◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary) / Isaiah 42:1-9 (The servant of God brings justice); Psalm 29 (The voice of God upon the waters); Acts 10:34-43 (Jesus’ ministry after his baptism); Matthew 3:13-17 (Christ revealed as God’s servant) (New English Translation)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with thematically matched Old and New Testament readings.

Duration: 1245 days

Isaiah 42:1-9

The Lord Commissions His Special Servant

42 ^[a] “Here is my servant whom I support,
my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.
I have placed my Spirit on him;
he will make just decrees^[b] for the nations.^[c]
²He will not cry out or shout;
he will not publicize himself in the streets.^[d]
³A crushed reed he will not break,
a dim wick he will not extinguish;^[e]
he will faithfully make just decrees.^[f]
⁴He will not grow dim or be crushed^[g]
before establishing justice on the earth;
the coastlands^[h] will wait in anticipation for his decrees.”^[i]
⁵This is what the true God,^[j] the Lord, says—
the one who created the sky and stretched it out,
the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it,^[k]
the one who gives breath to the people on it,
and life to those who live on it:^[l]
⁶“I, the Lord, officially commission you;^[m]
I take hold of your hand.
I protect you^[n] and make you a covenant mediator for people,^[o]
and a light^[p] to the nations,^[q]
⁷to open blind eyes,^[r]
to release prisoners^[s] from dungeons,
those who live in darkness from prisons.

The Lord Intervenes

⁸“I am the Lord! That is my name!
I will not share my glory with anyone else,
or the praise due me with idols.
⁹Look, my earlier predictive oracles have come to pass;^[t]
now I announce new events.
Before they begin to occur,
I reveal them to you.”^[u]

Footnotes

Isaiah 42:1 sn Verses 1-7 contain the first of Isaiah’s “servant songs,” which describe the ministry of a special, ideal servant who accomplishes God’s purposes for Israel and the nations. This song depicts the servant as a just king who brings justice to the earth and relief for the oppressed. The other songs appear in 49:1-13; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12.
Isaiah 42:1 tn Heb “he will bring out justice” (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV).
Isaiah 42:1 sn Like the ideal king portrayed in Isa 11:1-9, the servant is energized by the divine spirit and establishes justice on the earth.
Isaiah 42:2 tn Heb “he will not cause his voice to be heard in the street.”
Isaiah 42:3 sn The “crushed reed” and “dim wick” symbolize the weak and oppressed who are on the verge of extinction.
Isaiah 42:3 tn Heb “faithfully he will bring out justice” (cf. NASB, NRSV).
Isaiah 42:4 tn For rhetorical effect the terms used to describe the “crushed (רָצַץ, ratsats) reed” and “dim (כָּהָה, kahah) wick” in v. 3 are repeated here.
Isaiah 42:4 tn Or “islands” (NIV); NLT “distant lands beyond the sea.”
Isaiah 42:4 tn Or “his law” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NIV) or “his instruction” (NLT).
Isaiah 42:5 tn Heb “the God.” The definite article here indicates distinctiveness or uniqueness.
Isaiah 42:5 tn Heb “and its offspring” (so NASB); NIV “all that comes out of it.”
Isaiah 42:5 tn Heb “and spirit [i.e., “breath”] to the ones walking in it” (NAB, NASB, and NRSV all similar).
Isaiah 42:6 tn Heb “call you in righteousness.” The pronoun “you” is masculine singular, referring to the servant. See the note at 41:2.
Isaiah 42:6 tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצַר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצַר (yatsar, “form”).
Isaiah 42:6 tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (b^erit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. The precise identity of עָם (ʿam, “people”) is uncertain. In v. 5 עָם refers to mankind, and the following reference to “nations” also favors this. But in 49:8, where the phrase בְּרִית עָם occurs again, Israel seems to be in view.
Isaiah 42:6 sn Light here symbolizes deliverance from bondage and oppression; note the parallelism in 49:6b and in 51:4-6.
Isaiah 42:6 tn Or “the Gentiles” (so KJV, ASV, NIV); the same Hebrew word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context.
Isaiah 42:7 sn This does not refer to literal physical healing of the blind. As the next two lines suggest, this refers metonymically to freeing captives from their dark prisons where their eyes have grown unaccustomed to light.
Isaiah 42:7 sn This does not refer to hardened, dangerous criminals, who would have been executed for their crimes in ancient Near Eastern society. This verse refers to political prisoners or victims of social injustice.
Isaiah 42:9 tn Heb “the former things, look, they have come.”
Isaiah 42:9 tn Heb “before they sprout up, I cause you to hear.” The pronoun “you” is plural, referring to the people of Israel. In this verse “the former things” are the Lord’s earlier predictive oracles which have come to pass, while “the new things” are predicted events that have not yet begun to take place. “The former things” are earlier events in Israel’s history which God announced beforehand, such as the Exodus (see 43:16-18). “The new things” are the predictions about the servant (42:1-7). and may also include Cyrus’ conquests (41:25-27).

