chevron-left All Reading Plans / M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan / Family: Deuteronomy 4; Psalms 86–87. Secret: Isaiah 32; Revelation 2. (New English Translation)
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M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan

The classic M'Cheyne plan--read the Old Testament, New Testament, and Psalms or Gospels every day.
Duration: 365 days
New English Translation (NET)
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Deuteronomy 4

The Privileges of the Covenant

4 Now, Israel, pay attention to the statutes and ordinances[a] I am about to teach you, so that you might live and go on to enter and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your ancestors,[b] is giving you. 2 Do not add a thing to what I command you nor subtract from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am delivering to[c] you. 3 You have witnessed what the Lord did at Baal Peor,[d] how he[e] eradicated from your midst everyone who followed Baal Peor.[f] 4 But you who remained faithful to the Lord your God are still alive to this very day, every one of you. 5 Look! I have taught you statutes and ordinances just as the Lord my God told me to do, so that you might carry them out in[g] the land you are about to enter and possess. 6 So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding[h] to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say, “Indeed, this great nation is a very wise[i] people.” 7 In fact, what other great nation has a god so near to them like the Lord our God whenever we call on him? 8 And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just[j] as this whole law[k] that I am about to share with[l] you today?

Reminder of the Horeb Covenant

9 Again, however, pay very careful attention,[m] lest you forget the things you have seen and disregard them for the rest of your life; instead teach them to your children and grandchildren. 10 You[n] stood before the Lord your God at Horeb and he[o] said to me, “Assemble the people before me so that I can tell them my commands.[p] Then they will learn to revere me all the days they live in the land, and they will instruct their children.” 11 You approached and stood at the foot of the mountain, a mountain ablaze to the sky above it[q] and yet dark with a thick cloud.[r] 12 Then the Lord spoke to you from the middle of the fire; you heard speech but you could not see anything—only a voice was heard.[s] 13 And he revealed to you the covenant[t] he has commanded you to keep, the Ten Commandments,[u] writing them on two stone tablets. 14 Moreover, at that same time the Lord commanded me to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to keep in the land that you are about to enter and possess.[v]

The Nature of Israel’s God

15 Be very careful,[w] then, because you saw no form at the time the Lord spoke to you at Horeb from the middle of the fire. 16 I say this[x] so you will not corrupt yourselves by making an image in the form of any kind of figure. This includes the likeness of a human male or female, 17 any kind of land animal, any bird that flies in the sky, 18 anything that crawls[y] on the ground, or any fish in the deep waters under the earth.[z] 19 When you look up[aa] to the sky[ab] and see the sun, moon, and stars—the whole heavenly creation[ac]—you must not be seduced to worship and serve them,[ad] for the Lord your God has assigned[ae] them to all the people[af] of the world.[ag] 20 You, however, the Lord has selected and brought from Egypt, that iron-smelting furnace,[ah] to be his special people[ai] as you are today. 21 But the Lord became angry with me because of you and vowed that I would never cross the Jordan nor enter the good land that he[aj] is about to give you.[ak] 22 So I must die here in this land; I will not cross the Jordan. But you are going over and will possess that[al] good land. 23 Be on guard so that you do not forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he has made with you, and that you do not make an image of any kind, just as he[am] has forbidden[an] you. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire; he is a jealous God.[ao]

Threat and Blessing following Covenant Disobedience

25 After you have produced children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time,[ap] if you become corrupt and make an image of any kind[aq] and do other evil things before the Lord your God that enrage him,[ar] 26 I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you[as] today that you will surely and swiftly be removed[at] from the very land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not last long there because you will surely be[au] annihilated. 27 Then the Lord will scatter you among the peoples and there will be very few of you[av] among the nations where the Lord will drive you. 28 There you will worship gods made by human hands—wood and stone that can neither see, hear, eat, nor smell. 29 But if you seek the Lord your God from there, you will find him, if, indeed, you seek him with all your heart and soul.[aw] 30 In your distress when all these things happen to you in future days, if you return to the Lord your God and obey him[ax] 31 (for he[ay] is a merciful God), he will not let you down[az] or destroy you, for he cannot[ba] forget the covenant with your ancestors that he confirmed by oath to them.

The Uniqueness of Israel’s God

32 Indeed, ask about the distant past, starting from the day God created humankind[bb] on the earth, and ask[bc] from one end of heaven to the other, whether there has ever been such a great thing as this, or even a rumor of it. 33 Have a people ever heard the voice of God speaking from the middle of fire, as you yourselves have, and lived to tell about it? 34 Or has God[bd] ever before tried to deliver[be] a nation from the middle of another nation, accompanied by judgments,[bf] signs, wonders, war, strength, power,[bg] and other very terrifying things like the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? 35 You have been taught that the Lord alone is God—there is no other besides him. 36 From heaven he spoke to you in order to teach you, and on earth he showed you his great fire from which you also heard his words.[bh] 37 Moreover, because he loved[bi] your ancestors, he chose their[bj] descendants who followed them and personally brought you out of Egypt with his great power 38 to dispossess nations greater and stronger than you and brought you here this day to give you their land as your property.[bk] 39 Today realize and carefully consider that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth below—there is no other! 40 Keep his statutes and commandments that I am setting forth[bl] today so that it may go well with you and your descendants and that you may enjoy longevity in the land that the Lord your God is about to give you as a permanent possession.”

The Narrative Concerning Cities of Refuge

41 Then Moses selected three cities in the Transjordan, toward the east. 42 Anyone who accidentally killed someone[bm] without hating him at the time of the accident[bn] could flee to one of those cities and be safe. 43 These cities are Bezer, in the wilderness plateau, for the Reubenites; Ramoth in Gilead for the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan for the Manassehites.

The Setting and Introduction of the Covenant

44 This is the law that Moses set before the Israelites.[bo] 45 These are the stipulations, statutes, and ordinances that Moses spoke to the Israelites after he had brought them out of Egypt, 46 in the Transjordan, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, in the land of King Sihon of the Amorites, who lived in Heshbon. (It is he whom Moses and the Israelites attacked after they came out of Egypt. 47 They possessed his land and that of King Og of Bashan—both of whom were Amorite kings in the Transjordan, to the east. 48 Their territory extended[bp] from Aroer at the edge of the Arnon valley as far as Mount Siyon[bq]—that is, Hermon— 49 including all the rift valley of the Transjordan in the east to the sea of the rift valley,[br] beneath the slopes[bs] of Pisgah.)

