Bible in 90 Days

Footnotes

1. 1 Corinthians 15:1 tn Grk “Now I make known to you.”
2. 1 Corinthians 15:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
3. 1 Corinthians 15:3 tn Grk “among (the) first things.”
4. 1 Corinthians 15:4 tn Grk “he has been raised/is raised,” using a Greek tense that points to the present effect of the act of raising him. But in English idiom the temporal phrase “on the third day” requires a different translation of the verb.
5. 1 Corinthians 15:5 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211). Both the Aramaic name “Cephas” and the Greek name “Peter” are related to words in each language which mean “rock.”
6. 1 Corinthians 15:6 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
7. 1 Corinthians 15:6 tn Grk “most of whom remain until now.”
8. 1 Corinthians 15:6 tn The verb κοιμάω (koimaō) literally means “sleep,” but it is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for death when speaking of believers. This metaphorical usage by its very nature emphasizes the hope of resurrection: Believers will one day “wake up” out of death. Here the term refers to death, but “sleep” was used in the translation to emphasize the metaphorical, rhetorical usage of the term.
9. 1 Corinthians 15:8 sn One born at the wrong time. The Greek word used here (ἔκτρωμα, ektrōma) refers to a premature birth, a miscarriage, or an aborted child. Paul uses it as a powerful figure of the unexpected, abnormal nature of his apostolic call.
10. 1 Corinthians 15:12 tn Grk “that he has been raised from the dead.”
11. 1 Corinthians 15:18 tn See the note on the word “asleep” in 15:6. This term is also used in v. 20.
12. 1 Corinthians 15:21 tn Or “through a human being” (a reference to Adam).
13. 1 Corinthians 15:21 tn Or “through a human being” (a reference to Jesus Christ).
14. 1 Corinthians 15:23 tn Grk “then those who belong to Christ, at his coming.”
15. 1 Corinthians 15:24 tn This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
16. 1 Corinthians 15:24 tn Grk “then the end” or “then (is) the end.” Paul explains how the “end” relates to resurrection in vv. 25-28.
17. 1 Corinthians 15:27 sn A quotation from Ps 8:6.
18. 1 Corinthians 15:29 sn Many suggestions have been offered for the puzzling expression baptized for the dead. There are up to 200 different explanations for the passage; a summary is given by K. C. Thompson, “I Corinthians 15, 29 and Baptism for the Dead,” Studia Evangelica 2.1 (TU 87), 647-59. The most likely interpretation is that some Corinthians had undergone baptism to bear witness to the faith of fellow believers who had died without experiencing that rite themselves. Paul’s reference to the practice here is neither a recommendation nor a condemnation. He simply uses it as evidence from the lives of the Corinthians themselves to bolster his larger argument, begun in 15:12, that resurrection from the dead is a present reality in Christ and a future reality for them. Whatever they may have proclaimed, the Corinthians’ actions demonstrated that they had hope for a bodily resurrection.
19. 1 Corinthians 15:31 tn Or, more literally, “I swear by the boasting in you.”
20. 1 Corinthians 15:31 tc ‡ Although the witnesses for the shorter reading (P⁴⁶ D F G Ψ 075 0243 1739 1881 M) are not as strong as for the addition of ἀδελφοί (adelphoi, “brothers”) at this juncture (א A B K P 33 81 104 365 1175 2464 lat sy co), it is difficult to find a reason why scribes would either intentionally or unintentionally drop the address here. Thus, the shorter reading is slightly preferred.
21. 1 Corinthians 15:32 sn An allusion to Isa 22:13; 56:12.
22. 1 Corinthians 15:33 sn A quotation from the poet Menander, Thais 218, which Paul uses in a proverbial sense.
23. 1 Corinthians 15:37 tn Grk “and what you sow, you do not sow the body that will be, but a bare seed.”
24. 1 Corinthians 15:39 tn Grk “all flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one (flesh) of people, but another flesh of animals and another flesh of birds and another of fish.”
25. 1 Corinthians 15:42 tn Grk “it is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.” The “it” refers to the body, as v. 44 shows.
26. 1 Corinthians 15:45 tn Grk “living soul”; a quotation from Gen 2:7.
27. 1 Corinthians 15:49 tc ‡ A few significant witnesses have the future indicative φορέσομεν (phoresomen, “we will bear”; B I 6 630 1881 al sa) instead of the aorist subjunctive φορέσωμεν (phoresōmen, “let us bear”; P⁴⁶ א A C D F G Ψ 075 0243 33 1739 M latt bo). If the original reading is the future tense, then “we will bear” would be a guarantee that believers would be like Jesus (and unlike Adam) in the resurrection. If the aorist subjunctive is original, then “let us bear” would be a command to show forth the image of Jesus, i.e., to live as citizens of the kingdom that believers will one day inherit. The future indicative is not widespread geographically. At the same time, it fits the context well: Not only are there indicatives in this section (especially vv. 42-49), but the conjunction καί (kai) introducing the comparative καθώς (kathōs) seems best to connect to the preceding by furthering the same argument (what is, not what ought to be). For this reason, though, the future indicative could be a reading thus motivated by an early scribe. In light of the extremely weighty evidence for the aorist subjunctive, it is probably best to regard the aorist subjunctive as autographic. This connects well with v. 50, for there Paul makes a pronouncement that seems to presuppose some sort of exhortation. G. D. Fee (First Corinthians [NICNT], 795) argues for the originality of the subjunctive, stating that “it is nearly impossible to account for anyone’s having changed a clearly understandable future to the hortatory subjunctive so early and so often that it made its way into every textual history as the predominant reading.” The subjunctive makes a great deal of sense in view of the occasion of 1 Corinthians. Paul wrote to combat an over-realized eschatology in which some of the Corinthians evidently believed they were experiencing all the benefits of the resurrection body in the present, and thus that their behavior did not matter. If the subjunctive is the correct reading, it seems Paul makes two points: (1) that the resurrection is a bodily one, as distinct from an out-of-body experience, and (2) that one’s behavior in the interim does make a difference (see 15:32-34, 58).
28. 1 Corinthians 15:50 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
29. 1 Corinthians 15:51 tn Grk “Behold.”
30. 1 Corinthians 15:51 tc The manuscripts are grouped into four basic readings here: (1) א C 0243* 33 1739 have “we all will sleep, but we will not all be changed” (πάντες κοιμηθησόμεθα, οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα); (2) P⁴⁶ A^c (F G) have “we will not all sleep, but we will not all be changed” (πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, οὐ πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα); (3) D* lat Tert Ambst Spec read “we will all rise, but we will not all be changed.” (4) The wording πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα, πάντες δὲ ἀλλαγησόμεθα (“we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed”) is found in B D² Ψ 075 0243^c 1881 M sy co. How shall we interpret such data? In light of the fact that Paul and his generation did in fact die, early scribes may have felt some embarrassment over the bald statement, “We will not all sleep” (πάντες οὐ κοιμηθησόμεθα). This could account for the first variant. Although the second variant could be viewed as a conflation of (1) and (4) (so TCGNT 502; G. D. Fee, First Corinthians [NICNT], 796), it could also have arisen consciously, to guard against the notion that all whom Paul was addressing should regard themselves as true believers. The third variant, prominent in the Western witnesses, may have arisen to counter those who would deny the final resurrection (so TCGNT 502). In any event, since the fourth reading has the best credentials externally and best explains the rise of the others it should be adopted as the authentic wording here.tn See the note on the word “asleep” in 15:6.
31. 1 Corinthians 15:52 tn The Greek word ῥιπή (rhipē) refers to a very rapid movement (BDAG 906 s.v.). This has traditionally been translated as “twinkling,” which implies an exceedingly fast—almost instantaneous—movement of the eyes, but this could be confusing to the modern reader since twinkling in modern English often suggests a faint, flashing light. In conjunction with the genitive ὀφθαλμοῦ (ophthalmou, “of an eye”), “blinking” is the best English equivalent (see, e.g., L&N 16.5), although it does not convey the exact speed implicit in the Greek term.
32. 1 Corinthians 15:54 sn A quotation from Isa 25:8.
33. 1 Corinthians 15:55 sn A quotation from Hos 13:14.
34. 1 Corinthians 15:58 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
35. 1 Corinthians 16:1 tn Grk “as I directed the churches of Galatia, so also you yourselves do.”
36. 1 Corinthians 16:2 tn Grk “set aside, storing whatever he has been blessed with.”
37. 1 Corinthians 16:2 tn Grk “set aside, storing.” The participle θησαυρίζων (thēsaurizōn) indicates the purpose or result of setting aside the extra income.
38. 1 Corinthians 16:2 tn “To the extent that God has blessed you” translates an awkward expression, “whatever has been prospered [to you].” This verb has been translated as an active with “God” as subject, taking it as a divine passive.
39. 1 Corinthians 16:2 tn Grk “so that collections will not be taking place.”
40. 1 Corinthians 16:9 tn Grk “for a door has opened wide to me, great and effective.”
41. 1 Corinthians 16:11 tn Since Paul appears to expect specific delegates here and they were most likely men, the Greek word ἀδελφοί (adelphoi) here has not been translated as “brothers and sisters.”
42. 1 Corinthians 16:12 tn Grk “with the brothers.”
43. 1 Corinthians 16:12 tn Grk “it was simply not the will that he come now.”
44. 1 Corinthians 16:15 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
45. 1 Corinthians 16:15 tn Grk “firstfruits.”
46. 1 Corinthians 16:17 tn Or “they have made up for your absence” (BDAG 70 s.v. ἀναπληρόω 3).
47. 1 Corinthians 16:19 tn Grk “the churches of Asia”; in the NT “Asia” always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
48. 1 Corinthians 16:19 sn On Aquila and Prisca see also Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Rom 16:3-4; 2 Tim 4:19. In the NT “Priscilla” and “Prisca” are the same person. Paul uses the name Prisca, while the author of Acts uses the diminutive form of the name Priscilla.
49. 1 Corinthians 16:19 tc The plural form of this verb, ἀσπάζονται (aspazontai, “[they] greet”), is found in several good mss (B F G 075 0121 0243 33 1739 1881) as well as the Byzantine cursives. But the singular is read by an equally impressive group (א C D K P Ψ 104 2464). This part of the verse is lacking in codex A. Deciding on the basis of external evidence is quite difficult. Internally, however, the singular appears to have given rise to the plural: (1) The rest of the greetings in this verse are in the plural; this one was probably made plural by some scribes for purposes of assimilation; and, more significantly, (2) since both Aquila and Prisca are mentioned as the ones who send the greeting, the plural is more natural. The singular is, of course, not impossible Greek; indeed, a singular verb with a compound subject is used with some frequency in the NT (cf. Matt 13:55; Mark 8:27; 14:1; John 2:2; 3:22; 4:36, 53; Acts 5:29; 16:31; 1 Tim 6:4). This is especially common when “Jesus and his disciples” is the subject. What is significant is that when such a construction is found the emphasis is placed on the first-named person (in this case, Aquila). Normally when these two are mentioned in the NT, Priscilla is mentioned first (Acts 18:18, 26; Rom 16:3; 2 Tim 4:19). Only here and in Acts 18:2 (the first mention of them) is Aquila mentioned before Priscilla. Many suggest that Priscilla is listed first due to prominence. Though that is possible, both the mention of Aquila first here and the singular verb give him special prominence (cf. ExSyn 401-2). What such prominence means in each instance is difficult to assess. Nevertheless, here is a Pauline instance in which Aquila is given prominence. Too much can be made of the word order argument in either direction.
50. 1 Corinthians 16:20 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:10.
51. 1 Corinthians 16:22 tn The Greek text has μαράνα θά (marana tha). These Aramaic words can also be read as maran atha, translated “Our Lord has come!”
52. 1 Corinthians 16:24 tc Although the majority of mss (א A C D Ψ 075 M lat bo) 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. Although far fewer witnesses lack the valedictory particle (B F 0121 0243 33 81 630 1739* 1881 sa), their collective testimony is difficult to explain if the omission is not authentic.
53. 2 Corinthians 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.
54. 2 Corinthians 1:1 tn Or “are throughout Achaia.”
55. 2 Corinthians 1:2 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
56. 2 Corinthians 1:3 tn There is no verb in the Greek text; either the optative (“be”) or the indicative (“is”) can be supplied. The meaning of the term εὐλογητός (eulogētos) and the author’s intention at this point in the epistle must both come into play to determine which is the preferred nuance. εὐλογητός as an adjective can mean either that one is praised or that one is blessed, that is, in a place of favor and benefit. The meaning “blessed” would be more naturally paired with an indicative verb and would suggest that blessedness is an intrinsic part of God’s character. The meaning “praised” would be more naturally paired with an optative verb and would suggest that God ought to be praised. Pauline style in the epistles generally moves from statements to obligations, expressing the reality first and then the believer’s necessary response. When considered as a whole, although a decision is difficult, the general Pauline style of beginning with statements and moving to obligations argues for the indicative. Cf. also Eph 1:3; 1 Pet 1:3.
57. 2 Corinthians 1:4 tn Or “our trials”; traditionally, “our affliction.” The term θλῖψις (thlipsis) refers to trouble (including persecution) that involves direct suffering (L&N 22.2).
58. 2 Corinthians 1:4 tn Or “any trials”; traditionally, “any affliction.”
59. 2 Corinthians 1:5 tn This Greek word translated “sufferings” here (πάθημα, pathēma) is a different one than the one Paul uses for his own afflictions/persecutions (θλῖψις, thlipsis) in v. 4.
60. 2 Corinthians 1:5 tn I.e., suffering incurred by Paul as a consequence of his relationship to Christ. The genitive could be considered to have a causative nuance here.
61. 2 Corinthians 1:5 tn Traditionally, “abound” (here and throughout this section).
62. 2 Corinthians 1:5 tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the statements in the following verse.
