◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary) / Psalm 87 (Foreigners praise God in Zion); Isaiah 66:18-23 (All nations shall come to worship); Matthew 8:1-13 (Jesus heals many people) (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

Psalm 87

Psalm 87^[a]

Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.

87 The Lord’s city is in the holy hills.^[b]
²The Lord loves the gates of Zion
more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
³People say wonderful things about you,^[c]
O city of God. (Selah)
⁴I mention Rahab^[d] and Babylon to my followers.^[e]
Here are^[f] Philistia and Tyre, along with Ethiopia.^[g]
It is said of them, “This one was born there.”^[h]
⁵But it is said of Zion’s residents,^[i]
“Each one of these^[j] was born in her,
and the Most High^[k] makes her secure.”
⁶The Lord writes in the census book of the nations,^[l]
“This one was born there.”^[m] (Selah)
⁷As for the singers, as well as the pipers—
all of them sing within your walls.^[n]

Footnotes

Psalm 87:1 sn Psalm 87. The psalmist celebrates the Lord’s presence in Zion and the special status of its citizens.
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).
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.”
Psalm 87:4 sn “Rahab,” which means “proud one,” is used here as a title for Egypt (see Isa 30:7).
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.
Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “Look.”
Psalm 87:4 tn Heb “Cush.”
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.
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).
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.
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.
Psalm 87:6 tn Heb “the Lord records in the writing of the nations.”
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.
Psalm 87:7 tc Heb “and singers, like pipers, all my springs [are] in you.” The participial form חֹלְלִים (khol^elim) 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 (m^ekhol^elim, “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 66:18-23

¹⁸“I hate their deeds and thoughts! So I am coming^[a] to gather all the nations and ethnic groups;^[b] they will come and witness my splendor. ¹⁹I will perform a mighty act among them^[c] and then send some of those who remain to the nations—to Tarshish, Pul,^[d] Lud^[e] (known for its archers^[f]), Tubal, Javan,^[g] and to the distant coastlands^[h] that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor. ²⁰They will bring back all your countrymen^[i] from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring them^[j] on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels^[k] to my holy hill Jerusalem,” says the Lord, “just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord’s temple in ritually pure containers. ²¹And I will choose some of them as priests and Levites,” says the Lord. ²²“For just as the new heavens and the new earth I am about to make will remain standing before me,” says the Lord, “so your descendants and your name will remain. ²³From one month^[l] to the next and from one Sabbath to the next, all people^[m] will come to worship me,”^[n] says the Lord.

Footnotes

Isaiah 66:18 tc The Hebrew text reads literally “and I, their deeds and their thoughts, am coming.” The syntax here is very problematic, suggesting that the text may need emendation. Some suggest that the words “their deeds and their thoughts” have been displaced from v. 17. This line presents two primary challenges. In the first place, the personal pronoun “I” has no verb after it. Most translations insert “know” for the sake of clarity (NASB, NRSV, NLT, ESV). The NIV has “I, because of their actions and their imaginations…” Since God’s “knowledge” of Israel’s sin occasions judgment, the verb “hate” is an option as well (see above translation). The feminine form of the next verb (בָּאָה, baʾah) could be understood in one of two ways. One could provide an implied noun “time” (עֵת, ʿet) and render the next line “the time is coming/has come” (NASB, ESV). One could also emend the feminine verb to the masculine בָּא (baʾ) and have the “I” at the beginning of the line govern this verb as well (for the Lord is speaking here): “I am coming” (cf. NIV, NCV, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
Isaiah 66:18 tn Heb “and the tongues”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “and tongues.”
Isaiah 66:19 tn Heb “and I will set a sign among them.” The precise meaning of this statement is unclear. Elsewhere “to set a sign” means “perform a mighty act” (Ps 78:43; Jer 32:20), “make [someone] an object lesson” (Ezek 14:8), and “erect a [literal] standard” (Ps 74:4).
Isaiah 66:19 tn Some prefer to read “Put” (i.e., Libya).
Isaiah 66:19 sn That is, Lydia (in Asia Minor).
Isaiah 66:19 tn Heb “drawers of the bow” (KJV and ASV both similar).
Isaiah 66:19 sn Javan is generally identified today as Greece (so NIV, NCV, NLT).
Isaiah 66:19 tn Or “islands” (NIV).
Isaiah 66:20 tn Heb “brothers” (so NIV); NCV “fellow Israelites.”
Isaiah 66:20 tn The words “they will bring them” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Isaiah 66:20 tn The precise meaning of this word is uncertain. Some suggest it refers to “chariots.” See HALOT 498 s.v. *כִּרְכָּרָה.
Isaiah 66:23 tn Heb “new moon.” The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.
Isaiah 66:23 tn Heb “all flesh” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV); NAB, NASB, NIV “all mankind”; NLT “All humanity.”
Isaiah 66:23 tn Or “bow down before” (NASB).