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 4:1 tn These technical Hebrew terms (חֻקִּים [khuqqim] and מִשְׁפָּטִים [mishpatim]) occur repeatedly throughout the Book of Deuteronomy to describe the covenant stipulations to which Israel had been called to subscribe (see, in this chapter alone, vv. 1, 5, 6, 8). The word חֻקִּים derives from the verb חֹק (khoq, “to inscribe; to carve”) and מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim) from שָׁפַט (shafat, “to judge”). They are virtually synonymous and are used interchangeably in Deuteronomy.
  2. Deuteronomy 4:1 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 31, 37).
  3. Deuteronomy 4:2 tn Heb “commanding.”
  4. Deuteronomy 4:3 tc The LXX and Syriac read “to Baal Peor,” that is, the god worshiped at that place; see note on the name “Beth Peor” in Deut 3:29.
  5. Deuteronomy 4:3 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
  6. Deuteronomy 4:3 tn Or “followed the Baal of Peor” (so NAB, NIV, NRSV), referring to the pagan god Baal.
  7. Deuteronomy 4:5 tn Heb “in the midst of” (so ASV).
  8. Deuteronomy 4:6 tn Heb “it is wisdom and understanding.”
  9. Deuteronomy 4:6 tn Heb “wise and understanding.”
  10. Deuteronomy 4:8 tn Or “pure”; or “fair”; Heb “righteous.”
  11. Deuteronomy 4:8 tn The Hebrew phrase הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת (hattorah hazzot), in this context, refers specifically to the Book of Deuteronomy. That is, it is the collection of all the חֻקִּים (khuqqim, “statutes,” 4:1) and מִשְׁפָּטִים (mishpatim, “ordinances,” 4:1) to be included in the covenant text. In a full canonical sense, of course, it pertains to the entire Pentateuch or Torah.
  12. Deuteronomy 4:8 tn Heb “place before.”
  13. Deuteronomy 4:9 tn Heb “watch yourself and watch your soul carefully.”
  14. Deuteronomy 4:10 tn The text begins with “(the) day (in) which.” In the Hebrew text v. 10 is subordinate to v. 11, but for stylistic reasons the translation treats v. 10 as an independent clause, necessitating the omission of the subordinating temporal phrase at the beginning of the verse.
  15. Deuteronomy 4:10 tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “he” in 4:3.
  16. Deuteronomy 4:10 tn Heb “my words.” See v. 13; in Hebrew the “ten commandments” are the “ten words.”
  17. Deuteronomy 4:11 tn Heb “a mountain burning with fire as far as the heart of the heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
  18. Deuteronomy 4:11 tn Heb “darkness, cloud, and heavy cloud.”
  19. Deuteronomy 4:12 tn The words “was heard” are supplied in the translation to avoid the impression that the voice was seen.
  20. Deuteronomy 4:13 sn This is the first occurrence of the word בְּרִית (berit, “covenant”) in the Book of Deuteronomy but it appears commonly hereafter (4:23, 31; 5:2, 3; 7:9, 12; 8:18; 9:9, 10, 11, 15; 10:2, 4, 5, 8; 17:2; 29:1, 9, 12, 14, 15, 18, 21, 25; 31:9, 16, 20, 25, 26; 33:9). Etymologically, it derives from the notion of linking or yoking together. See M. Weinfeld, TDOT 2:255.
  21. Deuteronomy 4:13 tn Heb “the ten words.”
  22. Deuteronomy 4:14 tn Heb “to which you are crossing over to possess it.”
  23. Deuteronomy 4:15 tn Heb “give great care to your souls.”
  24. Deuteronomy 4:16 tn The words “I say this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text v. 16 is subordinated to “Be careful” in v. 15, but this makes for an unduly long sentence in English.
  25. Deuteronomy 4:18 tn Heb “creeping thing.”
  26. Deuteronomy 4:18 tn Heb “under the earth.”
  27. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Heb “lest you lift up your eyes.” In the Hebrew text vv. 16-19 are subordinated to “Be careful” in v. 15, but this makes for an unduly long sentence in English.
  28. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Or “heavens.” The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
  29. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Heb “all the host of heaven.”
  30. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn In the Hebrew text the verbal sequence in v. 19 is “lest you look up…and see…and be seduced…and worship them…and serve them.” However, the first two actions are not prohibited in and of themselves. The prohibition pertains to the final three actions. The first two verbs describe actions that are logically subordinate to the following actions and can be treated as temporal or circumstantial: “lest, looking up…and seeing…, you are seduced.” See Joüon 2:635 §168.h.
  31. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Or “allotted.”
  32. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Or “nations.”
  33. Deuteronomy 4:19 tn Heb “under all the heaven.”sn The OT views the heavenly host as God’s council, which surrounds his royal throne ready to do his bidding (see 1 Kgs 22:19). God has given this group, sometimes called the “sons of God” (cf. Job 1:6; 38:7; Ps 89:6), jurisdiction over the nations. See Deut 32:8 (LXX). Some also see this assembly as the addressee in Ps 82. While God delegated his council to rule over the nations, he established a theocratic government over Israel and ruled directly over his chosen people via the Mosaic covenant. See v. 20, as well as Deut 32:9.
  34. Deuteronomy 4:20 tn A כּוּר (kur) was not a source of heat but a crucible (“iron-smelting furnace”) in which precious metals were melted down and their impurities burned away (see I. Cornelius, NIDOTTE 2:618-19); cf. NAB “that iron foundry, Egypt.” The term is a metaphor for intense heat. Here it refers to the oppression and suffering Israel endured in Egypt. Since a crucible was used to burn away impurities, it is possible that the metaphor views Egypt as a place of refinement to bring Israel to a place of submission to divine sovereignty.
  35. Deuteronomy 4:20 tn Heb “to be his people of inheritance.” The Lord compares his people to valued property inherited from one’s ancestors and passed on to one’s descendants.
  36. Deuteronomy 4:21 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 4:3.
  37. Deuteronomy 4:21 tn The Hebrew text includes “(as) an inheritance,” or “(as) a possession.”
  38. Deuteronomy 4:22 tn Heb “this.” The translation uses “that” to avoid confusion; earlier in the verse Moses refers to Transjordan as “this land.”
  39. Deuteronomy 4:23 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 4:3.
  40. Deuteronomy 4:23 tn Heb “commanded.”
  41. Deuteronomy 4:24 tn The juxtaposition of the Hebrew terms אֵשׁ (ʾesh, “fire”) and קַנָּא (qannaʾ, “jealous”) is interesting in light of Deut 6:15 where the Lord is seen as a jealous God whose anger bursts into a destructive fire. For God to be “jealous” means that his holiness and uniqueness cannot tolerate pretended or imaginary rivals. It is not petty envy but response to an act of insubordination that must be severely judged (see H. Peels, NIDOTTE 3:937-40).
  42. Deuteronomy 4:25 tn Heb “have grown old in the land,” i.e., been there for a long time.
  43. Deuteronomy 4:25 tn Heb “a form of anything.” Cf. NAB, NASB, NRSV, TEV “an idol.”
  44. Deuteronomy 4:25 tn The infinitive construct is understood here as indicating the result, not the intention, of their actions.
  45. Deuteronomy 4:26 sn I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you. This stock formula introduces what is known form-critically as a רִיב (riv) or controversy pattern. It is commonly used in the ancient Near Eastern world in legal contexts and in the OT as a forensic or judicial device to draw attention to Israel’s violation of the Lord’s covenant with them (see Deut 30:19; Isa 1:2; 3:13; Jer 2:9). Since court proceedings required the testimony of witnesses, the Lord here summons heaven and earth (that is, all creation) to testify to his faithfulness, Israel’s disobedience, and the threat of judgment.
  46. Deuteronomy 4:26 tn Or “be destroyed”; KJV “utterly perish”; NLT “will quickly disappear”; CEV “you won’t have long to live.”
  47. Deuteronomy 4:26 tn Or “be completely” (so NCV, TEV). It is not certain here if the infinitive absolute indicates the certainty of the following action (cf. NIV) or its degree.
  48. Deuteronomy 4:27 tn Heb “you will be left men (i.e., few) of number.”
  49. Deuteronomy 4:29 tn Or “mind and being.” See Deut 6:5.
  50. Deuteronomy 4:30 tn Heb “hear his voice.” The expression is an idiom meaning “obey,” occurring in Deut 8:20; 9:23; 13:18; 21:18, 20; 26:14, 17; 27:10; 28:1-2, 15, 45, 62; 30:2, 8, 10, 20.
  51. Deuteronomy 4:31 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “he” in 4:3.
  52. Deuteronomy 4:31 tn Heb “he will not drop you,” i.e., “will not abandon you” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT).
  53. Deuteronomy 4:31 tn Or “will not.” The translation understands the imperfect verbal form to have an added nuance of capability here.
  54. Deuteronomy 4:32 tn The Hebrew term אָדָם (ʾadam) may refer either to Adam or, more likely, to “man” in the sense of the human race (“mankind,” “humankind”). The idea here seems more universal in scope than reference to Adam alone would suggest.
  55. Deuteronomy 4:32 tn The verb is not present in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for clarification. The challenge has both temporal and geographical dimensions. The people are challenged to (1) inquire about the entire scope of past history and (2) conduct their investigation on a worldwide scale.
  56. Deuteronomy 4:34 tn The translation assumes the reference is to Israel’s God in which case the point is this: God’s intervention in Israel’s experience is unique in the sense that he has never intervened in such power for any other people on earth. The focus is on the uniqueness of Israel’s experience. Some understand the divine name here in a generic sense, “a god,” or “any god.” In this case God’s incomparability is the focus (cf. v. 35, where this theme is expressed).
  57. Deuteronomy 4:34 tn Heb “tried to go to take for himself.”
  58. Deuteronomy 4:34 tn Heb “by testings.” The reference here is the judgments upon Pharaoh in the form of plagues. See Deut 7:19 (cf. v. 18) and 29:3 (cf. v. 2).
  59. Deuteronomy 4:34 tn Heb “by strong hand and by outstretched arm.”
  60. Deuteronomy 4:36 tn Heb “and his words you heard from the midst of the fire.”
  61. Deuteronomy 4:37 tn The concept of love here is not primarily that of emotional affection but of commitment or devotion. This verse suggests that God chose Israel to be his special people because he loved the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob) and had promised to bless their descendants. See as well Deut 7:7-9.
  62. Deuteronomy 4:37 tc The LXX, Smr, Syriac, Targum, and Vulgate read a third person masculine plural suffix for the MT’s third person masculine singular, “his descendants.” Cf. Deut 10:15. Quite likely the MT should be emended in this instance.
  63. Deuteronomy 4:38 tn Heb “(as) an inheritance,” that is, landed property that one can pass on to one’s descendants.
  64. Deuteronomy 4:40 tn Heb “commanding” (so NRSV).
  65. Deuteronomy 4:42 tn Heb “the slayer who slew his neighbor without knowledge.”
  66. Deuteronomy 4:42 tn Heb “yesterday and a third (day).” The point is that there was no animosity between the two parties at the time of the accident and therefore no motive for the killing.
  67. Deuteronomy 4:44 tn Heb “the sons of Israel” (likewise in the following verse).
  68. Deuteronomy 4:48 tn The words “their territory extended” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 47-49 are all one sentence, but for the sake of English style and readability the translation divides the text into two sentences.
  69. Deuteronomy 4:48 sn Mount Siyon (the Hebrew name is שִׂיאֹן [siʾon], not to be confused with Zion [צִיּוֹן, tsiyyon]) is another name for Mount Hermon, also called Sirion and Senir (cf. Deut 3:9).
  70. Deuteronomy 4:49 sn The sea of the rift valley refers to the Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea in OT times (cf. Deut 3:17).
  71. Deuteronomy 4:49 sn The “slopes” refer to the ascent from the rift valley up to the plains in the east. The slopes of Pisgah are across from the northern tip of the Dead Sea.
Psalm 86-87

