Kejadian 32:24-26

32:24 So Jacob was left alone. Then a man ¹  wrestled ²  with him until daybreak. ³  32:25 When the man ⁴  saw that he could not defeat Jacob, ⁵  he struck ⁶  the socket of his hip so the socket of Jacob’s hip was dislocated while he wrestled with him.

32:26 Then the man ⁷  said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking.” ⁸  “I will not let you go,” Jacob replied, ⁹  “unless you bless me.” ¹⁰ 

Ayub 27:8-10

27:8 For what hope does the godless have when he is cut off, ¹¹ 

when God takes away his life? ¹² 

27:9 Does God listen to his cry

when distress overtakes him?

27:10 Will he find delight ¹³  in the Almighty?

Will he call out to God at all times?

Mazmur 55:16-17

55:16 As for me, I will call out to God,

and the Lord will deliver me.

55:17 During the evening, morning, and noontime

I will lament and moan, ¹⁴ 

and he will hear ¹⁵  me. ¹⁶ 

Mazmur 62:8

62:8 Trust in him at all times, you people!

Pour out your hearts before him! ¹⁷ 

God is our shelter! (Selah)

Mazmur 109:4

109:4 They repay my love with accusations, ¹⁸ 

but I continue to pray. ¹⁹ 

Yeremia 29:12-13

29:12 When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, ²⁰  I will hear your prayers. ²¹  29:13 When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, ²² 

Daniel 9:18-19

9:18 Listen attentively, ²³  my God, and hear! Open your eyes and look on our desolated ruins ²⁴  and the city called by your name. ²⁵  For it is not because of our own righteous deeds that we are praying to you, ²⁶  but because your compassion is abundant. 9:19 O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, pay attention, and act! Don’t delay, for your own sake, O my God! For your city and your people are called by your name.” ²⁷ 

Lukas 11:5-13

11:5 Then ²⁸  he said to them, “Suppose one of you ²⁹  has a friend, and you go to him ³⁰  at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, ³¹  11:6 because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, ³²  and I have nothing to set before ³³  him.’ 11:7 Then ³⁴  he will reply ³⁵  from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. ³⁶  I cannot get up and give you anything.’ ³⁷  11:8 I tell you, even though the man inside ³⁸  will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s ³⁹  sheer persistence ⁴⁰  he will get up and give him whatever he needs.

11:9 “So ⁴¹  I tell you: Ask, ⁴²  and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door ⁴³  will be opened for you. 11:10 For everyone who asks ⁴⁴  receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door ⁴⁵  will be opened. 11:11 What father among you, if your ⁴⁶  son asks for ⁴⁷  a fish, will give him a snake ⁴⁸  instead of a fish? 11:12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? ⁴⁹  11:13 If you then, although you are ⁵⁰  evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit ⁵¹  to those who ask him!”

Lukas 18:1-43

Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow

18:1 Then ⁵²  Jesus ⁵³  told them a parable to show them they should always ⁵⁴  pray and not lose heart. ⁵⁵  18:2 He said, ⁵⁶  “In a certain city ⁵⁷  there was a judge ⁵⁸  who neither feared God nor respected people. ⁵⁹  18:3 There was also a widow ⁶⁰  in that city ⁶¹  who kept coming ⁶²  to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 18:4 For ⁶³  a while he refused, but later on ⁶⁴  he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, ⁶⁵  18:5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out ⁶⁶  by her unending pleas.’” ⁶⁷  18:6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! ⁶⁸  18:7 Won’t ⁶⁹  God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out ⁷⁰  to him day and night? ⁷¹  Will he delay ⁷²  long to help them? 18:8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. ⁷³  Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith ⁷⁴  on earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

18:9 Jesus ⁷⁵  also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down ⁷⁶  on everyone else. 18:10 “Two men went up ⁷⁷  to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee ⁷⁸  and the other a tax collector. ⁷⁹  18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ⁸⁰  ‘God, I thank ⁸¹  you that I am not like other people: ⁸²  extortionists, ⁸³  unrighteous people, ⁸⁴  adulterers – or even like this tax collector. ⁸⁵  18:12 I fast twice ⁸⁶  a week; I give a tenth ⁸⁷  of everything I get.’ 18:13 The tax collector, however, stood ⁸⁸  far off and would not even look up ⁸⁹  to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful ⁹⁰  to me, sinner that I am!’ ⁹¹  18:14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified ⁹²  rather than the Pharisee. ⁹³  For everyone who exalts ⁹⁴  himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus and Little Children

18:15 Now people ⁹⁵  were even bringing their babies ⁹⁶  to him for him to touch. ⁹⁷  But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them. ⁹⁸  18:16 But Jesus called for the children, ⁹⁹  saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God ¹⁰⁰  belongs to such as these. ¹⁰¹  18:17 I tell you the truth, ¹⁰²  whoever does not receive ¹⁰³  the kingdom of God like a child ¹⁰⁴  will never ¹⁰⁵  enter it.”

The Wealthy Ruler

18:18 Now ¹⁰⁶  a certain ruler ¹⁰⁷  asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ¹⁰⁸  18:19 Jesus ¹⁰⁹  said to him, “Why do you call me good? ¹¹⁰  No one is good except God alone. 18:20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’” ¹¹¹  18:21 The man ¹¹²  replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed ¹¹³  all these laws ¹¹⁴  since my youth.” ¹¹⁵  18:22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have ¹¹⁶  and give the money ¹¹⁷  to the poor, ¹¹⁸  and you will have treasure ¹¹⁹  in heaven. Then ¹²⁰  come, follow me.” 18:23 But when the man ¹²¹  heard this he became very sad, ¹²²  for he was extremely wealthy. 18:24 When Jesus noticed this, ¹²³  he said, “How hard ¹²⁴  it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! ¹²⁵  18:25 In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle ¹²⁶  than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 18:26 Those who heard this said, “Then ¹²⁷  who can be saved?” ¹²⁸  18:27 He replied, “What is impossible ¹²⁹  for mere humans ¹³⁰  is possible for God.” 18:28 And Peter said, “Look, we have left everything we own ¹³¹  to follow you!” ¹³²  18:29 Then ¹³³  Jesus ¹³⁴  said to them, “I tell you the truth, ¹³⁵  there is no one who has left home or wife or brothers ¹³⁶  or parents or children for the sake of God’s kingdom 18:30 who will not receive many times more ¹³⁷  in this age ¹³⁸  – and in the age to come, eternal life.” ¹³⁹ 

