◀ All Reading Plans / Book of Common Prayer / Ps. 72; Ps. 119:73–96; Eccles. 9:11–18; Gal. 5:1–15; Matt. 16:1–12 (New English Translation)

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Book of Common Prayer

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

Duration: 861 days

Psalm 72

Psalm 72^[a]

For^[b] Solomon.

72 O God, grant the king the ability to make just decisions.^[c]
Grant the king’s son^[d] the ability to make fair decisions.^[e]
²Then he will judge^[f] your people fairly,
and your oppressed ones^[g] equitably.
³The mountains will bring news of peace to the people,
and the hills will announce justice.^[h]
⁴He will defend^[i] the oppressed among the people;
he will deliver^[j] the children^[k] of the poor
and crush the oppressor.
⁵People will fear^[l] you^[m] as long as the sun and moon remain in the sky,
for generation after generation.^[n]
⁶He^[o] will descend like rain on the mown grass,^[p]
like showers that drench^[q] the earth.^[r]
⁷During his days the godly will flourish;^[s]
peace will prevail as long as the moon remains in the sky.^[t]
⁸May he rule^[u] from sea to sea,^[v]
and from the Euphrates River^[w] to the ends of the earth.
⁹Before him the coastlands^[x] will bow down,
and his enemies will lick the dust.^[y]
¹⁰The kings of Tarshish^[z] and the coastlands will offer gifts;
the kings of Sheba^[aa] and Seba^[ab] will bring tribute.
¹¹All kings will bow down to him;
all nations will serve him.
¹²For he will rescue the needy^[ac] when they cry out for help,
and the oppressed^[ad] who have no defender.
¹³He will take pity^[ae] on the poor and needy;
the lives of the needy he will save.
¹⁴From harm and violence he will defend them;^[af]
he will value their lives.^[ag]
¹⁵May he live!^[ah] May they offer him gold from Sheba.^[ai]
May they continually pray for him.
May they pronounce blessings on him all day long.^[aj]
¹⁶May there be^[ak] an abundance^[al] of grain in the earth;
on the tops^[am] of the mountains may it^[an] sway.^[ao]
May its^[ap] fruit trees^[aq] flourish^[ar] like the forests of Lebanon.^[as]
May its crops^[at] be as abundant^[au] as the grass of the earth.^[av]
¹⁷May his fame endure.^[aw]
May his dynasty last as long as the sun remains in the sky.^[ax]
May they use his name when they formulate their blessings.^[ay]
May all nations consider him to be favored by God.^[az]
¹⁸The Lord God, the God of Israel, deserves praise.^[ba]
He alone accomplishes amazing things.^[bb]
¹⁹His glorious name deserves praise^[bc] forevermore.
May his majestic splendor^[bd] fill the whole earth.
We agree! We agree!^[be]
²⁰This collection of the prayers of David son of Jesse ends here.^[bf]

