Yesaya 1:1-31
Konteks1:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem 1 that was revealed to Isaiah son of Amoz during the time when Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah reigned over Judah. 2
1:2 Listen, O heavens,
pay attention, O earth! 3
For the Lord speaks:
“I raised children, 4 I brought them up, 5
but 6 they have rebelled 7 against me!
1:3 An ox recognizes its owner,
a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; 8
but Israel does not recognize me, 9
my people do not understand.”
1:4 10 The sinful nation is as good as dead, 11
the people weighed down by evil deeds.
They are offspring who do wrong,
children 12 who do wicked things.
They have abandoned the Lord,
and rejected the Holy One of Israel. 13
They are alienated from him. 14
1:5 15 Why do you insist on being battered?
Why do you continue to rebel? 16
Your head has a massive wound, 17
your whole body is weak. 18
1:6 From the soles of your feet to your head,
there is no spot that is unharmed. 19
There are only bruises, cuts,
and open wounds.
They have not been cleansed 20 or bandaged,
nor have they been treated 21 with olive oil. 22
1:7 Your land is devastated,
your cities burned with fire.
Right before your eyes your crops
are being destroyed by foreign invaders. 23
They leave behind devastation and destruction. 24
1:8 Daughter Zion 25 is left isolated,
like a hut in a vineyard,
or a shelter in a cucumber field;
she is a besieged city. 26
1:9 If the Lord who commands armies 27 had not left us a few survivors,
we would have quickly become like Sodom, 28
we would have become like Gomorrah.
1:10 Listen to the Lord’s word,
you leaders of Sodom! 29
Pay attention to our God’s rebuke, 30
people of Gomorrah!
1:11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?” 31
says the Lord.
“I am stuffed with 32 burnt sacrifices
of rams and the fat from steers.
The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats
I do not want. 33
1:12 When you enter my presence,
do you actually think I want this –
animals trampling on my courtyards? 34
1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless 35 offerings;
I consider your incense detestable! 36
You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,
but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations! 37
1:14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies;
they are a burden
that I am tired of carrying.
1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I look the other way; 38
when you offer your many prayers,
I do not listen,
because your hands are covered with blood. 39
1:16 40 Wash! Cleanse yourselves!
Remove your sinful deeds 41
from my sight.
Stop sinning!
1:17 Learn to do what is right!
Promote justice!
Give the oppressed reason to celebrate! 42
Take up the cause of the orphan!
Defend the rights of the widow! 43
1:18 44 Come, let’s consider your options,” 45 says the Lord.
“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,
you can become 46 white like snow;
though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,
you can become 47 white like wool. 48
1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey, 49
then you will again eat the good crops of the land.
1:20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured 50 by the sword.”
Know for certain that the Lord has spoken. 51
1:21 How tragic that the once-faithful city
has become a prostitute! 52
She was once a center of 53 justice,
fairness resided in her,
but now only murderers. 54
1:22 Your 55 silver has become scum, 56
your beer is diluted with water. 57
1:23 Your officials are rebels, 58
they associate with 59 thieves.
All of them love bribery,
They do not take up the cause of the orphan, 62
or defend the rights of the widow. 63
1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies, 64
the powerful ruler of Israel, 65 says this:
“Ah, I will seek vengeance 66 against my adversaries,
I will take revenge against my enemies. 67
I will purify your metal with flux. 69
I will remove all your slag. 70
1:26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times,
wise advisers as in earlier days. 71
Then you will be called, ‘The Just City,
Faithful Town.’”
1:27 72 Zion will be freed by justice, 73
and her returnees by righteousness. 74
1:28 All rebellious sinners will be shattered, 75
those who abandon the Lord will perish.
1:29 Indeed, they 76 will be ashamed of the sacred trees
you 77 find so desirable;
you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards 78
where you choose to worship.
1:30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither,
like an orchard 79 that is unwatered.
1:31 The powerful will be like 80 a thread of yarn,
their deeds like a spark;
both will burn together,
and no one will put out the fire.
Yakobus 2:1-26
Konteks2:1 My brothers and sisters, 81 do not show prejudice 82 if you possess faith 83 in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 84 2:2 For if someone 85 comes into your assembly 86 wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, 2:3 do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, 87 “You sit here in a good place,” 88 and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? 89 2:4 If so, have you not made distinctions 90 among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? 91 2:5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! 92 Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor! 93 Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? 2:7 Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to? 94 2:8 But if you fulfill the royal law as expressed in this scripture, 95 “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” 96 you are doing well. 2:9 But if you show prejudice, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as violators. 97 2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but fails 98 in one point has become guilty of all of it. 99 2:11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” 100 also said, “Do not murder.” 101 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. 102 2:13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over 103 judgment.
