Ulangan 14:15-18

14:15 the ostrich, ¹  the owl, ²  the seagull, the falcon ³  after its species, 14:16 the little owl, the long-eared owl, the white owl, ⁴  14:17 the jackdaw, ⁵  the carrion vulture, the cormorant, 14:18 the stork, the heron after its species, the hoopoe, the bat,

Mazmur 102:6

102:6 I am like an owl ⁶  in the wilderness;

I am like a screech owl ⁷  among the ruins. ⁸ 

Yesaya 13:21-22

13:21 Wild animals will rest there,

the ruined ⁹  houses will be full of hyenas. ¹⁰ 

Ostriches will live there,

wild goats will skip among the ruins. ¹¹ 

13:22 Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses,

jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. ¹² 

Her time is almost up, ¹³ 

her days will not be prolonged. ¹⁴ 

Yesaya 34:11-15

34:11 Owls and wild animals ¹⁵  will live there, ¹⁶ 

all kinds of wild birds ¹⁷  will settle in it.

The Lord ¹⁸  will stretch out over her

the measuring line of ruin

and the plumb line ¹⁹  of destruction. ²⁰ 

34:12 Her nobles will have nothing left to call a kingdom

and all her officials will disappear. ²¹ 

34:13 Her fortresses will be overgrown with thorns;

thickets and weeds will grow ²²  in her fortified cities.

Jackals will settle there;

ostriches will live there. ²³ 

34:14 Wild animals and wild dogs will congregate there; ²⁴ 

wild goats will bleat to one another. ²⁵ 

Yes, nocturnal animals ²⁶  will rest there

and make for themselves a nest. ²⁷ 

34:15 Owls ²⁸  will make nests and lay eggs ²⁹  there;

they will hatch them and protect them. ³⁰ 

Yes, hawks ³¹  will gather there,

each with its mate.

Yohanes 3:19-21

3:19 Now this is the basis for judging: ³²  that the light has come into the world and people ³³  loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil. 3:20 For everyone who does evil deeds hates the light and does not come to the light, so that their deeds will not be exposed. 3:21 But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God. ³⁴ 

Efesus 2:2-3

2:2 in which ³⁵  you formerly lived ³⁶  according to this world’s present path, ³⁷  according to the ruler of the kingdom ³⁸  of the air, the ruler of ³⁹  the spirit ⁴⁰  that is now energizing ⁴¹  the sons of disobedience, ⁴²  2:3 among whom ⁴³  all of us ⁴⁴  also ⁴⁵  formerly lived out our lives in the cravings of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath ⁴⁶  even as the rest… ⁴⁷ 

Efesus 4:18-19

4:18 They are darkened in their understanding, ⁴⁸  being alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardness of their hearts. 4:19 Because they are callous, they have given themselves over to indecency for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. ⁴⁹ 

Efesus 5:7-11

5:7 Therefore do not be partakers with them, ⁵⁰  5:8 for you were at one time darkness, but now you are ⁵¹  light in the Lord. Walk as children of the light – 5:9 for the fruit of the light ⁵²  consists in ⁵³  all goodness, righteousness, and truth – 5:10 trying to learn ⁵⁴  what is pleasing to the Lord. 5:11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but rather ⁵⁵  expose them. ⁵⁶ 

Filipi 3:18-19

3:18 For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ. 3:19 Their end is destruction, their god is the belly, they exult in their shame, and they think about earthly things. ⁵⁷ 

Filipi 3:1

True and False Righteousness

3:1 Finally, my brothers and sisters, ⁵⁸  rejoice in the Lord! To write this again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

Filipi 1:5-7

1:5 because of your participation ⁵⁹  in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶⁰  1:6 For I am sure of this very thing, ⁶¹  that the one ⁶²  who began a good work in ⁶³  you will perfect it ⁶⁴  until the day of Christ Jesus. 1:7 For ⁶⁵  it is right for me to think this about all of you, because I have you in my heart, ⁶⁶  since both in my imprisonment ⁶⁷  and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel all of you became partners in God’s grace ⁶⁸  together with me.

Wahyu 18:2

18:2 He ⁶⁹  shouted with a powerful voice:

“Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great!

