Keluaran 20:3-21

20:3 “You shall have no ¹  other gods before me. ² 

20:4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image ³  or any likeness ⁴  of anything ⁵  that is in heaven above or that is on the earth beneath or that is in the water below. ⁶  20:5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, ⁷  for I, the Lord, your God, am a jealous ⁸  God, responding to ⁹  the transgression of fathers by dealing with children to the third and fourth generations ¹⁰  of those who reject me, ¹¹  20:6 and showing covenant faithfulness ¹²  to a thousand generations ¹³  of those who love me and keep my commandments.

20:7 “You shall not take ¹⁴  the name of the Lord your God in vain, ¹⁵  for the Lord will not hold guiltless ¹⁶  anyone who takes his name in vain.

20:8 “Remember ¹⁷  the Sabbath ¹⁸  day to set it apart as holy. ¹⁹  20:9 For six days ²⁰  you may labor ²¹  and do all your work, ²²  20:10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God; on it ²³  you shall not do any work, you, ²⁴  or your son, or your daughter, or your male servant, or your female servant, or your cattle, or the resident foreigner who is in your gates. ²⁵  20:11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and he rested on the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

20:12 “Honor ²⁶  your father and your mother, that you may live a long time ²⁷  in the land ²⁸  the Lord your God is giving to you.

20:13 “You shall not murder. ²⁹ 

20:14 “You shall not commit adultery. ³⁰ 

20:15 “You shall not steal. ³¹ 

20:16 “You shall not give ³²  false testimony ³³  against your neighbor.

20:17 “You shall not covet ³⁴  your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that belongs to your neighbor.” ³⁵ 

20:18 All the people were seeing ³⁶  the thundering and the lightning, and heard ³⁷  the sound of the horn, and saw ³⁸  the mountain smoking – and when ³⁹  the people saw it they trembled with fear ⁴⁰  and kept their distance. ⁴¹  20:19 They said to Moses, “You speak ⁴²  to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak with us, lest we die.” 20:20 Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, ⁴³  that the fear of him ⁴⁴  may be before you so that you do not ⁴⁵  sin.” 20:21 The people kept ⁴⁶  their distance, but Moses drew near the thick darkness ⁴⁷  where God was. ⁴⁸ 

Ulangan 4:5-6

4:5 Look! I have taught you statutes and ordinances just as the Lord my God told me to do, so that you might carry them out in ⁴⁹  the land you are about to enter and possess. 4:6 So be sure to do them, because this will testify of your wise understanding ⁵⁰  to the people who will learn of all these statutes and say, “Indeed, this great nation is a very wise ⁵¹  people.”

Mazmur 147:19-20

147:19 He proclaims his word to Jacob,

his statutes and regulations to Israel.

147:20 He has not done so with any other nation;

they are not aware of his regulations.

Praise the Lord!

Yesaya 8:20

8:20 Then you must recall the Lord’s instructions and the prophetic testimony of what would happen. ⁵²  Certainly they say such things because their minds are spiritually darkened. ⁵³ 

Yesaya 42:21

42:21 The Lord wanted to exhibit his justice

by magnifying his law and displaying it. ⁵⁴ 

Matius 5:17-20

Fulfillment of the Law and Prophets

5:17 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill them. ⁵⁵  5:18 I ⁵⁶  tell you the truth, ⁵⁷  until heaven and earth pass away not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter ⁵⁸  will pass from the law until everything takes place. 5:19 So anyone who breaks one of the least of these commands and teaches others ⁵⁹  to do so will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness goes beyond that of the experts in the law ⁶⁰  and the Pharisees, ⁶¹  you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matius 19:16-22

The Rich Young Man

19:16 Now ⁶²  someone came up to him and said, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to gain eternal life?” 19:17 He said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 19:18 “Which ones?” he asked. Jesus replied, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19:19 honor your father and mother, ⁶³  and love your neighbor as yourself.” ⁶⁴  19:20 The young man said to him, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed ⁶⁵  all these laws. ⁶⁶  What do I still lack?” 19:21 Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give the money ⁶⁷  to the poor, and you will have treasure ⁶⁸  in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 19:22 But when the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he was very rich. ⁶⁹ 

Matius 22:36-40

22:36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” ⁷⁰  22:37 Jesus ⁷¹  said to him, “‘Love ⁷²  the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ⁷³  22:38 This is the first and greatest ⁷⁴  commandment. 22:39 The second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁷⁵  22:40 All the law and the prophets depend ⁷⁶  on these two commandments.”

