Yehezkiel 37:1-10

The Valley of Dry Bones

37:1 The hand ¹  of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and placed ²  me in the midst of the valley, and it was full of bones. 37:2 He made me walk all around among them. ³  I realized ⁴  there were a great many bones in the valley and they were very dry. 37:3 He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said to him, “Sovereign Lord, you know.” 37:4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and tell them: ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 37:5 This is what the sovereign Lord says to these bones: Look, I am about to infuse breath ⁵  into you and you will live. 37:6 I will put tendons ⁶  on you and muscles over you and will cover you with skin; I will put breath ⁷  in you and you will live. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

37:7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. There was a sound when I prophesied – I heard ⁸  a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 37:8 As I watched, I saw ⁹  tendons on them, then muscles appeared, ¹⁰  and skin covered over them from above, but there was no breath ¹¹  in them.

37:9 He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, ¹²  – prophesy, son of man – and say to the breath: ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these corpses so that they may live.’” 37:10 So I prophesied as I was commanded, and the breath came into them; they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely great army.

Lukas 9:60

9:60 But Jesus ¹³  said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, ¹⁴  but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” ¹⁵ 

Lukas 15:24

15:24 because this son of mine was dead, and is alive again – he was lost and is found!’ ¹⁶  So ¹⁷  they began to celebrate.

Lukas 15:32

15:32 It was appropriate ¹⁸  to celebrate and be glad, for your brother ¹⁹  was dead, and is alive; he was lost and is found.’” ²⁰ 

Roma 6:13

6:13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments ²¹  to be used for unrighteousness, ²²  but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments ²³  to be used for righteousness.

Roma 6:2

6:2 Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it?

Kolose 1:14-15

1:14 in whom we have redemption, ²⁴  the forgiveness of sins.

The Supremacy of Christ

1:15 ²⁵ He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn ²⁶  over all creation, ²⁷ 

Efesus 2:1

New Life Individually

2:1 And although you were ²⁸  dead ²⁹  in your transgressions and sins,

Efesus 2:5-6

2:5 even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! ³⁰  – 2:6 and he raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Efesus 5:14

5:14 For everything made evident is light, and for this reason it says: ³¹ 

“Awake, ³²  O sleeper! ³³ 

Rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you!” ³⁴ 

Efesus 5:1

Live in Love

5:1 Therefore, be ³⁵  imitators of God as dearly loved children

Titus 1:6

1:6 An elder must be blameless, ³⁶  the husband of one wife, ³⁷  with faithful children ³⁸  who cannot be charged with dissipation or rebellion.

Ibrani 6:1

6:1 Therefore we must progress beyond ³⁹  the elementary ⁴⁰  instructions about Christ ⁴¹  and move on ⁴²  to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God,

Ibrani 9:14

9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our ⁴³  consciences from dead works to worship the living God.

Yakobus 2:17

2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself.

Yakobus 2:20

2:20 But would you like evidence, ⁴⁴  you empty fellow, ⁴⁵  that faith without works is useless? ⁴⁶ 

Yakobus 2:26

2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

[37:1]  ¹ tn Or “power.”

[37:1]  sn Hand in the OT can refer metaphorically to power, authority, or influence. In Ezekiel God’s hand being on the prophet is regularly associated with communication or a vision from God (3:14, 22; 8:1; 37:1; 40:1).

[37:1]  ² tn Heb “caused me to rest.”

[37:2]  ³ tn Heb “and he made me pass over them, around, around.”

[37:2]  ⁴ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and is here translated as “I realized” because it results from Ezekiel’s recognition of the situation around him. In Hebrew, the exclamation is repeated in the following sentence.

[37:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “I am about to bring a spirit.”

[37:6]  ⁶ tn The exact physiological meaning of the term is uncertain. In addition to v. 8, the term occurs only in Gen 32:33; Job 10:11; 40:17; and Jer 48:4.

[37:6]  ⁷ tn Or “a spirit.”

[37:7]  ⁸ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.

