1 Petrus 1:13

1:13 Therefore, get your minds ready for action ¹  by being fully sober, and set your hope ²  completely on the grace that will be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed. ³ 

1 Petrus 4:7

Service, Suffering, and Judgment

4:7 For the culmination of all things is near. So be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of prayer. ⁴ 

Matius 24:48-50

24:48 But if ⁵  that evil slave should say to himself, ⁶  ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 24:49 and he begins to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with drunkards, 24:50 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee,

Lukas 12:45-46

12:45 But if ⁷  that ⁸  slave should say to himself, ⁹  ‘My master is delayed ¹⁰  in returning,’ and he begins to beat ¹¹  the other ¹²  slaves, both men and women, ¹³  and to eat, drink, and get drunk, 12:46 then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two, ¹⁴  and assign him a place with the unfaithful. ¹⁵ 

Lukas 21:34

Be Ready!

21:34 “But be on your guard ¹⁶  so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap. ¹⁷ 

Lukas 21:36

21:36 But stay alert at all times, ¹⁸  praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must ¹⁹  happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Roma 13:11-13

Motivation to Godly Conduct

13:11 And do this ²⁰  because we know ²¹  the time, that it is already the hour for us to awake from sleep, for our salvation is now nearer than when we became believers. 13:12 The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light. 13:13 Let us live decently as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in discord and jealousy.

Roma 13:1

Submission to Civil Government

13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, ²²  and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God.

Roma 5:6-8

5:6 For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 5:7 (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.) ²³  5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Roma 5:1

The Expectation of Justification

5:1 ²⁴ Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have ²⁵  peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Titus 2:9

2:9 Slaves ²⁶  are to be subject to their own masters in everything, ²⁷  to do what is wanted and not talk back,

Titus 2:15

2:15 So communicate these things with the sort of exhortation or rebuke ²⁸  that carries full authority. ²⁹  Don’t let anyone look down ³⁰  on you.

Titus 3:2

3:2 They must not slander ³¹  anyone, but be peaceable, gentle, showing complete courtesy to all people.

Titus 3:11

3:11 You know ³²  that such a person is twisted by sin ³³  and is conscious of it himself. ³⁴ 

Titus 1:8

1:8 Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled.

Titus 2:2

2:2 Older men are to be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, ³⁵  sound in faith, in love, and in endurance. ³⁶ 

Titus 2:4

2:4 In this way ³⁷  they will train ³⁸  the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children,

Titus 2:6

2:6 Encourage younger men likewise to be self-controlled, ³⁹ 

Titus 2:12

2:12 It trains us ⁴⁰  to reject godless ways ⁴¹  and worldly desires and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,

[1:13]  ¹ tn Grk “binding up the loins of your mind,” a figure of speech drawn from the Middle Eastern practice of gathering up long robes around the waist to prepare for work or action.

[1:13]  ² tn Grk “having bound up…, being sober, set your hope…”

[1:13]  ³ tn Grk “at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (cf. v. 7).

[4:7]  ⁴ tn Grk “for prayers.”

[24:48]  ⁵ tn In the Greek text this is a third class condition that for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition (note the translation of the following verb “should say”).

[24:48]  ⁶ tn Grk “should say in his heart.”

[12:45]  ⁷ tn In the Greek text this is a third class condition that for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition (note the translation of the following verb “should say”).

[12:45]  ⁸ tn The term “that” (ἐκεῖνος, ekeino") is used as a catchword to list out, in the form of a number of hypothetical circumstances, what the possible responses of “that” servant could be. He could be faithful (vv. 43-44) or totally unfaithful (vv. 45-46). He does not complete his master’s will with knowledge (v. 47) or from ignorance (v 48). These differences are indicated by the different levels of punishment in vv. 46-48.

[12:45]  ⁹ tn Grk “should say in his heart.”

[12:45]  ¹⁰ tn Or “is taking a long time.”

[12:45]  ¹¹ sn The slave’s action in beginning to beat the other slaves was not only a failure to carry out what was commanded but involved doing the exact reverse.

[12:45]  ¹² tn The word “other” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[12:45]  ¹³ tn Grk “the menservants and the maidservants.” The term here, used in both masculine and feminine grammatical forms, is παῖς (pais), which can refer to a slave, but also to a slave who is a personal servant, and thus regarded kindly (L&N 87.77).

[12:46]  ¹⁴ tn The verb διχοτομέω (dicotomew) means to cut an object into two parts (L&N 19.19). This is an extremely severe punishment compared to the other two later punishments. To translate it simply as “punish” is too mild. If taken literally this servant is dismembered, although it is possible to view the stated punishment as hyperbole (L&N 38.12).

[12:46]  ¹⁵ tn Or “unbelieving.” Here the translation employs the slightly more ambiguous “unfaithful,” which creates a link with the point of the parable – faithfulness versus unfaithfulness in servants. The example of this verse must be taken together with the examples of vv. 47-48 as part of a scale of reactions with the most disobedient response coming here. The fact that this servant is placed in a distinct group, unlike the one in vv. 47-48, also suggests ultimate exclusion. This is the hypocrite of Matt 24:51.

[21:34]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “watch out for yourselves.”

[21:34]  sn Disciples are to watch out. If they are too absorbed into everyday life, they will stop watching and living faithfully.

