◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary) / Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (Walk in the way of life); Psalm 1 (Delight in the law); Philemon 1-21 (Paul says Receive Onesimus); Luke 14:25-33 (Give up your possessions) (New English Translation)

Prev Day

September 4, 2022

Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

September 2022
Su	Mo	Tu	We	Th	Fr	Sa
				1	2	3
4	5	6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15	16	17
18	19	20	21	22	23	24
25	26	27	28	29	30

Return to today's reading

Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

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

Duration: 1245 days

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

¹⁵“Look! I have set before you today life and prosperity on the one hand, and death and disaster on the other. ¹⁶What^[a] I am commanding you today is to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to obey his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances. Then you will live and become numerous and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are about to possess.^[b] ¹⁷However, if you^[c] turn aside and do not obey, but are lured away to worship and serve other gods, ¹⁸I declare to you this very day that you^[d] will certainly^[e] perish! You will not extend your time in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.^[f] ¹⁹Today I invoke heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set life and death, blessing and curse, before you. Therefore choose life so that you and your descendants may live! ²⁰I also call on you^[g] to love the Lord your God, to obey him and be loyal to him, for he gives you life and enables you to live continually^[h] in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

Psalm 1

Book 1 (Psalms 1-41)

Psalm 1^[a]

1 How blessed^[b] is the one^[c] who does not follow^[d] the advice^[e] of the wicked,^[f]
or stand in the pathway^[g] with sinners,
or sit in the assembly^[h] of scoffers.^[i]
²Instead^[j] he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord’s commands;^[k]
he meditates on^[l] his commands^[m] day and night.
³He is like^[n] a tree planted by flowing streams;^[o]
it^[p] yields^[q] its fruit at the proper time,^[r]
and its leaves never fall off.^[s]
He succeeds in everything he attempts.^[t]
⁴Not so with the wicked!
Instead^[u] they are like wind-driven chaff.^[v]
⁵For this reason^[w] the wicked cannot withstand^[x] judgment,^[y]
nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly.^[z]
⁶Certainly^[aa] the Lord guards the way of the godly,^[ab]
but the way of the wicked ends in destruction.^[ac]

