6.13 "temptation." Or "do not bring us to the time of trial." Pei- rasmos, from peirazO; see on 4.1, and see Luke 22.40. "from evil." Or "from the evil one."
6.24 "mammon." That is, money.
8.6 "son." Greek pais. This means "child" but, like Latin puer, can also mean "servant," here and elsewhere. Luke (7.2), telling the same story, definitely calls the sufferer a slave (doulos), whereas John (4.46) calls him the man's son.
9.18 "official." Archon. This may mean no more here than "leading citizen" or "important man." Mark (5.22) cails ^rn Jairus, one of the leaders of the synagogue.
10.2 "apostles." The noun apostolos is formed from the verb apo- stello, "send forth," which appears below (5).
11.5 "are told good news." Or "have the gospel preached to them." These phrases, in fact, mean the same thing. See above, 3.1, and note.
13.15 "stiffened." Matthew uses the wordpachyno in much the same sense as Mark's poreo, see Mark 6.52 and note.
13.21 "does not stand fast." Or "is driven from his course"; skan- dalizetai, see on 5.29.
"children." Or "servants." Plural of pais. See 8.6 and note.
"elders." Or "ancestors," see note on Mark 7.3.
15.12 "objected." The Greek is skandalizo, on which see 5.29 and note. The sense here is unusual. One is tempted to translate "were scandalized," which would fit the sense, and "scandal," like "slander," does derive from skandalon. But in view of the basic sense, it is more likely that the Pharisees were "put off."
16.19 "close . . . open." Perhaps, more literally, "bind . . . loose."
"you would put me off." Literally, "you are my skandalon," that is, my misleader, thus like the arch-misleader, Satan.
17.27 "cause . . . trouble." Skandalizo again. The use of the term here introduces a commentary on it in chapter 18, where it appears as "leads astray" (6), "troubles which shall be caused" (7), "makes you go amiss" (8, 9).
"stater." This coin was worth four drachmas, that is, twice two.
"ten thousand talents." A fantastic sum, amounting to millions. The denarius, mentioned below (28), is a day's wage for a laborer, 20.2.
19.12 "sexless men." The Greek word used here is eunouchos, but I have refrained from "eunuch" because only those "made sexless by other men" are commonly so called in English (I do not believe that "have made themselves sexless" denotes self- castration). Eunouchos means "bed-keeper." It fust appears in Herodotus and applies particularly to the King of Persia's castrated harem guards, who also, as the only males admitted to the bedchamber, were his trusted confidential agents.
21.3 "their master." Or "the Lord."
21.35 "one they stoned." I think the sense intended may well be: "One they beat to death, and one they killed with weapons, and one they stoned to death."
23.12 "He who is greater than you." So I read it. But the meaning may be "he who is greatest (the greater) among you."
25.21 "come in and share your master's festivities." Literally, "enter into the joy [chaia] of your master."But as the word euphrosyne can mean either a state of happiness or a joyous occasion, a banquet, so I think chara is here similarly extended. Here and in other passages, the chosen come inside (enter) to the feast, and those not chosen are shut out in the dark.
26.7 "reclined." The custom at dinner was to recline, not sit, at table. See note on Luke 7.38.
26.31 "made to fail me." From skandalizo again.
26.38 "keep watch." That is, or implies, "stay awake."
26.50 See note on Mark 14.46.
27.16 in a number of manuscripts of Matthew the manis called Jesus Barabbas. Bar-Abbas means simply the son of the father.
28.2 in view of the Greek preference for the simple past tense (aoristj where a pluperfect is really meant, I believe it is possible to translate the first pan of this sentence: "And behold, there had been a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord had come down."
LUKE
1.35 "man." Or "husband."
2.14 Or (variant reading) "good will to men."
2.26 "Anointed." That is, the Christ, or Messiah.
2.37 Or possibly "a widow eighty-four years old."
3.14 "no extortion." The word practically translates into "shake- do^."
3.16 "spoke forth." The word apokrinomai is usually translated "answer," but in the Gospels is frequently used where no question is indicated; but in this particular case "answer" would be acceptable.
