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Daniel 5

Belshazzar Sees Mysterious Handwriting on a Wall

5 King Belshazzar^[a] prepared a great banquet^[b] for 1,000 of his nobles, and he was drinking wine in front of^[c] them all.^[d] ²While under the influence^[e] of the wine, Belshazzar issued an order to bring in the gold and silver vessels—the ones that Nebuchadnezzar his father^[f] had confiscated^[g] from the temple in Jerusalem—so that the king and his nobles, together with his wives and his concubines, could drink from them.^[h] ³So they brought the gold and silver^[i] vessels that had been confiscated from the temple, the house of God^[j] in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, together with his wives and concubines, drank from them. ⁴As they drank wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

⁵At that very moment the fingers of a human hand appeared^[k] and wrote on the plaster of the royal palace wall, opposite the lampstand.^[l] The king was watching the back^[m] of the hand that was writing. ⁶Then all the color drained from the king’s face^[n] and he became alarmed.^[o] The joints of his hips gave way,^[p] and his knees began knocking together. ⁷The king called out loudly^[q] to summon^[r] the astrologers, wise men, and diviners. The king proclaimed^[s] to the wise men of Babylon that anyone who could read this inscription and disclose its interpretation would be clothed in purple^[t] and have a golden collar^[u] placed on his neck and be third ruler in the kingdom.

⁸So all the king’s wise men came in, but they were unable to read the writing or to make known its^[v] interpretation to the king. ⁹Then King Belshazzar was very terrified, and he was visibly shaken.^[w] His nobles were completely dumbfounded.

¹⁰Due to the noise^[x] caused by the king and his nobles, the queen mother^[y] then entered the banquet room. She^[z] said, “O king, live forever! Don’t be alarmed! Don’t be shaken! ¹¹There is a man in your kingdom who has within him a spirit of the holy gods. In the days of your father, he proved to have^[aa] insight, discernment, and wisdom like that^[ab] of the gods.^[ac] King Nebuchadnezzar your father appointed him chief of the magicians, astrologers, wise men, and diviners.^[ad] ¹²Thus there was found in this man Daniel, whom the king renamed Belteshazzar, an extraordinary spirit, knowledge, and skill to interpret^[ae] dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems.^[af] Now summon^[ag] Daniel, and he will disclose the interpretation.”

¹³So Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, “Are you that Daniel who is one of the captives of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? ¹⁴I have heard about you, how there is a spirit of the gods in you, and how you have^[ah] insight, discernment, and extraordinary wisdom. ¹⁵Now the wise men and^[ai] astrologers were brought before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation. But they were unable to disclose the interpretation of the message. ¹⁶However, I have heard^[aj] that you are able to provide interpretations and to solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, you will wear purple and have a golden collar around your neck and be third^[ak] ruler in the kingdom.”

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting on the Wall

¹⁷But Daniel replied to the king, “Keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else. However, I will read the writing for the king and make known its^[al] interpretation. ¹⁸As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty.^[am] ¹⁹Due to the greatness that he bestowed on him, all peoples, nations, and language groups were trembling with fear^[an] before him. He killed whom he wished, he spared^[ao] whom he wished, he exalted whom he wished, and he brought low whom he wished. ²⁰And when his mind^[ap] became arrogant^[aq] and his spirit filled with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and his honor was removed from him. ²¹He was driven from human society; his mind^[ar] was changed to that of an animal. He lived^[as] with the wild donkeys, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body became damp with the dew of the sky, until he came to understand that the most high God rules over human kingdoms, and he appoints over them whomever he wishes.

²²“But you, his son^[at] Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself,^[au] although you knew all this. ²³Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. You brought before you the vessels from his temple, and you and your nobles, together with your wives and concubines, drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods^[av] that cannot see or hear or comprehend. But you have not glorified the God who has in his control^[aw] your very breath and all your ways! ²⁴Therefore the palm of a hand was sent from him, and this writing was inscribed.

²⁵“This is the writing that was inscribed: mene, mene,^[ax] teqel, and pharsin.^[ay] ²⁶This is the interpretation of the words:^[az] As for Mene^[ba]—God has numbered your kingdom’s days and brought it to an end. ²⁷As for Teqel—you are weighed on the balances and found to be lacking. ²⁸As for Peres^[bb]—your kingdom is divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.”

²⁹Then, on Belshazzar’s orders,^[bc] Daniel was clothed in purple, a golden collar was placed around his neck, and he was proclaimed third ruler in the kingdom. ³⁰And that very night Belshazzar, the Babylonian king,^[bd] was killed.^[be] ³¹(6:1)^[bf] So Darius the Mede took control of the kingdom when he was about sixty-two years old.