Another Prediction of Jesus’ Passion

18:31 Then ¹⁴⁰  Jesus ¹⁴¹  took the twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, ¹⁴²  and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. ¹⁴³  18:32 For he will be handed over ¹⁴⁴  to the Gentiles; he will be mocked, ¹⁴⁵  mistreated, ¹⁴⁶  and spat on. ¹⁴⁷  18:33 They will flog him severely ¹⁴⁸  and kill him. Yet ¹⁴⁹  on the third day he will rise again.” 18:34 But ¹⁵⁰  the twelve ¹⁵¹  understood none of these things. This ¹⁵²  saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp ¹⁵³  what Jesus meant. ¹⁵⁴ 

Healing a Blind Man

18:35 As ¹⁵⁵  Jesus ¹⁵⁶  approached ¹⁵⁷  Jericho, ¹⁵⁸  a blind man was sitting by the road begging. 18:36 When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was going on. 18:37 They ¹⁵⁹  told him, “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by.” 18:38 So ¹⁶⁰  he called out, ¹⁶¹  “Jesus, Son of David, ¹⁶²  have mercy ¹⁶³  on me!” 18:39 And those who were in front ¹⁶⁴  scolded ¹⁶⁵  him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted ¹⁶⁶  even more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 18:40 So ¹⁶⁷  Jesus stopped and ordered the beggar ¹⁶⁸  to be brought to him. When the man ¹⁶⁹  came near, Jesus ¹⁷⁰  asked him, 18:41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, ¹⁷¹  “Lord, let me see again.” ¹⁷²  18:42 Jesus ¹⁷³  said to him, “Receive ¹⁷⁴  your sight; your faith has healed you.” ¹⁷⁵  18:43 And immediately he regained ¹⁷⁶  his sight and followed Jesus, ¹⁷⁷  praising ¹⁷⁸  God. When ¹⁷⁹  all the people saw it, they too ¹⁸⁰  gave praise to God.

Kisah Para Rasul 1:14

1:14 All these continued together in prayer with one mind, together with the women, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. ¹⁸¹ 

Kisah Para Rasul 2:42

The Fellowship of the Early Believers

2:42 They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, ¹⁸²  to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ¹⁸³ 

Kisah Para Rasul 6:4

6:4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

Kisah Para Rasul 12:5

12:5 So Peter was kept in prison, but those in the church were earnestly ¹⁸⁴  praying to God for him. ¹⁸⁵ 

Kisah Para Rasul 12:2

12:2 He had James, the brother of John, executed with a sword. ¹⁸⁶ 

Kolose 1:8

1:8 who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Efesus 6:18-19

6:18 With every prayer and petition, pray ¹⁸⁷  at all times in the Spirit, and to this end ¹⁸⁸  be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints. 6:19 Pray ¹⁸⁹  for me also, that I may be given the message when I begin to speak ¹⁹⁰  – that I may confidently make known ¹⁹¹  the mystery of the gospel,

Filipi 4:6-7

4:6 Do not be anxious about anything. Instead, in every situation, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, tell your requests to God. 4:7 And the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds ¹⁹²  in Christ Jesus.

Kolose 4:2

Exhortation to Pray for the Success of Paul’s Mission

4:2 Be devoted to prayer, keeping alert in it with thanksgiving.

Kolose 4:12

4:12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a slave ¹⁹³  of Christ, ¹⁹⁴  greets you. He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured ¹⁹⁵  in all the will of God.

Kolose 4:1

4:1 Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven.

Kolose 1:17

1:17 He himself is before all things and all things are held together ¹⁹⁶  in him.

Ibrani 5:7

5:7 During his earthly life ¹⁹⁷  Christ ¹⁹⁸  offered ¹⁹⁹  both requests and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death and he was heard because of his devotion.

Yakobus 5:15-16

5:15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick and the Lord will raise him up – and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ²⁰⁰  5:16 So confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness. ²⁰¹ 

Yakobus 5:1

Warning to the Rich

5:1 Come now, you rich! Weep and cry aloud ²⁰²  over the miseries that are coming on you.

Pengkhotbah 4:7

Labor Motivated by Greed

4:7 So ²⁰³  I again considered ²⁰⁴  another ²⁰⁵  futile thing on earth: ²⁰⁶ 

Pengkhotbah 4:1

Evil Oppression on Earth

4:1 So ²⁰⁷  I again considered ²⁰⁸  all the oppression ²⁰⁹  that continually occurs ²¹⁰  on earth. ²¹¹ 

This is what I saw: ²¹² 

The oppressed ²¹³  were in tears, ²¹⁴  but no one was comforting them;

no one delivers ²¹⁵  them from the power of their oppressors. ²¹⁶ 

Yohanes 5:14-15

5:14 After this Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “Look, you have become well. Don’t sin any more, ²¹⁷  lest anything worse happen to you.” 5:15 The man went away and informed the Jewish leaders ²¹⁸  that Jesus was the one who had made him well.

[32:24]  ¹ sn Reflecting Jacob’s perspective at the beginning of the encounter, the narrator calls the opponent simply “a man.” Not until later in the struggle does Jacob realize his true identity.

[32:24]  ² sn The verb translated “wrestled” (וַיֵּאָבֵק, vayye’aveq) sounds in Hebrew like the names “Jacob” (יַעֲקֹב, ya’aqov) and “Jabbok” (יַבֹּק, yabboq). In this way the narrator links the setting, the main action, and the main participant together in the mind of the reader or hearer.

[32:24]  ³ tn Heb “until the rising of the dawn.”

[32:25]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ⁵ tn Heb “him”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:25]  ⁶ tn Or “injured”; traditionally “touched.” The Hebrew verb translated “struck” has the primary meanings “to touch; to reach; to strike.” It can, however, carry the connotation “to harm; to molest; to injure.” God’s “touch” cripples Jacob – it would be comparable to a devastating blow.

[32:26]  ⁷ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[32:26]  ⁸ tn Heb “dawn has arisen.”