Footnotes

Psalm 72:1 sn Psalm 72. This royal psalm contains a prayer for the Davidic king (note the imperatival form in v. 1 and the jussive forms in vv. 16-17). It is not entirely clear if vv. 2-15 express a prayer or anticipate a future reign. The translation assumes a blend of petition and vision: (I) opening prayer (v. 1), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 2-7); (II) prayer (v. 8), followed by anticipated results if prayer is answered (vv. 9-14); (III) closing prayer (vv. 15-17). Whether a prayer, vision, or combination of the two, the psalm depicts the king’s universal rule of peace and prosperity. As such it is indirectly messianic, for the ideal it expresses will only be fully realized during the Messiah’s earthly reign. Verses 18-19 are a conclusion for Book 2 of the Psalter (Pss 42-72; cf. Ps 41:13, which contains a similar conclusion for Book 1), while v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter.
Psalm 72:1 tn The preposition could be understood as indicating authorship (“Of Solomon”), but since the psalm is a prayer for a king, it may be that the superscription reflects a tradition that understood this as a prayer for Solomon.
Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “O God, your judgments to [the] king give.”
Psalm 72:1 sn Grant the king…Grant the king’s son. It is not entirely clear whether v. 1 envisions one individual or two. The phrase “the king’s son” in the second line may simply refer to “the king” of the first line, drawing attention to the fact that he has inherited his dynastic rule. Another option is that v. 1 envisions a co-regency between father and son (a common phenomenon in ancient Israel) or simply expresses a hope for a dynasty that champions justice.
Psalm 72:1 tn Heb “and your justice to [the] son of [the] king.”
Psalm 72:2 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
Psalm 72:2 sn These people are called God’s oppressed ones because he is their defender (see Pss 9:12, 18; 10:12; 12:5).
Psalm 72:3 tn Heb “[the] mountains will bear peace to the people, and [the] hills with justice.” The personified mountains and hills probably represent messengers who will sweep over the land announcing the king’s just decrees and policies. See Isa 52:7 and C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms (ICC), 2:133.
Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “judge [for].”
Psalm 72:4 tn The prefixed verbal form appears to be an imperfect, not a jussive.
Psalm 72:4 tn Heb “sons.”
Psalm 72:5 tn In this context “fear” probably means “to demonstrate respect for the Lord’s power and authority by worshiping him and obeying his commandments.” See Ps 33:8. Some interpreters, with the support of the LXX, prefer to read וְיַאֲרִיךְ (v^eyaʾarikh, “and he [the king in this case] will prolong [days]”), that is, “will live a long time” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
Psalm 72:5 tn God is the addressee (see vv. 1-2).
Psalm 72:5 tn Heb “with [the] sun, and before [the] moon [for] a generation, generations.” The rare expression דּוֹר דּוֹרִים (dor dorim, “generation, generations”) occurs only here, in Ps 102:24, and in Isa 51:8.
Psalm 72:6 tn That is, the king (see vv. 2, 4).
Psalm 72:6 tn The rare term גֵּז (gez) refers to a sheep’s fleece in Deut 18:4 and Job 31:20, but to “mown” grass or crops here and in Amos 7:1.
Psalm 72:6 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to be an otherwise unattested noun. Many prefer to emend the form to a verb from the root זָרַף (zaraf). BHS suggests a Hiphil imperfect, third masculine plural יַזְרִיפוּ (yazrifu), while HALOT 283 s.v. *זרף prefers a Pilpel perfect, third masculine plural זִרְזְפוּ (zirz^efu). The translation assumes the latter.
Psalm 72:6 sn The imagery of this verse compares the blessings produced by the king’s reign to fructifying rains that cause the crops to grow.
Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “sprout up,” like crops. This verse continues the metaphor of rain utilized in v. 6.
Psalm 72:7 tn Heb “and [there will be an] abundance of peace until there is no more moon.”
Psalm 72:8 tn The prefixed verbal form is a (shortened) jussive form, indicating this is a prayer of blessing.
Psalm 72:8 sn From sea to sea. This may mean from the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. See Amos 8:12. The language of this and the following line also appears in Zech 9:10.
Psalm 72:8 tn Heb “the river,” a reference to the Euphrates.
Psalm 72:9 tn Or “islands.” The term here refers metonymically to those people who dwell in these regions.
Psalm 72:9 sn As they bow down before him, it will appear that his enemies are licking the dust.
Psalm 72:10 sn Tarshish was a distant western port, the precise location of which is uncertain.
Psalm 72:10 sn Sheba was located in Arabia.
Psalm 72:10 sn Seba was located in Africa.
Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical needy individual here represents the entire group.
Psalm 72:12 tn The singular is representative. The typical oppressed individual here represents the entire group.
Psalm 72:13 tn The prefixed verb form is best understood as a defectively written imperfect (see Deut 7:16).
