◀ All Reading Plans / Book of Common Prayer / Ps. 140 142; Ps. 141 143:1–11 (12); Prov. 8:1–21; Philemon 1–25; John 12:9–19 (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 140

Psalm 140^[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

140 O Lord, rescue me from wicked men.^[b]
Protect me from violent men,^[c]
²who plan ways to harm me.^[d]
All day long they stir up conflict.^[e]
³Their tongues wound like a serpent;^[f]
a viper’s^[g] venom is behind^[h] their lips. (Selah)
⁴O Lord, shelter me from the power^[i] of the wicked.
Protect me from violent men,
who plan to knock me over.^[j]
⁵Proud men hide a snare for me;
evil men^[k] spread a net by the path.
They set traps for me. (Selah)
⁶I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
O Lord, pay attention to my plea for mercy.
⁷O Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer,^[l]
you shield^[m] my head in the day of battle.
⁸O Lord, do not let the wicked have their way.^[n]
Do not allow their^[o] plan to succeed when they attack.^[p] (Selah)
⁹As for the heads of those who surround me—
may the harm done by^[q] their lips overwhelm them.
¹⁰May he rain down^[r] fiery coals upon them.
May he throw them into the fire.
From bottomless pits they will not escape.^[s]
¹¹A slanderer^[t] will not endure on^[u] the earth;
calamity will hunt down a violent man and strike him down.^[v]
¹²I know^[w] that the Lord defends the cause of the oppressed
and vindicates the poor.^[x]
¹³Certainly the godly will give thanks to your name;
the morally upright will live in your presence.

Footnotes

Psalm 140:1 sn Psalm 140. The psalmist asks God to deliver him from his deadly enemies, calls judgment down upon them, and affirms his confidence in God’s justice.
Psalm 140:1 tn Heb “from a wicked man.” The Hebrew uses the singular in a representative or collective sense (note the plural verbs in v. 2).
Psalm 140:1 tn Heb “a man of violent acts.” The Hebrew uses the singular in a representative or collective sense (note the plural verbs in v. 2).
Psalm 140:2 tn Heb “they devise wicked [plans] in [their] mind.”
Psalm 140:2 tc Heb “they attack [for] war.” Some revocalize the verb (which is a Qal imperfect from גּוּר, gur, “to attack”) as יְגָרוּ (y^egaru), a Piel imperfect from גָרָה (garah, “stir up strife”). This is followed in the present translation.
Psalm 140:3 tn Heb “they sharpen their tongue like a serpent.” Ps 64:3 reads, “they sharpen their tongues like sword.” Perhaps Ps 140:3 uses a mixed metaphor, the point being that “they sharpen their tongues [like a sword],” as it were, so that when they speak, their words wound like a serpent’s bite. Another option is that the language refers to the pointed or forked nature of a serpent’s tongue, which is viewed metaphorically as “sharpened.”
Psalm 140:3 tn The Hebrew term is used only here in the OT.
Psalm 140:3 tn Heb “under.”
Psalm 140:4 tn Heb “hands.”
Psalm 140:4 tn Heb “to push down my steps.”
Psalm 140:5 tn Heb “and ropes,” but many prefer to revocalize the noun as a participle (חֹבְלִים, khov^elim) from the verb חָבַל (khaval, “act corruptly”).
Psalm 140:7 tn Heb “the strength of my deliverance.”
Psalm 140:7 tn Heb “cover.”
Psalm 140:8 tn Heb “do not grant the desires of the wicked.”
Psalm 140:8 tn Heb “his.” The singular is used in a representative sense (see v. 1).
Psalm 140:8 tn Heb “his plot do not promote, they rise up.” The translation understands the final verb as being an unmarked temporal clause. Another option is to revocalize the verb as a Hiphil and take the verb with the next verse, “those who surround me lift up [their] head,” which could refer to their proud attitude as they anticipate victory (see Ps 27:6).
Psalm 140:9 tn Heb “harm of their lips.” The genitive here indicates the source or agent of the harm.
Psalm 140:10 tn The verb form in the Kethib (consonantal Hebrew text) appears to be a Hiphil imperfect from the root מוּט (mut, “to sway”), but the Hiphil occurs only here and in Ps 55:3, where it is preferable to read יַמְטִירוּ (yamtiru, “they rain down”). In Ps 140:10 the form יַמְטֵר (yamter, “let him rain down”) should probably be read.
Psalm 140:10 tn Heb “into bottomless pits, they will not arise.” The translation assumes that the preposition ב (bet) has the nuance “from” here. Another option is to connect the line with what precedes, take the final clause as an asyndetic relative clause, and translate, “into bottomless pits [from which] they cannot arise.” The Hebrew noun מַהֲמֹרָה (mahamorah, “bottomless pit”) occurs only here in the OT.
Psalm 140:11 tn Heb “a man of a tongue.”
Psalm 140:11 tn Heb “be established in.”
Psalm 140:11 tn Heb “for blows.” The Hebrew noun מַדְחֵפֹה (madkhefoh, “blow”) occurs only here in the OT.
Psalm 140:12 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading a first person verb form here. The Kethib reads the second person.
Psalm 140:12 tn Heb “and the just cause of the poor.”

Psalm 142

Psalm 142^[a]

A well-written song^[b] by David, when he was in the cave;^[c] a prayer.

142 To the Lord I cry out;^[d]
to the Lord I plead for mercy.^[e]
²I pour out my lament before him;
I tell him about^[f] my troubles.
³Even when my strength leaves me,^[g]
you watch my footsteps.^[h]
In the path where I walk
they have hidden a trap for me.
⁴Look to the right and see.
No one cares about me.^[i]
I have nowhere to run;^[j]
no one is concerned about my life.^[k]
⁵I cry out to you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my shelter,
my security^[l] in the land of the living.”
⁶Listen to my cry for help,
for I am in serious trouble.^[m]
Rescue me from those who chase me,
for they are stronger than I am.
⁷Free me^[n] from prison,
that I may give thanks to your name.
Because of me the godly will assemble,^[o]
for you will vindicate me.^[p]

Psalm 141

Psalm 141^[a]

A psalm of David.

