Mazmur 45:2-5

45:2 You are the most handsome of all men! ¹ 

You speak in an impressive and fitting manner! ² 

For this reason ³  God grants you continual blessings. ⁴ 

45:3 Strap your sword to your thigh, O warrior! ⁵ 

Appear in your majestic splendor! ⁶ 

45:4 Appear in your majesty and be victorious! ⁷ 

Ride forth for the sake of what is right, ⁸ 

on behalf of justice! ⁹ 

Then your right hand will accomplish mighty acts! ¹⁰ 

45:5 Your arrows are sharp

and penetrate the hearts of the king’s enemies.

Nations fall at your feet. ¹¹ 

Mazmur 89:27

89:27 I will appoint him to be my firstborn son, ¹² 

the most exalted of the earth’s kings.

Kidung Agung 5:10

The Beloved to the Maidens:

5:10 My beloved ¹³  is dazzling ¹⁴  and ruddy; ¹⁵ 

he stands out ¹⁶  in comparison to ¹⁷  all other men. ¹⁸ 

Yesaya 52:13

The Lord Will Vindicate His Servant

52:13 “Look, my servant will succeed! ¹⁹ 

He will be elevated, lifted high, and greatly exalted ²⁰  –

Matius 23:8

23:8 But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers.

Matius 28:18

28:18 Then Jesus came up and said to them, ²¹  “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Yohanes 1:16

1:16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another. ²² 

Yohanes 1:27

1:27 who is coming after me. I am not worthy ²³  to untie the strap ²⁴  of his sandal!”

Yohanes 3:29-31

3:29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly ²⁵  when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. ²⁶  3:30 He must become more important while I become less important.” ²⁷ 

3:31 The one who comes from above is superior to all. ²⁸  The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. ²⁹  The one who comes from heaven ³⁰  is superior to all. ³¹ 

Yohanes 3:34-35

3:34 For the one whom God has sent ³²  speaks the words of God, for he does not give the Spirit sparingly. ³³  3:35 The Father loves the Son and has placed all things under his authority. ³⁴ 

Roma 8:29

8:29 because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son ³⁵  would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ³⁶ 

Roma 8:1

The Believer’s Relationship to the Holy Spirit

8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. ³⁷ 

Kolose 1:25

1:25 I became a servant of the church according to the stewardship ³⁸  from God – given to me for you – in order to complete ³⁹  the word of God,

Ibrani 1:5-6

The Son Is Superior to Angels

1:5 For to which of the angels did God ⁴⁰  ever say, “You are my son! Today I have fathered you”? ⁴¹  And in another place ⁴²  he says, ⁴³  “I will be his father and he will be my son.” ⁴⁴  1:6 But when he again brings ⁴⁵  his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all the angels of God worship him!” ⁴⁶ 

Wahyu 5:9-13

5:9 They were singing a new song: ⁴⁷ 

“You are worthy to take the scroll

and to open its seals

because you were killed, ⁴⁸ 

and at the cost of your own blood ⁴⁹  you have purchased ⁵⁰  for God

persons ⁵¹  from every tribe, language, ⁵²  people, and nation.

5:10 You have appointed ⁵³  them ⁵⁴  as a kingdom and priests ⁵⁵  to serve ⁵⁶  our God, and they will reign ⁵⁷  on the earth.”

5:11 Then ⁵⁸  I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders. Their ⁵⁹  number was ten thousand times ten thousand ⁶⁰  – thousands times thousands – 5:12 all of whom ⁶¹  were singing ⁶²  in a loud voice:

“Worthy is the lamb who was killed ⁶³ 

to receive power and wealth

and wisdom and might

and honor and glory and praise!”

5:13 Then ⁶⁴  I heard every creature – in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them – singing: ⁶⁵ 

“To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb

be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power ⁶⁶  forever and ever!”

Wahyu 11:15

The Seventh Trumpet

11:15 Then ⁶⁷  the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying:

“The kingdom of the world

has become the kingdom of our Lord

and of his Christ, ⁶⁸ 

and he will reign for ever and ever.”

Wahyu 21:23-24

21:23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb. 21:24 The nations ⁶⁹  will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur ⁷⁰  into it.

[45:2]  ¹ tn Heb “you are handsome from the sons of man.” The preposition “from” is used in a comparative (“more than”) sense. The peculiar verb form יָפְיָפִיתָ (yafyafita) is probably the result of dittography of yod-pe (יפ) and should be emended to יָפִיתָ (yafita). See GKC 152 §55.e.

[45:2]  ² tn Heb “favor is poured out on your lips.” “Lips” probably stands by metonymy for the king’s speech. Some interpret the Hebrew term חֵן (khen) as referring here to “gracious (i.e., kind and polite) speech”, but the word probably refers more generally to “attractive” speech that is impressively articulated and fitting for the occasion. For other instances of the term being used of speech, see Prov 22:11 and Eccl 10:12.