She ⁷⁰  has become a lair for demons,

a haunt ⁷¹  for every unclean spirit,

a haunt for every unclean bird,

a haunt for every unclean and detested beast. ⁷² 

[14:15]  ¹ tn Or “owl.” The Hebrew term בַּת הַיַּעֲנָה (bat hayya’anah) is sometimes taken as “ostrich” (so ASV, NAB, NASB, NRSV, NLT), but may refer instead to some species of owl (cf. KJV “owl”; NEB “desert-owl”; NIV “horned owl”).

[14:15]  ² tn The Hebrew term תַּחְמָס (takhmas) is either a type of owl (cf. NEB “short-eared owl”; NIV “screech owl”) or possibly the nighthawk (so NRSV, NLT).

[14:15]  ³ tn The Hebrew term נֵץ (nets) may refer to the falcon or perhaps the hawk (so NEB, NIV).

[14:16]  ⁴ tn The Hebrew term תִּנְשֶׁמֶת (tinshemet) may refer to a species of owl (cf. ASV “horned owl”; NASB, NIV, NLT “white owl”) or perhaps even to the swan (so KJV); cf. NRSV “water hen.”

[14:17]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew term קָאַת (qa’at) may also refer to a type of owl (NAB, NIV, NRSV “desert owl”) or perhaps the pelican (so KJV, NASB, NLT).

[102:6]  ⁶ tn The Hebrew term קָאַת (qa’at) refers to some type of bird (see Lev 11:18; Deut 14:17) that was typically found near ruins (see Zeph 2:14). Modern translations have frequently rendered this as some type of owl (NIV, REB “desert owl”; NRSV “owl”).

[102:6]  ⁷ tn The Hebrew term כוֹס (khos) refers to a bird (see Lev 11:17; Deut 14:16), probably a type of owl (cf. NIV, REB “owl”; NRSV “little owl”).

[102:6]  ⁸ sn By comparing himself to a screech owl among the ruins, the psalmist may be highlighting his loneliness (see v. 7), though he may also be comparing his cries for help to the owl’s screech.

[13:21]  ⁹ tn The word “ruined” is supplied in the translation for clarification.

[13:21]  ¹⁰ tn The precise referent of this word in uncertain. See HALOT 29 s.v. *אֹחַ. Various English versions translate as “owls” (e.g., NAB, NASB), “wild dogs” (NCV); “jackals” (NIV); “howling creatures” (NRSV, NLT).

[13:21]  ¹¹ tn Heb “will skip there.”

[13:22]  ¹² tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “wild dogs will yip among his widows, and jackals in the palaces of pleasure.” The verb “yip” is supplied in the second line; it does double duty in the parallel structure. “His widows” makes little sense in this context; many emend the form (אַלְמנוֹתָיו, ’almnotayv) to the graphically similar אַרְמְנוֹתֶיהָ (’armÿnoteha, “her fortresses”), a reading that is assumed in the present translation. The use of “widows” may represent an intentional wordplay on “fortresses,” indicating that the fortresses are like dejected widows (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:308, n. 1).

[13:22]  ¹³ tn Heb “near to come is her time.”

[13:22]  ¹⁴ sn When was the prophecy of Babylon’s fall fulfilled? Some argue that the prophecy was fulfilled in 689 b.c. when the Assyrians under Sennacherib sacked and desecrated the city (this event is alluded to in 23:13). This may have been an initial phase in the fulfillment of the prophecy, but the reference to the involvement of the Medes (v. 17) and the suggestion that Babylon’s demise will bring about the restoration of Israel (14:1-2) indicate that the fall of Babylon to the Medes and Persians in 538 b.c. is the primary focus of the prophecy. (After all, the Lord did reveal to Isaiah that the Chaldeans [not the Assyrians] would someday conquer Jerusalem and take the people into exile [see 39:5-7].) However, the vivid picture of destruction in vv. 15-22 raises a problem. The Medes and Persians did not destroy the city; in fact Cyrus’ takeover of Babylon, though preceded by a military campaign, was relatively peaceful and even welcomed by some Babylonian religious officials. How then does one explain the prophecy’s description of the city’s violent fall? As noted above, the events of 689 b.c. and 538 b.c. may have been merged in the prophecy. However, it is more likely that the language is stylized and exaggerated for rhetorical effect. See Isa 34:11-15; Jer 50:39-40 (describing Babylon’s fall in 538 b.c.); 51:36-37 (describing Babylon’s fall in 538 b.c.); Zeph 2:13-15; the extra-biblical Sefire treaty curses; and Ashurbanipal’s description of the destruction of Elam in his royal annals. In other words, the events of 538 b.c. essentially, though not necessarily literally, fulfill the prophecy.

