◀ All Reading Plans / Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous) / Psalm 31:1-5 15-16 (I commend my spirit); Jeremiah 26:20-24 (A prophet of the Lord persecuted); John 8:48-59 (Jesus the greater prophet) (New English Translation)

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May 6, 2023

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Daily Bible readings that follow the church liturgical year, with sequential stories told across multiple weeks.

Duration: 1245 days

Psalm 31:1-5

Psalm 31^[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

31 In you, O Lord, I have taken shelter.
Never let me be humiliated.
Vindicate me by rescuing me.^[b]
²Listen to me.^[c]
Quickly deliver me.
Be my protector and refuge,^[d]
a stronghold where I can be safe.^[e]
³For you are my high ridge^[f] and my stronghold;
for the sake of your own reputation^[g] you lead me and guide me.^[h]
⁴You will free me^[i] from the net they hid for me,
for you are my place of refuge.
⁵Into your hand I entrust my life;^[j]
you will rescue^[k] me, O Lord, the faithful God.

Footnotes

Psalm 31:1 sn Psalm 31. The psalmist confidently asks the Lord to protect him. Enemies threaten him and even his friends have abandoned him, but he looks to the Lord for vindication. In vv. 19-24, which were apparently written after the Lord answered the prayer of vv. 1-18, the psalmist thanks the Lord for delivering him.
Psalm 31:1 tn Heb “in your vindication rescue me.”
Psalm 31:2 tn Heb “turn toward me your ear.”
Psalm 31:2 tn Heb “become for me a rocky summit of refuge.”
Psalm 31:2 tn Heb “a house of strongholds to deliver me.”
Psalm 31:3 sn The metaphor of the high ridge pictures God as a rocky, relatively inaccessible summit, where one would be able to find protection from enemies. See 1 Sam 23:25, 28.
Psalm 31:3 tn Heb “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 31:3 tn The present translation assumes that the imperfect verbal forms are generalizing, “you lead me and guide me.” Other options are to take them as an expression of confidence about the future, “you will lead me and guide me” (cf. NASB), or as expressing a prayer, “lead me and guide me” (cf. NEB, NIV, NRSV).
Psalm 31:4 tn Heb “bring me out.” The translation assumes that the imperfect verbal form expresses the psalmist’s confidence about the future. Another option is to take the form as expressing a prayer, “free me.”
Psalm 31:5 tn Heb “my spirit.” The noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) here refers to the animating spirit that gives the psalmist life.
Psalm 31:5 tn Or “redeem.” The perfect verbal form is understood here as anticipatory, indicating rhetorically the psalmist’s certitude and confidence that God will intervene. The psalmist is so confident of God’s positive response to his prayer that he can describe his deliverance as if it had already happened. Another option is to take the perfect as precative, expressing a wish or request (“rescue me”; cf. NIV). See IBHS 494-95 §30.5.4c, d. However, not all grammarians are convinced that the perfect is used as a precative in biblical Hebrew.

Psalm 31:15-16

¹⁵You determine my destiny.^[a]
Rescue me from the power of my enemies and those who chase me.
¹⁶Smile^[b] on your servant.
Deliver me because of your faithfulness.

Jeremiah 26:20-24

²⁰Now there was another man^[a] who prophesied as the Lord’s representative^[b] against this city and this land just as Jeremiah did. His name was Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim.^[c] ²¹When King Jehoiakim and all his bodyguards^[d] and officials heard what he was prophesying,^[e] the king sought to have him executed. But Uriah found out about it and fled to Egypt out of fear.^[f] ²²However, King Jehoiakim sent some men to Egypt, including Elnathan son of Achbor,^[g] ²³and they brought Uriah back from there.^[h] They took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him executed and had his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.^[i]

²⁴However, Ahikam son of Shaphan^[j] used his influence to keep Jeremiah from being handed over and executed by the people.^[k]

