiel 3:4-17

⁴He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them. ⁵For you are not being sent to a people of unintelligible speech^[a] and difficult language,^[b] but^[c] to the house of Israel— ⁶not to many peoples of unintelligible speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand.^[d] Surely if^[e] I had sent you to them, they would listen to you! ⁷But the house of Israel is unwilling to listen to you,^[f] because they are not willing to listen to me,^[g] for the whole house of Israel is hardheaded and hardhearted.^[h]

⁸“I have made your face adamant^[i] to match their faces, and your forehead hard to match their foreheads. ⁹I have made your forehead harder than flint—like diamond!^[j] Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you,^[k] for they are a rebellious house.”

¹⁰And he said to me, “Son of man, take all my words that I speak to you to heart and listen carefully. ¹¹Go to the exiles, to your fellow countrymen,^[l] and speak to them. Say to them, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says,’ whether they pay attention or not.”

Ezekiel Before the Exiles

¹²Then a wind lifted me up^[m] and I heard a great rumbling sound behind me as the glory of the Lord rose from its place,^[n] ¹³and the sound of the living beings’ wings brushing against each other, and the sound of the wheels alongside them, a great rumbling sound. ¹⁴A wind lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly,^[o] my spirit full of fury, and the hand of the Lord rested powerfully^[p] on me. ¹⁵I came to the exiles at Tel Abib,^[q] who lived by the Kebar River.^[r] I sat dumbfounded among them there, where they were living, for seven days.^[s]

¹⁶At the end of seven days the Lord’s message came to me: ¹⁷“Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman^[t] for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must give them a warning from me.

Footnotes

Ezekiel 3:5 tn Heb “deep of lip” (in the sense of incomprehensible).
Ezekiel 3:5 tn Heb “heavy of tongue.” Similar language occurs in Exod 4:10 and Isa 33:19.
Ezekiel 3:5 tn The conjunction “but” is not in the Hebrew text but is implied from the context.
Ezekiel 3:6 tn Heb “hear.”
Ezekiel 3:6 tc The MT reads: “if not,” but most ancient versions translate only “if.” The expression occurs with this sense in Isa 5:9 and 14:24. See also Ezek 34:8; 36:5; 38:19.
Ezekiel 3:7 sn Moses (Exod 3:19) and Isaiah (Isa 6:9-10) were also told that their messages would not be received.
Ezekiel 3:7 sn A similar description of Israel’s disobedience is given in 1 Sam 8:7.
Ezekiel 3:7 tn Heb “hard of forehead and stiff of heart.”
Ezekiel 3:8 tn Heb “strong, resolute.”
Ezekiel 3:9 tn The Hebrew term translated “diamond” is parallel to “iron” in Jer 17:1. The Hebrew uses two terms which are both translated at times as “flint,” but here one is clearly harder than the other. The translation “diamond” attempts to reflect this distinction in English.
Ezekiel 3:9 tn Heb “of their faces.”
Ezekiel 3:11 tn Heb “to the sons of your people.”
Ezekiel 3:12 sn See note on “wind” in 2:2.
Ezekiel 3:12 tc This translation accepts the emendation suggested in BHS of בְּרוּם (b^erum, “in the lifting”) for בָּרוּךְ (barukh). The letters mem (מ) and kaf (כ) were easily confused in the old script, while בָּרוּךְ (“blessed be”) implies a quotation, which is out of place here. The word also does not fit the later phrase “from its place,” which requires a verb of motion.
Ezekiel 3:14 tn The traditional interpretation is that Ezekiel embarked on his mission with bitterness and anger, either reflecting God’s attitude toward the sinful people or his own feelings about having to carry out such an unpleasant task. L. C. Allen (Ezekiel [WBC], 1:13) takes “bitterly” as a misplaced marginal note and understands the following word, normally translated “anger,” in the sense of fervor or passion. He translates, “I was passionately moved” (p. 4). Another option is to take the word translated “bitterly” as a verb meaning “strengthened” (attested in Ugaritic). See G. R. Driver, Canaanite Myths and Legends, 152.
Ezekiel 3:14 tn Heb “the hand of the Lord was on me heavily.” The “hand of the Lord” is a metaphor for his power or influence; the modifier conveys intensity. sn In Ezekiel God’s “hand” being on the prophet is regularly associated with communication or a vision from God (1:3; 3:14, 22; 8:1; 37:1; 40:1).
Ezekiel 3:15 sn The name “Tel Abib” is a transliteration of an Akkadian term meaning “mound of the flood,” i.e., an ancient mound. It is not to be confused with the modern city of Tel Aviv in Israel.
Ezekiel 3:15 tn Or “canal.”
Ezekiel 3:15 sn A similar response to a divine encounter is found in Acts 9:8-9.
Ezekiel 3:17 tn The literal role of a watchman is described in 2 Sam 18:24 and 2 Kgs 9:17.