Psalm 86[a]

A prayer of David.

86 Listen,[b] O Lord. Answer me.
For I am oppressed and needy.
2 Protect me,[c] for I am loyal.
You are my God; deliver your servant who trusts in you.
3 Have mercy on me,[d] O Lord,
for I cry out to you all day long.
4 Make your servant[e] glad,
for to you, O Lord, I pray.[f]
5 Certainly,[g] O Lord, you are kind[h] and forgiving,
and show great faithfulness to all who cry out to you.
6 O Lord, hear my prayer.
Pay attention to my plea for mercy.
7 In my time of trouble I cry out to you,
for you will answer me.
8 None can compare to you among the gods, O Lord.
Your exploits are incomparable.[i]
9 All the nations, whom you created,
will come and worship you,[j] O Lord.
They will honor your name.
10 For you are great and do amazing things.
You alone are God.
11 O Lord, teach me how you want me to live.[k]
Then I will obey your commands.[l]
Make me wholeheartedly committed to you.[m]
12 O Lord, my God, I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
I will honor your name continually.[n]
13 For you will extend your great loyal love to me,[o]
and will deliver my life[p] from the depths of Sheol.[q]
14 O God, arrogant men attack me;[r]
a gang[s] of ruthless men, who do not respect you, seek my life.[t]
15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and merciful God.
You are patient[u] and demonstrate great loyal love and faithfulness.[v]
16 Turn toward me and have mercy on me.
Give your servant your strength.
Deliver this son of your female servant.[w]
17 Show me evidence of your favor.[x]
Then those who hate me will see it and be ashamed,[y]
for you, O Lord, will help me and comfort me.[z]

Psalm 87[aa]

Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.