Footnotes

Psalm 1:1 sn Psalm 1. In this wisdom psalm the author advises his audience to reject the lifestyle of the wicked and to be loyal to God. The psalmist contrasts the destiny of the wicked with that of the righteous, emphasizing that the wicked are eventually destroyed while the godly prosper under the Lord’s protective care.
Psalm 1:1 tn The Hebrew noun is an abstract plural. The word often refers metonymically to the happiness that God-given security and prosperity produce (see v. 3; Pss 2:12; 34:9; 41:1; 65:4; 84:12; 89:15; 106:3; 112:1; 127:5; 128:1; 144:15).
Psalm 1:1 tn Heb “[Oh] the happiness [of] the man.” Hebrew wisdom literature often assumes and reflects the male-oriented perspective of ancient Israelite society. The principle of the psalm is certainly applicable to all people, regardless of their gender or age. To facilitate modern application, we translate the gender and age specific “man” with the more neutral “one.” (Generic “he” is employed in vv. 2-3). Since the godly man described in the psalm is representative of followers of God (note the plural form צַדִּיקִים [tsadiqim, “righteous, godly”] in vv. 5-6), one could translate the collective singular with the plural “those” both here and in vv. 2-3, where singular pronouns and verbal forms are utilized in the Hebrew text (cf. NRSV). However, here the singular form may emphasize that godly individuals are usually outnumbered by the wicked. Retaining the singular allows the translation to retain this emphasis.
Psalm 1:1 tn Heb “walk in.” The three perfect verbal forms in v. 1 refer in this context to characteristic behavior. The sequence “walk—stand—sit” envisions a progression from relatively casual association with the wicked to complete identification with them.
Psalm 1:1 tn The Hebrew noun translated “advice” most often refers to the “counsel” or “advice” one receives from others. To “walk in the advice of the wicked” means to allow their evil advice to impact and determine one’s behavior.
Psalm 1:1 tn In the psalms the Hebrew term רְשָׁעִים (r^eshaʿim, “wicked”) describes people who are proud, practical atheists (Ps 10:2, 4, 11) who hate God’s commands, commit sinful deeds, speak lies and slander (Ps 50:16-20), and cheat others (Ps 37:21).
Psalm 1:1 tn “Pathway” here refers to the lifestyle of sinners. To “stand in the pathway of/with sinners” means to closely associate with them in their sinful behavior.
Psalm 1:1 tn Here the Hebrew term מוֹשַׁב (moshav), although often translated “seat” (cf. NEB, NIV), appears to refer to the whole assembly of evildoers. The word also carries the semantic nuance “assembly” in Ps 107:32, where it is in synonymous parallelism with קָהָל (qahal, “assembly”).
Psalm 1:1 tn The Hebrew word refers to arrogant individuals (Prov 21:24) who love conflict (Prov 22:10) and vociferously reject wisdom and correction (Prov 1:22; 9:7-8; 13:1; 15:12). To “sit in the assembly” of such people means to completely identify with them in their proud, sinful plans and behavior.
Psalm 1:2 tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki ʾim, “instead”) introduces a contrast between the sinful behavior depicted in v. 1 and the godly lifestyle described in v. 2.
Psalm 1:2 tn Heb “his delight [is] in the law of the Lord.” In light of the following line, which focuses on studying the Lord’s law, one might translate, “he finds pleasure in studying the Lord’s commands.” However, even if one translates the line this way, it is important to recognize that mere study and intellectual awareness are not ultimately what bring divine favor. Study of the law is metonymic here for the correct attitudes and behavior that should result from an awareness of and commitment to God’s moral will; thus “obeying” has been used in the translation rather than “studying.”
Psalm 1:2 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the characteristic behavior described here and lends support to the hyperbolic adverbial phrase “day and night.” The verb הָגָה (hagag) means “to recite quietly; to meditate” and refers metonymically to intense study and reflection.
Psalm 1:2 tn Or “his law.”
Psalm 1:3 tn The Hebrew perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive here carries the same characteristic force as the imperfect in the preceding verse. According to the psalmist, the one who studies and obeys God’s commands typically prospers.
Psalm 1:3 tn Heb “channels of water.”
Psalm 1:3 tn Heb “which.”
Psalm 1:3 tn The Hebrew imperfect verbal forms in v. 3 draw attention to the typical nature of the actions/states they describe.
Psalm 1:3 tn Heb “in its season.”
Psalm 1:3 tn Or “fade”; “wither.”sn The author compares the godly individual to a tree that has a rich water supply (planted by flowing streams), develops a strong root system, and is filled with leaves and fruit. The simile suggests that the godly have a continual source of life which in turn produces stability and uninterrupted prosperity.
Psalm 1:3 tn Heb “and all which he does prospers”; or “and all which he does he causes to prosper.” (The simile of the tree does not extend to this line.) It is not certain if the Hiphil verbal form (יַצְלִיחַ, yatsliakh) is intransitive-exhibitive (“prospers”) or causative (“causes to prosper”) here. If the verb is intransitive, then כֹּל (kol, “all, everything”) is the subject. If the verb is causative, then the godly individual or the Lord himself is the subject and כֹּל is the object. The wording is reminiscent of Josh 1:8, where the Lord tells Joshua: “This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper (literally, “cause your way to prosper”) and be successful.”
Psalm 1:4 tn Here the Hebrew expression כִּי־אִם (ki ʾim, “instead,” cf. v. 2) introduces a contrast between the prosperity of the godly depicted in v. 3 and the destiny of the wicked described in v. 4.
Psalm 1:4 tn Heb “[they are] like the chaff which [the] wind blows about.” The Hebrew imperfect verbal form draws attention to the typical nature of the action described.sn Wind-driven chaff. In contrast to the well-rooted and productive tree described in v. 3, the wicked are like a dried up plant that has no root system and is blown away by the wind. The simile describes the destiny of the wicked (see vv. 5-6).
Psalm 1:5 tn Or “Therefore.”
Psalm 1:5 tn Heb “arise in,” but the verb is used metonymically here in the sense of “stand”; “endure,” as in 1 Sam 13:14 and Job 8:15. The negated Hebrew imperfect verbal form is here taken as indicating incapability or lack of potential, though one could understand the verb form as indicating what is typical (“do not withstand”) or what will happen (“will not withstand”).
Psalm 1:5 tn Heb “the judgment.” The article indicates a judgment that is definite in the mind of the speaker. In the immediate context this probably does not refer to the “final judgment” described in later biblical revelation, but to a temporal/historical judgment which the author anticipates. Periodically during the OT period, God would come in judgment, removing the wicked from the scene, while preserving a godly remnant (see Gen 6-9; Ps 37; Hab 3).
Psalm 1:5 tn Heb “and sinners in the assembly (or “circle”) of [the] godly.” The negative particle and verb from the preceding line are assumed by ellipsis here (“will not arise/stand”).sn The assembly of the godly is insulated from divine judgment (Ps 37:12-17, 28-29).
Psalm 1:6 tn The translation understands כי (ki) as asseverative. Another option is to translate “for,” understanding v. 6 as a theological explanation for vv. 3-5, which contrasts the respective destinies of the godly and the wicked.
Psalm 1:6 tn Heb “the Lord knows the way of the righteous.” To “know a way” means, in its most basic sense, “to recognize/acknowledge a pathway, route, or prescribed way of life” (see Josh 3:4; Job 21:14; Ps 67:2; Isa 42:16; Jer 5:4-5). Here it could refer to the Lord recognizing the behavior of the godly and, by metonymy, rewarding their godliness with security and prosperity (resulting in the translation, “the Lord rewards the behavior of the godly”). The present translation takes the verb in the sense of “mark out” (cf. Job 23:10), which metonymically could mean “watch over, protect, guard.” In this case the “way of the godly” is not their behavior, but their course of life or destiny; a translation reflecting this would be “the Lord protects the lives of the godly” or “the Lord watches over the destiny of the godly” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV). The Hebrew active participle יוֹדֵעַ (yodeaʿ, “knows”) has here a characteristic durative force.
Psalm 1:6 tn Heb “but the way of the wicked perishes.” The “way of the wicked” may refer to their course of life (Ps 146:9; Prov 4:19; Jer 12:1) or their sinful behavior (Prov 12:26; 15:9). The Hebrew imperfect verbal form probably describes here what typically happens, though one could take the form as indicating what will happen (“will perish”).

