Zakharia 1:15

1:15 But I am greatly displeased with the nations that take my grace for granted. ¹  I was a little displeased with them, but they have only made things worse for themselves.

Yudas 1:3

Condemnation of the False Teachers

1:3 Dear friends, although I have been eager to write to you ²  about our common salvation, I now feel compelled ³  instead to write to encourage ⁴  you to contend earnestly ⁵  for the faith ⁶  that was once for all ⁷  entrusted to the saints. ⁸ 

Yudas 1:7

1:7 So also ⁹  Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighboring towns, ¹⁰  since they indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire ¹¹  in a way similar to ¹²  these angels, ¹³  are now displayed as an example by suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

Pengkhotbah 10:4

10:4 If the anger ¹⁴  of the ruler flares up ¹⁵  against you, do not resign ¹⁶  from your position, ¹⁷ 

for a calm ¹⁸  response ¹⁹  can undo ²⁰  great offenses.

Yesaya 1:24

1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, ²¹ 

the powerful ruler of Israel, ²²  says this:

“Ah, I will seek vengeance ²³  against my adversaries,

I will take revenge against my enemies. ²⁴ 

Yesaya 18:3-4

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.

18:4 For this is what the Lord has told me:

“I will wait ²⁵  and watch from my place,

like scorching heat produced by the sunlight, ²⁶ 

like a cloud of mist ²⁷  in the heat ²⁸  of harvest.” ²⁹ 

Yesaya 42:13-15

42:13 The Lord emerges like a hero,

like a warrior he inspires himself for battle; ³⁰ 

he shouts, yes, he yells,

he shows his enemies his power. ³¹ 

42:14 “I have been inactive ³²  for a long time;

I kept quiet and held back.

Like a woman in labor I groan;

I pant and gasp. ³³ 

42:15 I will make the trees on the mountains and hills wither up; ³⁴ 

I will dry up all their vegetation.

I will turn streams into islands, ³⁵ 

and dry up pools of water. ³⁶ 

Yesaya 48:14

48:14 All of you, gather together and listen!

Who among them ³⁷  announced these things?

The Lord’s ally ³⁸  will carry out his desire against Babylon;

he will exert his power against the Babylonians. ³⁹ 

Yesaya 51:22-23

51:22 This is what your sovereign master, ⁴⁰  the Lord your God, says:

“Look, I have removed from your hand

the cup of intoxicating wine, ⁴¹ 

the goblet full of my anger. ⁴² 

You will no longer have to drink it.

51:23 I will put it into the hand of your tormentors ⁴³ 

who said to you, ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you.’

You made your back like the ground,

and like the street for those who walked over you.”

Yeremia 51:48-49

51:48 Then heaven and earth and all that is in them

will sing for joy over Babylon.

For destroyers from the north will attack it,”

says the Lord. ⁴⁴ 

51:49 “Babylon must fall ⁴⁵ 

because of the Israelites she has killed, ⁴⁶ 

just as the earth’s mortally wounded fell

because of Babylon. ⁴⁷ 

Yehezkiel 5:13

5:13 Then my anger will be fully vented; I will exhaust my rage on them, and I will be appeased. ⁴⁸  Then they will know that I, the Lord, have spoken in my jealousy ⁴⁹  when I have fully vented my rage against them.

Yehezkiel 16:42

16:42 I will exhaust my rage on you, and then my fury will turn from you. I will calm down and no longer be angry.

Yehezkiel 16:63

16:63 Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent ⁵⁰  when I make atonement for all you have done, ⁵¹  declares the sovereign Lord.’”

Wahyu 18:21-22

18:21 Then ⁵²  one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said,

“With this kind of sudden violent force ⁵³ 

Babylon the great city will be thrown down ⁵⁴ 

and it will never be found again!

18:22 And the sound of the harpists, musicians,

flute players, and trumpeters

will never be heard in you ⁵⁵  again.

No ⁵⁶  craftsman ⁵⁷  who practices any trade

will ever be found in you again;

the noise of a mill ⁵⁸  will never be heard in you again.