2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, 104 if someone claims to have faith but does not have works? Can this kind of faith 105 save him? 106 2:15 If a brother or sister 107 is poorly clothed and lacks daily food, 2:16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm and eat well,” but you do not give them what the body needs, 108 what good is it? 2:17 So also faith, if it does not have works, is dead being by itself. 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” 109 Show me your faith without works and I will show you faith by 110 my works. 2:19 You believe that God is one; well and good. 111 Even the demons believe that – and tremble with fear. 112
2:20 But would you like evidence, 113 you empty fellow, 114 that faith without works is useless? 115 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 2:22 You see that his faith was working together with his works and his faith was perfected by works. 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Now Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness,” 116 and he was called God’s friend. 117 2:24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. 2:25 And similarly, was not Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she welcomed the messengers and sent them out by another way? 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Galatia 5:1-26
Konteks5:1 For freedom 118 Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke 119 of slavery. 5:2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! 5:3 And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey 120 the whole law. 5:4 You who are trying to be declared righteous 121 by the law have been alienated 122 from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5:5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love. 123
5:7 You were running well; who prevented you from obeying 124 the truth? 5:8 This persuasion 125 does not come from the one who calls you! 5:9 A little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise! 126 5:10 I am confident 127 in the Lord that you will accept no other view. 128 But the one who is confusing 129 you will pay the penalty, 130 whoever he may be. 5:11 Now, brothers and sisters, 131 if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? 132 In that case the offense of the cross 133 has been removed. 134 5:12 I wish those agitators 135 would go so far as to 136 castrate themselves! 137
5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; 138 only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, 139 but through love serve one another. 140 5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment, 141 namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” 142 5:15 However, if you continually bite and devour one another, 143 beware that you are not consumed 144 by one another. 5:16 But I say, live 145 by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. 146 5:17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires 147 that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to 148 each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 5:19 Now the works of the flesh 149 are obvious: 150 sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, 151 hostilities, 152 strife, 153 jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, 154 factions, 5:21 envying, 155 murder, 156 drunkenness, carousing, 157 and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!
5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit 158 is love, 159 joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 160 5:23 gentleness, and 161 self-control. Against such things there is no law. 5:24 Now those who belong to Christ 162 have crucified the flesh 163 with its passions 164 and desires. 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with 165 the Spirit. 5:26 Let us not become conceited, 166 provoking 167 one another, being jealous 168 of one another.
[1:1] 1 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:1] 2 tn Heb “The vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, [and] Hezekiah, kings of Judah.”
[1:1] sn Isaiah’s prophetic career probably began in the final year of Uzziah’s reign (ca. 740
[1:2] 3 sn The personified heavens and earth are summoned to God’s courtroom as witnesses against God’s covenant people. Long before this Moses warned the people that the heavens and earth would be watching their actions (see Deut 4:26; 30:19; 31:28; 32:1).
[1:2] 4 tn Or “sons” (NAB, NASB).
[1:2] sn “Father” and “son” occur as common terms in ancient Near Eastern treaties and covenants, delineating the suzerain and vassal as participants in the covenant relationship. The prophet uses these terms, the reference to heavens and earth as witnesses, and allusions to deuteronomic covenant curses (1:7-9, 19-20) to set his prophecy firmly against the backdrop of Israel’s covenantal relationship with Yahweh.
[1:2] 5 sn The normal word pair for giving birth to and raising children is יָלַד (yalad, “to give birth to”) and גָּדַל (gadal, “to grow, raise”). The pair גָּדַל and רוּם (rum, “to raise up”) probably occur here to highlight the fact that Yahweh made something important of Israel (cf. R. Mosis, TDOT 2:403).
[1:2] 6 sn Against the backdrop of Yahweh’s care for his chosen people, Israel’s rebellion represents abhorrent treachery. The conjunction prefixed to a nonverbal element highlights the sad contrast between Yahweh’s compassionate care for His people and Israel’s thankless rebellion.
[1:2] 7 sn To rebel carries the idea of “covenant treachery.” Although an act of פֶּשַׁע (pesha’, “rebellion”) often signifies a breach of the law, the legal offense also represents a violation of an existing covenantal relationship (E. Carpenter and M. Grisanti, NIDOTTE 3:707).
[1:3] 8 tn Heb “and the donkey the feeding trough of its owner.” The verb in the first line does double duty in the parallelism.
[1:3] 9 tn Although both verbs have no object, the parallelism suggests that Israel fails to recognize the Lord as the one who provides for their needs. In both clauses, the placement of “Israel” and “my people” at the head of the clause focuses the reader’s attention on the rebellious nation (C. van der Merwe, J. Naudé, J. Kroeze, A Biblical Hebrew Reference Grammar, 346-47).
[1:4] 10 sn Having summoned the witnesses and announced the Lord’s accusation against Israel, Isaiah mourns the nation’s impending doom. The third person references to the Lord in the second half of the verse suggest that the quotation from the Lord (cf. vv. 2-3) has concluded.