Footnotes

Daniel 5:1 sn As is clear from the extra-biblical records, it was actually Nabonidus (ca. 556-539 b.c.) who was king of Babylon at this time. However, Nabonidus spent long periods of time at Teima, and during those times Belshazzar his son was de facto king of Babylon. This arrangement may help to explain why later in this chapter Belshazzar promises that the successful interpreter of the handwriting on the wall will be made third ruler in the kingdom. If Belshazzar was in effect second ruler in the kingdom, this would be the highest honor he could grant.
Daniel 5:1 sn This scene of a Babylonian banquet calls to mind a similar grandiose event recorded in Esth 1:3-8. Persian kings were also renowned in the ancient Near Eastern world for their lavish banquets.
Daniel 5:1 sn The king probably sat at an elevated head table.
Daniel 5:1 tn Aram “the thousand.”
Daniel 5:2 tn Or perhaps, “when he had tasted” (cf. NASB) in the sense of officially initiating the commencement of the banquet. The translation above seems preferable, however, given the clear evidence of inebriation in the context (cf. also CEV “he got drunk and ordered”).
Daniel 5:2 tn Or “ancestor”; or “predecessor” (also in vv. 11, 13, 18). The Aramaic word translated “father” can on occasion denote these other relationships. Concerning the difficulty in tracing the lineage of Belshazzar, whose actual father was Nabonidus, back to Nebuchadnezzar, J. Goldingay, Daniel (WBC), 108, argues that, “The two chief points in neo-Babylonian history are the empire’s rise under Nebuchadnezzar and its fall under Nabonidus/Belshazzar, so that ‘Nebuchadnezzar the father of Belshazzar’ summarizes and reflects the general historical facts of the period.”
Daniel 5:2 tn Or “taken.”
Daniel 5:2 sn Making use of sacred temple vessels for an occasion of reveling and drunkenness such as this would have been a religious affront of shocking proportions to the Jewish captives.
Daniel 5:3 tc The present translation reads וְכַסְפָּא (v^ekhaspaʾ, “and the silver”) with Theodotion and the Vulgate; cf. v. 2. The form was probably accidentally dropped from the Aramaic text by homoioteleuton.
Daniel 5:3 tn Aram “the temple of the house of God.” The phrase seems rather awkward. The Vulgate lacks “of the house of God,” while Theodotion and the Syriac lack “of the house.”
Daniel 5:5 tn Aram “came forth.”
Daniel 5:5 sn The mention of the lampstand in this context is of interest because it suggests that the writing was in clear view.
Daniel 5:5 tn While Aramaic פַּס (pas) can mean the palm of the hand, here it seems to be the back of the hand that is intended.
Daniel 5:6 tn Aram “[the king’s] brightness changed for him.”
Daniel 5:6 tn Aram “his thoughts were alarming him.”
Daniel 5:6 tn Aram “his loins went slack.”
Daniel 5:7 tn Aram “in strength.”
Daniel 5:7 tn Aram “cause to enter.”
Daniel 5:7 tn Aram “answered and said.”
Daniel 5:7 sn Purple was a color associated with royalty in the ancient world.
Daniel 5:7 tn The term translated “golden collar” here probably refers to something more substantial than merely a gold chain (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, NLT) or necklace (cf. NASB).
Daniel 5:8 tc Read וּפִשְׁרֵהּ (ufishreh, “and its interpretation”) with the Qere rather than וּפִשְׁרָא (ufishraʾ, “and the interpretation”) of the Kethib.
Daniel 5:9 tn Aram “his visage altered upon him,” as also in v. 10.
Daniel 5:10 tn Aram “words of the king.”
Daniel 5:10 tn Aram “the queen” (so NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV). In the following discourse this woman is able to recall things about Daniel that go back to the days of Nebuchadnezzar, things that Belshazzar does not seem to recollect. It is likely that she was the wife not of Belshazzar but of Nabonidus or perhaps even Nebuchadnezzar. In that case, “queen” here means “queen mother” (cf. NCV “the king’s mother”).
Daniel 5:10 tn Aram “The queen.” The translation has used the pronoun “she” instead because repetition of the noun here would be redundant in terms of English style.
Daniel 5:11 tn Aram “[there were] discovered to be in him.”
Daniel 5:11 tn Aram “wisdom like the wisdom.” This would be redundant in terms of English style.
Daniel 5:11 tc Theodotion lacks the phrase “and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods.”
Daniel 5:11 tc The MT includes a redundant reference to “your father the king” at the end of v. 11. None of the attempts to explain this phrase as original are very convincing. The present translation deletes the phrase, following Theodotion and the Syriac.
Daniel 5:12 tc The translation reads מִפְשַׁר (mifshar) rather than the MT מְפַשַּׁר (m^efashar) and later in the verse reads וּמִשְׁרֵא (umishreʾ) rather than the MT וּמְשָׁרֵא (um^eshareʾ). The Masoretes have understood these Aramaic forms to be participles, but they are more likely to be vocalized as infinitives. As such, they have an epexegetical function in the syntax of their clause.
Daniel 5:12 tn Aram “to loose knots.”
Daniel 5:12 tn Aram “let [Daniel] be summoned.”
Daniel 5:14 tn Aram “there has been found in you.”
Daniel 5:15 tn The Aramaic text does not have “and.” The term “astrologers” is either an appositive for “wise men” (cf. KJV, NKJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV), or the construction is to be understood as asyndetic (so the translation above).
Daniel 5:16 tn The Aramaic text has also the words “about you.”
Daniel 5:16 tn Or perhaps “one of three rulers,” in the sense of becoming part of a triumvir; so also in v. 29.
Daniel 5:17 tn Or “the.”
Daniel 5:18 tn Or “royal greatness and majestic honor,” if the four terms are understood as a double hendiadys.
Daniel 5:19 tn Aram “were trembling and fearing.” This can be treated as a hendiadys, “were trembling with fear.”
Daniel 5:19 tn Aram “let live.” This Aramaic form is the aphel participle of חַיָה (khayah, “to live”). Theodotion and the Vulgate mistakenly take the form to be from מְחָא (m^ekhaʾ, “to smite”).
Daniel 5:20 tn Aram “heart.”
Daniel 5:20 sn The point of describing Nebuchadnezzar as arrogant is that he had usurped divine prerogatives, and because of his immense arrogance God had dealt decisively with him.
Daniel 5:21 tn Aram “heart.”
Daniel 5:21 tn Aram “his dwelling.”
Daniel 5:22 tn Or “descendant”; or “successor.”
Daniel 5:22 tn Aram “your heart.”
Daniel 5:23 tn Aram “which.”
Daniel 5:23 tn Aram “in whose hand [are].”
Daniel 5:25 tc The Greek version of Theodotion lacks the repetition of מְנֵא (m^eneʾ, cf. NAB).
Daniel 5:25 tc The Aramaic word is plural. Theodotion has the singular (cf. NAB “PERES”).
Daniel 5:26 tn Or “word”; or “event.” See HALOT 1915 s.v. מִלָּה.
Daniel 5:26 tn The Aramaic term מְנֵא (m^eneʾ) is a noun referring to a measure of weight. The linkage here to the verb “to number” (Aram. מְנָה, m^enah) is a case of paronomasia rather than strict etymology. So also with תְּקֵל (t^eqel) and פַרְסִין (farsin). In the latter case there is an obvious wordplay with the name “Persian.”
Daniel 5:28 sn Peres (פְּרֵס) is the singular form of פַרְסִין (farsin) in v. 25.
Daniel 5:29 tn Aram “Belshazzar spoke.”
Daniel 5:30 tn Aram “king of the Chaldeans.”
Daniel 5:30 sn The year was 539 b.c. At this time Daniel would have been approximately eighty-one years old. The relevant extra-biblical records describing the fall of Babylon include portions of Herodotus, Xenophon, Berossus (cited in Josephus), the Cyrus Cylinder, and the Babylonian Chronicle.
Daniel 5:31 sn Beginning with 5:31, the verse numbers through 6:28 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text (BHS), with 5:31 ET = 6:1 AT, 6:1 ET = 6:2 AT, 6:2 ET = 6:3 AT, 6:3 ET = 6:4 AT, etc., through 6:28 ET = 6:29 AT. Beginning with 7:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Aramaic text are again the same.