Markus 12:28-34

The Greatest Commandment

12:28 Now ⁷⁷  one of the experts in the law ⁷⁸  came and heard them debating. When he saw that Jesus ⁷⁹  answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 12:29 Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 12:30 Love ⁸⁰  the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ⁸¹  12:31 The second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁸²  There is no other commandment greater than these.” 12:32 The expert in the law said to him, “That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him. ⁸³  12:33 And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength ⁸⁴  and to love your neighbor as yourself ⁸⁵  is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Then no one dared any longer to question him.

Lukas 10:25-28

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

10:25 Now ⁸⁶  an expert in religious law ⁸⁷  stood up to test Jesus, ⁸⁸  saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” ⁸⁹  10:26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?” ⁹⁰  10:27 The expert ⁹¹  answered, “Love ⁹²  the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, ⁹³  and love your neighbor as yourself.” ⁹⁴  10:28 Jesus ⁹⁵  said to him, “You have answered correctly; ⁹⁶  do this, and you will live.”

Lukas 16:29-31

16:29 But Abraham said, ⁹⁷  ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they must respond to ⁹⁸  them.’ 16:30 Then ⁹⁹  the rich man ¹⁰⁰  said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead ¹⁰¹  goes to them, they will repent.’ 16:31 He ¹⁰²  replied to him, ‘If they do not respond to ¹⁰³  Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” ¹⁰⁴ 

Yohanes 5:39-47

5:39 You study the scriptures thoroughly ¹⁰⁵  because you think in them you possess eternal life, ¹⁰⁶  and it is these same scriptures ¹⁰⁷  that testify about me, 5:40 but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.

5:41 “I do not accept ¹⁰⁸  praise ¹⁰⁹  from people, ¹¹⁰  5:42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God ¹¹¹  within you. 5:43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept ¹¹²  me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept ¹¹³  him. 5:44 How can you believe, if you accept praise ¹¹⁴  from one another and don’t seek the praise ¹¹⁵  that comes from the only God? ¹¹⁶ 

5:45 “Do not suppose that I will accuse you before the Father. The one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have placed your hope. ¹¹⁷  5:46 If ¹¹⁸  you believed Moses, you would believe me, because he wrote about me. 5:47 But if you do not believe what Moses ¹¹⁹  wrote, how will you believe my words?”

Roma 3:31

3:31 Do we then nullify ¹²⁰  the law through faith? Absolutely not! Instead ¹²¹  we uphold the law.

Roma 13:1-10

Submission to Civil Government

13:1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, ¹²²  and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 13:2 So the person who resists such authority ¹²³  resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 13:3 (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, 13:4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. 13:5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities ¹²⁴  but also because of your conscience. ¹²⁵  13:6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities ¹²⁶  are God’s servants devoted to governing. ¹²⁷  13:7 Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due.

Exhortation to Love Neighbors

13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. 13:9 For the commandments, ¹²⁸  “Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet,” ¹²⁹  (and if there is any other commandment) are summed up in this, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹³⁰  13:10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Galatia 5:13-14

Practice Love

5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; ¹³¹  only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, ¹³²  but through love serve one another. ¹³³  5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, ¹³⁴  namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹³⁵ 

Galatia 5:24-25

5:24 Now those who belong to Christ ¹³⁶  have crucified the flesh ¹³⁷  with its passions ¹³⁸  and desires. 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with ¹³⁹  the Spirit.

Yakobus 2:9-13

2:9 But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. ¹⁴⁰  2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but fails ¹⁴¹  in one point has become guilty of all of it. ¹⁴²  2:11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” ¹⁴³  also said, “Do not murder.” ¹⁴⁴  Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law. 2:12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom. ¹⁴⁵  2:13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over ¹⁴⁶  judgment.

[20:3]  ¹ tn The possession is expressed here by the use of the lamed (ל) preposition and the verb “to be”: לֹא־יִהְיֶה לְךָ (lo’ yihyeh lÿkha, “there will not be to you”). The negative with the imperfect expresses the emphatic prohibition; it is best reflected with “you will not” and has the strongest expectation of obedience (see GKC 317 §107.o). As an additional way of looking at this line, U. Cassuto suggests that the verb is in the singular in order to say that they could not have even one other god, and the word “gods” is plural to include any gods (Exodus, 241).

[20:3]  ² tn The expression עַל־פָּנָי (’al-panay) has several possible interpretations. S. R. Driver suggests “in front of me,” meaning obliging me to behold them, and also giving a prominence above me (Exodus, 193-94). W. F. Albright rendered it “You shall not prefer other gods to me” (From the Stone Age to Christianity, 297, n. 29). B. Jacob (Exodus, 546) illustrates it with marriage: the wife could belong to only one man while every other man was “another man.” They continued to exist but were not available to her. The point is clear from the Law, regardless of the specific way the prepositional phrase is rendered. God demands absolute allegiance, to the exclusion of all other deities. The preposition may imply some antagonism, for false gods would be opposed to Yahweh. U. Cassuto adds that God was in effect saying that anytime Israel turned to a false god they had to know that the Lord was there – it is always in his presence, or before him (Exodus, 241).