Psalm 29

Psalm 29^[a]

A psalm of David.

29 Acknowledge the Lord, you heavenly beings,^[b]
acknowledge the Lord’s majesty and power.^[c]
²Acknowledge the majesty of the Lord’s reputation.^[d]
Worship the Lord in holy attire.^[e]
³The Lord’s shout is heard over the water;^[f]
the majestic God thunders,^[g]
the Lord appears over the surging water.^[h]
⁴The Lord’s shout is powerful,^[i]
the Lord’s shout is majestic.^[j]
⁵The Lord’s shout breaks^[k] the cedars,
the Lord shatters^[l] the cedars of Lebanon.^[m]
⁶He makes them skip like a calf,
Lebanon and Sirion^[n] like a young ox.^[o]
⁷The Lord’s shout strikes^[p] with flaming fire.^[q]
⁸The Lord’s shout shakes^[r] the wilderness,
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.^[s]
⁹The Lord’s shout bends^[t] the large trees^[u]
and strips^[v] the leaves from the forests.^[w]
Everyone in his temple says, “Majestic!”^[x]
¹⁰The Lord sits enthroned over the engulfing waters,^[y]
the Lord sits enthroned^[z] as the eternal king.
¹¹The Lord gives^[aa] his people strength;^[ab]
the Lord grants his people security.^[ac]