Philemon 1-21

Salutation

¹From Paul,^[a] a prisoner of Christ Jesus,^[b] and Timothy our^[c] brother, to Philemon, our dear friend^[d] and colaborer, ²to Apphia^[e] our sister,^[f] to Archippus our^[g] fellow soldier, and to the church that meets in your house. ³Grace and peace to you^[h] from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Thanks for Philemon’s Love and Faith

⁴I always thank my God^[i] as I remember you in my prayers,^[j] ⁵because I hear^[k] of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love^[l] for all the saints.^[m] ⁶I pray^[n] that the faith you share with us may deepen your understanding of every blessing^[o] that belongs to you^[p] in Christ.^[q] ⁷I^[r] have had great joy and encouragement because^[s] of your love, for the hearts^[t] of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.

Paul’s Request for Onesimus

⁸So, although I have quite a lot of confidence in Christ and could command you to do what is proper, ⁹I would rather appeal^[u] to you on the basis of love—I, Paul, an old man^[v] and even now a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus^[w]— ¹⁰I am appealing^[x] to you concerning my child, whose spiritual father I have become^[y] during my imprisonment,^[z] that is, Onesimus, ¹¹who was formerly useless to you, but is now useful to you^[aa] and me. ¹²I have sent^[ab] him (who is my very heart)^[ac] back to you. ¹³I wanted to keep him with me so that he could serve me in your place^[ad] during^[ae] my imprisonment for the sake of the gospel.^[af] ¹⁴However,^[ag] without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed would not be out of compulsion, but from your own willingness. ¹⁵For perhaps it was for this reason that he was separated from you for a little while, so that you would have him back eternally,^[ah] ¹⁶no longer as a slave,^[ai] but more than a slave, as a dear brother. He is especially so to me, and even more so to you now, both humanly speaking^[aj] and in the Lord. ¹⁷Therefore if you regard me as a partner, accept him as you would me. ¹⁸Now if he has defrauded you of anything or owes you anything, charge what he owes^[ak] to me. ¹⁹I, Paul, have written^[al] this letter^[am] with my own hand:^[an] I will repay it. I could also mention that you owe^[ao] me your very self. ²⁰Yes, brother, let me have some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.^[ap] ²¹Since I was confident that you would obey, I wrote to you, because I knew that you would do even more than^[aq] what I am asking you to do.