141 O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me.
Pay attention to me when I cry out to you.
²May you accept my prayer like incense,
my uplifted hands like the evening offering.^[b]
³O Lord, place a guard on my mouth.
Protect the opening^[c] of my lips.^[d]
⁴Do not let me have evil desires,^[e]
or participate in sinful activities
with men who behave wickedly.^[f]
I will not eat their delicacies.^[g]
⁵May the godly strike me in love and correct me.
May my head not refuse^[h] choice oil.^[i]
Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds.^[j]
⁶They will be thrown over the side of a cliff by their judges.^[k]
They^[l] will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
⁷As when one plows and breaks up the soil,^[m]
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
⁸Surely I am looking to you,^[n] O Sovereign Lord.
In you I take shelter.
Do not expose me to danger.^[o]
⁹Protect me from the snare they have laid for me,
and the traps the evildoers have set.^[p]
¹⁰Let the wicked fall^[q] into their^[r] own nets,
while I escape.^[s]

Footnotes

Psalm 141:1 sn Psalm 141. The psalmist asks God to protect him from sin and from sinful men.
Psalm 141:2 tn Heb “may my prayer be established [like] incense before you, the uplifting of my hands [like] an evening offering.”
Psalm 141:3 tn Heb “door.” The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT.
Psalm 141:3 sn My mouth…my lips. The psalmist asks God to protect him from speaking inappropriately or sinfully.
Psalm 141:4 tn Heb “do not turn my heart toward an evil thing.”
Psalm 141:4 tn Heb “to act sinfully in practices in wickedness with men, doers of evil.”
Psalm 141:4 sn Their delicacies. This probably refers to the enjoyment that a sinful lifestyle appears to offer.
Psalm 141:5 tn The form יָנִי (yani) appears to be derived from the verbal root נוּא (nuʾ). Another option is to emend the form to יְנָא (y^enaʾ), a Piel from נָאָה (naʾah), and translate “may choice oil not adorn my head” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 271). In this case, choice oil, like delicacies in v. 4, symbolize the pleasures of sin.
Psalm 141:5 sn May my head not refuse choice oil. The psalmist compares the constructive criticism of the godly (see the previous line) to having refreshing olive oil poured over one’s head.
Psalm 141:5 tc Heb “for still, and my prayer [is] against their evil deeds.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult; the sequence -כִּי־עוֹד וּ (ki ʿod u-, “for still and”) occurs only here. The translation assumes an emendation to כִּי עֵד תְּפִלָּתִי (ki ʿed t^efillati, “indeed a witness [is] my prayer”). The psalmist’s lament about the evil actions of sinful men (see v. 4) testifies against the wicked in the divine court.
Psalm 141:6 tn Heb “they are thrown down by the hands of a cliff, their judges.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult and the meaning uncertain. The perfect verbal form is understood as rhetorical; the psalmist describes the anticipated downfall of the wicked as if it had already occurred. “Their judges” could be taken as the subject of the verb, but this makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes the judges are the agents and that the wicked, mentioned earlier in the psalm, are the subjects of the verb.
Psalm 141:6 tn It is unclear how this statement relates to the preceding sentence. Perhaps the judges are the referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) of the verb “will listen,” and “my words” are the referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) of the phrase “are pleasant.” The psalmist may be affirming here his confidence that he will be vindicated when he presents his case before the judges, while the wicked will be punished.
Psalm 141:7 tn Heb “like splitting and breaking open in the earth.” The meaning of the statement and the point of the comparison are not entirely clear. Perhaps the psalmist is suggesting that he and other godly individuals are as good as dead; their bones are scattered about like dirt that is dug up and tossed aside.
Psalm 141:8 tn Heb “my eyes [are] toward you.”
Psalm 141:8 tn Heb “do not lay bare my life.” Only here is the Piel form of the verb collocated with the term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”). In Isa 53:12 the Lord’s servant “lays bare (the Hiphil form of the verb is used) his life to death.”
Psalm 141:9 tn Heb “and the traps of the doers of evil.”
Psalm 141:10 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate, “the wicked will fall.”
Psalm 141:10 tn Heb “his.”
Psalm 141:10 tn Heb “at the same [that] I, until I pass by.” Another option is to take יַחַד (yakhad) with the preceding line, “let the wicked fall together into their own nets.”

Psalm 143

Psalm 143^[a]

A psalm of David.

143 O Lord, hear my prayer.
Pay attention to my plea for help.
Because of your faithfulness and justice, answer me.
²Do not sit in judgment on^[b] your servant,
for no one alive is innocent before you.^[c]
³Certainly^[d] my enemies^[e] chase me.
They smash me into the ground.^[f]
They force me to live^[g] in dark regions,^[h]
like those who have been dead for ages.
⁴My strength leaves me;^[i]
I am absolutely shocked.^[j]
⁵I recall the old days.^[k]
I meditate on all you have done;
I reflect on your accomplishments.^[l]
⁶I spread my hands out to you in prayer;^[m]
my soul thirsts for you in a parched^[n] land.^[o] (Selah)
⁷Answer me quickly, Lord.
My strength is fading.^[p]
Do not reject me,^[q]
or I will join^[r] those descending into the grave.^[s]
⁸May I hear about your loyal love in the morning,^[t]
for I trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,^[u]
because I long for you.^[v]
⁹Rescue me from my enemies, O Lord.
I run to you for protection.^[w]
¹⁰Teach me to do what pleases you,^[x]
for you are my God.
May your kind presence^[y]
lead me^[z] into a level land.^[aa]
¹¹O Lord, for the sake of your reputation,^[ab] revive me.^[ac]
Because of your justice, rescue me from trouble.^[ad]
¹²As a demonstration of your loyal love,^[ae] destroy my enemies.
Annihilate^[af] all who threaten my life,^[ag]
for I am your servant.