2 Peter 2

The False Teachers’ Ungodly Lifestyle

2 But false prophets arose among the people,^[a] just as there will be false teachers among you. These false teachers^[b] will^[c] infiltrate your midst^[d] with destructive heresies,^[e] even to the point of^[f] denying the Master who bought them. As a result, they will bring^[g] swift destruction on themselves. ²And many will follow their debauched lifestyles.^[h] Because of these false teachers,^[i] the way of truth will be slandered.^[j] ³And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their^[k] condemnation pronounced long ago^[l] is not sitting idly by;^[m] their^[n] destruction is not asleep.

⁴For if God did not spare the angels who sinned,^[o] but threw them into hell^[p] and locked them up^[q] in chains^[r] in utter darkness,^[s] to be kept until the judgment, ⁵and if he did not spare the ancient world, but did protect Noah, a herald of righteousness, along with seven others,^[t] when God^[u] brought a flood on an ungodly world,^[v] ⁶and if he turned to ashes the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah when he condemned them to destruction,^[w] having appointed^[x] them to serve as an example^[y] to future generations of the ungodly,^[z] ⁷and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man in anguish over the debauched lifestyle of lawless^[aa] men,^[ab] ⁸(for while he lived among them day after day, that righteous man was tormented in his righteous soul^[ac] by the lawless deeds he saw and heard^[ad]) ⁹—if so,^[ae] then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from their trials,^[af] and to reserve the unrighteous for punishment^[ag] at the day of judgment, ¹⁰especially those who indulge their fleshly desires^[ah] and who despise authority.