Footnotes

Psalm 29:1 sn Psalm 29. In this hymn of praise the psalmist calls upon the heavenly assembly to acknowledge the royal splendor of the Lord. He describes the Lord’s devastating power as revealed in the thunderstorm and affirms that the Lord exerts this awesome might on behalf of his people. In its original context the psalm was a bold polemic against the Canaanite storm god Baal, for it affirms that the Lord is the real king who controls the elements of the storm, contrary to pagan belief. See R. B. Chisholm, Jr., “The Polemic against Baalism in Israel’s Early History and Literature,” BSac 150 (1994): 280-82.
Psalm 29:1 tc Heb “sons of gods,” or “sons of God.” Though אֵלִים (ʾelim) is vocalized as a plural form (“gods”) in the MT, it is likely that the final mem is actually enclitic, rather than a plural marker. In this case one may read “God.” Some, following a Qumran text and the LXX, also propose the phrase occurred in the original text of Deut 32:8.tn The phrase בְּנֵי אֵלִים (b^ene ʾelim, “sons of gods” or “sons of God”) occurs only here and in Ps 89:6 (89:7 HT). In Ps 89 the “sons of gods/God” are also called “the assembly of the holy ones” and “council of the holy ones.” The heavenly assembly, comprised of so-called “angels” and other supernatural beings, appears to be in view. See Job 5:1; 15:15 and Zech 14:5, where these supernatural beings are referred to as “holy ones.” In Canaanite mythological texts the divine council of the high god El is referred to as “the sons of El.” The OT apparently borrows the Canaanite phrase and applies it to the supernatural beings that surround the heavenly throne.
Psalm 29:1 tn Or “ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.”
Psalm 29:2 tn Heb “ascribe to the Lord the glory of his name.” The Hebrew term שֵׁם (shem, “name”) refers here to the Lord’s reputation. (The English term “name” is often used the same way.)
Psalm 29:2 tn That is, properly dressed for the occasion.
Psalm 29:3 tn Heb “the voice of the Lord [is] over the water.” As the next line makes clear, the “voice of the Lord” is here the thunder that accompanies a violent storm. The psalm depicts the Lord in the role of a warrior-king, so the thunder is his battle cry, as it were.
Psalm 29:3 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form is probably descriptive. In dramatic fashion the psalmist portrays the Lord coming in the storm to do battle with his enemies and to vindicate his people.
Psalm 29:3 tn Traditionally “many waters.” The geographical references in the psalm (Lebanon, Sirion, Kadesh) suggest this is a reference to the Mediterranean Sea (see Ezek 26:19; 27:26). The psalmist describes a powerful storm moving in from the sea and sweeping over the mountainous areas north of Israel. The “surging waters” may symbolize the hostile enemies of God who seek to destroy his people (see Pss 18:17; 32:6; 77:20; 93:4; 144:7; Isa 17:13; Jer 51:55; Ezek 26:19; Hab 3:15). In this case the Lord is depicted as elevated above and sovereign over the raging waters.
Psalm 29:4 tn Heb “the voice of the Lord [is] accompanied by strength.”
Psalm 29:4 tn Heb “the voice of the Lord [is] accompanied by majesty.”
Psalm 29:5 tn The Hebrew participial form draws attention to the durative nature of the action being described.
Psalm 29:5 tn The prefixed verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive here and in v. 6a carry on the descriptive function of the preceding participle (see GKC 329 §111.u). The verb שָׁבַר (shavar) appears in the Qal in the first line of the verse, and in the Piel in the second line. The verb, which means “break” in the Qal, appears thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3).
Psalm 29:5 sn The cedars of the Lebanon forest were well-known in ancient Israel for their immense size. Here they may symbolize the arrogant enemies of God (see Isa 2:12-13).
Psalm 29:6 sn Sirion is another name for Mount Hermon (Deut 3:9).
Psalm 29:6 sn Lebanon and Sirion are compared to frisky young animals (a calf…a young ox) who skip and jump. The thunderous shout of the Lord is so powerful, one can see the very mountains shake on the horizon.