63. 2 Corinthians 1:6 tn Or “are troubled.”
64. 2 Corinthians 1:7 tn Grk “as you are sharers in.”
65. 2 Corinthians 1:7 tn Grk “will be sharers in.”
66. 2 Corinthians 1:8 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1., where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
67. 2 Corinthians 1:8 tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia. The Roman province of Asia made up about one-third of modern Asia Minor and was on the western side of it. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.
68. 2 Corinthians 1:9 tn Grk “we ourselves had the sentence of death within ourselves.” Here ἀπόκριμα (apokrima) is being used figuratively; no actual official verdict had been given, but in light of all the difficulties that Paul and his colleagues had suffered, it seemed to them as though such an official verdict had been rendered against them (L&N 56.26).
69. 2 Corinthians 1:9 tn Or “might not put confidence in ourselves.”
70. 2 Corinthians 1:10 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative clause “who delivered us…” was made a separate sentence in the translation.
71. 2 Corinthians 1:10 tn Grk “deliver us, on whom we have set our hope.”
72. 2 Corinthians 1:10 tc Several significant witnesses, especially Alexandrian (P⁴⁶ B D* 0121 0243 1739 1881 Did), lack ὅτι (hoti, “that”) here, while others, most notably Western (D¹ F G 104 630 1505 ar b sy^h Or Ambst), lack ἔτι (eti, “yet”). Most mss, including significant Alexandrians (א A C D² Ψ 33 M f t vg), have the full expression ὅτι καὶ ἔτι (hoti kai eti). Although the predominantly Alexandrian reading has much to commend it, the fact that either ὅτι or ἔτι has been dropped, while the καί has been retained, suggests that the initial text had ὅτι καὶ ἔτι, and that either particle dropped out intentionally for stylistic reasons. (F and G have the order καί ὅτι, suggesting that in their archetype the ἔτι was unintentionally dropped due to homoioteleuton.) If, however, ὅτι is not authentic, v. 10b should be translated “We have set our hope on him, and he will deliver us again.” Overall, a decision is difficult, but preference should be given to ὅτι καὶ ἔτι.
73. 2 Corinthians 1:11 tn Grk “so that thanks may be given by many.” The words “to God” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. The passive construction has been converted to an active one for clarity, in keeping with contemporary English style.
74. 2 Corinthians 1:12 tn Or “for boasting.”
75. 2 Corinthians 1:12 tc Two viable variants exist at this place in the text: ἁγιότητι (hagiotēti, “holiness”) vs. ἁπλότητι (haplotēti, “pure motives”). A confusion of letters could well have produced the variant (TCGNT 507): In majuscule script the words would have been written agiothti and aplothti. This, however, does not explain which reading created the other. Overall ἁπλότητι, though largely a Western-Byzantine reading (א² D F G M lat sy), is better suited to the context; it is also a Pauline word while ἁγιότης (hagiotēs) is not. It also best explains the rise of the other variants, πραότητι (praotēti, “gentleness”) and σπλάγχνοις (splanchnois, “compassion”). On the other hand, the external evidence in favor of ἁγιότητι is extremely strong (P⁴⁶ א* A B C K P Ψ 0121 0243 33 81 1739 1881 al co). This diversity of mss provides excellent evidence for authenticity, but because of the internal evidence listed above, ἁπλότητι is to be preferred, albeit only slightly.tn Or “sincerity.” The two terms translated “pure motives” (ἁπλότης, haplotēs) and “sincerity” (εἰλικρίνεια, eilikrineia) are close synonyms.
76. 2 Corinthians 1:12 tn Grk “pure motives and sincerity of God.”
77. 2 Corinthians 1:12 tn Or “not by worldly wisdom.”
78. 2 Corinthians 1:12 tn Or “and especially.”
79. 2 Corinthians 1:13 tn Grk “than the things.”
80. 2 Corinthians 1:13 tn Grk “to the end,” a Greek idiom for “fully,” “totally,” “completely.”
81. 2 Corinthians 1:14 tn Grk “that we are your boast even as you are our boast.”
82. 2 Corinthians 1:14 tc ‡ On the wording “the Lord Jesus” (τοῦ κυρίου ᾿Ιησοῦ, tou kuriou Iēsou) there is some variation in the extant witnesses: ἡμῶν (hēmōn, “our”) is found after κυρίου in several significant witnesses (א B F G P 0121 0243 6 33 81 1739 1881 2464 al lat co); the pronoun is lacking from P^46vid A C D Ψ M. Although in Paul “our Lord Jesus Christ” is a common expression, “our Lord Jesus” is relatively infrequent (cf., e.g., Rom 16:20; 2 Cor 1:14; 1 Thess 2:19; 3:11, 13; 2 Thess 1:8, 12). “The Lord Jesus” occurs about as often as “our Lord Jesus” (cf. 1 Cor 11:23; 16:23; 2 Cor 4:14; 11:31; Eph 1:15; 1 Thess 4:2; 2 Thess 1:7; Phlm 5). Thus, on balance, since scribes would tend to expand on the text, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic. NA²⁸ places the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
83. 2 Corinthians 1:15 tn Grk “a second grace,” “a second favor” (used figuratively of a second visit by Paul).
84. 2 Corinthians 1:16 tn Grk “come again.”
85. 2 Corinthians 1:17 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer. This is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ question “did I?” at the end of the sentence.
86. 2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “the things that I plan, do I plan (them).”
87. 2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
88. 2 Corinthians 1:17 tn Grk “so that with me there should be.”
89. 2 Corinthians 1:19 sn Silvanus is usually considered to be the same person as Silas (L&N 93.340).
90. 2 Corinthians 1:21 tn Or “strengthens.”
91. 2 Corinthians 1:21 tn Grk “But he who establishes us together with you in Christ and anointed us is God.”
92. 2 Corinthians 1:22 tn Or “first installment,” “pledge,” “deposit.”sn Down payment. The Greek word ἀρραβών (arrabōn) denotes the first payment or first installment of money or goods which serves as a guarantee or pledge for the completion of the transaction. In the NT the term is used only figuratively of the Holy Spirit as the down payment of the blessings promised by God (it occurs later in 2 Cor 5:5, and also in Eph 1:14). In the “already—not yet” scheme of the NT the possession of the Spirit now by believers (“already”) can be viewed as a guarantee that God will give them the balance of the promised blessings in the future (“not yet”).
93. 2 Corinthians 1:23 tn Grk “I call upon God as witness against my soul.” Normally this implies an appeal for help (L&N 33.176).
94. 2 Corinthians 1:23 tn Here φειδόμενος (pheidomenos) has been translated as a telic participle.
95. 2 Corinthians 1:23 sn Paul had promised to come again to visit (see 2 Cor 1:15, 24) but explains here why he had changed his plans.
96. 2 Corinthians 1:24 tn Or “because you stand firm in the faith.”
97. 2 Corinthians 2:1 tc Although usually δέ (de, “now”; found in א A C D¹ F G Ψ 0285 M lat) should take precedent over γάρ (gar) in textually disputed places in the corpus Paulinum, the credentials for γάρ here are not easily dismissed (P⁴⁶ B 0223 0243 33 1739 1881 al); here it is the preferred reading, albeit slightly.
98. 2 Corinthians 2:1 tn Or “I decided this for myself.”
99. 2 Corinthians 2:1 tn Grk “not to come to you again in sorrow.”sn Paul was not speaking absolutely about not making another visit, but meant he did not want to come to the Corinthians again until the conflict he mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4-11 was settled.
100. 2 Corinthians 2:2 tn Or “to cheer me up.” L&N 25.131 translates this “For if I were to make you sad, who would be left to cheer me up?”
101. 2 Corinthians 2:3 tn The words “to you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
102. 2 Corinthians 2:3 sn So that when I came. Regarding this still future visit by Paul, see 2 Cor 12:14; 13:1.
103. 2 Corinthians 2:4 tn Or “the love that I have in great measure for you.”
104. 2 Corinthians 2:5 tn Or “(not to say too much)”; Grk “(not to burden you [with words]).”
105. 2 Corinthians 2:7 tn Grk “so that on the other hand.”
106. 2 Corinthians 2:7 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text but is supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.
107. 2 Corinthians 2:7 tn Grk “comfort him, lest somehow such a person be swallowed up by excessive grief,” an idiom for a person being so overcome with grief as to despair or give up completely (L&N 25.285). In this context of excessive grief or regret for past sins, “overwhelmed” is a good translation since contemporary English idiom speaks of someone “overwhelmed by grief.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the difficulty of expressing a negative purpose/result clause in English, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
108. 2 Corinthians 2:8 tn Or “I urge you to show that your love for him is real.”
109. 2 Corinthians 2:9 tn The word “you” is not in the Greek text, but is implied (as an understood direct object).
110. 2 Corinthians 2:9 tn Grk “to know the proof of you,” that is, to know if the Corinthians’ obedience to Paul as an apostle was genuine (L&N 72.7).
111. 2 Corinthians 2:11 tn Or “be taken advantage of.”
112. 2 Corinthians 2:12 sn Troas was a city and region in the northwest corner of Asia Minor.
113. 2 Corinthians 2:12 tn This has been translated as a concessive participle (“even though”). The passive construction (“a door of opportunity had been opened for me by the Lord”) has been converted to an active one in the translation for clarity.
114. 2 Corinthians 2:12 tn Grk “a door”; the phrase ἀνοίγω θύραν (anoigō thuran, “to open a door”) is an idiom meaning “to make possible some opportunity” (L&N 71.9).
115. 2 Corinthians 2:13 tn Or “I had no peace of mind.”
116. 2 Corinthians 2:13 tn Or “I took my leave of them.”
117. 2 Corinthians 2:13 tn Since this refers to the outset of a journey, the aorist ἐξῆλθον (exēlthon) is taken ingressively.
118. 2 Corinthians 2:14 tn Or “who always causes us to triumph.”
119. 2 Corinthians 2:14 tn Or “in the Messiah.”
120. 2 Corinthians 2:14 tn Or “who reveals.”
121. 2 Corinthians 2:16 tn The same Greek word (ὀσμή, osmē) translated “odor” here (in relation to the stench of death) has been translated “fragrance” in 2:14 and in the next phrase of the present verse. The word itself can describe a smell or odor either agreeable or disagreeable depending on the context (L&N 79.45).
122. 2 Corinthians 2:16 sn These things refer to the things Paul is doing in his apostolic ministry.
123. 2 Corinthians 2:17 tn The participle καπηλεύοντες (kapēleuontes) refers to those engaged in retail business, but with the negative connotations of deceptiveness and greed—“to peddle for profit,” “to huckster” (L&N 57.202). In the translation a noun form (“hucksters”) has been used in combination with the English verb “peddle…for profit” to convey the negative connotations of this term.
124. 2 Corinthians 2:17 tn Or “in the presence of.”
125. 2 Corinthians 2:17 tn Or “persons of pure motives.”
126. 2 Corinthians 3:1 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply (“No, we do not”) which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ at the end, “do we?”
127. 2 Corinthians 3:2 tn That is, “letter of recommendation.”
128. 2 Corinthians 3:3 tn Or “making plain.”
129. 2 Corinthians 3:3 tn Grk “cared for by us,” an expression that could refer either to the writing or the delivery of the letter (BDAG 229 s.v. διακονέω 1). Since the following phrase refers to the writing of the letter, and since the previous verse speaks of this “letter” being “written on our [Paul’s and his companions’] hearts” it is more probable that the phrase “cared for by us” refers to the delivery of the letter (in the person of Paul and his companions).
130. 2 Corinthians 3:3 sn An allusion to Exod 24:12; 31:18; 34:1; Deut 9:10-11.
131. 2 Corinthians 3:5 tn Or “competent.”
132. 2 Corinthians 3:5 tn Or “competence.”
133. 2 Corinthians 3:6 tn Or “competent.”
134. 2 Corinthians 3:6 sn This new covenant is promised in Jer 31:31-34; 32:40.
135. 2 Corinthians 3:7 tn Grk “on stones,” but since this is clearly an allusion to the tablets of the Decalogue (see 2 Cor 3:3) the word “tablets” was supplied in the translation to make the connection clear.
136. 2 Corinthians 3:7 tn Grk “so that the sons of Israel.”
137. 2 Corinthians 3:7 sn The glory of his face. When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai with the tablets of the Decalogue, the people were afraid to approach him because his face was so radiant (Exod 34:29-30).
138. 2 Corinthians 3:7 tn The words “a glory” are not in the Greek text, but the reference to “glory” has been repeated from the previous clause for clarity.
139. 2 Corinthians 3:7 tn Or “which was transitory.” Traditionally this phrase is translated as “which was fading away.” The verb καταργέω in the corpus Paulinum uniformly has the meaning “to render inoperative, ineffective”; the same nuance is appropriate here. The glory of Moses’ face was rendered ineffective by the veil Moses wore. For discussion of the meaning of this verb in this context, see S. J. Hafemann, Paul, Moses, and the History of Israel (WUNT 81), 301-13. A similar translation has been adopted in the two other occurrences of the verb in this paragraph in vv. 11 and 13.
140. 2 Corinthians 3:8 tn Grk “how will not rather the ministry of the Spirit be with glory?”
141. 2 Corinthians 3:9 tn Grk “the ministry of condemnation”; translated as an objective genitive, “the ministry that produced condemnation.”
142. 2 Corinthians 3:9 tn Grk “the ministry of righteousness”; translated as an objective genitive, “the ministry that produces righteousness.”
143. 2 Corinthians 3:9 tn Traditionally, “abound.”
144. 2 Corinthians 3:10 tn Grk “in this case.”
145. 2 Corinthians 3:10 tn The words “of what replaced it” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to clarify the meaning.
146. 2 Corinthians 3:11 tn Or “what was fading away.” See note on “which was made ineffective” in v. 7.
