chevron-left All Reading Plans / M’Cheyne Bible Reading Plan / Family: Deuteronomy 5; Psalm 88. Secret: Isaiah 33; Revelation 3. (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 5

The Opening Exhortation

5 Then Moses called all the people of Israel together and said to them:[a] “Listen, Israel, to the statutes and ordinances that I am about to deliver to you today; learn them and be careful to keep them! 2 The Lord our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3 He[b] did not make this covenant with our ancestors[c] but with us, we who are here today, all of us living now. 4 The Lord spoke face to face with you at the mountain, from the middle of the fire. 5 (I was standing between the Lord and you at that time to reveal the Lord’s message to you, because you were afraid of the fire and would not go up the mountain.) He said:

The Ten Commandments

6 “I am the Lord your God—he who brought you from the land of Egypt, from the place of slavery.

7 “You must not have any other gods[d] besides me.[e]

8 “You must not make for yourself an image[f] of anything in heaven above, on earth below, or in the waters beneath.[g] 9 You must not worship or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I punish[h] the sons, grandsons, and great-grandsons for the sin of the fathers who reject[i] me,[j] 10 but I show covenant faithfulness[k] to the thousands[l] who choose[m] me and keep my commandments.

11 “You must not make use of the name of the Lord your God for worthless purposes,[n] for the Lord will not exonerate anyone who abuses his name that way.[o]

12 “Be careful to observe[p] the Sabbath day just as the Lord your God has commanded you. 13 You are to work and do all your tasks in six days, 14 but the seventh day is the Sabbath[q] of the Lord your God. On that day you must not do any work, you, your son, your daughter, your male slave, your female slave, your ox, your donkey, any other animal, or the resident foreigner who lives with you,[r] so that your male and female slaves, like yourself, may have rest. 15 Recall that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there by strength and power.[s] That is why the Lord your God has commanded you to observe[t] the Sabbath day.

16 “Honor[u] your father and your mother just as the Lord your God has commanded you to do, so that your days may be extended and that it may go well with you in the land that he[v] is about to give you.

17 “You must not murder.[w]

18 “You must not commit adultery.

19 “You must not steal.

20 “You must not offer false testimony against another.[x] 21 You must not desire[y] another man’s[z] wife, nor should you crave his[aa] house, his field, his male and female servants, his ox, his donkey, or anything else he owns.”[ab]

The Narrative of the Sinai Revelation and Israel’s Response

22 The Lord said these things to your entire assembly at the mountain from the middle of the fire, the cloud, and the darkness with a loud voice, and that was all he said.[ac] Then he inscribed the words[ad] on two stone tablets and gave them to me. 23 Then, when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness while the mountain was ablaze, all your tribal leaders and elders approached me. 24 You said, “The Lord our God has shown us his great glory,[ae] and we have heard him speak from the middle of the fire. It is now clear to us[af] that God can speak to human beings and they can keep on living. 25 But now, why should we die, because this intense fire will consume us? If we keep hearing the voice of the Lord our God we will die! 26 Who is there from the entire human race[ag] who has heard the voice of the living God speaking from the middle of the fire as we have, and has lived? 27 You go near so that you can hear everything the Lord our God is saying and then you can tell us whatever he[ah] says to you; then we will pay attention and do it.” 28 When the Lord heard you speaking to me, he[ai] said to me, “I have heard what these people have said to you—they have spoken well. 29 If only it would really be their desire to fear me and obey[aj] all my commandments in the future, so that it may go well with them and their descendants forever. 30 Go and tell them, ‘Return to your tents!’ 31 But as for you, remain here with me so I can declare to you all the commandments,[ak] statutes, and ordinances that you are to teach them, so that they can carry them out in the land I am about to give them.”[al] 32 Be careful, therefore, to do exactly what the Lord your God has commanded you; do not turn right or left! 33 Walk just as he[am] has commanded you so that you may live, that it may go well with you, and that you may live long[an] in the land you are going to possess.