[21:34]  ¹⁷ sn Or like a thief, see Luke 12:39-40. The metaphor of a trap is a vivid one. Most modern English translations traditionally place the words “like a trap” at the end of v. 34, completing the metaphor. In the Greek text (and in the NRSV and REB) the words “like a trap” are placed at the beginning of v. 35. This does not affect the meaning.

[21:36]  ¹⁸ sn The call to be alert at all times is a call to remain faithful in looking for the Lord’s return.

[21:36]  ¹⁹ tn For the translation of μέλλω (mellw) as “must,” see L&N 71.36.

[13:11]  ²⁰ tn Grk “and this,” probably referring to the command to love (13:8-10); hence, “do” is implied from the previous verses.

[13:11]  ²¹ tn The participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.

[13:1]  ²² tn Grk “by God.”

[5:7]  ²³ sn Verse 7 forms something of a parenthetical comment in Paul’s argument.

[5:1]  ²⁴ sn Many interpreters see Rom 5:1 as beginning the second major division of the letter.

[5:1]  ²⁵ tc A number of important witnesses have the subjunctive ἔχωμεν (ecwmen, “let us have”) instead of ἔχομεν (ecomen, “we have”) in v. 1. Included in the subjunctive’s support are א* A B* C D K L 33 81 630 1175 1739* pm lat bo. But the indicative is not without its supporters: א¹ B² F G P Ψ 0220^vid 104 365 1241 1505 1506 1739^c 1881 2464 pm. If the problem were to be solved on an external basis only, the subjunctive would be preferred. Because of this, the “A” rating on behalf of the indicative in the UBS⁴ appears overly confident. Nevertheless, the indicative is probably correct. First, the earliest witness to Rom 5:1 has the indicative (0220^vid, third century). Second, the first set of correctors is sometimes, if not often, of equal importance with the original hand. Hence, א¹ might be given equal value with א*. Third, there is a good cross-section of witnesses for the indicative: Alexandrian (in 0220^vid, probably א¹ 1241 1506 1881 al), Western (in F G), and Byzantine (noted in NA²⁷ as pm). Thus, although the external evidence is strongly in favor of the subjunctive, the indicative is represented well enough that its ancestry could easily go back to the original. Turning to the internal evidence, the indicative gains much ground. (1) The variant may have been produced via an error of hearing (since omicron and omega were pronounced alike in ancient Greek). This, of course, does not indicate which reading was original – just that an error of hearing may have produced one of them. In light of the indecisiveness of the transcriptional evidence, intrinsic evidence could play a much larger role. This is indeed the case here. (2) The indicative fits well with the overall argument of the book to this point. Up until now, Paul has been establishing the “indicatives of the faith.” There is only one imperative (used rhetorically) and only one hortatory subjunctive (and this in a quotation within a diatribe) up till this point, while from ch. 6 on there are sixty-one imperatives and seven hortatory subjunctives. Clearly, an exhortation would be out of place in ch. 5. (3) Paul presupposes that the audience has peace with God (via reconciliation) in 5:10. This seems to assume the indicative in v. 1. (4) As C. E. B. Cranfield notes, “it would surely be strange for Paul, in such a carefully argued writing as this, to exhort his readers to enjoy or to guard a peace which he has not yet explicitly shown to be possessed by them” (Romans [ICC], 1:257). (5) The notion that εἰρήνην ἔχωμεν (eirhnhn ecwmen) can even naturally mean “enjoy peace” is problematic (ExSyn 464), yet those who embrace the subjunctive have to give the verb some such force. Thus, although the external evidence is stronger in support of the subjunctive, the internal evidence points to the indicative. Although a decision is difficult, ἔχομεν appears to be the authentic reading.

[2:9]  ²⁶ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 1:1.

[2:9]  ²⁷ tn Or “to be subject to their own masters, to do what is wanted in everything.”

[2:15]  ²⁸ tn Or “reproof,” “censure.” The Greek word ἐλέγχω (elencw) implies exposing someone’s sin in order to bring correction.

[2:15]  ²⁹ tn Grk “speak these things and exhort and rebuke with all authority.”

[2:15]  ³⁰ tn Or “let anyone despise you”; or “let anyone disregard you.”

[3:2]  ³¹ tn Or “discredit,” “damage the reputation of.”

[3:11]  ³² tn Grk “knowing” (as a continuation of the previous clause).

[3:11]  ³³ tn Grk “is perverted and is sinning.”

[3:11]  ³⁴ tn Grk “is sinning, being self-condemned.”

[2:2]  ³⁵ tn Or “sensible.”

[2:2]  ³⁶ sn Temperate…in endurance. See the same cluster of virtues in 1 Thess 1:3 and 1 Cor 13:13.

[2:4]  ³⁷ tn Grk “that they may train” (continuing the sentence of 2:3).

[2:4]  ³⁸ tn This verb, σωφρονίζω (swfronizw), denotes teaching in the sense of bringing people to their senses, showing what sound thinking is.

[2:6]  ³⁹ tn Or “sensible.”

[2:12]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “training us” (as a continuation of the previous clause). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 by translating the participle παιδεύουσα (paideuousa) as a finite verb and supplying the pronoun “it” as subject.

[2:12]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “ungodliness.”