[37:8]  ⁹ tn The word הִנֵּה (hinneh, traditionally “behold”) indicates becoming aware of something and has been translated here as a verb.

[37:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “came up.”

[37:8]  ¹¹ tn Or “spirit.”

[37:9]  ¹² tn Or “spirit,” and several times in this verse.

[9:60]  ¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:60]  ¹⁴ sn There are several options for the meaning of Jesus’ reply Leave the dead to bury their own dead: (1) Recent research suggests that burial customs in the vicinity of Jerusalem from about 20 b.c. to a.d. 70 involved a reinterment of the bones a year after the initial burial, once the flesh had rotted away. At that point the son would have placed his father’s bones in a special box known as an ossuary to be set into the wall of the tomb. Thus Jesus could well be rebuking the man for wanting to wait around for as much as a year before making a commitment to follow him. In 1st century Jewish culture, to have followed Jesus rather than burying one’s father would have seriously dishonored one’s father (cf. Tobit 4:3-4). (2) The remark is an idiom (possibly a proverbial saying) that means, “The matter in question is not the real issue,” in which case Jesus was making a wordplay on the wording of the man’s (literal) request (see L&N 33.137). (3) This remark could be a figurative reference to various kinds of people, meaning, “Let the spiritually dead bury the dead.” (4) It could also be literal and designed to shock the hearer by the surprise of the contrast. Whichever option is preferred, it is clear that the most important priority is to preach the gospel (proclaim the kingdom of God).

[9:60]  ¹⁵ sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

[15:24]  ¹⁶ sn This statement links the parable to the theme of 15:6, 9.

[15:24]  ¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the father’s remarks in the preceding verses.

[15:32]  ¹⁸ tn Or “necessary.”

[15:32]  ¹⁹ sn By referring to him as your brother, the father reminded the older brother that the younger brother was part of the family.

[15:32]  ²⁰ sn The theme he was lost and is found is repeated from v. 24. The conclusion is open-ended. The reader is left to ponder with the older son (who pictures the scribes and Pharisees) what the response will be. The parable does not reveal the ultimate response of the older brother. Jesus argued that sinners should be pursued and received back warmly when they returned.

[6:13]  ²¹ tn Or “weapons, tools.”

[6:13]  ²² tn Or “wickedness, injustice.”

[6:13]  ²³ tn Or “weapons, tools.”

[1:14]  ²⁴ tc διὰ τοῦ αἵματος αὐτοῦ (dia tou {aimato" autou, “through his blood”) is read at this juncture by several minuscule mss (614 630 1505 2464 al) as well as a few, mostly secondary, versional and patristic witnesses. But the reading was prompted by the parallel in Eph 1:7 where the wording is solid. If these words had been in the original of Colossians, why would scribes omit them here but not in Eph 1:7? Further, the testimony on behalf of the shorter reading is quite overwhelming: {א A B C D F G Ψ 075 0150 6 33 1739 1881 Ï latt co as well as several other versions and fathers}. The conviction that “through his blood” is not authentic in Col 1:14 is as strong as the conviction that these words are authentic in Eph 1:7.

[1:15]  ²⁵ sn This passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.

[1:15]  ²⁶ tn The Greek term πρωτότοκος (prwtotokos) could refer either to first in order of time, such as a first born child, or it could refer to one who is preeminent in rank. M. J. Harris, Colossians and Philemon (EGGNT), 43, expresses the meaning of the word well: “The ‘firstborn’ was either the eldest child in a family or a person of preeminent rank. The use of this term to describe the Davidic king in Ps 88:28 LXX (=Ps 89:27 EVV), ‘I will also appoint him my firstborn (πρωτότοκον), the most exalted of the kings of the earth,’ indicates that it can denote supremacy in rank as well as priority in time. But whether the πρωτό- element in the word denotes time, rank, or both, the significance of the -τοκος element as indicating birth or origin (from τίκτω, give birth to) has been virtually lost except in ref. to lit. birth.” In Col 1:15 the emphasis is on the priority of Jesus’ rank as over and above creation (cf. 1:16 and the “for” clause referring to Jesus as Creator).