Brazen and insolent,^[ai] they are not afraid to insult^[aj] the glorious ones,^[ak] ¹¹yet even^[al] angels, who are much more powerful,^[am] do not bring a slanderous^[an] judgment against them in the presence of the Lord.^[ao] ¹²But^[ap] these men,^[aq] like irrational animals—creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed^[ar]—do not understand whom^[as] they are insulting, and consequently^[at] in their destruction they will be destroyed,^[au] ¹³suffering harm as the wages for their harmful ways.^[av] By considering it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight,^[aw] they are stains and blemishes, indulging^[ax] in their deceitful pleasures when they feast together with you. ¹⁴Their eyes,^[ay] full of adultery,^[az] never stop sinning;^[ba] they entice^[bb] unstable people.^[bc] They have trained their hearts for greed, these cursed children!^[bd] ¹⁵By forsaking the right path they have gone astray, because they followed the way of Balaam son of Bosor,^[be] who loved the wages of unrighteousness,^[bf] ¹⁶yet was rebuked^[bg] for his own transgression (a dumb donkey,^[bh] speaking with a human voice,^[bi] restrained the prophet’s madness).^[bj]

¹⁷These men^[bk] are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm, for whom the utter depths of darkness^[bl] have been reserved. ¹⁸For by speaking high-sounding but empty words^[bm] they are able to entice,^[bn] with fleshly desires and with debauchery,^[bo] people^[bp] who have just escaped^[bq] from those who reside in error.^[br] ¹⁹Although these false teachers promise^[bs] such people^[bt] freedom, they themselves are enslaved to^[bu] immorality.^[bv] For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved.^[bw] ²⁰For if after they have escaped the filthy things^[bx] of the world through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,^[by] they^[bz] again get entangled in them and succumb to them,^[ca] their last state has become worse for them than their first. ²¹For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, having known it, to turn back from the holy commandment that had been delivered to them. ²²They are illustrations of this true proverb:^[cb] “A dog returns to its own vomit,”^[cc] and “A sow, after washing herself,^[cd] wallows in the mire.”^[ce]