Footnotes

Philemon 1:1 tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
Philemon 1:1 sn The phrase a prisoner of Christ Jesus implies that Paul was being held prisoner because of his testimony for Christ Jesus. Paul’s imprisonment was due to his service to Christ, in the same manner as John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos because of his testimony (Rev 1:9).
Philemon 1:1 tn The word “our” is not present in the Greek text, but was supplied to bring out the sense in English.
Philemon 1:1 tn Grk “dear.” The adjective is functioning as a substantive, i.e., “dear one” or “dear friend.”
Philemon 1:2 sn Apphia is thought to be the wife of Philemon.
Philemon 1:2 tc Most witnesses (D² Ψ 1241 1505 M) here read τῇ ἀγαπητῇ (tē agapētē, “beloved, dear”), a reading that appears to have been motivated by the masculine form of the same adjective in v. 1. Further, the earliest and best witnesses, along with a few others (א A D* F G I P 048 0278 33 81 104 1739 1881), have ἀδελφῇ (adelphē, “sister”). Thus on internal and external grounds, ἀδελφῇ is the strongly preferred reading.
Philemon 1:2 tn Though the word “our” does not appear in the Greek text it is inserted to bring out the sense of the passage.
Philemon 1:3 tn Grk “Grace to you and peace.”
Philemon 1:4 sn I always thank my God. An offer of thanksgiving (εὐχαριστῶ, eucharistō) to God is a customary formula for Paul in many of his epistles (cf. Rom 1:8, 1 Cor 1:4, Eph 1:16, Col 1:3, 1 Thess 1:2, 2 Thess 1:3). The content of the thanksgiving typically points to the work of God in the salvation of the believers to whom he [Paul] writes.
Philemon 1:4 tn Grk “making remembrance (or “mention”) of you in my prayers.”
Philemon 1:5 tn The Greek present participle ἀκούων (akouōn, “hearing”) is an adverbial participle of cause relating to εὐχαριστῶ (eucharistō, “I give thanks”).
Philemon 1:5 sn Your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. In accord with Paul, John also advocates this combination of “faith in Christ and love for the saints.” The believers’ invisible faith becomes visible in the demonstration of love for others. This, of course, is not only desired, but commanded (1 John 3:23). Although Paul’s comment here may appear as a stock expression to the casual reader, praising Philemon for his track record of faithfulness to Christ demonstrated in love for the saints is actually integral to the author’s argument in this short but pithy letter. Paul will soon ask Philemon to demonstrate this love toward Onesimus, his runaway slave.
Philemon 1:5 tn The Greek is somewhat awkward here. It appears as though the text reads “…the love and faith which you have for the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.” In other Pauline letters the emphasis seems to be “faith in Christ Jesus and love for all of the saints.” Some ancient mss have altered the wording to produce a smoother reading; scribes changed the wording to resemble the more readable versions in Eph 1:15 and Col 1:4, “your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the saints.”
Philemon 1:6 tn The term ὅπως (hopōs) refers back to the idea of prayer (μνείαν σου ποιούμενος ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου, mneian sou poioumenos epi tōn proseuchōn mou) in 1:4. See BDAG 718 s.v. 2.b; P. T. O’Brien, Colossians, Philemon (WBC), 279. The indicative “I pray that” was supplied in the English in order to make this connection clear.
Philemon 1:6 tn Grk “everything good.”
Philemon 1:6 tc ‡ ὑμῖν (humin, “you”) is found in many valuable witnesses (P⁶¹ א F G P 0278 33 1505 1739 1881 al sy co). The witnesses for ἡμῖν (hēmin, “us”) are not as strong (A C D K L P Ψ 048^vid 1241 M), but nevertheless represent a broad base. Internally, ἡμῖν could be favored because of second person pronouns surrounding it, making it the harder reading. On the other hand, the last second person plural pronoun was in v. 3, and the next one will not show up until v. 22, a fact which tends to counter the internal argument on behalf of ἡμῖν. Although a decision is difficult, with the internal evidence being capable of favoring either reading, our preference is based on the external evidence; ὑμῖν is thus slightly preferred.