Hebrews 5:7-14

⁷During his earthly life^[a] Christ^[b] offered^[c] both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion. ⁸Although he was a son, he learned obedience through the things he suffered.^[d] ⁹And by being perfected in this way, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, ¹⁰and he was designated^[e] by God as high priest in the order of Melchizedek.^[f]

The Need to Move on to Maturity

¹¹On this topic we have much to say^[g] and it is difficult to explain, since you have become sluggish^[h] in hearing. ¹²For though you should in fact be teachers by this time,^[i] you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances.^[j] You have gone back to needing^[k] milk, not^[l] solid food. ¹³For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. ¹⁴But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil.

Luke 9:37-50

Healing a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

³⁷Now on^[a] the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. ³⁸Then^[b] a man from the crowd cried out,^[c] “Teacher, I beg you to look at^[d] my son—he is my only child! ³⁹A^[e] spirit seizes him, and he suddenly screams;^[f] it throws him into convulsions^[g] and causes him to foam at the mouth. It hardly ever leaves him alone, torturing^[h] him severely. ⁴⁰I^[i] begged^[j] your disciples to cast it out, but^[k] they could not do so.”^[l] ⁴¹Jesus answered,^[m] “You^[n] unbelieving^[o] and perverse generation! How much longer^[p] must I be with you and endure^[q] you?^[r] Bring your son here.” ⁴²As^[s] the boy^[t] was approaching, the demon threw him to the ground^[u] and shook him with convulsions.^[v] But Jesus rebuked^[w] the unclean^[x] spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. ⁴³Then^[y] they were all astonished at the mighty power^[z] of God.

Another Prediction of Jesus’ Suffering

But while the entire crowd^[aa] was amazed at everything Jesus^[ab] was doing, he said to his disciples, ⁴⁴“Take these words to heart,^[ac] for the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.”^[ad] ⁴⁵But they did not understand this statement; its meaning^[ae] had been concealed^[af] from them, so that they could not grasp it. Yet^[ag] they were afraid to ask him about this statement.

Concerning the Greatest

⁴⁶Now an argument started among the disciples^[ah] as to which of them might be^[ai] the greatest. ⁴⁷But when Jesus discerned their innermost thoughts,^[aj] he took a child, had him stand by^[ak] his side, ⁴⁸and said to them, “Whoever welcomes^[al] this child^[am] in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me, for the one who is least among you all is the one who is great.”^[an]

On the Right Side

⁴⁹John answered,^[ao] “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop^[ap] him because he is not a disciple^[aq] along with us.” ⁵⁰But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for whoever is not against you is for you.”