87 The Lord’s city is in the holy hills.[ab]
2 The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 People say wonderful things about you,[ac]
O city of God. (Selah)
4 I mention Rahab[ad] and Babylon to my followers.[ae]
Here are[af] Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia.[ag]
It is said of them, “This one was born there.”[ah]
5 But it is said of Zion’s residents,[ai]
“Each one of these[aj] was born in her,
and the Most High[ak] makes her secure.”
6 The Lord writes in the census book of the nations,[al]
“This one was born there.”[am] (Selah)
7 As for the singers, as well as the pipers—
all of them sing within your walls.[an]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 86:1 sn Psalm 86. The psalmist appeals to God’s mercy as he asks for deliverance from his enemies.
  2. Psalm 86:1 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
  3. Psalm 86:2 tn Heb “my life.”
  4. Psalm 86:3 tn Or “show me favor.”
  5. Psalm 86:4 tn Heb “the soul of your servant.”
  6. Psalm 86:4 tn Heb “I lift up my soul.”
  7. Psalm 86:5 tn Or “for.”
  8. Psalm 86:5 tn Heb “good.”
  9. Psalm 86:8 tn Heb “and there are none like your acts.”
  10. Psalm 86:9 tn Or “bow down before you.”
  11. Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “teach me your way.” The Lord’s “way” refers here to the moral principles he expects the psalmist to follow. See Pss 25:4; 27:11.
  12. Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “I will walk in your truth.” The Lord’s commandments are referred to as “truth” here because they are a trustworthy and accurate expression of the divine will. See Ps 25:5.
  13. Psalm 86:11 tn Heb “Bind my heart to the fearing of your name.” The verb translated “bind” occurs only here in the Piel stem. It appears twice in the Qal, meaning “be joined” in both cases (Gen 49:6; Isa 14:20). To “fear” God’s name means to have a healthy respect for him which in turn motivates one to obey his commands (see Pss 61:5; 102:15).
  14. Psalm 86:12 tn Or “forever.”
  15. Psalm 86:13 tn Heb “for your loyal love [is] great over me.”
  16. Psalm 86:13 tn Or “for he will have delivered my life.” The verb form indicates a future perfect here.
  17. Psalm 86:13 tn Or “lower Sheol.”
  18. Psalm 86:14 tn Heb “rise up against me.”
  19. Psalm 86:14 tn Or “assembly.”
  20. Psalm 86:14 tn Heb “seek my life and do not set you before them.” See Ps 54:3.
  21. Psalm 86:15 tn Heb “slow to anger.”
  22. Psalm 86:15 tn Heb “and great of loyal love and faithfulness.”sn The psalmist’s confession of faith in this verse echoes Exod 34:6.
  23. Psalm 86:16 tn Heb “the son of your female servant.” The phrase “son of a female servant” (see also Ps 116:16) is used of a son born to a secondary wife or concubine (Exod 23:12). In some cases the child’s father is the master of the house (see Gen 21:10, 13; Judg 9:18). The phrase may be used metaphorically and idiomatically to emphasize the psalmist’s humility before the Lord and his status as the Lord’s servant. Or it may be a reference to the psalmist’s own mother who also was a servant of the Lord.
  24. Psalm 86:17 tn Heb “Work with me a sign for good.” The expression “work a sign” also occurs in Judg 6:17.
  25. Psalm 86:17 tn After the imperative in the preceding line (“work”), the prefixed verb forms with prefixed vav (ו) conjunctive indicate purpose or result.
  26. Psalm 86:17 tn The perfect verbal forms are understood here as dramatic/rhetorical, expressing the psalmist’s certitude that such a sign from the Lord will be followed by his intervention. Another option is to understand the forms as future perfects (“for you, O Lord, will have helped me and comforted me”).
  27. Psalm 87:1 sn Psalm 87. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s presence in Zion and the special status of its citizens.
  28. Psalm 87:1 tn Heb “his foundation [is] in the hills of holiness.” The expression “his foundation” refers here by metonymy to the Lord’s dwelling place in Zion. The “hills” are the ones surrounding Zion (see Pss 125:2; 133:3).
  29. Psalm 87:3 tn Heb “glorious things are spoken about you.” The translation assumes this is a general reference to compliments paid to Zion by those who live within her walls and by those who live in the surrounding areas and lands. Another option is that this refers to a prophetic oracle about the city’s glorious future. In this case one could translate, “wonderful things are announced concerning you.”
  30. Psalm 87:4 sn “Rahab,” which means “proud one,” is used here as a title for Egypt (see Isa 30:7).
  31. Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “to those who know me” (see Ps 36:10). Apparently the Lord speaks here. The verbal construction (the Hiphil of זָכַר, zakhar, “remember” followed by the preposition ל [lamed] with a substantive) is rare, but the prepositional phrase is best understood as indicating the recipient of the announcement (see Jer 4:16). Some take the preposition in the sense of “among” and translate, “among those who know me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). In this case these foreigners are viewed as the Lord’s people and the psalm is interpreted as anticipating a time when all nations will worship the Lord (see Ps 86:9) and be considered citizens of Zion.
  32. Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “Look.”
  33. Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “Cush.”
  34. Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “and this one was born there.” The words “It is said of them” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied for clarification and stylistic purposes (see v. 5). Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand “there” as referring to Zion, but it seems more likely that the adverb refers to the nations just mentioned. The foreigners are identified by their native lands.
  35. Psalm 87:5 tn Heb “and of Zion it is said.” Another option is to translate, “and to Zion it is said.” In collocation with the Niphal of אָמַר (ʾamar), the preposition ל (lamed) can introduce the recipient of the statement (see Josh 2:2; Jer 4:11; Hos 1:10; Zeph 3:16), carry the nuance “concerning, of” (see Num 23:23), or mean “be named” (see Isa 4:3; 62:4).
  36. Psalm 87:5 tn Heb “a man and a man.” The idiom also appears in Esth 1:8. The translation assumes that the phrase refers to each of Zion’s residents, in contrast to the foreigners mentioned in v. 4. Those advocating the universalistic interpretation understand this as a reference to each of the nations, including those mentioned in v. 4.
  37. Psalm 87:5 sn The divine title “Most High” (עֶלְיוֹן ʿelyon) pictures God as the exalted ruler of the universe who vindicates the innocent and judges the wicked. See especially Pss 7:17; 9:2; 18:13; 21:7; 47:2.
  38. Psalm 87:6 tn Heb “the Lord records in the writing of the nations.”
  39. Psalm 87:6 tn As noted in v. 4, the translation assumes a contrast between “there” (the various foreign lands) and “in her” (Zion). In contrast to foreigners, the citizens of Zion have special status because of their birthplace (v. 5). In this case vv. 4 and 6 form a structural frame around v. 5.
  40. Psalm 87:7 tc Heb “and singers, like pipers, all my springs [are] in you.” The participial form חֹלְלִים (kholelim) appears to be from a denominative verb meaning “play the pipe,” though some derive the form from חוּל (khul, “dance”). In this case the duplicated ל (lamed) requires an emendation to מְחֹלְלִים (mekholelim, “a Polel form). The words are addressed to Zion. As it stands, the Hebrew text makes little, if any, sense. “Springs” are often taken here as a symbol of divine blessing and life”), but this reading does not relate to the preceding line in any apparent way. The present translation assumes an emendation of כָּל־מַעְיָנַי (kol maʿyanay, “all my springs”) to כֻּלָּם עָנוּ (kullam ʿanu, “all of them sing,” with the form עָנוּ being derived from עָנָה, ʿanah, “sing”).
Isaiah 32

Justice and Wisdom Will Prevail

32 Look, a king will promote fairness;[a]
officials will promote justice.[b]
2 Each of them[c] will be like a shelter from the wind
and a refuge from a rainstorm;
like streams of water in a dry region
and like the shade of a large cliff in a parched land.
3 Eyes[d] will no longer be blind[e]
and ears[f] will be attentive.
4 The mind that acts rashly will possess discernment,[g]
and the tongue that stutters will speak with ease and clarity.
5 A fool will no longer be called honorable;
a deceiver will no longer be called principled.
6 For a fool speaks disgraceful things;[h]
his mind plans out sinful deeds.[i]
He commits godless deeds[j]
and says misleading things about the Lord;
he gives the hungry nothing to satisfy their appetite[k]
and gives the thirsty nothing to drink.[l]
7 A deceiver’s methods are evil;[m]
he dreams up evil plans[n]
to ruin the poor with lies,
even when the needy are in the right.[o]
8 An honorable man makes honorable plans;
his honorable character gives him security.[p]