Footnotes

  1. Deuteronomy 5:1 tn Heb “and Moses called to all Israel and he said to them”; NAB, NASB, NIV “Moses summoned (convened NRSV) all Israel.”
  2. Deuteronomy 5:3 tn Heb “the Lord.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
  3. Deuteronomy 5:3 tn Heb “fathers.”
  4. Deuteronomy 5:7 tn Heb “there must not be for you other gods.” The expression “for you” indicates possession.
  5. Deuteronomy 5:7 tn Heb “upon my face,” or “before me” (עַל־פָּנָיַ, ʿal panaya). Some understand this in a locative sense: “in my sight.” The translation assumes that the phrase indicates exclusion. The idea is that of placing any other god before the Lord in the sense of taking his place. Contrary to the view of some, this does not leave the door open for a henotheistic system where the Lord is the primary god among others. In its literary context the statement must be taken in a monotheistic sense. See, e.g., 4:39; 6:13-15.
  6. Deuteronomy 5:8 tn Heb “an image, any likeness.”
  7. Deuteronomy 5:8 tn Heb “under the earth” (so ASV, NASB, NRSV); NCV “below the land.”
  8. Deuteronomy 5:9 tn In the Hebrew text the form is a participle, which is subordinated to what precedes. For the sake of English style, the translation divides this lengthy verse into two sentences.
  9. Deuteronomy 5:9 tn Heb “who hate” (so NAB, NIV, NLT). Just as “to love” (אָהֵב, ʾahev) means in a covenant context “to choose, obey,” so “to hate” (שָׂנֵא, saneʾ) means “to reject, disobey” (cf. the note on the word “loved” in Deut 4:37; see also 5:10).
  10. Deuteronomy 5:9 tn Heb “visiting the sin of fathers upon sons and upon a third (generation) and upon a fourth (generation) of those who hate me.” God sometimes punishes children for the sins of a father (cf. Num 16:27, 32; Josh 7:24-25; 2 Sam 21:1-9). On the principle of corporate solidarity and responsibility in OT thought see J. Kaminsky, Corporate Responsibility in the Hebrew Bible (JSOTSup). In the idiom of the text, the father is the first generation and the “sons” the second generation, making grandsons the third and great-grandsons the fourth. The reference to a third and fourth generation is a way of emphasizing that the sinner’s punishment would last throughout his lifetime. In this culture, where men married and fathered children at a relatively young age, it would not be unusual for one to see his great-grandsons. In an Aramaic tomb inscription from Nerab dating to the seventh century b.c., Agbar observes that he was surrounded by “children of the fourth generation” as he lay on his death bed (see ANET 661). The language of the text differs from Exod 34:7, the sons are the first generation, the grandsons (literally, “sons of the sons”) the second, great-grandsons the third, and great-great-grandsons the fourth. One could argue that formulation in Deut 5:9 (see also Exod 20:5) is elliptical/abbreviated or that the text suffers from an accidental scribal omission (the repetition of the words “sons” would invite accidental omission).
  11. Deuteronomy 5:10 tn This theologically rich term (חֶסֶד, khesed) describes God’s loyalty to those who keep covenant with him. Sometimes it is used synonymously with בְּרִית (berit, “covenant”; Deut 7:9), and sometimes interchangeably with it (Deut 7:12). See H.-J. Zobel, TDOT 5:44-64.
  12. Deuteronomy 5:10 tc By a slight emendation (לֲאַלֻּפִים [laʾallufim] for לַאֲלָפִים [laʾalafim]) “clans” could be read in place of the MT reading “thousands.” However, no ms or versional evidence exists to support this emendation.tn Another option is to understand this as referring to “thousands (of generations) of those who love me” (cf. NAB, NIV, NRSV, NLT). See Deut 7:9.
  13. Deuteronomy 5:10 tn Heb “love.” See note on the word “reject” in v. 9.
  14. Deuteronomy 5:11 tn Heb “take up the name of the Lord your God to emptiness”; KJV “take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.” The idea here is not cursing or profanity in the modern sense of these terms, but rather the use of the divine Name for unholy, mundane purposes, that is, for meaningless (Hebrew שָׁוְא [shavʾ]) and empty ends. In ancient Israel this would include using the Lord’s name as a witness in vows one did not intend to keep.
  15. Deuteronomy 5:11 tn Heb “who takes up his name to emptiness.”
  16. Deuteronomy 5:12 tn Heb “to make holy,” that is, to put to special use, in this case, to sacred purposes (cf. vv. 13-15).
  17. Deuteronomy 5:14 tn There is some degree of paronomasia (wordplay) here: “the seventh (הַשְּׁבִיעִי, hasheviʿi) day is the Sabbath (שַׁבָּת, shabbat).” Otherwise, the words have nothing in common, since “Sabbath” is derived from the verb שָׁבַת (shavat, “to cease”).
  18. Deuteronomy 5:14 tn Heb “in your gates”; NRSV, CEV “in your towns”; TEV “in your country.”
  19. Deuteronomy 5:15 tn Heb “by a strong hand and an outstretched arm,” the hand and arm symbolizing divine activity and strength. Cf. NLT “with amazing power and mighty deeds.”
  20. Deuteronomy 5:15 tn Or “keep” (so KJV, NRSV).
  21. Deuteronomy 5:16 tn The imperative here means, literally, “regard as heavy” (כַּבֵּד, kabbed). The meaning is that great importance must be ascribed to parents by their children.
  22. Deuteronomy 5:16 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” See note on “He” in 5:3.
  23. Deuteronomy 5:17 tn Traditionally “kill” (so KJV, ASV, RSV, NAB). The verb here (רָצַח, ratsakh) is generic for homicide but in the OT both killing in war and capital punishment were permitted and even commanded (Deut 13:5, 9; 20:13, 16-17), so the technical meaning here is “murder.”
  24. Deuteronomy 5:20 tn Heb “your neighbor.” Clearly this is intended generically, however, and not to be limited only to those persons who live nearby (frequently the way “neighbor” is understood in contemporary contexts). So also in v. 20.
  25. Deuteronomy 5:21 tn The Hebrew verb used here (חָמַד, khamad) is different from the one translated “crave” (אָוַה, ʾavah) in the next line. The former has sexual overtones (“lust” or the like; cf. Song of Sol 2:3) whereas the latter has more the idea of a desire or craving for material things.
  26. Deuteronomy 5:21 tn Heb “your neighbor’s.” See note on the term “fellow man” in v. 19.
  27. Deuteronomy 5:21 tn Heb “your neighbor’s.” The pronoun is used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
  28. Deuteronomy 5:21 tn Heb “or anything that is your neighbor’s.”
  29. Deuteronomy 5:22 tn Heb “and he added no more” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); NLT “This was all he said at that time.”
  30. Deuteronomy 5:22 tn Heb “them”; the referent (the words spoken by the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  31. Deuteronomy 5:24 tn Heb “his glory and his greatness.”
  32. Deuteronomy 5:24 tn Heb “this day we have seen.”
  33. Deuteronomy 5:26 tn Heb “who is there of all flesh.”
  34. Deuteronomy 5:27 tn Heb “the Lord our God.” See note on “He” in 5:3.
  35. Deuteronomy 5:28 tn Heb “the Lord.” See note on “He” in 5:3.
  36. Deuteronomy 5:29 tn Heb “keep” (so KJV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).
  37. Deuteronomy 5:31 tn Heb “commandment.” The MT actually has the singular (הַמִּצְוָה, hammitsvah), suggesting perhaps that the following terms (חֻקִּים [khuqqim] and מִשְׁפָּטִים [mishpatim]) are in epexegetical apposition to “commandment.” That is, the phrase could be translated “the entire command, namely, the statutes and ordinances.” This would essentially make מִצְוָה (mitsvah) synonymous with תּוֹרָה (torah), the usual term for the whole collection of law.
  38. Deuteronomy 5:31 tn Heb “to possess it” (so KJV, ASV); NLT “as their inheritance.”
  39. Deuteronomy 5:33 tn Heb “the Lord your God.” The pronoun has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons to avoid redundancy.
  40. Deuteronomy 5:33 tn Heb “may prolong your days”; NAB “may have long life”; TEV “will continue to live.”
Psalm 88

