Mazmur 131:1-2

Psalm 131 ¹ 

A song of ascents, ²  by David.

131:1 O Lord, my heart is not proud,

nor do I have a haughty look. ³ 

I do not have great aspirations,

or concern myself with things that are beyond me. ⁴ 

131:2 Indeed ⁵  I am composed and quiet, ⁶ 

like a young child carried by its mother; ⁷ 

I am content like the young child I carry. ⁸ 

Yeremia 45:5

45:5 Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the Lord, affirm ⁹  that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity. ¹⁰  But I will allow you to escape with your life ¹¹  wherever you go.”’”

Matius 18:1-4

Questions About the Greatest

18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 18:2 He called a child, had him stand among them, 18:3 and said, “I tell you the truth, ¹²  unless you turn around and become like little children, ¹³  you will never ¹⁴  enter the kingdom of heaven! 18:4 Whoever then humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matius 20:21-28

20:21 He said to her, “What do you want?” She replied, ¹⁵  “Permit ¹⁶  these two sons of mine to sit, one at your ¹⁷  right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.” 20:22 Jesus ¹⁸  answered, “You don’t know what you are asking! ¹⁹  Are you able to drink the cup I am about to drink?” ²⁰  They said to him, “We are able.” ²¹  20:23 He told them, “You will drink my cup, ²²  but to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give. Rather, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”

20:24 Now ²³  when the other ten ²⁴  heard this, ²⁵  they were angry with the two brothers. 20:25 But Jesus called them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions use their authority over them. 20:26 It must not be this way among you! Instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, 20:27 and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave ²⁶  – 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom ²⁷  for many.”

Lukas 4:6-11

4:6 And he ²⁸  said to him, “To you ²⁹  I will grant this whole realm ³⁰  – and the glory that goes along with it, ³¹  for it has been relinquished ³²  to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. 4:7 So then, if ³³  you will worship ³⁴  me, all this will be ³⁵  yours.” 4:8 Jesus ³⁶  answered him, ³⁷  “It is written, ‘You are to worship ³⁸  the Lord ³⁹  your God and serve only him.’” ⁴⁰ 

4:9 Then ⁴¹  the devil ⁴²  brought him to Jerusalem, ⁴³  had him stand ⁴⁴  on the highest point of the temple, ⁴⁵  and said to him, “If ⁴⁶  you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 4:10 for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ ⁴⁷  4:11 and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” ⁴⁸ 

Lukas 22:24-27

22:24 A dispute also started ⁴⁹  among them over which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ⁵⁰  22:25 So ⁵¹  Jesus ⁵²  said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ ⁵³  22:26 Not so with you; ⁵⁴  instead the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader ⁵⁵  like the one who serves. ⁵⁶  22:27 For who is greater, the one who is seated at the table, ⁵⁷  or the one who serves? Is it not ⁵⁸  the one who is seated at the table? But I am among you as one ⁵⁹  who serves.

Lukas 22:1

Judas’ Decision to Betray Jesus

22:1 Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, ⁶⁰  which is called the Passover, was approaching.

Pengkhotbah 5:3

5:3 Just as dreams come when there are many cares, ⁶¹ 

so ⁶²  the rash vow ⁶³  of a fool occurs ⁶⁴  when there are many words.

Pengkhotbah 5:3

5:3 Just as dreams come when there are many cares, ⁶⁵ 

so ⁶⁶  the rash vow ⁶⁷  of a fool occurs ⁶⁸  when there are many words.

Yohanes 1:9

1:9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, ⁶⁹  was coming into the world. ⁷⁰ 

Wahyu 13:7-8

13:7 The beast ⁷¹  was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. ⁷²  He was given ruling authority ⁷³  over every tribe, people, ⁷⁴  language, and nation, 13:8 and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, ⁷⁵  everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world ⁷⁶  in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed. ⁷⁷ 

[131:1]  ¹ sn Psalm 131. The psalmist affirms his humble dependence on the Lord and urges Israel to place its trust in God.

[131:1]  ² sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.

[131:1]  ³ tn Heb “and my eyes are not lifted up.”

[131:1]  ⁴ tn Heb “I do not walk in great things, and in things too marvelous for me.”

[131:2]  ⁵ tn Or “but.”

[131:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “I make level and make quiet my soul.”

[131:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “like a weaned [one] upon his mother.”

[131:2]  ⁸ tn Heb “like the weaned [one] upon me, my soul.”

[45:5]  ⁹ tn Heb “oracle of the Lord.”

[45:5]  ¹⁰ sn Compare Jer 25:31, 33. The reference here to universal judgment also forms a nice transition to the judgments on the nations that follow in Jer 46-51 which may be another reason for the placement of this chapter here, out of its normal chronological order (see also the study note on v. 1).

