2 Samuel 9:1-13

David Finds Mephibosheth

9:1 ¹ Then David asked, “Is anyone still left from the family ²  of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?”

9:2 Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, “Are you Ziba?” He replied, “At your service.” ³  9:3 The king asked, “Is there not someone left from Saul’s family, ⁴  that I may extend God’s kindness to him?” Ziba said to the king, “One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.” 9:4 The king asked him, “Where is he?” Ziba told the king, “He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.

9:5 So King David had him brought ⁵  from the house of Makir son of Ammiel in ⁶  Lo Debar. 9:6 When Mephibosheth son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, came to David, he bowed low with his face toward the ground. ⁷  David said, “Mephibosheth?” He replied, “Yes, at your service.” ⁸ 

9:7 David said to him, “Don’t be afraid, because I will certainly extend kindness to you for the sake of Jonathan your father. You will be a regular guest at my table.” ⁹  9:8 Then Mephibosheth ¹⁰  bowed and said, “Of what importance am I, your servant, that you show regard for a dead dog like me?” ¹¹ 

9:9 Then the king summoned Ziba, Saul’s attendant, and said to him, “Everything that belonged to Saul and to his entire house I hereby give to your master’s grandson. 9:10 You will cultivate ¹²  the land for him – you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce ¹³  and it will be ¹⁴  food for your master’s grandson to eat. ¹⁵  But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.” (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.)

9:11 Ziba said to the king, “Your servant will do everything that my lord the king has instructed his servant to do.” So Mephibosheth was a regular guest ¹⁶  at David’s table, ¹⁷  just as though he were one of the king’s sons.

9:12 Now Mephibosheth had a young son whose name was Mica. All the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 9:13 Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, ¹⁸  for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.

Ayub 31:16-21

31:16 If I have refused to give the poor what they desired, ¹⁹ 

or caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

31:17 If I ate my morsel of bread myself,

and did not share any of it with orphans ²⁰  –

31:18 but from my youth I raised the orphan ²¹  like a father,

and from my mother’s womb ²² 

I guided the widow! ²³ 

31:19 If I have seen anyone about to perish for lack of clothing,

or a poor man without a coat,

31:20 whose heart did not bless me ²⁴ 

as he warmed himself with the fleece of my sheep, ²⁵ 

31:21 if I have raised my hand ²⁶  to vote against the orphan,

when I saw my support in the court, ²⁷ 

Mazmur 112:9

112:9 He generously gives ²⁸  to the needy;

his integrity endures. ²⁹ 

He will be vindicated and honored. ³⁰ 

Amsal 11:24

11:24 One person is generous ³¹  and yet grows more wealthy, ³² 

but another withholds more than he should ³³  and comes to poverty. ³⁴ 

Lukas 6:33-35

6:33 And ³⁵  if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ³⁶  sinners ³⁷  do the same. 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, ³⁸  what credit is that to you? Even sinners ³⁹  lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. ⁴⁰  6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. ⁴¹  Then ⁴²  your reward will be great, and you will be sons ⁴³  of the Most High, ⁴⁴  because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. ⁴⁵ 

Kisah Para Rasul 9:39

9:39 So Peter got up and went with them, and ⁴⁶  when he arrived ⁴⁷  they brought him to the upper room. All ⁴⁸  the widows stood beside him, crying and showing him ⁴⁹  the tunics ⁵⁰  and other clothing ⁵¹  Dorcas used to make ⁵²  while she was with them.

Kisah Para Rasul 11:29-30

11:29 So the disciples, each in accordance with his financial ability, ⁵³  decided ⁵⁴  to send relief ⁵⁵  to the brothers living in Judea. 11:30 They did so, ⁵⁶  sending their financial aid ⁵⁷  to the elders by Barnabas and Saul.

Kisah Para Rasul 11:2

11:2 So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, ⁵⁸  the circumcised believers ⁵⁹  took issue with ⁶⁰  him,

Kolose 1:2

1:2 to the saints, the faithful ⁶¹  brothers and sisters ⁶²  in Christ, at Colossae. Grace and peace to you ⁶³  from God our Father! ⁶⁴ 

Kolose 1:6-11

1:6 that has come to you. Just as in the entire world this gospel ⁶⁵  is bearing fruit and growing, so it has also been bearing fruit and growing ⁶⁶  among you from the first day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth. 1:7 You learned the gospel ⁶⁷  from Epaphras, our dear fellow slave ⁶⁸  – a ⁶⁹  faithful minister of Christ on our ⁷⁰  behalf – 1:8 who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

Paul’s Prayer for the Growth of the Church

1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, ⁷¹  have not ceased praying for you and asking God ⁷²  to fill ⁷³  you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 1:10 so that you may live ⁷⁴  worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects ⁷⁵  – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, 1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of ⁷⁶  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully

[9:1]  ¹ sn 2 Samuel 9–20 is known as the Succession Narrative. It is a literary unit that describes David’s efforts at consolidating his own kingdom following the demise of King Saul; it also provides the transition to subsequent leadership on the part of David’s successor Solomon.