[32:26]  ⁹ tn Heb “and he said, ‘I will not let you go.’” The referent of the pronoun “he” (Jacob) has been specified for clarity, and the order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[32:26]  ¹⁰ sn Jacob wrestled with a man thinking him to be a mere man, and on that basis was equal to the task. But when it had gone on long enough, the night visitor touched Jacob and crippled him. Jacob’s request for a blessing can only mean that he now knew that his opponent was supernatural. Contrary to many allegorical interpretations of the passage that make fighting equivalent to prayer, this passage shows that Jacob stopped fighting, and then asked for a blessing.

[27:8]  ¹¹ tn The verb יִבְצָע (yivtsa’) means “to cut off.” It could be translated transitively or intransitively – the latter is better here (“when he is cut off”). Since the next line speaks of prayer, some have thought this verse should be about prayer. Mandelkern, in his concordance (p. 228b), suggested the verb should be “when he prays” (reading יִפְגַּע [yifga’] in place of יִבְצָע [yivtsa’]).

[27:8]  ¹² tn The verb יֵשֶׁל (yeshel) is found only here. It has been related spoils [or sheaves]”); שָׁאַל (sha’al, “to ask”); נָשָׂא (nasa’, “to lift up” [i.e., pray]); and a host of others.

[27:10]  ¹³ tn See the note on 22:26 where the same verb is employed.

[55:17]  ¹⁴ tn The first verb is clearly a cohortative form, expressing the psalmist’s resolve. The second verb, while formally ambiguous, should also be understood as cohortative here.

[55:17]  ¹⁵ tn The prefixed verb with vav (ו) consecutive normally appears in narrational contexts to indicate past action, but here it continues the anticipatory (future) perspective of the preceding line. In Ps 77:6 one finds the same sequence of cohortative + prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive. In this case as well, both forms refer to future actions.

[55:17]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “my voice.”

[62:8]  ¹⁷ tn To “pour out one’s heart” means to offer up to God intense, emotional lamentation and petitionary prayers (see Lam 2:19).

[109:4]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “in place of my love they oppose me.”

[109:4]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “and I, prayer.”

[29:12]  ²⁰ tn Heb “come and pray to me.” This is an example of verbal hendiadys where two verb formally joined by “and” convey a main concept with the second verb functioning as an adverbial qualifier.

[29:12]  ²¹ tn Or “You will call out to me and come to me in prayer and I will hear your prayers.” The verbs are vav consecutive perfects and can be taken either as unconditional futures or as contingent futures. See GKC 337 §112.kk and 494 §159.g and compare the usage in Gen 44:22 for the use of the vav consecutive perfects in contingent futures. The conditional clause in the middle of 29:13 and the deuteronomic theology reflected in both Deut 30:1-5 and 1 Kgs 8:46-48 suggest that the verbs are continent futures here. For the same demand for wholehearted seeking in these contexts which presuppose exile see especially Deut 30:2, 1 Kgs 8:48.

[29:13]  ²² tn Or “If you wholeheartedly seek me”; Heb “You will seek me and find [me] because you will seek me with all your heart.” The translation attempts to reflect the theological nuances of “seeking” and “finding” and the psychological significance of “heart” which refers more to intellectual and volitional concerns in the OT than to emotional ones.

[9:18]  ²³ tn Heb “turn your ear.”

[9:18]  ²⁴ tn Heb “desolations.” The term refers here to the ruined condition of Judah’s towns.

[9:18]  ²⁵ tn Heb “over which your name is called.” Cf. v. 19. This expression implies that God is the owner of his city, Jerusalem. Note the use of the idiom in 2 Sam 12:28; Isa 4:1; Amos 9:12.

[9:18]  ²⁶ tn Heb “praying our supplications before you.”

[9:19]  ²⁷ tn Heb “for your name is called over your city and your people.” See the note on this expression in v 18.

[11:5]  ²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[11:5]  ²⁹ tn Grk “Who among you will have a friend and go to him.”

[11:5]  ³⁰ tn Grk “he will go to him.”

[11:5]  ³¹ tn The words “of bread” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by ἄρτους (artou", “loaves”).

[11:6]  ³² tn Grk “has come to me from the road.”

[11:6]  ³³ sn The background to the statement I have nothing to set before him is that in ancient Middle Eastern culture it was a matter of cultural honor to be a good host to visitors.

[11:7]  ³⁴ tn Κἀκεῖνος (kakeino") has been translated “Then he.”

[11:7]  ³⁵ tn Grk “answering, he will say.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “he will reply.”

[11:7]  ³⁶ tn Grk “my children are with me in the bed.” In Jewish homes in the time of Jesus, the beds were often all together in one room; thus the householder may be speaking of individual beds (using a collective singular) rather than a common bed.

[11:7]  ³⁷ tn The syntax of vv. 6-7 is complex. In the Greek text Jesus’ words in v. 6 begin as a question. Some see Jesus’ question ending at v. 6, but the reply starting in v. 8 favors extending the question through the entire illustration. The translation breaks up the long sentence at the beginning of v. 7 and translates Jesus’ words as a statement for reasons of English style.

[11:8]  ³⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man in bed in the house) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:8]  ³⁹ tn Grk “his”; the referent (the first man mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:8]  ⁴⁰ tn The term ἀναίδεια (anaideia) is hard to translate. It refers to a combination of ideas, a boldness that persists over time, or “audacity,” which comes close. It most likely describes the one making the request, since the unit’s teaching is an exhortation about persistence in prayer. Some translate the term “shamelessness” which is the term’s normal meaning, and apply it to the neighbor as an illustration of God responding for the sake of his honor. But the original question was posed in terms of the first man who makes the request, not of the neighbor, so the teaching underscores the action of the one making the request.

[11:9]  ⁴¹ tn Here καί (kai, from καγώ [kagw]) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion drawn from the preceding parable.

[11:9]  ⁴² sn The three present imperatives in this verse (Ask…seek…knock) are probably intended to call for a repeated or continual approach before God.

[11:9]  ⁴³ tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:10]  ⁴⁴ sn The actions of asking, seeking, and knocking are repeated here from v. 9 with the encouragement that God does respond.

[11:10]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[11:11]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

[11:11]  ⁴⁷ tc Most mss (א A C D L W Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat sy^c,p,h bo) have “bread, does not give him a stone instead, or” before “a fish”; the longer reading, however, looks like a harmonization to Matt 7:9. The shorter reading is thus preferred, attested by Ì^45,75 B 1241 pc sy^s sa.