Psalm 88[a]

A song, a psalm written by the Korahites, for the music director, according to the machalath-leannoth style;[b] a well-written song[c] by Heman the Ezrahite.

88 O Lord God who delivers me,[d]
by day I cry out
and at night I pray before you.[e]
2 Listen to my prayer.[f]
Pay attention[g] to my cry for help.
3 For my life[h] is filled with troubles,
and I am ready to enter Sheol.[i]
4 They treat me like[j] those who descend into the grave.[k]
I am like a helpless man,[l]
5 adrift[m] among the dead,
like corpses lying in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
and who are cut off from your power.[n]
6 You place me in the lowest regions of the Pit,[o]
in the dark places, in the watery depths.
7 Your anger bears down on me,
and you overwhelm me with all your waves. (Selah)
8 You cause those who know me to keep their distance;
you make me an appalling sight to them.
I am trapped and cannot get free.[p]
9 My eyes grow weak because of oppression.
I call out to you, O Lord, all day long;
I spread out my hands in prayer to you.[q]
10 Do you accomplish amazing things for the dead?
Do the departed spirits[r] rise up and give you thanks? (Selah)
11 Is your loyal love proclaimed in the grave,
or your faithfulness in the place of the dead?[s]
12 Are your amazing deeds experienced[t] in the dark region,[u]
or your deliverance in the land of oblivion?[v]
13 As for me, I cry out to you, O Lord;
in the morning my prayer confronts you.
14 O Lord, why do you reject me,
and pay no attention to me?[w]
15 I am oppressed and have been on the verge of death since my youth.[x]
I have been subjected to your horrors and am numb with pain.[y]
16 Your anger overwhelms me;[z]
your terrors destroy me.
17 They surround me like water all day long;
they join forces and encircle me.[aa]
18 You cause my friends and neighbors to keep their distance;[ab]
those who know me leave me alone in the darkness.[ac]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 88:1 sn Psalm 88. The psalmist cries out in pain to the Lord, begging him for relief from his intense and constant suffering. The psalmist regards God as the ultimate cause of his distress, but nevertheless clings to God in hope.
  2. Psalm 88:1 tn The Hebrew phrase מָחֲלַת לְעַנּוֹת (makhalat leʿannot) may mean “illness to afflict.” Perhaps it refers to a particular style of music, a tune title, or a musical instrument. The term מָחֲלַת also appears in the superscription of Ps 53.
  3. Psalm 88:1 tn The meaning of the Hebrew term מַשְׂכִּיל (maskil) is uncertain. The word is derived from a verb meaning “to be prudent; to be wise.” Various options are: “a contemplative song,” “a song imparting moral wisdom,” or “a skillful [i.e., well-written] song.” The term occurs in the superscriptions of Pss 32, 42, 44, 45, 52-55, 74, 78, 88, 89, and 142, as well as in Ps 47:7.
  4. Psalm 88:1 tn Heb “O Lord God of my deliverance.” In light of the content of the psalm, this reference to God as the one who delivers seems overly positive. For this reason some assume dittography of the י (yod) and emend the text from אֱלֹהֵי יְשׁוּעָתִי (ʾelohe yeshuʿati) to אֱלֹהַי שִׁוַּעְתִּי (ʾelohay shivvaʿtiy, “[O Lord] my God, I cry out”). See v. 13.
  5. Psalm 88:1 tn Heb “[by] day I cry out, in the night before you.”
  6. Psalm 88:2 tn Heb “may my prayer come before you.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive, indicating the psalmist’s desire or prayer.
  7. Psalm 88:2 tn Heb “turn your ear.”
  8. Psalm 88:3 tn Or “my soul.”
  9. Psalm 88:3 tn Heb “and my life approaches Sheol.”
  10. Psalm 88:4 tn Heb “I am considered with.”
  11. Psalm 88:4 tn Heb “the pit.” The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead.
  12. Psalm 88:4 tn Heb “I am like a man [for whom] there is no help.”
  13. Psalm 88:5 tn Heb “set free.”
  14. Psalm 88:5 tn Heb “from your hand.”
  15. Psalm 88:6 tn The noun בּוֹר (bor, “pit,” “cistern”) is sometimes used of the grave and/or the realm of the dead. See v. 4.
  16. Psalm 88:8 tn Heb “[I am] confined and I cannot go out.”
  17. Psalm 88:9 tn Heb “I spread out my hands to you.” Spreading out the hands toward God was a prayer gesture (see Exod 9:29, 33; 1 Kgs 8:22, 38; 2 Chr 6:12-13, 29; Ezra 9:15; Job 11:13; Isa 1:15). The words “in prayer” have been supplied in the translation to clarify this.
  18. Psalm 88:10 tn Heb “Rephaim,” a term that refers to those who occupy the land of the dead (see Isa 14:9; 26:14, 19).
  19. Psalm 88:11 tn Heb “in Abaddon,” a name for Sheol. The noun is derived from a verbal root meaning “to perish,” “to die.”
  20. Psalm 88:12 tn Heb “known.”
  21. Psalm 88:12 tn Heb “darkness,” here a title for Sheol.
  22. Psalm 88:12 tn Heb “forgetfulness.” The noun, which occurs only here in the OT, is derived from a verbal root meaning “to forget.”sn The rhetorical questions in vv. 10-12 expect the answer, “Of course not!”
  23. Psalm 88:14 tn Heb “[why] do you hide your face from me?”
  24. Psalm 88:15 tn Heb “and am dying from youth.”
  25. Psalm 88:15 tn Heb “I carry your horrors [?].” The meaning of the Hebrew form אָפוּנָה (ʾafunah), which occurs only here in the OT, is unclear. It may be an adverb meaning “very much” (BDB 67 s.v.), though some prefer to emend the text to אָפוּגָה (ʾafugah, “I am numb”) from the verb פוּג (pug; see Pss 38:8; 77:2).
  26. Psalm 88:16 tn Heb “passes over me.”
  27. Psalm 88:17 tn Heb “they encircle me together.”
  28. Psalm 88:18 tn Heb “you cause to be far from me friend and neighbor.”
  29. Psalm 88:18 tn Heb “those known by me, darkness.”
Isaiah 33