[1:4] 11 tn Heb “Woe [to the] sinful nation.” The Hebrew term הוֹי, (hoy, “woe, ah”) was used in funeral laments (see 1 Kgs 13:30; Jer 22:18; 34:5) and carries the connotation of death. In highly dramatic fashion the prophet acts out Israel’s funeral in advance, emphasizing that their demise is inevitable if they do not repent soon.
[1:4] 12 tn Or “sons” (NASB). The prophet contrasts four terms of privilege – nation, people, offspring, children – with four terms that depict Israel’s sinful condition in Isaiah’s day – sinful, evil, wrong, wicked (see J. A. Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah, 43).
[1:4] 13 sn Holy One of Israel is one of Isaiah’s favorite divine titles for God. It pictures the Lord as the sovereign king who rules over his covenant people and exercises moral authority over them.
[1:4] 14 tn Heb “they are estranged backward.” The LXX omits this statement, which presents syntactical problems and seems to be outside the synonymous parallelistic structure of the verse.
[1:5] 15 sn In vv. 5-9 Isaiah addresses the battered nation (5-8) and speaks as their representative (9).
[1:5] 16 tn Heb “Why are you still beaten? [Why] do you continue rebellion?” The rhetorical questions express the prophet’s disbelief over Israel’s apparent masochism and obsession with sin. The interrogative construction in the first line does double duty in the parallelism. H. Wildberger (Isaiah, 1:18) offers another alternative by translating the two statements with one question: “Why do you still wish to be struck that you persist in revolt?”
[1:5] 17 tn Heb “all the head is ill”; NRSV “the whole head is sick”; CEV “Your head is badly bruised.”
[1:5] 18 tn Heb “and all the heart is faint.” The “heart” here stands for bodily strength and energy, as suggested by the context and usage elsewhere (see Jer 8:18; Lam 1:22).
[1:6] 19 tn Heb “there is not in it health”; NAB “there is no sound spot.”
[1:6] 20 tn Heb “pressed out.”
[1:6] 21 tn Heb “softened” (so NASB, NRSV); NIV “soothed.”
[1:6] 22 sn This verse describes wounds like those one would receive in battle. These wounds are comprehensive and without remedy.
[1:7] 23 tn Heb “As for your land, before you foreigners are devouring it.”
[1:7] 24 tn Heb “and [there is] devastation like an overthrow by foreigners.” The comparative preposition כְּ (kÿ, “like, as”) has here the rhetorical nuance, “in every way like.” The point is that the land has all the earmarks of a destructive foreign invasion because that is what has indeed happened. One could paraphrase, “it is desolate as it can only be when foreigners destroy.” On this use of the preposition in general, see GKC 376 §118.x. Many also prefer to emend “foreigners” here to “Sodom,” though there is no external attestation for such a reading in the
[1:8] 25 tn Heb “daughter of Zion” (so KJV, NASB, NIV). The genitive is appositional, identifying precisely which daughter is in view. By picturing Zion as a daughter, the prophet emphasizes her helplessness and vulnerability before the enemy.
[1:8] 26 tn Heb “like a city besieged.” Unlike the preceding two comparisons, which are purely metaphorical, this third one identifies the reality of Israel’s condition. In this case the comparative preposition, as in v. 7b, has the force, “in every way like,” indicating that all the earmarks of a siege are visible because that is indeed what is taking place. The verb form in MT is Qal passive participle of נָצַר (natsar, “guard”), but since this verb is not often used of a siege (see BDB 666 s.v. I נָצַר), some prefer to repoint the form as a Niphal participle from II צוּר (tsur, “besiege”). However, the latter is not attested elsewhere in the Niphal (see BDB 848 s.v. II צוּר).
[1:9] 27 tn Traditionally, “the Lord of hosts.” The title pictures God as the sovereign king who has at his disposal a multitude of attendants, messengers, and warriors to do his bidding. In some contexts, like this one, the military dimension of his rulership is highlighted. In this case, the title pictures him as one who leads armies into battle against his enemies.
[1:9] 28 tc The translation assumes that כִּמְעָט (kim’at, “quickly,” literally, “like a little”) goes with what follows, contrary to the MT accents, which take it with what precedes. In this case, one could translate the preceding line, “If the Lord who commands armies had not left us a few survivors.” If כִּמְעָט goes with the preceding line (following the MT accents), this expression highlights the idea that there would only be a few survivors (H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:20; H. Zobel, TDOT 8:456). Israel would not be almost like Sodom but exactly like Sodom.
[1:10] 29 sn Building on the simile of v. 9, the prophet sarcastically addresses the leaders and people of Jerusalem as if they were leaders and residents of ancient Sodom and Gomorrah. The sarcasm is appropriate, for if the judgment is comparable to Sodom’s, that must mean that the sin which prompted the judgment is comparable as well.