[45:2]  ³ tn Or “this demonstrates.” The construction עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore”) usually indicates what logically follows from a preceding statement. However, here it may infer the cause from the effect, indicating the underlying basis or reason for what precedes (see BDB 487 s.v. I כֵּן 3.f; C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 1:386).

[45:2]  ⁴ tn Or “blesses you forever.” Here “bless” means to “endue with the power and skill to rule effectively,” as the following verses indicate.

[45:3]  ⁵ tn Or “mighty one.”

[45:3]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew text has simply, “your majesty and your splendor,” which probably refers to the king’s majestic splendor when he appears in full royal battle regalia.

[45:4]  ⁷ tn Heb “and your majesty, be successful.” The syntax is awkward. The phrase “and your majesty” at the beginning of the verse may be accidentally repeated (dittography); it appears at the end of v. 3.

[45:4]  ⁸ tn Or “for the sake of truth.”

[45:4]  ⁹ tc The precise meaning of the MT is uncertain. The form עַנְוָה (’anvah) occurs only here. One could emend the text to עֲנָוָה וְצֶדֶק (’anavah vÿtsedeq, “[for the sake of truth], humility, and justice”). In this case “humility” would perhaps allude to the king’s responsibility to “serve” his people by promoting justice (cf. NIV “in behalf of truth, humility and righteousness”). The present translation assumes an emendation to יַעַן (ya’an, “because; on account of”) which would form a suitable parallel to עַל־דְּבַר (’al-dÿvar, “because; for the sake of”) in the preceding line.

[45:4]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “and your right hand will teach you mighty acts”; or “and may your right hand teach you mighty acts.” After the imperatives in the first half of the verse, the prefixed verbal form with vav (ו) conjunctive likely indicates purpose (“so that your right hand might teach you mighty acts”) or result (see the present translation). The “right hand” here symbolizes the king’s military strength. His right hand will “teach” him mighty acts by performing them and thereby causing him to experience their magnificence.

[45:5]  ¹¹ tn Heb “your arrows are sharp – peoples beneath you fall – in the heart of the enemies of the king.” The choppy style reflects the poet’s excitement.

[89:27]  ¹² sn The firstborn son typically had special status and received special privileges.

[5:10]  ¹³ sn The Beloved’s praise of his appearance follows the typical literary structure of the ancient Near Eastern wasfs song: (1) introductory summary praise (5:10), (2) detailed descriptive praise from head to foot (5:11-16a), and (3) concluding summary praise (5:16b). There are several striking features about this song that are unique from the typical wasfs. (1) The ordinary setting of the ancient Near Eastern wasfs songs was the wedding night. (2) They were ordinarily sung only by a man in praise of his bride. (3) Normally, the wasfs song will conclude with the feet after the legs; however, the Beloved concludes by praising his mouth after his legs.

[5:10]  ¹⁴ sn The term צַח (tsakh, “dazzling”) is ordinarily used to describe the shining surface of jewelry or of smoothed rocks (Ezek 24:7-8; 26:4, 14; Neh 4:7). Likewise, אָדֹם (’adom, “ruddy”) can describe the redness of rubies (Lam 4:7). Throughout 5:11-15 she compares his appearance to valuable jewels, gems, and precious metals.

[5:10]  ¹⁵ tn The adjective אָדֹם (’adom) denotes either “manly” or “ruddy,” depending upon whether it is derived from אָדָם (’adam, “man”; HALOT 14 s.v. I אָדָם) or אָדֹם (“red”; HALOT 14 s.v. אָדֹם). If it is “manly,” the idea is that he is the epitome of masculinity and virility. On the other hand, the emphasis would be upon his health and virility, evidenced by his ruddy complexion, or it could be a comparison between his ruddy coloring and the redness of rubies (Lam 4:7).

[5:10]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “outstanding.” The participle דָּגוּל (dagul) functions as a predicate adjective: “My beloved is…outstanding among ten thousand.” The verb דָּגַל (dagal) is relatively rare, being derived from the noun דֶּגֶל (degel, “banner”) which often refers to a military standard which, when lifted up, was conspicuous for all to see (Num 2:3-4; 10:14-15). The verb דָּגַל only occurs three other times, all referring to raising military banners for all to see (Ps 20:6; Song 6:4, 10). Song 5:10 uses the term figuratively (hypocatastasis) to denote “outstanding” (HALOT 213 s.v. דֶּגֶל). This sense is closely related to the cognate Akkadian verb dagalu “to look, contemplate” and the noun diglu “eyesight, view (what is looked at).” Like a banner lifted high, he attracted the attention of all who looked at him.

[5:10]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “from, among.” The preposition מִן (min) prefixed to רְבָבָה (rÿvavah, “ten thousand”) is taken in a comparative, locative sense: “outstanding among ten thousand” (e.g., KJV, RSV, NASB, NIV, NJPS).