147. 2 Corinthians 3:11 tn Or “through” (διά, dia).
148. 2 Corinthians 3:11 tn Or “what is permanent.”
149. 2 Corinthians 3:12 tn Or “we employ great openness of speech.”
150. 2 Corinthians 3:13 tn Grk “the sons of Israel.”
151. 2 Corinthians 3:13 tn Or “from gazing intently.”
152. 2 Corinthians 3:13 tn Or “end.” The word τέλος (telos) can mean both “a point of time marking the end of a duration, end, termination, cessation” and “the goal toward which a movement is being directed, end, goal, outcome” (see BDAG 998-999 s.v.). The translation accepts the interpretation that Moses covered the glory of his face with the veil to prevent Israel from being judged by the glory of God (see S. J. Hafemann, Paul, Moses, and the History of Israel [WUNT 81], 347-62); in this case the latter meaning for τέλος is more appropriate.
153. 2 Corinthians 3:13 tn Or “was fading away”; Grk “on the result of what was made ineffective.” The referent (glory) has been specified in the translation for clarity. See note on “which was made ineffective” in v. 7.
154. 2 Corinthians 3:14 tn Grk “their minds were hardened.”
155. 2 Corinthians 3:14 tn Grk “the same veil remains at the reading of the old covenant”; the phrase “they hear” has been introduced (“when they hear the old covenant read”) to make the link with the “Israelites” (v. 13) whose minds were closed (v. 14a) more obvious to the reader.
156. 2 Corinthians 3:14 tn Or “only in Christ is it eliminated.”
157. 2 Corinthians 3:15 tn Grk “their heart.”
158. 2 Corinthians 3:16 tn Or perhaps “when(ever) he turns,” referring to Moses.
159. 2 Corinthians 3:16 sn An allusion to Exod 34:34. The entire verse may refer to Moses, viewing him as a type portraying the Jewish convert to Christianity in Paul’s day.
160. 2 Corinthians 3:17 tn Grk “where the Spirit of the Lord is”; the word “present” is supplied to specify that the presence of the Lord’s Spirit is emphasized rather than the mere existence of the Lord’s Spirit.
161. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tn Or “we all with unveiled faces beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror.”
162. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tn Grk “from glory to glory.”
163. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tn Grk “just as from.”
164. 2 Corinthians 3:18 tn Grk “from the Lord, the Spirit”; the genitive πνεύματος (pneumatos) has been translated as a genitive of apposition.
165. 2 Corinthians 4:1 tn Grk “just as we have been shown mercy”; ἠλεήθημεν (ēleēthēmen) has been translated as a “divine passive” which is a circumlocution for God as the active agent. For clarity this was converted to an active construction with God as subject in the translation.
166. 2 Corinthians 4:1 tn Or “we do not lose heart.”
167. 2 Corinthians 4:2 tn L&N 13.156; the word can also mean “to assert opposition to,” thus here “we have denounced” (L&N 33.220).
168. 2 Corinthians 4:2 tn Grk “the hidden things [deeds] of shame”; here αἰσχύνης (aischunēs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
169. 2 Corinthians 4:2 tn Or “not conducting ourselves”; Grk “not walking” (a common NT idiom for conduct, way of life, or behavior).
170. 2 Corinthians 4:2 tn Or “craftiness.”
171. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tn Or “of unbelievers.”
172. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tn Grk “the gospel of the glory”; δόξης (doxēs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
173. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tn Or “so that the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ would not be evident to them” (L&N 28.37).
174. 2 Corinthians 4:5 tn Or “preach.”
175. 2 Corinthians 4:5 tn Traditionally, “servants.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households.
176. 2 Corinthians 4:6 sn An allusion to Gen 1:3; see also Isa 9:2.
177. 2 Corinthians 4:6 tn Grk “the light of the knowledge of the glory”; δόξης (doxēs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
178. 2 Corinthians 4:6 tc ‡ Most witnesses, including several early and significant ones (P⁴⁶ א C H Ψ 0209 1739^c M sy), read ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Iēsou Christou, “Jesus Christ”), while other significant witnesses, especially of the Western text (D F G 0243 630 1739* 1881 lat Ambst), have Χριστοῦ ᾿Ιησοῦ. The reading with just Χριστοῦ is found in A B 33 sa Tert Or Ath Chr. Even though the witnesses for the shorter reading are not numerous, they are weighty. And in light of the natural scribal proclivity to fill out the text, particularly with reference to divine names, as well as the discrepancy among the witnesses as to the order of the names, the simple reading Χριστοῦ seems to be the best candidate for authenticity. NA²⁸ reads ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ with ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
179. 2 Corinthians 4:7 tn Grk “the surpassingness of the power”; δυνάμεως (dunameōs) has been translated as an attributed genitive (“extraordinary power”).
180. 2 Corinthians 4:8 tn Grk “we are hard pressed [by crowds] on every side.”
181. 2 Corinthians 4:8 tn Or “at a loss.”
182. 2 Corinthians 4:9 tn Or “forsaken.”
183. 2 Corinthians 4:9 tn Or “badly hurt.” It is possible to interpret καταβαλλόμενοι (kataballomenoi) here as “badly hurt”: “[we are] badly hurt, but not destroyed” (L&N 20.21).
184. 2 Corinthians 4:10 tn The first clause of 2 Cor 4:10 is elliptical and apparently refers to the fact that Paul was constantly in danger of dying in the same way Jesus died (by violence at least). According to L&N 23.99 it could be translated, “at all times we live in the constant threat of being killed as Jesus was.”
185. 2 Corinthians 4:10 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
186. 2 Corinthians 4:11 tn Or “may also be revealed.”
187. 2 Corinthians 4:11 tn Grk “mortal flesh.”
188. 2 Corinthians 4:12 tn Or “So then.”
189. 2 Corinthians 4:12 tn Grk “death is at work in us, but life in you”; the phrase “is at work in” is repeated in the translation for clarity.
190. 2 Corinthians 4:13 tn Grk “spirit of faith according to.”
191. 2 Corinthians 4:13 sn A quotation from Ps 116:10.
192. 2 Corinthians 4:14 tn Grk “speak, because.” A new sentence was started here in the translation, with the words “We do so” supplied to preserve the connection with the preceding statement.
193. 2 Corinthians 4:14 tc ‡ Several significant witnesses (א C D F G Ψ 1881), as well as the Byzantine text, add κύριον (kurion) here, changing the reading to “the Lord Jesus.” Although the external evidence in favor of the shorter reading is slim, the witnesses are significant, early, and diverse (P⁴⁶ B [0243 33] 629 [630] 1175* [1739] r sa). Very likely scribes with pietistic motives added the word κύριον, as they were prone to do, thus compounding this title for the Lord.
194. 2 Corinthians 4:15 tn Or “that is abounding to.”
195. 2 Corinthians 4:15 tn Or “to abound.”
196. 2 Corinthians 4:16 tn Or “do not lose heart.”
197. 2 Corinthians 4:16 tn Grk “our outer man.”
198. 2 Corinthians 4:16 tn Grk “our inner [man].”
199. 2 Corinthians 4:17 tn Grk “momentary lightness of affliction.”
200. 2 Corinthians 5:1 sn The expression the tent we live in refers to “our earthly house, our body.” Paul uses the metaphor of the physical body as a house or tent, the residence of the immaterial part of a person.
201. 2 Corinthians 5:1 tn Or “destroyed.”
202. 2 Corinthians 5:2 tn Or “dwelling place.”
203. 2 Corinthians 5:2 tn Or “to be clothed with.”
204. 2 Corinthians 5:3 tc ‡ Some mss read “taken off” (ἐκδυσάμενοι, ekdusamenoi) instead of “put on” (ἐνδυσάμενοι, endusamenoi). This alternative reading would change the emphasis of the verse from putting on “our heavenly house” to taking off “our earthly house” (see the following note regarding the specification of the referent). The difference between the two readings is one letter (ν or κ), either of which may be mistaken for the other especially when written in majuscule script. ἐνδυσάμενοι enjoys strong support from the Alexandrian text (P⁴⁶ א B C 33 1739 1881), Byzantine witnesses, versions (lat sy co), and Clement of Alexandria. The Western text is the only text-form to differ: D*^,c reads ἐκδυσάμενοι, as does ar f^c Mcion Tert Spec; F and G read εκλ for εκδ which indirectly aligns them with D (and was surely due to confusion of letters in majuscule script). Thus “put on” has the oldest and best external attestation by far. Internal evidence also favors this reading. At first glance, it may seem that “after we have put on our heavenly house we will not be found naked” is an obvious statement; the scribe of D may have thought so and changed the participle. But v. 3 seems parenthetical (so A. Plummer, Second Corinthians [ICC], 147), and the idea that “we do not want to be unclothed but clothed” is repeated in v. 4 with an explanatory “for.” This concept also shows up in v. 2 with the phrase “we desire to put on.” So the context can be construed to argue for “put on” as the reading of the initial text. B. M. Metzger argues against the reading of NA²⁸, stating that ἐκδυσάμενοι is “an early alteration to avoid apparent tautology” (TCGNT 511; so also Plummer, 148). In addition, the reading ἐνδυσάμενοι fits the Pauline pattern of equivalence between apodosis and protasis that is found often enough in his conditional clauses. Thus, “put on” has the mark of authenticity and should be considered autographic.
205. 2 Corinthians 5:3 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the “heavenly dwelling” of the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
206. 2 Corinthians 5:4 sn See the note in 5:1 on the phrase the tent we live in.
207. 2 Corinthians 5:4 tn Or “we are burdened.”
208. 2 Corinthians 5:5 tn Grk “for this very thing.”
209. 2 Corinthians 5:5 tn Or “first installment,” “pledge,” “deposit” (see the note on the phrase “down payment” in 1:22).
210. 2 Corinthians 5:6 tn Grk “we know that being at home in the body”; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).
211. 2 Corinthians 5:7 tn Grk “we walk.”
212. 2 Corinthians 5:8 tn Or “be absent.”
213. 2 Corinthians 5:9 tn Grk “whether we are at home” [in the body]; an idiom for being alive (L&N 23.91).
214. 2 Corinthians 5:9 tn Grk “to be pleasing to him.”
215. 2 Corinthians 5:10 sn The judgment seat (βῆμα, bēma) was a raised platform mounted by steps and sometimes furnished with a seat, used by officials in addressing an assembly or making pronouncements, often on judicial matters. The judgment seat was a common item in Greco-Roman culture, often located in the agora, the public square or marketplace in the center of a city. Use of the term in reference to Christ’s judgment would be familiar to Paul’s 1st century readers.
216. 2 Corinthians 5:10 tn Or “whether good or bad.”
217. 2 Corinthians 5:11 tn Or “because we know what it means to fear the Lord.”
218. 2 Corinthians 5:11 tn The present tense of πείθομεν (peithomen) has been translated as a conative present.
219. 2 Corinthians 5:11 tn Grk “men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is generic here since clearly both men and women are in view (Paul did not attempt to win only men to the gospel he preached).
220. 2 Corinthians 5:11 tn Or “clearly evident.” BDAG 1048 s.v. φανερόω 2.b.β has “θεῷ πεφανερώμεθα we are well known to God 2 Cor 5:11a, cp. 11b; 11:6 v.l.”
221. 2 Corinthians 5:12 tn The present tense of συνιστάνομεν (sunistanomen) has been translated as a conative present.
222. 2 Corinthians 5:12 tn Or “to boast about us.”
223. 2 Corinthians 5:12 tn Or “who boast.”
224. 2 Corinthians 5:12 tn Or “in what is seen.”
225. 2 Corinthians 5:14 tn The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Χριστοῦ (hē agapē tou Christou, “the love of Christ”) could be translated as either objective genitive (“our love for Christ”) or subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”). Either is grammatically possible, but with the reference to Christ’s death for all in the following clauses, a subjective genitive (“Christ’s love for us”) is more likely.
226. 2 Corinthians 5:14 tn Grk “one”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
227. 2 Corinthians 5:15 tn Or “but for him who died and was raised for them.”
228. 2 Corinthians 5:16 tn Grk “we know.”
229. 2 Corinthians 5:16 tn Grk “no one according to the flesh.”
230. 2 Corinthians 5:16 tn Grk “we have known Christ according to the flesh.”
231. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tn Grk “old things have passed away.”
232. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tc Most mss have the words τὰ πάντα (ta panta, “all things”; cf. KJV “behold, all things are become new”), some after καίνα (kaina, “new”; D² K L P Ψ 104 326 945 2464 pm) and others before it (6 33 81 614 630 1241 1505 1881 pm). The reading without τὰ πάντα, however, has excellent support from both the Western and Alexandrian text-forms (P⁴⁶ א B C D* F G 048 0243 365 629 1175 1739 co), and the different word order of the phrase which includes it (“all things new” or “new all things”) in the ms tradition indicates its secondary character. This secondary addition may have taken place because of assimilation to τὰ δὲ πάντα (ta de panta, “and all [these] things”) that begins the following verse.
233. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tn Grk “new things have come [about].”
234. 2 Corinthians 5:19 tn Or “he has entrusted to us.”
235. 2 Corinthians 5:20 tn Or “as though God were begging.”
236. 2 Corinthians 5:20 tn Or “we beg you.”
237. 2 Corinthians 5:21 tn Grk “He”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
238. 2 Corinthians 5:21 sn The one who did not know sin is a reference to Jesus Christ.
239. 2 Corinthians 5:21 sn That is, “in Christ.”
240. 2 Corinthians 6:1 tn Or “receive the grace of God uselessly.”
241. 2 Corinthians 6:2 sn A quotation from Isa 49:8.
242. 2 Corinthians 6:3 tn The word “anyone” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
243. 2 Corinthians 6:3 tn Other interpretations of the first part of 2 Cor 6:3 are possible. The phrase could also mean, “not putting an obstacle in the way of anyone” (L&N 22.14), or “giving no one in anything a cause to sin” (L&N 88.307).