Footnotes

2 Peter 2:1 sn But false prophets arose among the people. Peter uses the same verb, γίνομαι (ginomai), in 2 Pet 2:1 as he had used in 1:20 to describe the process of inspiration. He may well be contrasting, by way of a catchword, the two kinds of prophets.
2 Peter 2:1 tn Grk “who”; verse 1 is one sentence in Greek, the second half constituting a relative clause.
2 Peter 2:1 sn By the use of the future tense (will infiltrate), Peter is boldly prophesying the role that false teachers will have before these Gentile believers. It was necessary for him to establish both his own credentials and to anchor his audience’s faith in the written Word before he could get to this point, for these false teachers will question both.
2 Peter 2:1 tn Grk “will bring in,” often with the connotation of secretiveness; “your midst” is implied.
2 Peter 2:1 tn Or “destructive opinions,” “destructive viewpoints.” The genitive ἀπωλείας (apōleias) could be taken either attributively (“destructive”) or as a genitive of destination (“leading to destruction”). Although the preferable interpretation is a genitive of destination, especially because of the elaboration given at the end of the verse (“bringing swift destruction on themselves”), translating it attributively is less cumbersome in English. Either way, the net result is the same.
2 Peter 2:1 tn Grk “even.” The καί (kai) is ascensive, suggesting that the worst heresy is mentioned in the words that follow.
2 Peter 2:1 tn Grk “bringing.” The present participle ἐπάγοντες (epagontes) indicates the result of the preceding clause.
2 Peter 2:2 tn “Debauched lifestyles” is literally “licentiousnesses,” “sensualities,” “debaucheries.”
2 Peter 2:2 tn Grk “because of whom,” introducing a subordinate clause to the first part of the verse.
2 Peter 2:2 tn Or “blasphemed,” “reviled,” “treated with contempt.”
2 Peter 2:3 tn Grk “to whom,” introducing a subordinate relative clause.
2 Peter 2:3 tn Grk “the ancient judgment.”
2 Peter 2:3 tn Grk “is not idle.”
2 Peter 2:3 tn Greek has “and their.” As introducing a synonymous parallel, it is superfluous in English.
2 Peter 2:4 tn The participle ἁμαρτησάντων (hamartēsantōn) could either be attributive (“who sinned”) or adverbial (“when they sinned”). The relation to the judgment of the false teachers in v. 3 suggests that the objects of God’s judgment are not in question, but the time frame for the execution of justice is. If the participle is taken temporally, the point of comparison is not as acute. The objection that the illustrations following (the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah) are viewed temporally does not mitigate this translation, for in both instances only the time of executing judgment is in view. Further, in both instances the OT notes that God withheld punishment for a long time.
2 Peter 2:4 tn Grk “casting them into Tartarus” or “holding them captive in Tartarus.” This verb, ταρταρόω (tartaroō), occurs only here in the NT, but its meaning is clearly established in both Hellenistic and Jewish literature. “Tartarus [was] thought of by the Greeks as a subterranean place lower than Hades where divine punishment was meted out, and so regarded in Israelite apocalyptic as well” (BDAG 991 s.v.). Grammatically, it has been translated as an indicative because it is an attendant circumstance participle.
2 Peter 2:4 tn Grk “handed them over.”
2 Peter 2:4 tc The reading σειραῖς (seirais, “chains”) is found in P⁷² P Ψ 33 1739 M vg sy, while σιροῖς (sirois [or σειροῖς, seirois], “pits”) is found in א A B C 81. The evidence is thus fairly evenly divided. Internally, the reading adopted here (σειραῖς) is a rarer term, perhaps prompting some scribes to replace it with the more common word. However, this more common term is not a synonym and hence does not follow the normal pattern of scribes. As well, the use of the genitive ζόφου (zophou) in “chains of darkness” is a bit awkward (a rare genitive of place), perhaps prompting some scribes to change the imagery to “pits of darkness” (in which case ζόφου is an attributive genitive). A further point that complicates the issue is the relationship of 2 Peter to Jude. Jude’s parallel (v. 6) has δεσμοῖς (desmois, “chains”). Apart from the issue of whether 2 Peter used Jude or Jude used 2 Peter, this parallel suggests one of two possibilities: either (1) since these two books obviously have a literary relationship, σειραῖς is autographic, or (2) early scribes, recognizing that these two books shared their material, changed σειροῖς to σειραῖς to conform the wording, at least conceptually, to Jude 6. On balance, σειραῖς looks to be original because scribes were not prone to harmonize extensively between books other than the Gospels (although 2 Peter and Jude do display some of this harmonizing). Further, such harmonization is often, if not usually, verbally exact, but δεσμοῖς is not a variant here.
2 Peter 2:4 tn The genitive ζόφου (zophou) is taken as a genitive of place. See previous note for discussion.
2 Peter 2:5 tn “Along with seven others” is implied in the cryptic, “the eighth, Noah.” A more literal translation thus would be, “he did protect Noah [as] the eighth…”
2 Peter 2:5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been repeated here for clarity, although this is somewhat redundant with the beginning of v. 4.
2 Peter 2:5 tn Grk “a world of the ungodly.”
2 Peter 2:6 tc Several significant witnesses omit καταστροφῇ (katastrophē, “destruction”; such as P^72* B C* 442 1175 1241 1243 1739 1881 bo), but this is probably best explained as an accidental omission due to homoioarcton (the word following is κατέκρινεν [katekrinen, “he condemned”]).tn Or “ruin,” or “extinction.” The first part of this verse more literally reads “And [if] he condemned to annihilation the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, by turning them to ashes.”sn The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah is detailed in Gen 18:16—19:29.
2 Peter 2:6 tn The perfect participle τεθεικώς (tetheikōs) suggests an antecedent act. More idiomatically, the idea seems to be, “because he had already appointed them to serve as an example.”
2 Peter 2:6 tn “To serve as” is not in Greek but is implied in the object-complement construction.
2 Peter 2:6 tn Grk “an example of the things coming to the ungodly,” or perhaps “an example to the ungodly of coming [ages].”