[20:4]  ³ tn A פֶּסֶל (pesel) is an image that was carved out of wood or stone. The Law was concerned with a statue that would be made for the purpose of worship, an idol to be venerated, and not any ordinary statue.

[20:4]  ⁴ tn The word תְּמוּנָה (tÿmunah) refers to the mental pattern from which the פֶּסֶל (pesel) is constructed; it is a real or imagined resemblance. If this is to stand as a second object to the verb, then the verb itself takes a slightly different nuance here. It would convey “you shall not make an image, neither shall you conceive a form” for worship (B. Jacob, Exodus, 547). Some simply make the second word qualify the first: “you shall not make an idol in the form of…” (NIV).

[20:4]  ⁵ tn Here the phrase “of anything” has been supplied.

[20:4]  ⁶ tn Heb “under the earth” (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV).

[20:5]  ⁷ tn The combination of these two verbs customarily refers to the worship of pagan deities (e.g., Deut 17:3: 30:17; Jer 8:2; see J. J. Stamm and M. E. Andrew, The Ten Commandments in Recent Research [SBT], 86). The first verb is לאֹ־תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה (lo’ tishtakhaveh), now to be classified as a hishtaphel imperfect from חָוָה (khavah; BDB 1005 s.v. שׁחה), “to cause oneself to be low to the ground.” It is used of the true worship of God as well. The second verb is וְלֹא תָעָבְדֵם (vÿlo’ to’ovdem). The two could be taken as a hendiadys: “you will not prostrate yourself to serve them.” In an interesting side comment U. Cassuto (Exodus, 242) offers an explanation of the spelling of the second verb: he suggests that it was spelled with the qamets khatuf vowel to show contempt for pagan worship, as if their conduct does not even warrant a correct spelling of the word “serve.” Gesenius says that the forms like this are anomalous, but he wonders if they were pointed as if the verb was a Hophal with the meaning “you shall not allow yourself to be brought to worship them” (GKC 161 §60.b). But this is unlikely.

[20:5]  ⁸ sn The word “jealous” is the same word often translated “zeal” or “zealous.” The word describes a passionate intensity to protect or defend something that is jeopardized. The word can also have the sense of “envy,” but in that case the object is out of bounds. God’s zeal or jealousy is to protect his people or his institutions or his honor. Yahweh’s honor is bound up with the life of his people.

[20:5]  ⁹ tn Verses 5 and 6 are very concise, and the word פָּקַד (paqad) is difficult to translate. Often rendered “visiting,” it might here be rendered “dealing with” in a negative sense or “punishing,” but it describes positive attention in 13:19. When used of God, it essentially means that God intervenes in the lives of people for blessing or for cursing. Some would simply translate the participle here as “punishing” the children for the sins of the fathers (cf. Lev 18:25; Isa 26:21; Jer 29:32; 36:31; Hos 1:4; Amos 3:2). That is workable, but may not say enough. The verse may indicate that those who hate Yahweh and do not keep his commandments will repeat the sins their fathers committed and suffer for them. Deut 24:16 says that individuals will die for their own sins and not their father’s sins (see also Deut 7:10 and Ezek 18). It may have more to do with patterns of sin being repeated from generation to generation; if the sin and the guilt were not fully developed in the one generation, then left unchecked they would develop and continue in the next. But it may also indicate that the effects of the sins of the fathers will be experienced in the following generations, especially in the case of Israel as a national entity (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 243). God is showing here that his ethical character is displayed in how he deals with sin and righteousness, all of which he describes as giving strong motivation for loyalty to him and for avoiding idolatry. There is a justice at work in the dealings of God that is not present in the pagan world.

[20:5]  ¹⁰ tn The Hebrew word for “generations” is not found in v. 5 or 6. The numbers are short for a longer expression, which is understood as part of the description of the children already mentioned (see Deut 7:9, where “generation” [דּוֹר, dor] is present and more necessary, since “children” have not been mentioned).

[20:5]  ¹¹ tn This is an important qualification to the principle. The word rendered “reject” is often translated “hate” and carries with it the idea of defiantly rejecting and opposing God and his word. Such people are doomed to carry on the sins of their ancestors and bear guilt with them.

[20:6]  ¹² tn Literally “doing loyal love” (עֹשֶׂה חֶסֶד, ’oseh khesed). The noun refers to God’s covenant loyalty, his faithful love to those who belong to him. These are members of the covenant, recipients of grace, the people of God, whom God will preserve and protect from evil and its effects.