[11:11]  ⁴⁸ sn The snake probably refers to a water snake.

[11:12]  ⁴⁹ sn The two questions of vv. 11-12 expect the answer, “No father would do this!”

[11:13]  ⁵⁰ tn The participle ὑπάρχοντες (Juparconte") has been translated as a concessive participle.

[11:13]  ⁵¹ sn The provision of the Holy Spirit is probably a reference to the wisdom and guidance supplied in response to repeated requests. Some apply it to the general provision of the Spirit, but this would seem to look only at one request in a context that speaks of repeated asking. The teaching as a whole stresses not that God gives everything his children want, but that God gives the good that they need. The parallel account in Matthew (7:11) refers to good things where Luke mentions the Holy Spirit.

[18:1]  ⁵² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[18:1]  ⁵³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:1]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “should pray at all times” (L&N 67.88).

[18:1]  ⁵⁵ sn This is one of the few parables that comes with an explanation at the start: …they should always pray and not lose heart. It is part of Luke’s goal in encouraging Theophilus (1:4).

[18:2]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “lose heart, saying.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronominal subject “He.”

[18:2]  ⁵⁷ tn Or “town.”

[18:2]  ⁵⁸ sn The judge here is apparently portrayed as a civil judge who often handled financial cases.

[18:2]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:3]  ⁶⁰ sn This widow was not necessarily old, since many people lived only into their thirties in the 1st century.

[18:3]  ⁶¹ tn Or “town.”

[18:3]  ⁶² tn This is an iterative imperfect; the widow did this on numerous occasions.

[18:4]  ⁶³ tn Grk “And for.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:4]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “after these things.”

[18:4]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.

[18:5]  ⁶⁶ tn The term ὑπωπιάζω (Jupwpiazw) in this context means “to wear someone out by continual annoying” (L&N 25.245).

[18:5]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “by her continual coming,” but the point of annoyance to the judge is her constant pleas for justice (v. 3).

[18:6]  ⁶⁸ sn Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! The point of the parable is that the judge’s lack of compassion was overcome by the widow’s persistence.

[18:7]  ⁶⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[18:7]  ⁷⁰ sn The prayers have to do with the righteous who cry out to him to receive justice. The context assumes the righteous are persecuted.

[18:7]  ⁷¹ tn The emphatic particles in this sentence indicate that God will indeed give justice to the righteous.

[18:7]  ⁷² sn The issue of delay has produced a whole host of views for this verse. (1) Does this assume provision to endure in the meantime? Or (2) does it mean God restricts the level of persecution until he comes? Either view is possible.

[18:8]  ⁷³ tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.

[18:8]  ⁷⁴ sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.

[18:9]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “He”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:9]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “and despised.” This is a second parable with an explanatory introduction.

[18:10]  ⁷⁷ sn The temple is on a hill in Jerusalem, so one would go up to enter its precincts.

[18:10]  ⁷⁸ sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

[18:10]  ⁷⁹ sn See the note on tax collectors in 3:12.

[18:11]  ⁸⁰ tn Or “stood by himself and prayed like this.” The prepositional phrase πρὸς ἑαυτόν (pros eauton, “to/about himself”) could go with either the aorist participle σταθείς (staqeis, “stood”) or with the imperfect verb προσηύχετο (proshuceto, “he prayed”). If taken with the participle, then the meaning would seem at first glance to be: “stood ‘by himself’,” or “stood ‘alone’.” Now it is true that πρός can mean “by” or “with” when used with intransitive verbs such as ἵστημι ({isthmi, “I stand”; cf. BDAG 874 s.v. πρός 2.a), but πρὸς ἑαυτόν together never means “by himself” or “alone” in biblical Greek. On the other hand, if πρὸς ἑαυτόν is taken with the verb, then two different nuances emerge, both of which highlight in different ways the principal point Jesus seems to be making about the arrogance of this religious leader: (1) “prayed to himself,” but not necessarily silently, or (2) “prayed about himself,” with the connotation that he prayed out loud, for all to hear. Since his prayer is really a review of his moral résumé, directed both at advertising his own righteousness and exposing the perversion of the tax collector, whom he actually mentions in his prayer, the latter option seems preferable. If this is the case, then the Pharisee’s mention of God is really nothing more than a formality.

[18:11]  ⁸¹ sn The Pharisee’s prayer started out as a thanksgiving psalm to God, but the praise ended up not being about God.

[18:11]  ⁸² tn Here the plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is used as a generic and can refer to both men and women (NASB, NRSV, “people”; NLT, “everyone else”; NAB, “the rest of humanity”).

[18:11]  ⁸³ tn Or “swindlers” (BDAG 134 s.v. ἅρπαξ 2); see also Isa 10:2; Josephus, J. W. 6.3.4 [6.203].

[18:11]  ⁸⁴ sn A general category for “sinners” (1 Cor 6:9; Lev 19:3).

[18:11]  ⁸⁵ sn Note what the Pharisee assumes about the righteousness of this tax collector by grouping him with extortionists, unrighteous people, and adulterers.

[18:12]  ⁸⁶ sn The law only required fasting on the Day of Atonement. Such voluntary fasting as this practiced twice a week by the Pharisee normally took place on Monday and Thursday.

[18:12]  ⁸⁷ tn Or “I tithe.”

[18:13]  ⁸⁸ tn Grk “standing”; the Greek participle has been translated as a finite verb.

[18:13]  ⁸⁹ tn Grk “even lift up his eyes” (an idiom).

[18:13]  ⁹⁰ tn The prayer is a humble call for forgiveness. The term for mercy (ἱλάσκομαι, Jilaskomai) is associated with the concept of a request for atonement (BDAG 473-74 s.v. 1; Ps 51:1, 3; 25:11; 34:6, 18).

[18:13]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “the sinner.” The tax collector views himself not just as any sinner but as the worst of all sinners. See ExSyn 222-23.

[18:14]  ⁹² sn The prayer that was heard and honored was the one given with humility; in a surprising reversal it was the tax collector who went down to his home justified.

[18:14]  ⁹³ tn Grk “the other”; the referent (the Pharisee, v. 10) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:14]  ⁹⁴ sn Everyone who exalts himself. See Luke 14:11. Jesus often called for humility and condemned those who sought honor.

[18:15]  ⁹⁵ tn Grk “they.”