The Lord Will Give True Security

9 You complacent[q] women,
get up and listen to me!
You carefree[r] daughters,
pay attention to what I say!
10 In a year’s time[s]
you carefree ones will shake with fear,
for the grape harvest[t] will fail,
and the fruit harvest will not arrive.
11 Tremble, you complacent ones!
Shake with fear, you carefree ones!
Strip off your clothes and expose yourselves—
put sackcloth around your waists.[u]
12 Mourn over the field,[v]
over the delightful fields
and the fruitful vine.
13 Mourn[w] over the land of my people,
which is overgrown with thorns and briers,
and over all the once-happy houses[x]
in the city filled with revelry.[y]
14 For the fortress is neglected;
the once-crowded[z] city is abandoned.
Hill[aa] and watchtower
are permanently uninhabited.[ab]
Wild donkeys love to go there,
and flocks graze there.[ac]
15 This desolation will continue[ad] until new life is poured out on us from heaven.[ae]
Then the wilderness will become an orchard[af]
and the orchard will be considered a forest.[ag]
16 Justice will settle down in the wilderness
and fairness will live in the orchard.[ah]
17 Fairness will produce peace[ai]
and result in lasting security.[aj]
18 My people will live in peaceful settlements,
in secure homes,
and in safe, quiet places.[ak]
19 Even if the forest is destroyed[al]
and the city is annihilated,[am]
20 you will be blessed,
you who plant seed by all the banks of the streams,[an]
you who let your ox and donkey graze.[ao]

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 32:1 tn Heb “will reign according to fairness.”
  2. Isaiah 32:1 tn Heb “will rule according to justice.”
  3. Isaiah 32:2 tn Heb “a man,” but אִישׁ (ʾish) probably refers here to “each” of the officials mentioned in the previous verse.
  4. Isaiah 32:3 tn Heb “Eyes that see.”
  5. Isaiah 32:3 tn The Hebrew text as vocalized reads literally “will not gaze,” but this is contradictory to the context. The verb form should be revocalized as תְּשֹׁעֶינָה (teshoʿenah) from שָׁעַע (shʿaʿa, “be blinded”); see Isa 6:10; 29:9.
  6. Isaiah 32:3 tn Heb “ears that hear.”
  7. Isaiah 32:4 tn Heb “the heart of rashness will understand knowledge”; cf. NAB “The flighty will become wise and capable.”
  8. Isaiah 32:6 tn Or “foolishness,” in a moral-ethical sense. See 9:17.
  9. Isaiah 32:6 tn Heb “and his heart commits sin”; KJV, ASV “his heart will work iniquity”; NASB “inclines toward wickedness.”
  10. Isaiah 32:6 tn Heb “in order to do [or “so that he does”] what is godless [or “defiled”].”
  11. Isaiah 32:6 tn Heb “so that he leaves empty the appetite [or “desire”] of the hungry.”
  12. Isaiah 32:6 tn Heb “and the drink of the thirsty he causes to fail.”
  13. Isaiah 32:7 tn Heb “as for a deceiver, his implements [or “weapons”] are evil.”
  14. Isaiah 32:7 tn Or “he plans evil things”; NIV “he makes up evil schemes.”
  15. Isaiah 32:7 tn Heb “to ruin the poor with words of falsehood, even when the needy speak what is just.”
  16. Isaiah 32:8 tn Heb “and he upon honorable things stands.”
  17. Isaiah 32:9 tn Or “self-assured”; NASB, NRSV “who are at ease.”
  18. Isaiah 32:9 tn Or “self-confident”; NAB “overconfident.”
  19. Isaiah 32:10 tn Heb “days upon a year.”
  20. Isaiah 32:10 tn Or perhaps, “olive.” See 24:13.
  21. Isaiah 32:11 tn The imperatival forms in v. 11 are problematic. The first (חִרְדוּ, khiredu, “tremble”) is masculine plural in form, though spoken to a feminine plural addressee (שַׁאֲנַנּוֹת, shaʾanannot, “complacent ones”). The four imperatival forms that follow (רְגָזָה, regazah, “shake with fear”; פְּשֹׁטָה, peshotah, “strip off your clothes”; עֹרָה, ʿorah, “expose yourselves”; and חֲגוֹרָה, khagorah, “put on”) all appear to be lengthened (so-called “emphatic”) masculine singular forms, even though they too appear to be spoken to a feminine plural addressee. GKC 131-32 §48.i suggests emending חִרְדוּ (khiredu) to חֲרָדָה (kharadah) and understanding all five imperatives as feminine plural “Aramaized” forms.
  22. Isaiah 32:12 tc The Hebrew text has “over mourning breasts.” The reference to “breasts” would make sense in light of v. 11, which refers to the practice of women baring their breasts as a sign of sorrow (see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:585). However, one expects the preposition עַל (ʿal) to introduce the source or reason for mourning (see vv. 12b-13a) and the participle סֹפְדִים (sofedim, “mourning”) seems odd modifying “breasts.” The translation above assumes a twofold emendation: (1) שָׁדַיִם (shadayim, “breasts”) is emended to [ם]שָׂדַי (saday[m], “field,” a term that also appears in Isa 56:9). The final mem (ם) would be enclitic in this case, not a plural indicator. (The Hebrew noun שָׂדֶה (sadeh, “field”) forms its plural with an וֹת- [-ot] ending). (2) The plural participle סֹפְדִים is emended to סְפֹדָה (sefodah), a lengthened imperatival form, meaning “mourn.” For an overview of various suggestions that have been made for this difficult line, see Oswalt, 586, n. 12).
  23. Isaiah 32:13 tn “Mourn” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 12-13 are one long sentence.
  24. Isaiah 32:13 tn Heb “indeed, over all the houses of joy.” It is not certain if this refers to individual homes or to places where parties and celebrations were held.
  25. Isaiah 32:13 sn This same phrase is used in 22:2.
  26. Isaiah 32:14 tn Or “noisy” (NAB, NIV, NCV).
  27. Isaiah 32:14 tn Hebrew עֹפֶל (ʿofel), probably refers here to a specific area within the city of Jerusalem. See HALOT 861 s.v. II עֹפֶל.
  28. Isaiah 32:14 tn The Hebrew text has בְעַד מְעָרוֹת (veʿad meʿarot). The force of בְעַד, which usually means “behind, through, round about,” or “for the benefit of,” is uncertain here. HALOT 616 s.v. *מְעָרָה takes מְעָרוֹת (meʿarot) as a homonym of “cave” and defines it here as “cleared field.” Despite these lexical problems, the general point of the statement seems clear—the city will be uninhabited.
  29. Isaiah 32:14 tn Heb “the joy of wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks.”
  30. Isaiah 32:15 tn The words “The desolation will continue” refer to the previous context and have been added for smoothness.
  31. Isaiah 32:15 tn Heb “until a spirit is emptied out on us from on high.” The words “this desolation will continue” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic purposes. The verb עָרָה (ʿarah), used here in the Niphal, normally means “lay bare, expose.” The term רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) is often understood here as a reference to the divine spirit (cf. 44:3 and NASB, NIV, CEV, NLT), but it appears here without an article (cf. NRSV “a spirit”), pronominal suffix, or a genitive (such as “of the Lord”). The translation assumes that it carries an impersonal nuance “vivacity, vigor” in this context.
  32. Isaiah 32:15 tn The term כַּרְמֶל (karmel) may refer to fertile land, an orchard, a garden of vines, a plantation of trees, or fresh grain. The dictionaries may subdivide these meaning under homonyms (see BDB 502, NIDOTTE 718, HALOT 499, The Concise DCH, 183). The picture of transformation is clearer when it is understood that a מִדְבָּר (midbar, “wilderness”) is an area that does not receive enough rainfall to support trees.
  33. Isaiah 32:15 sn The same statement appears in 29:17b, where, in conjunction with the preceding line, it appears to picture a reversal. Here it seems to depict supernatural growth. The desert will blossom into an orchard, and the trees of the orchard will multiply and grow tall, becoming a forest.
  34. Isaiah 32:16 sn This new era of divine blessing will also include a moral/ethical transformation, as justice and fairness fill the land and replace the social injustice so prevalent in Isaiah’s time.
  35. Isaiah 32:17 tn Heb “and the product of fairness will be peace.”
  36. Isaiah 32:17 tn Heb “and the work of fairness [will be] calmness and security forever.”
  37. Isaiah 32:18 tn Or “in safe resting places”; NAB, NRSV “quiet resting places.”
  38. Isaiah 32:19 tn Heb “and [?] when the forest descends.” The form וּבָרַד (uvarad) is often understood as an otherwise unattested denominative verb meaning “to hail” (HALOT 154 s.v. I ברד). In this case one might translate, “and it hails when the forest is destroyed” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV). Perhaps the text alludes to a powerful wind and hail storm that knocks down limbs and trees. Some prefer to emend the form to וְיָרַד (veyarad), “and it descends,” which provides better, though not perfect, symmetry with the parallel line (cf. NAB). Perhaps וּבָרַד should be dismissed as dittographic. In this case the statement (“when the forest descends”) lacks a finite verb and seems incomplete, but perhaps it is subordinate to v. 20.
  39. Isaiah 32:19 tn Heb “and in humiliation the city is laid low.”
  40. Isaiah 32:20 tn Heb “by all the waters.”
  41. Isaiah 32:20 tn Heb “who set free the foot of the ox and donkey”; NIV “letting your cattle and donkeys range free.”sn This verse seems to anticipate a time when fertile land is available to cultivate and crops are so abundant that the farm animals can be allowed to graze freely.
Revelation 2

