Yesaya 18:3

18:3 All you who live in the world,

who reside on the earth,

you will see a signal flag raised on the mountains;

you will hear a trumpet being blown.

Yesaya 37:20

37:20 Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the Lord.” ¹ 

Yesaya 49:1

Ideal Israel Delivers the Exiles

49:1 Listen to me, you coastlands! ² 

Pay attention, you people who live far away!

The Lord summoned me from birth; ³ 

he commissioned me when my mother brought me into the world. ⁴ 

Yesaya 57:19

57:19 I am the one who gives them reason to celebrate. ⁵ 

Complete prosperity ⁶  is available both to those who are far away and those who are nearby,”

says the Lord, “and I will heal them.

Keluaran 15:14

15:14 The nations will hear ⁷  and tremble;

anguish ⁸  will seize ⁹  the inhabitants of Philistia.

Yosua 2:9-11

2:9 She said to the men, “I know the Lord is handing this land over to you. ¹⁰  We are absolutely terrified of you, ¹¹  and all who live in the land are cringing before ¹²  you. ¹³  2:10 For we heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan. ¹⁴  2:11 When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. ¹⁵  For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below!

Yosua 9:9-10

9:9 They told him, “Your subjects ¹⁶  have come from a very distant land because of the reputation ¹⁷  of the Lord your God, for we have heard the news about all he did in Egypt ¹⁸  9:10 and all he did to the two Amorite kings on the other side of the Jordan – King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan in Ashtaroth.

Yosua 9:1

The Gibeonites Deceive Israel

9:1 When the news reached all the kings on the west side of the Jordan ¹⁹  – in the hill country, the lowlands, ²⁰  and all along the Mediterranean coast ²¹  as far as ²²  Lebanon (including the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites) –

1 Samuel 17:46

17:46 This very day the Lord will deliver you into my hand! I will strike you down and cut off your head. This day I will give the corpses of the Philistine army to the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land. Then all the land will realize that Israel has a God

Mazmur 46:6-11

46:6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms are overthrown. ²³ 

God ²⁴  gives a shout, ²⁵  the earth dissolves. ²⁶ 

46:7 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! ²⁷ 

The God of Jacob ²⁸  is our protector! ²⁹  (Selah)

46:8 Come! Witness the exploits ³⁰  of the Lord,

who brings devastation to the earth! ³¹ 

46:9 He brings an end to wars throughout the earth; ³² 

he shatters ³³  the bow and breaks ³⁴  the spear;

he burns ³⁵  the shields with fire. ³⁶ 

46:10 He says, ³⁷  “Stop your striving and recognize ³⁸  that I am God!

I will be exalted ³⁹  over ⁴⁰  the nations! I will be exalted over ⁴¹  the earth!”

46:11 The Lord who commands armies is on our side! ⁴² 

The God of Jacob ⁴³  is our protector! ⁴⁴  (Selah)

Mazmur 48:10

48:10 The praise you receive as far away as the ends of the earth

is worthy of your reputation, O God. ⁴⁵ 

You execute justice! ⁴⁶ 

Mazmur 98:1-2

Psalm 98 ⁴⁷ 

A psalm.

98:1 Sing to the Lord a new song, ⁴⁸ 

for he performs ⁴⁹  amazing deeds!

His right hand and his mighty arm

accomplish deliverance. ⁵⁰ 

98:2 The Lord demonstrates his power to deliver; ⁵¹ 

in the sight of the nations he reveals his justice.

Daniel 3:27--4:3

3:27 Once the satraps, prefects, governors, and ministers of the king had gathered around, they saw that those men were physically ⁵²  unharmed by the fire. ⁵³  The hair of their heads was not singed, nor were their trousers damaged. Not even the smell of fire was to be found on them!

3:28 Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed, ⁵⁴  “Praised be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent forth his angel ⁵⁵  and has rescued his servants who trusted in him, ignoring ⁵⁶  the edict of the king and giving up their bodies rather than ⁵⁷  serve or pay homage to any god other than their God! 3:29 I hereby decree ⁵⁸  that any people, nation, or language group that blasphemes ⁵⁹  the god of Shadrach, Meshach, or Abednego will be dismembered and his home reduced to rubble! For there exists no other god who can deliver in this way.” 3:30 Then Nebuchadnezzar ⁶⁰  promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

4:1 (3:31) ⁶¹  “King Nebuchadnezzar, to all peoples, nations, and language groups that live in all the land: Peace and prosperity! ⁶²  4:2 I am delighted to tell you about the signs and wonders that the most high God has done for me.