[18:15]  ⁹⁶ tn The term βρέφος (brefos) here can refer to babies or to toddlers (2:12, 16; Acts 7:19; 2 Tim 3:15; 1 Pet 2:2).

[18:15]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “so that he would touch them.” Here the touch is connected with (or conveys) a blessing (cf. Mark 10:16; also BDAG 126 s.v. ἅπτω 2.c).

[18:15]  ⁹⁸ tn Grk “the disciples began to scold them.” In the translation the referent has been specified as “those who brought them,” since otherwise the statement could be understood to mean that the disciples began scolding the children rather than their parents who brought them.

[18:16]  ⁹⁹ tn Grk “summoned them”; the referent (the children) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:16]  ¹⁰⁰ 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.

[18:16]  ¹⁰¹ sn The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Children are a picture of those whose simple trust illustrates what faith is all about. The remark illustrates how everyone is important to God, even those whom others regard as insignificant.

[18:17]  ¹⁰² tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[18:17]  ¹⁰³ sn On receive see John 1:12.

[18:17]  ¹⁰⁴ sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.

[18:17]  ¹⁰⁵ tn The negation in Greek used here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong.

[18:18]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[18:18]  ¹⁰⁷ sn Only Luke states this man is a ruler (cf. the parallels in Matt 19:16-22 and Mark 10:17-22, where the questioner is described only as “someone”). He is probably a civic leader of some kind, a leader in the society.

[18:18]  ¹⁰⁸ sn The rich man wanted to know what he must do to inherit eternal life, but Jesus had just finished teaching that eternal life was not earned but simply received (18:17). See the similar question about inheriting eternal life in Luke 10:25.

[18:19]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:19]  ¹¹⁰ sn Jesus’ response, Why do you call me good?, was designed to cause the ruler to stop and think for a moment about who Jesus really was. The following statement No one is good except God alone seems to point the man in the direction of Jesus’ essential nature and the demands which logically follow on the man for having said it.

[18:20]  ¹¹¹ sn A quotation from Exod 20:12-16 and Deut 5:16-20. Jesus cited the parts of the ten commandments that relate to how others should be treated.

[18:21]  ¹¹² tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the ruler mentioned in v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:21]  ¹¹³ tn Grk “kept.” The implication of this verb is that the man has obeyed the commandments without fail throughout his life, so the adverb “wholeheartedly” has been added to the translation to bring out this nuance.

[18:21]  ¹¹⁴ tn Grk “these things.” The referent of the pronoun (the laws mentioned by Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:21]  sn While the rich man was probably being sincere when he insisted I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws, he had confined his righteousness to external obedience. The rich man’s response to Jesus’ command to give away all he had revealed that internally he loved money more than God.

[18:21]  ¹¹⁵ sn Since my youth. Judaism regarded the age of thirteen as the age when a man would have become responsible to live by God’s commands.

[18:22]  ¹¹⁶ sn See Luke 14:33.

[18:22]  ¹¹⁷ tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[18:22]  ¹¹⁸ sn See Luke 1:50-53; 6:20-23; 14:12-14.

[18:22]  ¹¹⁹ sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward: …you will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.

[18:22]  ¹²⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the conversation.

[18:23]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:23]  ¹²² tn Or “very distressed” (L&N 25.277).

[18:24]  ¹²³ tc ‡ The phrase περίλυπον γενόμενον (perilupon genomenon, “[When Jesus saw him] becoming sad”) is found in the majority of mss (A [D] W Θ Ψ 078 ˹³ 33^vid Ï latt sy), and it is not unknown in Lukan style to repeat a word or phrase in adjacent passages (TCGNT 143). However, the phrase is lacking in some significant mss (א B L ˹ 579 1241 2542 co). The shorter reading is nevertheless difficult to explain if it is not original: It is possible that these witnesses omitted this phrase out of perceived redundancy from the preceding verse, although intentional omissions, especially by several and varied witnesses, are generally unlikely. NA²⁷ places the words in brackets, indicating doubts as to their authenticity.

[18:24]  tn Grk “him.”

[18:24]  ¹²⁴ sn For the rich it is hard for wealth not to be the point of focus, as the contrast in vv. 28-30 will show, and for rich people to trust God. Wealth was not an automatic sign of blessing as far as Jesus was concerned.

[18:24]  ¹²⁵ 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.

[18:25]  ¹²⁶ sn The eye of a needle refers to a sewing needle, one of the smallest items one might deal with on a regular basis, in contrast to the biggest animal of the region. (The gate in Jerusalem known as “The Needle’s Eye” was built during the middle ages and was not in existence in Jesus’ day.) Jesus is saying rhetorically that this is impossible, unless God (v. 27) intervenes.

[18:26]  ¹²⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of thought.

[18:26]  ¹²⁸ sn The assumption is that the rich are blessed, so if they risk exclusion, who is left to be saved?

[18:27]  ¹²⁹ sn The term impossible is in the emphatic position in the Greek text. God makes the impossible possible.

[18:27]  ¹³⁰ tn The plural Greek term ἄνθρωποις (anqrwpois) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NASB 1995 update, “people”). Because of the contrast here between mere mortals and God (“impossible for men…possible for God”) the phrase “mere humans” has been used in the translation.

[18:28]  ¹³¹ tn Or “left our homes,” “left our possessions”; Grk “left our own things.” The word ἴδιος (idios) can refer to one’s home (including the people and possessions in it) or to one’s property or possessions. Both options are mentioned in BDAG 467 s.v. 4.b. See also I. H. Marshall, Luke (NIGTC), 688; D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1488.

[18:28]  ¹³² tn Grk “We have left everything we own and followed you.” Koine Greek often used paratactic structure when hypotactic was implied.

[18:29]  ¹³³ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[18:29]  ¹³⁴ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:29]  ¹³⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[18:29]  ¹³⁶ tn The term “brothers” could be understood as generic here, referring to either male or female siblings. However, it is noteworthy that in the parallel passages in both Matt 19:29 and Mark 10:29, “sisters” are explicitly mentioned in the Greek text.

[18:30]  ¹³⁷ sn Jesus reassures his disciples with a promise that (1) much benefit in this life (many times more) and (2) eternal life in the age to come will be given.

[18:30]  ¹³⁸ tn Grk “this time” (καιρός, kairos), but for stylistic reasons this has been translated “this age” here.