244. 2 Corinthians 6:4 tn Or “ministers.”
245. 2 Corinthians 6:4 tn Or “we have commended ourselves by all things.”
246. 2 Corinthians 6:4 tn Or “in trouble and suffering.”
247. 2 Corinthians 6:5 tn Or “rebellions” (uprisings in open defiance of civil authority).
248. 2 Corinthians 6:5 tn Usually κόποις (kopois) has been translated as “labors” or “hard work,” but see Matt 26:10 where it means “trouble”; “distress” (L&N 22.7). In this context with so many other terms denoting suffering and difficulty, such a meaning is preferable.
249. 2 Corinthians 6:6 tn Or “by holiness of spirit.”
250. 2 Corinthians 6:6 tn Or “sincere.”
251. 2 Corinthians 6:7 tn Grk “by the word of truth”; understanding ἀληθείας (alētheias) as an attributive genitive (“truthful word”).
252. 2 Corinthians 6:7 tn Or “speech.” In this context it is more likely that λόγος (logos) refers to Paul’s message (thus “teaching”) than to his speech in general.
253. 2 Corinthians 6:7 tn The phrase “for the right hand and for the left” possibly refers to a combination of an offensive weapon (a sword for the right hand) and a defensive weapon (a shield for the left).
254. 2 Corinthians 6:8 tn Or “regarded as deceivers.”
255. 2 Corinthians 6:9 tn Grk “disciplined,” but in this context probably a reference to scourging prior to execution (yet the execution is not carried out).
256. 2 Corinthians 6:11 tn Grk “our mouth has been open to you,” an idiom for openness in communication.
257. 2 Corinthians 6:12 tn Grk “You are not restricted by us.”
258. 2 Corinthians 6:13 tn The word “my” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
259. 2 Corinthians 6:13 tn The words “to us” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
260. 2 Corinthians 6:14 tn Or “Do not be mismatched.”
261. 2 Corinthians 6:15 sn The Greek term Βελιάρ (Beliar) is a spelling variant for Βελιάλ (Belial, see Judg 20:13 LXX). It occurs only here in the NT. Beliar is a reference to Satan.
262. 2 Corinthians 6:16 tc Most witnesses, including some significant ones (P⁴⁶ א² C D² F G Ψ 0209 M lat sy Tert), read ὑμεῖς…ἐστε (humeis…este, “you are”) instead of ἡμεῖς…ἐσμεν (hēmeis…esmen, “we are”) here, but several other early and significant mss (א* B D* L P 0243 6 33 81 326 365 1175 1739 1881 2464 co Cl Or) have ἡμεῖς…ἐσμεν. The external evidence is somewhat in favor of the first person pronoun and verb; the internal evidence weighs in even stronger. In light of the parallel in 1 Cor 3:16, where Paul uses ἐστε (“you are the temple of God”), as well as the surrounding context here in which the second person verb or pronoun is used in vv. 14, 17, and 18, the second person reading seems obviously motivated. The first person reading can explain the rise of the other reading, but the reverse is not as easily done. Consequently, the first person reading of ἡμεῖς…ἐσμεν has all the credentials of authenticity.
263. 2 Corinthians 6:16 tn Or “live among them,” “live with them.” sn I will live in them. The OT text that lies behind this passage (Lev 26:11-12) speaks of God dwelling in the midst of his people. The Greek preposition en in the phrase en autois (“in them”) can also have that meaning (“among” or “with”). However, Paul appears to be extending the imagery here to involve God (as the Spirit) dwelling in his people, since he calls believers “the temple of the living God” in the previous clause, imagery he uses elsewhere in his writings (1 Cor 3:16; Eph 2:21-22).
264. 2 Corinthians 6:16 sn A quotation from Lev 26:12; also similar to Jer 32:38; Ezek 37:27.
265. 2 Corinthians 6:17 sn A quotation from Isa 52:11.
266. 2 Corinthians 6:17 tn Or “will receive.”
267. 2 Corinthians 6:17 sn A paraphrased quotation from Ezek 20:41.
268. 2 Corinthians 6:18 sn A paraphrased quotation from 2 Sam 7:14 and Isa 43:6.
269. 2 Corinthians 6:18 tn Traditionally, “the Lord Almighty.” BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…κύριος π. (oft. LXX) 2 Cor 6:18.”
270. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tn Or “purify ourselves.”
271. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tn Grk “from every defilement of the flesh.”
272. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tn Grk “accomplishing.” The participle has been translated as a finite verb due to considerations of contemporary English style, and “thus” has been supplied to indicate that it represents a result of the previous cleansing.
273. 2 Corinthians 7:1 tn Grk “in the fear of God.”
274. 2 Corinthians 7:2 tn The phrase “in your hearts” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
275. 2 Corinthians 7:2 tn “We have ruined no one” may refer to financial loss (“we have caused no one to suffer financial loss”) but it may also refer to the undermining of faith (“we have corrupted no one’s faith,”). Both options are mentioned in L&N 20.23.
276. 2 Corinthians 7:2 tn Or “we have taken advantage of no one.”
277. 2 Corinthians 7:3 sn See 2 Cor 1:4-7.
278. 2 Corinthians 7:3 tn The words “with you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
279. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Grk “great is my boasting.”
280. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Or “comfort.”
281. 2 Corinthians 7:4 tn Grk “I am overflowing with joy in all our suffering”; the words “in the midst of” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to clarify that Paul is not rejoicing in the suffering itself, but in his relationship with the Corinthians in the midst of all his suffering.
282. 2 Corinthians 7:5 tn Grk “our flesh.”
283. 2 Corinthians 7:6 tn Or “comforts,” “consoles.”
284. 2 Corinthians 7:6 tn Or “comforted,” “consoled.”
285. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “We were encouraged.”
286. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “comfort,” “consolation.”
287. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Grk “by the encouragement with which he was encouraged by you.” The passive construction was translated as an active one in keeping with contemporary English style, and the repeated word “encouraged” was replaced in the translation by “gave” to avoid redundancy in the translation.
288. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “your grieving,” “your deep sorrow.”
289. 2 Corinthians 7:7 tn Or “your zeal.”
290. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tn Grk “if I grieved you.”
291. 2 Corinthians 7:8 sn My letter. Paul is referring to the “severe” letter mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4.
292. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tn Grk “I do not regret”; direct objects in Greek must often be supplied from the context. Here one could simply supply “it,” but since Paul is referring to the effects of his previous letter, clarity is improved if “having written it” is supplied.
293. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tn Grk “I did regret”; the direct object “it” must be supplied from the context.
294. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tc A few significant mss (P^46c B D* it sa) lack γάρ (gar, “for”), while the majority of witnesses have it (א C D¹ F G Ψ 0243 33 1739 1881 M sy bo). Even though P^46* omits γάρ, it has the same sense (viz., a subordinate clause) because it reads the participle βλέπων (blepōn, “seeing”; the Vulgate does the same). A decision is difficult because although the overwhelming external evidence is on the side of the conjunction, the lack of γάρ is a significantly harder reading, for the whole clause is something of an anacoluthon. Without the conjunction, the sentence reads more harshly. This would fit with Paul’s “vehemence of spirit” (A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament, 435) that is found especially in 2 Corinthians and Galatians. However, the mss that omit the conjunction are prone to such tendencies at times. In this instance, the conjunction should probably stand.
295. 2 Corinthians 7:8 tn Grk “my letter grieved you.”
296. 2 Corinthians 7:9 tn Grk “were grieved” (so also twice later in the verse).
297. 2 Corinthians 7:9 tn Grk “corresponding to God,” that is, corresponding to God’s will (κατὰ θεόν, kata theon). The same phrase occurs in vv. 10 and 11.
298. 2 Corinthians 7:9 tn Grk “so that you did not suffer loss.”
299. 2 Corinthians 7:11 tn Grk “this very thing, to be grieved.”
300. 2 Corinthians 7:11 tn The words “of yourselves” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
301. 2 Corinthians 7:11 sn What indignation refers to the Corinthians’ indignation at the offender.
302. 2 Corinthians 7:11 tn Or “what zeal.”
303. 2 Corinthians 7:11 sn That is, punishment for the offender.
304. 2 Corinthians 7:12 tn Grk “but in order that your eagerness on our behalf might be revealed to you.”
305. 2 Corinthians 7:13 tn Or “all of you have put his mind at ease.”
306. 2 Corinthians 7:14 tn Grk “I have not been put to shame”; the words “by you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
307. 2 Corinthians 7:14 tn Grk “just as we spoke everything to you in truth.”
308. 2 Corinthians 7:14 tn The words “about you” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
309. 2 Corinthians 7:15 tn Or “is all the more.”
310. 2 Corinthians 8:1 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:8.
311. 2 Corinthians 8:2 tn Or “riches.”
312. 2 Corinthians 8:3 tn Or “spontaneously.”
313. 2 Corinthians 8:4 tn Or “of ministering to.”
314. 2 Corinthians 8:6 tn A new sentence was started here in the translation and the word “thus” was supplied to indicate that it expresses the result of the previous clause.
315. 2 Corinthians 8:6 tn Or “we exhorted.”
316. 2 Corinthians 8:6 tn The words “this work” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted and must be supplied from the context.
317. 2 Corinthians 8:6 tn Grk “this grace.”
318. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tn Grk “as you abound.”
319. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tc The reading “the love from us that is in you” is very difficult in this context, for Paul is here enumerating the Corinthians’ attributes: How is it possible for them to excel “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, because of this difficulty, several early scribes, as well as most later ones (א C D F G Ψ [33] M lat), altered the text to read “your love for us” (so NIV; Grk ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπῃ [ex humōn en hēmin agapē]). The reading ἐξ ἡμῶν ἐν ὑμῖν ἀγάπῃ (ex hēmōn en humin agapē) is found, however, in excellent and early witnesses (P⁴⁶ B 0243 6 104 630 1175 1739 1881 co). As the harder reading it explains the rise of the other reading. What, then, is the force of “in the love from us that is in you”? Most likely, Paul is commending the Corinthians for excelling in deriving some inspiration from the apostles’ love for them.
320. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tn Grk “you abound.”
321. 2 Corinthians 8:7 tn Grk “this grace.”
322. 2 Corinthians 8:8 tn Grk “by means of the eagerness of others.”
323. 2 Corinthians 8:9 tn Or “generosity.”
324. 2 Corinthians 8:10 tn Grk “who.”
325. 2 Corinthians 8:11 tn Grk “and now also complete the doing.”
326. 2 Corinthians 8:11 tn Grk “just as the eagerness to want [it].”
327. 2 Corinthians 8:11 tn Grk “complete from what you have.”
328. 2 Corinthians 8:12 tn The words “the gift itself” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Translators often supply an English phrase like “it is” (NASB) but in the context, Paul is clearly referring to the collection Titus was to oversee (2 Cor 8:4-7). Therefore there is no reason not to specify the referent (the gift) more narrowly for clarity.
329. 2 Corinthians 8:14 tn Or “their lack.”
330. 2 Corinthians 8:15 tn The word “gathered” is not in the Greek text, but is implied (so also for the second occurrence of the word later in the verse).
331. 2 Corinthians 8:15 sn A quotation from Exod 16:18.
332. 2 Corinthians 8:16 tn Or “eagerness.”
333. 2 Corinthians 8:17 tn The comparative form of this adjective is used here with elative meaning.
334. 2 Corinthians 8:17 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
335. 2 Corinthians 8:17 tn Or “of his own free will.”
336. 2 Corinthians 8:18 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
337. 2 Corinthians 8:18 tn Grk “the brother of whom the praise in the gospel [is] throughout all the churches.”
338. 2 Corinthians 8:19 tn Grk “gospel, and not only this, but.” Here a new sentence was started in the translation.
339. 2 Corinthians 8:19 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the brother mentioned in v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
340. 2 Corinthians 8:19 tn That is, the offering or collection being taken to assist impoverished Christians.
341. 2 Corinthians 8:19 tn The words “to help” are not in the Greek text but are implied (see L&N 25.68).
342. 2 Corinthians 8:20 tn “This” refers to sending the brother mentioned in 2 Cor 8:18 to Corinth along with Titus. The words “We did this” have no equivalent in the Greek text, but are necessary to maintain the thought flow in English. The Greek participle that begins v. 20 continues the sentence begun in v. 18 which concerns the sending of the other brother mentioned there.
343. 2 Corinthians 8:21 sn An allusion to Prov 3:4.
344. 2 Corinthians 8:22 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
345. 2 Corinthians 8:23 tn Grk “If concerning Titus” (εἴτε ὑπὲρ Τίτου, eite huper Titou); the Greek sentence opens with an ellipsis which must be supplied: If [there is any question] about Titus.”
346. 2 Corinthians 8:23 tn Grk “apostles.”
347. 2 Corinthians 8:24 tc The sense of this translation is attested by the fact that most of the later mss, along with several early and significant ones (א C D² Ψ 0225 0243 1739 1881 M lat), have the imperative verb ἐνδείξασθε (endeixasthe) in place of the participle ἐνδεικνύμενοι (endeiknumenoi), which is found in B D* F G 33. Since an imperatival participle is more Hebraic in style, many scribes would not have understood the idiom as easily and would have been likely to change the participle to an imperative (so TCGNT 513-14). But there is no good reason why scribes would change the imperative into a participle. Thus, ἐνδεικνύμενοι is almost surely the wording of the original text.tn In the Greek text ἐνδεικνύμενοι (endeiknumenoi) is a present participle which is translated as an imperative verb (see BDF §468; ExSyn 650-52).
348. 2 Corinthians 8:24 tn Or “our boasting about you.”
349. 2 Corinthians 9:1 tn Or “it is superfluous.”
350. 2 Corinthians 9:1 tn Or “this ministry,” “this contribution.”