[20:6]  ¹³ tn Heb “to thousands” or “to thousandth.” After “tenth,” Hebrew uses cardinal numbers for ordinals also. This statement is the antithesis of the preceding line. The “thousands” or “thousandth [generation]” are those who love Yahweh and keep his commands. These are descendants from the righteous, and even associates with them, who benefit from the mercy that God extends to his people. S. R. Driver (Exodus, 195) says that this passage teaches that God’s mercy transcends his wrath; in his providence the beneficial consequences of a life of goodness extend indefinitely further than the retribution that is the penalty for persisting in sin. To say that God’s loyal love extends to thousands of generations or the thousandth generation is parallel to saying that it endures forever (Ps. 118). See also Exod 34:7; Deut 5:10; 7:9; Ps 18:51; Jer 32:18.

[20:7]  ¹⁴ tn Or “use” (NCV, TEV); NIV, CEV, NLT “misuse”; NRSV “make wrongful use of.”

[20:7]  ¹⁵ tn שָׁוְא (shav’, “vain”) describes “unreality.” The command prohibits use of the name for any idle, frivolous, or insincere purpose (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 196). This would include perjury, pagan incantations, or idle talk. The name is to be treated with reverence and respect because it is the name of the holy God.

[20:7]  ¹⁶ tn Or “leave unpunished.”

[20:8]  ¹⁷ tn The text uses the infinitive absolute זָכוֹר (zakhor) for the commandment for the Sabbath day, which is the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant. The infinitive absolute functions in place of the emphatic imperative here (see GKC 346 §113.bb); the absolute stresses the basic verbal idea of the root – remembering. The verb includes the mental activity of recalling and pondering as well as the consequent actions for such remembering.

[20:8]  ¹⁸ tn The word “Sabbath” is clearly connected to the verb שָׁבַת (shavat, “to cease, desist, rest”). There are all kinds of theories as to the origin of the day, most notably in the Babylonian world, but the differences are striking in so far as the pagan world had these days filled with magic. Nevertheless, the pagan world does bear witness to a tradition of a regular day set aside for special sacrifices. See, for example, H. W. Wolff, “The Day of Rest in the Old Testament,” LTQ 7 (1972): 65-76; H. Routtenberg, “The Laws of Sabbath: Biblical Sources,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 41-43, 99-101, 153-55, 204-6; G. Robinson, “The Idea of Rest in the OT and the Search for the Basic Character of Sabbath,” ZAW 92 (1980): 32-42; and M. Tsevat, “The Basic Meaning of the Biblical Sabbath,” ZAW 84 (1972): 447-59.

[20:8]  ¹⁹ tn The Piel infinitive construct provides the purpose of remembering the Sabbath day – to set it apart, to make it distinct from the other days. Verses 9 and 10 explain in part how this was to be done. To set this day apart as holy taught Israel the difference between the holy and the profane, that there was something higher than daily life. If an Israelite bent down to the ground laboring all week, the Sabbath called his attention to the heavens, to pattern life after the Creator (B. Jacob, Exodus, 569-70).

[20:9]  ²⁰ tn The text has simply “six days,” but this is an adverbial accusative of time, answering how long they were to work (GKC 374 §118.k).

[20:9]  ²¹ tn The imperfect tense has traditionally been rendered as a commandment, “you will labor.” But the point of this commandment is the prohibition of work on the seventh day. The permission nuance of the imperfect works well here.

[20:9]  ²² tn This is the occupation, or business of the work week.

[20:10]  ²³ tn The phrase “on it” has been supplied for clarity.

[20:10]  ²⁴ sn The wife is omitted in the list, not that she was considered unimportant, nor that she was excluded from the rest, but rather in reflecting her high status. She was not man’s servant, not lesser than the man, but included with the man as an equal before God. The “you” of the commandments is addressed to the Israelites individually, male and female, just as God in the Garden of Eden held both the man and the woman responsible for their individual sins (see B. Jacob, Exodus, 567-68).

[20:10]  ²⁵ sn The Sabbath day was the sign of the Sinaitic Covenant. It required Israel to cease from ordinary labors and devote the day to God. It required Israel to enter into the life of God, to share his Sabbath. It gave them a chance to recall the work of the Creator. But in the NT the apostolic teaching for the Church does not make one day holier than another, but calls for the entire life to be sanctified to God. This teaching is an application of the meaning of entering into the Sabbath of God. The book of Hebrews declares that those who believe in Christ cease from their works and enter into his Sabbath rest. For a Christian keeping Saturday holy is not a requirement from the NT; it may be a good and valuable thing to have a day of rest and refreshment, but it is not a binding law for the Church. The principle of setting aside time to worship and serve the Lord has been carried forward, but the strict regulations have not.