[18:30]  ¹³⁹ sn Note that Luke (see also Matt 19:29; Mark 10:30; Luke 10:25) portrays eternal life as something one receives in the age to come, unlike John, who emphasizes the possibility of receiving eternal life in the present (John 5:24).

[18:31]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[18:31]  ¹⁴¹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:31]  ¹⁴² map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[18:31]  ¹⁴³ tn Or “fulfilled.” Jesus goes to Jerusalem by divine plan as the scripture records (Luke 2:39; 12:50; 22:37; Acts 13:29). See Luke 9:22, 44.

[18:32]  ¹⁴⁴ sn The passive voice verb be handed over does not indicate by whom, but other passages note the Jewish leadership and betrayal (9:22, 44).

[18:32]  ¹⁴⁵ sn See Luke 22:63; 23:11, 36.

[18:32]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Or “and insulted.” L&N 33.390 and 88.130 note ὑβρίζω (Jubrizw) can mean either “insult” or “mistreat with insolence.”

[18:32]  ¹⁴⁷ sn And spat on. Later Luke does not note this detail in the passion narrative in chaps. 22-23, but see Mark 14:65; 15:19; Matt 26:67; 27:30 where Jesus’ prediction is fulfilled.

[18:33]  ¹⁴⁸ tn Traditionally, “scourge” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1. states, “Of the beating (Lat. verberatio) given those condemned to death…J 19:1; cf. Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33.” Here the term has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (fragellow) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.

[18:33]  ¹⁴⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[18:34]  ¹⁵⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.

[18:34]  ¹⁵¹ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the twelve, v. 31) has been specified in the context for clarity.

[18:34]  ¹⁵² tn Grk “And this.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[18:34]  ¹⁵³ sn This failure of the Twelve to grasp what Jesus meant probably does not mean that they did not understand linguistically what Jesus said, but that they could not comprehend how this could happen to him, if he was really God’s agent. The saying being hidden probably refers to God’s sovereign timing.

[18:34]  ¹⁵⁴ tn Grk “the things having been said.” The active agent, Jesus, has been specified for clarity, and “said” has been translated as “meant” to indicate that comprehension of the significance is really in view here.

[18:35]  ¹⁵⁵ tn Grk “Now it happened that as.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[18:35]  ¹⁵⁶ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.

[18:35]  ¹⁵⁷ tn The phrase is “he drew near to” (19:29; 24:28). It is also possible the term merely means “is in the vicinity of.” Also possible is a reversal in the timing of the healing and Zacchaeus events for literary reasons as the blind man “sees” where the rich man with everything did not.

[18:35]  ¹⁵⁸ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

[18:37]  ¹⁵⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated. “They” could refer to bystanders or people in the crowd.

[18:38]  ¹⁶⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the blind man learning that Jesus was nearby.

[18:38]  ¹⁶¹ tn Grk “called out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.

[18:38]  ¹⁶² sn Jesus was more than a Nazarene to this blind person, who saw quite well that Jesus was Son of David. He understood what Luke 7:22-23 affirms. There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).

[18:38]  ¹⁶³ sn Have mercy on me is a request for healing (cf. 17:13). It is not owed the man. He simply asks for God’s kind grace.

[18:39]  ¹⁶⁴ sn That is, those who were at the front of the procession.

[18:39]  ¹⁶⁵ tn Or “rebuked.” The crowd’s view was that surely Jesus would not be bothered with someone as unimportant as a blind beggar.

[18:39]  ¹⁶⁶ sn Public opinion would not sway the blind man from getting Jesus’ attention. The term shouted is strong as it can be used of animal cries.

[18:40]  ¹⁶⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the beggar’s cries.

[18:40]  ¹⁶⁸ tn Grk “ordered him”; the referent (the blind beggar, v. 35) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:40]  ¹⁶⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the beggar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:40]  ¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:41]  ¹⁷¹ tn Grk “said.”

[18:41]  ¹⁷² tn Grk “Lord, that I may see [again].” The phrase can be rendered as an imperative of request, “Please, give me sight.” Since the man is not noted as having been blind from birth (as the man in John 9 was) it is likely the request is to receive back the sight he once had.

[18:42]  ¹⁷³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:42]  ¹⁷⁴ tn Or “Regain” (see the note on the phrase “let me see again” in the previous verse).

[18:42]  ¹⁷⁵ tn Grk “has saved you,” but in a nonsoteriological sense; the man has been delivered from his disability.

[18:43]  ¹⁷⁶ tn Or “received” (see the note on the phrase “let me see again” in v. 41).

[18:43]  ¹⁷⁷ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[18:43]  ¹⁷⁸ sn The presence of God’s work leads again to joy, with both the beggar and the people praising God (1:64; 2:20; 5:25-26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 19:37).

[18:43]  ¹⁷⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:43]  ¹⁸⁰ tn The word “too” has been supplied for stylistic reasons.

[1:14]  ¹⁸¹ sn Jesus’ brothers are mentioned in Matt 13:55 and John 7:3.

[2:42]  ¹⁸² sn Fellowship refers here to close association involving mutual involvement and relationships.

[2:42]  ¹⁸³ tn Grk “prayers.” This word was translated as a collective singular in keeping with English style.

[12:5]  ¹⁸⁴ tn Or “constantly.” This term also appears in Luke 22:14 and Acts 26:7.

[12:5]  ¹⁸⁵ tn Grk “but earnest prayer was being made by the church to God for him.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to follow English style, and the somewhat awkward passive “prayer was being made” has been changed to the simpler active verb “were praying.” Luke portrays what follows as an answer to prayer.

[12:2]  ¹⁸⁶ sn The expression executed with a sword probably refers to a beheading. James was the first known apostolic martyr (Eusebius, Eccl. Hist. 2.9.1-3). On James, not the Lord’s brother, see Luke 5:10; 6:14. This death ended a short period of peace noted in Acts 9:31 after the persecution mentioned in 8:1-3.

[6:18]  ¹⁸⁷ tn Both “pray” and “be alert” are participles in the Greek text (“praying…being alert”). Both are probably instrumental, loosely connected with all of the preceding instructions. As such, they are not additional commands to do but instead are the means through which the prior instructions are accomplished.

[6:18]  ¹⁸⁸ tn Grk “and toward it.”