[45:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “I will give you your life for a spoil.” For this idiom see the translator’s note on 21:9 and compare the usage in 21:9; 38:2; 39:18.

[18:3]  ¹² tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[18:3]  ¹³ sn The point of the comparison become like little children has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit, as well as willingness to be dependent and receive from others, than any inherent humility the child might possess.

[18:3]  ¹⁴ tn The negation in Greek (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong here.

[20:21]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “said to him.”

[20:21]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “Say that.”

[20:21]  ¹⁷ tc A majority of witnesses read σου (sou, “your”) here, perhaps for clarification. At the same time, it is possible that the pronoun dropped out through haplography or was excised because of perceived redundancy (there are two other such pronouns in the verse) by א B. Either way, the translation adds it due to the requirements of English style. NA²⁷ includes σου here.

[20:22]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “And answering, Jesus said.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[20:22]  ¹⁹ tn The verbs in Greek are plural here, indicating that Jesus is not answering the mother but has turned his attention directly to the two disciples.

[20:22]  ²⁰ tc Most mss (C W 33 Ï, as well as some versional and patristic authorities) in addition have “or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” But this is surely due to a recollection of the fuller version of this dominical saying found in Mark 10:38. The same mss also have the Lord’s response, “and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized” in v. 23, again due to the parallel in Mark 10:39. The shorter reading, in both v. 22 and v. 23, is to be preferred both because it better explains the rise of the other reading and is found in superior witnesses (א B D L Z Θ 085 Ë^1,13 pc lat, as well as other versional and patristic authorities).

[20:22]  ²¹ sn No more naïve words have ever been spoken as those found here coming from James and John, “We are able.” They said it with such confidence and ease, yet they had little clue as to what they were affirming. In the next sentence Jesus confirms that they will indeed suffer for his name.

[20:23]  ²² tc See the tc note on “about to drink” in v. 22.

[20:24]  ²³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[20:24]  ²⁴ tn Grk “the ten.”

[20:24]  ²⁵ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[20:27]  ²⁶ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.

[20:28]  ²⁷ sn The Greek word for ransom (λύτρον, lutron) is found here and in Mark 10:45 and refers to the payment of a price in order to purchase the freedom of a slave. The idea of Jesus as the “ransom” is that he paid the price with his own life by standing in our place as a substitute, enduring the judgment that we deserved for sin.

[4:6]  ²⁸ tn Grk “And the devil.”

[4:6]  ²⁹ sn In Greek, this phrase is in an emphatic position. In effect, the devil is tempting Jesus by saying, “Look what you can have!”

[4:6]  ³⁰ tn Or “authority.” BDAG 353 s.v. ἐξουσία 6 suggests, concerning this passage, that the term means “the sphere in which the power is exercised, domain.” Cf. also Luke 22:53; 23:7; Acts 26:18; Eph 2:2.

[4:6]  ³¹ tn The addendum referring to the glory of the kingdoms of the world forms something of an afterthought, as the following pronoun (“it”) makes clear, for the singular refers to the realm itself.

[4:6]  ³² tn For the translation of παραδέδοται (paradedotai) see L&N 57.77. The devil is erroneously implying that God has given him such authority with the additional capability of sharing the honor.

[4:7]  ³³ tn This is a third class condition: “If you worship me (and I am not saying whether you will or will not)…”

[4:7]  ³⁴ tn Or “will prostrate yourself in worship before…” The verb προσκυνέω (proskunew) can allude not only to the act of worship but the position of the worshiper. See L&N 53.56.

[4:7]  ³⁵ tn One could translate this phrase “it will all be yours.” The sense is the same, but the translation given is a touch more emphatic and more likely to catch the force of the offer.

[4:8]  ³⁶ tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:8]  ³⁷ tc Most mss, especially the later ones (A Θ Ψ 0102 ˹³ Ï it), have “Get behind me, Satan!” at the beginning of the quotation. This roughly parallels Matt 4:10 (though the Lukan mss add ὀπίσω μου to read ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, σατανᾶ [{upage opisw mou, satana]); for this reason the words are suspect as a later addition to make the two accounts agree more precisely. A similar situation occurred in v. 5.

[4:8]  ³⁸ tn Or “You will prostrate yourself in worship before…” The verb προσκυνέω (proskunew) can allude not only to the act of worship but the position of the worshiper. See L&N 53.56.

[4:8]  ³⁹ tc Most later mss (A Θ 0102 Ï) alter the word order by moving the verb forward in the quotation. This alteration removes the emphasis from “the Lord your God” as the one to receive worship (as opposed to Satan) by moving it away from the beginning of the quotation.

[4:8]  sn In the form of the quotation in the Greek text found in the best mss, it is the unique sovereignty of the Lord that has the emphatic position.