[20:12]  ²⁶ tn The verb כַּבֵּד (kabbed) is a Piel imperative; it calls for people to give their parents the respect and honor that is appropriate for them. It could be paraphrased to say, give them the weight of authority that they deserve. Next to God, parents were to be highly valued, cared for, and respected.

[20:12]  ²⁷ tn Heb “that your days may be long.”

[20:12]  ²⁸ sn The promise here is national rather than individual, although it is certainly true that the blessing of life was promised for anyone who was obedient to God’s commands (Deut 4:1, 8:1, etc.). But as W. C. Kaiser (“Exodus,” EBC 2:424) summarizes, the land that was promised was the land of Canaan, and the duration of Israel in the land was to be based on morality and the fear of God as expressed in the home (Deut 4:26, 33, 40; 32:46-47). The captivity was in part caused by a breakdown in this area (Ezek 22:7, 15). Malachi would announce at the end of his book that Elijah would come at the end of the age to turn the hearts of the children and the parents toward each other again.

[20:13]  ²⁹ tn The verb רָצַח (ratsakh) refers to the premeditated or accidental taking of the life of another human being; it includes any unauthorized killing (it is used for the punishment of a murderer, but that would not be included in the prohibition). This commandment teaches the sanctity of all human life. See J. H. Yoder, “Exodus 20,13: ‘Thou Shalt Not Kill’,” Int 34 (1980): 394-99; and A. Phillips, “Another Look at Murder,” JJS 28 (1977): 105-26.

[20:14]  ³⁰ sn This is a sin against the marriage of a fellow citizen – it destroys the home. The Law distinguished between adultery (which had a death penalty) and sexual contact with a young woman (which carried a monetary fine and usually marriage if the father was willing). So it distinguished fornication and adultery. Both were sins, but the significance of each was different. In the ancient world this sin is often referred to as “the great sin.”

[20:15]  ³¹ sn This law protected the property of the Israelite citizen. See D. Little, “Exodus 20,15: ‘Thou Shalt Not Steal’,” Int 34 (1980): 399-405.

[20:16]  ³² tn Heb “answer” as in a court of law.

[20:16]  ³³ tn The expression עֵד שָׁקֶר (’ed shaqer) means “a lying witness” (B. S. Childs, Exodus [OTL], 388). In this verse the noun is an adverbial accusative, “you will not answer as a lying witness.” The prohibition is against perjury. While the precise reference would be to legal proceedings, the law probably had a broader application to lying about other people in general (see Lev 5:1; Hos 4:2).

[20:17]  ³⁴ tn The verb חָמַד (khamad) focuses not on an external act but on an internal mental activity behind the act, the motivation for it. The word can be used in a very good sense (Ps 19:10; 68:16), but it has a bad connotation in contexts where the object desired is off limits. This command is aimed at curtailing the greedy desire for something belonging to a neighbor, a desire that leads to the taking of it or the attempt to take it. It was used in the story of the Garden of Eden for the tree that was desired.

[20:17]  ³⁵ sn See further G. Wittenburg, “The Tenth Commandment in the Old Testament,” Journal for Theology in South Africa 21 (1978): 3-17: and E. W. Nicholson, “The Decalogue as the Direct Address of God,” VT 27 (1977): 422-33.

[20:18]  ³⁶ tn The participle is used here for durative action in the past time (GKC 359 §116.o).

[20:18]  ³⁷ tn The verb “to see” (רָאָה, ra’ah) refers to seeing with all the senses, or perceiving. W. C. Kaiser suggests that this is an example of the figure of speech called zeugma because the verb “saw” yokes together two objects, one that suits the verb and the other that does not. So, the verb “heard” is inserted here to clarify (“Exodus,” EBC 2:427).

[20:18]  ³⁸ tn The verb “saw” is supplied here because it is expected in English (see the previous note on “heard”).

[20:18]  ³⁹ tn The preterite with vav (ו) consecutive is here subordinated as a temporal clause to the following clause, which receives the prominence.

[20:18]  ⁴⁰ tn The meaning of נוּעַ (nua’) is “to shake, sway to and fro” in fear. Compare Isa 7:2 – “and his heart shook…as the trees of the forest shake with the wind.”

[20:18]  ⁴¹ tn Heb “and they stood from/at a distance.”

[20:19]  ⁴² tn The verb is a Piel imperative. In this context it has more of the sense of a request than a command. The independent personal pronoun “you” emphasizes the subject and forms the contrast with God’s speaking.

[20:20]  ⁴³ tn נַסּוֹת (nassot) is the Piel infinitive construct; it forms the purpose of God’s coming with all the accompanying phenomena. The verb can mean “to try, test, prove.” The sense of “prove” fits this context best because the terrifying phenomena were intended to put the fear of God in their hearts so that they would obey. In other words, God was inspiring them to obey, not simply testing to see if they would.