The Lord Will Restore Zion

33 The destroyer is as good as dead,[a]
you who have not been destroyed!
The deceitful one is as good as dead,[b]
the one whom others have not deceived!
When you are through destroying, you will be destroyed;
when you finish[c] deceiving, others will deceive you!
2 Lord, be merciful to us! We wait for you.
Give us strength each morning.[d]
Deliver us when distress comes.[e]
3 The nations run away when they hear a loud noise;[f]
the nations scatter when you spring into action![g]
4 Your plunder[h] disappears as if locusts were eating it;[i]
they swarm over it like locusts.[j]
5 The Lord is exalted,[k]
indeed,[l] he lives in heaven;[m]
he fills Zion with justice and fairness.
6 He is your constant source of stability;[n]
he abundantly provides safety and great wisdom;[o]
he gives all this to those who fear him.[p]
7 Look, ambassadors[q] cry out in the streets;
messengers sent to make peace[r] weep bitterly.
8 Highways are empty,[s]
there are no travelers.[t]
Treaties are broken,[u]
witnesses are despised,[v]
human life is treated with disrespect.[w]
9 The land[x] dries up[y] and withers away;
the forest of Lebanon shrivels up[z] and decays.
Sharon[aa] is like the arid rift valley;[ab]
Bashan and Carmel[ac] are parched.[ad]
10 “Now I will rise up,” says the Lord.
“Now I will exalt myself;
now I will magnify myself.[ae]
11 You conceive straw,[af]
you give birth to chaff;
your breath is a fire that destroys you.[ag]
12 The nations will be burned to ashes;[ah]
like thorn bushes that have been cut down, they will be set on fire.
13 You who are far away, listen to what I have done!
You who are close by, recognize my strength.”
14 Sinners are afraid in Zion;
panic[ai] grips the godless.[aj]
They say,[ak] “Who among us can coexist with destructive fire?
Who among us can coexist with unquenchable[al] fire?”
15 The one who lives[am] uprightly[an]
and speaks honestly;
the one who refuses to profit from oppressive measures
and rejects a bribe;[ao]
the one who does not plot violent crimes[ap]
and does not seek to harm others[aq]—
16 this is the person who will live in a secure place;[ar]
he will find safety in the rocky, mountain strongholds;[as]
he will have food
and a constant supply of water.
17 You will see a king in his splendor;[at]
you will see a wide land.[au]
18 Your mind will recall the terror you experienced,[av]
and you will ask yourselves,[aw] “Where is the scribe?
Where is the one who weighs the money?
Where is the one who counts the towers?”[ax]
19 You will no longer see a defiant[ay] people
whose language you do not comprehend,[az]
whose derisive speech you do not understand.[ba]
20 Look at Zion, the city where we hold religious festivals!
You[bb] will see Jerusalem,
a peaceful settlement,
a tent that stays put;[bc]
its stakes will never be pulled up;
none of its ropes will snap in two.
21 Instead the Lord will rule there as our mighty king.[bd]
Rivers and wide streams will flow through it;[be]
no war galley will enter;[bf]
no large ships will sail through.[bg]
22 For the Lord, our ruler,
the Lord, our commander,
the Lord, our king—
he will deliver us.
23 Though at this time your ropes are slack,[bh]
the mast is not secured,[bi]
and the sail[bj] is not unfurled,
at that time you will divide up a great quantity of loot;[bk]
even the lame will drag off plunder.[bl]
24 No resident of Zion[bm] will say, “I am ill”;
the people who live there will have their sin forgiven.