2 Peter 2:7 tn Or “unprincipled.”
2 Peter 2:7 tn This verse more literally reads “And [if] he rescued righteous Lot, who was deeply distressed by the lifestyle of the lawless in [their] debauchery.”
2 Peter 2:8 tn Grk “that righteous man tormented his righteous soul.”
2 Peter 2:8 tn Grk “by lawless deeds, in seeing and hearing [them].”
2 Peter 2:9 tn The Greek is one long conditional sentence, from v. 4 to v. 10a. 2 Pet 2:4-8 constitute the protasis; vv. 9 and 10a, the apodosis. In order to show this connection more clearly, a resumptive summary protasis—“if so,” or “if God did these things”—is needed in English translation.
2 Peter 2:9 tn Grk “from trial,” or possibly “from temptation” (though this second meaning for πειρασμός (peirasmos) does not fit the context in which Noah and Lot are seen as in the midst of trials, not temptation).
2 Peter 2:9 tn The adverbial participle κολαζομένους (kolazomenous) can refer either to contemporaneous time or subsequent time. At stake is the meaning of the following prepositional phrase (at the day of judgment or until the day of judgment). If the participle is contemporaneous, the idea is “to keep the ungodly in a state of punishment until the day of judgment.” If subsequent, the meaning is “to keep the ungodly to be punished at the day of judgment.” Many commentators/translations opt for the first view, assuming that the present participle cannot be used of subsequent time. However, the present participle is the normal one used for result, and is often used of purpose (cf., e.g., for present participles suggesting result, Mark 9:7; Luke 4:15; John 5:18; Eph 2:15; 2 Pet 2:1, mentioned above; for present participles indicating purpose, note Luke 10:25; John 12:33; Acts 3:26; 2 Pet 2:10 [as even most translations render it]). Further, the context supports this: 2:1-10 forms something of an inclusio, in which the final end of the false teachers is mentioned specifically in v. 1, then as a general principle in v. 9. The point of v. 3—that the punishment of the false teachers is certain, even though the sentence has not yet been carried out, is underscored by a participle of purpose in v. 9.
2 Peter 2:10 tn Grk “those who go after the flesh in [its] lust.”
2 Peter 2:10 tn There is no “and” in Greek; it is supplied for the sake of English convention.
2 Peter 2:10 tn The translation takes βλασφημοῦντες (blasphēmountes) as an adverbial participle of purpose, as most translations do. However, it is also possible to see this temporally (thus, “they do not tremble when they blaspheme”).
2 Peter 2:10 tn Δόξας (doxas) almost certainly refers to angelic beings rather than mere human authorities, though it is difficult to tell whether good or bad angels are in view. Verse 11 seems to suggest that wicked angels is what the author intends.
2 Peter 2:11 tn Grk “whereas.”
2 Peter 2:11 tn Grk “who are greater in strength and power.” What is being compared, however, could either be the false teachers or “the glorious ones,” in which case “angels” would refer to good angels and “the glorious ones” to evil angels.
2 Peter 2:11 tn Or “insulting.” The word comes from the same root as the term found in v. 10 (“insult”), v. 12 (“insulting”), and v. 2 (“will be slandered”). The author is fond of building his case by the repetition of a word in a slightly different context so that the readers make the necessary connection. English usage cannot always convey this connection because a given word in one language cannot always be translated the same way in another.
2 Peter 2:11 tc Several witnesses lack παρὰ κυρίῳ (para kuriō; so A Ψ 33 81 436 442 1505 1611 1735 1881 2344 2464 al vg co), while others have the genitive παρὰ κυρίου (para kuriou; so P⁷² 5 1241 al sy^ph,mss,h**). The majority of witnesses (including א B C P 1175 1243 1739 1852 2492 M) read the dative παρὰ κυρίῳ. The genitive expression suggests that angels would not pronounce a judgment on “the glorious ones” from the Lord, while the dative indicates that angels would not pronounce such a judgment in the presence of the Lord. The parallel in Jude 9 speaks of a reviling judgment against the devil in which the prepositional phrase is entirely absent. At the same time, in that parallel Michael does say, “The Lord rebuke you.” (Hence, he is offering something of a judgment from the Lord.) The best options externally are the dative or the omission of the phrase, but a decision is difficult. Internally, the omission may possibly be a motivated reading in that it finds a parallel in Jude 9 (where no prepositional phrase is used). All things considered, the dative is to be preferred, though with much reservation. NA²⁸ has the omission preceded by a diamond in the apparatus, indicating a toss-up as to the initial text.
2 Peter 2:12 tn 2 Pet 2:12 through 16 constitute one cumbersome sentence in Greek. It is difficult to tell whether a hard break belongs in the middle of v. 13, as the translation has it, or whether the compounding of participles is meant in a loosely descriptive sort of way, without strong grammatical connection. Either way, the sentence rambles in a way that often betrays a great “vehemence of spirit” (A. T. Robertson, Grammar, 435). The author is obviously agitated at these false teachers who are to come.
2 Peter 2:12 tn The false teachers could conceivably be men or women, but in v. 14 they are said to have eyes “full of an adulteress.” This can only refer to men. Hence, both here and in v. 17 the false teachers are described as “men.”
2 Peter 2:12 tn Grk “born for capture and destruction.”
2 Peter 2:12 tn Grk “with [reference to] whom.”
2 Peter 2:12 tn There is no conjunction joining this last clause of v. 12 to the preceding (i.e., no “and consequently”). The argument builds asyndetically (a powerful rhetorical device in Greek), but cannot be naturally expressed in English as such.
2 Peter 2:12 tn This cryptic expression has been variously interpreted. (1) It could involve a simple cognate dative in which case the idea is “they will be utterly destroyed.” But the presence of αὐτῶν (autōn; their, of them) is problematic for this view. Other, more plausible views are: (2) the false teachers will be destroyed at the same time as the irrational beasts, or (3) in the same manner as these creatures (i.e., by being caught); or (4) the false teachers will be destroyed together with the evil angels whom they insult. Because of the difficulties of the text, it was thought best to leave it ambiguous, as the Greek has it.