Psalm 29:7 tn The verb normally means “to hew [stone or wood],” or “to hew out.” In Hos 6:5 it seems to mean “cut in pieces,” “knock down,” or perhaps “hack” (see F. I. Andersen and D. N. Freedman, Hosea [AB], 428). The Ugaritic cognate can mean “assault.” In v. 7 the verb seems to have a similar meaning, perhaps “attack, strike.” The phrase “flames of fire” is an adverbial accusative; the Lord’s shout is accompanied by “flames of fire,” that is, lightning bolts.
Psalm 29:7 sn The Lord’s shout strikes with flaming fire. The short line has invited textual emendation, but its distinct, brief form may highlight the statement, which serves as the axis of a chiastic structure encompassing vv. 5-9: (A) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 5); (B) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 6); (C) the Lord’s shout is accompanied by destructive lightning (v. 7); (B´) the Lord’s shout shakes the terrain (v. 8); (A´) the Lord’s shout destroys the forest (v. 9).
Psalm 29:8 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms are descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
Psalm 29:8 sn Kadesh. The references to Lebanon and Sirion in v. 6 suggest this is a reference to the northern Kadesh, located north of Damascus, not the southern Kadesh mentioned so often in the OT. See M. Dahood, Psalms (AB), 1:178.
Psalm 29:9 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form is descriptive in function; the psalmist depicts the action as underway.
Psalm 29:9 tc Heb “the deer.” Preserving this reading, some translate the preceding verb, “causes [the deer] to give premature birth” (cf. NEB, NASB). But the Polel of חוּל/חִיל (khul/khil) means “give birth,” not “cause to give birth,” and the statement “the Lord’s shout gives birth to deer” is absurd. In light of the parallelism (note “forests” in the next line) and v. 5, it is preferable to emend אַיָּלוֹת (ʾayyalot, “deer”) to אֵילוֹת (ʾelot, “large trees”) understanding the latter as an alternate form of the usual plural form אַיָּלִים (ʾayyalim).
Psalm 29:9 tn The verb is used in Joel 1:7 of locusts stripping the leaves from a tree. The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding imperfect. See GKC 329 §111.t.
Psalm 29:9 tn The usual form of the plural of יַעַר (yaʿar, “forest”) is יְעָרִים (y^eʿarim). For this reason some propose an emendation to יְעָלוֹת (y^e’alot, “female mountain goats”) which would fit nicely in the parallelism with “deer” (cf. NEB “brings kids early to birth”). In this case one would have to understand the verb חָשַׂף (khasaf) to mean “cause premature birth,” an otherwise unattested homonym of the more common חָשַׂף (“strip bare”).sn The Lord’s thunderous shout is accompanied by high winds which damage the trees of the forest.
Psalm 29:9 tn Heb “In his temple, all of it says, ‘Glory.’”
Psalm 29:10 tn The noun מַּבּוּל (mabbul, “flood”) appears only here and in Gen 6-11, where it refers to the Noahic flood. Some see a reference to that event here. The presence of the article (perhaps indicating uniqueness) and the switch to the perfect verbal form (which could be taken as describing a past situation) might support this. However, the immediate context indicates that the referent of מַּבּוּל is the “surging waters” mentioned in v. 3. The article indicates waters that are definite in the mind of the speaker and the perfect is probably descriptive in function, like “thunders” in v. 3. However, even though the historical flood is not the primary referent here, there may be a literary allusion involved. The psalmist views the threatening chaotic sea as a contemporary manifestation of the destructive waters of old.
Psalm 29:10 tn The prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the descriptive function of the preceding perfect.
Psalm 29:11 tn The imperfect verbal forms in v. 11 are either descriptive or generalizing.
Psalm 29:11 sn Strength. This probably refers to military power; see the use of the noun in 1 Sam 2:10 and Ps 86:16.
Psalm 29:11 tn Heb “blesses his people with peace.” The Hebrew term שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) probably refers here to the protection and prosperity experienced by God’s people after the Lord intervenes in battle on their behalf.

