Efesus 1:22

1:22 And God ¹  put ²  all things under Christ’s ³  feet, ⁴  and he gave him to the church as head over all things. ⁵ 

Efesus 2:1-3

New Life Individually

2:1 And although you were ⁶  dead ⁷  in your transgressions and sins, 2:2 in which ⁸  you formerly lived ⁹  according to this world’s present path, ¹⁰  according to the ruler of the kingdom ¹¹  of the air, the ruler of ¹²  the spirit ¹³  that is now energizing ¹⁴  the sons of disobedience, ¹⁵  2:3 among whom ¹⁶  all of us ¹⁷  also ¹⁸  formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath ¹⁹  even as the rest… ²⁰ 

Efesus 5:3-8

5:3 But ²¹  among you there must not be either sexual immorality, impurity of any kind, ²²  or greed, as these are not fitting for the saints. ²³  5:4 Neither should there be vulgar speech, foolish talk, or coarse jesting – all of which are out of character – but rather thanksgiving. 5:5 For you can be confident of this one thing: ²⁴  that no person who is immoral, impure, or greedy (such a person is an idolater) has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Live in the Light

5:6 Let nobody deceive you with empty words, for because of these things God’s wrath comes on the sons of disobedience. ²⁵  5:7 Therefore do not be partakers with them, ²⁶  5:8 for you were at one time darkness, but now you are ²⁷  light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light –

Roma 1:23-32

1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for an image resembling mortal human beings ²⁸  or birds or four-footed animals ²⁹  or reptiles.

1:24 Therefore God gave them over ³⁰  in the desires of their hearts to impurity, to dishonor ³¹  their bodies among themselves. ³²  1:25 They ³³  exchanged the truth of God for a lie ³⁴  and worshiped and served the creation ³⁵  rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

1:26 For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, ³⁶  1:27 and likewise the men also abandoned natural relations with women ³⁷  and were inflamed in their passions ³⁸  for one another. Men ³⁹  committed shameless acts with men and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, ⁴⁰  God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. ⁴¹  1:29 They are filled ⁴²  with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with ⁴³  envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, 1:31 senseless, covenant-breakers, ⁴⁴  heartless, ruthless. 1:32 Although they fully know ⁴⁵  God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, ⁴⁶  they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. ⁴⁷ 

Roma 1:1

Salutation

1:1 From Paul, ⁴⁸  a slave ⁴⁹  of Christ Jesus, ⁵⁰  called to be an apostle, ⁵¹  set apart for the gospel of God. ⁵² 

Kolose 1:9-11

Paul’s Prayer for the Growth of the Church

1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, ⁵³  have not ceased praying for you and asking God ⁵⁴  to fill ⁵⁵  you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 1:10 so that you may live ⁵⁶  worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects ⁵⁷  – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, 1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of ⁵⁸  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully

Galatia 5:19-21

5:19 Now the works of the flesh ⁵⁹  are obvious: ⁶⁰  sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, ⁶¹  hostilities, ⁶²  strife, ⁶³  jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, ⁶⁴  factions, 5:21 envying, ⁶⁵  murder, ⁶⁶  drunkenness, carousing, ⁶⁷  and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

Kolose 3:5-8

3:5 So put to death whatever in your nature belongs to the earth: ⁶⁸  sexual immorality, impurity, shameful passion, ⁶⁹  evil desire, and greed which is idolatry. 3:6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. ⁷⁰  3:7 You also lived your lives ⁷¹  in this way at one time, when you used to live among them. 3:8 But now, put off all such things ⁷²  as anger, rage, malice, slander, abusive language from your mouth.

Kolose 3:1

Exhortations to Seek the Things Above

3:1 Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.

Pengkhotbah 4:3-4

4:3 But better than both is the one who has not been born ⁷³ 

and has not seen the evil things that are done on earth. ⁷⁴ 

Labor Motivated by Envy

4:4 Then I considered ⁷⁵  all the skillful work ⁷⁶  that is done:

Surely it is nothing more than ⁷⁷  competition ⁷⁸  between one person and another. ⁷⁹ 

This also is profitless – like ⁸⁰  chasing the wind.

[1:22]  ¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:22]  ² tn Grk “subjected.”

[1:22]  ³ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:22]  ⁴ sn An allusion to Ps 8:6.