Psalm 72:14 tn Or “redeem their lives.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Pss 19:14; 69:18).
Psalm 72:14 tn Heb “their blood will be precious in his eyes.”
Psalm 72:15 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. Because the form has the prefixed vav (ו), some subordinate it to what precedes as a purpose/result clause. In this case the representative poor individual might be the subject of this and the following verb, “so that he may live and give to him gold of Sheba.” But the idea of the poor offering gold is incongruous. It is better to take the jussive as a prayer with the king as subject of the verb. (Perhaps the initial vav is dittographic; note the vav at the end of the last form in v. 14.) The statement is probably an abbreviated version of the formula יְחִי הַמֶּלֶךְ (y^ekhi hammelekh, “may the king live”; see 1 Sam 10:24; 2 Sam 16:16; 1 Kgs 1:25, 34, 39; 2 Kgs 11:12).
Psalm 72:15 tn Heb “and he will give to him some gold of Sheba.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one give”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are the tribute bearers in view here.
Psalm 72:15 tn As in the preceding line, the prefixed verbal forms are understood as jussives with a grammatically indefinite subject (“and may one pray…and may one bless”). Of course, the king’s subjects, mentioned in the preceding context, are in view here.
Psalm 72:16 tn The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect. The translation assumes the subject is impersonal (rather than the king).
Psalm 72:16 tn The Hebrew noun פִסַּה (pissah; which appears here in the construct form) occurs only here in the OT. Perhaps the noun is related to the verbal root פָּשָׂה (pasah, “to spread,” see BDB 832 s.v.; the root appears as פָּסָה [pasah] in postbiblical Hebrew), which is used in postbiblical Hebrew of the rising sun’s rays spreading over the horizon and a tree’s branches spreading out (see Jastrow 1194 s.v. פסי, פָּסָה, פָּשָׂה). In Ps 72:16 a “spreading of grain” would refer to grain fields extending out over the land. C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs (Psalms [ICC], 2:139) emend the form to סְפִיחַ (s^efiakh, “second growth”).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “top” (singular).
Psalm 72:16 tn That is, the grain.
Psalm 72:16 tn According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the translator’s note at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse.
Psalm 72:16 tn The antecedent of the third masculine singular pronominal suffix is unclear. It is unlikely that the antecedent is אֶרֶץ (ʾerets, “earth”) because this noun is normally grammatically feminine. Perhaps רֹאשׁ (roʾsh, “top [of the mountains]”) is the antecedent. Another option is to understand the pronoun as referring to the king, who would then be viewed as an instrument of divine agricultural blessing (see v. 6).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “fruit.”
Psalm 72:16 tc According to the traditional accentuation of the MT, this verb belongs with what follows. See the note on the word “earth” at the end of the verse for a discussion of the poetic parallelism and interpretation of the verse. The present translation takes it with the preceding words, “like Lebanon its fruit” and emends the verb form from וְיָצִיצוּ (v^eyatsitsu; Qal imperfect third masculine plural with prefixed vav, [ו]) to יָצִיץ (yatsits; Qal imperfect third masculine singular). The initial vav is eliminated as dittographic (note the vav on the ending of the preceding form פִּרְיוֹ, piryo, “its/his fruit”) and the vav at the end of the form is placed on the following emended form (see the note on the word “crops”), yielding וַעֲמִיר (vaʿamir, “and [its] crops”).
Psalm 72:16 tn Heb “like Lebanon.”
Psalm 72:16 tc The MT has “from the city.” The translation assumes an emendation to עֲמִיר (ʿamir, “crops”).
Psalm 72:16 tn The translation assumes that the verb צוּץ (tsuts, “flourish”) goes with the preceding line. The words “be as abundant” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
Psalm 72:16 tc The traditional accentuation and vocalization of the MT differ from the text assumed by the present translation. The MT reads as follows: “May there be an abundance of grain in the earth, / and on the tops of the mountains! / May its [or “his”?] fruit [trees?] rustle like [the trees of] Lebanon! / May they flourish from the city, like the grass of the earth!” If one follows the MT, then it would appear that the “fruit” of the third line is a metaphorical reference to the king’s people, who flow out from the cities to populate the land (see line 4). Elsewhere in the OT people are sometimes compared to grass that sprouts up from the land (see v. 7, as well as Isa 27:6; Pss 92:7; 103:15). The translation understands a different poetic structural arrangement and, assuming the emendations mentioned in earlier notes, interprets each line of the verse to be a prayer for agricultural abundance.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may his name [be] permanent.” The prefixed verbal form is jussive, not imperfect.