Mazmur 12:2

12:2 People lie to one another; ¹ 

they flatter and deceive. ² 

Amsal 26:24-25

26:24 The one who hates others disguises ³  it with his lips,

but he stores up ⁴  deceit within him. ⁵ 

26:25 When ⁶  he speaks graciously, ⁷  do not believe him, ⁸ 

for there are seven ⁹  abominations ¹⁰  within him.

Nehemia 6:1-14

Opposition to the Rebuilding Efforts Continues

6:1 When Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall and no breach remained in it (even though up to that time I had not positioned doors in the gates), 6:2 Sanballat and Geshem sent word to me saying, “Come on! Let’s set up a time to meet together at Kephirim ¹¹  in the plain of Ono.” Now they intended to do me harm.

6:3 So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in ¹²  an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?” 6:4 They contacted ¹³  me four times in this way, and I responded the same way each time. ¹⁴ 

6:5 The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand. 6:6 Written in it were the following words:

“Among the nations it is rumored ¹⁵  (and Geshem ¹⁶  has substantiated ¹⁷  this) that you and the Jews have intentions of revolting, and for this reason you are building the wall. Furthermore, according to these rumors ¹⁸  you are going to become their king. 6:7 You have also established prophets to announce ¹⁹  in Jerusalem ²⁰  on your behalf, ‘We have a king in Judah!’ Now the king is going to hear about these rumors. So come on! Let’s talk about this.” ²¹ 

6:8 I sent word back to him, “We are not engaged in these activities you are describing. ²²  All of this is a figment of your imagination.” ²³ 

6:9 All of them were wanting ²⁴  to scare us, supposing, “Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won’t get done.”

So now, strengthen my hands! ²⁵ 

6:10 Then I went to the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel. He was confined to his home. ²⁶  He said, “Let’s set up a time to meet in the house of God, within the temple. Let’s close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. It will surely be at night that they will come to kill you.”

6:11 But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Would someone like me flee to the temple in order to save his life? ²⁷  I will not go!” 6:12 I recognized the fact that God had not sent him, for he had spoken the prophecy against me as a hired agent of Tobiah and Sanballat. ²⁸  6:13 He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I ²⁹  would be discredited. ³⁰ 

6:14 Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat in light of these actions of theirs – also Noadiah the prophetess and the other prophets who were trying to scare me!

Amsal 26:24-26

26:24 The one who hates others disguises ³¹  it with his lips,

but he stores up ³²  deceit within him. ³³ 

26:25 When ³⁴  he speaks graciously, ³⁵  do not believe him, ³⁶ 

for there are seven ³⁷  abominations ³⁸  within him.

26:26 Though his ³⁹  hatred may be concealed ⁴⁰  by deceit,

his evil will be uncovered ⁴¹  in the assembly.

Daniel 11:27

11:27 These two kings, their minds ⁴²  filled with evil intentions, will trade ⁴³  lies with one another at the same table. But it will not succeed, for there is still an end at the appointed time.

Mikha 7:5-7

7:5 Do not rely on a friend;

do not trust a companion!

Don’t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms! ⁴⁴ 

7:6 For a son thinks his father is a fool,

a daughter challenges ⁴⁵  her mother,

and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law;

a man’s enemies are his own servants. ⁴⁶ 

7:7 But I will keep watching for the Lord;

I will wait for the God who delivers me.

My God will hear my lament. ⁴⁷ 

Lukas 11:53-54

11:53 When he went out from there, the experts in the law ⁴⁸  and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, ⁴⁹  and to ask him hostile questions ⁵⁰  about many things, 11:54 plotting against ⁵¹  him, to catch ⁵²  him in something he might say.

Lukas 20:20-23

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20:20 Then ⁵³  they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. ⁵⁴  They wanted to take advantage of what he might say ⁵⁵  so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction ⁵⁶  of the governor. 20:21 Thus ⁵⁷  they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, ⁵⁸  and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ⁵⁹  20:22 Is it right ⁶⁰  for us to pay the tribute tax ⁶¹  to Caesar ⁶²  or not?” 20:23 But Jesus ⁶³  perceived their deceit ⁶⁴  and said to them,

Lukas 20:2

20:2 and said to him, ⁶⁵  “Tell us: By what authority ⁶⁶  are you doing these things? ⁶⁷  Or who it is who gave you this authority?”

Kolose 1:26

1:26 that is, the mystery that has been kept hidden from ages and generations, but has now been revealed to his saints.

[12:2]  ¹ tn Heb “falsehood they speak, a man with his neighbor.” The imperfect verb forms in v. 2 describe what is typical in the psalmist’s experience.