[1:10] 30 tn Heb “to the instruction of our God.” In this context, which is highly accusatory and threatening, תּוֹרָה (torah, “law, instruction”) does not refer to mere teaching, but to corrective teaching and rebuke.
[1:11] 31 tn Heb “Why to me the multitude of your sacrifices?” The sarcastic rhetorical question suggests that their many sacrifices are of no importance to the Lord. This phrase answers the possible objection that an Israelite could raise in response to God’s indictment: “But we are offering the sacrifices you commanded!”
[1:11] sn In this section the Lord refutes a potential objection that his sinful people might offer in their defense. He has charged them with rebellion (vv. 2-3), but they might respond that they have brought him many sacrifices. So he points out that he requires social justice first and foremost, not empty ritual.
[1:11] 32 tn The verb שָׂבַע (sava’, “be satisfied, full”) is often used of eating and/or drinking one’s fill. See BDB 959 s.v. שָׂבַע. Here sacrifices are viewed, in typical ancient Near Eastern fashion, as food for the deity. God here declares that he has eaten and drunk, as it were, his fill.
[1:11] 33 sn In the chiastic structure of the verse, the verbs at the beginning and end highlight God’s displeasure, while the heaping up of references to animals, fat, and blood in the middle lines hints at why God wants no more of their sacrifices. They have, as it were, piled the food on his table and he needs no more.
[1:12] 34 tn Heb “When you come to appear before me, who requires this from your hand, trampling of my courtyards?” The rhetorical question sarcastically makes the point that God does not require this parade of livestock. The verb “trample” probably refers to the eager worshipers and their sacrificial animals walking around in the temple area.
[1:13] 35 tn Or “worthless” (NASB, NCV, CEV); KJV, ASV “vain.”
[1:13] 36 sn Notice some of the other practices that Yahweh regards as “detestable”: homosexuality (Lev 18:22-30; 20:13), idolatry (Deut 7:25; 13:15), human sacrifice (Deut 12:31), eating ritually unclean animals (Deut 14:3-8), sacrificing defective animals (Deut 17:1), engaging in occult activities (Deut 18:9-14), and practicing ritual prostitution (1 Kgs 14:23).
[1:13] 37 tn Heb “sin and assembly” (these two nouns probably represent a hendiadys). The point is that their attempts at worship are unacceptable to God because the people’s everyday actions in the socio-economic realm prove they have no genuine devotion to God (see vv. 16-17).
[1:15] 38 tn Heb “I close my eyes from you.”
[1:15] 39 sn This does not just refer to the blood of sacrificial animals, but also the blood, as it were, of their innocent victims. By depriving the poor and destitute of proper legal recourse and adequate access to the economic system, the oppressors have, for all intents and purposes, “killed” their victims.
[1:16] 40 sn Having demonstrated the people’s guilt, the Lord calls them to repentance, which will involve concrete action in the socio-economic realm, not mere emotion.
[1:16] 41 sn This phrase refers to Israel’s covenant treachery (cf. Deut 28:10; Jer 4:4; 21:12; 23:2, 22; 25:5; 26:3; 44:22; Hos 9:15; Ps 28:4). In general, the noun ַמעַלְלֵיכֶם (ma’alleykhem) can simply be a reference to deeds, whether good or bad. However, Isaiah always uses it with a negative connotation (cf. 3:8, 10).
[1:17] 42 tn The precise meaning of this line is uncertain. The translation assumes an emendation of חָמוֹץ (khamots, “oppressor [?]”) to חָמוּץ (khamuts, “oppressed”), a passive participle from II חָמַץ (khamats, “oppress”; HALOT 329 s.v. II חמץ) and takes the verb II אָשַׁר (’ashar) in the sense of “make happy” (the delocutive Piel, meaning “call/pronounce happy,” is metonymic here, referring to actually effecting happiness). The parallelism favors this interpretation, for the next two lines speak of positive actions on behalf of the destitute. The other option is to retain the MT pointing and translate, “set right the oppressor,” but the nuance “set right” is not clearly attested elsewhere for the verb I אשׁר. This verb does appear as a participle in Isa 3:12 and 9:16 with the meaning “to lead or guide.” If it can mean to “lead” or “rebuke/redirect” in this verse, the prophet could be contrasting this appeal for societal reformation (v. 17c) with a command to reorder their personal lives (v. 17a-b). J. A. Motyer (The Prophecy of Isaiah, 47) suggests that these three statements (v. 17a-c) provide “the contrast between the two ends of imperfect society, the oppressor and the needy, the one inflicting and the other suffering the hurt. Isaiah looks for a transformed society wherever it needs transforming.”
[1:17] 43 tn This word refers to a woman who has lost her husband, by death or divorce. The orphan and widow are often mentioned in the OT as epitomizing the helpless and impoverished who have been left without the necessities of life due to the loss of a family provider.