Footnotes

  1. Isaiah 33:1 tn Heb “Woe [to] the destroyer.”sn In this context “the destroyer” appears to refer collectively to the hostile nations (vv. 3-4). Assyria would probably have been primary in the minds of the prophet and his audience.
  2. Isaiah 33:1 tn Heb “and the deceitful one”; NAB, NIV “O traitor”; NRSV “you treacherous one.” In the parallel structure הוֹי (hoy, “woe [to]”) does double duty.
  3. Isaiah 33:1 tc The form in the Hebrew text appears to derive from an otherwise unattested verb נָלָה (nalah). The translation follows the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa in reading ככלתך, a Piel infinitival form from the verbal root כָּלָה (kalah), meaning “finish.”
  4. Isaiah 33:2 tn Heb “Be their arm each morning.” “Arm” is a symbol for strength. The mem suffixed to the noun has been traditionally understood as a third person suffix, but this is contrary to the context, where the people speak of themselves in the first person. The mem (מ) is probably enclitic with ellipsis of the pronoun, which can be supplied from the context. See J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:589, n. 1.
  5. Isaiah 33:2 tn Heb “[Be] also our deliverance in the time of distress.”
  6. Isaiah 33:3 tn Heb “at the sound of tumult the nations run away.”
  7. Isaiah 33:3 tn Heb “because of your exaltation the nations scatter.”
  8. Isaiah 33:4 tn The pronoun is plural; the statement is addressed to the nations who have stockpiled plunder from their conquests of others.
  9. Isaiah 33:4 tn Heb “and your plunder is gathered, the gathering of the locust.”
  10. Isaiah 33:4 tn Heb “like a swarm of locusts swarming on it.”
  11. Isaiah 33:5 tn Or “elevated”; NCV, NLT “is very great.”
  12. Isaiah 33:5 tn Or “for” (KJV, NASB, NIV).
  13. Isaiah 33:5 tn Heb “on high” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “in the heavens.”
  14. Isaiah 33:6 tn Heb “and he is the stability of your times.”
  15. Isaiah 33:6 tn Heb “a rich store of deliverance, wisdom, and knowledge.”
  16. Isaiah 33:6 tn Heb “the fear of the Lord, it is his treasure.”
  17. Isaiah 33:7 tn The meaning of the Hebrew word is unknown. Proposals include “heroes” (cf. KJV, ASV “valiant ones”; NASB, NIV “brave men”); “priests,” “residents [of Jerusalem].” The present translation assumes that the term is synonymous with “messengers of peace,” with which it corresponds in the parallel structure of the verse.
  18. Isaiah 33:7 tn Heb “messengers of peace,” apparently those responsible for negotiating the agreements that have been broken (see v. 8).
  19. Isaiah 33:8 tn Or “desolate” (NAB, NASB); NIV, NRSV, NLT “deserted.”
  20. Isaiah 33:8 tn Heb “the one passing by on the road ceases.”
  21. Isaiah 33:8 tn Heb “one breaks a treaty”; NAB “Covenants are broken.”
  22. Isaiah 33:8 tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “he despises cities.” The term עָרִים (ʿarim, “cities”) probably needs to be emended to an original עֵדִים (ʿedim, “[legal] witnesses”), a reading that is preserved in the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa. Confusion of dalet (ד) and resh (ר) is a well-attested scribal error.
  23. Isaiah 33:8 tn Heb “he does not regard human beings.”
  24. Isaiah 33:9 tn Or “earth” (KJV); NAB “the country.”
  25. Isaiah 33:9 tn Or “mourns” (BDB 5 s.v. I אָבַל). HALOT 6-7 lists homonyms I אבל (“mourn”) and II אבל (“dry up”). They propose the second here on the basis of parallelism. See 24:4.
  26. Isaiah 33:9 tn Heb “Lebanon is ashamed.” The Hiphil is exhibitive, expressing the idea, “exhibits shame.” In this context the statement alludes to the withering of vegetation.
  27. Isaiah 33:9 sn Sharon was a fertile plain along the Mediterranean coast. See 35:2.
  28. Isaiah 33:9 tn The rift valley (עֲרָבָה, ʿaravah) is a geographic feature extending from Galilee to the Gulf of Aqaba. Especially in the vicinity of the Dead Sea and then ranging southward, it is very dry with little vegetation.
  29. Isaiah 33:9 sn Both of these areas were known for their trees and vegetation. See 2:13; 35:2.
  30. Isaiah 33:9 tn Heb “shake off [their leaves]” (so ASV, NRSV); NAB “are stripped bare.”
  31. Isaiah 33:10 tn Or “lift myself up” (KJV); NLT “show my power and might.”
  32. Isaiah 33:11 tn The second person verb and pronominal forms in this verse are plural. The hostile nations are the addressed, as the next verse makes clear.
  33. Isaiah 33:11 sn The hostile nations’ plans to destroy God’s people will come to nothing; their hostility will end up being self-destructive.
  34. Isaiah 33:12 tn Heb “will be a burning to lime.” See Amos 2:1.
  35. Isaiah 33:14 tn Or “trembling” (ASV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “shake with fear.”
  36. Isaiah 33:14 tn Or “the defiled”; TEV “The sinful people of Zion”; NLT “The sinners in Jerusalem.”
  37. Isaiah 33:14 tn The words “they say” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
  38. Isaiah 33:14 tn Or “perpetual”; or “everlasting” (KJV, ASV, NAB, NIV, NRSV).
  39. Isaiah 33:15 tn Heb “walks” (so NASB, NIV).
  40. Isaiah 33:15 tn Or, possibly, “justly”; NAB “who practices virtue.”
  41. Isaiah 33:15 tn Heb “[who] shakes off his hands from grabbing hold of a bribe.”
  42. Isaiah 33:15 tn Heb “[who] shuts his ear from listening to bloodshed.”
  43. Isaiah 33:15 tn Heb “[who] closes his eyes from seeing evil.”
  44. Isaiah 33:16 tn Heb “he [in the] exalted places will live.”
  45. Isaiah 33:16 tn Heb “mountain strongholds, cliffs [will be] his elevated place.”
  46. Isaiah 33:17 tn Heb “your eyes will see a king in his beauty”; NIV, NRSV “the king.”
  47. Isaiah 33:17 tn Heb “a land of distances,” i.e., an extensive land.
  48. Isaiah 33:18 tn Heb “your heart will meditate on terror.”
  49. Isaiah 33:18 tn The words “and you will ask yourselves” are supplied in the translation for clarification and stylistic reasons.
  50. Isaiah 33:18 sn The people refer to various Assyrian officials who were responsible for determining the amount of taxation or tribute Judah must pay to the Assyrian king.
  51. Isaiah 33:19 tn The Hebrew form נוֹעָז (noʿaz) is a Niphal participle derived from יָעַז (yaʿaz, an otherwise unattested verb) or from עָזָז (ʿazaz, “be strong,” unattested elsewhere in the Niphal). Some prefer to emend the form to לוֹעֵז (loʿez) which occurs in Ps 114:1 with the meaning “speak a foreign language.” See HALOT 809 s.v. עזז, 533 s.v. לעז. In this case, one might translate “people who speak a foreign language.”
  52. Isaiah 33:19 tn Heb “a people too deep of lip to hear.” The phrase “deep of lip” must be an idiom meaning “lips that speak words that are unfathomable [i.e., incomprehensible].”
  53. Isaiah 33:19 tn Heb “derision of tongue there is no understanding.” The Niphal of לָעַג (laʿag) occurs only here. In the Qal and Hiphil the verb means “to deride, mock.” A related noun is used in 28:11.
  54. Isaiah 33:20 tn Heb “your eyes” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV).
  55. Isaiah 33:20 tn Or “that does not travel”; NASB “which shall not be folded.”
  56. Isaiah 33:21 tn Heb “But there [as] a mighty one [will be] the Lord for us.”
  57. Isaiah 33:21 tn Heb “a place of rivers, streams wide of hands [i.e., on both sides].”
  58. Isaiah 33:21 tn Heb “a ship of rowing will not go into it.”
  59. Isaiah 33:21 tn Heb “and a mighty ship will not pass through it.”
  60. Isaiah 33:23 tn The words “though at this time” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The first half of the verse is addressed to Judah and contrasts the nation’s present weakness with its future prosperity. Judah is compared to a ship that is incapable of sailing.
  61. Isaiah 33:23 tn Heb “they do not fasten the base of their mast.” On כֵּן (ken, “base”) see BDB 487 s.v. III כֵּן and HALOT 483 s.v. III כֵּן.
  62. Isaiah 33:23 tn Or perhaps, “flag.”
  63. Isaiah 33:23 tn Heb “then there will be divided up loot of plunder [in] abundance.”
  64. Isaiah 33:23 sn Judah’s victory over its enemies will be so thorough there will be more than enough plunder for everyone, even slow-moving lame men who would normally get left out in the rush to gather the loot.
  65. Isaiah 33:24 tn The words “of Zion” are supplied in the translation for clarification.
Revelation 3