[1:22]  ⁵ tn Grk “and he gave him as head over all things to the church.”

[2:1]  ⁶ tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.

[2:1]  ⁷ sn Chapter 2 starts off with a participle, although you were dead, that is left dangling. The syntax in Greek for vv. 1-3 constitutes one incomplete sentence, though it seems to have been done intentionally. The dangling participle leaves the readers in suspense while they wait for the solution (in v. 4) to their spiritual dilemma.

[2:2]  ⁸ sn The relative pronoun which is feminine as is sins, indicating that sins is the antecedent.

[2:2]  ⁹ tn Grk “walked.”

[2:2]  sn The Greek verb translated lived (περιπατέω, peripatew) in the NT letters refers to the conduct of one’s life, not to physical walking.

[2:2]  ¹⁰ tn Or possibly “Aeon.”

[2:2]  sn The word translated present path is the same as that which has been translated [this] age in 1:21 (αἰών, aiwn).

[2:2]  ¹¹ tn Grk “domain, [place of] authority.”

[2:2]  ¹² tn Grk “of” (but see the note on the word “spirit” later in this verse).

[2:2]  ¹³ sn The ruler of the kingdom of the air is also the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience. Although several translations regard the ruler to be the same as the spirit, this is unlikely since the cases in Greek are different (ruler is accusative and spirit is genitive). To get around this, some have suggested that the genitive for spirit is a genitive of apposition. However, the semantics of the genitive of apposition are against such an interpretation (cf. ExSyn 100).

[2:2]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “working in.”

[2:2]  ¹⁵ sn Sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” However, it also contains a subtle allusion to vv. 4-10: Some of those sons of disobedience have become sons of God.

[2:3]  ¹⁶ sn Among whom. The relative pronoun phrase that begins v. 3 is identical, except for gender, to the one that begins v. 2 (ἐν αἵς [en Jais], ἐν οἵς [en Jois]). By the structure, the author is building an argument for our hopeless condition: We lived in sin and we lived among sinful people. Our doom looked to be sealed as well in v. 2: Both the external environment (kingdom of the air) and our internal motivation and attitude (the spirit that is now energizing) were under the devil’s thumb (cf. 2 Cor 4:4).

[2:3]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “we all.”

[2:3]  ¹⁸ tn Or “even.”

[2:3]  ¹⁹ sn Children of wrath is a Semitic idiom which may mean either “people characterized by wrath” or “people destined for wrath.”

[2:3]  ²⁰ sn Eph 2:1-3. The translation of vv. 1-3 is very literal, even to the point of retaining the awkward syntax of the original. See note on the word dead in 2:1.

[5:3]  ²¹ tn The term “But” translates the δέ (de) in a contrastive way in light of the perfect obedience of Jesus in vv. 1-2 and the vices mentioned in v. 3.

[5:3]  ²² tn Grk “all impurity.”

[5:3]  ²³ tn Grk “just as is fitting for saints.” The καθώς (kaqws) was rendered with “as” and the sense is causal, i.e., “for” or “because.” The negative particle “not” (“for these are not proper for the saints”) in this clause was supplied in English so as to make the sense very clear, i.e., that these vices are not befitting of those who name the name of Christ.

[5:5]  ²⁴ tn Grk “be knowing this.” See also 2 Pet 1:20 for a similar phrase: τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκοντες (touto prwton ginwskonte").

[5:6]  ²⁵ sn The expression sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” In this context it refers to “all those who are disobedient.” Cf. Eph 2:2-3.

[5:7]  ²⁶ tn The genitive αὐτῶν (autwn) has been translated as a genitive of association because of its use with συμμέτοχοι (summetocoi) – a verb which implies association in the σύν- (sun-) prefix.

[5:8]  ²⁷ tn The verb “you are” is implied in the Greek text, but is supplied in the English translation to make it clear.

[1:23]  ²⁸ 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]  ²⁹ sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 106:19-20.

[1:24]  ³⁰ sn Possibly an allusion to Ps 81:12.

[1:24]  ³¹ tn The genitive articular infinitive τοῦ ἀτιμάζεσθαι (tou atimazesqai, “to dishonor”) has been taken as (1) an infinitive of purpose; (2) an infinitive of result; or (3) an epexegetical (i.e., explanatory) infinitive, expanding the previous clause.