[12:2]  ² tn Heb “[with] a lip of smoothness, with a heart and a heart they speak.” Speaking a “smooth” word refers to deceptive flattery (cf. Ps 5:9; 55:21; Prov 2:16; 5:3; 7:5, 21; 26:28; 28:23; Isa 30:10). “Heart” here refers to their mind, from which their motives and intentions originate. The repetition of the noun indicates diversity (see GKC 396 §123.f, IBHS 116 §7.2.3c, and Deut 25:13, where the phrase “weight and a weight” refers to two different measuring weights). These people have two different types of “hearts.” Their flattering words seem to express kind motives and intentions, but this outward display does not really reflect their true motives. Their real “heart” is filled with evil thoughts and destructive intentions. The “heart” that is seemingly displayed through their words is far different from the real “heart” they keep disguised. (For the idea see Ps 28:3.) In 1 Chr 12:33 the phrase “without a heart and a heart” means “undivided loyalty.”

[26:24]  ³ tn The Niphal imperfect from נָכַר (nakhar) means “to act [or, treat] as a foreigner [or, stranger]; to misconstrue; to disguise.” The direct object (“it”) is not present in the Hebrew text but is implied. In this passage it means that the hater speaks what is “foreign” to his thought; in other words, he dissembles.

[26:24]  ⁴ tn Or “places; puts; lays up” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB).

[26:24]  ⁵ tn Heb “within him” (so KJV, ASV) or “in his midst”; NAB “in his inmost being.”

[26:24]  sn Hypocritical words may hide a wicked heart. The proverb makes an observation: One who in reality despises other people will often disguise that with what he says.

[26:25]  ⁶ tn The particle כִּי (ki) is here interpreted with a temporal nuance. It is also possible that it could be read as concessive (so NIV, NLT “Though”).

[26:25]  ⁷ tn The meaning of the rare Piel form of חָנַן (khanan) is “to make gracious; to make favorable.” The subject is קוֹלוֹ (qolo, “his voice”), a metonymy of cause for what he says. The idea is that what he says is very gracious in its content and its effect.

[26:25]  ⁸ sn It may be that the placing of this proverb in this setting is designed to point out that the person speaking graciously is this wicked person who conceals an evil heart. Otherwise it may have in mind a person who has already proven untrustworthy but protests in order to conceal his plans. But even if that were not the connection, the proverb would still warn the disciple not to believe someone just because it sounded wonderful. It will take great discernment to know if there is sincerity behind the person’s words.

[26:25]  ⁹ sn The number “seven” is used in scripture as the complete number. In this passage it is not intended to be literally seven; rather, the expression means that there is complete or total abomination in his heart. Cf. TEV “his heart is filled to the brim with hate.”

[26:25]  ¹⁰ sn “Abomination” means something that is loathed. This is a description applied by the writer, for the hypocritical person would not refer to his plans this way.

[6:2]  ¹¹ tn It is not entirely clear whether the Hebrew word כְּפִירִים (kÿfirim) is a place-name not mentioned elsewhere in the OT (as indicated in the present translation; so also NAB, NASB) or whether it means “in [one of] the villages” (so, e.g., NIV, NRSV, NLT; see BDB 499 s.v.; HALOT 493 s.v.). The LXX and Vulgate understand it in the latter sense. Some scholars connect this term with the identically spelled word כּפירים (“lions”) as a figurative description of princes or warriors (e.g., Pss 34:11; 35:17; 58:7; Jer 2:15; Ezek 32:2, 13; Nah 2:14; see HALOT 493 s.v.): “let us meet together with the leaders in the plain of Ono.”

[6:3]  ¹² tn Heb “[am] doing.”

[6:4]  ¹³ tn Heb “sent to.”

[6:4]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and I answered them according to this word.”

[6:6]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “heard.”

[6:6]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “Gashmu”; in Neh 2:19 this name appears as Geshem. Since it is important for the modern reader to recognize that this is the same individual, the form of the name used here in the translation is the same as that in v. 19.

[6:6]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “is saying.”

[6:6]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “words.” So also in v. 7.

[6:7]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “call.”

[6:7]  ²⁰ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[6:7]  ²¹ tn Heb “Let us consult together.”

[6:8]  ²² tn Heb “We are not according to these matters that you are saying.”

[6:8]  ²³ tn Heb “For from your heart you are inventing them.”

[6:9]  ²⁴ tn The participle has a desiderative nuance here, describing the desire of the subject and not necessarily the actual outcome. See also v. 14.

[6:9]  ²⁵ tn The statement “So now, strengthen my hands” is frequently understood as an implied prayer, but is taken differently by NAB (“But instead, I now redoubled my efforts”).

[6:10]  ²⁶ tn Heb “shut in.” The reason for his confinement is not stated. BDB 783 s.v. עָצַר suggests that it had to do with the fulfillment of a vow or was related to an issue of ceremonial uncleanness.

[6:11]  ²⁷ tn Heb “go into the temple and live.”