[1:15]  ²⁷ tn The genitive construction πάσης κτίσεως (pash" ktisew") is a genitive of subordination and is therefore translated as “over all creation.” See ExSyn 103-4.

[2:1]  ²⁸ tn The adverbial participle “being” (ὄντας, ontas) is taken concessively.

[2:1]  ²⁹ 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.

[2:5]  ³⁰ tn Or “by grace you have been saved.” The perfect tense in Greek connotes both completed action (“you have been saved”) and continuing results (“you are saved”).

[5:14]  ³¹ sn The following passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.

[5:14]  ³² tn Grk “Rise up.”

[5:14]  ³³ tn The articular nominative participle ὁ καθεύδων (Jo kaqeudwn) is probably functioning as a nominative for vocative. Thus, it has been translated as “O sleeper.”

[5:14]  ³⁴ sn A composite quotation, possibly from Isa 26:19, 51:17, 52:1, and 60:1.

[5:1]  ³⁵ tn Or “become.”

[1:6]  ³⁶ tn Grk “if anyone is blameless…” as a continuation of v. 5b, beginning to describe the elder’s character.

[1:6]  ³⁷ tn Or “married only once,” “devoted solely to his wife.” See the note on “wife” in 1 Tim 3:2; also 1 Tim 3:12; 5:9.

[1:6]  ³⁸ tn Or “believing children.” The phrase could be translated “believing children,” but the parallel with 1 Tim 3:4 (“keeping his children in control”) argues for the sense given in the translation.

[6:1]  ³⁹ tn Grk “Therefore leaving behind.” The implication is not of abandoning this elementary information, but of building on it.

[6:1]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “basic.”

[6:1]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “the message of the beginning of Christ.”

[6:1]  ⁴² tn Grk “leaving behind…let us move on.”

[9:14]  ⁴³ tc The reading adopted by the translation is attested by many authorities (A D* K P 365 1739* al). But many others (א D² 0278 33 1739^c 1881 Ï lat sa) read “your” instead of “our.” The diversity of evidence makes this a difficult case to decide from external evidence alone. The first and second person pronouns differ by only one letter in Greek, as in English, also making this problem difficult to decide based on internal evidence and transcriptional probability. In the context, the author’s description of sacrificial activities seems to invite the reader to compare his own possible participation in OT liturgy as over against the completed work of Christ, so the second person pronoun “your” might make more sense. On the other hand, TCGNT 599 argues that “our” is preferable because the author of Hebrews uses direct address (i.e., the second person) only in the hortatory sections. What is more, the author seems to prefer the first person in explanatory remarks or when giving the logical grounds for an assertion (cf. Heb 4:15; 7:14). It is hard to reach a definitive conclusion in this case, but the data lean slightly in favor of the first person pronoun.

[2:20]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “do you want to know.”

[2:20]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “O empty man.” Here the singular vocative ἄνθρωπε (anqrwpe, “man”) means “person” or even “fellow.” Cf. BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8 which views this as an instance of rhetorical address in a letter; the pejorative sense is also discussed under the previous heading (7).

[2:20]  ⁴⁶ tc Most witnesses, including several important ones (א A C² P Ψ 33 Ï sy bo), have νεκρά (nekra, “dead”) here, while Ì⁷⁴ reads κενή (kenh, “empty”). Both variants are most likely secondary, derived from ἀργή (argh, “useless”). The reading of the majority is probably an assimilation to the statements in vv. 17 and 26, while Ì⁷⁴’s reading picks up on κενέ (kene) earlier in the verse. The external evidence (B C* 323 945 1739 sa) for ἀργή is sufficient for authenticity; coupled with the strong internal evidence for the reading (if νεκρά were original, how would ἀργή have arisen here and not in vv. 17 or 26?), it is strongly preferred.