4:3 “How great are his signs!

How mighty are his wonders!

His kingdom will last forever, ⁶³ 

and his authority continues from one generation to the next.”

Daniel 6:25-27

6:25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations, and language groups who were living in all the land: “Peace and prosperity! ⁶⁴  6:26 I have issued an edict that throughout all the dominion of my kingdom people are to revere and fear the God of Daniel.

“For he is the living God;

he endures forever.

His kingdom will not be destroyed;

his authority is forever. ⁶⁵ 

6:27 He rescues and delivers

and performs signs and wonders

in the heavens and on the earth.

He has rescued Daniel from the power ⁶⁶  of the lions!”

Kisah Para Rasul 2:5-11

2:5 Now there were devout Jews ⁶⁷  from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. ⁶⁸  2:6 When this sound ⁶⁹  occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, ⁷⁰  because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 2:7 Completely baffled, they said, ⁷¹  “Aren’t ⁷²  all these who are speaking Galileans? 2:8 And how is it that each one of us hears them ⁷³  in our own native language? ⁷⁴  2:9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, ⁷⁵  2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, ⁷⁶  and visitors from Rome, ⁷⁷  2:11 both Jews and proselytes, ⁷⁸  Cretans and Arabs – we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!” ⁷⁹ 

Efesus 2:11-18

New Life Corporately

2:11 Therefore remember that formerly you, the Gentiles in the flesh – who are called “uncircumcision” by the so-called “circumcision” that is performed on the body ⁸⁰  by human hands – 2:12 that you were at that time without the Messiah, ⁸¹  alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, ⁸²  having no hope and without God in the world. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who used to be far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ⁸³  2:14 For he is our peace, the one who made both groups into one ⁸⁴  and who destroyed the middle wall of partition, the hostility, 2:15 when he nullified ⁸⁵  in his flesh the law of commandments in decrees. He did this to create in himself one new man ⁸⁶  out of two, ⁸⁷  thus making peace, 2:16 and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. ⁸⁸  2:17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, 2:18 so that ⁸⁹  through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

[37:20]  ¹ tn The parallel text in 2 Kgs 19:19 reads, “that you, Lord, are the only God.”

[49:1]  ² tn Or “islands” (NASB, NIV); NLT “in far-off lands.”

[49:1]  sn The Lord’s special servant, introduced in chap. 42, speaks here of his commission.

[49:1]  ³ tn Heb “called me from the womb.”

[49:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “from the inner parts of my mother he mentioned my name.”

[57:19]  ⁵ tc The Hebrew text has literally, “one who creates fruit of lips.” Perhaps the pronoun אֲנִי (’ani) should be inserted after the participle; it may have been accidentally omitted by haplography: נוּב שְׂפָתָיִם[אֲנִי] בּוֹרֵא (bore’ [’ani] nuv sÿfatayim). “Fruit of the lips” is often understood as a metonymy for praise; perhaps it refers more generally to joyful shouts (see v. 18).

[57:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “Peace, peace.” The repetition of the noun emphasizes degree.

[15:14]  ⁷ tn This verb is a prophetic perfect, assuming that the text means what it said and this song was sung at the Sea. So all these countries were yet to hear of the victory.

[15:14]  ⁸ tn The word properly refers to “pangs” of childbirth. When the nations hear, they will be terrified.

[15:14]  ⁹ tn The verb is again a prophetic perfect.

[2:9]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “has given the land to you.” Rahab’s statement uses the Hebrew perfect, suggesting certitude.

[2:9]  ¹¹ tn Heb “terror of you has fallen upon us.”

[2:9]  ¹² tn Or “melting away because of.”

[2:9]  ¹³ tn Both of these statements are actually subordinated to “I know” in the Hebrew text, which reads, “I know that the Lord…and that terror of you…and that all the inhabitants….”

[2:10]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and what you did to the two Amorite kings who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, how you annihilated them.”

[2:11]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “And we heard and our heart[s] melted and there remained no longer breath in a man because of you.”