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “before the sun may his name increase.” The Kethib (consonantal text) assumes יָנִין (yanin; a Hiphil of the verbal root נִין, nin) or יְנַיֵן (y^enayen; a Piel form), while the Qere (marginal reading) assumes יִנּוֹן (yinnon; a Niphal form). The verb נִין occurs only here, though a derived noun, meaning “offspring,” appears elsewhere (see Isa 14:22). The verb appears to mean “propagate, increase” (BDB 630 s.v. נוּן, נִין) or “produce shoots, get descendants” (HALOT 696 s.v. נין). In this context this appears to be a prayer for a lasting dynasty that will keep the king’s name and memory alive.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “may they bless one another by him,” that is, use the king’s name in their blessing formulae because he is a prime example of one blessed by God (for examples of such blessing formulae, see Gen 48:20 and Ruth 4:11). There is some debate on whether the Hitpael form of בָּרַךְ (barakh, “bless”) is reflexive-reciprocal (as assumed in the present translation) or passive. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ occurs in five other passages, including the hotly debated Gen 22:18 and 26:4. In these two texts one could understand the verb form as passive and translate, “all the nations of the earth will be blessed through your offspring,” or one could take the Hitpael as reflexive or reciprocal and translate, “all the nations of the earth will pronounce blessings [i.e., on themselves or one another] by your offspring.” In the first instance Abraham’s (or Isaac’s) offspring are viewed as a channel of divine blessing. In the second instance they are viewed as a prime example of blessing that will appear as part of the nations’ blessing formulae, but not necessarily as a channel of blessing to the nations. In Deut 29:18 one reads: “When one hears the words of this covenant [or “oath”] and invokes a blessing on himself (Hitpael of בָּרַךְ) in his heart, saying: ‘I will have peace, even though I walk with a rebellious heart.’” In this case the Hitpael is clearly reflexive, as the phrases “in his heart” and “I will have peace” indicate. The Hitpael of בָּרַךְ appears twice in Isaiah 65:16: “The one who invokes a blessing on himself (see Deut 9:18) in the land will invoke that blessing by the God of truth; and the one who makes an oath in the land will make that oath by the God of truth.” A passive nuance does not fit here. The parallel line, which mentions making an oath, suggests that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. Both pronouncements of blessing and oaths will appeal to God as the one who rewards and judges, respectively. Jer 4:2 states: “If you swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’ with truth, integrity, and honesty, then the nations will pronounce blessings by him and boast in him.” A passive nuance might work (“the nations will be blessed”), but the context refers to verbal pronouncements (swearing an oath, boasting), suggesting that the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ refers here to invoking a blessing. The logic of the verse seems to be as follows: If Israel conducts its affairs with integrity, the nation will be favored by the Lord, which will in turn attract the surrounding nations to Israel’s God. To summarize, while the evidence might leave the door open for a passive interpretation, there is no clear cut passive use. Usage favors a reflexive or reciprocal understanding of the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ. In Ps 72:17 the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ is followed by the prepositional phrase בוֹ (vo, “by him”). The verb could theoretically be taken as passive, “may all the nations be blessed through him” (cf. NIV, NRSV), because the preceding context describes the positive effects of this king’s rule on the inhabitants of the earth. But the parallel line, which employs the Piel of אָשַׁר (ʾashar) in a factitive/declarative sense, “regard as happy, fortunate,” suggests a reflexive or reciprocal nuance for the Hitpael of בָּרַךְ here. If the nations regard the ideal king as a prime example of one who is fortunate or blessed, it is understandable that they would use his name in their pronouncements of blessing.
Psalm 72:17 tn Heb “all the nations, may they regard him as happy.” The Piel is used here in a delocutive sense (“regard as”).
Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[be] blessed.” See Pss 18:46; 28:6; 31:21; 41:13.
Psalm 72:18 tn Heb “[the] one who does amazing things by himself.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “[be] blessed.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Or “glory.”
Psalm 72:19 tn Heb “surely and surely” (אָמֵן וְאָמֵן [ʾamen v^eʾamen], i.e., “Amen and amen”). This is probably a congregational response of agreement to the immediately preceding statement about the propriety of praising God.
Psalm 72:20 tn Heb “the prayers of David, son of Jesse, are concluded.” As noted earlier, v. 20 appears to be a remnant of an earlier collection of psalms or an earlier edition of the Psalter. In the present arrangement of the Book of Psalms, not all psalms prior to this are attributed to David (see Pss 1-2, 10, 33, 42-50, 66-67, 71-72) and several psalms attributed to David appear after this (see Pss 86, 101, 103, 108-110, 122, 124, 131, 138-145).