To the Church in Sardis

3 “To[a] the angel of the church in Sardis write the following:[b]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of[c] the one who holds[d] the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: ‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation[e] that you are alive, but[f] in reality[g] you are dead. 2 Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about[h] to die, because I have not found your deeds complete[i] in the sight[j] of my God. 3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard,[k] and obey it,[l] and repent. If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never[m] know at what hour I will come against[n] you. 4 But you have a few individuals[o] in Sardis who have not stained[p] their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed[q] in white, because they are worthy. 5 The one who conquers[r] will be dressed like them[s] in white clothing,[t] and I will never[u] erase[v] his name from the book of life, but[w] will declare[x] his name before my Father and before his angels. 6 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Philadelphia

7 “To[y] the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following:[z]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of[aa] the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors[ab] no one can shut, and shuts doors[ac] no one can open: 8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put[ad] in front of you an open door that no one can shut.)[ae] I know[af] that you have little strength,[ag] but[ah] you have obeyed[ai] my word and have not denied my name. 9 Listen![aj] I am going to make those people from the synagogue[ak] of Satan—who say they are Jews yet[al] are not, but are lying—Look, I will make[am] them come and bow down[an] at your feet and acknowledge[ao] that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept[ap] my admonition[aq] to endure steadfastly,[ar] I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away[as] your crown.[at] 12 The one who conquers[au] I will make[av] a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never depart from it. I[aw] will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from my God),[ax] and my new name as well. 13 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

To the Church in Laodicea

14 “To[ay] the angel of the church in Laodicea write the following:[az]

“This is the solemn pronouncement of[ba] the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator[bb] of God’s creation: 15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot.[bc] I wish you were either cold or hot! 16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going[bd] to vomit[be] you out of my mouth! 17 Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth,[bf] and need nothing,” but[bg] do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful,[bh] poor, blind, and naked, 18 take my advice[bi] and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich! Buy from me[bj] white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness[bk] will not be exposed, and buy eye salve[bl] to put on your eyes so you can see! 19 All those[bm] I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent! 20 Listen![bn] I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home[bo] and share a meal with him, and he with me. 21 I will grant the one[bp] who conquers[bq] permission[br] to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered[bs] and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Footnotes