[1:18] 44 sn The Lord concludes his case against Israel by offering them the opportunity to be forgiven and by setting before them the alternatives of renewed blessing (as a reward for repentance) and final judgment (as punishment for persistence in sin).
[1:18] 45 tn Traditionally, “let us reason together,” but the context suggests a judicial nuance. The Lord is giving the nation its options for the future.
[1:18] 46 tn The imperfects must be translated as modal (indicating capability or possibility) to bring out the conditional nature of the offer. This purification will only occur if the people repent and change their ways.
[1:18] 47 tn The imperfects must be translated as modal (indicating capability or possibility) to bring out the conditional nature of the offer. This purification will only occur if the people repent and change their ways.
[1:18] 48 tn Heb “though your sins are like red, they will become white like snow; though they are red like scarlet, they will be like wool.” The point is not that the sins will be covered up, though still retained. The metaphorical language must be allowed some flexibility and should not be pressed into a rigid literalistic mold. The people’s sins will be removed and replaced by ethical purity. The sins that are now as obvious as the color red will be washed away and the ones who are sinful will be transformed.
[1:19] 49 tn Heb “listen”; KJV “obedient”; NASB “If you consent and obey.”
[1:20] 50 sn The wordplay in the Hebrew draws attention to the options. The people can obey, in which case they will “eat” v. 19 (תֹּאכֵלוּ [to’khelu], Qal active participle of אָכַל) God’s blessing, or they can disobey, in which case they will be devoured (Heb “eaten,” תְּאֻכְּלוּ, [tÿ’ukkÿlu], Qal passive/Pual of אָכַל) by God’s judgment.
[1:20] 51 tn Heb “for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” The introductory כִּי (ki) may be asseverative (as reflected in the translation) or causal/explanatory, explaining why the option chosen by the people will become reality (it is guaranteed by the divine word).
[1:21] 52 tn Heb “How she has become a prostitute, the faithful city!” The exclamatory אֵיכָה (’ekhah, “how!”) is used several times as the beginning of a lament (see Lam 1:1; 2;1; 4:1-2). Unlike a number of other OT passages that link references to Israel’s harlotry to idolatry, Isaiah here makes the connection with social and moral violations.
[1:21] 53 tn Heb “filled with.”
[1:21] 54 tn Or “assassins.” This refers to the oppressive rich and/or their henchmen. R. Ortlund (Whoredom, 78) posits that it serves as a synecdoche for all varieties of criminals, the worst being mentioned to imply all lesser ones. Since Isaiah often addressed his strongest rebuke to the rulers and leaders of Israel, he may have in mind the officials who bore the responsibility to uphold justice and righteousness.
[1:22] 55 tn The pronoun is feminine singular; personified Jerusalem (see v. 21) is addressed.
[1:22] 56 tn Or “dross.” The word refers to the scum or impurites floating on the top of melted metal.
[1:22] 57 sn The metaphors of silver becoming impure and beer being watered down picture the moral and ethical degeneration that had occurred in Jerusalem.
[1:23] 58 tn Or “stubborn”; CEV “have rejected me.”
[1:23] 59 tn Heb “and companions of” (so KJV, NASB); CEV “friends of crooks.”
[1:23] 60 tn Heb “pursue”; NIV “chase after gifts.”
[1:23] 61 sn Isaiah may have chosen the word for gifts (שַׁלְמוֹנִים, shalmonim; a hapax legomena here), as a sarcastic pun on what these rulers should have been doing. Instead of attending to peace and wholeness (שָׁלוֹם, shalom), they sought after payoffs (שַׁלְמוֹנִים).
[1:23] 62 sn See the note at v. 17.
[1:23] 63 sn The rich oppressors referred to in Isaiah and the other eighth century prophets were not rich capitalists in the modern sense of the word. They were members of the royal military and judicial bureaucracies in Israel and Judah. As these bureaucracies grew, they acquired more and more land and gradually commandeered the economy and legal system. At various administrative levels bribery and graft become commonplace. The common people outside the urban administrative centers were vulnerable to exploitation in such a system, especially those, like widows and orphans, who had lost their family provider through death. Through confiscatory taxation, conscription, excessive interest rates, and other oppressive governmental measures and policies, they were gradually disenfranchised and lost their landed property, and with it, their rights as citizens. The socio-economic equilibrium envisioned in the law of Moses was radically disturbed.
[1:24] 64 tn Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at v. 9.
[1:24] 65 tn Heb “the powerful [one] of Israel.”
[1:24] 66 tn Heb “console myself” (i.e., by getting revenge); NRSV “pour out my wrath on.”
[1:24] 67 sn The Lord here identifies with the oppressed and comes as their defender and vindicator.