[9:9]  ¹⁶ tn Or “servants.”

[9:9]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “name.”

[9:9]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “the report about him, all that he did in Egypt.”

[9:1]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “When all the kings who were beyond the Jordan heard.”

[9:1]  ²⁰ tn Or “foothills”; Heb “the Shephelah.”

[9:1]  ²¹ tn Heb “all the coast of the Great Sea.” The “Great Sea” was the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.

[9:1]  ²² tn Heb “in front of.”

[46:6]  ²³ tn Heb “nations roar, kingdoms shake.” The Hebrew verb הָמָה (hamah, “roar, be in uproar”) is used in v. 3 of the waves crashing, while the verb מוֹט (mot, “overthrown”) is used in v. 2 of mountains tumbling into the sea (see also v. 5, where the psalm affirms that Jerusalem “cannot be moved”). The repetition of the verbs suggests that the language of vv. 2-3 is symbolic and depicts the upheaval that characterizes relationships between the nations of the earth. As some nations (symbolized by the surging, chaotic waters) show hostility, others (symbolized by the mountains) come crashing down to destruction. The surging waters are symbolic of chaotic forces in other poetic texts (see, for example, Isa 17:12; Jer 51:42) and mountains can symbolize strong kingdoms (see, for example, Jer 51:25).

[46:6]  ²⁴ tn Heb “He.” God is the obvious referent here (see v. 5), and has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[46:6]  ²⁵ tn Heb “offers his voice.” In theophanic texts the phrase refers to God’s thunderous shout which functions as a battle cry (see Pss 18:13; 68:33).

[46:6]  ²⁶ tn Or “melts.” See Amos 9:5. The image depicts the nation’s helplessness before Jerusalem’s defender, who annihilates their armies (see vv. 8-9). The imperfect verbal form emphasizes the characteristic nature of the action described.

[46:7]  ²⁷ tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

[46:7]  ²⁸ tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

[46:7]  ²⁹ tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).

[46:8]  ³⁰ sn In this context the Lord’s exploits are military in nature (see vv. 8b-9).

[46:8]  ³¹ tn Heb “who sets desolations in the earth” (see Isa 13:9). The active participle describes God’s characteristic activity as a warrior.

[46:9]  ³² tn Heb “[the] one who causes wars to cease unto the end of the earth.” The participle continues the description begun in v. 8b and indicates that this is the Lord’s characteristic activity. Ironically, he brings peace to the earth by devastating the warlike, hostile nations (vv. 8, 9b).

[46:9]  ³³ tn The verb שָׁבַר (shavar, “break”) appears in the Piel here (see Ps 29:5). In the OT it occurs thirty-six times in the Piel, always with multiple objects (the object is either a collective singular or grammatically plural or dual form). The Piel may highlight the repetition of the pluralative action, or it may suggest an intensification of action, indicating repeated action comprising a whole, perhaps with the nuance “break again and again, break in pieces.” Another option is to understand the form as resultative: “make broken” (see IBHS 404-7 §24.3). The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.

[46:9]  ³⁴ tn The perfect verbal form with vav (ו) consecutive carries along the generalizing emphasis of the preceding imperfect.

[46:9]  ³⁵ tn The imperfect verbal form carries on and emphasizes the generalizing nature of the description.

[46:9]  ³⁶ tn Heb “wagons he burns with fire.” Some read “chariots” here (cf. NASB), but the Hebrew word refers to wagons or carts, not chariots, elsewhere in the OT. In this context, where military weapons are mentioned, it is better to revocalize the form as עֲגִלוֹת (’agilot, “round shields”), a word which occurs only here in the OT, but is attested in later Hebrew and Aramaic.

[46:10]  ³⁷ tn The words “he says” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

[46:10]  ³⁸ tn Heb “do nothing/be quiet (see 1 Sam 15:16) and know.” This statement may be addressed to the hostile nations, indicating they should cease their efforts to destroy God’s people, or to Judah, indicating they should rest secure in God’s protection. Since the psalm is an expression of Judah’s trust and confidence, it is more likely that the words are directed to the nations, who are actively promoting chaos and are in need of a rebuke.