  1. Revelation 3:1 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
  2. Revelation 3:1 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
  3. Revelation 3:1 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.
  4. Revelation 3:1 tn Grk “who has” (cf. 1:16).
  5. Revelation 3:1 tn Grk “a name.”
  6. Revelation 3:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  7. Revelation 3:1 tn The prepositional phrase “in reality” is supplied in the translation to make explicit the idea that their being alive was only an illusion.
  8. Revelation 3:2 tn The verb ἔμελλον (emellon) is in the imperfect tense.
  9. Revelation 3:2 tn The perfect passive participle has been translated as an intensive (resultative) perfect here.
  10. Revelation 3:2 tn Or “in the judgment.” BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 3 states, “in the opinion/judgment of…As a rule…of θεός or κύριος; so after…πεπληρωμένος Rv 3:2.”
  11. Revelation 3:3 tn The expression πῶς εἴληφας καὶ ἤκουσας (pōs eilēphas kai ēkousas) probably refers to the initial instruction in the Christian life they had received and been taught; this included doctrine and ethical teaching.
  12. Revelation 3:3 tn Grk “keep it,” in the sense of obeying what they had initially been taught.
  13. Revelation 3:3 tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mē, the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek).
  14. Revelation 3:3 tn Or “come on.”
  15. Revelation 3:4 tn Grk “a few names”; here ὄνομα (onoma) is used by figurative extension to mean “person” or “people”; according to L&N 9.19 there is “the possible implication of existence or relevance as individuals.”
  16. Revelation 3:4 tn Or “soiled” (so NAB, NRSV, NIV); NCV “have kept their clothes unstained”; CEV “have not dirtied your clothes with sin.”
  17. Revelation 3:4 tn The word “dressed” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
  18. Revelation 3:5 tn Or “who overcomes.”
  19. Revelation 3:5 tn Grk “thus.”
  20. Revelation 3:5 tn Or “white robes.”
  21. Revelation 3:5 tn The negation here is with οὐ μή (ou mē), the strongest possible form of negation in Koine Greek.
  22. Revelation 3:5 tn Or “will never wipe out.”
  23. Revelation 3:5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  24. Revelation 3:5 tn Grk “will confess.”
  25. Revelation 3:7 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
  26. Revelation 3:7 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
  27. Revelation 3:7 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.
  28. Revelation 3:7 tn The word “door” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied in the translation. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context. Since the following verse does contain the word “door” (θύραν, thuran), that word has been supplied as the direct object here.
  29. Revelation 3:7 tn See the note on the word “door” earlier in this verse.
  30. Revelation 3:8 tn Grk “I have given.”
  31. Revelation 3:8 tn Grk “to shut it,” but English would leave the direct object understood in this case. sn The entire statement is parenthetical, interrupting the construction found in other letters to the churches in 3:1 and 3:15, “I know your deeds, that…” where an enumeration of the deeds follows.
  32. Revelation 3:8 tn This translation is based on connecting the ὅτι (hoti) clause with the οἶδα (oida) at the beginning of the verse, giving the content of what is known (see also 3:1, 15 for parallels). Because of the intervening clause that is virtually parenthetical (see the note on the word “shut” earlier in this verse), the words “I know that” from the beginning of the verse had to be repeated to make this connection clear for the English reader. However, the ὅτι could be understood as introducing a causal subordinate clause instead and thus translated, “because you have.”
  33. Revelation 3:8 tn Or “little power.”
  34. Revelation 3:8 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  35. Revelation 3:8 tn Grk “and having kept.” The participle ἐτήρησας (etērēsas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. For the translation of τηρέω (tēreō) as “obey” see L&N 36.19. This is the same word that is used in 3:10 (there translated “kept”) where there is a play on words.
  36. Revelation 3:9 tn Grk “behold” (L&N 91.13).
  37. Revelation 3:9 sn See the note on synagogue in 2:9.
  38. Revelation 3:9 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast between what these people claimed and what they were.
  39. Revelation 3:9 tn The verb here is ποιέω (poieō), but in this context it has virtually the same meaning as δίδωμι (didōmi) used at the beginning of the verse. Stylistic variation like this is typical of Johannine literature.
  40. Revelation 3:9 tn The verb here is προσκυνήσουσιν (proskunēsousin), normally used to refer to worship.
  41. Revelation 3:9 tn Or “and know,” “and recognize.”
  42. Revelation 3:10 tn Or “obey.” For the translation of τηρέω (tēreō) as “obey” see L&N 36.19. In the Greek there is a wordplay: “because you have kept my word…I will keep you,” though the meaning of τηρέω is different each time.
  43. Revelation 3:10 tn The Greek term λόγον (logon) is understood here in the sense of admonition or encouragement.
  44. Revelation 3:10 tn Or “to persevere.” Here ὑπομονῆς (hupomonēs) has been translated as a genitive of reference/respect related to τὸν λόγον (ton logon).
  45. Revelation 3:11 tn On the verb λάβῃ (labē) here BDAG 583 s.v. λαμβάνω 2 states, “to take away, remove…with or without the use of force τὰ ἀργύρια take away the silver coins (fr. the temple) Mt 27:6. τὰς ἀσθενείας diseases 8:17. τὸν στέφανον Rv 3:11.”
  46. Revelation 3:11 sn Your crown refers to a wreath consisting either of foliage or of precious metals formed to resemble foliage and worn as a symbol of honor, victory, or as a badge of high office—‘wreath, crown’ (L&N 6.192).