Footnotes

Psalm 143:1 sn Psalm 143. As in the previous psalm, the psalmist laments his persecuted state and asks the Lord to deliver him from his enemies.
Psalm 143:2 tn Heb “do not enter into judgment with.”
Psalm 143:2 tn Heb “for no one living is innocent before you.”
Psalm 143:3 tn Or “for.”
Psalm 143:3 tn Heb “an enemy.” The singular is used in a representative sense to describe a typical member of the larger group of enemies (note the plural “enemies” in vv. 9, 12).
Psalm 143:3 tn Heb “he crushes on the ground my life.”
Psalm 143:3 tn Or “sit.”
Psalm 143:3 sn Dark regions refers to Sheol, which the psalmist views as a dark place located deep in the ground (see Ps 88:6).
Psalm 143:4 tn Heb “my spirit grows faint.”
Psalm 143:4 tn Heb “in my midst my heart is shocked.” For a similar use of the Hitpolel of שָׁמֵם (shamem), see Isa 59:16; 63:5.
Psalm 143:5 tn Or “ancient times”; Heb “days from before.”
Psalm 143:5 tn Heb “the work of your hands.”
Psalm 143:6 tn The words “in prayer” are supplied in the translation to clarify that the psalmist is referring to a posture of prayer.
Psalm 143:6 tn Heb “faint” or “weary.” See Ps 63:1.
Psalm 143:6 tc Heb “my soul like a faint land for you.” A verb (perhaps “thirsts”) is implied (see Ps 63:1). The translation assumes an emendation of the preposition כ (kaf, “like”) to ב (bet, “in,” see Ps 63:1; cf. NEB “athirst for thee in a thirsty land”). If the MT is retained, one might translate, “my soul thirsts for you, as a parched land does for water/rain” (cf. NIV, NRSV).
Psalm 143:7 tn Heb “my spirit is failing.”
Psalm 143:7 tn Heb “do not hide your face from me.” The idiom “hide the face” (1) can mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) can carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).
Psalm 143:7 tn Heb “I will be equal with.”
Psalm 143:7 tn Heb “the pit.” The Hebrew noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit; cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See Ps 28:1.
Psalm 143:8 tn Heb “cause me to hear in the morning your loyal love.” Here “loyal love” probably stands metonymically for an oracle of assurance promising God’s intervention as an expression of his loyal love.sn The morning is sometimes viewed as the time of divine intervention (see Pss 30:5; 59:16; 90:14).
Psalm 143:8 sn The way probably refers here to God’s moral and ethical standards and requirements (see v. 10).
Psalm 143:8 tn Heb “for to you I lift up my life.” The Hebrew expression נָאָשׂ נֶפֶשׁ (naʾas nefesh, “to lift up [one’s] life”) means “to desire; to long for” (see Deut 24:15; Prov 19:18; Jer 22:27; 44:14; Hos 4:8, as well as H. W. Wolff, Anthropology of the Old Testament, 16).
Psalm 143:9 tn Heb “to you I cover,” which makes no sense. The translation assumes an emendation to נַסְתִּי (nasti, “I flee,” a Qal perfect, first singular form from נוּס, nos). Confusion of כ (kaf) and נ (nun) is attested elsewhere (see P. K. McCarter, Textual Criticism [GBS], 48). The collocation of נוּס (“flee”) with אֶל (ʾel, “to”) is well-attested.
Psalm 143:10 tn Or “your will.” See Ps 40:8.
Psalm 143:10 tn Heb “your good spirit.” God’s “spirit” may refer here to his presence (see the note on the word “presence” in Ps 139:7) or to his personal Spirit (see Ps 51:10).
Psalm 143:10 tn The prefixed verbal form is taken as a jussive. Taking the statement as a prayer fits well with the petitionary tone of vv. 7-10a.
Psalm 143:10 sn A level land (where one can walk free of obstacles) here symbolizes divine blessing and protection. See Pss 26:12 and 27:11 for similar imagery.
Psalm 143:11 tn Heb “name,” which here stands metonymically for God’s reputation.
Psalm 143:11 tn The imperfect verbal forms in vv. 11-12a are understood as expressing the psalmist’s desire. Note the petitionary tone of vv. 7-10a.
Psalm 143:11 tn Heb “by your justice bring out my life from trouble.”
Psalm 143:12 tn Heb “in [or “by”] your faithfulness.”
Psalm 143:12 tn The perfect with vav (ו) consecutive carries on the mood of the preceding imperfect.
Psalm 143:12 tn Heb “all the enemies of my life.”

Proverbs 8:1-21

The Appeal of Wisdom^[a]

8 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
²At the top^[b] of the prominent places along the way,
at the intersection^[c] of the paths she has taken her stand;
³beside the gates opening into^[d] the city,
at the entrance of the doorways she cries out:^[e]
⁴“To you, O people,^[f] I call out,
and my voice calls^[g] to all mankind.^[h]
⁵You who are naive, discern^[i] wisdom!
And you fools, understand discernment!^[j]
⁶Listen, for I will speak excellent things,^[k]
and my lips will utter^[l] what is right.
⁷For my mouth^[m] speaks truth,^[n]
and my lips^[o] hate wickedness.^[p]
⁸All the words of my mouth are righteous;^[q]
there is nothing in them twisted^[r] or crooked.
⁹All of them are clear^[s] to the discerning
and upright to those who find knowledge.
¹⁰Receive my instruction^[t] rather than^[u] silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold.
¹¹For wisdom is better than rubies,
and desirable things cannot be compared^[v] to her.
¹²“I, wisdom, have dwelt^[w] with prudence,^[x]
and I find^[y] knowledge and discretion.
¹³The fear of the Lord is to hate^[z] evil;
I hate arrogant pride^[aa] and the evil way
and perverse utterances.^[ab]
¹⁴Counsel and sound wisdom belong to me;^[ac]
I possess understanding and might.
¹⁵By me kings reign,
and by me^[ad] potentates^[ae] decree^[af] righteousness;
¹⁶by me princes rule,
as well as nobles and^[ag] all righteous judges.^[ah]
¹⁷I will love^[ai] those who love me,
and those who seek me diligently will find me.
¹⁸Riches and honor are with me,
long-lasting wealth and righteousness.
¹⁹My fruit is better than the purest gold,^[aj]
and my harvest^[ak] is better than choice silver.
²⁰I walk in the path of righteousness,
in the pathway of justice,
²¹that I may cause^[al] those who love me to inherit wealth,
and that I may fill^[am] their treasuries.^[an]