[46:10]  ³⁹ tn Elsewhere in the psalms the verb רוּם (rum, “be exalted”) when used of God, refers to his exalted position as king (Pss 18:46; 99:2; 113:4; 138:6) and/or his self-revelation as king through his mighty deeds of deliverance (Pss 21:13; 57:5, 11).

[46:10]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “among.”

[46:10]  ⁴¹ tn Or “in.”

[46:11]  ⁴² tn Heb “the Lord of hosts is with us.” The title “Lord of hosts” here pictures the Lord as a mighty warrior-king who leads armies into battle (see Ps 24:10). The military imagery is further developed in vv. 8-9.

[46:11]  ⁴³ tn That is, Israel, or Judah (see Ps 20:1).

[46:11]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “our elevated place” (see Pss 9:9; 18:2).

[48:10]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “like your name, O God, so [is] your praise to the ends of the earth.” Here “name” refers to God’s reputation and revealed character.

[48:10]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “your right hand is full of justice.” The “right hand” suggests activity and power.

[98:1]  ⁴⁷ sn Psalm 98. The psalmist summons the whole earth to praise God because he reveals his justice and delivers Israel.

[98:1]  ⁴⁸ sn A new song is appropriate because the Lord is constantly intervening in the world as its just king. See Ps 96:1.

[98:1]  ⁴⁹ tn The perfect verbal forms in vv. 1-3 are understood here as describing characteristic divine activities. Another option is to translate them as present perfects, “has performed…has accomplished deliverance, etc.” referring to completed actions that have continuing results.

[98:1]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “his right hand delivers for him and his holy arm.” The right hand and arm symbolize his power as a warrior-king (see Isa 52:10). His arm is “holy” in the sense that it is in a category of its own; God’s power is incomparable.

[98:2]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “makes known his deliverance.”

[3:27]  ⁵² tn Aram “in their bodies.”

[3:27]  ⁵³ tn Aram “the fire did not have power.”

[3:28]  ⁵⁴ tn Aram “answered and said.”

[3:28]  ⁵⁵ sn The king identifies the “son of the gods” (v. 25) as an angel. Comparable Hebrew expressions are used elsewhere in the Hebrew Bible for the members of God’s angelic assembly (see Gen 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7; Pss 29:1; 89:6). An angel later comes to rescue Daniel from the lions (Dan 6:22).

[3:28]  ⁵⁶ tn Aram “they changed” or “violated.”

[3:28]  ⁵⁷ tn Aram “so that they might not.”

[3:29]  ⁵⁸ tn Aram “from me is placed an edict.”

[3:29]  ⁵⁹ tn Aram “speaks negligence.”

[3:30]  ⁶⁰ tn Aram “and the king.” The proper name has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[4:1]  ⁶¹ sn Beginning with 4:1, the verse numbers through 4:37 in the English Bible differ from the verse numbers in the Aramaic text (BHS), with 4:1 ET = 3:31 AT, 4:2 ET = 3:32 AT, 4:3 ET = 3:33 AT, 4:4 ET = 4:1 AT, etc., through 4:37 ET = 4:34 AT. Thus Dan 3:31-33 of the Aramaic text appears as Dan 4:1-3 in the English Bible, and the corresponding verses of ch. 4 differ accordingly. In spite of the division of the Aramaic text, a good case can be made that 3:31-33 AT (= 4:1-3 ET) is actually the introduction to ch. 4.

[4:1]  ⁶² tn Aram “May your peace increase!”

[4:3]  ⁶³ tn Aram “his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.”

[6:25]  ⁶⁴ tn Aram “May your peace be increased!”

[6:26]  ⁶⁵ tn Aram “until the end.”

[6:27]  ⁶⁶ tn Aram “hand.”

[2:5]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “Jews, devout men.” It is possible that only men are in view here in light of OT commands for Jewish men to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem at various times during the year (cf. Exod 23:17, 34:23; Deut 16:16). However, other evidence seems to indicate that both men and women might be in view. Luke 2:41-52 shows that whole families would make the temporary trip to Jerusalem. In addition, it is probable that the audience consisted of families who had taken up permanent residence in Jerusalem. The verb κατοικέω (katoikew) normally means “reside” or “dwell,” and archaeological evidence from tombs in Jerusalem does indicate that many families immigrated to Jerusalem permanently (see B. Witherington, Acts, 135); this would naturally include women. Also, the word ἀνήρ (ajnhr), which usually does mean “male” or “man” (as opposed to woman), sometimes is used generically to mean “a person” (BDAG 79 s.v. 2; cf. Matt 12:41). Given this evidence, then, it is conceivable that the audience in view here is not individual male pilgrims but a mixed group of men and women.