[9:1]  ² tn Heb “house.”

[9:2]  ³ tn Heb “your servant.”

[9:3]  ⁴ tn Heb “house.”

[9:5]  ⁵ tn Heb “sent and took him.”

[9:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “from.”

[9:6]  ⁷ tn Heb “he fell on his face and bowed down.”

[9:6]  ⁸ tn Heb “Look, your servant.”

[9:7]  ⁹ tn Heb “and you will eat food over my table continually.”

[9:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[9:8]  ¹¹ tn Heb “What is your servant, that you turn to a dead dog which is like me?”

[9:10]  ¹² tn Heb “work.”

[9:10]  ¹³ tn The Hebrew text implies, but does not actually contain, the words “its produce” here.

[9:10]  ¹⁴ tc The words “it will be,” though present in the MT, are absent from the LXX, the Syriac Peshitta, and Vulgate.

[9:10]  ¹⁵ tn Heb “and he will eat it.”

[9:11]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “eating.”

[9:11]  ¹⁷ tc Heb “my table.” But the first person reference to David is awkward here since the quotation of David’s words has already been concluded in v. 10; nor does the “my” refer to Ziba, since the latter part of v. 11 does not seem to be part of Ziba’s response to the king. The ancient versions are not unanimous in the way that they render the phrase. The LXX has “the table of David” (τῆς τραπέζης Δαυιδ, th" trapezh" Dauid); the Syriac Peshitta has “the table of the king” (patureh demalka’); the Vulgate has “your table” (mensam tuam). The present translation follows the LXX.

[9:13]  ¹⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[31:16]  ¹⁹ tn Heb “kept the poor from [their] desire.”

[31:17]  ²⁰ tn Heb “and an orphan did not eat from it.”

[31:18]  ²¹ tn Heb “he grew up with me.” Several commentators have decided to change the pronoun to “I,” and make it causative.

[31:18]  ²² tn The expression “from my mother’s womb” is obviously hyperbolic. It is a way of saying “all his life.”

[31:18]  ²³ tn Heb “I guided her,” referring to the widow mentioned in v. 16.

[31:20]  ²⁴ tn The MT has simply “if his loins did not bless me.” In the conditional clause this is another protasis. It means, “if I saw someone dying and if he did not thank me for clothing them.” It is Job’s way of saying that whenever he saw a need he met it, and he received his share of thanks – which prove his kindness. G. R. Driver has it “without his loins having blessed me,” taking “If…not” as an Aramaism, meaning “except” (AJSL 52 [1935/36]: 164f.).

[31:20]  ²⁵ tn This clause is interpreted here as a subordinate clause to the first half of the verse. It could also be a separate clause: “was he not warmed…?”

[31:21]  ²⁶ tn The expression “raised my hand” refers to a threatening manner or gesture in the court rather than a threat of physical violence in the street. Thus the words “to vote” are supplied in the translation to indicate the setting.

[31:21]  ²⁷ tn Heb “gate,” referring to the city gate where judicial decisions were rendered in the culture of the time. The translation uses the word “court” to indicate this to the modern reader, who might not associate a city gate complex with judicial functions.

[112:9]  ²⁸ tn Heb “he scatters, he gives.”

[112:9]  ²⁹ tn Heb “stands forever.”

[112:9]  ³⁰ tn Heb “his horn will be lifted up in honor.” The horn of an ox underlies the metaphor (see Deut 33:17; 1 Kgs 22:11; Ps 92:10). The horn of the wild ox is frequently a metaphor for military strength; the idiom “exalt/lift up the horn” signifies military victory (see 1 Sam 2:10; Pss 89:17, 24; 92:10; Lam 2:17).

[11:24]  ³¹ tn Heb “There is one who scatters.” The participle מְפַזֵּר (mÿfazzer, “one who scatters”) refers to charity rather than farming or investments (and is thus a hypocatastasis). Cf. CEV “become rich by being generous”).

[11:24]  ³² tn Heb “increases.” The verb means that he grows even more wealthy. This is a paradox: Generosity determines prosperity in God’s economy.