Footnotes

Proverbs 8:1 sn In this chapter wisdom is personified. In 1:20-33 wisdom proclaims her value, and in 3:19-26 wisdom is the agent of creation. Such a personification has affinities with the wisdom literature of the ancient Near East, and may have drawn on some of that literature, albeit with appropriate safeguards (Claudia V. Camp, Wisdom and the Feminine in the Book of Proverbs, 23-70). Wisdom in Proverbs 8, however, is not a deity like Egypt’s Ma'at or the Assyrian-Babylonian Ishtar. It is simply presented as if it were a self-conscious divine being distinct but subordinate to God, but in reality it is the personification of the attribute of wisdom displayed by God (R. B. Y. Scott, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes [AB], 69-72; and R. Marcus, “On Biblical Hypostases of Wisdom,” HUCA 23 [1950-1951]: 157-71). Many have equated wisdom in this chapter with Jesus Christ. This connection works only in so far as Jesus reveals the nature of the Father, just as Proverbs presents wisdom as an attribute of God. Jesus’ claims included wisdom (Matt 12:42) and a unique knowledge of God (Matt 11:25-27). He even personified wisdom in a way that was similar to Proverbs (Matt 11:19). Paul saw the fulfillment of wisdom in Christ (Col 1:15-20; 2:3) and affirmed that Christ became our wisdom in the crucifixion (1 Cor 1:24, 30). So this personification in Proverbs provides a solid foundation for the similar revelation of wisdom in Christ. But because wisdom is a creation of God in Proverbs 8, it is unlikely that wisdom here is to be identified with Jesus Christ. The chapter unfolds in three cycles: After an introduction (1-3), wisdom makes an invitation (4, 5) and explains that she is noble, just, and true (6-9); she then makes another invitation (10) and explains that she is valuable (11-21); and finally, she tells how she preceded and delights in creation (22-31) before concluding with the third invitation (32-36).
Proverbs 8:2 tn Heb “head.” The word רֹאשׁ (roʾsh, “head”) refers to the highest area or most important place in the elevated area. The contrast with chapter 7 is striking. There the wayward woman lurked at the corners in the street at night; here wisdom is at the highest point in the open places in view of all.
Proverbs 8:2 tn Heb “at the house of the paths.” The “house” is not literal here, but refers to where the paths meet (cf. ASV, NIV), that is, the “crossroads” (so NAB, NRSV, NLT).
Proverbs 8:3 tn Heb “at the mouth of.”
Proverbs 8:3 tn The cry is a very loud ringing cry that could not be missed. The term רָנַן (ranan) means “to give a ringing cry.” It is often only a shrill sound that might come with a victory in battle, but its use in the psalms for praise shows that it also can have clear verbal content, as it does here. For wisdom to stand in the street and give such a ringing cry would mean that it could be heard by all. It was a proclamation.
Proverbs 8:4 tn Heb “men.” Although it might be argued in light of the preceding material that males would be particularly addressed by wisdom here, the following material indicates a more universal appeal. Cf. TEV, NLT “to all of you.”
Proverbs 8:4 tn The verb “calls” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of style.
Proverbs 8:4 tn Heb “sons of man.” Cf. NAB “the children of men”; NCV, NLT “all people”; NRSV “all that live.”
Proverbs 8:5 tn The imperative of בִּין (bin) means “to understand; to discern.” The call is for the simple to understand what wisdom is, not just to gain it.
Proverbs 8:5 tn Heb “heart.” The noun לֵב (lev, “heart”) often functions metonymically for wisdom, understanding, discernment.
Proverbs 8:6 tc The MT reads נְגִידִים (n^egidim) “nobles.” HALOT interprets this as the plural form of the noun that lies behind the preposition נֶגֶד (neged), meaning “correct, proper expressions” (HALOT 667, s.v. נֶגֶד). The translation follows BHS in reading נְגָדִים (n^egadim) “noble things” as a substantival adjective based on the same root.
Proverbs 8:6 tn Heb “opening of my lips” (so KJV, NASB). The noun “lips” is a metonymy of cause, with the organ of speech put for what is said.
Proverbs 8:7 tn Heb “roof of the mouth.” This expression is a metonymy of cause for the activity of speaking.
Proverbs 8:7 tn The word “truth” (אֱמֶת, ʾemet) is derived from the verbal root אָמַן (ʾaman) which means “to be firm, trustworthy.” There are a number of derived nouns that have the sense of reliability: “pillars,” “master craftsman,” “nurse,” “guardian.” Modifiers related to this group of words include things like “faithful,” “surely,” “truly” (ʾamen). In the derived stems the verb develops various nuances: The Niphal has the meanings of “reliable, faithful, sure, steadfast,” and the Hiphil has the meaning “believe” (i.e., consider something dependable). The noun “truth” means what is reliable or dependable, firm or sure.
Proverbs 8:7 sn Wise lips detest wickedness; wisdom hates speaking wicked things. In fact, speaking truth results in part from detesting wickedness.
Proverbs 8:7 tn Heb “wickedness is an abomination to my lips” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV).
Proverbs 8:8 tn The phrase could be rendered with an understood ellipsis: “all the words of my mouth [are said] in righteousness”; or the preposition could be interpreted as a beth essentiae: “all the words of my mouth are righteousness.”
Proverbs 8:8 sn The verb פָּתַל (patal) means “to twist.” In the Niphal it means “to wrestle” (to twist oneself). It was used in Gen 30:8 for the naming of Naphtali, with the motivation for the name from this verb: “with great struggling.” Here it describes speech that is twisted. It is a synonym for the next word, which means “twisted; crooked; perverse.”
Proverbs 8:9 tn Heb “front of.” Describing the sayings as “right in front” means they are open, obvious, and clear, as opposed to words that might be twisted or perverse. The parallel word “upright” means “straight, smooth, right.” Wisdom’s teachings are in plain view and intelligible for those who find knowledge.
Proverbs 8:10 tn Heb “discipline.” The term refers to instruction that trains with discipline (e.g., Prov 1:2).
Proverbs 8:10 tn Heb “and not” (so KJV, NASB); NAB “in preference to.”
Proverbs 8:11 tn The verb יִשְׁווּ (yish^evu, from שָׁוָה, shavah) can be rendered “are not comparable” or with a modal nuance, “cannot be compared” with her.
Proverbs 8:12 tn The verb שָׁכַנְתִּי (shakanti) is a perfect form which should normally be past or perfective. Some of this root’s perfect forms follow stative morphology (though the imperfect forms consistently use the morphology of dynamic verbs). The meanings of some verbs drift across the stative vs. dynamic boundary over time. If interpreted as a stative verb, it would be present tense.
Proverbs 8:12 tn The noun is “shrewdness,” i.e., the right use of knowledge in special cases (see also the discussion in 1:4); cf. NLT “good judgment.” The word in this sentence is an adverbial accusative of specification.
Proverbs 8:12 tn This verb form is an imperfect, showing habitual action.tc It has been reasonably proposed, based on Greek witnesses, that the verb can be read as a Niphal rather than a Qal. The proposal keeps the same consonants for this verb (but reads different vowels), however the Greek implies that the noun “knowledge” should be emended to a participle (requires adding a מ, [mem]). The meaning of this reading is “I reveal myself (or “am found”) making discretion known.
Proverbs 8:13 tn The verb שָׂנֵא (saneʾ) means “to hate.” In this sentence it functions nominally as the predicate. Fearing the Lord is hating evil.sn The verb translated “hate” has the basic idea of rejecting something spontaneously. For example, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Mal 1:2b, 3a). It frequently has the idea of disliking or loathing (as English does), but almost always with an additional aspect of rejection. To “hate evil” is not only to dislike it, but to reject it and have nothing to do with it.
Proverbs 8:13 tn Since גֵּאָה (geʾah, “pride”) and גָּאוֹן (gaʾon, “arrogance; pride”) are both from the same verbal root גָּאָה (gaʾah, “to rise up”), they should here be interpreted as one idea, forming a nominal hendiadys: “arrogant pride.”
Proverbs 8:13 tn Heb “and a mouth of perverse things.” The word “mouth” is a metonymy of cause for what is said; and the noun תַהְפֻּכוֹת (tahpukhot, “perverse things”) means destructive things (the related verb is used for the overthrowing of Sodom).
Proverbs 8:14 tc In the second half of v. 14 instead of אֲנִי (ʾani) the editors propose reading simply לִי (li) as the renderings in the LXX, Latin, and Syriac suggest. Then, in place of the לִי that comes in the same colon, read וְלִי (v^eli). While the MT is a difficult reading, it can be translated as it is. It would be difficult to know exactly what the ancient versions were reading, because their translations could have been derived from either text. They represent an effort to smooth out the text.tn Heb “To me [belong] counsel and sound wisdom.” The second colon in the verse has: “I, understanding, to me might.”sn In vv. 14-17 the pronouns come first and should receive greater prominence—although it is not always easy to do this with English.
Proverbs 8:15 tn The words “by me” are understood to apply from the first line through the technique of ellipsis and double duty.
Proverbs 8:15 tn The verb רָזַן (razan) means “to be weighty; to be judicious; to be commanding.” It only occurs in the Qal active participle in the plural as a substantive, meaning “potentates; rulers” (e.g., Ps 1:1-3). Cf. KJV, ASV “princes”; NAB “lawgivers.”
Proverbs 8:15 sn This verb יְחֹקְקוּ (y^ekhoq^equ) is related to the noun חֹק (khoq), which is a “statute; decree.” The verb is defined as “to cut in; to inscribe; to decree” (BDB 349 s.v. חָקַק). The point the verse is making is that when these potentates decree righteousness, it is by wisdom. History records all too often that these rulers acted as fools and opposed righteousness (cf. Ps 2:1-3). But people in power need wisdom to govern the earth (e.g., Isa 11:1-4 which predicts how Messiah will use wisdom to do this very thing). The point is underscored with the paronomasia in v. 15 with “kings” and “will reign” from the same root, and then in v. 16 with both “princes” and “rule” being cognate. The repetition of sounds and meanings strengthens the statements.
Proverbs 8:16 tn The term “and” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and readability.
Proverbs 8:16 tc Many of the MT mss read “sovereigns [princes], all the judges of the earth.” The LXX has “sovereigns…rule the earth.” But the MT manuscript in the text has “judges of righteousness.” C. H. Toy suggests that the Hebrew here has assimilated Ps 148:11 in its construction (Proverbs [ICC], 167). The expression “judges of the earth” is what one would expect, but the more difficult and unexpected reading, the one scribes might change, would be “judges of righteousness.” If that reading stands, then it would probably be interpreted as using an attributive genitive.
Proverbs 8:17 tn The verb אָהֵב (ʾahev, “to love”) is stative, so in the imperfect form it is future tense. It still states a general truth.sn In contrast to the word for “hate” (שָׂנֵא, saneʾ), the verb “love” (אָהֵב, ʾahev) includes within it the idea of choosing spontaneously. So in this line “loving” and “seeking” point out the means of finding wisdom.
Proverbs 8:19 tn The two synonyms, “than gold, than fine gold” probably form a hendiadys here to express “the very finest gold.”
Proverbs 8:19 tn The noun תְּבוּאָה (t^evuʾah) means “harvest, yield of crops, produce” and by extension “profit” (HALOT 1679, s.v.). The agricultural imagery is an implied metaphor (hypocatastasis) for the gains that wisdom produces in one’s life.
Proverbs 8:21 tn The infinitive construct expressing the purpose of the preceding “walk” in the way of righteousness. These verses say that wisdom is always on the way of righteousness for the purposes of bestowing the same to those who find her. If sin is involved, then wisdom has not been followed.
Proverbs 8:21 tn Heb “and their treasuries I fill.” The imperfect verb expresses purposive modality because of the parallelism with the infinitive beginning the verse.
Proverbs 8:21 tc The LXX adds at the end of this verse: “If I declare to you the things of daily occurrence, I will remember to recount the things of old.”