3.^W8 For this list, as for that in Matthew 1.2-16, I have done my best to be reasonably consistent. No two translations that I have consulted agree exactly on spellings. Also, some n^es appear in both Greek and Hebrew forms. For "Old Testament characters" I have generally preferred the Hebrew forms (written for our texts, of course, in Greek letters). But Judah of the
Old Testament really has the same name as Judas of the New, and Jacob is the same as James; and Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua.
4.43 "bring the good news." That is, preach the gospel.
7.38 "stood behind by his feet," Jesus, in accordance with the custom of the time and place, was not sitting at a table, but reclining on a couch with his head toward the table and his feet away from it.
11.3 "s^ficient." See Matthew 6.11 and note.
11.51 "the temple." Strictly, "the house," but where the stoning of Zachariah is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 24 it is "the house of God."
12.20 "that soul." That is, "that life," since psyche means both "soul" and "life."
16.22 "to recline close by Abraham." Literally, "to Abraham's bosom," but what this seems to mean is reclining close by him at a feast. See also John 13.23, and for feasting with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Matthew 8.11.
21.19 "possess your own souls." Or "win your lives."
21.25 "nations." Or "Gentiles."
22.19-20 The words enclosed in square brackets are not found in all manuscripts, and are thought by many, if not most, scholars to be a later addition.
23.16 "teach him a lesson." The word paideuo properly means "educate," but in Biblical Greek it seems to have the special sense "chastise," that is, have someone whipped.
JOHN
1.1 "the word was God." Or, more literally, "God was the word." 1.15 "he cried out, saying." Or "saying: This is he of whom I said." 1.38 "master." That is, "teacher."
"Messiah." See Matthew 1.16 and note.
"Cephas" and "Peter" both mean "rock." See Matthew 16.18.
"madam." Greek gynai, that is, the form of direct address, or vocative, of gyne. Gyne translates into "woman," "lady," and "wife." Here "woman" in English is merely rude, and in tragedy gynai is, or may be, a term of respect, used by messengers and slaves in addressing queens and great ladies. For the vocative there is no good English equivalent, and in translating I have used various words. Here, perhaps, "mother"?
3.3 "from above." Or "again."
"spirit." The word pneumuma means both "spirit" and "wind" as in verse 8 below.
4.9 "Jew." John uses the term Jew, usuaUy in the plural, Ioudaioi, far more frequently than the other three evangelists put together. Here the use seems to be straightforward and clear. Elsewhere, as in 5.10, 16, 18, "Jews" means the religious authorities who appear in the other Gospels, and sometimes in John, as any or all of "high priests, scribes and Pharisees." Still another usage is exemplified in 11.19 where, from the sequence of thought, "Jews" plainly means "the people of Jerusalem." "have no dealings with." Greek ou gar synchrontai, more literally, "do not share what they use," that is, do not eat and from the same vessels. See Marsh, p. 210.
5.2 For the Sheep Gate, see Nehemiah 3.1. The pool is evidently a swimming pool. The better-known form for the n^e Beth- zatha is Bethesda.
5.;3-4 The bracketed words are missing from many manuscripts and are deleted by many editors and translators; but without context the reply of the paralytic to Jesus is incomprehensible.
5.41 I have translated doxa as "glory" because that is its regular meaning in the New Test
ament. But in Classical Greek doxa also means "opinion," and it goes with the verb dokeo, "^^Ж," "suppose," which appears in this very passage: "because you think they have life everlasting" |verse 39 just above; so also verse 45 below). So verse 41 could also read either "I do not derive my opinion from men" or "I do not accept the opinion of men." Contrast verse 42, "I know" (egnoka). Then in verse 44 the opinion, not glory, which men take from each other is contrasted with the true thought which comes from God alone. See 12.43 and note.
6.26 "signs." The word is semeia, sometimes translated "miracles" or "portents."
6.66 "because of this." Or "from this time on," but then "thenceforth" would be repetitious.
6.70 "an enemy." The Greek is diabolos: "a devil"? I prefer "an enemy" or "my enemy."
7.53-8.11 The material here enclosed insquare brackets is missing entirely from some manuscripts, and placed elsewhere in others. Most modem editors and commentators reject it as spurious.