Matthew 8:1-13

Cleansing a Leper

8 After he came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. ²And a leper^[a] approached and bowed low before him,^[b] saying, “Lord, if^[c] you are willing, you can make me clean.” ³He stretched out his hand and touched^[d] him saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. ⁴Then Jesus said to him, “See that you do not speak to anyone,^[e] but go, show yourself to the priest, and bring the offering^[f] that Moses commanded,^[g] as a testimony to them.”^[h]

Healing the Centurion’s Servant

⁵When he entered Capernaum,^[i] a centurion^[j] came to him asking for help:^[k] ⁶“Lord,^[l] my servant^[m] is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible anguish.” ⁷Jesus^[n] said to him, “I will come and heal him.” ⁸But the centurion replied,^[o] “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof! Instead, just say the word and my servant will be healed. ⁹For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.^[p] I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes,^[q] and to another ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave^[r] ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”^[s] ¹⁰When^[t] Jesus heard this he was amazed and said to those who followed him, “I tell you the truth,^[u] I have not found such faith in anyone in Israel! ¹¹I tell you, many will come from the east and west to share the banquet^[v] with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob^[w] in the kingdom of heaven, ¹²but the sons of the kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness,^[x] where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”^[y] ¹³Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; just as you believed, it will be done for you.” And the servant^[z] was healed at that hour.