Philemon

Salutation

¹From Paul,^[a] a prisoner of Christ Jesus,^[b] and Timothy our^[c] brother, to Philemon, our dear friend^[d] and colaborer, ²to Apphia^[e] our sister,^[f] to Archippus our^[g] fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your house. ³Grace and peace to you^[h] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Thanks for Philemon’s Love and Faith

⁴I always thank my God^[i] as I remember you in my prayers,^[j] ⁵because I hear^[k] of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[l] for all the saints.^[m] ⁶I pray^[n] that the faith you share with us may deepen your understanding of every blessing^[o] that belongs to you^[p] in Christ.^[q] ⁷I^[r] have had great joy and encouragement because^[s] of your love, for the hearts^[t] of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Paul’s Request for Onesimus

⁸So, although I have quite a lot of confidence in Christ and could command you to do what is proper, ⁹I would rather appeal^[u] to you on the basis of love—I, Paul, an old man^[v] and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus^[w]— ¹⁰I am appealing^[x] to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become^[y] during my imprisonment,^[z] that is, Onesimus, ¹¹who was formerly useless to you, but is now useful to you^[aa] and me. ¹²I have sent^[ab] him (who is my very heart)^[ac] back to you. ¹³I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place^[ad] during^[ae] my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.^[af] ¹⁴However,^[ag] without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness. ¹⁵For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a little while, so that you would have him back eternally,^[ah] ¹⁶no longer as a slave,^[ai] but more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, and even more so to you now, both humanly speaking^[aj] and in the Lord. ¹⁷Therefore if you regard me as a partner, accept him as you would me. ¹⁸Now if he has defrauded you of anything or owes you anything, charge what he owes^[ak] to me. ¹⁹I, Paul, have written^[al] this letter^[am] with my own hand:^[an] I will repay it. I could also mention that you owe^[ao] me your very self. ²⁰Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.^[ap] ²¹Since I was confident that you would obey, I wrote to you, because I knew that you would do even more than^[aq] what I am asking you to do. ²²At the same time also, prepare a place for me to stay, for I hope that through your prayers I will be given back to you.