  47. Revelation 3:12 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
  48. Revelation 3:12 tn Grk “I will make him,” but the pronoun (αὐτόν, auton, “him”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.
  49. Revelation 3:12 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  50. Revelation 3:12 sn This description of the city of my God is parenthetical, explaining further the previous phrase and interrupting the list of “new names” given here.
  51. Revelation 3:14 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated due to differences between Greek and English style.
  52. Revelation 3:14 tn The phrase “the following” after “write” is supplied to clarify that what follows is the content of what is to be written.
  53. Revelation 3:14 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.
  54. Revelation 3:14 tn Or “the beginning of God’s creation”; or “the ruler of God’s creation.” From a linguistic standpoint all three meanings for ἀρχή (archē) are possible. The term is well attested in both LXX (Gen 40:13, 21; 41:13) and intertestamental Jewish literature (2 Macc 4:10, 50) as meaning “ruler, authority” (BDAG 138 s.v. 6). Some have connected this passage to Paul’s statements in Col 1:15, 18 which describe Christ as ἀρχή and πρωτότοκος (prōtotokos; e.g., see R. H. Mounce, Revelation [NICNT], 124) but the term ἀρχή has been understood as either “beginning” or “ruler” in that passage as well. The most compelling connection is to be found in the prologue to John’s Gospel (1:2-4) where the λόγος (logos) is said to be “in the beginning (ἀρχή) with God,” a temporal reference connected with creation, and then v. 3 states that “all things were made through him.” The connection with the original creation suggests the meaning “originator” for ἀρχή here. BDAG 138 s.v. 3 gives the meaning “the first cause” for the word in Rev 3:14, a term that is too philosophical for the general reader, so the translation “originator” was used instead. BDAG also notes, “but the mng. beginning = ‘first created’ is linguistically probable (s. above 1b and Job 40:19; also CBurney, Christ as the ᾿Αρχή of Creation: JTS 27, 1926, 160-77).” Such a meaning is unlikely here, however, since the connections described above are much more probable.
  55. Revelation 3:15 sn Laodicea was near two other towns, each of which had a unique water source. To the north was Hierapolis which had a natural hot spring, often used for medicinal purposes. To the east was Colossae which had cold, pure waters. In contrast to these towns, Laodicea had no permanent supply of good water. Efforts to pipe water to the city from nearby springs were successful, but it would arrive lukewarm. The metaphor in the text is not meant to relate spiritual fervor to temperature. This would mean that Laodicea would be commended for being spiritually cold, but it is unlikely that Jesus would commend this. Instead, the metaphor condemns Laodicea for not providing spiritual healing (being hot) or spiritual refreshment (being cold) to those around them. It is a condemnation of their lack of works and lack of witness.
  56. Revelation 3:16 tn Or “I intend.”
  57. Revelation 3:16 tn This is the literal meaning of the Greek verb ἐμέω (emeō). It is usually translated with a much weaker term like “spit out” due to the unpleasant connotations of the English verb “vomit,” as noted by L&N 23.44. The situation confronting the Laodicean church is a dire one, however, and such a term is necessary if the modern reader is to understand the gravity of the situation.
  58. Revelation 3:17 tn Grk “and have become rich.” The semantic domains of the two terms for wealth here, πλούσιος (plousios, adjective) and πλουτέω (plouteō, verb) overlap considerably, but are given slightly different English translations for stylistic reasons.
  59. Revelation 3:17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  60. Revelation 3:17 tn All the terms in this series are preceded by καί (kai) in the Greek text, but contemporary English generally uses connectives only between the last two items in such a series.
  61. Revelation 3:18 tn Grk “I counsel you to buy.”
  62. Revelation 3:18 tn Grk “rich, and.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation, repeating the words “Buy from me” to make the connection clear for the English reader.
  63. Revelation 3:18 tn Grk “the shame of the nakedness of you,” which has been translated as an attributed genitive like καινότητι ζωῆς (kainotēti zōēs) in Rom 6:4 (ExSyn 89-90).
  64. Revelation 3:18 sn The city of Laodicea had a famous medical school and exported a powder (called a “Phrygian powder”) that was widely used as an eye salve. It was applied to the eyes in the form of a paste the consistency of dough (the Greek term for the salve here, κολλούριον, kollourion [Latin collyrium], is a diminutive form of the word for a long roll of bread).
  65. Revelation 3:19 tn The Greek pronoun ὅσος (hosos) means “as many as” and can be translated “All those” or “Everyone.”
  66. Revelation 3:20 tn Grk “Behold.”
  67. Revelation 3:20 tn Grk “come in to him.”sn The expression in Greek does not mean entrance into the person, as is popularly taken, but entrance into a room or building toward the person. See ExSyn 380-82. Some interpreters understand the door here to be the door to the Laodicean church, and thus a collective or corporate image rather than an individual one.
  68. Revelation 3:21 tn Grk “The one who conquers, to him I will grant.”
  69. Revelation 3:21 tn Or “who is victorious”; traditionally, “who overcomes.”
  70. Revelation 3:21 tn Grk “I will give [grant] to him.”
  71. Revelation 3:21 tn Or “have been victorious”; traditionally, “have overcome.”
New English Translation (NET)

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