[11:24]  ³³ tn Heb “more than what is right.” This one is not giving enough, but saving for himself.

[11:24]  ³⁴ tn Heb “comes to lack.” The person who withholds will come to the diminishing of his wealth. The verse uses hyperbole to teach that giving to charity does not make anyone poor, and neither does refusal to give ensure prosperity.

[6:33]  ³⁵ tc ‡ Three key mss (Ì⁷⁵ א* B) have “for” here, but it is unlikely that it was present originally. The addition of conjunctions, especially to the beginning of a clause, are typically suspect because they fit the pattern of Koine tendencies toward greater explicitness. NA²⁷ has the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[6:33]  ³⁶ tc Most mss (A D L Θ Ξ Ψ Ë¹³ 33 Ï lat) include γάρ (gar, “for”) following καί (kai, here translated “even”), but a few important mss (א B W 700 892* 1241 pc) lack the conjunction. The inclusion of the conjunction seems to be motivated by clarity and should probably be considered inauthentic.

[6:33]  ³⁷ sn See the note on the word sinners in v. 32.

[6:34]  ³⁸ tn Grk “to receive”; but in context the repayment of the amount lent is implied. Jesus was noting that utilitarian motives are the way of the world.

[6:34]  ³⁹ sn See the note on the word sinners in v. 32.

[6:34]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “to receive as much again.”

[6:35]  ⁴¹ tn Or “in return.”

[6:35]  ⁴² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the outcome or result. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.

[6:35]  ⁴³ sn The character of these actions reflects the grace and kindness of God, bearing witness to a “line of descent” or relationship of the individual to God (sons of the Most High). There is to be a unique kind of ethic at work with disciples. Jesus refers specifically to sons here because in the ancient world sons had special privileges which were rarely accorded to daughters. However, Jesus is most likely addressing both men and women in this context, so women too would receive these same privileges.

[6:35]  ⁴⁴ sn That is, “sons of God.”

[6:35]  ⁴⁵ tn Or “to the ungrateful and immoral.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

[9:39]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “who.” The relative clause makes for awkward English style here, so the following clause was made coordinate with the conjunction “and” supplied in place of the Greek relative pronoun.

[9:39]  ⁴⁷ tn The participle παραγενόμενον (paragenomenon) is taken temporally.

[9:39]  ⁴⁸ tn Grk “and all.” Because of the length of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun.

[9:39]  ⁴⁹ tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[9:39]  ⁵⁰ tn Or “shirts” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.

[9:39]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “and garments,” referring here to other types of clothing besides the tunics just mentioned.

[9:39]  ⁵² tn The verb ἐποίει (epoiei) has been translated as a customary imperfect.

[11:29]  ⁵³ tn So BDAG 410 s.v. εὐπορέω.

[11:29]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “determined,” “resolved.”

[11:29]  ⁵⁵ tn Grk “to send [something] for a ministry,” but today it is common to speak of sending relief for victims of natural disasters.

[11:29]  sn The financial relief reflects the oneness of the church, meeting the needs of another (even racially distinct) community. Jerusalem, having ministered to them, now received ministry back. A later collection from Greece is noted in Rom 15:25-27, but it reflects the same spirit as this gift.

[11:30]  ⁵⁶ tn Grk “Judea, which they did.” The relative pronoun was omitted and a new sentence was begun in the translation at this point to improve the English style, due to the length of the sentence in Greek.

[11:30]  ⁵⁷ tn The words “their financial aid” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the modern English reader.

[11:2]  ⁵⁸ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

[11:2]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “the Jewish Christians”; Grk “those of the circumcision.” Within the larger group of Christians were some whose loyalties ran along ethnic-religious lines.

[11:2]  ⁶⁰ tn Or “believers disputed with,” “believers criticized” (BDAG 231 s.v. διακρίνω 5.b).

[1:2]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “and faithful.” The construction in Greek (as well as Paul’s style) suggests that the saints are identical to the faithful; hence, the καί (kai) is best left untranslated (cf. Eph 1:1). See ExSyn 281-82.

[1:2]  ⁶² tn Grk “brothers,” but the Greek word may be used for “brothers and sisters” or “fellow Christians” as here (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 1, where considerable nonbiblical evidence for the plural ἀδελφοί [adelfoi] meaning “brothers and sisters” is cited).

[1:2]  ⁶³ tn Or “Grace to you and peace.”