Psalm 119:73-96

י (Yod)

⁷³Your hands made me and formed me.^[a]
Give me understanding so that I might learn^[b] your commands.
⁷⁴Your loyal followers will be glad when they see me,^[c]
for I find hope in your word.
⁷⁵I know, Lord, that your regulations^[d] are just.
You disciplined me because of your faithful devotion to me.^[e]
⁷⁶May your loyal love console me,
as you promised your servant.^[f]
⁷⁷May I experience your compassion,^[g] so I might live.
For I find delight in your law.
⁷⁸May the arrogant be humiliated, for they have slandered me.^[h]
But I meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹May your loyal followers^[i] turn to me,
those who know your rules.
⁸⁰May I be fully committed to your statutes,^[j]
so that I might not be ashamed.

כ (Kaf)

⁸¹I desperately long for^[k] your deliverance.
I find hope in your word.
⁸²My eyes grow tired as I wait for your promise to be fulfilled.^[l]
I say,^[m] “When will you comfort me?”
⁸³For^[n] I am like a wineskin^[o] dried up in smoke.^[p]
I do not forget your statutes.
⁸⁴How long must your servant endure this?^[q]
When will you judge those who pursue me?
⁸⁵The arrogant dig pits to trap me,^[r]
which violates your law.^[s]
⁸⁶All your commands are reliable.
I am pursued without reason.^[t] Help me!
⁸⁷They have almost destroyed me here on the earth,
but I do not reject your precepts.
⁸⁸Revive me with^[u] your loyal love,
that I might keep^[v] the rules you have revealed.^[w]

ל (Lamed)

⁸⁹O Lord, your instructions endure;
they stand secure in heaven.^[x]
⁹⁰You demonstrate your faithfulness to all generations.^[y]
You established the earth and it stood firm.
⁹¹Today they stand firm by your decrees,
for all things are your servants.
⁹²If I had not found encouragement in your law,^[z]
I would have died in my sorrow.^[aa]
⁹³I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have revived me.
⁹⁴I belong to you. Deliver me!
For I seek your precepts.
⁹⁵The wicked prepare to kill me,^[ab]
yet I concentrate on your rules.
⁹⁶I realize that everything has its limits,
but your commands are beyond full comprehension.^[ac]

Footnotes

Psalm 119:73 tn Heb “made me and established me.” The two verbs also appear together in Deut 32:6, where God, compared to a father, is said to have “made and established” Israel.
Psalm 119:73 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:74 tn Heb “those who fear you will see me and rejoice.”
Psalm 119:75 tn In this context (note the second line) the Hebrew term מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim), which so often refers to the regulations of God’s law elsewhere in this psalm, may refer instead to his decisions or disciplinary judgment.
Psalm 119:75 tn Heb “and [in] faithfulness you afflicted me.”
Psalm 119:76 tn Heb “according to your word to your servant.”
Psalm 119:77 tn Heb “and may your compassion come to me.”
Psalm 119:78 tn Heb “for [with] falsehood they have denied me justice.”
Psalm 119:79 tn Heb “those who fear you.”
Psalm 119:80 tn Heb “may my heart be complete in your statutes.”
Psalm 119:81 tn Heb “my soul pines for.” See Ps 84:2.
Psalm 119:82 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your word.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See Ps 69:3.
Psalm 119:82 tn Heb “saying.”
Psalm 119:83 tn Or “even though.”
Psalm 119:83 tn The Hebrew word נֹאד (noʾd, “leather container”) refers to a container made from animal skin which is used to hold wine or milk (see Josh 9:4, 13; Judg 4:19; 1 Sam 16:20).
Psalm 119:83 tn Heb “in the smoke.”
Psalm 119:84 tn Heb “How long are the days of your servant?”
Psalm 119:85 tn Heb “for me.”
Psalm 119:85 tn Heb “which [is] not according to your law.”
Psalm 119:86 sn God’s commands are a reliable guide to right and wrong. By keeping them the psalmist is doing what is right, yet he is still persecuted.
Psalm 119:88 tn Heb “according to.”
Psalm 119:88 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:88 tn Heb “of your mouth.”
Psalm 119:89 tn Heb “Forever, O Lord, your word stands firm in heaven,” or “Forever, O Lord, [is] your word; it stands firm in heaven.” The translation assumes that “your word” refers here to the body of divine instructions contained in the law (note the frequent references to the law in vv. 92-96). See vv. 9, 16-17, 57, 101, 105, 130, 139 and 160-61. The reference in v. 86 to God’s law being faithful favors this interpretation. Another option is that “your word” refers to God’s assuring word of promise, mentioned in vv. 25, 28, 42, 65, 74, 81, 107, 114, 147 and 169. In this case one might translate, “O Lord, your promise is reliable, it stands firm in heaven.”
Psalm 119:90 tn Heb “to a generation and a generation [is] your faithfulness.”
Psalm 119:92 tn Heb “if your law had not been my delight.”
Psalm 119:92 tn Or “my suffering.”
Psalm 119:95 tn Heb “the wicked wait for me to kill me.”
Psalm 119:96 tn Heb “to every perfection I have seen an end, your command is very wide.” God’s law is beyond full comprehension, which is why the psalmist continually studies it (vv. 95, 97).

Ecclesiastes 9:11-18

Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events

¹¹Again,^[a] I observed this on the earth:^[b]
the race is not always^[c] won by the swiftest,
the battle is not always won by the strongest;
prosperity^[d] does not always belong to those who are the wisest,
wealth does not always belong to those who are the most discerning,
nor does success^[e] always come to those with the most knowledge—
for time and chance may overcome^[f] them all.
¹²Surely, no one^[g] knows his appointed time.^[h]
Like fish that are caught in a deadly^[i] net, and like birds that are caught in a snare—
just like them, all people^[j] are ensnared^[k] at an unfortunate^[l] time that falls upon them suddenly.

Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel

¹³This is what I also observed about wisdom on earth,^[m]
and it is a great burden^[n] to me:
¹⁴There was once^[o] a small city with a few men in it,
and a mighty king attacked it, besieging^[p] it and building strong^[q] siege works against it.
¹⁵However, a poor but wise man lived in the city,^[r]
and he could have delivered^[s] the city by his wisdom,
but no one listened to^[t] that poor man.
¹⁶So I concluded that wisdom is better than might,^[u]
but a poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens^[v] to his advice.^[w]

Wisdom versus Fools, Sin, and Folly

¹⁷The words of the wise are heard in quiet,
more than the shouting of a ruler is heard^[x] among fools.
¹⁸Wisdom is better than weapons of war,
but one sinner can destroy much that is good.

Footnotes

Ecclesiastes 9:11 tn Heb “I returned and.” In the Hebrew idiom, “to return and do” means “to do again.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11 tn Heb “under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11 tn The term “always” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation (five times in this verse) for clarity.
Ecclesiastes 9:11 tn Heb “bread.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11 tn Heb “favor.”
Ecclesiastes 9:11 tn Heb “happen to.”
Ecclesiastes 9:12 tn Heb “man.” The term is used here in a generic sense and translated “no one.”
Ecclesiastes 9:12 tn Heb “time.” BDB 773 s.v. עֵת 2.d suggests that עֵת (ʿet, “time”) refers to an “uncertain time.” On the other hand, HALOT 901 s.v. עֵת 6 nuances it as “destined time,” that is, “no one knows his destined time [i.e., hour of destiny].” It is used in parallelism with זְמָן (z^eman, “appointed time; appointed hour”) in 3:1 (HALOT 273 s.v. זְמָן; BDB 273 s.v. זְמָן). Eccl 3:9-15 teaches God’s sovereignty over the appointed time-table of human events. Similarly, Qoheleth here notes that no one knows what God has appointed in any situation or time. This highlights the limitations of human wisdom and human ability, as 9:11 stresses.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 tn Heb “bad, evil.” The moral connotation hardly fits here. The adjective would seem to indicate that the net is the instrument whereby the fish come to ruin.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 tn Heb “the sons of man.”
Ecclesiastes 9:12 tn The Masoretes pointed the consonantal form יוקשׁים (“are ensnared”) as יוּקָשִׁים (yuqashim, Pual participle mpl from יָקֹשׁ , yaqosh, “to be ensnared”). This is an unusual form for a Pual participle: (1) The characteristic doubling of the middle consonant was omitted due to the lengthening of the preceding short vowel from יֻקָּשִׁים to יוּקָשִׁים (GKC 74 §20.n and 143 §52.s), and (2) The characteristic prefix מ (mem) is absent, as in a few other Pual participles, e.g., Exod 3:2; Judg 13:8; 2 Kgs 2:10; Isa 30:24; 54:11 (GKC 143 §52.s). On the other hand, the consonant form יוקשים might actually be an example of the old Qal passive participle which dropped out of Hebrew at an early stage, and was frequently mistaken by the Masoretes as a Pual form (e.g., Jer 13:10; 23:32) (GKC 143 §52.s). Similarly, the Masoretes pointed אכל as אֻכָּל (ʾukkal, Pual perfect third person masculine singular “he was eaten”); however, it probably should be pointed אֻכַל (ʾukhal, old Qal passive perfect third person masculine singular “he was eaten”) because אָכַל (ʾakhal) only occurs in the Qal (see IBHS 373-74 §22.6a).
Ecclesiastes 9:12 tn Heb “evil.” The term רָעָה (raʿah, “evil; unfortunate”) is repeated in v. 12 in the two parts of the comparison: “fish are caught in an evil (רָעָה) net” and “men are ensnared at an unfortunate (רָעָה) time.”
Ecclesiastes 9:13 tn Heb “under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 9:13 tn The term “burden” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.
Ecclesiastes 9:14 tn The verbs in this section function either as past definite actions (describing a past situation) or as hypothetical past actions (describing an imaginary hypothetical situation for the sake of illustration). The LXX uses subjunctives throughout vv. 14-15 to depict the scenario as a hypothetical situation: “Suppose there was a little city, and a few men [lived] in it; and there should come against it a great king, and surround it, and build great siege-works against it; and should find in it a poor wise man, and he should save the city through his wisdom; yet no man would remember that poor man.”
Ecclesiastes 9:14 tn The two perfect tense verbs וְסָבַב (v^esavav, “he besieged”) and וּבָנָה (uvanah, “he built”) may be taken in a complementary sense, qualifying the action of the main perfect tense verb וּבָא (uvaʾ, “he attacked it”).
Ecclesiastes 9:14 tn The root גדל (“mighty; strong; large”) is repeated in 9:13b for emphasis: “a mighty (גָדוֹל, gadol) king…building strong (גְדֹלִים, g^edolim) siege works.” This repetition highlights the contrast between the vast power and resources of the attacking king, and the meager resources of the “little” (קְטַנָּה, q^etannah) city with “few” (מְעָט, m^eʿat) men in it to defend it.
Ecclesiastes 9:15 tn Heb “was found in it”; the referent (the city) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Ecclesiastes 9:15 tn Or “he delivered.” The verb וּמִלַּט (umillat, from מָלַט, malat, “to deliver”) is functioning either in an indicative sense (past definite action: “he delivered”) or in a modal sense (past potential: “he could have delivered”). The literal meaning of זָכַר (zakhar, “to remember”) in the following line harmonizes with the indicative: “but no one remembered that poor man [afterward].” However, the modal is supported by v. 16: “A poor man’s wisdom is despised; no one ever listens to his advice.” This approach must nuance זָכַר (“to remember”) as “[no one] listened to [that poor man].” Most translations favor the indicative approach: “he delivered” or “he saved” (KJV, RSV, NRSV, NAB, ASV, NASB, MLB, NIV); however, some adopt the modal nuance: “he might have saved” (NEB, NJPS, NASB margin).
Ecclesiastes 9:15 tn Heb “remembered.”
Ecclesiastes 9:16 tn Or “power.”
Ecclesiastes 9:16 tn The participle form נִשְׁמָעִים (nishmaʿim, Niphal participle masculine plural from שָׁמַע, [shamaʿ] “to listen”) is used verbally to emphasize a continual, durative, gnomic action.
Ecclesiastes 9:16 tn Heb “his words are never listened to.”
Ecclesiastes 9:17 tn The phrase “is heard” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity and smoothness. Note its appearance in the previous line.