Footnotes

Jeremiah 26:20 sn This is a brief, parenthetical narrative about an otherwise unknown prophet who was executed for saying the same things Jeremiah did. Since it is disjunctive or parenthetical, it is unclear whether this incident happened before or after that being reported in the main narrative. It is put here to show the real danger that Jeremiah faced for saying what he did. There is nothing in the narrative about Jeremiah to show any involvement by Jehoiakim. This was a “lynch mob,” instigated by the priests and false prophets, that was stymied by the royal officials, supported by some of the elders of Judah.
Jeremiah 26:20 tn Heb “in the name of the Lord,” i.e., as his representative and claiming his authority. See the study note on v. 16.
Jeremiah 26:20 tn Heb “Now also a man was prophesying in the name of the Lord, Uriah son of…, and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.” The long Hebrew sentence has been broken up in conformity with contemporary English style. The major emphasis is brought out by putting his prophesying first, then identifying him.
Jeremiah 26:21 tn Heb “all his mighty men/soldiers.” It is unlikely that this included all the army. It more likely was the palace guards or royal bodyguards (see 2 Sam 23, where the same word is used of David’s elite corps).
Jeremiah 26:21 tn Heb “his words.”
Jeremiah 26:21 tn Heb “But Uriah heard and feared and fled and entered Egypt.”
Jeremiah 26:22 sn Elnathan son of Achbor was one of the officials who urged Jeremiah and Baruch to hide after they heard Jeremiah’s prophecies read before them (Jer 36:11-19). He was also one of the officials who urged Jehoiakim not to burn the scroll containing Jeremiah’s prophecies (Jer 36:25). He may have been Jehoiakim’s father-in-law (2 Kgs 24:6, 8).
Jeremiah 26:23 tn Heb “from Egypt.”sn A standard part of international treaties at this time was a stipulation of mutual extradition of political prisoners. Jehoiakim was a vassal of Pharaoh Necho (see 2 Kgs 23:34-35) and undoubtedly had such a treaty with him.
Jeremiah 26:23 sn The burial place of the common people was the public burial grounds, distinct from the family tombs, where poor people without any distinction were buried. It was in the Kidron Valley east of Jerusalem (2 Kgs 23:6). The intent of reporting this is to show the ruthlessness of Jehoiakim.
Jeremiah 26:24 sn Ahikam son of Shaphan was an official during the reign of Jehoiakim’s father, Josiah (2 Kgs 22:12, 14). He was also the father of Gedaliah, who became governor of Judah after the fall of Jerusalem (Jer 40:5). The particle at the beginning of the verse is meant to contrast the actions of this man with the actions of Jehoiakim. The impression created by this verse is that it took more than just the royal officials’ opinion and the elders’ warnings to keep the priests and prophets from swaying popular opinion to put Jeremiah to death.
Jeremiah 26:24 tn Heb “Nevertheless, the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he would not be given [even more literally, “so as not to give him”] into the hand of the people to kill him.” “Hand” is often used for “aid,” “support,” “influence,” “power,” or “control.”

John 8:48-59

⁴⁸The Judeans^[a] replied,^[b] “Aren’t we correct in saying^[c] that you are a Samaritan and are possessed by a demon?”^[d] ⁴⁹Jesus answered, “I am not possessed by a demon,^[e] but I honor my Father—and yet^[f] you dishonor me. ⁵⁰I am not trying to get^[g] praise for myself.^[h] There is one who demands^[i] it, and he also judges.^[j] ⁵¹I tell you the solemn truth,^[k] if anyone obeys^[l] my teaching,^[m] he will never see death.”^[n]

⁵²Then^[o] the Judeans^[p] responded,^[q] “Now we know you’re possessed by a demon!^[r] Both Abraham and the prophets died, and yet^[s] you say, ‘If anyone obeys^[t] my teaching,^[u] he will never experience^[v] death.’^[w] ⁵³You aren’t greater than our father Abraham who died, are you?^[x] And the prophets died too! Who do you claim to be?” ⁵⁴Jesus replied,^[y] “If I glorify myself, my glory is worthless.^[z] The one who glorifies me is my Father, about whom you people^[aa] say, ‘He is our God.’ ⁵⁵Yet^[ab] you do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him,^[ac] I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I obey^[ad] his teaching.^[ae] ⁵⁶Your father Abraham was overjoyed^[af] to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”^[ag]

⁵⁷Then the Judeans^[ah] replied,^[ai] “You are not yet fifty years old!^[aj] Have^[ak] you seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸Jesus said to them, “I tell you the solemn truth,^[al] before Abraham came into existence,^[am] I am!”^[an] ⁵⁹Then they picked up^[ao] stones to throw at him,^[ap] but Jesus was hidden from them^[aq] and went out from the temple area.^[ar]