Philemon 1:6 tn Grk “that the fellowship of your faith might become effective in the knowledge of everything good that is in us in Christ.” There are numerous difficulties with the translation and interpretation of this verse: (1) What is the meaning of ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεως σου (hē koinōnia tēs pisteōs sou, “the fellowship of your faith”)? Several suggestions are noted: (a) taking κοινωνία as a reference to “monetary support” and τῆς πίστεως as a genitive of source, the phrase could refer to Philemon’s financial giving which he has done according to his faith; (b) taking κοινωνία as a reference to “sharing” or “communicating” and the genitive τῆς πίστεως as an objective genitive, then the meaning would be “sharing the faith” as a reference to evangelistic activity; (c) taking κοινωνία in a distributive sense referring to fellowship with other believers, and τῆς πίστεως as a reference to the common trust all Christians have in Jesus, then the meaning is Christian fellowship centered on faith in Jesus; (d) taking κοινωνία as a reference to “participation” and the genitive τῆς πίστεως as a reference to the thing participated in, the meaning would then be Philemon’s “participation in the faith”; (2) what is the meaning of ἐνεργής (energēs; Does it mean “active” or “effective”?) and ἐπιγνώσει (epignōsei; Does it refer to simply understanding? Or “experiencing” as well?); (3) what is the meaning of the phrase παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ (pantos agathou)? and (4) what is the force of εἰς Χριστόν (eis Christon)? It is difficult to arrive at an interpretation that deals adequately with all these questions, but given the fact that Paul stresses what Philemon has done for the brothers (cf. the γάρ [gar] in v. 7), it seems that his concern in v. 6 is with Philemon’s fellowship with other believers and how he has worked hard to refresh them. In this interpretation: (1) the phrase ἡ κοινωνία τῆς πίστεως σου is taken to refer to fellowship with other believers; (2) ἐνεργής is taken to mean “effective” (i.e., more effective) and ἐπιγνώσει involves both understanding and experience; (3) the phrase παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ refers to every spiritual blessing and (4) εἰς Χριστόν carries a locative idea meaning “in Christ.” The result is that Paul prays for Philemon that he will be equipped to encourage and love the saints more as he himself is brought to a place of deeper understanding of every spiritual blessing he has in Christ; out of the overflow of his own life, he will minister to others.
Philemon 1:7 tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and contemporary English style.
Philemon 1:7 tn The Greek preposition ἐπί (epi) is understood here in a causal sense, i.e., “because.”
Philemon 1:7 tn The word translated “hearts” here is σπλάγχνα (splanchna). Literally the term refers to one’s “inward parts,” but it is commonly used figuratively for “heart” as the seat of the emotions. See BDAG 938 s.v. σπλάγχνον 2 (cf. Col 3:12, Phil 2:1).
Philemon 1:9 tn Or “encourage.”
Philemon 1:9 tn Or perhaps “an ambassador” (so RSV, TEV), reading πρεσβευτής for πρεσβύτης (a conjecture proposed by Bentley, cf. BDAG 863 s.v. πρεσβύτης). NRSV reads “old man” and places “ambassador” in a note.
Philemon 1:9 tn Grk “a prisoner of Christ Jesus.”
Philemon 1:10 tn Or “I am encouraging…”
Philemon 1:10 tn Grk “my child whom I have begotten.” The adjective “spiritual” has been supplied before “father” in the translation to clarify for the modern reader that Paul did not literally father a child during his imprisonment. Paul’s point is that he was instrumental in Onesimus’ conversion while in prison.
Philemon 1:10 sn During my imprisonment. Apparently Onesimus became a believer under Paul’s shepherding while he [Paul] was a prisoner in Rome.
Philemon 1:11 tc ‡ A correlative καί (kai, “both you”) is found in a few witnesses (א*^,2 F G 33 104), perhaps either to underscore the value of Onesimus or in imitation of the νυνὶ δὲ καί (nuni de kai) in v. 9. The lack of καί is read by most witnesses, including א^c A C D 0278 1241 1505 1739 1881 M it. Although a decision is difficult, the shorter reading has a slight edge in both internal and external evidence. NA²⁸ places the καί in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.