[1:2]  ⁶⁴ tc Most witnesses, including some important ones (א A C F G I [P] 075 Ï it bo), read “and the Lord Jesus Christ” at the end of this verse, no doubt to conform the wording to the typical Pauline salutation. However, excellent and early witnesses (B D K L Ψ 33 81 1175 1505 1739 1881 al sa) lack this phrase. Since the omission is inexplicable as arising from the longer reading (otherwise, these mss would surely have deleted the phrase in the rest of the corpus Paulinum), it is surely authentic.

[1:6]  ⁶⁵ tn Grk “just as in the entire world it is bearing fruit.” The antecedent (“the gospel”) of the implied subject (“it”) of ἐστιν (estin) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:6]  ⁶⁶ tn Though the participles are periphrastic with the present tense verb ἐστίν (estin), the presence of the temporal indicator “from the day” in the next clause indicates that this is a present tense that reaches into the past and should be translated as “has been bearing fruit and growing.” For a discussion of this use of the present tense, see ExSyn 519-20.

[1:7]  ⁶⁷ tn Or “learned it.” The Greek text simply has “you learned” without the reference to “the gospel,” but “the gospel” is supplied to clarify the sense of the clause. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[1:7]  ⁶⁸ tn The Greek word translated “fellow slave” is σύνδουλος (sundoulo"); the σύν- prefix here denotes association. Though δοῦλος is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v.). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.

[1:7]  ⁶⁹ tn The Greek text has “who (ὅς, Jos) is a faithful minister.” The above translation conveys the antecedent of the relative pronoun quite well and avoids the redundancy with the following substantival participle of v. 8, namely, “who told” (ὁ δηλώσας, Jo dhlwsa").

[1:7]  ⁷⁰ tc ‡ Judging by the superior witnesses for the first person pronoun ἡμῶν (Jhmwn, “us”; Ì⁴⁶ א* A B D* F G 326* 1505 al) vs. the second person pronoun ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “you”; found in א² C D¹ Ψ 075 33 1739 1881 Ï lat sy co), ἡμῶν should be regarded as original. Although it is possible that ἡμῶν was an early alteration of ὑμῶν (either unintentionally, as dittography, since it comes seventeen letters after the previous ἡμῶν; or intentionally, to conform to the surrounding first person pronouns), this supposition is difficult to maintain in light of the varied and valuable witnesses for this reading. Further, the second person is both embedded in the verb ἐμάθετε (emaqete) and is explicit in v. 8 (ὑμῶν). Hence, the motivation to change to the first person pronoun is counterbalanced by such evidence. The second person pronoun may have been introduced unintentionally via homoioarcton with the ὑπέρ (Juper) that immediately precedes it. As well, the second person reading is somewhat harder for it seems to address Epaphras’ role only in relation to Paul and his colleagues, rather than in relation to the Colossians. Nevertheless, the decision must be based ultimately on external evidence (because the internal evidence can be variously interpreted), and this strongly supports ἡμῶν.

[1:9]  ⁷¹ tn Or “heard about it”; Grk “heard.” There is no direct object stated in the Greek (direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context). A direct object is expected by an English reader, however, so most translations supply one. Here, however, it is not entirely clear what the author “heard”: a number of translations supply “it” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV; NAB “this”), but this could refer back either to (1) “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8, or (2) “your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints” (v. 4). In light of this uncertainty, other translations supply “about you” (TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). This is preferred by the present translation since, while it does not resolve the ambiguity entirely, it does make it less easy for the English reader to limit the reference only to “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8.

[1:9]  ⁷² tn The term “God” does not appear in the Greek text, but the following reference to “the knowledge of his will” makes it clear that “God” is in view as the object of the “praying and asking,” and should therefore be included in the English translation for clarity.

[1:9]  ⁷³ tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated as substantival, indicating the content of the prayer and asking. The idea of purpose may also be present in this clause.

[1:10]  ⁷⁴ tn The infinitive περιπατῆσαι (peripathsai, “to walk, to live, to live one’s life”) is best taken as an infinitive of purpose related to “praying” (προσευχόμενοι, proseucomenoi) and “asking” (αἰτούμενοι, aitoumenoi) in v. 9 and is thus translated as “that you may live.”

[1:10]  ⁷⁵ tn BDAG 129 s.v. ἀρεσκεία states that ἀρεσκείαν (areskeian) refers to a “desire to please εἰς πᾶσαν ἀ. to please (the Lord) in all respects Col 1:10.”

[1:11]  ⁷⁶ tn The expression “for the display of” is an attempt to convey in English the force of the Greek preposition εἰς (eis) in this context.