[1:25] 68 tn Heb “turn my hand against you.” The second person pronouns in vv. 25-26 are feminine singular. Personified Jerusalem is addressed. The idiom “turn the hand against” has the nuance of “strike with the hand, attack,” in Ps 81:15 HT (81:14 ET); Ezek 38:12; Am 1:8; Zech 13:7. In Jer 6:9 it is used of gleaning grapes.
[1:25] 69 tn Heb “I will purify your dross as [with] flux.” “Flux” refers here to minerals added to the metals in a furnace to prevent oxides from forming. For this interpretation of II בֹּר (bor), see HALOT 153 s.v. II בֹּר and 750 s.v. סִיג.
[1:25] 70 sn The metaphor comes from metallurgy; slag is the substance left over after the metallic ore has been refined.
[1:26] 71 tn Heb “I will restore your judges as in the beginning; and your counselors as in the beginning.” In this context, where social injustice and legal corruption are denounced (see v. 23), the “judges” are probably government officials responsible for making legal decisions, while the “advisers” are probably officials who helped the king establish policies. Both offices are also mentioned in 3:2.
[1:27] 72 sn The third person reference to the Lord in v. 28 indicates that the prophet is again (see vv. 21-24a) speaking. Since v. 27 is connected to v. 28 by a conjunction, it is likely that the prophet’s words begin with v. 27.
[1:27] 73 tn Heb “Zion will be ransomed with justice.” Both cola in this verse end with similar terms: justice and righteousness (and both are preceded by a בְּ [bet] preposition). At issue is whether these virtues describe the means or result of the deliverance and whether they delineate God’s justice/righteousness or that of the covenant people. If the righteousness of Israelite returnees is in view, the point seems to be that the reestablishment of Zion as a center of justice (God’s people living in conformity with God’s demand for equity and justice) will deliver the city from its past humiliation and restore it to a place of prominence (see 2:2-4; cf. E. Kissane, Isaiah, 1:19). Most scholars conclude that “righteousness and “justice” refers to God alone (J. Ridderbos, Isaiah [BSC], 50; J. Watts, Isaiah [WBC], 1:25; E. J. Young, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:89; cf. NLT, TEV) or serves as a double reference to both divine and human justice and righteousness (J. A. Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah, 51; J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 1:10; H. Wildberger, Isaiah, 1:72). If it refers to both sides of the coin, these terms highlight the objective divine work of redemption and the subjective human response of penitence (Motyer, 51).
[1:27] 74 tc The Hebrew text has, “her repentant ones/returnees with righteousness.” The form שָׁבֶיהָ (shaveha, “her repentant ones”), as pointed in MT, is a masculine plural Qal participle from שׁוּב (shuv, “return”). Used substantivally, it refers to the “returning (i.e., repentant) ones.” It is possible that the parallel line (with its allusion to being freed by a ransom payment) suggests that the form be repointed to שִׁבְיָהּ (shivyah, “her captivity”), a reading that has support from the LXX. Some slightly emend the form to read וְשָׁבָה (vÿshavah, “and will return”). According to this view, the verb from the first line applies to the second line as well with the following translation as a result: “she will be released when fairness is restored.” Regardless, it makes best sense in the context to regard this as a reference to repentant Israelites returning to the land of promise. This understanding provides a better contrast with the rebels and sinners in 1:28.
[1:28] 75 tn Heb “and [there will be] a shattering of rebels and sinners together.”
[1:29] 76 tc The Hebrew text (and the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa) has the third person here, though a few Hebrew
[1:29] 77 tn The second person pronouns in vv. 29-30 are masculine plural, indicating that the rebellious sinners (v. 28) are addressed.
[1:29] 78 tn Or “gardens” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “groves.”
[1:30] 79 tn Or “a garden” (so KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
[1:31] 80 tn Heb “will become” (so NASB, NIV).
[2:1] 81 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[2:1] 83 tn Grk “do not have faith with personal prejudice,” with emphasis on the last phrase.
[2:1] 84 tn Grk “our Lord Jesus Christ of glory.” Here δόξης (doxhs) has been translated as an attributive genitive.
[2:2] 85 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, “equivalent to τὶς someone.”
[2:2] 86 tn Grk “synagogue.” Usually συναγωγή refers to Jewish places of worship (e.g., Matt 4:23, Mark 1:21, Luke 4:15, John 6:59). The word can be used generally to refer to a place of assembly, and here it refers specifically to a Christian assembly (BDAG 963 s.v. 2.b.).
[2:3] 87 tn Grk “and you pay attention…and say,” continuing the “if” clauses from v. 2. In the Greek text, vv. 2-4 form one long sentence.
[2:3] 88 tn Or “sit here, please.”
[2:3] 89 tn Grk “sit under my footstool.” The words “on the floor” have been supplied in the translation to clarify for the modern reader the undesirability of this seating arrangement (so also TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). Another option followed by a number of translations is to replace “under my footstool” with “at my feet” (NAB, NIV, NRSV).