2 Peter 2:13 tn There is a play on words in Greek, but this is difficult to express adequately in English. The verb ἀδικέω (adikeō) as a passive means “to suffer harm,” or “to suffer an injustice.” The noun ἀδικία (adikia) means “unrighteousness.” Since the Greek verb has a wider field of meaning than the English, to translate it as suffer an injustice is unwarranted, for it implicitly attributes evil to God. As R. Bauckham notes, “in English it is impossible to translate ἀδικούμενοι as a morally neutral term and ἀδικίας with a morally pejorative term, while retaining the play on words” (Jude, 2 Peter [WBC], 265).
2 Peter 2:13 tn Grk “considering carousing in the daytime a pleasure.”
2 Peter 2:13 tn Or “carousing,” “reveling.” The participle ἐντρυφῶντες (entruphōntes) is a cognate to the noun τρυφή (truphē, “carousing”) used earlier in the verse.
2 Peter 2:14 tn Grk “having eyes.” See note on “men” at the beginning of v. 12.
2 Peter 2:14 tn Grk “full of an adulteress.”
2 Peter 2:14 tn Grk “and unceasing from sin.” Some translate this “insatiable for sin,” but such a translation is based on a textual variant with inadequate support.
2 Peter 2:14 tn Grk “enticing.” See note on “men” at the beginning of v. 12.
2 Peter 2:14 tn “People” is literally “souls.” The term ψυχή (psuchē) can refer to one’s soul, one’s life, or oneself.
2 Peter 2:14 tn Grk “having hearts trained in greediness, children of cursing.” The participles continue the general description of the false teachers, without strong grammatical connection. The genitive κατάρας (kataras, “of cursing”) is taken attributively here.
2 Peter 2:15 tn Although many modern translations (e.g., NASB, TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT) read “Beor” here, this is due to harmonization with the OT rather than following a variant textual reading. The Greek text of NA²⁸ as well as most witnesses reads “Bosor,” an otherwise unattested form of the name of Balaam’s father. Significantly, B and א* stand out against this reading (B has Βεωρ [“Beor”] while א* reads Βεωορσορ [“Beorsor”], a nonsensical conflation of the other two variants).
2 Peter 2:15 tn “Wages of unrighteousness” in Greek is the same expression found in v. 13, “wages for harmful ways.” The repetition makes the link between the false teachers and Balaam more concrete.
2 Peter 2:16 tn Grk “but he had a rebuke.”
2 Peter 2:16 tn The Greek word ἄφωνος (aphōnos) means “mute, silent” or “incapable of speech.” For reasons of English style the word “dumb” was used in the translation. Despite the potential for misunderstanding (since “dumb” can refer to a lack of intellectual capability) more dynamic glosses were judged to be inelegant.
2 Peter 2:16 tn Grk “a voice of a (man/person).”
2 Peter 2:16 sn Balaam’s activities are detailed in Num 22-24 (see also Num 31:8, 16).
2 Peter 2:17 tn Although some translations have simply “these” or “these people,” since in v. 14 they are described as having eyes “full of an adulteress,” men are in view.
2 Peter 2:17 tn Grk “utter darkness of darkness.” Verse 4 speaks of wicked angels presently in “chains of utter darkness,” while the final fate of the false teachers is a darker place still.
2 Peter 2:18 tn Grk “high-sounding words of futility.”
2 Peter 2:18 tn Grk “they entice.”
2 Peter 2:18 tn Grk “with the lusts of the flesh, with debauchery.”
2 Peter 2:18 tn Grk “those.”
2 Peter 2:18 tn Or “those who are barely escaping.”
2 Peter 2:18 tn Or “deceit.”
2 Peter 2:19 tn Verse 19 is a subordinate clause in Greek. The masculine nominative participle “promising” (ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, epangellomenoi) refers back to the subject of vv. 17-18. At the same time, it functions subordinately to the following participle, ὑπάρχοντες (huparchontes, “while being”).
2 Peter 2:19 tn Grk “them.”
2 Peter 2:19 tn Grk “slaves of.” See the note on the word “slave” in 1:1.
2 Peter 2:19 tn Or “corruption,” “depravity.” Verse 19 constitutes a subordinate clause to v. 18 in Greek. The main verbal components of these two verses are: “uttering…they entice…promising…being (enslaved).” The main verb is (they) entice. The three participles are adverbial and seem to indicate an instrumental relation (by uttering), a concessive relation (although promising), and a temporal relation (while being [enslaved]). For the sake of English usage, in the translation of the text this is broken down into two sentences.
2 Peter 2:19 tn Grk “for by what someone is overcome, to this he is enslaved.”
2 Peter 2:20 tn Grk “defilements”; “contaminations”; “pollutions.”
2 Peter 2:20 sn Through the rich knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The implication is not that these people necessarily knew the Lord (in the sense of being saved), but that they were in the circle of those who had embraced Christ as Lord and Savior.
2 Peter 2:20 tn Grk “(and/but) they.”
2 Peter 2:20 tn Grk “they again, after becoming entangled in them, are overcome by them.”
2 Peter 2:22 tn Grk “the [statement] of the true proverb has happened to them.” The idiom in Greek cannot be translated easily in English.
2 Peter 2:22 tn The quotation is a loose rendering of Prov 26:11. This proverb involves a participle that is translated like a finite verb (“returns”). In the LXX this line constitutes a subordinate and dependent clause. But since the line has been lifted from its original context, it has been translated as an independent statement.
2 Peter 2:22 tn Or “after being washed.” The middle verb may be direct (“wash oneself”) or permissive (“allow oneself to be washed”).
2 Peter 2:22 tn The source of this quotation is uncertain. Heraclitus has often been mentioned as a possible source, but this is doubtful. Other options on the translation of the second line include a sow, having (once) bathed herself (in mud), (returns) to wallowing in the mire, or a sow that washes herself by wallowing in the mire (BDAG 181 s.v. βόρβορος). The advantage of this last translation is that no verbs need to be supplied for it to make sense. The disadvantage is that in this context it does not make any contribution to the argument. Since the source of the quotation is not known, there is some guesswork involved in the reconstruction. Most commentators prefer a translation similar to the one in the text above.

