Ayub 15:31

15:31 Let him not trust in what is worthless, ¹ 

deceiving himself;

for worthlessness will be his reward. ² 

Roma 1:21-23

1:21 For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts and their senseless hearts ³  were darkened. 1:22 Although they claimed ⁴  to be wise, they became fools 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings ⁵  or birds or four-footed animals ⁶  or reptiles.

Roma 1:28

1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, ⁷  God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. ⁸ 

Roma 1:2

1:2 This gospel ⁹  he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,

1 Tesalonika 2:11

2:11 As you know, we treated each one of you as a father treats his own children,

1 Tesalonika 2:2

2:2 But although we suffered earlier and were mistreated in Philippi, ¹⁰  as you know, we had the courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God ¹¹  in spite of much opposition.

1 Timotius 3:13

3:13 For those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves ¹²  and great boldness in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ¹³ 

[15:31]  ¹ tn The word, although difficult in its form, is “vanity,” i.e., that which is worthless. E. Dhorme (Job, 224) thinks that the form שָׁוְא (shav’) conceals the word שִׁיאוֹ (shi’o, “his stature”). But Dhorme reworks most of the verse. He changes נִתְעָה (nit’ah, “deceived”) to נֵדַע (neda’, “we know”) to arrive at “we know that it is vanity.” The last two words of the verse are then moved to the next. The LXX has “let him not think that he shall endure, for his end shall be vanity.”

[15:31]  ² tn This word is found in Job 20:18 with the sense of “trading.” It can mean the exchange of goods or the profit from them. Some commentators change תְמוּרָתוֹ (tÿmurato, “his reward”) because they wish to put it with the next verse as the LXX seems to have done (although the LXX does not represent this). Suggestions include תִּמֹרָתוֹ (timorato, “his palm tree”) and זְמֹרָתוֹ (zÿmorato, “his vine shoot”). A number of writers simply delete all of v. 31. H. H. Rowley (Job [NCBC], 115) suggests the best reading (assuming one were going to make changes) would be, “Let him not trust in his stature, deceiving himself, for it is vanity.” And then put “his palm tree” with the next verse, he thinks that achieves the proper balance.

[1:21]  ³ tn Grk “heart.”

[1:22]  ⁴ tn The participle φάσκοντες (faskonte") is used concessively here.

[1:23]  ⁵ tn Grk “exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God in likeness of an image of corruptible man.” Here there is a wordplay on the Greek terms ἄφθαρτος (afqarto", “immortal, imperishable, incorruptible”) and φθαρτός (fqarto", “mortal, corruptible, subject to decay”).

[1:23]  ⁶ sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20.

[1:28]  ⁷ tn Grk “and just as they did not approve to have God in knowledge.”

[1:28]  ⁸ tn Grk “the things that are improper.”

[1:2]  ⁹ tn Grk “the gospel of God, which he promised.” Because of the length and complexity of this sentence in Greek, it was divided into shorter English sentences in keeping with contemporary English style. To indicate the referent of the relative pronoun (“which”), the word “gospel” was repeated at the beginning of v. 2.

[2:2]  ¹⁰ map For location see JP1 C1; JP2 C1; JP3 C1; JP4 C1.

[2:2]  ¹¹ tn The genitive in the phrase τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ θεοῦ (to euangelion tou qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or an objective genitive (“the gospel about God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, an interplay between the two concepts is intended: The gospel which God brings is in fact the gospel about himself. This same phrase occurs in vv. 8 and 9 as well.

[3:13]  ¹² sn The statement those who have served well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves is reminiscent of Jesus’ teaching (Matt 20:26-28; Mark 10:43-45) that the one who wishes to be great must be a servant (διάκονος [diakonos], used here of deacons) of all, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve (διακονέω [diakonew], as in 1 Tim 3:10, 13).

[3:13]  ¹³ sn In the phrase the faith that is in Christ Jesus, the term faith seems to mean “what Christians believe, Christian truth,” rather than personal trust in Christ. So the whole phrase could mean that others will come to place greater confidence in them regarding Christian truth; but the word “confidence” is much more likely to refer to their own boldness to act on the truth of their convictions.