[34:11]  ¹⁵ tn קָאַת (qa’at) refers to some type of bird (cf. Lev 11:18; Deut 14:17) that was typically found near ruins (see Zeph 2:14). קִפּוֹד (qippod) may also refer to a type of bird (NAB “hoot owl”; NIV “screech owl”; TEV “ravens”), but some have suggested a rodent may be in view (cf. NCV “small animals”; ASV “porcupine”; NASB, NRSV “hedgehog”).

[34:11]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “will possess it” (so NIV).

[34:11]  ¹⁷ tn The Hebrew text has יַנְשׁוֹף וְעֹרֵב (yanshof vÿ’orev). Both the יַנְשׁוֹף (“owl”; see Lev 11:17; Deut 14:16) and עֹרֵב (“raven”; Lev 11:15; Deut 14:14) were types of wild birds.

[34:11]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[34:11]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “stones,” i.e., the stones used in a plumb bob.

[34:11]  ²⁰ sn The metaphor in v. 11b emphasizes that God has carefully planned Edom’s demise.

[34:12]  ²¹ tn Heb “will be nothing”; NCV, TEV, NLT “will all be gone.”

[34:13]  ²² tn The words “will grow” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[34:13]  ²³ tc Heb “and she will be a settlement for wild dogs, a dwelling place for ostriches.” The translation assumes an emendation of חָצִיר (khatsir, “grass”) to חָצֵר (khatser, “settlement”). One of the Qumran scrolls of Isaiah (1QIsa^a) supports this emendation (cf. HALOT 344 s.v. II חָצִיר)

[34:14]  ²⁴ tn Heb “will meet” (so NIV); NLT “will mingle there.”

[34:14]  ²⁵ tn Heb “and a goat will call to its neighbor.”

[34:14]  ²⁶ tn The precise meaning of לִּילִית (lilit) is unclear, though in this context the word certainly refers to some type of wild animal or bird. The word appears to be related to לַיְלָה (laylah, “night”). Some interpret it as the name of a female night demon, on the basis of an apparent Akkadian cognate used as the name of a demon. Later Jewish legends also identified Lilith as a demon. Cf. NRSV “Lilith.”

[34:14]  ²⁷ tn Heb “and will find for themselves a resting place.”

[34:15]  ²⁸ tn Hebrew קִפּוֹז (qippoz) occurs only here; the precise meaning of the word is uncertain.

[34:15]  ²⁹ tn For this proposed meaning for Hebrew מָלַט (malat), see HALOT 589 s.v. I מלט.

[34:15]  ³⁰ tn Heb “and brood [over them] in her shadow.”

[34:15]  ³¹ tn The precise meaning of דַּיָּה (dayyah) is uncertain, though the term appears to refer to some type of bird of prey, perhaps a vulture.

[3:19]  ³² tn Or “this is the reason for God judging,” or “this is how judgment works.”

[3:19]  ³³ tn Grk “and men,” but in a generic sense, referring to people of both genders (as “everyone” in v. 20 makes clear).

[3:21]  ³⁴ sn John 3:16-21 provides an introduction to the (so-called) “realized” eschatology of the Fourth Gospel: Judgment has come; eternal life may be possessed now, in the present life, as well as in the future. The terminology “realized eschatology” was originally coined by E. Haenchen and used by J. Jeremias in discussion with C. H. Dodd, but is now characteristically used to describe Dodd’s own formulation. See L. Goppelt, Theology of the New Testament, 1:54, note 10, and R. E. Brown (John [AB], 1:cxvii-cxviii) for further discussion. Especially important to note is the element of choice portrayed in John’s Gospel. If there is a twofold reaction to Jesus in John’s Gospel, it should be emphasized that that reaction is very much dependent on a person’s choice, a choice that is influenced by his way of life, whether his deeds are wicked or are done in God (John 3:20-21). For John there is virtually no trace of determinism at the surface. Only when one looks beneath the surface does one find statements like “no one can come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).

[2:2]  ³⁵ sn The relative pronoun which is feminine as is sins, indicating that sins is the antecedent.

[2:2]  ³⁶ tn Grk “walked.”

[2:2]  sn The Greek verb translated lived (περιπατέω, peripatew) in the NT letters refers to the conduct of one’s life, not to physical walking.