[1:15]  ¹ tn Or “the nations that are at ease” (so ASV, NRSV). The Hebrew word in question is שַׁאֲנָן (sha’anan) which has the idea of a careless, even arrogant attitude (see BDB 983 s.v. שַׁאֲנָן); cf. NAB “the complacent nations.” Here it suggests that the nations take for granted that God will never punish them just because he hasn't already done so. Thus they presume on the grace and patience of the Lord. The translation attempts to bring out this nuance rather than the more neutral renderings of TEV “nations that enjoy quiet and peace” or NLT “enjoy peace and security.”

[1:3]  ² tn Grk “while being quite diligent to write to you,” or “while making all haste to write to you.” Two issues are at stake: (1) whether σπουδή (spoudh) here means diligence, eagerness, or haste; (2) whether ποιούμενος γράφειν (poioumeno" grafein) is to be taken conatively (“I was about to write”) or progressively (“I was writing”). Without knowing more of the background, it is difficult to tell which option is to be preferred.

[1:3]  ³ tn Grk “I had the necessity.” The term ἀνάγκη (anankh, “necessity”) often connotes urgency or distress. In this context, Jude is indicating that the more comprehensive treatment about the faith shared between himself and his readers was not nearly as urgent as the letter he found it now necessary to write.

[1:3]  ⁴ tn Grk “encouraging.” Παρακαλῶν (parakalwn) is most likely a telic participle. In keeping with other participles of purpose, it is present tense and occurs after the main verb.

[1:3]  ⁵ tn the verb ἐπαγωνίζομαι (epagwnizomai) is an intensive form of ἀγωνίζομαι (agwnizomai). As such, the notion of struggling, fighting, contending, etc. is heightened.

[1:3]  ⁶ tn Τῇ πίστει (th pistei) here is taken as a dative of advantage (“on behalf of the faith”). Though rare (see BDAG 820 s.v. 3), it is not unexampled and must have this meaning here.

[1:3]  sn The term “faith” has a variety of meanings in the NT. Here, the faith refers to the doctrinal content embraced by believers rather than the act of believing. Rather than discuss the points of agreement that Jude would have with these believers, because of the urgency of the present situation he must assume that these believers were well grounded and press on to encourage them to fight for this common belief.

[1:3]  ⁷ sn The adverb once for all (ἅπαξ, Japax) seems to indicate that the doctrinal convictions of the early church had been substantially codified. That is to say, Jude could appeal to written documents of the Christian faith in his arguments with the false teachers. Most likely, these documents were the letters of Paul and perhaps one or more gospels. First and Second Peter may also have been among the documents Jude has in mind (see also the note on the phrase entrusted to the saints in this verse).

[1:3]  ⁸ sn I now feel compelled instead…saints. Apparently news of some crisis has reached Jude, prompting him to write a different letter than what he had originally planned. A plausible scenario (assuming authenticity of 2 Peter or at least that there are authentic Petrine snippets in it) is that after Peter’s death, Jude intended to write to the same Gentile readers that Peter had written to (essentially, Paul’s churches). Jude starts by affirming that the gospel the Gentiles had received from Paul was the same as the one the Jewish Christians had received from the other apostles (our common salvation). But in the midst of writing this letter, Jude felt that the present crisis deserved another, shorter piece. The crisis, as the letter reveals, is that the false teachers whom Peter prophesied have now infiltrated the church. The letter of Jude is thus an ad hoc letter, intended to confirm the truth of Peter’s letter and encourage the saints to ground their faith in the written documents of the nascent church, rather than listen to the twisted gospel of the false teachers. In large measure, the letter of Jude illustrates the necessity of clinging to the authority of scripture as opposed to those who claim to be prophets.

[1:7]  ⁹ tn Grk “as.”

[1:7]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “the towns [or cities] surrounding them.”

