Matius 21:31-32

21:31 Which of the two did his father’s will?” They said, “The first.” ¹  Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, ²  tax collectors ³  and prostitutes will go ahead of you into the kingdom of God! 21:32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe. Although ⁴  you saw this, you did not later change your minds ⁵  and believe him.

Lukas 11:52

11:52 Woe to you experts in religious law! You have taken away ⁶  the key to knowledge! You did not go in yourselves, and you hindered ⁷  those who were going in.”

Yohanes 7:46-52

7:46 The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!” 7:47 Then the Pharisees answered, ⁸  “You haven’t been deceived too, have you? ⁹  7:48 None of the rulers ¹⁰  or the Pharisees have believed in him, have they? ¹¹  7:49 But this rabble ¹²  who do not know the law are accursed!”

7:50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus ¹³  before and who was one of the rulers, ¹⁴  said, ¹⁵  7:51 “Our law doesn’t condemn ¹⁶  a man unless it first hears from him and learns ¹⁷  what he is doing, does it?” ¹⁸  7:52 They replied, ¹⁹  “You aren’t from Galilee too, are you? ²⁰  Investigate carefully and you will see that no prophet ²¹  comes from Galilee!”

Yohanes 9:22

9:22 (His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. ²²  For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus ²³  to be the Christ ²⁴  would be put out ²⁵  of the synagogue. ²⁶ 

Yohanes 9:24

9:24 Then they summoned ²⁷  the man who used to be blind ²⁸  a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth. ²⁹  We know that this man ³⁰  is a sinner.”

Yohanes 9:34

9:34 They replied, ³¹  “You were born completely in sinfulness, ³²  and yet you presume to teach us?” ³³  So they threw him out.

Kisah Para Rasul 4:17-18

4:17 But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more ³⁴  to anyone in this name.” 4:18 And they called them in and ordered ³⁵  them not to speak or teach at all in the name ³⁶  of Jesus.

Kisah Para Rasul 5:28

5:28 saying, “We gave ³⁷  you strict orders ³⁸  not to teach in this name. ³⁹  Look, ⁴⁰  you have filled Jerusalem ⁴¹  with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood ⁴²  on us!”

Kisah Para Rasul 5:40

5:40 and they summoned the apostles and had them beaten. ⁴³  Then ⁴⁴  they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus and released them.

Kisah Para Rasul 8:1

8:1 And Saul agreed completely with killing ⁴⁵  him.

Saul Begins to Persecute the Church

Now on that day a great ⁴⁶  persecution began ⁴⁷  against the church in Jerusalem, ⁴⁸  and all ⁴⁹  except the apostles were forced to scatter throughout the regions ⁵⁰  of Judea and Samaria.

Kisah Para Rasul 13:8

13:8 But the magician Elymas ⁵¹  (for that is the way his name is translated) ⁵²  opposed them, trying to turn the proconsul ⁵³  away from the faith.

Kisah Para Rasul 13:1

The Church at Antioch Commissions Barnabas and Saul

13:1 Now there were these prophets and teachers in the church at Antioch: ⁵⁴  Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, ⁵⁵  Lucius the Cyrenian, ⁵⁶  Manaen (a close friend of Herod ⁵⁷  the tetrarch ⁵⁸  from childhood ⁵⁹ ) and Saul.

Kisah Para Rasul 2:15-16

2:15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, ⁶⁰  for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ⁶¹  2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel: ⁶² 

Kisah Para Rasul 2:2

2:2 Suddenly ⁶³  a sound ⁶⁴  like a violent wind blowing ⁶⁵  came from heaven ⁶⁶  and filled the entire house where they were sitting.

Titus 3:8

Summary of the Letter

3:8 This saying ⁶⁷  is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on such truths, ⁶⁸  so that those who have placed their faith in God may be intent on engaging in good works. These things are good and beneficial for all people.

Titus 1:15

1:15 All is pure to those who are pure. But to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their minds and consciences are corrupted.