8.28 "when you raise theson of man aloft." The allusion is probably to his crucifixion, but may also hint at his ultimate exaltation.
8.45 "and so is his father." Or "and the father of it |that is, the lie, or falsehood)."
10.24 "agitating our spirits." Or "keeping us in suspense."
11.19 "Jews." in the context, this plainly means "the people of Jerusalem." See the note on 4.9.
11.33 "raged at his own spirit." Very difficult. The word embrima- omai seems to mean, originally, "be angry with" (Mark 14.5) or "enjoin sternly" (Matthew 9.30; Mark 1.43). Here the object of the verb is plainly his own spirit; the idiom in verse 38 below shows inward disturbance. I had thought at first that the meaning would be that Jesus was angry with himself, and the words could easily bear that meaning. And he had been told twice that he has failed his friend. But self-reproach is not to the point; self-incitement is. I take it that not in anger but something close to it, furious urgency, Jesus is nerving himself to
an extraordinary act. "Sternly enjoined" is not strong enough; therefore, "raged at."
12.11 "going away." That is, leaving the flock, deserting, defecting.
12.34 "remains." That is, here or with us.
"must be lifted aloft." That is, taken away from us. See also 8.28.
12.43 "glory of God." The word doxa, used here twice, can mean both "opinion" and "glory." See the note on 5.41.
13.2 "betray bim " This I take tobe the meaning ofthe Greek, rather than "the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas . . . to betray bim "
"I am 1." Or, simply, "I am."
15.27 "Do you also bear witness." Or "You also are my witnesses."
16.2 "will be thought to be doing a service to God." Or "will think he is doing a service to God."
17.15 "evil." Or "the evil one."
"Jews." That is, the people of Jerusalem, see the notes on 4.9 and 11.19.
ACTS
6.1 "Hellenists." These would be Greek or Greek-speaking Jews, not Hebrews but convened to Judaism or descended from such converts, and now converted to Christianity. They are to be sharply distinguished from the Gentiles, who do not accept Judaism.
7.2-53 This is aU a continuous speech of Stephen's.
7.60 "he fell asleep." That is, he died; but the choice of this expression for a death in such violent ciic^nstances is surely deliberate.
8.3^^8 "baptized? ... So he ordered." Omitting the suspect verse 37, which reads: "Philip said to bim- If you believe with all your heart, it is permitted. He answered and said: I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God." Even here there are variations.
9.36 "which translated means Dorcas." Dorcas means "gazelle."
12.17 "James." The reference is to James the brother of Jesus Christ. See Galatians 1.19.
"Saul, who is also Paul." After this point, "Paul" is regularly used in Acts, as elsewhere.
14.19 "from Antioch and Iconium." The Antioch meant here is the city in Pisidia previously visited by Paul, not the great city in Syria.
15.14 "Simon," Properly, "Symeon." The reference is to Saint Peter.
15.33-35 "sent them ... But Paul." Omitting verse34, which is doubtful and uncertain.
16.6 "Asia." This signifies, not the whole continent or even the whole of what we call Asia Minor, but the Roman province of Asia.
"We." This first person plural, which comes in so abruptly, will reappear from time to time in Acts, ostensibly indicating that the author himself was present during some of Paul's travels.
17.19 "Areopagus." "The Hill of Ares" in Athens, and the court or council located on top of it.
19.9 "Way of God." The Greek has simply "the Way."
19.31 "Asiarchs." This apparently means members of the governing council of the Province of Asia.
20.28 "guardians." Or "bishops" (episkopoj).
23.8 "and neither angel nor spirit." The probability is that the Sad- ducees disbelieved in resurrection either as (in the form of) angel or as spirit.
25.13 "King Agrippa and Bernice." This is Herod Agrippa II, son of the Herod whose death is recorded in 12.23. Bernice (it should really be Berenicel was his sister, also his mistress.
25.25 The terms "Augustus," "our master" (26), and "Caesar" (11,
21) all refer to the Emperor Nero. 28.2^^0 "listen ... He remained." Omitting verse 29, which reads: 'When he said this, the Jews went away with much discussion ^ong themselves."
ROMANS
2.12 "outside the law." Paul here continues the contrast of Greeks, or Gentiles (outside the law), and Jews (inside the law).