[6:19]  ¹⁸⁹ tn To avoid a lengthy, convoluted sentence in English, the Greek sentence was broken up at this point and the verb “pray” was inserted in the English translation to pick up the participle προσευχόμενοι (proseuxomenoi, “praying”) in v. 18.

[6:19]  ¹⁹⁰ tn Grk “that a word may be given to me in the opening of my mouth.” Here “word” (λόγος, logo") is used in the sense of “message.”

[6:19]  ¹⁹¹ tn The infinitive γνωρίσαι (gnwrisai, “to make known”) is functioning epexegetically to further explain what the author means by the preceding phrase “that I may be given the message when I begin to speak.”

[4:7]  ¹⁹² tn Grk “will guard the hearts of you and the minds of you.” To improve the English style, the second occurrence of ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “of you”) has not been translated, since it is somewhat redundant in English.

[4:12]  ¹⁹³ tn See the note on “fellow slave” in 1:7.

[4:12]  ¹⁹⁴ tc ‡ Strong Alexandrian testimony, along with some other witnesses, suggests that ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) follows Χριστοῦ (Cristou, “Christ”; so א A B C I L 0278 33 81 365 629 1175 2464 al lat), but the evidence for the shorter reading is diverse (Ì⁴⁶ D F G Ψ 075 1739 1881 Ï it sy Hier), cutting across all major texttypes. There can be little motivation for omitting the name of Jesus; hence, the shorter reading is judged to be original. NA²⁷ has ᾿Ιησοῦ in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

[4:12]  ¹⁹⁵ tn Or “filled.”

[1:17]  ¹⁹⁶ tn BDAG 973 s.v. συνίστημι B.3 suggests “continue, endure, exist, hold together” here.

[5:7]  ¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “in the days of his flesh.”

[5:7]  ¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:7]  ¹⁹⁹ tn Grk “who…having offered,” continuing the description of Christ from Heb 5:5-6.

[5:15]  ²⁰⁰ tn Grk “it will be forgiven him.”

[5:16]  ²⁰¹ tn Or “the fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful”; Grk “is very powerful in its working.”

[5:1]  ²⁰² tn Or “wail”; Grk “crying aloud.”

[4:7]  ²⁰³ tn The prefixed vav on וְשַׁבְתִּי (vÿshavti, vav + perfect 1st person common singular from שׁוּב, shuv, “to turn”) might be: (1) introductory (and left untranslated): “I observed again…”; (2) consequence of preceding statement: “So I observed again…”; or (3) continuation of preceding statement: “And I observed again….”

[4:7]  ²⁰⁴ tn Heb “I turned and I saw…”; or “I again considered.” The Hebrew phrase וָאֶרְאֶה…וְשַׁבְתִּי (vÿshavti…va’er’eh, “I turned and I saw”) is a verbal hendiadys (the two verbs represent one common idea). Normally in a verbal hendiadys, the first verb functions adverbially, modifying the second verb which retains its full verbal force. The verb שׁוּב (shuv, “to turn”) is used idiomatically to denote repetition: “to return and do” = “to do again” (e.g., Gen 26:18; 30:31; 43:2) or “to do repeatedly” (e.g., Lam 3:3); see HALOT 1430 s.v. שׁוב 5; BDB 998 s.v. שׁוּב 8; GKC 386 §120.e: “I observed again” or “I repeatedly observed.” On the other hand, the shift from the perfect וְשַׁבְתִּי (vav + perfect 1st person common singular from שׁוּב, “to turn”) to the preterite וָאֶרְאֶה (vav + Qal preterite 1st person common singular from רָאָה, ra’ah, “to see”) might indicate a purpose clause: “I turned [my mind] to consider….” The preterite וָאֶרְאֶה follows the perfect וְשַׁבְתִּי. When a wayyiqtol form (vav + preterite) follows a perfect in reference to a past-time situation, the preterite also represents a past-time situation. Its aspect is based on the preceding perfect. In this context, the perfect and preterite may denote definite past or indefinite past action (“I turned and considered …” as hendiadys for “I observed again” or “I repeatedly observed”) or past telic action (“I turned [my mind] to consider…”). See IBHS 554-55 §33.3.1a.

[4:7]  ²⁰⁵ tn The word “another” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[4:7]  ²⁰⁶ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[4:1]  ²⁰⁷ tn The prefixed vav on וְשַׁבְתִּי (vÿshavti, vav + perfect 1st person common singular from שׁוּב, shuv, “to turn”) might be: (1) introductory (and left untranslated): “I observed again”; (2) consequence of preceding statement: “So I observed again”; or (3) continuation of preceding statement: “And I observed again.”

[4:1]  sn This section is closely related to the preceding: Qoheleth’s observation of oppression (4:1-3) links back to his previous observation of oppression and injustice (3:16). It stands in stark contrast with his admonition for man to enjoy life on earth as the reward for one’s work (3:22). Now, Qoheleth turns his attention to consider the sorry fate of those who are not able to enjoy life on earth and their work because of oppression (4:1-3), over-obsessive competitiveness (4:4-6), and loneliness (4:7-12).

[4:1]  ²⁰⁸ tn Heb “I turned and I saw.” The phrase וָאֶרְאֶה…וְשַׁבְתִּי (vÿshavti… va’er’eh, “I turned and I saw”) is a verbal hendiadys (the two verbs represent one common idea). Normally in a verbal hendiadys, the first verb functions adverbially, modifying the second verb which retains its full verbal force. The verb וְשַׁבְתִּי (vav + perfect 1st person common singular from שׁוּב “to turn”) is used idiomatically to denote repetition: “to return and do” = “to do again” (e.g., Gen 26:18; 30:31; 43:2) or “to do repeatedly” (e.g., Lam 3:3); see HALOT 1430 s.v. שׁוב 5; BDB 998 s.v. שׁוּב 8; GKC 386 §120.e: “I observed again” or “I repeatedly observed.” On the other hand, the shift from the perfect וְשַׁבְתִּי to the preterite וָאֶרְאֶה (vav + Qal preterite 1st person common singular from רָאָה, ra’ah, “to see”) might indicate a purpose clause: “I turned [my mind] to consider.” The preterite וָאֶרְאֶה follows the perfect וְשַׁבְתִּי. When a wayyiqtol form (vav + preterite) follows a perfect in reference to a past-time situation, the preterite also represents a past-time situation. Its aspect is based on the preceding perfect. In this context, the perfect and preterite may denote definite past or indefinite past action (“I turned and considered” as hendiadys for “I observed again” or “I repeatedly observed”) or past telic action (“I turned [my mind] to consider”). See IBHS 554-55 §33.3.1a.