[4:8]  ⁴⁰ sn A quotation from Deut 6:13. The word “only” is an interpretive expansion not found in either the Hebrew or Greek (LXX) text of the OT.

[4:9]  ⁴¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[4:9]  ⁴² tn Grk “he”; the referent (the devil) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:9]  ⁴³ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[4:9]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “and stood him.”

[4:9]  ⁴⁵ sn The reference to the highest point of the temple probably refers to the one point on the temple’s southeast corner where the site looms directly over a cliff some 450 feet (135 m) high. However, some have suggested the reference could be to the temple’s high gate.

[4:9]  ⁴⁶ tn This is another first class condition, as in v. 3.

[4:10]  ⁴⁷ sn A quotation from Ps 91:11 by the devil. This was not so much an incorrect citation as a use in a wrong context (a misapplication of the passage).

[4:11]  ⁴⁸ sn A quotation from Ps 91:12.

[22:24]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “happened.”

[22:24]  ⁵⁰ tn Though the term μείζων (meizwn) here is comparative in form, it is superlative in sense (BDF §244).

[22:25]  ⁵¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the dispute among the apostles.

[22:25]  ⁵² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ⁵³ sn The title ‘benefactor,’ highlighting grace and meaning something like “helper of the people,” was even given to tyrants (2 Macc 4:2; 3 Macc 3:19; Josephus, J. W. 3.9.8 [3.459]).

[22:26]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “But you are not thus.”

[22:26]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “the ruler.”

[22:26]  ⁵⁶ sn And the leader like the one who serves. Leadership was not to be a matter of privilege and special status, but of service. All social status is leveled out by these remarks. Jesus himself is the prime example of the servant-leader.

[22:27]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “who reclines at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.

[22:27]  ⁵⁸ tn The interrogative particle used here in the Greek text (οὐχί, ouci) expects a positive reply.

[22:27]  ⁵⁹ sn Jesus’ example of humble service, as one who serves, shows that the standard for a disciple is different from that of the world. For an example see John 13:1-17.

[22:1]  ⁶⁰ sn The Feast of Unleavened Bread was a week long celebration that followed the day of Passover, so one name was used for both feasts (Exod 12:1-20; 23:15; 34:18; Deut 16:1-8).

[5:3]  ⁶¹ tn The term עִנְיַן (’inyan) means “business; affair; task; occupation” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן; BDB 775 s.v. עִנְיָן). HALOT nuances עִנְיַן בְּרֹב (bÿrov ‘inyan) as “excessive activity” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן). Here, it is used as a metonymy of cause (i.e., tasks) for effect (i.e., cares). The term is nuanced variously: (1) literal sense: “business” (KJV, ASV, YLT, NEB, RSV) and “effort” (NASB), and (2) metonymical: “cares” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), “concerns” (MLB, Douay), “worries” (Moffatt) and “brooding” (NJPS). The LXX mistakenly related עִנְיַן to the root II עָנַה (’anah) “to afflict,” and rendered it as πειρασμοῦ (peirasmou, “trial”).

[5:3]  ⁶² tn The juxtaposition of the two lines joined by vav (“just as…so…”) suggests a comparison (BDB 253 s.v. ו 1.j); see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 71, §437.

[5:3]  ⁶³ tn Heb “voice.” The Hebrew term קוֹל (qol, “voice”) is used as a metonymy of cause (i.e., voice) for the contents (i.e., the thing said), e.g., Gen 3:17; 4:23; Exod 3:18; 4:1, 9; Deut 1:45; 21:18, 20; 1 Sam 2:25; 8:7, 9; 2 Sam 12:18); see HALOT 1084 s.v. קוֹל 4.b; BDB 877 s.v. קוֹל 3.a; also E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 545–46. Contextually, this refers to a rash vow made by a fool who made a mistake in making it because he is unable to fulfill it.

[5:3]  ⁶⁴ tn The word “occurs” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[5:3]  ⁶⁵ tn The term עִנְיַן (’inyan) means “business; affair; task; occupation” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן; BDB 775 s.v. עִנְיָן). HALOT nuances עִנְיַן בְּרֹב (bÿrov ‘inyan) as “excessive activity” (HALOT 857 s.v. עִנְיָן). Here, it is used as a metonymy of cause (i.e., tasks) for effect (i.e., cares). The term is nuanced variously: (1) literal sense: “business” (KJV, ASV, YLT, NEB, RSV) and “effort” (NASB), and (2) metonymical: “cares” (NAB, NIV, NRSV), “concerns” (MLB, Douay), “worries” (Moffatt) and “brooding” (NJPS). The LXX mistakenly related עִנְיַן to the root II עָנַה (’anah) “to afflict,” and rendered it as πειρασμοῦ (peirasmou, “trial”).