[1:24]  ³² tn Grk “among them.”

[1:25]  ³³ tn Grk “who.” The relative pronoun was converted to a personal pronoun and, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:25]  ³⁴ tn Grk “the lie.”

[1:25]  ³⁵ tn Or “creature, created things.”

[1:26]  ³⁶ tn Grk “for their females exchanged the natural function for that which is contrary to nature.” The term χρῆσις (crhsi") has the force of “sexual relations” here (L&N 23.65).

[1:27]  ³⁷ tn Grk “likewise so also the males abandoning the natural function of the female.”

[1:27]  ³⁸ tn Grk “burned with intense desire” (L&N 25.16).

[1:27]  ³⁹ tn Grk “another, men committing…and receiving,” continuing the description of their deeds. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:28]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “and just as they did not approve to have God in knowledge.”

[1:28]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “the things that are improper.”

[1:29]  ⁴² tn Grk “being filled” or “having been filled,” referring to those described in v. 28. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:29]  ⁴³ tn Grk “malice, full of,” continuing the description. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:31]  ⁴⁴ tn Or “promise-breakers.”

[1:32]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “who, knowing…, not only do them but also approve…” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[1:32]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “are worthy of death.”

[1:32]  ⁴⁷ sn “Vice lists” like vv. 28-32 can be found elsewhere in the NT in Matt 15:19; Gal 5:19-21; 1 Tim 1:9-10; and 1 Pet 4:3. An example from the intertestamental period can be found in Wis 14:25-26.

[1:1]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “Paul.” The word “from” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

[1:1]  ⁴⁹ tn Traditionally, “servant.” 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.). The most accurate 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.

[1:1]  sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s “slave” or “servant” is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For someone who was Jewish this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”

[1:1]  ⁵⁰ tc Many important mss, as well as several others (̲⁶ א A G Ψ 33 1739 1881 Ï), have a reversed order of these words and read “Jesus Christ” rather than “Christ Jesus” (̹⁰ B 81 pc). The meaning is not affected in either case, but the reading “Christ Jesus” is preferred as slightly more difficult and thus more likely the original (a scribe who found it would be prone to change it to the more common expression). At the same time, Paul is fond of the order “Christ Jesus,” especially in certain letters such as Romans, Galatians, and Philippians. As well, the later Pauline letters almost uniformly use this order in the salutations. A decision is difficult, but “Christ Jesus” is slightly preferred.

[1:1]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “a called apostle.”

[1:1]  ⁵² tn The genitive in the phrase εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ (euangelion qeou, “the gospel of God”) could be translated as (1) a subjective genitive (“the gospel which God brings”) or (2) 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. However, in view of God’s action in v. 2 concerning this gospel, a subjective genitive notion (“the gospel which God brings”) is slightly preferred.

[1:9]  ⁵³ tn Or “heard about it”; Grk “heard.” There is no direct object stated in the Greek (direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context). A direct object is expected by an English reader, however, so most translations supply one. Here, however, it is not entirely clear what the author “heard”: a number of translations supply “it” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV; NAB “this”), but this could refer back either to (1) “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8, or (2) “your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints” (v. 4). In light of this uncertainty, other translations supply “about you” (TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). This is preferred by the present translation since, while it does not resolve the ambiguity entirely, it does make it less easy for the English reader to limit the reference only to “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8.

[1:9]  ⁵⁴ tn The term “God” does not appear in the Greek text, but the following reference to “the knowledge of his will” makes it clear that “God” is in view as the object of the “praying and asking,” and should therefore be included in the English translation for clarity.

[1:9]  ⁵⁵ tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated as substantival, indicating the content of the prayer and asking. The idea of purpose may also be present in this clause.

[1:10]  ⁵⁶ tn The infinitive περιπατῆσαι (peripathsai, “to walk, to live, to live one’s life”) is best taken as an infinitive of purpose related to “praying” (προσευχόμενοι, proseucomenoi) and “asking” (αἰτούμενοι, aitoumenoi) in v. 9 and is thus translated as “that you may live.”

[1:10]  ⁵⁷ tn BDAG 129 s.v. ἀρεσκεία states that ἀρεσκείαν (areskeian) refers to a “desire to please εἰς πᾶσαν ἀ. to please (the Lord) in all respects Col 1:10.”