To the Church in Ephesus

2 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write the following:[a]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of[b] the one who has a firm grasp on[c] the seven stars in his right hand[d]—the one who walks among the seven golden[e] lampstands: 2 ‘I know your works as well as your[f] labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate[g] evil. You have even put to the test[h] those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false. 3 I am also aware[i] that you have persisted steadfastly,[j] endured much for the sake of my name, and have not grown weary. 4 But I have this against you: You have departed[k] from your first love! 5 Therefore, remember from what high state[l] you have fallen and repent! Do[m] the deeds you did at the first;[n] if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place—that is, if you do not repent.[o] 6 But you do have this going for you:[p] You hate what the Nicolaitans[q] practice[r]—practices I also hate. 7 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers,[s] I will permit[t] him to eat from the tree of life that is[u] in the paradise of God.’[v]

To the Church in Smyrna

8 “To[w] the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following:[x]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of[y] the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but[z] came to life: 9 ‘I know the distress you are suffering[aa] and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know[ab] the slander against you[ac] by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue[ad] of Satan. 10 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown[ae] into prison so you may be tested,[af] and you will experience suffering[ag] for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.[ah] 11 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers[ai] will in no way be harmed by the second death.’

To the Church in Pergamum

12 “To[aj] the angel of the church in Pergamum write the following:[ak]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of[al] the one who has the sharp double-edged sword:[am] 13 ‘I know[an] where you live—where Satan’s throne is. Yet[ao] you continue to cling[ap] to my name and you have not denied your[aq] faith in me,[ar] even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness,[as] who was killed in your city[at] where Satan lives. 14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam,[au] who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block[av] before the people[aw] of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.[ax] 15 In the same way, there are also some among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.[ay] 16 Therefore,[az] repent! If not, I will come against you quickly and make war against those people[ba] with the sword of my mouth. 17 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers,[bb] I will give him some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white[bc] stone,[bd] and on that stone will be written a new name that no one can understand[be] except the one who receives it.’

To the Church in Thyatira

18 “To[bf] the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following:[bg]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of[bh] the Son of God, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame[bi] and whose feet are like polished bronze:[bj] 19 ‘I know your deeds: your love, faith,[bk] service, and steadfast endurance.[bl] In fact,[bm] your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones. 20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that[bn] woman[bo] Jezebel,[bp] who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives[bq] my servants[br] to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.[bs] 21 I[bt] have given her time to repent, but[bu] she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness,[bv] and those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering,[bw] unless they repent of her deeds. 23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers[bx] with a deadly disease,[by] and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay[bz] each one of you[ca] what your deeds deserve.[cb] 24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching[cc] (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets[cd] of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you. 25 However, hold on to what you have until I come. 26 And to the one who conquers[ce] and who continues in[cf] my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations[cg]—

27 he[ch] will rule[ci] them with an iron rod[cj]
and like clay jars he will break them to pieces,[ck]

