Mazmur 107:14

107:14 He brought them out of the utter darkness, ¹ 

and tore off their shackles.

Yesaya 9:1

9:1 (8:23) ²  The gloom will be dispelled for those who were anxious. ³ 

In earlier times he ⁴  humiliated

the land of Zebulun,

and the land of Naphtali; ⁵ 

but now he brings honor ⁶ 

to the way of the sea,

the region beyond the Jordan,

and Galilee of the nations. ⁷ 

Yesaya 59:9

Israel Confesses its Sin

59:9 For this reason deliverance ⁸  is far from us ⁹ 

and salvation does not reach us.

We wait for light, ¹⁰  but see only darkness; ¹¹ 

we wait for ¹²  a bright light, ¹³  but live ¹⁴  in deep darkness. ¹⁵ 

Matius 4:16

4:16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,

and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned.” ¹⁶ 

Kisah Para Rasul 26:18

26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn ¹⁷  from darkness to light and from the power ¹⁸  of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share ¹⁹  among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

[107:14]  ¹ tn Heb “darkness and deep darkness.” See the note on the word “darkness” in v. 10.

[9:1]  ² sn In the Hebrew text (BHS) the chapter division comes one verse later than in the English Bible; 9:1 (8:23 HT). Thus 9:2-21 in the English Bible = 9:1-20 in the Hebrew text. Beginning with 10:1 the verse numbers in the English Bible and the Hebrew Bible are again the same.

[9:1]  ³ tn The Hebrew text reads, “Indeed there is no gloom for the one to whom there was anxiety for her.” The feminine singular pronominal suffix “her” must refer to the land (cf. vv. 22a, 23b). So one could translate, “Indeed there will be no gloom for the land which was anxious.” In this case the statement introduces the positive message to follow. Some assume an emendation of לֹא (lo’, “no”) to לוֹ (lo, “to him”) and of לָהּ (lah, “to her”) to לוֹ (lo, “to him”), yielding this literal reading: “indeed there is gloom for him, for the one to whom there was anxiety for him.” In this case the statement concludes the preceding description of judgment.

[9:1]  ⁴ tn The Lord must be understood as the subject of the two verbs in this verse.

[9:1]  ⁵ sn The statement probably alludes to the Assyrian conquest of Israel in ca. 734-733 b.c., when Tiglath-pileser III annexed much of Israel’s territory and reduced Samaria to a puppet state.

[9:1]  ⁶ tn Heb Just as in earlier times he humiliated…, [in] the latter times he has brought honor.” The main verbs in vv. 1b-4 are Hebrew perfects. The prophet takes his rhetorical stance in the future age of restoration and describes future events as if they have already occurred. To capture the dramatic effect of the original text, the translation uses the English present or present perfect.

[9:1]  ⁷ sn These three geographical designations may refer to provinces established by the Assyrians in 734-733 b.c. The “way of the sea” is the province of Dor, along the Mediterranean coast, the “region beyond the Jordan” is the province of Gilead in Transjordan, and “Galilee of the nations” (a title that alludes to how the territory had been overrun by foreigners) is the province of Megiddo located west of the Sea of Galilee. See Y. Aharoni, Land of the Bible, 374.

[59:9]  ⁸ tn מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat), which refers to “justice” in the earlier verses, here refers to “justice from God,” or “vindication.” Because the people are unjust, God refuses to vindicate them before their enemies. See v. 11.

[59:9]  ⁹ sn The prophet speaks on behalf of the sinful nation and confesses its sins.

[59:9]  ¹⁰ sn Light here symbolizes prosperity and blessing.

[59:9]  ¹¹ tn Heb “but, look, darkness”; NIV “but all is darkness.”

[59:9]  ¹² tn The words “we wait for” are supplied in the translation; the verb is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).

[59:9]  ¹³ tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.

[59:9]  ¹⁴ tn Or “walk about”; NCV “all we have is darkness.”

[59:9]  ¹⁵ tn The plural noun form may indicate degree here.

[4:16]  ¹⁶ sn A quotation from Isa 9:1.

[26:18]  ¹⁷ sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.

[26:18]  ¹⁸ tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)

[26:18]  ¹⁹ tn Or “and an inheritance.”