[5:10]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “among ten thousand.” The numeral “ten thousand” is the highest number used in comparisons in Hebrew poetry (1 Sam 18:7-8; 21:12; 29:5; Ps 91:7). It is not used to mark out a specific number, but to denote an indefinite number of persons of the largest possible proportions (Gen 24:60; Num 10:36; Deut 33:2; Ps 3:7). Her point is simply this: no other man could possibly compare to him in appearance, even if he were in a group of an infinite number of men.

[52:13]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “act wisely,” which by metonymy means “succeed.”

[52:13]  ²⁰ tn This piling up of synonyms emphasizes the degree of the servant’s coming exaltation.

[28:18]  ²¹ tn Grk “coming, Jesus spoke to them, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn, “saying”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[1:16]  ²² tn Grk “for from his fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” The meaning of the phrase χάριν ἀντὶ χάριτος (carin anti carito") could be: (1) love (grace) under the New Covenant in place of love (grace) under the Sinai Covenant, thus replacement; (2) grace “on top of” grace, thus accumulation; (3) grace corresponding to grace, thus correspondence. The most commonly held view is (2) in one sense or another, and this is probably the best explanation. This sense is supported by a fairly well-known use in Philo, Posterity 43 (145). Morna D. Hooker suggested that Exod 33:13 provides the background for this expression: “Now therefore, I pray you, if I have found χάρις (LXX) in your sight, let me know your ways, that I may know you, so that I may find χάρις (LXX) in your sight.” Hooker proposed that it is this idea of favor given to one who has already received favor which lies behind 1:16, and this seems very probable as a good explanation of the meaning of the phrase (“The Johannine Prologue and the Messianic Secret,” NTS 21 [1974/75]: 53).

[1:16]  sn Earlier commentators (including Origen and Luther) took the words For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another to be John the Baptist’s. Most modern commentators take them as the words of the author.

[1:27]  ²³ tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”

[1:27]  sn The humility of John is evident in the statement I am not worthy. This was considered one of the least worthy tasks of a slave, and John did not consider himself worthy to do even that for the one to come, despite the fact he himself was a prophet.

[1:27]  ²⁴ tn The term refers to the leather strap or thong used to bind a sandal. This is often viewed as a collective singular and translated as a plural, “the straps of his sandals,” but it may be more emphatic to retain the singular here.

[3:29]  ²⁵ tn Grk “rejoices with joy” (an idiom).

[3:29]  ²⁶ tn Grk “Therefore this my joy is fulfilled.”

[3:30]  ²⁷ sn Some interpreters extend the quotation of John the Baptist’s words through v. 36.

[3:31]  ²⁸ tn Or “is above all.”

[3:31]  ²⁹ tn Grk “speaks from the earth.”

[3:31]  ³⁰ sn The one who comes from heaven refers to Christ. As in John 1:1, the Word’s preexistence is indicated here.

[3:31]  ³¹ tc Ì⁷⁵ א* D ˹ 565 as well as several versions and fathers lack the phrase “is superior to all” (ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν, epanw pantwn estin). This effectively joins the last sentence of v. 31 with v. 32: “The one who comes from heaven testifies about what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony.” On the other side, the phrase may have been deleted because of perceived redundancy, since it duplicates what is said earlier in the verse. The witnesses that include ἐπάνω πάντων ἐστίν in both places are weighty and widespread (Ì^36vid,66 א² A B L W^s Θ Ψ 083 086 ˹³ 33 Ï lat sy^s,p,h bo). On balance, the longer reading should probably be considered authentic.

[3:31]  tn Or “is above all.”

[3:34]  ³² tn That is, Christ.

[3:34]  ³³ tn Grk “for not by measure does he give the Spirit” (an idiom). Leviticus Rabbah 15:2 states: “The Holy Spirit rested on the prophets by measure.” Jesus is contrasted to this. The Spirit rests upon him without measure.

[3:35]  ³⁴ tn Grk “has given all things into his hand” (an idiom).

[8:29]  ³⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God’s Son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:29]  ³⁶ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:13.

[8:1]  ³⁷ tc The earliest and best witnesses of the Alexandrian and Western texts, as well as a few others (א* B D* F G 6 1506 1739 1881 pc co), have no additional words for v. 1. Later scribes (A D¹ Ψ 81 365 629 pc vg) added the words μὴ κατὰ σάρκα περιπατοῦσιν (mh kata sarka peripatousin, “who do not walk according to the flesh”), while even later ones (א² D² 33^vid Ï) added ἀλλὰ κατὰ πνεῦμα (alla kata pneuma, “but [who do walk] according to the Spirit”). Both the external evidence and the internal evidence are compelling for the shortest reading. The scribes were evidently motivated to add such qualifications (interpolated from v. 4) to insulate Paul’s gospel from charges that it was characterized too much by grace. The KJV follows the longest reading found in Ï.