[21:31]  ¹ tc Verses 29-31 involve a rather complex and difficult textual problem. The variants cluster into three different groups: (1) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. The second son is called the one who does his father’s will. This reading is found in the Western mss (D it). But the reading is so hard as to be nearly impossible. One can only suspect some tampering with the text, extreme carelessness on the part of the scribe, or possibly a recognition of the importance of not shaming one’s parent in public. (Any of these reasons is not improbable with this texttype, and with codex D in particular.) The other two major variants are more difficult to assess. Essentially, the responses make sense (the son who does his father’s will is the one who changes his mind after saying “no”): (2) The first son says “no” and later has a change of heart, and the second son says “yes” but does not go. But here, the first son is called the one who does his father’s will (unlike the Western reading). This is the reading found in (א) C L W (Z) 0102 0281 ˹ 33 Ï and several versional witnesses. (3) The first son says “yes” but does not go, and the second son says “no” but later has a change of heart. This is the reading found in B Θ Ë¹³ 700 and several versional witnesses. Both of these latter two readings make good sense and have significantly better textual support than the first reading. The real question, then, is this: Is the first son or the second the obedient one? If one were to argue simply from the parabolic logic, the second son would be seen as the obedient one (hence, the third reading). The first son would represent the Pharisees (or Jews) who claim to obey God, but do not (cf. Matt 23:3). This accords well with the parable of the prodigal son (in which the oldest son represents the unbelieving Jews). Further, the chronological sequence of the second son being obedient fits well with the real scene: Gentiles and tax collectors and prostitutes were not, collectively, God’s chosen people, but they did repent and come to God, while the Jewish leaders claimed to be obedient to God but did nothing. At the same time, the external evidence is weaker for this reading (though stronger than the first reading), not as widespread, and certainly suspect because of how neatly it fits. One suspects scribal manipulation at this point. Thus the second reading looks to be superior to the other two on both external and transcriptional grounds. But what about intrinsic evidence? One can surmise that Jesus didn’t always give predictable responses. In this instance, he may well have painted a picture in which the Pharisees saw themselves as the first son, only to stun them with his application (v. 32).

[21:31]  ² tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[21:31]  ³ sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.

[21:32]  ⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[21:32]  ⁵ sn The word translated change your minds is the same verb used in v. 29 (there translated had a change of heart). Jesus is making an obvious comparison here, in which the religious leaders are viewed as the disobedient son.

[11:52]  ⁶ sn You have taken away the key to knowledge is another stinging rebuke. They had done the opposite of what they were trying to do.

[11:52]  ⁷ tn Or “you tried to prevent.”

[7:47]  ⁸ tn Grk “answered them.”

[7:47]  ⁹ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have you?”).

[7:48]  ¹⁰ sn The chief priests and Pharisees (John 7:45) is a comprehensive term for the groups represented in the ruling council (the Sanhedrin) as in John 7:45; 18:3; Acts 5:22, 26. Likewise the term ruler here denotes a member of the Sanhedrin, the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews. Note the same word (“ruler”) is used to describe Nicodemus in John 3:1, and Nicodemus also speaks up in this episode (John 7:50).

[7:48]  ¹¹ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “have they?”).

[7:49]  ¹² tn Grk “crowd.” “Rabble” is a good translation here because the remark by the Pharisees is so derogatory.

[7:50]  ¹³ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:50]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “who was one of them”; the referent (the rulers) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:50]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “said to them.”

[7:51]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “judge.”

[7:51]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “knows.”

[7:51]  ¹⁸ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “does it?”).

[7:52]  ¹⁹ tn Grk “They answered and said to him.”

[7:52]  ²⁰ tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are you?”).

[7:52]  ²¹ tc At least one early and important ms (Ì^66*) places the article before “prophet” (ὁ προφήτης, Jo profhths), making this a reference to the “prophet like Moses” mentioned in Deut 18:15.

[7:52]  tn This claim by the leaders presents some difficulty, because Jonah had been from Gath Hepher, in Galilee (2 Kgs 14:25). Also the Babylonian Talmud later stated, “There was not a tribe in Israel from which there did not come prophets” (b. Sukkah 27b). Two explanations are possible: (1) In the heat of anger the members of the Sanhedrin overlooked the facts (this is perhaps the easiest explanation). (2) This anarthrous noun is to be understood as a reference to the prophet of Deut 18:15 (note the reading of Ì⁶⁶ which is articular), by this time an eschatological figure in popular belief. This would produce in the text of John’s Gospel a high sense of irony indeed, since the religious authorities by their insistence that “the Prophet” could not come from Galilee displayed their true ignorance of where Jesus came from on two levels at once (Bethlehem, his birthplace, the fulfillment of Mic 5:2, but also heaven, from which he was sent by the Father). The author does not even bother to refute the false attestation of Jesus’ place of birth as Galilee (presumably Christians knew all too well where Jesus came from).