Footnotes

Matthew 8:2 tn Grk “And behold, a leper.” 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).sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what is called leprosy today (Hansen’s disease). In the OT the Hebrew term generally referred to a number of exfoliative (scaly) skin diseases (when applied to humans). A person with one of these diseases was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46). In the NT the Greek term also refers to a number of skin diseases, but there is some evidence that true leprosy (Hansen’s disease) could be referred to, since that disease began to be described by Greek physicians in Alexandria, Egypt around 300 B.C. and thus might have been present in Judea and Galilee just before the time of Jesus.
Matthew 8:2 tn Grk “a leper approaching, bowed low before him”; or “a leper approaching, worshiped him.”
Matthew 8:2 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
Matthew 8:3 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 5:3; see also m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
Matthew 8:4 sn The command for silence was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 9:30; 12:16; 16:20, and 17:9 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence concerning him and his ministry.
Matthew 8:4 tn Grk “gift.”
Matthew 8:4 sn On the phrase bring the offering that Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
Matthew 8:4 tn Or “as an indictment against them.” The pronoun αὐτοῖς (autois) may be a dative of disadvantage. The antecedent of the pronoun is not specified and is not entirely clear, though it probably refers to a wider audience that just the priests to whom the Mosaic offering is brought.
Matthew 8:5 sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It existed since Hasmonean times and was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region. The population in the first century is estimated to be around 1,500. Capernaum became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry (Matt 4:13; Mark 2:1). In modern times the site was discovered in 1838 by the American explorer E. Robinson, and major excavations began in 1905 by German archaeologists H. Kohl and C. Watzinger. Not until 1968, however, were remains from the time of Jesus visible; in that year V. Corbo and S. Loffreda began a series of annual archaeological campaigns that lasted until 1985. This work uncovered what is thought to be the house of Simon Peter as well as ruins of the first century synagogue beneath the later synagogue from the fourth or fifth century A.D. Today gently rolling hills and date palms frame the first century site, a favorite tourist destination of visitors to the Galilee.
Matthew 8:5 sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions throughout the region may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like the apostle Paul did (cf. Acts 22:28).
Matthew 8:5 sn While in Matthew’s account the centurion came to him asking for help, Luke’s account (7:1-10) mentions that the centurion sent some Jewish elders as emissaries on his behalf.
Matthew 8:6 tn Grk “and saying, ‘Lord.’” The participle λέγων (legōn) at the beginning of v. 6 is redundant in English and has not been translated.
Matthew 8:6 tn The Greek term here is παῖς (pais), often used of a slave who was regarded with some degree of affection, possibly a personal servant. See L&N 87.77.
Matthew 8:7 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Matthew 8:8 tn Grk “But answering, the centurion replied.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokritheis) is redundant and has not been translated.
Matthew 8:9 tn Grk “having soldiers under me.”
Matthew 8:9 sn I say to this one ‘Go!’ and he goes. The illustrations highlight the view of authority the soldier sees in the word of one who has authority. Since the centurion was a commander of a hundred soldiers, he understood what it was both to command others and to be obeyed.
Matthew 8:9 tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v. 1). One good translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. Also, many slaves in the Roman world became slaves through Rome’s subjugation of conquered nations, kidnapping, or by being born into slave households.
Matthew 8:9 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
Matthew 8:10 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
Matthew 8:10 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
Matthew 8:11 tn Grk “and recline [at a meal].” First century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away. The phrase “share the banquet” has been used in the translation to clarify for the modern reader the festive nature of the imagery. The banquet imagery is a way of describing the fellowship and celebration of participation with the people of God at the end. Cf. BDAG 65 s.v. ἀνακλίνω 2, “In transf. sense, of the Messianic banquet w. the idea dine in style (or some similar rendering, not simply ‘eat’ as NRSV) Mt 8:11; Lk 13:29.”
Matthew 8:11 tn Grk “and Isaac and Jacob.” One καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
Matthew 8:12 tn The Greek term translated “darkness” (σκότος) is associated with Tartarus in Aeschylus, Eumenides 72; other references to the darkness of death and the underworld can be found throughout the classical literature as far back as Homer. BDAG 932 s.v. σκότος 1 states: “Of the darkness of the place of punishment far removed fr. the heavenly kingdom (Philo, Exsecr. 152 βαθὺ σκότος. Cp. Wsd 17:20; PsSol 14:9.—σκ. κ. βόρβορος ‘gloom and muck’ await those who are untrue to the Eleusinian Mysteries, Ael. Aristid. 22, 10 K.=19 p. 421 D. Of the darkness of death and the underworld in Hom. and the Trag. As the domain of evil spirits PGM 36, 138; Theoph. Ant. 2, 7 [p. 110, 5]) τὸ σκ. τὸ ἐξώτερον the darkness outside Mt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30.”sn Not to be missed here is the high irony that those who would be expected to participate in God’s eschatological kingdom (the sons of the kingdom) instead end up separated from God, experiencing remorse in the outer darkness.
Matthew 8:12 sn Weeping and gnashing of teeth is a figure for remorse and trauma, which occurs here because of exclusion from God’s promise.
Matthew 8:13 tc ‡ Most mss read αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) after “servant.” It is unlikely that the pronoun was accidentally overlooked by such diverse witnesses as א B 0250 0281 ƒ¹ 33 latt bo. More likely is the probability that Western, Byzantine, and some other scribes added the word for clarification (so C L N W Γ Δ Θ 0233 ƒ¹³ 565 579 700 1241 1424 M sy^h sa). NA²⁸ has the pronoun in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

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Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Psalm 87[a]

Written by the Korahites; a psalm, a song.

Footnotes

Footnotes

Cleansing a Leper

Healing the Centurion’s Servant

Footnotes

Psalm 87^[a]