351. 2 Corinthians 9:2 tn The words “to help” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
352. 2 Corinthians 9:2 tn Grk “concerning which I keep boasting to the Macedonians about you.” A new sentence was started here and the translation was simplified by removing the relative clause and repeating the antecedent “this eagerness of yours.”
353. 2 Corinthians 9:2 tn The words “to give” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
354. 2 Corinthians 9:2 tn The words “to participate” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
355. 2 Corinthians 9:2 sn Most of them is a reference to the Macedonians (cf. v. 4).
356. 2 Corinthians 9:3 tn This verb has been translated as an epistolary aorist.
357. 2 Corinthians 9:3 tn That is, ready with the collection for the saints.
358. 2 Corinthians 9:4 tn Or “be disgraced”; Grk “be put to shame.”
359. 2 Corinthians 9:4 tn Grk “by this confidence”; the words “we had in you” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied as a necessary clarification for the English reader.
360. 2 Corinthians 9:5 tn Grk “the blessing.”
361. 2 Corinthians 9:5 tn Grk “a blessing.”
362. 2 Corinthians 9:5 tn Grk “as a covetousness”; that is, a gift given grudgingly or under compulsion.
363. 2 Corinthians 9:6 tn Or “bountifully”; so also in the next occurrence in the verse.
364. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tn Or “must do.” The words “of you” and “should give” are not in the Greek text, which literally reads, “Each one just as he has decided in his heart.” The missing words are an ellipsis; these or similar phrases must be supplied for the English reader.
365. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tn Or “in his mind.”
366. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tn Or “not from regret”; Grk “not out of grief.”
367. 2 Corinthians 9:7 tn Or “not out of a sense of duty”; Grk “from necessity.”
368. 2 Corinthians 9:8 tn Or “abound.”
369. 2 Corinthians 9:8 tn Or “so that by having enough.” The Greek participle can be translated as a participle of cause (“because you have enough”) or means (“by having enough”).
370. 2 Corinthians 9:8 tn Or “abound.”
371. 2 Corinthians 9:9 sn He in the quotation refers to the righteous person.
372. 2 Corinthians 9:9 sn A quotation from Ps 112:9.
373. 2 Corinthians 9:10 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
374. 2 Corinthians 9:11 tn Grk “in every way for every generosity,” or “he will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times” (L&N 57.29).
375. 2 Corinthians 9:12 tn Or “not only supplying.”
376. 2 Corinthians 9:13 tn Or “proof,” or perhaps “testing” (NRSV).
377. 2 Corinthians 9:13 tn Or “ministry.”
378. 2 Corinthians 9:13 tn Or “your partnership”; Grk “your fellowship.”
379. 2 Corinthians 9:14 tn Grk “the extraordinary grace of God to you”; the point is that God has given or shown grace to the Corinthians.
380. 2 Corinthians 9:15 tn “Let us thank God for his gift which cannot be described with words” (L&N 33.202).
381. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn The Greek pronoun (“you”) is plural.
382. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn The word “personally” is supplied to reflect the force of the Greek intensive pronoun αὐτός (autos) at the beginning of the verse.
383. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn Or “leniency and clemency.” D. Walker, “Paul’s Offer of Leniency of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:1): Populist Ideology and Rhetoric in a Pauline Letter Fragment (2 Cor 10:1-13:10)” (Ph.D. diss., University of Chicago, 1998), argues for this alternative translation for three main reasons: (1) When the two Greek nouns πραΰτης and ἐπιείκεια (prautēs and epieikeia) are used together, 90% of the time the nuance is “leniency and clemency.” (2) “Leniency and clemency” has a military connotation, which is precisely what appears in the following verses. (3) 2 Cor 10-13 speaks of Paul’s sparing use of his authority, which points to the nuance of “leniency and clemency.”
384. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn Or “who lack confidence.”
385. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn Or “when face-to-face with.”
386. 2 Corinthians 10:1 tn Or “but bold.”
387. 2 Corinthians 10:2 tn Grk “consider us as walking.”
388. 2 Corinthians 10:2 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
389. 2 Corinthians 10:3 tn Grk “we walk.”
390. 2 Corinthians 10:3 tn Grk “in the flesh.”
391. 2 Corinthians 10:3 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
392. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tn Grk “are not fleshly [weapons].” The repetition of the word “warfare” does not occur in the Greek text, but is supplied for clarity.
393. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tn Or “but (are) divinely powerful,” “but they have divine power,” or “but are powerful for God’s [service]”; Grk “but are powerful to God.”
394. 2 Corinthians 10:4 sn Ultimately Paul is referring here to the false arguments of his opponents, calling them figuratively “strongholds.” This Greek word (ὀχύρωμα, ochurōma) is used only here in the NT.
395. 2 Corinthians 10:4 tn Or “speculations.”
396. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tn The phrase “every arrogant obstacle” could be translated simply “all arrogance” (so L&N 88.207).
397. 2 Corinthians 10:5 tn Grk “to the obedience of Christ,” but since Χριστοῦ (Christou) is clearly an objective genitive here, it is better to translate “to make it obey Christ.”
398. 2 Corinthians 10:6 tn Or “punish all disobedience.”
399. 2 Corinthians 10:7 tn The phrase is close to a recognized idiom for judging based on outward appearances (L&N 30.120). Some translators see a distinction, however, and translate 2 Cor 10:7a as “Look at what is in front of your eyes,” that is, the obvious facts of the case (so NRSV).
400. 2 Corinthians 10:8 tn The word “us” is not in the Greek text but is supplied. Indirect objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, and must be supplied for the modern English reader.
401. 2 Corinthians 10:8 tn Grk “I will not be put to shame,” “I will not be ashamed.” The words “of doing so” are supplied to clarify for the reader that Paul will not be ashamed of boasting somewhat more about the authority the Lord gave him (beginning of v. 8).
402. 2 Corinthians 10:10 tn Or “unimpressive.”
403. 2 Corinthians 10:10 tn Or “is contemptible”; Grk “is despised.”
404. 2 Corinthians 10:11 tn Grk “what we are in word.”
405. 2 Corinthians 10:12 tn Or “they are unintelligent.”
406. 2 Corinthians 10:13 tn Or “boast excessively.” The phrase εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα (eis ta ametra) is an idiom; literally it means “into that which is not measured,” that is, a point on a scale that goes beyond what might be expected (L&N 78.27).
407. 2 Corinthians 10:13 tn The words “will confine our boasting” are not in the Greek text, but the reference to boasting must be repeated from the previous clause to clarify for the modern reader what is being limited.
408. 2 Corinthians 10:13 tn Grk “according to the measure of the rule which God has apportioned to us as a measure”; for the translation used in the text see L&N 37.100.
409. 2 Corinthians 10:14 tn Grk “with the gospel of Christ,” but since Χριστοῦ (Christou) is clearly an objective genitive here, it is better to translate “with the gospel about Christ.”
410. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn Or “boast excessively.” The phrase εἰς τὰ ἄμετρα (eis ta ametra) is an idiom; literally it means “into that which is not measured,” that is, a point on a scale that goes beyond what might be expected (L&N 78.27).
411. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn Or “in the labors.”
412. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn Grk “but we have the hope.”
413. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn Or “greatly enlarged.”
414. 2 Corinthians 10:15 tn That is, Paul’s work might be greatly expanded within the area of activity assigned to him by God.
415. 2 Corinthians 10:17 tn The traditional translation (“let the one who boasts boast in the Lord”) can be understood as merely permissive by the English reader, but the Greek verb καυχάσθω (kauchasthō) is a third person imperative.sn A quotation from Jer 9:24 (also quoted in 1 Cor 1:31).
416. 2 Corinthians 11:2 tn That is, to Christ.
417. 2 Corinthians 11:2 tn Or “chaste.”
418. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Grk “I fear lest somehow.”
419. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “the snake.”
420. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “craftiness.”
421. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tn Or “corrupted,” “seduced.”
422. 2 Corinthians 11:3 tc Although most mss (א² H Ψ 0121 0243 1739 1881 M) lack “and pure” (καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος, kai tēs hagnotētos; Grk “and purity”) several significant and early witnesses (P⁴⁶ א* B D^[2] F G 33 81 104 ar r co) retain these words. Their presence in such mss across such a wide geographical distribution argues for their authenticity. The omission from the majority of mss can be explained by haplography, since the -τητος ending of ἁγνότητος is identical to the ending of ἁπλότητος (haplotētos, “sincerity”) three words back (ἁπλότητος καὶ τῆς ἁγνότητος); further, since the meanings of “sincerity” and “purity” are similar they might seem redundant. A copyist would scarcely notice the omission because Paul’s statement still makes sense without “and from purity.”
423. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Or “preaches.”
424. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “another Jesus whom we have not proclaimed.”
425. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “a different spirit which you did not receive.”
426. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Grk “a different gospel which you did not accept.”
427. 2 Corinthians 11:4 tn Or “you endure it very well.”
428. 2 Corinthians 11:5 tn The implicit irony in Paul’s remark is brought out well by the TEV “I do not think that I am the least bit inferior to those very special so-called ‘apostles’ of yours!”sn The ‘super-apostles’ refers either (1) to the original apostles (the older interpretation) or (2) more probably, to Paul’s opponents in Corinth, in which case the designation is ironic.
429. 2 Corinthians 11:6 sn Unskilled in speaking means not professionally trained as a rhetorician.
430. 2 Corinthians 11:7 sn Paul is referring to humbling himself to the point of doing manual labor to support himself.
431. 2 Corinthians 11:7 tn Or “preached.”
432. 2 Corinthians 11:8 sn That is, serve them free of charge (cf. the end of v. 7).
433. 2 Corinthians 11:9 tn Grk “you, and when.” A new sentence was started here in the translation.
434. 2 Corinthians 11:9 tn If the participle ἐλθόντες (elthontes) is taken as temporal rather than adjectival, the translation would be, “for the brothers, when they came from Macedonia, fully supplied my needs” (similar to NASB).
435. 2 Corinthians 11:9 tn Grk “needs, and I kept.” A new sentence was started here in the translation.
436. 2 Corinthians 11:10 tn That is, that Paul offers the gospel free of charge to the Corinthians (see 2 Cor 11:7).
437. 2 Corinthians 11:10 tn Or “silenced.”
438. 2 Corinthians 11:11 tn Grk “God knows!” The words “I do” are supplied for clarity. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
439. 2 Corinthians 11:12 tn Grk “an opportunity, so that they may be found just like us.”
440. 2 Corinthians 11:13 tn Or “dishonest.”
441. 2 Corinthians 11:13 tn Or “workers, masquerading.”
442. 2 Corinthians 11:14 tn Or “Satan himself masquerades.”
443. 2 Corinthians 11:15 tn Or “also masquerade.”
444. 2 Corinthians 11:15 tn Or “their works.”
445. 2 Corinthians 11:16 tn Or “am foolish.”
446. 2 Corinthians 11:17 tn Grk “with this confidence of boasting.” The genitive καυχήσεως (kauchēseōs) has been translated as an attributive genitive (the noun in the genitive functions as an adjective of the noun modified).
447. 2 Corinthians 11:17 tn Or “say with the Lord’s authority.”
448. 2 Corinthians 11:18 sn Many is a reference to Paul’s opponents.
449. 2 Corinthians 11:18 tn Grk “according to the flesh.”
450. 2 Corinthians 11:19 tn Or “you tolerate.”
451. 2 Corinthians 11:20 tn Or “you tolerate.”
452. 2 Corinthians 11:20 tn See L&N 88.212.
453. 2 Corinthians 11:21 tn Or “my shame.”
454. 2 Corinthians 11:21 sn It seems best, in context, to see the statement we were too weak for that as a parenthetical and ironic comment by Paul on his physical condition (weakness or sickness) while he was with the Corinthians (cf. 2 Cor 12:7-10; Gal 4:15).
455. 2 Corinthians 11:21 tn The words “to boast about” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, and this phrase serves as the direct object of the preceding verb.
456. 2 Corinthians 11:21 tn Grk “I also dare”; the words “to boast about the same thing” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, and this phrase serves as the direct object of the preceding verb.
457. 2 Corinthians 11:24 tn Grk “forty less one”; this was a standard sentence. “Lashes” is supplied to clarify for the modern reader what is meant.
458. 2 Corinthians 11:25 sn Beaten with a rod refers to the Roman punishment of admonitio according to BDAG 902 s.v. ῥαβδίζω. Acts 16:22 describes one of these occasions in Philippi; in this case it was administered by the city magistrates, who had wide powers in a military colony.
459. 2 Corinthians 11:25 sn Received a stoning. See Acts 14:19, where this incident is described.
460. 2 Corinthians 11:26 tn Or “bandits.” The word normally refers more to highwaymen (“robbers”) but can also refer to insurrectionists or revolutionaries (“bandits”).
461. 2 Corinthians 11:26 tn Or “desert.”
462. 2 Corinthians 11:27 tn The two different words for labor are translated “in hard work and toil” by L&N 42.48.
463. 2 Corinthians 11:27 tn Grk “in cold and nakedness.” Paul does not mean complete nakedness, however, which would have been repugnant to a Jew; he refers instead to the lack of sufficient clothing, especially in cold weather. A related word is used to 1 Cor 4:11, also in combination with experiencing hunger and thirst.
464. 2 Corinthians 11:28 sn Apart from other things. Paul refers here either (1) to the external sufferings just mentioned, or (2) he refers to other things he has left unmentioned.
465. 2 Corinthians 11:28 tn “Anxious concern,” so translated in L&N 25.224.
466. 2 Corinthians 11:29 tn Or “who is caused to stumble.”
467. 2 Corinthians 11:30 tn Grk “If boasting is necessary.”
468. 2 Corinthians 11:30 tn Or “about the things related to my weakness.”