Acts 10:34-43

³⁴Then Peter started speaking:^[a] “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism in dealing with people,^[b] ³⁵but in every nation^[c] the person who fears him^[d] and does what is right^[e] is welcomed before him. ³⁶You know^[f] the message^[g] he sent to the people^[h] of Israel, proclaiming the good news of peace^[i] through^[j] Jesus Christ^[k] (he is Lord^[l] of all)— ³⁷you know what happened throughout Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John announced:^[m] ³⁸with respect to Jesus from Nazareth,^[n] that^[o] God anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power. He^[p] went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,^[q] because God was with him.^[r] ³⁹We^[s] are witnesses of all the things he did both in Judea^[t] and in Jerusalem. They^[u] killed him by hanging him on a tree,^[v] ⁴⁰but^[w] God raised him up on the third day and caused him to be seen,^[x] ⁴¹not by all the people, but by us, the witnesses God had already chosen,^[y] who ate and drank^[z] with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴²He^[aa] commanded us to preach to the people and to warn^[ab] them^[ac] that he is the one^[ad] appointed^[ae] by God as judge^[af] of the living and the dead. ⁴³About him all the prophets testify,^[ag] that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins^[ah] through his name.”

Footnotes

Acts 10:34 tn Grk “Opening his mouth Peter said” (a Semitic idiom for beginning to speak in a somewhat formal manner). The participle ἀνοίξας (anoixas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Acts 10:34 tn Grk “God is not one who is a respecter of persons,” that is, “God is not one to show partiality” (cf. BDAG 887 s.v. προσωπολήμπτης). L&N 88.239 translates this verse “I realize that God does not show favoritism (in dealing with people).” The underlying Hebrew idiom includes the personal element (“respecter of persons”) so the phrase “in dealing with people” is included in the present translation. It fits very well with the following context and serves to emphasize the relational component of God’s lack of partiality. The latter is a major theme in the NT: Rom 2:11; Eph 2:11-22; Col 3:25; Jas 2:1; 1 Pet 1:17. This was the lesson of Peter’s vision.
Acts 10:35 sn See Luke 24:47.
Acts 10:35 tn Or “shows reverence for him.”
Acts 10:35 tn Grk “works righteousness”; the translation “does what is right” for this phrase in this verse is given by L&N 25.85.sn Note how faith and response are linked here by the phrase and does what is right.
Acts 10:36 tn The subject and verb (“you know”) do not actually occur until the following verse, but have been repeated here because of the requirements of English word order.
Acts 10:36 tn Grk “the word.”
Acts 10:36 tn Grk “to the sons.”
Acts 10:36 sn Peace is a key OT concept: Isa 52:7; Nah 1:15; also for Luke: Luke 1:79; 2:14; Acts 9:31. See also the similar phrase in Eph 2:17.
Acts 10:36 tn Or “by.”
Acts 10:36 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
Acts 10:36 sn He is Lord of all. Though a parenthetical remark, this is the theological key to the speech. Jesus is Lord of all, so the gospel can go to all. The rest of the speech proclaims Jesus’ authority.
Acts 10:37 tn Or “proclaimed.”
Acts 10:38 sn The somewhat awkward naming of Jesus as from Nazareth here is actually emphatic. He is the key subject of these key events.
Acts 10:38 tn Or “how.” The use of ὡς (hōs) as an equivalent to ὅτι (hoti) to introduce indirect or even direct discourse is well documented. BDAG 1105 s.v. ὡς 5 lists Acts 10:28 in this category.
Acts 10:38 tn Grk “power, who.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “he,” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
Acts 10:38 tn The translation “healing all who were oppressed by the devil” is given in L&N 22.22.sn All who were oppressed by the devil. Note how healing is tied to the cosmic battle present in creation. Christ’s power overcomes the devil and his forces, which seek to destroy humanity.
Acts 10:38 sn See Acts 7:9.
Acts 10:39 tn Grk “And we.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 10:39 tn Grk “the land of the Jews,” but this is similar to the phrase used as the name of the province of Judea in 1 Macc 8:3 (see BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b).
Acts 10:39 tn Grk “in Jerusalem, whom they killed.” The relative pronoun was replaced by the pronoun “him” and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.
Acts 10:39 tn Or “by crucifying him” (“hang on a tree” is by the time of the 1st century an idiom for crucifixion). The allusion is to the judgment against Jesus as a rebellious figure, appealing to the language of Deut 21:23. The Jewish leadership has badly “misjudged” Jesus.
Acts 10:40 tn The conjunction “but” is not in the Greek text, but the contrast is clearly implied in the context. This is technically asyndeton, or lack of a connective, in Greek.
Acts 10:40 tn Grk “and granted that he should become visible.” The literal Greek idiom is somewhat awkward in English. L&N 24.22 offers the translation “caused him to be seen” for this verse.
Acts 10:41 tn Or “the witnesses God had previously chosen.” See Acts 1:8.
Acts 10:41 sn Ate and drank. See Luke 24:35-49.
Acts 10:42 tn Grk “and he.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
Acts 10:42 tn The verb διαμαρτύρομαι (diamarturomai) can mean “warn,” and such a meaning is highly probable in this context where a reference to the judgment of both the living and the dead is present. The more general meaning “to testify solemnly” does not capture this nuance.
Acts 10:42 tn The word “them” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.
Acts 10:42 tn Grk “that this one is the one,” but this is awkward in English and has been simplified to “that he is the one.”
Acts 10:42 tn Or “designated.” BDAG 723 s.v. ὁρίζω 2.b has “the one appointed by God as judge” for this phrase.
Acts 10:42 sn Jesus has divine authority as judge over the living and the dead: Acts 17:26-31; Rom 14:9; 1 Thess 5:9-10; 1 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5.
Acts 10:43 tn Or “All the prophets testify about him.” Although modern English translations tend to place “about him” after “testify” (so NIV, NRSV) the phrase “about him” has been left at the beginning of v. 43 for emphatic reasons.
Acts 10:43 sn Forgiveness of sins. See Luke 24:47; also Acts 14:23; 19:4; 9:42; 11:17; 16:31. The gospel is present in the prophetic promise, Rom 1:1-7. The message is in continuity with the ancient hope.