Galatians 5:1-15

Freedom of the Believer

5 For freedom^[a] Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke^[b] of slavery. ²Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! ³And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey^[c] the whole law. ⁴You who are trying to be declared righteous^[d] by the law have been alienated^[e] from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! ⁵For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. ⁶For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight—the only thing that matters is faith working through love.^[f]

⁷You were running well; who prevented you from obeying^[g] the truth? ⁸This persuasion^[h] does not come from the one who calls you! ⁹A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise!^[i] ¹⁰I am confident^[j] in the Lord that you will accept no other view.^[k] But the one who is confusing^[l] you will pay the penalty,^[m] whoever he may be. ¹¹Now, brothers and sisters,^[n] if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?^[o] In that case the offense of the cross^[p] has been removed.^[q] ¹²I wish those agitators^[r] would go so far as to^[s] castrate themselves!^[t]

Practice Love

¹³For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;^[u] only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh,^[v] but through love serve one another.^[w] ¹⁴For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment,^[x] namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”^[y] ¹⁵However, if you continually bite and devour one another,^[z] beware that you are not consumed^[aa] by one another.

Footnotes

Galatians 5:1 tn Translating the dative as “For freedom” shows the purpose for Christ setting us free; however, it is also possible to take the phrase in the sense of means or instrument (“with [or by] freedom”), referring to the freedom mentioned in 4:31 and implied throughout the letter.
Galatians 5:1 sn Here the yoke figuratively represents the burdensome nature of slavery.
Galatians 5:3 tn Or “keep”; or “carry out”; Grk “do.”
Galatians 5:4 tn Or “trying to be justified.” The verb δικαιοῦσθε (dikaiousthe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534).
Galatians 5:4 tn Or “estranged”; BDAG 526 s.v. καταργέω 4 states, “Of those who aspire to righteousness through the law κ. ἀπὸ Χριστοῦ be estranged from Christ Gal 5:4.”
Galatians 5:6 tn Grk “but faith working through love.”
Galatians 5:7 tn Or “following.” BDAG 792 s.v. πείθω 3.b states, “obey, follow w. dat. of the pers. or thing…Gal 3:1 v.l.; 5:7.”
Galatians 5:8 tn Grk “The persuasion,” referring to their being led away from the truth (v. 7). There is a play on words here that is not easily reproducible in the English translation: The words translated “obey” (πείθεσθαι, peithesthai) in v. 7 and “persuasion” (πεισμονή, peismonē) in v. 8 come from the same root in Greek.
Galatians 5:9 tn Grk “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
Galatians 5:10 tn The verb translated “I am confident” (πέποιθα, pepoitha) comes from the same root in Greek as the words translated “obey” (πείθεσθαι, peithesthai) in v. 7 and “persuasion” (πεισμονή, peismonē) in v. 8.
Galatians 5:10 tn Grk “that you will think nothing otherwise.”
Galatians 5:10 tn Or “is stirring you up”; Grk “is troubling you.” In context Paul is referring to the confusion and turmoil caused by those who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law.
Galatians 5:10 tn Or “will suffer condemnation” (L&N 90.80); Grk “will bear his judgment.” The translation “must pay the penalty” is given as an explanatory gloss on the phrase by BDAG 171 s.v. βαστάζω 2.b.β.
Galatians 5:11 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
Galatians 5:11 sn That is, if Paul still teaches observance of the Mosaic law (preaches circumcision), why is he still being persecuted by his opponents, who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law?
Galatians 5:11 sn The offense of the cross refers to the offense to Jews caused by preaching Christ crucified.
Galatians 5:11 tn Or “nullified.”