469. 2 Corinthians 11:32 tn Grk “ethnarch.”sn The governor was an official called an “ethnarch” who was appointed to rule on behalf of a king over a certain region.
470. 2 Corinthians 11:32 tn Grk “the city of the Damascenes.”
471. 2 Corinthians 11:32 tn Or “to seize,” “to catch.”
472. 2 Corinthians 11:33 tn In Acts 9:25 the same basket used in Paul’s escape is called a σπυρίς (spuris), a basket larger than a κόφινος (kophinos). It was very likely made out of rope, so the translation “rope-basket” is used.
473. 2 Corinthians 12:1 tn Grk “Boasting is necessary.”
474. 2 Corinthians 12:4 sn In the NT, paradise is mentioned three times. In Luke 23:43 it refers to the abode of the righteous dead. In Rev 2:7 it refers to the restoration of Edenic paradise predicted in Isa 51:3 and Ezek 36:35. The reference here in 2 Cor 12:4 is probably to be translated as parallel to the mention of the “third heaven” in v. 2. Assuming that the “first heaven” would be atmospheric heaven (the sky) and “second heaven” the more distant stars and planets, “third heaven” would refer to the place where God dwells. This is much more likely than some variation on the seven heavens mentioned in the pseudepigraphic book 2 Enoch and in other nonbiblical and rabbinic works.
475. 2 Corinthians 12:4 tn Or “things that cannot be put into words.”
476. 2 Corinthians 12:4 tn Grk “a man.”
477. 2 Corinthians 12:6 tn Or “speaking.”
478. 2 Corinthians 12:6 tn Or “may think of.”
479. 2 Corinthians 12:7 tc Most mss (P⁴⁶ D Ψ 1881 M) lack διό (dio, “Therefore”), but the widespread distribution and quality of mss which include it (א A B F G 0243 33 81 1175 1739) argues for its authenticity. Internally, its case is equally strong in that its inclusion is grammatically rough (διό is hardly necessary to convey purpose, especially since Paul uses ἵνα [hina, “so that”] next).
480. 2 Corinthians 12:7 tn Or “to harass.”
481. 2 Corinthians 12:7 tn The phrase “so that I might not become arrogant” is repeated here because it occurs in the Greek text two times in the verse. Although redundant, it is repeated because of the emphatic nature of its affirmation.
482. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” because of the contrast implicit in the context.
483. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tn Or “is sufficient.”
484. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tc The majority of later mss (א² A^c D¹ Ψ 0243 0278 33 1739 1881 M) as well as some versional witnesses include the pronoun “my” here, but the omission of the pronoun has excellent external support (P^46vid א* A* B D* F G latt). Scribes probably added the pronoun for clarity, making the obvious referent explicit. This would also make “power” more parallel with “my grace.” Though the original text probably did not include “my,” scribes who added the word were following the sense of Paul’s statement.tn The pronoun “my” was supplied in the translation to clarify the sense of Paul’s expression.
485. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tn Or “my power comes to full strength.”
486. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tn “Most gladly,” a comparative form used with superlative meaning and translated as such.
487. 2 Corinthians 12:9 tn Or “may rest on.”
488. 2 Corinthians 12:10 tn Or “I take delight in.”
489. 2 Corinthians 12:10 tn Or “calamities.”
490. 2 Corinthians 12:11 tn Or “I am in no way inferior.”
491. 2 Corinthians 12:12 tn Or “patience,” “endurance.”
492. 2 Corinthians 12:12 tn Or “and miracles.”
493. 2 Corinthians 12:13 tn Grk “For in what respect.”
494. 2 Corinthians 12:14 tn Grk “children ought not,” but this might give the impression that children are not supposed to support sick or aging parents in need of help. That is not what Paul is saying. His point is that children should not have to pay their parent’s way.
495. 2 Corinthians 12:15 tn Grk “souls.”
496. 2 Corinthians 12:17 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer, indicated by the ‘tag’ question “have I?” at the end of the clause. The question is rhetorical.
497. 2 Corinthians 12:18 tn The words “to visit you” are not in the Greek text but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, and must be supplied for the modern reader.
498. 2 Corinthians 12:18 tn Grk “the.”
499. 2 Corinthians 12:18 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative answer, indicated by the ‘tag’ question “did he?” at the end of the clause.
500. 2 Corinthians 12:18 tn Grk “[Did we not walk] in the same tracks?” This is an idiom that means to imitate someone else or to behave as they do. Paul’s point is that he and Titus have conducted themselves in the same way toward the Corinthians. If Titus did not take advantage of the Corinthians, then neither did Paul.
501. 2 Corinthians 12:19 tc The reading “all this time” (πάλαι, palai) is found in several early and significant Alexandrian and Western witnesses including א* A B F G 0243 6 33 81 365 1175 1739 1881 lat; the reading πάλιν (palin, “again”) is read by א² D Ψ 0278 M sy bo; the reading οὐ πάλαι (ou palai) is read by P⁴⁶, making the question even more emphatic. The reading of P⁴⁶ could only have arisen from πάλαι. The reading πάλιν is significantly easier (“are you once again thinking that we are defending ourselves?”), for it softens Paul’s tone considerably. It thus seems to be a motivated reading and cannot easily explain the rise of πάλαι. Further, πάλαι has considerable support in the Alexandrian and Western witnesses, rendering it virtually certain as the autographic wording here.
502. 2 Corinthians 12:19 tn Or “for your strengthening”; Grk “for your edification.”
503. 2 Corinthians 12:20 tn Grk “and I will be found by you.” The passive construction has been converted to an active one in the translation.
504. 2 Corinthians 12:20 tn The words “I am afraid that” are not repeated in the Greek text, but are needed for clarity.
505. 2 Corinthians 12:20 tn Or “intense anger, hostility.”
506. 2 Corinthians 12:21 tn The words “I am afraid that” are not repeated in the Greek text from v. 20, but are needed for clarity.
507. 2 Corinthians 12:21 tn Or “I will mourn over.”
508. 2 Corinthians 13:1 tn The word “visit” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
509. 2 Corinthians 13:1 tn Grk “By the mouth.”
510. 2 Corinthians 13:1 sn A quotation from Deut 19:15 (also quoted in Matt 18:16; 1 Tim 5:19).
511. 2 Corinthians 13:2 tn The word “anyone” is not in the Greek text but is implied.
512. 2 Corinthians 13:3 tn Grk “who.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
513. 2 Corinthians 13:5 tn Or “unless indeed you are disqualified.”
514. 2 Corinthians 13:6 tn Or “that we are not disqualified.”
515. 2 Corinthians 13:7 tn Or “that we may appear to be approved.”
516. 2 Corinthians 13:7 tn Or “what is good.”
517. 2 Corinthians 13:7 tn Or “even if we appear disapproved.”
518. 2 Corinthians 13:9 tn Or “fully equipped.”
519. 2 Corinthians 13:10 tn Grk “when I am present,” but in the context of Paul’s third (upcoming) visit to Corinth, this is better translated as “when I arrive.”
520. 2 Corinthians 13:10 tn The words “with you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
521. 2 Corinthians 13:11 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:8.
522. 2 Corinthians 13:12 sn The versification of vv. 12 and 13 in the NET (so also NRSV, NLT) is according to the versification in the NA²⁸ and UBS⁵ editions of the Greek text. Some translations, however, break the material up into three verses, i.e., 12-14 (NKJV, NASB, NIV). The same material has been translated in each case; the only difference is the versification of that material.
523. 2 Corinthians 13:13 tn Or “communion.”
524. 2 Corinthians 13:13 tc Most witnesses, especially later ones (א² D Ψ M lat sy bo), conclude this letter with ἀμήν (amēn, “amen”), while several early and significant mss (P⁴⁶ א* A B F G 0243 6 33 630 1175 1739 1881 sa) lack the particle. 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. That so many diverse witnesses lacked the word here is strong testimony to its absence for the original text of 2 Corinthians.
525. Galatians 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.
526. Galatians 1:3 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
527. Galatians 1:3 tc ‡ The unusual placement of the pronoun in καὶ κυρίου ἡμῶν (kai kuriou hēmōn), which produces the reading “God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ” instead of “God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” is read by P^{46, 51vid} B D F G H 1175 1505 1739 1881 M sy sa, while the more normal ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου (hēmōn kai kuriou) is found in א A P Ψ 33 81 326 365 1241 2464. Thus, the reading adopted in the translation is more widespread geographically and is found in the two earliest witnesses, along with several good representatives of the Alexandrian, Western, and Byzantine families. Internally, there would be a strong motivation for scribes to change the order to the more usual expression: “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” is Paul’s normal greeting; here alone is the pronoun attached to “Jesus Christ” (except in the Pastorals, though the greeting in these letters is nevertheless unlike the rest of the corpus Paulinum). Intrinsically, the chosen reading is superior as well: Scribes would be prone to emulate Paul’s regular style, while in an early letter such as this one his regular style was yet to be established (for a similar situation, cf. the text-critical discussion at 1 Thess 1:1). Hence, there is a strong probability that the reading in the translation above is authentic. Although B. M. Metzger argues that “the apostle’s stereotyped formula was altered by copyists who, apparently in the interest of Christian piety, transferred the possessive pronoun so it would be more closely associated with ‘Lord Jesus Christ’” (TCGNT 520), one might expect to see the same alterations in other Pauline letters. That this is not the case argues for “our Lord Jesus Christ” as the authentic reading here.
528. Galatians 1:6 sn The one who called you is a reference to God the Father (note the mention of Christ in the following prepositional phrase and the mention of God the Father in 1:1).
529. Galatians 1:6 tc Although the majority of witnesses, including some of the most important ones (P⁵¹ א A B F^c Ψ 33 1175 1505 1739 1881 2464 M f vg sy^p bo), read “by the grace of Christ” (χάριτι Χριστοῦ, chariti Christou) here, this reading is not without variables. Besides alternate readings such as χάριτι ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (chariti Iēsou Christou, “by the grace of Jesus Christ”; D 326 1241^s sy^h**) and χάριτι θεοῦ (chariti theou, “by the grace of God”; 327 Thret^lem), a few mss and other witnesses (P^46vid F* G H^vid ar b Tert Cyp Ambst Pel) have simply χάριτι with no modifier. Internally, the reading that seems best to explain the rise of the others is the shortest reading, χάριτι. Indeed, the fact that three different adjuncts are found in the mss seems to be a natural expansion on the simple “grace.” At the same time, the witnesses for the shortest reading are not particularly impressive, being that they largely represent one textual strand (Western), and a less-than-reliable one at that. Further, nowhere else in the corpus Paulinum do we see the construction χάρις (charis, “grace”) followed by Χριστοῦ without some other name (such as κυρίου [kuriou, “Lord”] or ᾿Ιησοῦ). The construction χάρις θεοῦ is likewise frequent in Paul. Thus, upon closer inspection it seems that the autographic wording here was χάριτι Χριστοῦ (for it is difficult to explain how this particular reading could have arisen from the simple χάριτι, in light of Paul’s normal idioms), with the other readings intentionally or accidentally arising from it.
530. Galatians 1:6 tn Grk “deserting [turning away] to” a different gospel, implying the idea of “following.”
531. Galatians 1:6 tn Grk “another.”
532. Galatians 1:7 tn Grk “which is not another,” but this could be misunderstood to mean “which is not really different.” In fact, as Paul goes on to make clear, there is no other gospel than the one he preaches.
533. Galatians 1:7 tn Grk “except.”
534. Galatians 1:7 tn Or “trying.”
535. Galatians 1:8 tc ‡ Most witnesses have ὑμῖν (humin, “to you”) either after (א² A [D* ὑμᾶς] 6 33 326 614 945 1881 M Tert^pt Ambst) or before (P^51vid B H 0278 630 1175 [1739* ἡμῖν]) εὐαγγελίζηται (euaggelizētai, “should preach” [or some variation on the form of this verb]). But the fact that it floats suggests its inauthenticity, especially since it appears to be a motivated reading for purposes of clarification. The following witnesses lack the pronoun: א* F G Ψ ar b g Cyp Mcion^T Tert^pt Lcf. The external evidence admittedly is not as weighty as evidence for the pronoun, but coupled with strong internal evidence the shorter reading should be considered the earliest. Although it is possible that scribes may have deleted the pronoun to make Paul’s statement seem more universal, the fact that the pronoun floats suggests otherwise. NA²⁸ has the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubt as to its authenticity.
536. Galatians 1:8 tn Or “other than the one we preached to you.”
537. Galatians 1:8 tn Grk “let him be accursed” (ἀνάθεμα, anathema). The translation gives the outcome which is implied by this dreadful curse.
538. Galatians 1:9 tn See the note on this phrase in the previous verse.
539. Galatians 1:10 tn Grk “of men”; but here ἀνθρώπους (anthrōpous) is used in a generic sense of both men and women.
540. Galatians 1:10 tn Grk “men”; but here ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) is used in a generic sense of both men and women.
541. Galatians 1:10 tn The imperfect verb has been translated conatively (ExSyn 550).
542. Galatians 1:10 tn Grk “men”; but here ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) is used in a generic sense of both men and women.
543. Galatians 1:10 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
544. Galatians 1:11 tc ‡ The conjunction δέ (de) is found in P⁴⁶ א*^,2 A D¹ Ψ 1175 1241 1505 1739 1881 M sy bo, while γάρ (gar) is the conjunction of choice in א¹ B D*^,c F G 33 lat sa. There are thus good representatives on each side. Scribes generally tended to prefer γάρ in such instances, most likely because it was more forceful and explicit. γάρ is thus seen as a motivated reading. For this reason, δέ is preferred.
545. Galatians 1:11 tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelphoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).