[2:5]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “Now there were residing in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.”

[2:5]  map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[2:6]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “this noise.”

[2:6]  ⁷⁰ tn Or “was bewildered.”

[2:7]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “They were astounded and amazed, saying.” The two imperfect verbs, ἐξίσταντο (existanto) and ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon), show both the surprise and the confusion on the part of the hearers. The verb ἐξίσταντο (from ἐξίστημι, existhmi) often implies an illogical perception or response (BDAG 350 s.v. ἐξίστημι): “to be so astonished as to almost fail to comprehend what one has experienced” (L&N 25.218).

[2:7]  ⁷² tn Grk “Behold, aren’t all these.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[2:8]  ⁷³ tn Grk “we hear them, each one of us.”

[2:8]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “in our own language in which we were born.”

[2:9]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “Asia”; in the NT this always refers to the Roman province of Asia, made up of about one-third of the west and southwest end of modern Asia Minor. Asia lay to the west of the region of Phrygia and Galatia. The words “the province of” are supplied to indicate to the modern reader that this does not refer to the continent of Asia.

[2:10]  ⁷⁶ tn According to BDAG 595 s.v. Λιβύη, the western part of Libya, Libya Cyrenaica, is referred to here (see also Josephus, Ant. 16.6.1 [16.160] for a similar phrase).

[2:10]  ⁷⁷ map For location see JP4 A1.

[2:11]  ⁷⁸ sn Proselytes refers to Gentile (i.e., non-Jewish) converts to Judaism.

[2:11]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “God’s mighty works.” Here the genitive τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou) has been translated as a subjective genitive.

[2:11]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “in the flesh.”

[2:12]  ⁸¹ tn Or “without Christ.” Both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” Because the context refers to ancient Israel’s messianic expectation, “Messiah” was employed in the translation at this point rather than “Christ.”

[2:12]  ⁸² tn Or “covenants of the promise.”

[2:13]  ⁸³ tn Or “have come near in the blood of Christ.”

[2:13]  sn See the note on “his blood” in 1:7.

[2:14]  ⁸⁴ tn Grk “who made the both one.”

[2:15]  ⁸⁵ tn Or “rendered inoperative.” This is a difficult text to translate because it is not easy to find an English term which communicates well the essence of the author’s meaning, especially since legal terminology is involved. Many other translations use the term “abolish” (so NRSV, NASB, NIV), but this term implies complete destruction which is not the author’s meaning here. The verb καταργέω (katargew) can readily have the meaning “to cause someth. to lose its power or effectiveness” (BDAG 525 s.v. 2, where this passage is listed), and this meaning fits quite naturally here within the author’s legal mindset. A proper English term which communicates this well is “nullify” since this word carries the denotation of “making something legally null and void.” This is not, however, a common English word. An alternate term like “rendered inoperative [or ineffective]” is also accurate but fairly inelegant. For this reason, the translation retains the term “nullify”; it is the best choice of the available options, despite its problems.

[2:15]  ⁸⁶ tn In this context the author is not referring to a new individual, but instead to a new corporate entity united in Christ (cf. BDAG 497 s.v. καινός 3.b: “All the Christians together appear as κ. ἄνθρωπος Eph 2:15”). This is clear from the comparison made between the Gentiles and Israel in the immediately preceding verses and the assertion in v. 14 that Christ “made both groups into one.” This is a different metaphor than the “new man” of Eph 4:24; in that passage the “new man” refers to the new life a believer has through a relationship to Christ.

[2:15]  ⁸⁷ tn Grk “in order to create the two into one new man.” Eph 2:14-16 is one sentence in Greek. A new sentence was started here in the translation for clarity since contemporary English is less tolerant of extended sentences.

[2:16]  ⁸⁸ tn Grk “by killing the hostility in himself.”

[2:18]  ⁸⁹ tn Or “for.” BDAG gives the consecutive ὅτι (Joti) as a possible category of NT usage (BDAG 732 s.v. 5.c).