Psalm 119:113-128

ס (Samek)

¹¹³I hate people with divided loyalties,^[a]
but I love your law.
¹¹⁴You are my hiding place and my shield.
I find hope in your word.
¹¹⁵Turn away from me, you evil men,
so that I can observe^[b] the commands of my God.^[c]
¹¹⁶Sustain me as you promised,^[d] so that I will live.^[e]
Do not disappoint me.^[f]
¹¹⁷Support me, so that I will be delivered.
Then I will focus^[g] on your statutes continually.
¹¹⁸You despise^[h] all who stray from your statutes,
for such people are deceptive and unreliable.^[i]
¹¹⁹You remove all the wicked of the earth like slag.^[j]
Therefore I love your rules.^[k]
¹²⁰My body^[l] trembles^[m] because I fear you;^[n]
I am afraid of your judgments.

ע (Ayin)

¹²¹I do what is fair and right.^[o]
Do not abandon me to my oppressors.
¹²²Guarantee the welfare of your servant.^[p]
Do not let the arrogant oppress me.
¹²³My eyes grow tired as I wait for your deliverance,^[q]
for your reliable promise to be fulfilled.^[r]
¹²⁴Show your servant your loyal love.^[s]
Teach me your statutes.
¹²⁵I am your servant. Give me insight,
so that I can understand^[t] your rules.
¹²⁶It is time for the Lord to act—
they break your law.
¹²⁷For this reason^[u] I love your commands
more than gold, even purest gold.
¹²⁸For this reason I carefully follow all your precepts.^[v]
I hate all deceitful actions.^[w]

Footnotes

Psalm 119:113 tn Heb “divided ones.” The word occurs only here; it appears to be derived from a verbal root, attested in Arabic, meaning “to split” (see HALOT 762 s.v. *סֵעֵף). Since the psalmist is emphasizing his unswerving allegiance to God and his law, the term probably refers to those who lack such loyalty. The translation is similar to that suggested by L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 131.
Psalm 119:115 tn The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:115 tn The psalmist has already declared that he observes God’s commands despite persecution, so here the idea must be “so that I might observe the commands of my God unhindered by threats.”
Psalm 119:116 tn Heb “according to your word.”
Psalm 119:116 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:116 tn Heb “do not make me ashamed of my hope.” After the Hebrew verb בּוֹשׁ (bosh, “to be ashamed”) the preposition מִן (min, “from”) often introduces the reason for shame.
Psalm 119:117 tn Or “and that I might focus.” The two cohortatives with vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose/result after the imperative at the beginning of the verse.
Psalm 119:118 tn The Hebrew verb סָלָה (salah, “to disdain”) occurs only here and in Lam 1:15. Cognate usage in Aramaic and Akkadian, as well as Lam 1:15, suggest it may have a concrete nuance of “to throw away.”
Psalm 119:118 tn Heb “for their deceit [is] falsehood.”
Psalm 119:119 sn Traditionally “dross” (so KJV, ASV, NIV). The metaphor comes from metallurgy; “slag” is the substance left over after the metallic ore has been refined.
Psalm 119:119 sn As he explains in the next verse, the psalmist’s fear of judgment motivates him to obey God’s rules.
Psalm 119:120 tn Heb “my flesh.”
Psalm 119:120 tn The Hebrew verb סָמַר (samar, “to tremble”) occurs only here and in Job 4:15.
Psalm 119:120 tn Heb “from fear of you.” The pronominal suffix on the noun is an objective genitive.
Psalm 119:121 tn Heb “do justice and righteousness.”
Psalm 119:122 tn Heb “be surety for your servant for good.”
Psalm 119:123 tn Heb “my eyes fail for your deliverance.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision. See the similar phrase in v. 82.
Psalm 119:123 tn Heb “and for the word of your faithfulness.”
Psalm 119:124 tn Heb “do with your servant according to your loyal love.”
Psalm 119:125 tn or “know.” The cohortative verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
Psalm 119:127 tn “For this reason” connects logically with the statement made in v. 126. Because the judgment the psalmist fears (see vv. 119-120) is imminent, he remains loyal to God’s law.
Psalm 119:128 tn Heb “for this reason all the precepts of everything I regard as right.” The phrase “precepts of everything” is odd. It is preferable to take the כ (kaf) on כֹּל (kol, “everything) with the preceding form as a pronominal suffix, “your precepts,” and the ל (lamed) with the following verb as an emphatic particle. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 138.
Psalm 119:128 tn Heb “every false path.”

Proverbs 28:19-20

¹⁹The one who works his land will be satisfied with food,^[a]
but whoever chases daydreams^[b] will have his fill^[c] of poverty.
²⁰A faithful person^[d] will have an abundance of blessings,
but the one who hastens^[e] to gain riches will not go unpunished.

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Belshazzar Sees Mysterious Handwriting on a Wall

Daniel Interprets the Handwriting on the Wall

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The False Teachers’ Ungodly Lifestyle

Footnotes

ס (Samek)

ע (Ayin)

Footnotes

Footnotes