[20:20]  ⁴⁴ tn The suffix on the noun is an objective genitive, referring to the fear that the people would have of God (GKC 439 §135.m).

[20:20]  ⁴⁵ tn The negative form לְבִלְתִּי (lÿvilti) is used here with the imperfect tense (see for other examples GKC 483 §152.x). This gives the imperfect the nuance of a final imperfect: that you might not sin. Others: to keep you from sin.

[20:21]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “and they stood”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:21]  ⁴⁷ sn The word עֲרָפֶל (’arafel) is used in poetry in Ps 18:9 and 1 Kgs 8:12; and it is used in Deut 4:11, 5:22 [19].

[20:21]  ⁴⁸ sn It will not be hard to expound the passage on the Ten Commandments once their place in scripture has been determined. They, for the most part, are reiterated in the NT, in one way or another, usually with a much higher standard that requires attention to the spirit of the laws. Thus, these laws reveal God’s standard of righteousness by revealing sin. No wonder the Israelites were afraid when they saw the manifestation of God and heard his laws. When the whole covenant is considered, preamble and all, then it becomes clear that the motivation for obeying the commands is the person and the work of the covenant God – the one who redeemed his people. Obedience then becomes a response of devotion and adoration to the Redeemer who set them free. It becomes loyal service, not enslavement to laws. The point could be worded this way: God requires that his covenant people, whom he has redeemed, and to whom he has revealed himself, give their absolute allegiance and obedience to him. This means they will worship and serve him and safeguard the well-being of each other.

[4:5]  ⁴⁹ tn Heb “in the midst of” (so ASV).

[4:6]  ⁵⁰ tn Heb “it is wisdom and understanding.”

[4:6]  ⁵¹ tn Heb “wise and understanding.”

[8:20]  ⁵² tn Heb “to [the] instruction and to [the] testimony.” The words “then you must recall” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text vv. 19-20a are one long sentence, reading literally, “When they say to you…, to the instruction and to the testimony.” On the identity of the “instruction” and “testimony” see the notes at v. 16.

[8:20]  ⁵³ tn Heb “If they do not speak according to this word, [it is] because it has no light of dawn.” The literal translation suggests that “this word” refers to the instruction/testimony. However, it is likely that אִם־לֹא (’im-lo’) is asseverative here, as in 5:9. In this case “this word” refers to the quotation recorded in v. 19. For a discussion of the problem see J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah (NICOT), 230, n. 9. The singular pronoun in the second half of the verse is collective, referring back to the nation (see v. 19b).

[42:21]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “The Lord was pleased for the sake of his righteousness [or “justice”], he was magnifying [the] law and was making [it] glorious.” The Lord contrasts his good intentions for the people with their present crisis (v. 22). To demonstrate his just character and attract the nations, the Lord wanted to showcase his law among and through Israel (Deut 4:5-8). But Israel disobeyed (v. 24) and failed to carry out their commission.

[5:17]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “not come to abolish but to fulfill.” Direct objects (“these things,” “them”) were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but have been supplied here to conform to contemporary English style.

[5:18]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “For I tell.” Here an explanatory γάρ (gar) has not been translated.

[5:18]  ⁵⁷ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[5:18]  ⁵⁸ tn Grk “Not one iota or one serif.”

[5:18]  sn The smallest letter refers to the smallest Hebrew letter (yod) and the stroke of a letter to a serif (a hook or projection on a Hebrew letter).

[5:19]  ⁵⁹ tn Grk “teaches men” ( in a generic sense, people).

[5:20]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “that of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.

[5:20]  ⁶¹ sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[19:16]  ⁶² tn Grk “And behold one came.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1). Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[19:19]  ⁶³ sn A quotation from Exod 20:12-16; Deut 5:16-20.

[19:19]  ⁶⁴ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[19:20]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “kept.” The implication of this verb is that the man has obeyed the commandments without fail, so the adverb “wholeheartedly” has been added to the translation to bring out this nuance.

[19:20]  ⁶⁶ tn Grk “these things.” The referent of the pronoun (the laws mentioned by Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[19:20]  sn While the rich man was probably being sincere when he insisted I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws, he had confined his righteousness to external obedience. The rich man’s response to Jesus’ command – to give away all he had – revealed that internally he loved money more than God.

[19:21]  ⁶⁷ tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[19:21]  ⁶⁸ sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward: You will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.

[19:22]  ⁶⁹ tn Grk “he had many possessions.” This term (κτῆμα, kthma) is often used for land as a possession.

[22:36]  ⁷⁰ tn Or possibly “What sort of commandment in the law is great?”

[22:37]  ⁷¹ tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[22:37]  ⁷² tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).

[22:37]  ⁷³ sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The threefold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.

[22:38]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “the great and first.”