546. Galatians 1:11 tn Grk “is not according to man.”
547. Galatians 1:12 tn Or “I did not receive it from a human source, nor was I taught it.”
548. Galatians 1:12 tn The words “I received it” are not in the Greek text but are implied.
549. Galatians 1:12 tn It is difficult to determine what kind of genitive ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ (Iēsou Christou) is. If it is a subjective genitive, the meaning is “a revelation from Jesus Christ” but if objective genitive, it is “a revelation about Jesus Christ.” Most likely this is objective since the explanation in vv. 15-16 mentions God revealing the Son to Paul so that he might preach, although the idea of a direct revelation to Paul at some point cannot be ruled out.
550. Galatians 1:13 tn Or “lifestyle,” “behavior.”
551. Galatians 1:14 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
552. Galatians 1:14 tn Or “among my race.”
553. Galatians 1:14 tn Grk “was advancing beyond…nation, being.” The participle ὑπάρχων (huparchōn) was translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
554. Galatians 1:14 sn The traditions of my ancestors refers to both Pharisaic and popular teachings of this time which eventually were codified in Jewish literature such as the Mishnah, Midrashim, and Targums.
555. Galatians 1:15 tc ‡ Several significant witnesses have ὁ θεός (ho theos) after εὐδόκησεν (eudokēsen; so א A D Ψ 0278 33 1175 1241 1739 1881 2464 M co) while the shorter reading is supported by P⁴⁶ B F G 629 1505 lat. There is hardly any reason why scribes would omit the words (although the Beatty papyrus and the Western text do at times omit words and phrases), but several reasons why scribes would add the words (especially the need to clarify). The confluence of witnesses for the shorter reading (including a few fathers and versions) adds strong support for its authenticity. It is also in keeping with Paul’s style to refrain from mentioning God by name as a rhetorical device (cf. ExSyn 437 [although this section deals with passive constructions, the principle is the same]). NA²⁸ includes the words in brackets, indicating some doubts as to their authenticity.
556. Galatians 1:15 tn Grk “from my mother’s womb.”
557. Galatians 1:16 tn Or “to me”; the Greek preposition ἐν (en) can mean either, depending on the context.
558. Galatians 1:16 tn This pronoun refers to “his Son,” mentioned earlier in the verse.
559. Galatians 1:16 tn Or “I did not consult with.” For the translation “I did not go to ask advice from” see L&N 33.175.
560. Galatians 1:16 tn Grk “from flesh and blood.”
561. Galatians 1:17 sn As a geographical region Arabia included the territory west of Mesopotamia, east and south of Syria and Palestine, extending to the isthmus of Suez. During the Roman occupation, some independent kingdoms arose like that of the Nabateans south of Damascus, and these could be called simply Arabia. In light of the proximity to Damascus, this may well be the territory Paul says he visited here. See also C. W. Briggs, “The Apostle Paul in Arabia,” Biblical World 41 (1913): 255-59.
562. Galatians 1:18 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211). Both the Aramaic name “Cephas” and the Greek name “Peter” are related to words in each language which mean “rock.”
563. Galatians 1:18 tn Although often translated “to get acquainted with Cephas,” this could give the impression of merely a social call. L&N 34.52 has “to visit, with the purpose of obtaining information” for the meaning of ἱστορέω (historeō), particularly in this verse.
564. Galatians 1:19 tn Grk “But another of the apostles I did not see, except…” with “another” in emphatic position in the Greek text. Paul is determined to make the point that his contacts with the original twelve apostles and other leaders of the Jerusalem church were limited, thus asserting his independence from them.
565. Galatians 1:20 tn Grk “behold.”
566. Galatians 1:20 tn Grk “What things I am writing to you, behold, before God [that] I am not lying.”
567. Galatians 1:22 tn Or “by sight”; Grk “by face.”
568. Galatians 1:23 tn The Greek verb here is εὐαγγελίζεται (euangelizetai).
569. Galatians 1:24 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the report about Paul’s conversion.
570. Galatians 1:24 tn The prepositional phrase ἐν εμοί (en emoi) has been translated with a causal force.
571. Galatians 2:2 tn Grk “I went up”; one always spoke idiomatically of going “up” to Jerusalem.
572. Galatians 2:2 tn Or “in accordance with.” According to BDAG 512 s.v. κατά B.5.a.δ, “Oft. the norm is at the same time the reason, so that in accordance with and because of are merged…Instead of ‘in accordance w.’ κ. can mean simply because of, as a result of, on the basis of…κ. ἀποκάλυψιν Gal 2:2.”
573. Galatians 2:2 tn Or “set before them.”
574. Galatians 2:2 tn Grk “Gentiles, but only privately…to make sure.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started with “But” and the words “I did so,” an implied repetition from the previous clause, were supplied to make a complete English sentence.
575. Galatians 2:2 tn L&N 87.42 has “important persons, influential persons, prominent persons” for οἱ δοκοῦντες and translates this phrase in Gal 2:2 as “in a private meeting with the prominent persons.” The “prominent people” referred to here are the leaders of the Jerusalem church.
576. Galatians 2:2 tn Here the first verb (τρέχω, trechō, “was not running”) is present subjunctive, while the second (ἔδραμον, edramon, “had not run”) is aorist indicative.
577. Galatians 2:3 tn Grk “But,” translated here as “Yet” for stylistic reasons (note the use of “but” in v. 2).
578. Galatians 2:4 tn No subject and verb are expressed in vv. 4-5, but the phrase “Now this matter arose,” implied from v. 3, was supplied to make a complete English sentence.
579. Galatians 2:4 tn The adjective παρεισάκτους (pareisaktous), which relates to someone joining a group with false motives or false pretenses, applies to the “false brothers.” Although the expression “false brothers with false pretenses” is somewhat redundant, it captures the emphatic force of Paul’s expression, which labels both these “brothers” as false (ψευδαδέλφους, pseudadelphous) as well as their motives. See L&N 34.29 for more information.
580. Galatians 2:4 tn The verb translated here as “spy on” (κατασκοπέω, kataskopeō) can have a neutral nuance, but here the connotation is certainly negative (so F. F. Bruce, Galatians [NIGTC], 112-13, and E. Burton, Galatians [ICC], 83).
581. Galatians 2:4 tn Grk “in order that they might enslave us.” The ἵνα (hina) clause with the subjunctive verb καταδουλώσουσιν (katadoulōsousin) has been translated as an English infinitival clause.
582. Galatians 2:5 tn Grk “slaves, nor did we…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, οὐδέ (oude) was translated as “But…even” and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 5.
583. Galatians 2:5 tn Or “we did not cave in to their demands.”
584. Galatians 2:5 tn Grk “even for an hour” (an idiom for a very short period of time).
585. Galatians 2:5 sn In order that the truth of the gospel would remain with you. Paul evidently viewed the demands of the so-called “false brothers” as a departure from the truth contained in the gospel he preached. This was a very serious charge (see Gal 1:8).
586. Galatians 2:6 tn Or “influential leaders.” BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.a.β has “the influential men Gal 2:2, 6b. A fuller expr. w. the same mng., w. inf. added…vss. 6a, 9.” This refers to the leadership of the Jerusalem church.
587. Galatians 2:6 tn Grk “God does not receive the face of man,” an idiom for showing favoritism or partiality (BDAG 887-88 s.v. πρόσωπον 1.b.α; L&N 88.238).
588. Galatians 2:6 tn Or “influential people”; here “leaders” was used rather than “people” for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy with the word “people” in the previous parenthetical remark. See also the note on the word “influential” at the beginning of this verse.
589. Galatians 2:6 tn Or “contributed.” This is the same word translated “go to ask advice from” in 1:16, but it has a different meaning here; see L&N 59.72.
590. Galatians 2:6 tn Or “added nothing to my authority.” Grk “added nothing to me,” with what was added (“message,” etc.) implied.
591. Galatians 2:7 tn The participle ἰδόντες (idontes) has been taken temporally to retain the structure of the passage. Many modern translations, because of the length of the sentence here, translate this participle as a finite verb and break the Greek sentences into several English sentences (NIV, for example, begins new sentences at the beginning of both vv. 8 and 9).
592. Galatians 2:7 tn Grk “to the uncircumcision,” that is, to the Gentiles.
593. Galatians 2:7 tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.
594. Galatians 2:8 tn Or “worked through”; the same word is also used in relation to Paul later in this verse.
595. Galatians 2:8 tn Or “his ministry as an apostle.”
596. Galatians 2:8 tn Grk “to the circumcision,” i.e., the Jewish people.
597. Galatians 2:8 tn Grk “also empowered me to the Gentiles.”
598. Galatians 2:9 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211). Both the Aramaic name “Cephas” and the Greek name “Peter” are related to words in each language which mean “rock.”
599. Galatians 2:9 tn Or “who were influential as,” or “who were reputed to be.” See also the note on the word “influential” in 2:6.
600. Galatians 2:9 sn Pillars is figurative here for those like James, Peter, and John who were leaders in the Jerusalem church.
601. Galatians 2:9 tn The participle γνόντες (gnontes) has been taken temporally. It is structurally parallel to the participle translated “when they saw” in v. 7.
602. Galatians 2:9 tn Grk “me and Barnabas.”
603. Galatians 2:9 tn Grk “so,” with the ἵνα (hina) indicating the result of the “pillars” extending the “right hand of fellowship,” but the translation “they gave…the right hand of fellowship so that we would go” could be misunderstood as purpose here. The implication of the scene is that an agreement, outlined at the end of v. 10, was reached between Paul and Barnabas on the one hand and the “pillars” of the Jerusalem church on the other.
604. Galatians 2:9 tn Grk “to the circumcision,” a collective reference to the Jewish people.
605. Galatians 2:10 tn Grk “only that we remember the poor”; the words “They requested” have been supplied from the context to make a complete English sentence.
606. Galatians 2:11 sn Cephas. This individual is generally identified with the Apostle Peter (L&N 93.211). Both the Aramaic name “Cephas” and the Greek name “Peter” are related to words in each language which mean “rock.”
607. Galatians 2:11 tn Grk “because he stood condemned.”
608. Galatians 2:12 tn The conjunction γάρ has not been translated here.
609. Galatians 2:12 tn Grk “he drew back.” If ἑαυτόν (heauton) goes with both ὑπέστελλεν (hupestellen) and ἀφώριζεν (aphōrizen) rather than only the latter, the meaning would be “he drew himself back” (see BDAG 1041 s.v. ὑποστέλλω 1.a).
610. Galatians 2:12 tn Or “and held himself aloof.”
611. Galatians 2:12 tn Grk “the [ones] of the circumcision,” that is, the group of Jewish Christians who insisted on circumcision of Gentiles before they could become Christians.
612. Galatians 2:13 tn The words “with them” are a reflection of the σύν- (sun-) prefix on the verb συναπήχθη (sunapēchthē; see L&N 31.76).
613. Galatians 2:14 tn Here ἀναγκάζεις (anankazeis) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534).
614. Galatians 2:15 tn Grk “by nature.”
615. Galatians 2:15 tn Grk “and not sinners from among the Gentiles.”
616. Galatians 2:16 tn Grk “yet knowing”; the participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
617. Galatians 2:16 tn Grk “no man,” but ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women.
618. Galatians 2:16 sn The law is a reference to the law of Moses.
619. Galatians 2:16 tn Or “faith in Jesus Christ.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pistis Christou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in v. 20; Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 3:22; Eph 3:12; Phil 3:9) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view. sn On the phrase translated the faithfulness of Christ, ExSyn 116, which notes that the grammar is not decisive, nevertheless suggests that “the faith/faithfulness of Christ is not a denial of faith in Christ as a Pauline concept (for the idea is expressed in many of the same contexts, only with the verb πιστεύω rather than the noun), but implies that the object of faith is a worthy object, for he himself is faithful.” Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.
620. Galatians 2:16 tn In Greek this is a continuation of the preceding sentence, but the construction is too long and complex for contemporary English style, so a new sentence was started here in the translation.
621. Galatians 2:16 tn Or “by faith in Christ.” See comment above on “the faithfulness of Jesus Christ.”
622. Galatians 2:16 tn Or “no human being”; Grk “flesh.”
623. Galatians 2:17 tn Or “does Christ serve the interests of sin?”; or “is Christ an agent for sin?” See BDAG 230-31 s.v. διάκονος 2.
624. Galatians 2:18 tn Or “once tore down.”
625. Galatians 2:18 tn Traditionally, “that I am a transgressor.”
626. Galatians 2:20 tn The NA²⁸ Greek text, NRSV, NJB, TEV, HCSB, and a few others place the phrase “I have been crucified with Christ” at the end of v. 19, but most English translations place these words at the beginning of v. 20.
627. Galatians 2:20 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “So” to bring out the connection of the following clauses with the preceding ones. What Paul says here amounts to a result or inference drawn from his co-crucifixion with Christ and the fact that Christ now lives in him. In Greek this is a continuation of the preceding sentence, but the construction is too long and complex for contemporary English style, so a new sentence was started here in the translation.
628. Galatians 2:20 tn Grk “flesh.”
629. Galatians 2:20 tc A number of significant witnesses (P⁴⁶ B D* F G) have θεοῦ καὶ Χριστοῦ (theou kai Christou, “of God and Christ”) instead of υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ (huiou tou theou, “the Son of God”), found in the majority of mss, including several important ones (א A C D¹ Ψ 0278 33 1175 1241 1739 1881 2464 M lat sy co). The construction “of God and Christ” appears to be motivated as a more explicit affirmation of the deity of Christ (following as it apparently does the Granville Sharp rule). Although Paul certainly has an elevated Christology, explicit “God-talk” with reference to Jesus does not normally appear until the later books (cf., e.g., Titus 2:13, Phil 2:10-11, and probably Rom 9:5). For different arguments but the same textual conclusions, see TCGNT 524.tn Or “I live by faith in the Son of God.” See note on “faithfulness of Jesus Christ” in v. 16 for the rationale behind the translation “the faithfulness of the Son of God.”sn On the phrase because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, ExSyn 116, which notes that the grammar is not decisive, nevertheless suggests that “the faith/faithfulness of Christ is not a denial of faith in Christ as a Pauline concept (for the idea is expressed in many of the same contexts, only with the verb πιστεύω rather than the noun), but implies that the object of faith is a worthy object, for he himself is faithful.” Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.