Matthew 3:13-17

The Baptism of Jesus

¹³Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River.^[a] ¹⁴But John^[b] tried to prevent^[c] him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” ¹⁵So Jesus replied^[d] to him, “Let it happen now,^[e] for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John^[f] yielded^[g] to him. ¹⁶After^[h] Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the^[i] heavens^[j] opened^[k] and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove^[l] and coming to rest^[m] on him. ¹⁷And^[n] a voice from heaven said,^[o] “This is my one dear Son;^[p] in him^[q] I take great delight.”^[r]

Footnotes

Matthew 3:13 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
Matthew 3:14 tc ‡ The earliest mss (א* B sa) lack the name of John here (“but he tried to prevent him,” instead of “but John tried to prevent him”). It is, however, clearly implied (and is thus supplied in translation). Although the longer reading has excellent support (P⁹⁶ א¹ C D^s L W Γ Δ 0233 0250 ƒ^{1, 13} 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 M lat[t] sy mae bo), it looks to be a motivated and predictable reading. Nevertheless, in light of the strong external support for “John,” it is only slightly more likely that the autographic wording of this verse lacked his name.
Matthew 3:14 tn The imperfect verb has been translated conatively.
Matthew 3:15 tn Grk “but Jesus, answering, said.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation to “replied to him.”
Matthew 3:15 tn Grk “Permit now.”
Matthew 3:15 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Matthew 3:15 tn Or “permitted him.”
Matthew 3:16 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Matthew 3:16 tn Grk “behold the heavens.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
Matthew 3:16 tn Or “sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The same word is used in v. 17.
Matthew 3:16 tc ‡ αὐτῷ (autō, “to/before him”) is found in the majority of witnesses (א¹ C D^s L W Γ Δ 0233 ƒ^{1, 13} 33 565 579 700 1241 1424 M lat mae bo), perhaps added as a point of clarification or emphasis. It is lacking in א* B sy^s,c sa Ir^lat CyrJ; SBL. NA²⁸ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
Matthew 3:16 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
Matthew 3:16 tn Grk “coming”; the notion of coming to rest is implied in the context.
Matthew 3:17 tn Grk “and behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here.
Matthew 3:17 tn Grk “behold, a voice from the heavens, saying.” This is an incomplete sentence in Greek which portrays intensity and emotion. The participle λέγουσα (legousa) was translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style.
Matthew 3:17 tn Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός (agapētos) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1).sn The parallel accounts in Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22 read “You are” rather than “This is,” portraying the remark as addressed personally to Jesus.
Matthew 3:17 tn Grk “in whom.”
Matthew 3:17 tn Or “with whom I am well pleased.”sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; Isa 42:1 and either Isa 41:8 or, less likely, Gen 22:12, 16. God is marking out Jesus as his chosen one (the meaning of “[in him I take] great delight”), but it may well be that this was a private experience that only Jesus and John saw and heard (cf. John 1:32-33).

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

The Lord Commissions His Special Servant

The Lord Intervenes

Footnotes

Psalm 29[a]

A psalm of David.

Footnotes

Footnotes

The Baptism of Jesus

Footnotes

Psalm 29^[a]