[5:3]  ⁶⁶ tn The juxtaposition of the two lines joined by vav (“just as…so…”) suggests a comparison (BDB 253 s.v. ו 1.j); see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 71, §437.

[5:3]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “voice.” The Hebrew term קוֹל (qol, “voice”) is used as a metonymy of cause (i.e., voice) for the contents (i.e., the thing said), e.g., Gen 3:17; 4:23; Exod 3:18; 4:1, 9; Deut 1:45; 21:18, 20; 1 Sam 2:25; 8:7, 9; 2 Sam 12:18); see HALOT 1084 s.v. קוֹל 4.b; BDB 877 s.v. קוֹל 3.a; also E. W. Bullinger, Figures of Speech, 545–46. Contextually, this refers to a rash vow made by a fool who made a mistake in making it because he is unable to fulfill it.

[5:3]  ⁶⁸ tn The word “occurs” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[1:9]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “every man” (but in a generic sense, “every person,” or “every human being”).

[1:9]  ⁷⁰ tn Or “He was the true light, who gives light to everyone who comes into the world.” The participle ἐρχόμενον (ercomenon) may be either (1) neuter nominative, agreeing with τὸ φῶς (to fw"), or (2) masculine accusative, agreeing with ἄνθρωπον (anqrwpon). Option (1) results in a periphrastic imperfect with ἦν (hn), ἦν τὸ φῶς… ἐρχόμενον, referring to the incarnation. Option (2) would have the participle modifying ἄνθρωπον and referring to the true light as enlightening “every man who comes into the world.” Option (2) has some rabbinic parallels: The phrase “all who come into the world” is a fairly common expression for “every man” (cf. Leviticus Rabbah 31.6). But (1) must be preferred here, because: (a) In the next verse the light is in the world; it is logical for v. 9 to speak of its entering the world; (b) in other passages Jesus is described as “coming into the world” (6:14, 9:39, 11:27, 16:28) and in 12:46 Jesus says: ἐγὼ φῶς εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐλήλυθα (egw fw" ei" ton kosmon elhluqa); (c) use of a periphrastic participle with the imperfect tense is typical Johannine style: 1:28, 2:6, 3:23, 10:40, 11:1, 13:23, 18:18 and 25. In every one of these except 13:23 the finite verb is first and separated by one or more intervening words from the participle.

[1:9]  sn In v. 9 the world (κόσμος, kosmos) is mentioned for the first time. This is another important theme word for John. Generally, the world as a Johannine concept does not refer to the totality of creation (the universe), although there are exceptions at 11:9. 17:5, 24, 21:25, but to the world of human beings and human affairs. Even in 1:10 the world created through the Logos is a world capable of knowing (or reprehensibly not knowing) its Creator. Sometimes the world is further qualified as this world (ὁ κόσμος οὗτος, Jo kosmos Joutos) as in 8:23, 9:39, 11:9, 12:25, 31; 13:1, 16:11, 18:36. This is not merely equivalent to the rabbinic phrase “this present age” (ὁ αἰών οὗτος, Jo aiwn Joutos) and contrasted with “the world to come.” For John it is also contrasted to a world other than this one, already existing; this is the lower world, corresponding to which there is a world above (see especially 8:23, 18:36). Jesus appears not only as the Messiah by means of whom an eschatological future is anticipated (as in the synoptic gospels) but also as an envoy from the heavenly world to this world.

[13:7]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “and it was given to him to go to war.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[13:7]  ⁷² tc Many mss omit the phrase “it was given to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (Ì⁴⁷ A C 2053 Ï^A sa). It is, however, found in Ì^115vid א 051 1006 (1611) 1841 (1854) 2329 2344 2351 (Ï^K) lat sy^ph,(h) bo. Although the ms evidence is somewhat in favor of the shorter reading, the support of ̹¹⁵ (a recently-discovered ms) for the longer reading balances things out. Normally, the shorter reading should be given preference. However, in an instance in which homoioteleuton could play a role, caution must be exercised. In this passage, accidental omission is quite likely. That this could have happened seems apparent from the two occurrences of the identical phrase “and it was given to him” (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ, kai edoqh autw) in v. 7. The scribe’s eye skipped over the first καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ and went to the second, hence creating an accidental omission of eleven words.

[13:7]  ⁷³ tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.

[13:7]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “and people,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[13:8]  ⁷⁵ tn Grk “it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:8]  ⁷⁶ tn The prepositional phrase “since the foundation of the world” is traditionally translated as a modifier of the immediately preceding phrase in the Greek text, “the Lamb who was killed” (so also G. B. Caird, Revelation [HNTC], 168), but it is more likely that the phrase “since the foundation of the world” modifies the verb “written” (as translated above). Confirmation of this can be found in Rev 17:8 where the phrase “written in the book of life since the foundation of the world” occurs with no ambiguity.

[13:8]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”