[2:2]  ³⁷ tn Or possibly “Aeon.”

[2:2]  sn The word translated present path is the same as that which has been translated [this] age in 1:21 (αἰών, aiwn).

[2:2]  ³⁸ tn Grk “domain, [place of] authority.”

[2:2]  ³⁹ tn Grk “of” (but see the note on the word “spirit” later in this verse).

[2:2]  ⁴⁰ sn The ruler of the kingdom of the air is also the ruler of the spirit that is now energizing the sons of disobedience. Although several translations regard the ruler to be the same as the spirit, this is unlikely since the cases in Greek are different (ruler is accusative and spirit is genitive). To get around this, some have suggested that the genitive for spirit is a genitive of apposition. However, the semantics of the genitive of apposition are against such an interpretation (cf. ExSyn 100).

[2:2]  ⁴¹ tn Grk “working in.”

[2:2]  ⁴² sn Sons of disobedience is a Semitic idiom that means “people characterized by disobedience.” However, it also contains a subtle allusion to vv. 4-10: Some of those sons of disobedience have become sons of God.

[2:3]  ⁴³ sn Among whom. The relative pronoun phrase that begins v. 3 is identical, except for gender, to the one that begins v. 2 (ἐν αἵς [en Jais], ἐν οἵς [en Jois]). By the structure, the author is building an argument for our hopeless condition: We lived in sin and we lived among sinful people. Our doom looked to be sealed as well in v. 2: Both the external environment (kingdom of the air) and our internal motivation and attitude (the spirit that is now energizing) were under the devil’s thumb (cf. 2 Cor 4:4).

[2:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “we all.”

[2:3]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “even.”

[2:3]  ⁴⁶ sn Children of wrath is a Semitic idiom which may mean either “people characterized by wrath” or “people destined for wrath.”

[2:3]  ⁴⁷ sn Eph 2:1-3. The translation of vv. 1-3 is very literal, even to the point of retaining the awkward syntax of the original. See note on the word dead in 2:1.

[4:18]  ⁴⁸ tn In the Greek text this clause is actually subordinate to περιπατεῖ (peripatei) in v. 17. It was broken up in the English translation so as to avoid an unnecessarily long and cumbersome statement.

[4:19]  ⁴⁹ sn Greediness refers to an increasing desire for more and more. The point is that sinful passions and desires are never satisfied.

[5:7]  ⁵⁰ tn The genitive αὐτῶν (autwn) has been translated as a genitive of association because of its use with συμμέτοχοι (summetocoi) – a verb which implies association in the σύν- (sun-) prefix.

[5:8]  ⁵¹ tn The verb “you are” is implied in the Greek text, but is supplied in the English translation to make it clear.

[5:9]  ⁵² tc Several mss (Ì⁴⁶ D² Ψ Ï) have πνεύματος (pneumatos, “Spirit”) instead of φωτός (fwtos, “light”). Although most today regard φωτός as obviously original (UBS⁴ gives it an “A” rating), a case could be made that πνεύματος is what the author wrote. First, although this is largely a Byzantine reading (D² often, if not normally, assimilates to the Byzantine text), Ì⁴⁶ gives the reading much greater credibility. Internally, the φωτός at the end of v. 8 could have lined up above the πνεύματος in v. 9 in a scribe’s exemplar, thus occasioning dittography. (It is interesting to note that in both Ì⁴⁹ and א the two instances of φωτός line up.) However, written in a contracted form, as a nomen sacrum (pMnMs) – a practice found even in the earliest mss – πνεύματος would not have been easily confused with fwtos (there being only the last letter to occasion homoioteleuton rather than the last three). Further, the external evidence for φωτός is quite compelling (Ì⁴⁹ א A B D* F G P 33 81 1739 1881 2464 pc latt co); it is rather doubtful that the early and widespread witnesses all mistook πνεύματος for φωτός. In addition, πνεύματος can be readily explained as harking back to Gal 5:22 (“the fruit of the Spirit”). Thus, on balance, φωτός appears to be original, giving rise to the reading πνεύματος.

[5:9]  ⁵³ tn Grk “in.” The idea is that the fruit of the light is “expressed in” or “consists of.”

[5:10]  ⁵⁴ tn BDAG 255 s.v. δοκιμάζω 1 translates δοκιμάζοντες (dokimazonte") in Eph 5:10 as “try to learn.”