[2:4] 90 tn Grk “have you not made distinctions” (as the conclusion to the series of “if” clauses in vv. 2-3).
[2:4] 91 tn Grk “judges of evil reasonings.”
[2:5] 92 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[2:6] 93 tn This is singular: “the poor person,” perhaps referring to the hypothetical one described in vv. 2-3.
[2:7] 94 tn Grk “that was invoked over you,” referring to their baptism in which they confessed their faith in Christ and were pronounced to be his own. To have the Lord’s name “named over them” is OT imagery for the Lord’s ownership of his people (cf. 2 Chr 7:14; Amos 9:12; Isa 63:19; Jer 14:9; 15:16; Dan 9:19; Acts 15:17).
[2:8] 95 tn Grk “according to the scripture.”
[2:8] 96 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18 (also quoted in Matt 19:19; 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27; Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14).
[2:9] 97 tn Or “transgressors.”
[2:10] 99 tn Grk “guilty of all.”
[2:11] 100 sn A quotation from Exod 20:14 and Deut 5:18.
[2:11] 101 sn A quotation from Exod 20:13 and Deut 5:17.
[2:12] 102 tn Grk “a law of freedom.”
[2:13] 103 tn Grk “boasts against, exults over,” in victory.
[2:14] 104 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[2:14] 105 tn Grk “the faith,” referring to the kind of faith just described: faith without works. The article here is anaphoric, referring to the previous mention of the noun πίστις (pisti") in the verse. See ExSyn 219.
[2:14] 106 sn The form of the question in Greek expects a negative answer.
[2:15] 107 tn It is important to note that the words ἀδελφός (adelfos) and ἀδελφή (adelfh) both occur in the Greek text at this point, confirming that the author intended to refer to both men and women. See the note on “someone” in 2:2.
[2:16] 108 tn Grk “what is necessary for the body.”
[2:18] 109 tn There is considerable doubt about where the words of the “someone” end and where James’ reply begins. Some see the quotation running to the end of v. 18; others to the end of v. 19. But most punctuate as shown above. The “someone” is then an objector, and the sense of his words is something like, “Some have faith; others have works; don’t expect everyone to have both.” James’ reply is that faith cannot exist or be seen without works.
[2:19] 111 tn Grk “you do well.”
[2:19] 112 tn Grk “believe and tremble.” The words “with fear” are implied.
[2:20] 113 tn Grk “do you want to know.”
[2:20] 114 tn Grk “O empty man.” Here the singular vocative ἄνθρωπε (anqrwpe, “man”) means “person” or even “fellow.” Cf. BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8 which views this as an instance of rhetorical address in a letter; the pejorative sense is also discussed under the previous heading (7).
[2:20] 115 tc Most witnesses, including several important ones (א A C2 P Ψ 33 Ï sy bo), have νεκρά (nekra, “dead”) here, while Ì74 reads κενή (kenh, “empty”). Both variants are most likely secondary, derived from ἀργή (argh, “useless”). The reading of the majority is probably an assimilation to the statements in vv. 17 and 26, while Ì74’s reading picks up on κενέ (kene) earlier in the verse. The external evidence (B C* 323 945 1739 sa) for ἀργή is sufficient for authenticity; coupled with the strong internal evidence for the reading (if νεκρά were original, how would ἀργή have arisen here and not in vv. 17 or 26?), it is strongly preferred.
[2:23] 116 sn A quotation from Gen 15:6.
[2:23] 117 sn An allusion to 2 Chr 20:7; Isa 41:8; 51:2; Dan 3:35 (LXX), in which Abraham is called God’s “beloved.”
[5:1] 118 tn Translating the dative as “For freedom” shows the purpose for Christ setting us free; however, it is also possible to take the phrase in the sense of means or instrument (“with [or by] freedom”), referring to the freedom mentioned in 4:31 and implied throughout the letter.
[5:1] 119 sn Here the yoke figuratively represents the burdensome nature of slavery.
[5:3] 120 tn Or “keep”; or “carry out”; Grk “do.”
[5:4] 121 tn Or “trying to be justified.” The verb δικαιοῦσθε (dikaiousqe) has been translated as a conative present (see ExSyn 534).
[5:4] 122 tn Or “estranged”; BDAG 526 s.v. καταργέω 4 states, “Of those who aspire to righteousness through the law κ. ἀπὸ Χριστοῦ be estranged from Christ Gal 5:4.”
[5:6] 123 tn Grk “but faith working through love.”
[5:7] 124 tn Or “following.” BDAG 792 s.v. πείθω 3.b states, “obey, follow w. dat. of the pers. or thing…Gal 3:1 v.l.; 5:7.”
[5:8] 125 tn Grk “The persuasion,” referring to their being led away from the truth (v. 7). There is a play on words here that is not easily reproducible in the English translation: The words translated “obey” (πείθεσθαι, peiqesqai) in v. 7 and “persuasion” (πεισμονή, peismonh) in v. 8 come from the same root in Greek.