Footnotes

John 8:48 tn Grk “the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31). They had become increasingly hostile as Jesus continued to teach. Now they were ready to say that Jesus was demon-possessed.
John 8:48 tn Grk “answered and said to him.”
John 8:48 tn Grk “Do we not say rightly.”
John 8:48 tn Grk “and have a demon.” It is not clear what is meant by the charge Σαμαρίτης εἶ σὺ καὶ δαιμόνιον ἔχεις (Samaritēs ei su kai daimonion echeis). The meaning could be “you are a heretic and are possessed by a demon.” Note that the dual charge gets one reply (John 8:49). Perhaps the phrases were interchangeable: Simon Magus (Acts 8:14-24) and in later traditions Dositheus, the two Samaritans who claimed to be sons of God, were regarded as mad, that is, possessed by demons.
John 8:49 tn Grk “I do not have a demon.”
John 8:49 tn “Yet” is supplied to show the contrastive element present in the context.
John 8:50 tn Grk “I am not seeking.”
John 8:50 tn Grk “my glory.”
John 8:50 tn Grk “who seeks.”
John 8:50 tn Or “will be the judge.”
John 8:51 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
John 8:51 tn Grk “If anyone keeps.”
John 8:51 tn Grk “my word.”
John 8:51 tn Grk “he will never see death forever.” The Greek negative here is emphatic.sn Those who keep Jesus’ words will not see death because they have already passed from death to life (cf. 5:24). In Johannine theology eternal life begins in the present rather than in the world to come.
John 8:52 tc ‡ Significant and early witnesses (P⁶⁶ א B C W Θ 579 it) lack the conjunction here, while other witnesses read οὖν (oun, “therefore”; P⁷⁵ D L Ψ 070 ƒ^1,13 33 M lat). This conjunction occurs in John some 200 times, far more than in any other NT book. Even though the most important Johannine papyrus (P⁷⁵) has the conjunction, the combination of P⁶⁶ א B for the omission is even stronger. Further, the reading seems to be a predictable scribal emendation. In particular, οὖν is frequently used with the plural of εἶπον (eipon, “they said”) in John (in this chapter alone, note vv. 13, 39, 48, 57, and possibly 41). On balance, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic, even though “Then” is virtually required in translation for English stylistic reasons. NA²⁸ has the conjunction in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.
John 8:52 tn Grk “the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here, as in vv. 31 and 48, the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31).
John 8:52 tn Grk “said to him.”
John 8:52 tn Grk “you have a demon.”
John 8:52 tn “Yet” has been supplied to show the contrastive element present in the context.
John 8:52 tn Grk “If anyone keeps.”
John 8:52 tn Grk “my word.”
John 8:52 tn Grk “will never taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).
John 8:52 tn Grk “he will never taste of death forever.” The Greek negative here is emphatic.
John 8:53 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mē) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are you?”).
John 8:54 tn Grk “Jesus answered.”
John 8:54 tn Grk “is nothing.”
John 8:54 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied in English to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.
John 8:55 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Yet” to indicate the contrast present in the context.
John 8:55 tn Grk “If I say, ‘I do not know him.’”
John 8:55 tn Grk “I keep.”
John 8:55 tn Grk “his word.”
John 8:56 tn Or “rejoiced greatly.”
John 8:56 tn What is the meaning of Jesus’ statement that the patriarch Abraham “saw” his day and rejoiced? The use of past tenses would seem to refer to something that occurred during the patriarch’s lifetime. Genesis Rabbah 44:25ff, (cf. 59:6) states that Rabbi Akiba, in a debate with Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai, held that Abraham had been shown not this world only but the world to come (this would include the days of the Messiah). More realistically, it is likely that Gen 22:13-15 lies behind Jesus’ words. This passage, known to rabbis as the Akedah (“Binding”), tells of Abraham finding the ram which will replace his son Isaac on the altar of sacrifice—an occasion of certain rejoicing.
John 8:57 tn Grk “Then the Jews.” See the note on this term in v. 31. Here, as in vv. 31, 48, and 52, the phrase refers to the Jewish people in Jerusalem (“Judeans”; cf. BDAG 479 s.v. ᾿Ιουδαῖος 2.e) who had been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the temple courts (8:20) and had initially believed his claim to be the Messiah (cf. 8:31). They have now become completely hostile, as John 8:59 clearly shows.
John 8:57 tn Grk “said to him.”
John 8:57 tn Grk ‘You do not yet have fifty years” (an idiom).
John 8:57 tn Grk “And have.”
John 8:58 tn Grk “Truly, truly, I say to you.”
John 8:58 tn Grk “before Abraham was.”
John 8:58 sn I am! is an explicit claim to deity. Although each occurrence of the phrase “I am” in the Fourth Gospel needs to be examined individually in context to see if an association with Exod 3:14 is present, it seems clear that this is the case here (as the response of the Jewish authorities in the following verse shows).
John 8:59 tn Grk “they took up.”
John 8:59 sn Jesus’ Jewish listeners understood his claim to deity, rejected it, and picked up stones to throw at him for what they considered blasphemy.
John 8:59 tn The prepositional phrase “from them” has been supplied to clarify that the passive verb “was hidden” does not mean that Jesus turned invisible, but rather that his opponents were not able to find him at that moment.
John 8:59 tc Most later witnesses (A Θ^c ƒ^1,13 M) have at the end of the verse “passing through their midst, he went away in this manner” (διελθὼν διὰ μέσου καὶ παρῆγεν οὕτως, dielthōn dia mesou kai parēgen houtōs), while many others have similar permutations (so א^1,2 C L N Ψ 070 33 579 892 1241 al). The wording is similar to two other texts: Luke 4:30 (διελθὼν διὰ μέσου; in several mss αὐτῶν ἐπορεύετο καί [autōn eporeueto kai] is found between this phrase and παρῆγεν, strengthening the parallel with Luke 4:30) and John 9:1 (παρῆγεν; cf. παράγων [paragōn] there). The effect is to signal Jesus’ departure as a miraculous cloaking. As such, the additional statement has all the earmarks of scribal amplification. Further, the best and earliest witnesses (P^66,75 א* B D W Θ* lat sa) lack these words, rendering the shorter text virtually certain.tn Grk “from the temple.”

New English Translation (NET)

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Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

Psalm 31[a]

For the music director, a psalm of David.

Footnotes

Footnotes

Footnotes

Footnotes

Psalm 31^[a]