[1:7]  ¹¹ tn Grk “strange flesh.” This phrase has been variously interpreted. It could refer to flesh of another species (such as angels lusting after human flesh). This would aptly describe the sin of the angels, but not easily explain the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah. It could refer to the homosexual practices of the Sodomites, but a difficulty arises from the use of ἕτερος ({etero"; “strange,” “other”). When this is to be distinguished from ἄλλος (allos, “another”) it suggests “another of a different kind.” If so, would that properly describe homosexual behavior? In response, the language could easily be compact: “pursued flesh other than what was normally pursued.” However, would this find an analogy in the lust of angels (such would imply that angels normally had sexual relations of some sort, but cf. Matt 22:30)? Another alternative is that the focus of the parallel is on the activity of the surrounding cities and the activity of the angels. This is especially plausible since the participles ἐκπορνεύσασαι (ekporneusasai, “having indulged in sexual immorality”) and ἀπελθοῦσαι (apelqousai, “having pursued”) have concord with “cities” (πόλεις, poleis), a feminine plural noun, rather than with Sodom and Gomorrah (both masculine nouns). If so, then their sin would not necessarily have to be homosexuality. However, most likely the feminine participles are used because of constructio ad sensum (construction according to sense). That is, since both Sodom and Gomorrah are cities, the feminine is used to imply that all the cities are involved. The connection with angels thus seems to be somewhat loose: Both angels and Sodom and Gomorrah indulged in heinous sexual immorality. Thus, whether the false teachers indulge in homosexual activity is not the point; mere sexual immorality is enough to condemn them.

[1:7]  ¹² tn Or “in the same way as.”

[1:7]  ¹³ tn “Angels” is not in the Greek text; but the masculine demonstrative pronoun most likely refers back to the angels of v. 6.

[10:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “spirit.”

[10:4]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “rises up.”

[10:4]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “Do not leave.”

[10:4]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “your place.” The term מָקוֹם (maqom, “place”) denotes a position, post or office (1 Kgs 20:24; Eccl 8:3; 10:4; BDB 879 s.v. מָקוֹם 1.c).

[10:4]  ¹⁸ tn The noun II מַרְפֵּא (marpe’, “calmness”) is used in reference to keeping one’s composure with a peaceful heart (Prov 14:30) and responding to criticism with a gentle tongue (Prov 15:4); cf. HALOT 637 s.v. II מַרְפֵּא. It is used in reference to keeping one’s composure in an emotionally charged situation (BDB 951 s.v. מַרְפֵּא 2). The term “calmness” is used here as a metonymy of association, meaning “calm response.”

[10:4]  ¹⁹ tn The term “response” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is supplied in the translation for clarification (see preceding note on the word “calm”).

[10:4]  ²⁰ tn The verbal root נוח means “to leave behind; to leave untouched” (HALOT 680 s.v. I נוח 2) in general, and in this passage, “to undo” or “to allay” offenses (HALOT 680 s.v. I נוח 3; BDB 629 s.v. נוּחַ 5) or “to avoid” offenses (BDB 629 נוּחַ 5). The point is either that (1) a composed response can calm or appease the anger of the ruler, or (2) a calm heart will help one avoid great sins that would offend the king. The root נוח (“to rest”) is repeated, creating a wordplay: “Do not leave” (אַל־תַּנַּח, ’al-tannakh) and “to avoid; to allay” (יַנִּיחַ, yanniakh). Rather than resigning (i.e., leaving), composure can appease a king (i.e., cause the anger of the king to leave).

[1:24]  ²¹ tn Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at v. 9.

[1:24]  ²² tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Israel.”

[1:24]  ²³ tn Heb “console myself” (i.e., by getting revenge); NRSV “pour out my wrath on.”

[1:24]  ²⁴ sn The Lord here identifies with the oppressed and comes as their defender and vindicator.

[18:4]  ²⁵ tn Or “be quiet, inactive”; NIV “will remain quiet.”

[18:4]  ²⁶ tn Heb “like the glowing heat because of light.” The precise meaning of the line is uncertain.

[18:4]  ²⁷ tn Heb “a cloud of dew,” or “a cloud of light rain.”

[18:4]  ²⁸ tc Some medieval Hebrew mss, with support from the LXX, Syriac Peshitta, and Latin Vulgate, read “the day.”

[18:4]  ²⁹ sn It is unclear how the comparisons in v. 4b relate to the preceding statement. How is waiting and watching similar to heat or a cloud? For a discussion of interpretive options, see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 1:362.

[42:13]  ³⁰ tn Heb “like a man of war he stirs up zeal” (NIV similar).

[42:13]  ³¹ tn Or perhaps, “he triumphs over his enemies” (cf. NIV); NLT “will crush all his enemies.”