[1:11]  ⁵⁸ tn The expression “for the display of” is an attempt to convey in English the force of the Greek preposition εἰς (eis) in this context.

[5:19]  ⁵⁹ tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.

[5:19]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “clear,” “evident.”

[5:20]  ⁶¹ tn Or “witchcraft.”

[5:20]  ⁶² tn Or “enmities,” “[acts of] hatred.”

[5:20]  ⁶³ tn Or “discord” (L&N 39.22).

[5:20]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “discord(s)” (L&N 39.13).

[5:21]  ⁶⁵ tn This term is plural in Greek (as is “murder” and “carousing”), but for clarity these abstract nouns have been translated as singular.

[5:21]  ⁶⁶ tc ‡ φόνοι (fonoi, “murders”) is absent in such important mss as Ì⁴⁶ א B 33 81 323 945 pc sa, while the majority of mss (A C D F G Ψ 0122 0278 1739 1881 Ï lat) have the word. Although the pedigree of the mss which lack the term is of the highest degree, homoioteleuton may well explain the shorter reading. The preceding word has merely one letter difference, making it quite possible to overlook this term (φθόνοι φόνοι, fqonoi fonoi).

[5:21]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “revelings,” “orgies” (L&N 88.287).

[3:5]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “the members which are on the earth.” See BDAG 628 s.v. μέλος 1, “put to death whatever in you is worldly.”

[3:5]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “lust.”

[3:6]  ⁷⁰ tc The words ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας (epi tou" Juiou" th" apeiqeia", “on the sons of disobedience”) are lacking in Ì⁴⁶ B b sa, but are found in א A C D F G H I Ψ 075 0278 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy bo. The words are omitted by several English translations (NASB, NIV, ESV, TNIV). This textual problem is quite difficult to resolve. On the one hand, the parallel account in Eph 5:6 has these words, thus providing scribes a motive for adding them here. On the other hand, the reading without the words may be too hard: The ἐν οἷς (en |oi") of v. 7 seems to have no antecedent without υἱούς already in the text, although it could possibly be construed as neuter referring to the vice list in v. 5. Further, although the witness of B is especially important, there are other places in which B and Ì⁴⁶ share errant readings of omission. Nevertheless, the strength of the internal evidence against the longer reading is at least sufficient to cause doubt here. The decision to retain the words in the text is less than certain.

[3:6]  sn The expression sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” In this context it refers to “all those who are disobedient.” Cf. Eph 5:6.

[3:7]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “you also walked.” The verb περιπατέω (peripatew) is commonly used in the NT to refer to behavior or conduct of one’s life (L&N 41.11).

[3:8]  ⁷² tn The Greek article with τὰ πάντα (ta panta) is anaphoric, referring to the previous list of vices, and has been translated here as “all such things.”

[4:3]  ⁷³ tn The word “born” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[4:3]  ⁷⁴ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[4:4]  ⁷⁵ tn Heb “saw.”

[4:4]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “all the toil and all the skill.” This Hebrew clause (אֶת־כָּל־עָמָל וְאֵת כָּל־כִּשְׁרוֹן, ’et-kol-’amal vÿ’et kol-kishron) is a nominal hendiadys (a figurative expression in which two independent phrases are used to connote the same thing). The second functions adverbially, modifying the first, which retains its full nominal function: “all the skillful work.”

[4:4]  ⁷⁷ tn The phrase “nothing more than” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[4:4]  ⁷⁸ tn The noun קִנְאַה (qin’ah, “competition”) has a wide range of meanings: “zeal; jealousy; envy; rivalry; competition; suffering; animosity; anger; wrath” (HALOT 1110 s.v.; BDB 888 s.v.). Here, as in 9:6, it denotes “rivalry” (BDB 888 s.v. 1) or “competitive spirit” (HALOT 1110 s.v. 1.b). The LXX rendered it ζῆλος (zhlos, “envy; jealousy”). The English versions reflect this broad range: “rivalry” (NEB, NAB, NASB), “envy” (KJV, ASV, RSV, NRSV, MLB, NIV, NJPS), and “jealousy” (Moffatt).

[4:4]  ⁷⁹ tn Heb “a man and his neighbor.”

[4:4]  ⁸⁰ tn The word “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.