28 just as I have received the right to rule[cl] from my Father—and I will give him the morning star.[cm] 29 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 2:1 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
  2. Revelation 2:1 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” The expression τάδε λέγει (tade legei) occurs eight times in the NT, seven of which are in Rev 2-3. “The pronoun is used to add solemnity to the prophetic utterance that follows.…In classical drama, it was used to introduce a new actor to the scene (Smyth, Greek Grammar, 307 [§1241]). But the τάδε λέγει formula in the NT derives from the OT, where it was used to introduce a prophetic utterance (BAGD, s.v. ὅδε, 1)” (ExSyn 328). Thus, the translation “this is the solemn pronouncement of” for τάδε λέγει is very much in keeping with the OT connotations of this expression.sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. The LXX has the same Greek phrase (τάδε λέγει, tade legei) about 350 times, with nearly 320 of them having “the Lord” (Heb יהוה, Yahweh) as subject. That the author of Revelation would use such an expression seven times with the risen Christ as the speaker may well imply something of Christ’s sovereignty and deity. Cf. also Acts 21:11 in which the Holy Spirit is the speaker of this expression.
  3. Revelation 2:1 tn Grk “holds,” but the term (i.e., κρατῶν, kratōn) with an accusative object, along with the context, argues for a sense of firmness. (Cf. ExSyn 132.)
  4. Revelation 2:1 sn On seven stars in his right hand see 1:16.
  5. Revelation 2:1 tn Grk “lampstands of gold” with the genitive τῶν χρυσῶν (tōn chrusōn) translated as an attributive genitive.
  6. Revelation 2:2 tn Although the first possessive pronoun σου (sou) is connected to τὰ ἔργα (ta erga) and the second σου is connected to ὑπομονήν (hupomonēn), semantically κόπον (kopon) is also to be understood as belonging to the Ephesian church. The translation reflects this.
  7. Revelation 2:2 tn The translation “tolerate” seems to capture the sense of βαστάσαι (bastasai) here. BDAG 171 s.v. βαστάζω 2.b.β says, “bear, endure…κακούς Rv 2:2.…bear patiently, put up with: weaknesses of the weak Ro 15:1; cf. IPol 1:2; evil Rv 2:3.”
  8. Revelation 2:2 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle was broken off from the previous sentence and translated as an indicative verb beginning a new sentence here in the translation.
  9. Revelation 2:3 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “I am also aware” to link this English sentence back to “I know” at the beginning of v. 2.
  10. Revelation 2:3 tn The Greek word translated “persisted steadfastly” (ὑπομονή, hupomonē) is the same one translated “steadfast endurance” in v. 2.
  11. Revelation 2:4 tn The Greek word translated “departed from” (ἀφίημι, aphiēmi; L&N 15.48) can actually be used of divorce (L&N 34.78), so the imagery here is very strong.
  12. Revelation 2:5 tn Grk “from where,” but status is in view rather than physical position. On this term BDAG 838 s.v. πόθεν 1 states, “from what place? from where?…In imagery μνημόνευε πόθεν πέπτωκες remember from what (state) you have fallen Rv 2:5.”
  13. Revelation 2:5 tn Grk “and do” (a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text). For stylistic reasons in English a new sentence was started here in the translation. The repeated mention of repenting at the end of the verse suggests that the intervening material (“do the deeds you did at first”) specifies how the repentance is to be demonstrated.
  14. Revelation 2:5 tn Or “you did formerly.”
  15. Revelation 2:5 tn Although the final clause is somewhat awkward, it is typical of the style of Revelation.
  16. Revelation 2:6 tn Grk “But you do have this.” The words “going for you” are supplied to complete the English idiom; other phrases like “in your favor” (NIV) or “to your credit” (NRSV) could also be supplied.
  17. Revelation 2:6 sn The Nicolaitans were a sect that apparently taught that Christians could engage in immoral behavior with impunity. They are also mentioned in 2:15. They are sometimes associated with Nicolaus, one of the seven original deacons in the church in Jerusalem according to Acts 6:5. The early church father Irenaeus connected them to Nicolaus and further described them as an immoral Gnostic sect (Adv. Haer. 1.26.3; 3.11.1). It is unclear however if the association of the Nicolaitans with the Nicolaus of Acts 6:5 is correct as this view may have arisen based on simple name identification rather than a real historical connection. It is also possible that the group adopted the name of Nicolaus to give them credibility (Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. 3.29.1).
  18. Revelation 2:6 tn The expression τὰ ἔργα τῶν Νικολαϊτῶν (ta erga tōn Nikolaitōn) has been translated as a subjective genitive.
  19. Revelation 2:7 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.” The pendent dative is allowed to stand in the English translation because it is characteristic of the author’s style in Revelation.
  20. Revelation 2:7 tn Or “grant.”
  21. Revelation 2:7 tn Or “stands.”
  22. Revelation 2:7 tc The omission of “my” (μου, mou) after “God” (θεοῦ, theou) is well attested, supported by א A C and the Andreas of Caesarea group of Byzantine mss (MA). Its addition in 1611, the MK group, latt, and others, seems to be evidence of a purposeful conforming of the text to 3:2 and the four occurrences of “my God” (θεοῦ μου) in 3:12.
  23. Revelation 2:8 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
  24. Revelation 2:8 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
  25. Revelation 2:8 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.
  26. Revelation 2:8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present between these two phrases.
  27. Revelation 2:9 tn Or “know your suffering.” This could refer to suffering or distress caused by persecution (see L&N 22.2).
  28. Revelation 2:9 tn Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the phrase “I also know” to link this English sentence back to “I know” at the beginning of the verse.
  29. Revelation 2:9 tn The words “against you” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
  30. Revelation 2:9 sn A synagogue was a place for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (e.g., Mt 4:23, Mk 1:21, Lk 4:15, Jn 6:59).
  31. Revelation 2:10 tn Grk “is about to throw some of you,” but the force is causative in context.
  32. Revelation 2:10 tn Or “tempted.”
  33. Revelation 2:10 tn Or “experience persecution,” “will be in distress” (see L&N 22.2).
  34. Revelation 2:10 tn Grk “crown of life,” with the genitive “of life” (τῆς ζωῆς, tēs zōēs) functioning in apposition to “crown” (στέφανον, stephanon): “the crown that consists of life.”
  35. Revelation 2:11 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
  36. Revelation 2:12 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
  37. Revelation 2:12 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
  38. Revelation 2:12 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.
  39. Revelation 2:12 sn On the sharp double-edged sword see 1:16.
  40. Revelation 2:13 tc The shorter reading adopted here has superior ms support (א A C P 2053 al latt co), while the inclusion of “your works and” (τὰ ἔργα σου καί, ta erga sou kai) before “where you reside” is supported by the Byzantine witnesses and is evidently a secondary attempt to harmonize the passage with 2:2, 19; 3:1, 8, 15.
  41. Revelation 2:13 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast between their location and their faithful behavior.
  42. Revelation 2:13 tn The present indicative verb κρατεῖς (krateis) has been translated as a progressive present.
  43. Revelation 2:13 tn Grk “the faith”; here the Greek article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
  44. Revelation 2:13 tn Grk “the faith of me” (τὴν πίστιν μου, tēn pistin mou) with the genitive “of me” (μου) functioning objectively.
  45. Revelation 2:13 tn Or “martyr.” The Greek word μάρτυς can mean either “witness” or “martyr.”
  46. Revelation 2:13 tn Grk “killed among you.” The term “city” does not occur in the Greek text of course, but the expression παρ᾿ ὑμῖν, ὅπου ὁ σατανᾶς κατοικεῖ (par’ humin, hopou ho satanas katoikei) seems to indicate that this is what is meant. See G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 36-38.
  47. Revelation 2:14 sn See Num 22-24; 31:16.
  48. Revelation 2:14 tn That is, a cause for sinning. An alternate translation is “who instructed Balak to cause the people of Israel to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols…”
  49. Revelation 2:14 tn Grk “sons,” but the expression υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραήλ (huioi Israēl) is an idiom for the people of Israel as an ethnic entity (see L&N 11.58).