[4:1]  ²⁰⁹ tn Heb “all the oppressions” or “all the oppression”; alternately, “all the various kinds of oppression.” The term עֹשֶׁק (’osheq) denotes “oppression,” e.g., Jer 6:6; 22:17; Ezek 18:18; 22:7, 12, 29; Pss 73:8; 119:134 (see HALOT 897 s.v. עֹשֶׁק 1; BDB 799 s.v. עֹשֶׁק 1). It occurs several times in the book, always in reference to personal rather than national oppression (4:1; 5:8 ET [5:7 HT]; 7:7). The noun הָעֲשֻׁקִים (ha’ashuqim) is plural and articular (Heb “the oppressions”). The article indicates a generic class (“oppression”). The plural may be classified in one of two ways: (1) a plural of number, which refers to specific kinds of oppression that occur on earth: “the various kinds of oppression”; (2) an abstract plural, which is used to refer to abstract concepts: “the oppression”; or (3) a plural of intensity, which describes the oppression at hand as particularly grievous: “awful oppression” or “severe oppression.” The LXX renders it as a plural of number: συκοφαντίας (sukofantias, “oppressions”), as does the Vulgate. Most English versions treat it as a plural of number: “the oppressions” (KJV, ASV, NAB, RSV, NRSV, MLB, YLT); however, a few treat it as an abstract plural: “the oppression” (NJPS, NIV, Moffatt).

[4:1]  ²¹⁰ tn Heb “is done.” The term נַעֲשִׂים (na’asim, Niphal participle mpl from עָשַׂה, ’asah, “to do”) is a probably a verbal use of the participle rather than a substantival use (NEB: “all the acts of oppression”). This verbal use of the participle depicts durative or universal gnomic action. It emphasizes the lamentable continuity of oppression throughout human history. The English versions translate it variously: “[all the oppressions that] are done” (KJV, ASV, Douay, YLT), “[all the oppression] that goes on” (NJPS, Moffatt), “[all the oppressions] that are practiced” (RSV, NRSV), “[all the oppressions] that occur” (MLB), “[all the acts of oppression] which were being done” (NASB), “[all the oppressions] that take place” (NAB), “[all the oppression] that was taking place” (NIV).

[4:1]  ²¹¹ tn Heb “under the sun.”

[4:1]  ²¹² tn Heb “and behold.” The deictic particle וְהִנֵּה (vÿhinneh, “and behold!”) often occurs after verbs of perceiving, such as רָאָה, ra’ah, “to see” (e.g., Gen 19:28; 22:13; Exod 3:2; Lev 13:8). It introduces the content of what the character or speaker saw (HALOT 252 s.v. הִנֵּה 8). It is used for rhetorical emphasis, to draw attention to the following statement (e.g., Gen 1:29; 17:20; Num 22:32; Job 1:19; cf. HALOT 252 s.v. 5). It often introduces something surprising or unexpected (e.g., Gen 29:6; Num 25:6; cf. HALOT 252 s.v. 6).

[4:1]  ²¹³ tn The term הָעֲשֻׁקִים (ha’ashuqim, Qal passive participle mpl from עָשַׁק, ’ashaq, “to oppress”) is a passive form, emphasizing that they are the objects of oppression at the hands of their oppressors. The participle functions as a noun, emphasizing the durative aspect of their condition and that this was the singular most characteristic attribute of this group of people: Their lives were marked by oppression.

[4:1]  ²¹⁴ tn Heb “the tear of the oppressed.” Alternately, “the oppressed [were in] tears.” The singular noun דִּמְעָה (dim’ah, “tear”) is used as a collective for “tears” (2 Kgs 20:5; Isa 16:9; 25:8; 38:5; Jer 8:23; 19:7; 13:17; 14:17; 31:16; Ezek 24:16; Mal 2:13; Pss 6:7; 39:13; 42:4; 56:9; 80:6; 116:8; 126:5; Lam 1:2; 2:18; Eccl 4:1); see HALOT 227 s.v. דִּמְעָה; BDB 199 s.v. דִּמְעָה. It is often used in reference to lamentation over calamity, distress, or oppression (e.g., Ps 6:7; Lam 1:2; 2:11; Jer 9:17; 13:17; 14:17). The LXX translated it as singular δάκρουν (dakroun, “the tear”); however, the Vulgate treated it as a collective (“the tears”). Apart from the woodenly literal YLT (“the tear”), the major English versions render this as a collective: “the tears” or “tears” (KJV, ASV, NEB, NAB, NASB, RSV, NRSV, NJPS, MLB, NIV). The term דִּמְעָה functions as a metonymy of association for “weeping” (e.g., Isa 16:9; 8:23): “the oppressed [were weeping with] tears.” The genitive construct דִּמְעָת הָעֲשֻׁקִים (dim’at ha’ashuqim, literally, “tear of the oppressed”) is a subjective genitive construction, that is, the oppressed are weeping. The singular דִּמְעָת (dim’at, “tear”) is used as a collective for “tears.” This entire phrase, however, is still given a woodenly literal translation by most English versions: “the tears of the oppressed” (NEB, NAB, ASV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, MLB, NIV, NJPS). Some paraphrases attempt to fill out the meaning, e.g., “the oppressed were in tears” (Moffatt).

[4:1]  ²¹⁵ tn Heb “comforts.” The verb נָחַם (nakham, “to comfort”) is used as a metonymy of effect (i.e., comfort) for cause (i.e., deliverance), e.g., it is used in parallelism with גָאַל (ga’al, “to deliver”) in Isa 52:9 (see E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 560-67).

[4:1]  ²¹⁶ tn Heb “from the hand of their oppressors is power.”

[5:14]  ²¹⁷ tn Since this is a prohibition with a present imperative, the translation “stop sinning” is sometimes suggested. This is not likely, however, since the present tense is normally used in prohibitions involving a general condition (as here) while the aorist tense is normally used in specific instances. Only when used opposite the normal usage (the present tense in a specific instance, for example) would the meaning “stop doing what you are doing” be appropriate.

[5:15]  ²¹⁸ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” See the note on the phrase “Jewish leaders” in v. 10.