Concluding Greetings

²³Epaphras,^[ar] my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you. ²⁴Mark, Aristarchus,^[as] Demas,^[at] and Luke, my colaborers, greet you too. ²⁵May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be^[au] with your spirit.^[av]

Footnotes

Philemon 1:1 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
Philemon 1:1 sn The phrase a prisoner of Christ Jesus implies that Paul was being held prisoner because of his testimony for Christ Jesus. Paul’s imprisonment was due to his service to Christ, in the same manner as John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos because of his testimony (Rev 1:9).
Philemon 1:1 tn The word “our” is not present in the Greek text, but was supplied to bring out the sense in English.
Philemon 1:1 tn Grk “dear.” The adjective is functioning as a substantive, i.e., “dear one” or “dear friend.”
Philemon 1:2 sn Apphia is thought to be the wife of Philemon.
Philemon 1:2 tc Most witnesses (D² Ψ 1241 1505 M) here read τῇ ἀγαπητῇ (tē agapētē, “beloved, dear”), a reading that appears to have been motivated by the masculine form of the same adjective in v. 1. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, along with a few others (א A D* F G I P 048 0278 33 81 104 1739 1881), have ἀδελφῇ (adelphē, “sister”). Thus on internal and external grounds, ἀδελφῇ is the strongly preferred reading.
Philemon 1:2 tn Though the word “our” does not appear in the Greek text it is inserted to bring out the sense of the passage.
Philemon 1:3 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
Philemon 1:4 sn I always thank my God. An offer of thanksgiving (εὐχαριστῶ, eucharistō) to God is a customary formula for Paul in many of his epistles (cf. Rom 1:8, 1 Cor 1:4, Eph 1:16, Col 1:3, 1 Thess 1:2, 2 Thess 1:3). The content of the thanksgiving typically points to the work of God in the salvation of the believers to whom he [Paul] writes.
Philemon 1:4 tn Grk “making remembrance (or “mention”) of you in my prayers.”
Philemon 1:5 tn The Greek present participle ἀκούων (akouōn, “hearing”) is an adverbial participle of cause relating to εὐχαριστῶ (eucharistō, “I give thanks”).
Philemon 1:5 sn Your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. In accord with Paul, John also advocates this combination of “faith in Christ and love for the saints.” The believers’ invisible faith becomes visible in the demonstration of love for others. This, of course, is not only desired, but commanded (1 John 3:23). Although Paul’s comment here may appear as a stock expression to the casual reader, praising Philemon for his track record of faithfulness to Christ demonstrated in love for the saints is actually integral to the author’s argument in this short but pithy letter. Paul will soon ask Philemon to demonstrate this love toward Onesimus, his runaway slave.
Philemon 1:5 tn The Greek is somewhat awkward here. It appears as though the text reads “…the love and faith which you have for the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.” In other Pauline letters the emphasis seems to be “faith in Christ Jesus and love for all of the saints.” Some ancient mss have altered the wording to produce a smoother reading; scribes changed the wording to resemble the more readable versions in Eph 1:15 and Col 1:4, “your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the saints.”
Philemon 1:6 tn The term ὅπως (hopōs) refers back to the idea of prayer (μνείαν σου ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου, mneian sou poioumenos epi tōn proseuchōn mou) in 1:4. See BDAG 718 s.v. 2.b; P. T. O’Brien, Colossians, Philemon (WBC), 279. The indicative “I pray that” was supplied in the English in order to make this connection clear.
Philemon 1:6 tn Grk “everything good.”
Philemon 1:6 tc ‡ ὑμῖν (humin, “you”) is found in many valuable witnesses (P⁶¹ א F G P 0278 33 1505 1739 1881 al sy co). The witnesses for ἡμῖν (hēmin, “us”) are not as strong (A C D K L P Ψ 048^vid 1241 M), but nevertheless represent a broad base. Internally, ἡμῖν could be favored because of second person pronouns surrounding it, making it the harder reading. On the other hand, the last second person plural pronoun was in v. 3, and the next one will not show up until v. 22, a fact which tends to counter the internal argument on behalf of ἡμῖν. Although a decision is difficult, with the internal evidence being capable of favoring either reading, our preference is based on the external evidence; ὑμῖν is thus slightly preferred.
Philemon 1:6 tn Grk “that the fellowship of your faith might become effective in the knowledge of everything good that is in us in Christ.” There are numerous difficulties with the translation and interpretation of this verse: (1) What is the meaning of ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεως σου (hē koinōnia tēs pisteōs sou, “the fellowship of your faith”)? Several suggestions are noted: (a) taking κοινωνία as a reference to “monetary support” and τῆς πίστεως as a genitive of source, the phrase could refer to Philemon’s financial giving which he has done according to his faith; (b) taking κοινωνία as a reference to “sharing” or “communicating” and the genitive τῆς πίστεως as an objective genitive, then the meaning would be “sharing the faith” as a reference to evangelistic activity; (c) taking κοινωνία in a distributive sense referring to fellowship with other believers, and τῆς πίστεως as a reference to the common trust all Christians have in Jesus, then the meaning is Christian fellowship centered on faith in Jesus; (d) taking κοινωνία as a reference to “participation” and the genitive τῆς πίστεως as a reference to the thing participated in, the meaning would then be Philemon’s “participation in the faith”; (2) what is the meaning of ἐνεργής (energēs; Does it mean “active” or “effective”?) and ἐπιγνώσει (epignōsei; Does it refer to simply understanding? Or “experiencing” as well?); (3) what is the meaning of the phrase παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ (pantos agathou)? and (4) what is the force of εἰς Χριστόν (eis Christon)? It is difficult to arrive at an interpretation that deals adequately with all these questions, but given the fact that Paul stresses what Philemon has done for the brothers (cf. the γάρ [gar] in v. 7), it seems that his concern in v. 6 is with Philemon’s fellowship with other believers and how he has worked hard to refresh them. In this interpretation: (1) the phrase ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεως σου is taken to refer to fellowship with other believers; (2) ἐνεργής is taken to mean “effective” (i.e., more effective) and ἐπιγνώσει involves both understanding and experience; (3) the phrase παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ refers to every spiritual blessing and (4) εἰς Χριστόν carries a locative idea meaning “in Christ.” The result is that Paul prays for Philemon that he will be equipped to encourage and love the saints more as he himself is brought to a place of deeper understanding of every spiritual blessing he has in Christ; out of the overflow of his own life, he will minister to others.
Philemon 1:7 tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and contemporary English style.
Philemon 1:7 tn The Greek preposition ἐπί (epi) is understood here in a causal sense, i.e., “because.”
Philemon 1:7 tn The word translated “hearts” here is σπλάγχνα (splanchna). Literally the term refers to one’s “inward parts,” but it is commonly used figuratively for “heart” as the seat of the emotions. See BDAG 938 s.v. σπλάγχνον 2 (cf. Col 3:12, Phil 2:1).