[42:14]  ³² tn Heb “silent” (so NASB, NIV, TEV, NLT); CEV “have held my temper.”

[42:14]  ³³ sn The imagery depicts the Lord as a warrior who is eager to fight and can no longer hold himself back from the attack.

[42:15]  ³⁴ tn Heb “I will dry up the mountains and hills.” The “mountains and hills” stand by synecdoche for the trees that grow on them. Some prefer to derive the verb from a homonymic root and translate, “I will lay waste.”

[42:15]  ³⁵ tc The Hebrew text reads, “I will turn streams into coastlands [or “islands”].” Scholars who believe that this reading makes little sense have proposed an emendation of אִיִּים (’iyyim, “islands”) to צִיּוֹת (tsiyyot, “dry places”; cf. NCV, NLT, TEV). However, since all the versions support the MT reading, there is insufficient grounds for an emendation here. Although the imagery of changing rivers into islands is somewhat strange, J. N. Oswalt describes this imagery against the backdrop of rivers of the Near East. The receding of these rivers at times occasioned the appearance of previously submerged islands (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:126).

[42:15]  ³⁶ sn The imagery of this verse, which depicts the Lord bringing a curse of infertility to the earth, metaphorically describes how the Lord will destroy his enemies.

[48:14]  ³⁷ sn This probably refers to the idol gods (see v. 5).

[48:14]  ³⁸ tn Or “friend,” or “covenant partner.”

[48:14]  sn The Lord’s ally is a reference to Cyrus.

[48:14]  ³⁹ tn Heb “and his arm [against] the Babylonians.”

[51:22]  ⁴⁰ tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).

[51:22]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “the cup of [= that causes] staggering” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV); NASB “the cup of reeling.”

[51:22]  ⁴² tn Heb “the goblet of the cup of my anger.”

[51:23]  ⁴³ tn That is, to make them drink it.

[51:48]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”

[51:49]  ⁴⁵ tn The infinitive construct is used here to indicate what is about to take place. See IBHS 610 §36.2.3g.

[51:49]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “the slain of Israel.” The words “because of” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The preceding context makes it clear that Babylon would be judged for its atrocities against Israel (see especially 50:33-34; 51:10, 24, 35).

[51:49]  ⁴⁷ tn The juxtaposition of גַם…גַם (gam...gam), often “both…and,” here indicates correspondence. See BDB 169 s.v. גַּם 4. Appropriately Babylon will fall slain just as her victims, including God’s covenant people, did.

[5:13]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “calm myself.”

[5:13]  ⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew noun translated “jealousy” is used in the human realm to describe suspicion of adultery (Num 5:14ff.; Prov 6:34). Since Israel’s relationship with God was often compared to a marriage this term is appropriate here. The term occurs elsewhere in Ezekiel in 8:3, 5; 16:38, 42; 23:25.

[16:63]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “and your mouth will not be open any longer.”

[16:63]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “when I make atonement for you for all which you have done.”

[18:21]  ⁵² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.

[18:21]  ⁵³ tn On ὅρμημα ({ormhma) BDAG 724 s.v. states, “violent rush, onset ὁρμήματι βληθήσεται Βαβυλών Babylon will be thrown down with violence Rv 18:21.” L&N 68.82 refers to the suddenness of the force or violence.

[18:21]  ⁵⁴ sn Thrown down is a play on both the words and the action. The angel’s action with the stone illustrates the kind of sudden violent force with which the city will be overthrown.

[18:22]  ⁵⁵ tn The shift to a second person pronoun here corresponds to the Greek text.

[18:22]  ⁵⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[18:22]  ⁵⁷ tn On this term BDAG 1001 s.v. τεχνίτης states, “craftsperson, artisan, designer…Of a silversmith Ac 19:24, 25 v.l., 38….Of a potter 2 Cl 8:2 (metaph., cp. Ath. 15:2). πᾶς τεχνίτης πάσης τέχνης Rv 18:22.”

[18:22]  ⁵⁸ tn This is a different Greek word (μύλος, mulos) from the one for the millstone in v. 21 (μύλινος, mulinos). See L&N 7.68.