9.16 'But that is not a matter of wish or effort but ofGod's mercy." LiteraUy: 'But that does not belong to him who wishes or him who runs, but to God, who has mercy."
10.14 "preach." Literally: "^mounce," "proclaim."
12.6-8 'We have . . . graciousness." The original is one long sentence which has no main verb or any independent clause at all. The translator has to fabricate some structure.
1.12 2.14
15.11
"Al nations, praise the Lord." The word ethne, usually translated as "Gentiles," here seems to indicate all the nations of the world.
1 CORINTHIANS
"Christ is partitioned!" Or "Is Christ partitioned?" "sensual." The sensual man is contrasted to the spiritual, as being alive, but animated by the ^^Wy psyche rather than the un^^Uy pneumuma, which is the word used for the Holy Spirit. 7.25 "^^arried." The word is parthenoi, generally used of girls, but what foUows is obviously directed to the u^narried of both sexes.
10.11 "end of the world." Or "the ends of the ages."
11.4 "prophesies." This is not here introduced as if it were an activity requiring extraordinary gifts, and presumably may mean nothing more than reading, quoting, or interpreting scripture. See also 14.1£f. and note.
11.10 "Therefore a woman should take care of her head, because of the angels." Translation and exact bearing are uncertain.
12.7 "to his advantage." Or "for the common good."
14.1 In what follows, "prophesying" is contrasted with "speaking with tongues." The latter describes an attested phenomenon, "the broken speech of persons in religious ecstasy." By contrast, prophecy is reasoned, comprehensible utterance. See 11.4 and note.
15.19 "If by this life in Christ we are no more than hopeful." Or "If our hopes in Christ are for this life only."
2 CORINTHIANS
2.5 "supposing someone really has caused trouble." A particular
case is obviously being referred to. 5.3 "Still in our bodies covered and not naked." The reference may possibly be to those who are found still alive on the Day of Judgment.
12.7 "a thorn." The Greek is skolops, a stake or spike.
GALATIANS
1.18 "Peter." Here, as always except for Galatians 2. 7, Paul uses the
Hebrew form, "Cephas." See John 1.42 and note. 2.4 "but only might have been" is not in the text. I have supplied it, provisionally, for the sake of sense and syntax. An occa-
sional
unconstructed sentence is characteristic of Saint Paul.
4.13 "You know that I was sick in body when I brought you the gospel before." Or "You know that it was because of bodily sickness that I brought you the gospel before." This is better (Greek| grammar but poorer sense.
5.20 "envy" (Greek phthonoi). But the Latin has homicidia (Greek phonoil, that is, murder.
EPHESIANS
3.1 "say this to you." Conjecturally supplied; there is no main verb,
or any independent clause at all. 4.11 "pastors." Literally, "shepherds."
4.26 "Are you angry! Even so, do no wrong." The simplest literal translation would be: "Be angry and do not sin."
PHILIPPIANS
3.5 "a Hebrew of Hebrews." Or "a Hebrew with Hebrew parents." 4.12 "do without." The word here usually means "be humble," but we seem to need something that will contrast with having plenty.
1 THESSALONIANS
4.13 "those who are asleep." These sleepers are, of course, the Christian dead or "those who are dead in Christ" (16). 5.5 "catch you like thieves." Or "come upon you like a thief" (alternate readings).
2 THESSALONIANS
1.10 "because our testimony to you was believed." If the text is sound, as it probably is not, "because" must refer back to the just reward of the Thessalonians, because they believed. 1.12 "our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." Or "our God and Lord Jesus Christ."
1 TIMOTHY
5.5 "lives alone." Or "has been left desolate." 5.16 Text and sense uncertain.
2 TIMOTHY
3.3 "troublemakers." The word is diaboloi.
TITUS
1.10 "from among the circumcised." From Jews, that is, rather than Gentiles.
"their own prophet." The allusion is not to any contemporary but to the almost mythical Epimenides of Crete (sixth century B.c.).
2.10 "among people in general." Or "in every way."
"the great God and our savior." Or "our great God and savior." 3.10 "heretic." Or perhaps merely a factious man, a causer of
dissensions.
The New Testament Page 50