[5:9] 126 tn Grk “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
[5:10] 127 tn The verb translated “I am confident” (πέποιθα, pepoiqa) comes from the same root in Greek as the words translated “obey” (πείθεσθαι, peiqesqai) in v. 7 and “persuasion” (πεισμονή, peismonh) in v. 8.
[5:10] 128 tn Grk “that you will think nothing otherwise.”
[5:10] 129 tn Or “is stirring you up”; Grk “is troubling you.” In context Paul is referring to the confusion and turmoil caused by those who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law.
[5:10] 130 tn Or “will suffer condemnation” (L&N 90.80); Grk “will bear his judgment.” The translation “must pay the penalty” is given as an explanatory gloss on the phrase by BDAG 171 s.v. βαστάζω 2.b.β.
[5:11] 131 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
[5:11] 132 sn That is, if Paul still teaches observance of the Mosaic law (preaches circumcision), why is he still being persecuted by his opponents, who insist that Gentile converts to Christianity must observe the Mosaic law?
[5:11] 133 sn The offense of the cross refers to the offense to Jews caused by preaching Christ crucified.
[5:12] 135 tn Grk “the ones who are upsetting you.” The same verb is used in Acts 21:38 to refer to a person who incited a revolt. Paul could be alluding indirectly to the fact that his opponents are inciting the Galatians to rebel against his teaching with regard to circumcision and the law.
[5:12] 136 tn Grk “would even.”
[5:12] 137 tn Or “make eunuchs of themselves”; Grk “cut themselves off.” This statement is rhetorical hyperbole on Paul’s part. It does strongly suggest, however, that Paul’s adversaries in this case (“those agitators”) were men. Some interpreters (notably Erasmus and the Reformers) have attempted to soften the meaning to a figurative “separate themselves” (meaning the opponents would withdraw from fellowship) but such an understanding dramatically weakens the rhetorical force of Paul’s argument. Although it has been argued that such an act of emasculation would be unthinkable for Paul, it must be noted that Paul’s statement is one of biting sarcasm, obviously not meant to be taken literally. See further G. Stählin, TDNT 3:853-55.
[5:13] 138 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:11.
[5:13] 139 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] 140 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] 141 tn Or “can be fulfilled in one commandment.”
[5:14] 142 sn A quotation from Lev 19:18.
[5:15] 143 tn That is, “if you are harming and exploiting one another.” Paul’s metaphors are retained in most modern translations, but it is possible to see the meanings of δάκνω and κατεσθίω (daknw and katesqiw, L&N 20.26 and 88.145) as figurative extensions of the literal meanings of these terms and to translate them accordingly. The present tenses here are translated as customary presents (“continually…”).
[5:16] 145 tn Grk “walk” (a common NT idiom for how one conducts one’s life or how one behaves).
[5:16] 146 tn On the term “flesh” (once in this verse and twice in v. 17) see the note on the same word in Gal 5:13.
[5:17] 147 tn The words “has desires” do not occur in the Greek text a second time, but are repeated in the translation for clarity.
[5:17] 148 tn Or “are hostile toward” (L&N 39.1).
[5:19] 149 tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.
[5:19] 150 tn Or “clear,” “evident.”
[5:20] 151 tn Or “witchcraft.”
[5:20] 152 tn Or “enmities,” “[acts of] hatred.”
[5:20] 153 tn Or “discord” (L&N 39.22).
[5:20] 154 tn Or “discord(s)” (L&N 39.13).
[5:21] 155 tn This term is plural in Greek (as is “murder” and “carousing”), but for clarity these abstract nouns have been translated as singular.
[5:21] 156 tc ‡ φόνοι (fonoi, “murders”) is absent in such important
[5:21] 157 tn Or “revelings,” “orgies” (L&N 88.287).
[5:22] 158 tn That is, the fruit the Spirit produces.
[5:22] 159 sn Another way to punctuate this is “love” followed by a colon (love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). It is thus possible to read the eight characteristics following “love” as defining love.
[5:22] 160 tn Or “reliability”; see BDAG 818 s.v. πίστις 1.a.
[5:23] 161 tn “And” is supplied here as a matter of English style, which normally inserts “and” between the last two elements of a list or series.
[5:24] 162 tc ‡ Some
[5:24] 163 tn See the note on the word “flesh” in Gal 5:13.
[5:24] 164 tn The Greek term παθήμασιν (paqhmasin, translated “passions”) refers to strong physical desires, especially of a sexual nature (L&N 25.30).
[5:25] 165 tn Or “let us also follow,” “let us also walk by.”
[5:26] 166 tn Or “falsely proud.”
[5:26] 167 tn Or “irritating.” BDAG 871 s.v. προκαλέω has “provoke, challenge τινά someone.”