Galatians 5:12 tn Grk “the ones who are upsetting you.” The same verb is used in Acts 21:38 to refer to a person who incited a revolt. Paul could be alluding indirectly to the fact that his opponents are inciting the Galatians to rebel against his teaching with regard to circumcision and the law.
Galatians 5:12 tn Grk “would even.”
Galatians 5:12 tn Or “make eunuchs of themselves”; Grk “cut themselves off.” This statement is rhetorical hyperbole on Paul’s part. It does strongly suggest, however, that Paul’s adversaries in this case (“those agitators”) were men. Some interpreters (notably Erasmus and the Reformers) have attempted to soften the meaning to a figurative “separate themselves” (meaning the opponents would withdraw from fellowship) but such an understanding dramatically weakens the rhetorical force of Paul’s argument. Although it has been argued that such an act of emasculation would be unthinkable for Paul, it must be noted that Paul’s statement is one of biting sarcasm, obviously not meant to be taken literally. See further G. Stählin, TDNT 3:853-55.
Galatians 5:13 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
Galatians 5:13 tn Grk “as an opportunity for the flesh”; BDAG 915 s.v. σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σ. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ…Gal 5:13, 24; …Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα…Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”
Galatians 5:13 tn It is possible that the verb δουλεύετε (douleuete) should be translated “serve one another in a humble manner” here, referring to the way in which slaves serve their masters (see L&N 35.27).
Galatians 5:14 tn Or “can be fulfilled in one commandment.”
Galatians 5:14 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
Galatians 5:15 tn That is, “if you are harming and exploiting one another.” Paul’s metaphors are retained in most modern translations, but it is possible to see the meanings of δάκνω and κατεσθίω (daknō and katesthiō, L&N 20.26 and 88.145) as figurative extensions of the literal meanings of these terms and to translate them accordingly. The present tenses here are translated as customary presents (“continually…”).
Galatians 5:15 tn Or “destroyed.”

Matthew 16:1-12

The Demand for a Sign

16 Now when the Pharisees^[a] and Sadducees^[b] came to test Jesus,^[c] they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.^[d] ²He^[e] said, “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be fair weather, because the sky is red,’ ³and in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, because the sky is red and darkening.’^[f] You know how to judge correctly the appearance of the sky,^[g] but you cannot evaluate the signs of the times. ⁴A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.” Then^[h] he left them and went away.

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

⁵When the disciples went to the other side, they forgot to take bread. ⁶“Watch out,” Jesus said to them, “beware of the yeast of the Pharisees^[i] and Sadducees.”^[j] ⁷So^[k] they began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “It is because we brought no bread.” ⁸When Jesus learned of this,^[l] he said, “You who have such little faith! Why are you arguing^[m] among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the 5,000, and how many baskets you took up? ¹⁰Or the seven loaves for the 4,000 and how many baskets you took up? ¹¹How could you not understand that I was not speaking to you about bread? But beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees!” ¹²Then they understood that he had not told them to be on guard against the yeast in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

New English Translation (NET)

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 72[a]

For[b] Solomon.

Footnotes

י (Yod)

כ (Kaf)

ל (Lamed)

Footnotes

Wisdom Cannot Protect against Seemingly Chance Events

Most People Are Not Receptive to Wise Counsel

Wisdom versus Fools, Sin, and Folly

Footnotes

Freedom of the Believer

Practice Love

Footnotes

The Demand for a Sign

The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Footnotes

Psalm 72^[a]

For^[b] Solomon.