Philemon 1:12 tc There are several variants at this point in the text, most of them involving the addition of προσλαβοῦ (proslabou, “receive, accept”) at various locations in the verse. But all such variants seem to be motivated by the harsh syntax of the verse without this verb. Without the verb, the meaning is that Onesimus is Paul’s “very heart,” though this is an awkward expression especially because of τουτ᾿ ἔστιν (tout’ estin, “this is, who is”) in the middle cluttering the construction. Nowhere else in the NT is σπλάγχνα (splanchna, here translated “heart”) used in apposition to people. It is thus natural that scribes would want to fill out the text, and they did so apparently with a verb that was ready at hand (borrowed from v. 17). With the verb the sentence is converted into an object-complement construction: “I have sent him back to you; accept him, that is, as my very heart.” But both the fact that some significant witnesses (א* A F G 33 [69 2400 SBL]) lack the verb, and that its location floats in the various constructions that have it, suggest that the initial text did not have προσλαβοῦ.tn Grk “whom I have sent.” The Greek sentence was broken up in the English translation for the sake of clarity. Although the tense of the Greek verb here is past (an aorist tense) the reader should understand that Onesimus may well have been standing in the very presence of Paul as he wrote this letter.
Philemon 1:12 tn That is, “who means a great deal to me”; Grk “whom I have sent to you, him, this one is my heart.”
Philemon 1:13 tn This is one of the clearest texts in the NT in which ὑπέρ is used for substitution. Cf. ExSyn 387.
Philemon 1:13 tn Grk “in my imprisonment.” Paul seems to expect release from his imprisonment after some time (cf. v. 22), but in the meantime the assistance that Onesimus could provide would be valuable to the apostle.
Philemon 1:13 tn Grk “in the chains of the gospel.” On the translation “imprisonment for the sake of the gospel,” cf. BDAG 219 s.v. δεσμός 1.a where it says: “Oft. simply in ref. to the locale where bonds or fetters are worn imprisonment, prison (Diod. S. 14, 103, 3; Lucian, Tox. 29; Jos., Ant. 13, 294; 302, Vi. 241; Just., A I, 67, 6 al.) Phil 1:7, 13f, 17; Col 4:18; Phlm 10. μέχρι δεσμῶν 2 Ti 2:9. ἐν τοῖς δ. τοῦ εὐαγγελίου in imprisonment for the gospel Phlm 13; cf. ISm 11:1; Pol 1:1.”
Philemon 1:14 tn Though the Greek text does not read the term “however,” it is clearly implied and thus supplied in the English translation to accent the contrastive nature of Paul’s statement.
Philemon 1:15 sn So that you would have him back eternally. The notion here is not that Onesimus was to be the slave of Philemon eternally, but that their new relationship as brothers in Christ would transcend the societal structures of this age. The occasion of Onesimus’ flight to Rome would ultimately be a catalyst in the formation of a new and stronger bond between these two men.
Philemon 1:16 tn Although the Greek word δοῦλος (doulos) is sometimes translated “servant” here (so KJV), the word “slave” is a much more candid and realistic picture of the relationship between Philemon and Onesimus. In the Greco-Roman world of the 1st century the slave was considered a “living tool” of the master. The slave was “property” in every sense of the word. This understanding heightens the tense scenario that is in view here. It is likely that Onesimus may have even feared for his life upon returning to Colossae. Undoubtedly Paul has asked this runaway slave to return to what could amount to a potentially severe and life-endangering situation.
Philemon 1:16 tn Grk “in the flesh.”
Philemon 1:18 tn Grk “charge it to me.”
Philemon 1:19 tn Grk “I wrote” Here ἔγραψα (egrapsa) is functioning as an epistolary aorist. Paul puts it in the past tense because from Philemon’s perspective when he reads the letter it will, of course, already have been written.
Philemon 1:19 tn The phrase “this letter” does not appear in the Greek text, but is supplied in the English translation to clarify the meaning.
Philemon 1:19 sn With my own hand. Paul may have considered this letter so delicate that he wrote the letter himself as opposed to using an amanuensis or secretary.
Philemon 1:19 sn The statement you owe me your very self means that Paul was responsible for some sort of blessing in the life of Philemon; though a monetary idea may be in mind, it is perhaps better to understand Paul as referring to the spiritual truth (i.e., the gospel) he had taught Philemon.
Philemon 1:20 sn Refresh my heart in Christ. Paul desired that Philemon refresh his heart in the same way that he [Philemon] had refreshed the hearts of other believers (cf. Phlm 7), that is, by forgiving and accepting Onesimus. In this way the presence and character of Jesus Christ would be vividly seen in Philemon’s attitude toward his runaway slave.
Philemon 1:21 tn Grk “that you would even go beyond.”