630. Galatians 2:21 tn Or “I do not declare invalid,” “I do not nullify.”
631. Galatians 2:21 tn Or “justification.”
632. Galatians 2:21 tn Or “without cause,” “for no purpose.”
633. Galatians 3:1 tn Grk “O” (an interjection used both in address and emotion). In context the following section is highly charged emotionally.
634. Galatians 3:1 tn Or “deceived”; the verb βασκαίνω (baskainō) can be understood literally here in the sense of bewitching by black magic, but could also be understood figuratively to refer to an act of deception (see L&N 53.98 and 88.159).
635. Galatians 3:1 tn Or “publicly placarded,” “set forth in a public proclamation” (BDAG 867 s.v. προγράφω 2).
636. Galatians 3:2 tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law,” a reference to observing the Mosaic law.
637. Galatians 3:2 tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith.” Because the genitive noun πίστεως (pisteōs, “of faith”) is impersonal here, an objective genitive was preferred rather than a subjective genitive. See also v. 5.
638. Galatians 3:3 tn Grk “Having begun”; the participle ἐναρξάμενοι (enarxamenoi) has been translated concessively.
639. Galatians 3:3 tn Or “by the Spirit.”
640. Galatians 3:3 tn The verb ἐπιτελεῖσθε (epiteleisthe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534). This is something the Galatians were attempting to do, but could not accomplish successfully.
641. Galatians 3:3 tn Grk “in/by [the] flesh.”
642. Galatians 3:5 tn Or “provide.”
643. Galatians 3:5 tn Grk “by [the] works of [the] law” (the same phrase as in v. 2).
644. Galatians 3:5 tn Grk “by [the] hearing of faith” (the same phrase as in v. 2).
645. Galatians 3:6 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
646. Galatians 3:7 tn Grk “know.”
647. Galatians 3:7 tn The phrase “sons of Abraham” is used here in a figurative sense to describe people who are connected to a personality, Abraham, by close nonmaterial ties. It is this personality that has defined the relationship and its characteristics (BDAG 1024-25 s.v. υἱός 2.c.α).
648. Galatians 3:8 tn For the Greek verb προευαγγελίζομαι (proeuangelizomai) translated as “proclaim the gospel ahead of time,” compare L&N 33.216.
649. Galatians 3:8 tn The same plural Greek word, τὰ ἔθνη (ta ethnē), can be translated as “nations” or “Gentiles.”
650. Galatians 3:8 sn A quotation from Gen 12:3; 18:18.
651. Galatians 3:9 tn Grk “those who are by faith,” with the Greek expression “by faith” (ἐκ πίστεως, ek pisteōs) the same as the expression in v. 8.
652. Galatians 3:10 tn Grk “For as many as.”
653. Galatians 3:10 tn Grk “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all the things written in the book of the law, to do them.”sn A quotation from Deut 27:26.
654. Galatians 3:11 tn Or “The one who is righteous by faith will live” (a quotation from Hab 2:4).
655. Galatians 3:12 tn Grk “is not from faith.”
656. Galatians 3:12 tn Grk “who does these things”; the referent (the works of the law, see 3:5) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
657. Galatians 3:12 sn A quotation from Lev 18:5. The phrase the works of the law is an editorial expansion on the Greek text (see previous note); it has been left as normal typeface to indicate it is not part of the OT text.
658. Galatians 3:13 tn Grk “having become”; the participle γενόμενος (genomenos) has been taken instrumentally.
659. Galatians 3:13 sn A quotation from Deut 21:23. By figurative extension the Greek word translated tree (ζύλον, zulon) can also be used to refer to a cross (L&N 6.28), the Roman instrument of execution.
660. Galatians 3:14 tn Or “so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus.”
661. Galatians 3:15 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
662. Galatians 3:15 tn Grk “I speak according to man,” referring to the illustration that follows.
663. Galatians 3:15 tn The same Greek word, διαθήκη (diathēkē), can mean either “covenant” or “will,” but in this context the former is preferred here because Paul is discussing in vv. 16-18 the Abrahamic covenant.
664. Galatians 3:15 tn Or “has been put into effect.”
665. Galatians 3:16 tn Grk “his seed,” a figurative extension of the meaning of σπέρμα (sperma) to refer to descendants (L&N 10.29).
666. Galatians 3:16 tn Grk “It”; the referent (the scripture) has been specified in the translation for clarity. The understood subject of the verb λέγει (legei) could also be “He” (referring to God) as the one who spoke the promise to Abraham.
667. Galatians 3:16 tn Grk “to seeds.” See the note on “descendant” earlier in this verse. Here the term is plural; the use of the singular in the OT text cited later in this verse is crucial to Paul’s argument.
668. Galatians 3:16 tn See the note on “descendant” earlier in this verse.sn A quotation from Gen 12:7; 13:15; 17:7; 24:7.
669. Galatians 3:17 tc Most mss (D F G I 0176 0278 1505 M it sy) read “ratified by God in Christ” whereas the omission of “in Christ” is the reading in P⁴⁶ א A B C P Ψ 6 33 81 1175 1241 1739 1881 2464 co. The shorter reading is strongly supported by the ms evidence, and it is probable that a copyist inserted the words as an interpretive gloss. However, this form of the “in Christ” expression is somewhat atypical in the corpus Paulinum (εἰς Χριστόν [eis Christon] rather than ἐν Χριστῷ [en Christō]), a fact which tempers one’s certainty about the shorter reading. Nevertheless, the expression is used more in Galatians than in any other of Paul’s letters (Gal 2:16; 3:24, 27), and may have been suggested by such texts to early copyists.
670. Galatians 3:18 tn On the translation “graciously gave” for χαρίζομαι (charizomai) see L&N 57.102.
671. Galatians 3:19 tn Grk “Why then the law?”
672. Galatians 3:19 tc For προσετέθη (prosetethē) several Western witnesses have ἐτέθη (etethē, “it was established”; so D* F G it Ir^lat Ambst Spec). The net effect of this reading, in conjunction with the largely Western reading of πράξεων (praxeōn) for παραβάσεων (parabaseōn), seems to be a very positive assessment of the law. But there are compelling reasons for rejecting this reading: (1) externally, it is provincial and relatively late; (2) internally: (a) transcriptionally, there seems to be a much higher transcriptional probability that a scribe would try to smooth over Paul’s harsh saying here about the law than vice versa; (b) intrinsically: [1] Paul has already argued that the law came after the promise (vv. 15-18), indicating, more than likely, its temporary nature; [2] the verb “was added” in v. 19 (προσετέθη) is different from the verb in v. 15 (ἐπιδιατάσσεται, epidiatassetai); virtually all exegetes recognize this as an intentional linguistic shift on Paul’s part in order not to contradict his statement in v. 15; [3] the temper of 3:1-4:7 is decidedly against a positive statement about the Torah’s role in Heilsgeschichte.
673. Galatians 3:19 tc παραδόσεων (paradoseōn; “traditions, commandments”) is read by D*, while the vast majority of witnesses read παραβάσεων (parabaseōn, “transgressions”). D’s reading makes little sense in this context. πράξεων (praxeōn, “of deeds”) replaces παραβάσεων in P⁴⁶ F G it Ir^lat Ambst Spec. The wording is best taken as going with νόμος (nomos; “Why then the law of deeds?”), as is evident by the consistent punctuation in the later witnesses. But such an expression is unpauline and superfluous; it was almost certainly added by some early scribe(s) to soften the blow of Paul’s statement.
674. Galatians 3:19 tn Grk “the seed.” See the note on the first occurrence of the word “descendant” in 3:16.
675. Galatians 3:19 tn Or “was ordered.” L&N 31.22 has “was put into effect” here.
676. Galatians 3:19 tn Many modern translations (NASB, NIV, NRSV) render this word (μεσίτης, mesitēs; here and in v. 20) as “mediator,” but this conveys a wrong impression in contemporary English. If this is referring to Moses, he certainly did not “mediate” between God and Israel but was an intermediary on God’s behalf. Moses was not a mediator, for example, who worked for compromise between opposing parties. He instead was God’s representative to his people who enabled them to have a relationship, but entirely on God’s terms.
677. Galatians 3:20 tn The meaning of this verse is disputed. According to BDAG 634 s.v. μεσίτης, “It prob. means that the activity of an intermediary implies the existence of more than one party, and hence may be unsatisfactory because it must result in a compromise. The presence of an intermediary would prevent attainment, without any impediment, of the purpose of the εἶς θεός in giving the law.” See also A. Oepke, TDNT 4:598-624, esp. 618-19.
678. Galatians 3:21 tc The reading τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou, “of God”) is well attested in א A C D (F G read θεοῦ without the article) Ψ 0278 33 1175 1241 1505 1739 1881 2464 M lat sy co. However, P⁴⁶ B d Ambst lack the words. P⁴⁶ and B perhaps should not to be given as much weight as they normally are, since the combination of these two witnesses often produces a secondary shorter reading against all others. In addition, one might expect that if the shorter reading were original other variants would have crept into the textual tradition early on. But 104 (a.d. 1087) virtually stands alone with the variant τοῦ Χριστοῦ (tou Christou, “of Christ”). Nevertheless, if τοῦ θεοῦ were not part of the original text, it is the kind of variant that would be expected to show up early and often, especially in light of Paul’s usage elsewhere (Rom 4:20; 2 Cor 1:20). A slight preference should be given to the τοῦ θεοῦ over the omission. NA²⁸ rightly places the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.
679. Galatians 3:21 tn Or “have been based on the law.”
680. Galatians 3:22 tn Or “locked up.”
681. Galatians 3:22 tn Or “so that the promise could be given by faith in Jesus Christ to those who believe.” A decision is difficult here. Though traditionally translated “faith in Jesus Christ,” an increasing number of NT scholars are arguing that πίστις Χριστοῦ (pistis Christou) and similar phrases in Paul (here and in Rom 3:22, 26; Gal 2:16, 20; Eph 3:12; Phil 3:9) involve a subjective genitive and mean “Christ’s faith” or “Christ’s faithfulness” (cf., e.g., G. Howard, “The ‘Faith of Christ’,” ExpTim 85 [1974]: 212-15; R. B. Hays, The Faith of Jesus Christ [SBLDS]; Morna D. Hooker, “Πίστις Χριστοῦ,” NTS 35 [1989]: 321-42). Noteworthy among the arguments for the subjective genitive view is that when πίστις takes a personal genitive it is almost never an objective genitive (cf. Matt 9:2, 22, 29; Mark 2:5; 5:34; 10:52; Luke 5:20; 7:50; 8:25, 48; 17:19; 18:42; 22:32; Rom 1:8; 12; 3:3; 4:5, 12, 16; 1 Cor 2:5; 15:14, 17; 2 Cor 10:15; Phil 2:17; Col 1:4; 2:5; 1 Thess 1:8; 3:2, 5, 10; 2 Thess 1:3; Titus 1:1; Phlm 6; 1 Pet 1:9, 21; 2 Pet 1:5). On the other hand, the objective genitive view has its adherents: A. Hultgren, “The Pistis Christou Formulations in Paul,” NovT 22 (1980): 248-63; J. D. G. Dunn, “Once More, ΠΙΣΤΙΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΥ,” SBL Seminar Papers, 1991, 730-44. Most commentaries on Romans and Galatians usually side with the objective view. sn On the phrase because of the faithfulness of Jesus Christ, ExSyn 116, which notes that the grammar is not decisive, nevertheless suggests that “the faith/faithfulness of Christ is not a denial of faith in Christ as a Pauline concept (for the idea is expressed in many of the same contexts, only with the verb πιστεύω rather than the noun), but implies that the object of faith is a worthy object, for he himself is faithful.” Though Paul elsewhere teaches justification by faith, this presupposes that the object of our faith is reliable and worthy of such faith.
682. Galatians 3:23 tn Or “the faithfulness [of Christ] came.”
683. Galatians 3:23 tc Instead of the present participle συγκλειόμενοι (sunkleiomenoi; found in P⁴⁶ א A B D* F G P Ψ 33 1739 2464 al), C D¹ 0176 0278 1175 1505 M have the perfect συγκεκλεισμένοι (sunkekleismenoi). The syntactical implication of the perfect is that the cause or the means of being held in custody was confinement (“we were held in custody [by/because of] being confined”). The present participle of course allows for such options, but also allows for contemporaneous time (“while being confined”) and result (“with the result that we were confined”). Externally, the perfect participle has little to commend it, being restricted for the most part to later and Byzantine witnesses.tn Grk “being confined.”
684. Galatians 3:24 tn Or “disciplinarian,” “custodian,” or “guide.” According to BDAG 748 s.v. παιδαγωγός, “the man, usu. a slave…whose duty it was to conduct a boy or youth…to and from school and to superintend his conduct gener.; he was not a ‘teacher’ (despite the present mng. of the derivative ‘pedagogue’…When the young man became of age, the π. was no longer needed.” L&N 36.5 gives “guardian, leader, guide” here.
685. Galatians 3:24 tn Or “be justified.”
686. Galatians 3:25 tn See the note on the word “guardian” in v. 24. The punctuation of vv. 25, 26, and 27 is difficult to represent because of the causal connections between each verse. English style would normally require a comma either at the end of v. 25 or v. 26, but in so doing the translation would then link v. 26 almost exclusively with either v. 25 or v. 27; this would be problematic as scholars debate which two verses are to be linked. Because of this, the translation instead places a period at the end of each verse. This preserves some of the ambiguity inherent in the Greek and does not exclude any particular causal connection.