Philemon 1:9 tn Or “encourage.”
Philemon 1:9 tn Or perhaps “an ambassador” (so RSV, TEV), reading πρεσβευτής for πρεσβύτης (a conjecture proposed by Bentley, cf. BDAG 863 s.v. πρεσβύτης). NRSV reads “old man” and places “ambassador” in a note.
Philemon 1:9 tn Grk “a prisoner of Christ Jesus.”
Philemon 1:10 tn Or “I am encouraging…”
Philemon 1:10 tn Grk “my child whom I have begotten.” The adjective “spiritual” has been supplied before “father” in the translation to clarify for the modern reader that Paul did not literally father a child during his imprisonment. Paul’s point is that he was instrumental in Onesimus’ conversion while in prison.
Philemon 1:10 sn During my imprisonment. Apparently Onesimus became a believer under Paul’s shepherding while he [Paul] was a prisoner in Rome.
Philemon 1:11 tc ‡ A correlative καί (kai, “both you”) is found in a few witnesses (א*^,2 F G 33 104), perhaps either to underscore the value of Onesimus or in imitation of the νυνὶ δὲ καί (nuni de kai) in v. 9. The lack of καί is read by most witnesses, including א^c A C D 0278 1241 1505 1739 1881 M it. Although a decision is difficult, the shorter reading has a slight edge in both internal and external evidence. NA²⁸ places the καί in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.
Philemon 1:12 tc There are several variants at this point in the text, most of them involving the addition of προσλαβοῦ (proslabou, “receive, accept”) at various locations in the verse. But all such variants seem to be motivated by the harsh syntax of the verse without this verb. Without the verb, the meaning is that Onesimus is Paul’s “very heart,” though this is an awkward expression especially because of τουτ᾿ ἔστιν (tout’ estin, “this is, who is”) in the middle cluttering the construction. Nowhere else in the NT is σπλάγχνα (splanchna, here translated “heart”) used in apposition to people. It is thus natural that scribes would want to fill out the text, and they did so apparently with a verb that was ready at hand (borrowed from v. 17). With the verb the sentence is converted into an object-complement construction: “I have sent him back to you; accept him, that is, as my very heart.” But both the fact that some significant witnesses (א* A F G 33 [69 2400 SBL]) lack the verb, and that its location floats in the various constructions that have it, suggest that the initial text did not have προσλαβοῦ.tn Grk “whom I have sent.” The Greek sentence was broken up in the English translation for the sake of clarity. Although the tense of the Greek verb here is past (an aorist tense) the reader should understand that Onesimus may well have been standing in the very presence of Paul as he wrote this letter.
Philemon 1:12 tn That is, “who means a great deal to me”; Grk “whom I have sent to you, him, this one is my heart.”
Philemon 1:13 tn This is one of the clearest texts in the NT in which ὑπέρ is used for substitution. Cf. ExSyn 387.
Philemon 1:13 tn Grk “in my imprisonment.” Paul seems to expect release from his imprisonment after some time (cf. v. 22), but in the meantime the assistance that Onesimus could provide would be valuable to the apostle.
Philemon 1:13 tn Grk “in the chains of the gospel.” On the translation “imprisonment for the sake of the gospel,” cf. BDAG 219 s.v. δεσμός 1.a where it says: “Oft. simply in ref. to the locale where bonds or fetters are worn imprisonment, prison (Diod. S. 14, 103, 3; Lucian, Tox. 29; Jos., Ant. 13, 294; 302, Vi. 241; Just., A I, 67, 6 al.) Phil 1:7, 13f, 17; Col 4:18; Phlm 10. μέχρι δεσμῶν 2 Ti 2:9. ἐν τοῖς δ. τοῦ εὐαγγελίου in imprisonment for the gospel Phlm 13; cf. ISm 11:1; Pol 1:1.”
Philemon 1:14 tn Though the Greek text does not read the term “however,” it is clearly implied and thus supplied in the English translation to accent the contrastive nature of Paul’s statement.
Philemon 1:15 sn So that you would have him back eternally. The notion here is not that Onesimus was to be the slave of Philemon eternally, but that their new relationship as brothers in Christ would transcend the societal structures of this age. The occasion of Onesimus’ flight to Rome would ultimately be a catalyst in the formation of a new and stronger bond between these two men.
Philemon 1:16 tn Although the Greek word δοῦλος (doulos) is sometimes translated “servant” here (so KJV), the word “slave” is a much more candid and realistic picture of the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. In the Greco-Roman world of the 1st century the slave was considered a “living tool” of the master. The slave was “property” in every sense of the word. This understanding heightens the tense scenario that is in view here. It is likely that Onesimus may have even feared for his life upon returning to Colossae. Undoubtedly Paul has asked this runaway slave to return to what could amount to a potentially severe and life-endangering situation.
Philemon 1:16 tn Grk “in the flesh.”
Philemon 1:18 tn Grk “charge it to me.”
Philemon 1:19 tn Grk “I wrote” Here ἔγραψα (egrapsa) is functioning as an epistolary aorist. Paul puts it in the past tense because from Philemon’s perspective when he reads the letter it will, of course, already have been written.
Philemon 1:19 tn The phrase “this letter” does not appear in the Greek text, but is supplied in the English translation to clarify the meaning.
Philemon 1:19 sn With my own hand. Paul may have considered this letter so delicate that he wrote the letter himself as opposed to using an amanuensis or secretary.
Philemon 1:19 sn The statement you owe me your very self means that Paul was responsible for some sort of blessing in the life of Philemon; though a monetary idea may be in mind, it is perhaps better to understand Paul as referring to the spiritual truth (i.e., the gospel) he had taught Philemon.
Philemon 1:20 sn Refresh my heart in Christ. Paul desired that Philemon refresh his heart in the same way that he [Philemon] had refreshed the hearts of other believers (cf. Phlm 7), that is, by forgiving and accepting Onesimus. In this way the presence and character of Jesus Christ would be vividly seen in Philemon’s attitude toward his runaway slave.
Philemon 1:21 tn Grk “that you would even go beyond.”
Philemon 1:23 sn Epaphras is probably a shortened form of the name Epaphroditus. This is probably the same individual whom Paul spoke of as “my brother, coworker, and fellow soldier” in Phil 2:25 (see also Phil 4:18). He is also mentioned in Col 1:7 and 4:12, where he is a founder of the church in Colossae (BDAG 360 s.v. ᾿Επαφρᾶς).
Philemon 1:24 sn Aristarchus accompanied Paul on his journey as a prisoner to Rome in Acts 27:2. He is also mentioned as a fellow prisoner in Col 4:10.
Philemon 1:24 sn Demas is most likely the same individual mentioned in Col 4:14 and 2 Tim 4:10. Apparently, he later on abandoned the faith because of his love of the world.
Philemon 1:25 tn Grk “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ with your spirit.” The elided verb, normally an optative, has been rendered as “be.”
Philemon 1:25 tc Most witnesses, including several excellent ones (א C D¹ Ψ 0278 1241 1505 1739^c M lat sy), conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amēn, “amen”). Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, several good witnesses (P^87vid A D* 048^vid 6 33 81 1739* 1881 sa) lack the ἀμήν, rendering the omission the preferred reading.