Luke 14:25-33

Counting the Cost

²⁵Now large crowds^[a] were accompanying Jesus,^[b] and turning to them he said, ²⁶“If anyone comes to me and does not hate^[c] his own father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, and even his own life,^[d] he cannot be my disciple. ²⁷Whoever does not carry his own cross^[e] and follow^[f] me cannot be my disciple. ²⁸For which of you, wanting to build a tower, doesn’t sit down^[g] first and compute the cost^[h] to see if he has enough money to complete it? ²⁹Otherwise,^[i] when he has laid^[j] a foundation and is not able to finish the tower,^[k] all who see it^[l] will begin to make fun of^[m] him. ³⁰They will say,^[n] ‘This man^[o] began to build and was not able to finish!’^[p] ³¹Or what king, going out to confront another king in battle, will not sit down^[q] first and determine whether he is able with 10,000 to oppose^[r] the one coming against him with 20,000? ³²If he cannot succeed,^[s] he will send a representative^[t] while the other is still a long way off and ask for terms of peace.^[u] ³³In the same way therefore not one of you can be my disciple if he does not renounce all his own possessions.^[v]

Footnotes

Luke 14:25 sn It is important to note that the following remarks are not just to disciples, but to the large crowds who were following Jesus.
Luke 14:25 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
Luke 14:26 tn This figurative use operates on a relative scale. God is to be loved more than family or self.
Luke 14:26 tn Grk “his own soul,” but ψυχή (psuchē) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.
Luke 14:27 sn It was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion for the prisoner to be made to carry his own cross. Jesus is speaking figuratively here in the context of rejection. If the priority is not one’s allegiance to Jesus, then one will not follow him in the face of possible rejection; see Luke 9:23.
Luke 14:27 tn Grk “and come after.” In combination with the verb ἔρχομαι (erchomai) the improper preposition ὀπίσω (opisō) means “follow.”
Luke 14:28 tn The participle καθίσας (kathisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Luke 14:28 tn The first illustration involves checking to see if enough funds exist to build a watchtower. Both ψηφίζω (psēphizō, “compute”) and δαπάνη (dapanē, “cost”) are economic terms.
Luke 14:29 tn Grk “to complete it, lest.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation and ἵνα μήποτε (hina mēpote, “lest”) has been translated as “Otherwise.”
Luke 14:29 tn The participle θέντος (thentos) has been taken temporally.
Luke 14:29 tn The words “the tower” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
Luke 14:29 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.
Luke 14:29 tn Or “mock,” “ridicule.” The person who did not plan ahead becomes an object of joking and ridicule.
Luke 14:30 tn Grk “make fun of him, saying.”
Luke 14:30 sn The phrase this man is often used in Luke in a derogatory sense; see “this one” and expressions like it in Luke 5:21; 7:39; 13:32; 23:4, 14, 22, 35.
Luke 14:30 sn The failure to finish the building project leads to embarrassment (in a culture where avoiding public shame was extremely important). The half completed tower testified to poor preparation and planning.
Luke 14:31 tn The participle καθίσας (kathisas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
Luke 14:31 tn On the meaning of this verb see also L&N 55.3, “to meet in battle, to face in battle.”
Luke 14:32 tn Grk “And if not.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated; “succeed” is implied and has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
Luke 14:32 tn Grk “a messenger.”
Luke 14:32 sn This image is slightly different from the former one about the tower (vv. 28-30). The first part of the illustration (sit down first and determine) deals with preparation. The second part of the illustration (ask for terms of peace) has to do with recognizing who is stronger. This could well suggest thinking about what refusing the “stronger one” (God) might mean, and thus constitutes a warning. Achieving peace with God, the more powerful king, is the point of the illustration.
Luke 14:33 tn Grk “Likewise therefore every one of you who does not renounce all his own possessions cannot be my disciple.” The complex double negation is potentially confusing to the modern reader and has been simplified in the translation. See L&N 57.70.sn The application of the saying is this: Discipleship requires that God be in first place. The reference to renunciation of all his own possessions refers to all earthly attachments that have first place.

New English Translation (NET)

Prev Day

Top

Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

Log in to read this devotional and:

Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

Footnotes

Book 1 (Psalms 1-41)

Psalm 1[a]

Footnotes

Salutation

Thanks for Philemon’s Love and Faith

Paul’s Request for Onesimus

Footnotes

Counting the Cost

Footnotes

Psalm 1^[a]