[5:11]  ⁵⁵ tn The Greek conjunction καὶ (kai) seems to be functioning here ascensively, (i.e., “even”), but is difficult to render in this context using good English. It may read something like: “but rather even expose them!”

[5:11]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “rather even expose.”

[3:19]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly and glory is their shame, these who think of earthly things.”

[3:1]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:12.

[1:5]  ⁵⁹ sn Your participation (Grk “fellowship”) could refer to Paul rejoicing because of the Philippian converts’ “fellowship” in the gospel along with him, but it is more likely that this refers to their active “participation” with him in the gospel by means of the financial support they sent to Paul on more than one occasion, discussed later in this letter (4:10-19, esp. 4:15-16).

[1:5]  ⁶⁰ tn Several alternatives for translating vv. 3-5 are possible: (1) “I thank my God every time I remember you, yes, always in my every prayer for all of you. I pray with joy because of your participation…” (see NAB; also M. Silva, Philippians [BECNT], 43-44; G. D. Fee, Philippians [NICNT], 76-80); (2) “I thank my God because of your every remembrance of me. Always in my every prayer for all of you I pray with joy. [I am grateful] for your participation…” (see Moffatt; also P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 58-61). Option (1) is quite similar to the translation above, but sees v. 4a as more or less parenthetical. Option (2) is significantly different in that Paul thanks God because the Philippians remember him rather than when he remembers them.

[1:6]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “since I am sure of this very thing.” The verse begins with an adverbial participle that is dependent on the main verb in v. 3 (“I thank”). Paul here gives one reason for his thankfulness.

[1:6]  ⁶² tn The referent is clearly God from the overall context of the paragraph and the mention of “the day of Christ Jesus” at the end, which would be redundant if Christ were referred to here.

[1:6]  ⁶³ tn Or “among.”

[1:6]  ⁶⁴ tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[1:7]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “Just as.” The sense here is probably, “So I give thanks (v. 3) just as it is right for me…”

[1:7]  ⁶⁶ tn Or possibly “because you have me in your heart.”

[1:7]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “in my bonds.” The meaning “imprisonment” derives from a figurative extension of the literal meaning (“bonds,” “fetters,” “chains”), L&N 37.115.

[1:7]  ⁶⁸ tn The word “God’s” is supplied from the context (v. 2) to clarify the meaning.

[18:2]  ⁶⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style

[18:2]  ⁷⁰ tn Or “It” (the subject is embedded in the verb in Greek; the verb only indicates that it is third person). Since the city has been personified as the great prostitute, the feminine pronoun was used in the translation.

[18:2]  ⁷¹ tn Here BDAG 1067 s.v. φυλακή 3 states, “a place where guarding is done, prison…Of the nether world or its place of punishment (πνεῦμα 2 and 4c) 1 Pt 3:19 (BReicke, The Disobedient Spirits and Christian Baptism ’46, 116f). It is in a φ. in the latter sense that Satan will be rendered harmless during the millennium Rv 20:7. The fallen city of Babylon becomes a φυλακή haunt for all kinds of unclean spirits and birds 18:2ab.”

[18:2]  ⁷² tc There are several problems in this verse. It seems that according to the ms evidence the first two phrases (i.e., “and a haunt for every unclean spirit, and a haunt for every unclean bird” [καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς πνεύματος ἀκαθάρτου καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς ὀρνέου ἀκαθάρτου, kai fulakh panto" pneumato" akaqartou kai fulakh panto" orneou akaqartou]) are to be regarded as authentic, though there are some ms discrepancies. The similar beginnings (καὶ φυλακὴ παντός) and endings (ἀκαθάρτου) of each phrase would easily account for some mss omitting one or the other phrase. The third phrase (“a haunt for every unclean animal” [καὶ φυλακὴ παντὸς θηρίου ἀκαθάρτου, kai fulakh panto" qhriou akaqartou]), however, is more problematic since it is missing in several important mss (א C 051 Ï). The passage as a whole, including the third phrase, seems to be an allusion to Isa 13:21 and 34:11. It seems reasonable, in such a case, to assume that since there is good ms evidence to support the third phrase (A 1611 2329 al), it probably dropped out of certain mss because of its similarity to the two preceding clauses. It is the presence of all three phrases in the original that most likely gave rise to the divergent ms evidence extant today.