[9:22]  ²² tn Or “the Jewish religious authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Twice in this verse the phrase refers to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. The second occurrence is shortened to “the Jewish leaders” for stylistic reasons. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish religious leaders” in v. 18.

[9:22]  ²³ tn Grk “confessed him.”

[9:22]  ²⁴ tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).

[9:22]  sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.

[9:22]  ²⁵ tn Or “would be expelled from.”

[9:22]  ²⁶ sn This reference to excommunication from the Jewish synagogue for those who had made some sort of confession about Jesus being the Messiah is dismissed as anachronistic by some (e.g., Barrett) and nonhistorical by others. In later Jewish practice there were at least two forms of excommunication: a temporary ban for thirty days, and a permanent ban. But whether these applied in NT times is far from certain. There is no substantial evidence for a formal ban on Christians until later than this Gospel could possibly have been written. This may be a reference to some form of excommunication adopted as a contingency to deal with those who were proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah. If so, there is no other record of the procedure than here. It was probably local, limited to the area around Jerusalem. See also the note on synagogue in 6:59.

[9:24]  ²⁷ tn Grk “they called.”

[9:24]  ²⁸ tn Grk “who was blind.”

[9:24]  ²⁹ tn Grk “Give glory to God” (an idiomatic formula used in placing someone under oath to tell the truth).

[9:24]  ³⁰ tn The phrase “this man” is a reference to Jesus.

[9:34]  ³¹ tn Grk “They answered and said to him.” This has been simplified in the translation to “They replied.”

[9:34]  ³² tn Or “From birth you have been evil.” The implication of this insult, in the context of John 9, is that the man whom Jesus caused to see had not previously adhered rigorously to all the conventional requirements of the OT law as interpreted by the Pharisees. Thus he had no right to instruct them about who Jesus was.

[9:34]  ³³ tn Grk “and are you teaching us?”

[4:17]  ³⁴ tn Or “speak no longer.”

[4:18]  ³⁵ tn Or “commanded.”

[4:18]  ³⁶ sn In the name of Jesus. Once again, the “name” reflects the person. The person of Jesus and his authority is the “troubling” topic that, as far as the Jewish leadership is concerned, needs controlling.

[5:28]  ³⁷ tc ‡ The majority of mss, including a few important witnesses (א² D E [Ψ] 1739 Ï sy sa), have the negative particle οὐ (ou) here, effectively turning the high priest’s words into a question: “Did we not give you strict orders not to teach in this name?” But the earliest and most important mss, along with some others (Ì⁷⁴ א* A B 1175 lat bo), lack the particle, making this a strong statement rather than a question. Scribes may have been tempted to omit the particle to strengthen the contrast between official Judaism and the new faith, but the fact that v. 27 introduces the quotation with ἐπηρώτησεν (ephrwthsen, “he questioned”) may well have prompted scribes to add οὐ to convert the rebuke into a question. Further, that excellent witnesses affirm the shorter reading is sufficient ground for accepting it as most probably authentic. NA²⁷ includes the particle in brackets, indicating some doubt as to its authenticity.

[5:28]  ³⁸ tn Grk “We commanded you with a commandment” (a Semitic idiom that is emphatic).

[5:28]  ³⁹ sn The name (i.e., person) of Jesus is the constant issue of debate.

[5:28]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “And behold.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, καί (kai) has not been translated here.

[5:28]  ⁴¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[5:28]  ⁴² sn To bring this man’s blood on us is an idiom meaning “you intend to make us guilty of this man’s death.”

[5:40]  ⁴³ sn Had them beaten. The punishment was the “forty lashes minus one,” see also Acts 22:19; 2 Cor 11:24; Mark 13:9. The apostles had disobeyed the religious authorities and took their punishment for their “disobedience” (Deut 25:2-3; m. Makkot 3:10-14). In Acts 4:18 they were warned. Now they are beaten. The hostility is rising as the narrative unfolds.