[6:12]  ²⁸ tn Heb “and Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.”

[6:13]  ²⁹ tc The translation reads לִי (li, “to me”) rather than the MT reading לָהֶם (lahem, “to them”).

[6:13]  ³⁰ tn Heb “would have a bad name.”

[26:24]  ³¹ tn The Niphal imperfect from נָכַר (nakhar) means “to act [or, treat] as a foreigner [or, stranger]; to misconstrue; to disguise.” The direct object (“it”) is not present in the Hebrew text but is implied. In this passage it means that the hater speaks what is “foreign” to his thought; in other words, he dissembles.

[26:24]  ³² tn Or “places; puts; lays up” (cf. KJV, ASV, NASB).

[26:24]  ³³ tn Heb “within him” (so KJV, ASV) or “in his midst”; NAB “in his inmost being.”

[26:24]  sn Hypocritical words may hide a wicked heart. The proverb makes an observation: One who in reality despises other people will often disguise that with what he says.

[26:25]  ³⁴ tn The particle כִּי (ki) is here interpreted with a temporal nuance. It is also possible that it could be read as concessive (so NIV, NLT “Though”).

[26:25]  ³⁵ tn The meaning of the rare Piel form of חָנַן (khanan) is “to make gracious; to make favorable.” The subject is קוֹלוֹ (qolo, “his voice”), a metonymy of cause for what he says. The idea is that what he says is very gracious in its content and its effect.

[26:25]  ³⁶ sn It may be that the placing of this proverb in this setting is designed to point out that the person speaking graciously is this wicked person who conceals an evil heart. Otherwise it may have in mind a person who has already proven untrustworthy but protests in order to conceal his plans. But even if that were not the connection, the proverb would still warn the disciple not to believe someone just because it sounded wonderful. It will take great discernment to know if there is sincerity behind the person’s words.

[26:25]  ³⁷ sn The number “seven” is used in scripture as the complete number. In this passage it is not intended to be literally seven; rather, the expression means that there is complete or total abomination in his heart. Cf. TEV “his heart is filled to the brim with hate.”

[26:25]  ³⁸ sn “Abomination” means something that is loathed. This is a description applied by the writer, for the hypocritical person would not refer to his plans this way.

[26:26]  ³⁹ tn The referent is apparently the individual of vv. 24-25.

[26:26]  ⁴⁰ tn The form תִּכַּסֶּה (tikkasseh) is the Hitpael imperfect (with assimilation); it is probably passive, meaning “is concealed,” although it could mean “conceals itself” (naturally). Since the proverb uses antithetical parallelism, an imperfect tense nuance of possibility (“may be concealed”) works well here (cf. NIV, NLT).

[26:26]  ⁴¹ sn The Hebrew verb means “to uncover,” here in the sense of “to reveal; to make known; to expose.” The verse is promising that the evil the person has done will be exposed publicly. The common belief that righteousness will ultimately triumph informs this saying.

[11:27]  ⁴² tn Heb “heart.” So also in v. 28.

[11:27]  ⁴³ tn Heb “speak.”

[7:5]  ⁴⁴ tn Heb “from the one who lies in your arms, guard the doors of your mouth.”

[7:6]  ⁴⁵ tn Heb “rises up against.”

[7:6]  ⁴⁶ tn Heb “the enemies of a man are the men of his house.”

[7:7]  ⁴⁷ tn Heb “me.” In the interest of clarity the nature of the prophet’s cry has been specified as “my lament” in the translation.

[11:53]  ⁴⁸ tn Or “the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.

[11:53]  ⁴⁹ tn Or “terribly.”

[11:53]  ⁵⁰ tn For this term see L&N 33.183.

[11:54]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “lying in ambush against,” but this is a figurative extension of that meaning.

[11:54]  ⁵² tn This term was often used in a hunting context (BDAG 455 s.v. θηρεύω; L&N 27.30). Later examples of this appear in Luke 20.

[20:20]  ⁵³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:20]  ⁵⁴ tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.

[20:20]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”

[20:20]  ⁵⁶ tn This word is often translated “authority” in other contexts, but here, in combination with ἀρχή (arch), it refers to the domain or sphere of the governor’s rule (L&N 37.36).

[20:21]  ⁵⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.

[20:21]  ⁵⁸ tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.

[20:21]  ⁵⁹ sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question was specifically designed to trap Jesus.

[20:22]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.

[20:22]  ⁶¹ tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”

[20:22]  ⁶² tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[20:23]  ⁶³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:23]  ⁶⁴ tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).

[20:2]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “and said, saying to him.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[20:2]  ⁶⁶ tn On this phrase, see BDAG 844 s.v. ποῖος 2.a.γ.

[20:2]  ⁶⁷ sn The leadership is looking back to acts like the temple cleansing (19:45-48). How could a Galilean preacher do these things?