[22:39]  ⁷⁵ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[22:40]  ⁷⁶ tn Grk “hang.” The verb κρεμάννυμι (kremannumi) is used here with a figurative meaning (cf. BDAG 566 s.v. 2.b).

[12:28]  ⁷⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

[12:28]  ⁷⁸ tn Or “One of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.

[12:28]  ⁷⁹ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:30]  ⁸⁰ tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).

[12:30]  ⁸¹ sn A quotation from Deut 6:4-5 and Josh 22:5 (LXX). The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.

[12:31]  ⁸² sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[12:32]  ⁸³ sn A quotation from Deut 4:35.

[12:33]  ⁸⁴ sn A quotation from Deut 6:5.

[12:33]  ⁸⁵ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[10:25]  ⁸⁶ tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[10:25]  ⁸⁷ tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (see also Luke 7:30, where the same term occurs).

[10:25]  ⁸⁸ tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:25]  ⁸⁹ sn The combination of inherit with eternal life asks, in effect, “What must I do to be saved?”

[10:26]  ⁹⁰ tn Grk “How do you read?” The pronoun “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[10:27]  ⁹¹ tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the expert in religious law, shortened here to “the expert”) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[10:27]  ⁹² tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).

[10:27]  ⁹³ sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.

[10:27]  ⁹⁴ tn This portion of the reply is a quotation from Lev 19:18. The verb is repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[10:28]  ⁹⁵ tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[10:28]  ⁹⁶ sn Jesus commends the reply (you have answered correctly). What is assumed here, given the previous context, is that he will respond to Jesus’ message, as to love God is to respond to his Son; see v. 22.

[16:29]  ⁹⁷ tn Grk “says.” This is one of the few times Luke uses the historical present.

[16:29]  ⁹⁸ tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” This recalls the many OT texts calling for a righteous heart to respond to people in need (Deut 14:28-29; Isa 3:14-15; Amos 2:6-8; Mic 2:1-2; Zech 7:9-10).

[16:30]  ⁹⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[16:30]  ¹⁰⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:30]  ¹⁰¹ sn If someone from the dead goes to them. The irony and joy of the story is that what is denied the rich man’s brothers, a word of warning from beyond the grave, is given to the reader of the Gospel in this exchange.

[16:31]  ¹⁰² tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[16:31]  ¹⁰³ tn Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” See the note on the phrase “respond to” in v. 29.

[16:31]  ¹⁰⁴ sn The concluding statement of the parable, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead, provides a hint that even Jesus’ resurrection will not help some to respond. The message of God should be good enough. Scripture is the sign to be heeded.

[5:39]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Or “Study the scriptures thoroughly” (an imperative). For the meaning of the verb see G. Delling, TDNT 2:655-57.

[5:39]  ¹⁰⁶ sn In them you possess eternal life. Note the following examples from the rabbinic tractate Pirqe Avot (“The Sayings of the Fathers”): Pirqe Avot 2:8, “He who has acquired the words of the law has acquired for himself the life of the world to come”; Pirqe Avot 6:7, “Great is the law for it gives to those who practice it life in this world and in the world to come.”

[5:39]  ¹⁰⁷ tn The words “same scriptures” are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to clarify the referent (“these”).

[5:41]  ¹⁰⁸ tn Or “I do not receive.”

[5:41]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).

[5:41]  ¹¹⁰ tn Grk “from men,” but in a generic sense; both men and women are implied here.

[5:42]  ¹¹¹ tn The genitive in the phrase τὴν ἀγάπην τοῦ θεοῦ (thn agaphn tou qeou, “the love of God”) could be translated as either a subjective genitive (“God’s love”) or an objective genitive (“love for God”). Either is grammatically possible. This is possibly an instance of a plenary genitive (see ExSyn 119-21; M. Zerwick, Biblical Greek, §§36-39). If so, the emphasis would be on the love God gives which in turn produces love for him, but Jesus’ opponents are lacking any such love inside them.

[5:43]  ¹¹² tn Or “you do not receive.”

[5:43]  ¹¹³ tn Or “you will receive.”

[5:44]  ¹¹⁴ tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).

[5:44]  ¹¹⁵ tn Or “honor” (Grk “glory,” in the sense of respect or honor accorded to a person because of their status).

[5:44]  ¹¹⁶ tc Several early and important witnesses (Ì^66,75 B W a b sa) lack θεοῦ (qeou, “God”) here, thus reading “the only one,” while most of the rest of the tradition, including some important mss, has the name ({א A D L Θ Ψ 33 Ï}). Internally, it could be argued that the name of God was not used here, in keeping with the NT practice of suppressing the name of God at times for rhetorical effect, drawing the reader inexorably to the conclusion that the one being spoken of is God himself. On the other hand, never is ὁ μόνος (Jo mono") used absolutely in the NT (i.e., without a noun or substantive with it), and always the subject of the adjunct is God (cf. Matt 24:36; John 17:3; 1 Tim 6:16). What then is to explain the shorter reading? In uncial script, with θεοῦ written as a nomen sacrum, envisioning accidental omission of the name by way of homoioteleuton requires little imagination, largely because of the succession of words ending in -ου: toumonouqMuou. It is thus preferable to retain the word in the text.