[5:40]  ⁴⁴ tn The word “Then” is supplied as the beginning of a new sentence in the translation. The construction in Greek has so many clauses (most of them made up of participles) that a continuous English sentence would be very awkward.

[8:1]  ⁴⁵ tn The term ἀναίρεσις (anairesi") can refer to murder (BDAG 64 s.v.; 2 Macc 5:13; Josephus, Ant. 5.2.12 [5.165]).

[8:1]  ⁴⁶ tn Or “severe.”

[8:1]  ⁴⁷ tn Grk “Now there happened on that day a great persecution.” It is less awkward to say in English “Now on that day a great persecution began.”

[8:1]  ⁴⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[8:1]  ⁴⁹ sn All. Given that the Jerusalem church is still active after this and that the Hellenists are the focus of Acts 6-8, it is possible to argue that only the Hellenistic Christians were forced to scatter.

[8:1]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “countryside.”

[13:8]  ⁵¹ tn On the debate over what the name “Elymas” means, see BDAG 320 s.v. ᾿Ελύμας. The magician’s behavior is more directly opposed to the faith than Simon Magus’ was.

[13:8]  ⁵² sn A parenthetical note by the author.

[13:8]  ⁵³ sn The proconsul was the Roman official who ruled over a province traditionally under the control of the Roman senate.

[13:1]  ⁵⁴ sn Antioch was a city in Syria (not Antioch in Pisidia).

[13:1]  map For location see JP1 F2; JP2 F2; JP3 F2; JP4 F2.

[13:1]  ⁵⁵ sn Simeon may well have been from North Africa, since the Latin loanword Niger refers to someone as “dark-complexioned.”

[13:1]  ⁵⁶ sn The Cyrenian refers to a native of the city of Cyrene, on the coast of northern Africa west of Egypt.

[13:1]  ⁵⁷ sn Herod is generally taken as a reference to Herod Antipas, who governed Galilee from 4 b.c. to a.d. 39, who had John the Baptist beheaded, and who is mentioned a number of times in the gospels.

[13:1]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “the governor.”

[13:1]  sn A tetrarch was a ruler with rank and authority lower than a king, who ruled only with the approval of the Roman authorities. This was roughly equivalent to being governor of a region. Several times in the NT, Herod tetrarch of Galilee is called a king (Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29), reflecting popular usage.

[13:1]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “(a foster brother of Herod the tetrarch).” The meaning “close friend from childhood” is given by L&N 34.15, but the word can also mean “foster brother” (L&N 10.51). BDAG 976 s.v. σύντροφας states, “pert. to being brought up with someone, either as a foster-brother or as a companion/friend,” which covers both alternatives. Context does not given enough information to be certain which is the case here, although many modern translations prefer the meaning “close friend from childhood.”

[2:15]  ⁶⁰ tn Grk “These men are not drunk, as you suppose.”

[2:15]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “only the third hour.”

[2:16]  ⁶² sn Note how in the quotation that follows all genders, ages, and classes are included. The event is like a hope Moses expressed in Num 11:29.

[2:2]  ⁶³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated for stylistic reasons. It occurs as part of the formula καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto) which is often left untranslated in Luke-Acts because it is redundant in contemporary English. Here it is possible (and indeed necessary) to translate ἐγένετο as “came” so that the initial clause of the English translation contains a verb; nevertheless the translation of the conjunction καί is not necessary.

[2:2]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “a noise.”

[2:2]  ⁶⁵ tn While φέρω (ferw) generally refers to movement from one place to another with the possible implication of causing the movement of other objects, in Acts 2:2 φέρομαι (feromai) should probably be understood in a more idiomatic sense of “blowing” since it is combined with the noun for wind (πνοή, pnoh).

[2:2]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “from the sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven” depending on the context.

[3:8]  ⁶⁷ sn This saying (Grk “the saying”) refers to the preceding citation (Titus 3:4-7). See 1 Tim 1:15; 3:1; 4:9; 2 Tim 2:11 for other occurrences of this phrase.

[3:8]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “concerning these things.”