Footnotes

Luke 9:37 tn Grk “Now it happened that on.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
Luke 9:38 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the somewhat unexpected appearance of the man. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
Luke 9:38 tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
Luke 9:38 tn This verb means “to have regard for”; see Luke 1:48.
Luke 9:39 tn Grk “and behold, a.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated here; instead a new sentence was started in the translation. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
Luke 9:39 tn The Greek here is slightly ambiguous; the subject of the verb “screams” could be either the son or the spirit.
Luke 9:39 sn The reaction is like an epileptic fit (see L&N 14.27). See the parallel in Matt 17:14-20.
Luke 9:39 tn Or “bruising,” or “crushing.” This verb appears to allude to the damage caused when it throws him to the ground. According to L&N 19.46 it is difficult to know from this verb precisely what the symptoms caused by the demon were, but it is clear they must have involved severe pain. The multiple details given in the account show how gruesome the condition of the boy was.
Luke 9:40 tn Grk “And I.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated here; instead a new sentence was started in the translation.
Luke 9:40 sn Note the repetition of the verb from v. 38, an indication of the father’s desperation.
Luke 9:40 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
Luke 9:40 tn The words “do so” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity and stylistic reasons.
Luke 9:41 tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “Jesus answered.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Luke 9:41 tn Grk “O.” The marker of direct address, ὦ (ō), is functionally equivalent to a vocative and is represented in the translation by “you.”
Luke 9:41 tn Or “faithless.”sn The rebuke for lack of faith has OT roots: Num 14:27; Deut 32:5, 20; Isa 59:8.
Luke 9:41 tn Grk “how long.”
Luke 9:41 tn Or “and put up with.” See Num 11:12; Isa 46:4.
Luke 9:41 sn The pronouns you…you are plural, indicating that Jesus is speaking to a group rather than an individual.
Luke 9:42 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Luke 9:42 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the boy) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 9:42 sn At this point the boy was thrown down in another convulsion by the demon. See L&N 23.168.
Luke 9:42 tn See L&N 23.167-68, where the second verb συσπαράσσω (susparassō) is taken to mean the violent shaking associated with the convulsions, thus the translation here “and shook him with convulsions.”
Luke 9:42 tn Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).
Luke 9:42 sn This is a reference to an evil spirit. See Luke 4:33.
Luke 9:43 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the response at the conclusion of the account.
Luke 9:43 sn The revelation of the mighty power of God was the manifestation of God’s power shown through Jesus. See Acts 10:38.
Luke 9:43 tn Grk “all”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 9:43 tc Most mss, especially the later ones (A C W Θ Ψ 0115 ƒ¹³ 33 892 M al), actually supply ὁ ᾿Ιησοῦς (ho Iēsous, “Jesus”) here. Since the earliest and best witnesses, along with many others (P⁷⁵ א B D L Ξ ƒ¹ 579 700 1241 2542 lat), lack the name, and since scribes were unlikely to intentionally omit it, the shorter reading is preferred as the reading of the initial text.tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Some mss have done the same.
Luke 9:44 tn Grk “Place these words into your ears,” an idiom. The meaning is either “do not forget these words” (L&N 29.5) or “Listen carefully to these words” (L&N 24.64). See also Exod 17:14. For a variation of this expression, see Luke 8:8.
Luke 9:44 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) is considered by some to be used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NRSV, “into human hands”; TEV, “to the power of human beings”). However, because this can be taken as a specific reference to the group responsible for Jesus’ arrest, where it is unlikely women were present (cf. Matt 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12), the word “men” has been retained in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” earlier in the verse.
Luke 9:45 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the meaning of the statement) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 9:45 sn The passive verb had been concealed probably indicates that some force was preventing them from responding. It is debated whether God or Satan is meant here. By 24:25 it is clear that their lack of response is their own responsibility. The only way to reverse this is to pay careful attention as v. 44a urges.
Luke 9:45 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate that in spite of their lack of understanding, the disciples were afraid to ask about it. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
Luke 9:46 tn Grk “among them”; the referent (the disciples) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 9:46 tn The use of the optative mood means the answer is not clear (BDF §§267.2.2; 385.2.2).
Luke 9:47 tn Grk “knowing the thoughts of their hearts” (an idiom).
Luke 9:47 tn On this use of παρά (para), see BDF §238.
Luke 9:48 tn This verb, δέχομαι (dechomai), is a term of hospitality (L&N 34.53).
Luke 9:48 sn Children were very insignificant in ancient culture, so this child would be the perfect object lesson to counter the disciples’ selfish ambitions.
Luke 9:48 tn Grk “among you all, this one is great.” The absence of a comparative term here makes the point that comparison should not be done.
Luke 9:49 tn Grk “And answering, John said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “John answered.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Luke 9:49 tc The translation follows the reading that has Luke’s normal imperfect here (ἐκωλύομεν, ekōluomen; found in P^75vid א B L Ξ 579 892 1241). Most mss, however, have an aorist (ἐκωλύσαμεν, ekōlusamen; found in A C D W Θ Ψ ƒ^1,13 33 M co), which would be translated “we forbade him.” The imperfect enjoys the best external and internal support.
Luke 9:49 tn Grk “does not follow with us.” BDAG 36 s.v. ἀκολουθέω 2 indicates that the pronoun σοι (soi, “you”) is to be supplied after the verb in this particular instance; the translation in the text best represents this nuance.

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 87[a]

Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.

Footnotes

Book 4 (Psalms 90-106)

Psalm 90[a]

A prayer of Moses, the man of God.

Footnotes

Psalm 136[a]

Footnotes

Ezekiel Before the Exiles

Footnotes

The Need to Move on to Maturity

Footnotes

Healing a Boy with an Unclean Spirit

Another Prediction of Jesus’ Suffering

Concerning the Greatest

On the Right Side

Footnotes

Psalm 87^[a]

Psalm 90^[a]

Psalm 136^[a]