[5:45]  ¹¹⁷ sn The final condemnation will come from Moses himself – again ironic, since Moses is the very one the Jewish authorities have trusted in (placed your hope). This is again ironic if it is occurring at Pentecost, which at this time was being celebrated as the occasion of the giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai. There is evidence that some Jews of the 1st century looked on Moses as their intercessor at the final judgment (see W. A. Meeks, The Prophet King [NovTSup], 161). This would mean the statement Moses, in whom you have placed your hope should be taken literally and relates directly to Jesus’ statements about the final judgment in John 5:28-29.

[5:46]  ¹¹⁸ tn Grk “For if.”

[5:47]  ¹¹⁹ tn Grk “that one” (“he”); the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[3:31]  ¹²⁰ tn Grk “render inoperative.”

[3:31]  ¹²¹ tn Grk “but” (Greek ἀλλά, alla).

[13:1]  ¹²² tn Grk “by God.”

[13:2]  ¹²³ tn Grk “the authority,” referring to the authority just described.

[13:5]  ¹²⁴ tn Grk “its wrath”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:5]  ¹²⁵ tn Grk “because of (the) conscience,” but the English possessive “your” helps to show whose conscience the context implies.

[13:6]  ¹²⁶ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the governing authorities) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:6]  ¹²⁷ tn Grk “devoted to this very thing.”

[13:9]  ¹²⁸ tn Grk “For the…” (with the word “commandments” supplied for clarity). The Greek article (“the”) is used here as a substantiver to introduce the commands that are quoted from the second half of the Decalogue (ExSyn 238).

[13:9]  ¹²⁹ sn A quotation from Exod 20:13-15, 17; Deut 5:17-19, 21.

[13:9]  ¹³⁰ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[5:13]  ¹³¹ tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.

[5:13]  ¹³² tn Grk “as an opportunity for the flesh”; BDAG 915 s.v. σάρξ 2.c.α states: “In Paul’s thought esp., all parts of the body constitute a totality known as σ. or flesh, which is dominated by sin to such a degree that wherever flesh is, all forms of sin are likew. present, and no good thing can live in the σάρξ…Gal 5:13, 24;…Opp. τὸ πνεῦμα…Gal 3:3; 5:16, 17ab; 6:8ab.”

[5:13]  ¹³³ tn It is possible that the verb δουλεύετε (douleuete) should be translated “serve one another in a humble manner” here, referring to the way in which slaves serve their masters (see L&N 35.27).

[5:14]  ¹³⁴ tn Or “can be fulfilled in one commandment.”

[5:14]  ¹³⁵ sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.

[5:24]  ¹³⁶ tc ‡ Some mss (א A B C P Ψ 0122¹ 0278 33 1175 1739 pc co) read “Christ Jesus” here, while many significant ones (Ì⁴⁶ D F G 0122*^,2 latt sy), as well as the Byzantine text, lack “Jesus.” The Byzantine text is especially not prone to omit the name “Jesus”; that it does so here argues for the authenticity of the shorter reading (for similar instances of probably authentic Byzantine shorter readings, see Matt 24:36 and Phil 1:14; cf. also W.-H. J. Wu, “A Systematic Analysis of the Shorter Readings in the Byzantine Text of the Synoptic Gospels” [Ph.D. diss., Dallas Theological Seminary, 2002]). On the strength of the alignment of Ì⁴⁶ with the Western and Byzantine texttypes, the shorter reading is preferred. NA²⁷ includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[5:24]  ¹³⁷ tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.

[5:24]  ¹³⁸ tn The Greek term παθήμασιν (paqhmasin, translated “passions”) refers to strong physical desires, especially of a sexual nature (L&N 25.30).

[5:25]  ¹³⁹ tn Or “let us also follow,” “let us also walk by.”

[2:9]  ¹⁴⁰ tn Or “transgressors.”

[2:10]  ¹⁴¹ tn Or “stumbles.”

[2:10]  ¹⁴² tn Grk “guilty of all.”

[2:11]  ¹⁴³ sn A quotation from Exod 20:14 and Deut 5:18.

[2:11]  ¹⁴⁴ sn A quotation from Exod 20:13 and Deut 5:17.

[2:12]  ¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “a law of freedom.”

[2:13]  ¹⁴⁶ tn Grk “boasts against, exults over,” in victory.