[1:25]  ³⁸ tn BDAG 697 s.v. οἰκονομία 1.b renders the term here as “divine office.”

[1:25]  ³⁹ tn See BDAG 828 s.v. πληρόω 3. The idea here seems to be that the apostle wants to “complete the word of God” in that he wants to preach it to every person in the known world (cf. Rom 15:19). See P. T. O’Brien, Colossians, Philemon (WBC), 82.

[1:5]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:5]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “I have begotten you.”

[1:5]  sn A quotation from Ps 2:7.

[1:5]  ⁴² tn Grk “And again,” quoting another OT passage.

[1:5]  ⁴³ tn The words “he says” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to make a complete English sentence. In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence, but English does not normally employ such long and complex sentences.

[1:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “I will be a father to him and he will be a son to me.”

[1:5]  sn A quotation from 2 Sam 7:14 (cf. 1 Chr 17:13).

[1:6]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “And again when he brings.” The translation adopted in the text looks forward to Christ’s second coming to earth. Some take “again” to introduce the quotation (as in 1:5) and understand this as Christ’s first coming, but this view does not fit well with Heb 2:7. Others understand it as his exaltation/ascension to heaven, but this takes the phrase “into the world” in an unlikely way.

[1:6]  ⁴⁶ sn A quotation combining themes from Deut 32:43 and Ps 97:7.

[5:9]  ⁴⁷ tn The redundant participle λέγοντες (legontes) has not been translated here.

[5:9]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”

[5:9]  ⁴⁹ tn The preposition ἐν (en) is taken to indicate price here, like the Hebrew preposition ב (bet) does at times. BDAG 329 s.v. ἐν 5.b states, “The ἐν which takes the place of the gen. of price is also instrumental ἠγόρασας ἐν τῷ αἵματί σου Rv 5:9 (cp. 1 Ch 21:24 ἀγοράζω ἐν ἀργυρίῳ).”

[5:9]  ⁵⁰ tc The Greek text as it stands above (i.e., the reading τῷ θεῷ [tw qew] alone) is found in codex A. א 2050 2344 Ï sy add the term “us” (ἡμᾶς, Jhmas), either before or after τῷ θεῷ, as an attempt to clarify the object of “purchased” (ἠγόρασας, hgorasa"). A few mss (1 vg^ms) delete the reference to God altogether and simply replace it with “us” (ἡμᾶς). This too is an attempt to remove ambiguity in the phrase and provide an object for “purchased.” The shorter reading, supported by the best witness for Revelation, best accounts for the other readings.

[5:9]  ⁵¹ tn The word “persons” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[5:9]  ⁵² tn Grk “and language,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.

[5:10]  ⁵³ tn The verb ἐποίησας (epoihsas) is understood to mean “appointed” here. For an example of this use, see Mark 3:14.

[5:10]  ⁵⁴ tc The vast majority of witnesses have αὐτούς (autous, “them”) here, while the Textus Receptus reads ἡμᾶς (Jhmas, “us”) with insignificant support (pc gig vg^cl sa Prim Bea). There is no question that the original text read αὐτούς here.

[5:10]  ⁵⁵ tn The reference to “kingdom and priests” may be a hendiadys: “priestly kingdom.”

[5:10]  ⁵⁶ tn The words “to serve” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the word “priests.”

[5:10]  ⁵⁷ tc The textual problem here between the present tense βασιλεύουσιν (basileuousin, “they are reigning”; so A 1006 1611 Ï^K pc) and the future βασιλεύσουσιν (basileusousin, “they will reign”; so א 1854 2053 Ï^A pc lat co) is a difficult one. Both readings have excellent support. On the one hand, the present tense seems to be the harder reading in this context. On the other hand, codex A elsewhere mistakes the future for the present (20:6). Further, the lunar sigma in uncial script could have been overlooked by some scribes, resulting in the present tense. All things considered, there is a slight preference for the future.

[5:11]  ⁵⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[5:11]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “elders, and the number of them was.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[5:11]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “myriads of myriads.” Although μυριάς (murias) literally means “10,000,” the point of the combination here may simply be to indicate an incalculably huge number. See L&N 60.9.

[5:12]  ⁶¹ tn The words “all of whom” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to indicate the resumption of the phrase “the voice of many angels” at the beginning of the verse.

[5:12]  ⁶² tn Grk “saying.”

[5:12]  ⁶³ tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”

[5:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[5:13]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “saying.”

[5:13]  ⁶⁶ tn Or “dominion.”

[11:15]  ⁶⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.

[11:15]  ⁶⁸ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[21:24]  ⁶⁹ tn Or “the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).

[21:24]  ⁷⁰ tn Or “splendor”; Grk “glory.”