John 12:9-19

⁹Now a large crowd of Judeans^[a] learned^[b] that Jesus^[c] was there, and so they came not only because of him^[d] but also to see Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead. ¹⁰So the chief priests planned to kill Lazarus too,^[e] ¹¹for on account of him many of the Jewish people from Jerusalem^[f] were going away and believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

¹²The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³So they took branches of palm trees^[g] and went out to meet him. They began to shout,^[h] “Hosanna!^[i] Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!^[j] Blessed is^[k] the king of Israel!” ¹⁴Jesus found a young donkey^[l] and sat on it, just as it is written, ¹⁵“Do not be afraid, people of Zion;^[m] look, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt!”^[n] ¹⁶(His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened,^[o] but when Jesus was glorified,^[p] then they remembered that these things were written about him and that these things had happened^[q] to him.)^[r]

¹⁷So the crowd who had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead were continuing to testify about it.^[s] ¹⁸Because they had heard that Jesus^[t] had performed this miraculous sign, the crowd went out to meet him. ¹⁹Thus the Pharisees^[u] said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing. Look, the world has run off after him!”

Footnotes

John 12:9 tn Grk “of the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e), the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding area who by this time had heard about the resurrection of Lazarus and were curious to see him.
John 12:9 tn Grk “knew.”
John 12:9 tn Grk “he”; normal English clause structure specifies the referent first and substitutes the pronoun in subsequent references to the same individual, so the referent (Jesus) has been specified here.
John 12:9 tn Grk “Jesus”; normal English clause structure specifies the referent first and substitutes the pronoun in subsequent references to the same individual, so the pronoun (“him”) has been substituted here.
John 12:10 sn According to John 11:53 the Jewish leadership had already planned to kill Jesus. This plot against Lazarus apparently never got beyond the planning stage, however, since no further mention is made of it by the author.
John 12:11 tn Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the residents of Jerusalem who had heard about the resurrection of Lazarus and as a result were embracing Jesus as Messiah. See also the note on the phrase “Judeans” in v. 9.
John 12:13 sn The Mosaic law stated (Lev 23:40) that branches of palm trees were to be used to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles. Later on they came to be used to celebrate other feasts as well (1 Macc. 13:51, 2 Macc. 10:7).
John 12:13 tn Grk “And they were shouting.” An ingressive force for the imperfect tense (“they began to shout” or “they started shouting”) is natural in this sequence of events. The conjunction καί (kai, “and”) is left untranslated to improve the English style.
John 12:13 tn The expression ῾Ωσαννά (hōsanna, literally in Hebrew, “O Lord, save”) in the quotation from Ps 118:25-26 was probably by this time a familiar liturgical expression of praise, on the order of “Hail to the king,” although both the underlying Aramaic and Hebrew expressions meant “O Lord, save us.” As in Mark 11:9 the introductory ὡσαννά is followed by the words of Ps 118:25, εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου (eulogēmenos ho erchomenos en onomati kuriou), although in the Fourth Gospel the author adds for good measure καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ (kai ho basileus tou Israēl). In words familiar to every Jew, the author is indicating that at this point every messianic expectation is now at the point of realization. It is clear from the words of the psalm shouted by the crowd that Jesus is being proclaimed as messianic king. See E. Lohse, TDNT 9:682-84.sn Hosanna is an Aramaic expression that literally means, “help, I pray,” or “save, I pray.” By Jesus’ time it had become a strictly liturgical formula of praise, however, and was used as an exclamation of praise to God.
John 12:13 sn A quotation from Ps 118:25-26.
John 12:13 tn Grk “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel.” The words “Blessed is” are not repeated in the Greek text, but are repeated in the translation to avoid the awkwardness in English of the ascensive καί (kai).
John 12:14 sn The author does not repeat the detailed accounts of the finding of the donkey recorded in the synoptic gospels. He does, however, see the event as a fulfillment of scripture, which he indicates by quoting Zech 9:9.
John 12:15 tn Grk “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion” (the phrase “daughter of Zion” is an idiom for the inhabitants of Jerusalem: “people of Zion”). The idiom “daughter of Zion” has been translated as “people of Zion” because the original idiom, while firmly embedded in the Christian tradition, is not understandable to most modern English readers.
John 12:15 sn A quotation from Zech 9:9.
John 12:16 tn Or “did not understand these things at first”; Grk “formerly.”
John 12:16 sn When Jesus was glorified, that is, glorified through his resurrection, exaltation, and return to the Father. Jesus’ glorification is consistently portrayed this way in the Gospel of John.
John 12:16 tn Grk “and that they had done these things,” though the referent is probably indefinite and not referring to the disciples; as such, the best rendering is as a passive (see ExSyn 402-3; R. E. Brown, John [AB], 1:458).
John 12:16 sn The comment His disciples did not understand these things when they first happened (a parenthetical note by the author) informs the reader that Jesus’ disciples did not at first associate the prophecy from Zechariah with the events as they happened. This came with the later (postresurrection) insight which the Holy Spirit would provide after Jesus’ resurrection and return to the Father. Note the similarity with John 2:22, which follows another allusion to a prophecy in Zechariah (14:21).
John 12:17 tn The word “it” is not included in the Greek text. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
John 12:18 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
John 12:19 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.

New English Translation (NET)

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Book of Common Prayer

Psalm 140[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

Footnotes

Psalm 142[a]

A well-written song[b] by David, when he was in the cave;[c] a prayer.

Footnotes

Psalm 141[a]

A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Psalm 143[a]

A psalm of David.

Footnotes

The Appeal of Wisdom[a]

Footnotes

Salutation

Thanks for Philemon’s Love and Faith

Paul’s Request for Onesimus

Concluding Greetings

Footnotes

The Triumphal Entry

Footnotes

Psalm 140^[a]

Psalm 142^[a]

A well-written song^[b] by David, when he was in the cave;^[c] a prayer.

Psalm 141^[a]

Psalm 143^[a]

The Appeal of Wisdom^[a]