  50. Revelation 2:14 tn Due to the actual events in the OT (Num 22-24; 31:16), πορνεῦσαι (porneusai) is taken to mean “sexual immorality.” BDAG 854 s.v. πορνεύω 1 states, “engage in illicit sex, to fornicate, to whore…W. φαγεῖν εἰδωλόθυτα ‘eat meat offered to idols’ Rv 2:14, 20.”
  51. Revelation 2:15 tn The term ὁμοίως (homoiōs, “likewise”) is left untranslated because it is quite redundant.sn See the note on the term Nicolaitans in 2:6.
  52. Revelation 2:16 tc The “therefore” (οὖν, oun) is not found in א 2053 2329 2351 MA or the Latin mss. It is, however, included in impressive witnesses such as A C 046 1006 1611 syp,h co. Though the conjunction looks at first glance like a scribal clarification, its omission may be explained on the basis of its similarity to the last three letters of the verb “repent” (μετανόησον, metanoēson; since οὖν is a postpositive conjunction in Greek, the final three letters of the verb [-σον, -son] would have been immediately followed by ουν). A scribe could have simply passed over the conjunction in his copy when he saw the last three letters of the imperative verb. A decision is difficult, however, because of the motivation to add to the text and the quality of witnesses that lack the conjunction.
  53. Revelation 2:16 tn Grk “with them”; the referent (those people who follow the teaching of Balaam and the Nicolaitans) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  54. Revelation 2:17 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.” The pendent dative is allowed to stand in the English translation because it is characteristic of the author’s style in Revelation.
  55. Revelation 2:17 tn Or “bright.” The Greek term λευκός (leukos) can refer either to the color white (traditional here) or to an object that is bright or shining, either from itself or from an outside source of illumination (L&N 14.50; 79.27).
  56. Revelation 2:17 tn On the interpretation of the stone, L&N 2.27 states, “A number of different suggestions have been made as to the reference of ψῆφος in this context. Some scholars believe that the white ψῆφος indicates a vote of acquittal in court. Others contend that it is simply a magical amulet; still others, a token of Roman hospitality; and finally, some have suggested that it may represent a ticket to the gladiatorial games, that is to say, to martyrdom. The context, however, suggests clearly that this is something to be prized and a type of reward for those who have ‘won the victory.’”
  57. Revelation 2:17 tn Or “know”; for the meaning “understand” see L&N 32.4.
  58. Revelation 2:18 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
  59. Revelation 2:18 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
  60. Revelation 2:18 tn Grk “These things says [the One]…” See the note on the phrase “this is the solemn pronouncement of” in 2:1.sn The expression This is the solemn pronouncement of reflects an OT idiom. See the note on this phrase in 2:1.
  61. Revelation 2:18 tn Grk “a flame of fire.” The Greek term πυρός (puros) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
  62. Revelation 2:18 tn The precise meaning of the term translated “polished bronze” (χαλκολιβάνῳ, chalkolibanō), which appears no where else in Greek literature outside of the book of Revelation (see 1:15), is uncertain. Without question it is some sort of metal. BDAG 1076 s.v. χαλκολίβανον suggests “fine brass/bronze.” L&N 2.57 takes the word to refer to particularly valuable or fine bronze, but notes that the emphasis here and in Rev 1:15 is more on the lustrous quality of the metal.
  63. Revelation 2:19 tn Grk “and faith.” Here and before the following term καί (kai) has not been translated because English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the next to last and last terms in a list.
  64. Revelation 2:19 tn Or “perseverance.”
  65. Revelation 2:19 tn The phrase “In fact” is supplied in the translation to bring out the ascensive quality of the clause. It would also be possible to supply here an understood repetition of the phrase “I know” from the beginning of the verse (so NRSV). Grk “and your last deeds [that are] greater than the first.”
  66. Revelation 2:20 tn The Greek article has been translated here with demonstrative force.
  67. Revelation 2:20 tc The ms evidence for γυναῖκα (gunaika, “woman”) alone includes א C P 1611 2053 lat. The ms evidence for the addition of “your” (σου, sou) includes A 1006 2351 MK pc sy. With the pronoun, the text reads “your wife, Jezebel” instead of “that woman, Jezebel.” In Revelation, A C are the most important mss, along with א P47 (which only reads in portions of chapters 9-17) 1006 1611 2053; in this instance, the external evidence slightly favors the shorter reading. But internally, it gains strength. The longer reading implies the idea that the angel in 2:18 is the bishop or leader of the church in Thyatira. The pronoun “your” (σου) is used four times in vv. 19-20 and may have been the cause for the scribe copying it again. Further, once the monarchical episcopate was in vogue (beginning in the 2nd century) scribes might have been prone to add “your” here.
  68. Revelation 2:20 sn Jezebel was the name of King Ahab’s idolatrous and wicked queen in 1 Kgs 16:31; 18:1-5; 19:1-3; 21:5-24. It is probable that the individual named here was analogous to her prototype in idolatry and immoral behavior, since those are the items singled out for mention.
  69. Revelation 2:20 tn Grk “teaches and deceives” (διδάσκει καὶ πλανᾷ, didaskei kai plana), a construction in which the first verb appears to specify the means by which the second is accomplished: “by her teaching, deceives…”
  70. Revelation 2:20 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
  71. Revelation 2:20 sn To commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. Note the conclusions of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15:29, which specifically prohibits Gentile Christians from engaging in these activities.
  72. Revelation 2:21 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and contemporary English style.
  73. Revelation 2:21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to bring out the contrast present in this woman’s obstinate refusal to repent.
  74. Revelation 2:22 tn Grk “onto a bed,” in this context an idiom for severe illness (L&N 23.152).
  75. Revelation 2:22 tn Or “into great distress.” The suffering here is not specified as physical or emotional, and could involve persecution.
  76. Revelation 2:23 tn Grk “her children,” but in this context a reference to this woman’s followers or disciples is more likely meant.
  77. Revelation 2:23 tn Grk “I will kill with death.” θάνατος (thanatos) can in particular contexts refer to a manner of death, specifically a contagious disease (see BDAG 443 s.v. 3; L&N 23.158).
  78. Revelation 2:23 tn Grk “I will give.” The sense of δίδωμι (didōmi) in this context is more “repay” than “give.”
  79. Revelation 2:23 sn This pronoun and the following one are plural in the Greek text.
  80. Revelation 2:23 tn Grk “each one of you according to your works.”
  81. Revelation 2:24 sn That is, the teaching of Jezebel (v. 20).
  82. Revelation 2:24 tn Grk “deep things.” For the translation “deep secrets” see L&N 28.76; cf. NAB, NIV, CEV.
  83. Revelation 2:26 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
  84. Revelation 2:26 tn Grk “keeps.” In a context that speaks of “holding on to what you have,” the idea here is one of continued faithful behavior (BDAG 1002 s.v. τηρέω 3 has “ὁ τηρῶν τὰ ἔργα μου the one who takes my deeds to heart Rv 2:26”).
  85. Revelation 2:26 tn Or “over the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
  86. Revelation 2:27 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  87. Revelation 2:27 tn Grk “will shepherd.”
  88. Revelation 2:27 tn Or “scepter.” The Greek term ῥάβδος (rhabdos) can mean either “rod” or “scepter.”
  89. Revelation 2:27 sn A quotation from Ps 2:9 (with the line introducing the quotation containing a partial allusion to Ps 2:8). See also Rev 12:5; 19:15.
  90. Revelation 2:28 tn What has been received is not specified in the Greek text, but must be supplied from the context. In the light of the two immediately preceding verses about rulership or dominion, it seems that the implied direct object of εἴληφα (eilēpha) is “the right to rule” (i.e., ἔχειν ἐξουσίαν ποιμάνειν, echein exousian poimanein), although many modern translations supply the word “authority” here (so NAB, NRSV, NLT).
  91. Revelation 2:28 tn On this expression BDAG 892 s.v. πρωϊνός states, “early, belonging to the morning ὁ ἀστὴρ ὁ πρ. the morning star, Venus Rv 2:28; 22:16.”
New English Translation (NET)

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