Nehemia 1:1-11
Konteks1:1 1 These are the words of Nehemiah 2 son of Hacaliah:
It so happened that in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year, 3 I was in Susa 4 the citadel. 1:2 Hanani, who was one of my relatives, 5 along with some of the men from Judah, came to me, 6 and I asked them about the Jews who had escaped and had survived the exile, and about Jerusalem. 7
1:3 They said to me, “The remnant that remains from the exile there in the province are experiencing considerable 8 adversity and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem lies breached, and its gates have been burned down!” 9
1:4 When I heard these things I sat down abruptly, 10 crying and mourning for several days. I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. 1:5 Then I said, “Please, O LORD God of heaven, great and awesome God, who keeps his loving covenant 11 with those who love him and obey 12 his commandments, 1:6 may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed 13 against you – both I myself and my family 14 have sinned. 1:7 We have behaved corruptly against you, not obeying the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments that you commanded your servant Moses. 1:8 Please recall the word you commanded your servant Moses: ‘If you act unfaithfully, I will scatter you among the nations. 15 1:9 But if you repent 16 and obey 17 my commandments and do them, then even if your dispersed people are in the most remote location, 18 I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen for my name to reside.’ 1:10 They are your servants and your people, whom you have redeemed by your mighty strength and by your powerful hand. 1:11 Please, 19 O Lord, listen attentively 20 to the prayer of your servant and to the prayer of your servants who take pleasure in showing respect 21 to your name. Grant your servant success today and show compassion to me 22 in the presence of this man.”
Now 23 I was cupbearer for the king.
Yakobus 1:1-27
Konteks1:1 From James, 24 a slave 25 of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. 26 Greetings!
1:2 My brothers and sisters, 27 consider it nothing but joy 28 when you fall into all sorts of trials, 1:3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 1:4 And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. 1:5 But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. 1:6 But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. 1:7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 1:8 since he is a double-minded individual, 29 unstable in all his ways.
1:9 Now the believer 30 of humble means 31 should take pride 32 in his high position. 33 1:10 But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow. 34 1:11 For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever. 35 So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away. 1:12 Happy is the one 36 who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God 37 promised to those who love him. 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, 38 and he himself tempts no one. 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. 1:15 Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death. 1:16 Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. 39 1:17 All generous giving and every perfect gift 40 is from above, coming down 41 from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. 42 1:18 By his sovereign plan he gave us birth 43 through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! 44 Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. 1:20 For human 45 anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. 46 1:21 So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly 47 welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls. 1:22 But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. 1:23 For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone 48 who gazes at his own face 49 in a mirror. 1:24 For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets 50 what sort of person he was. 1:25 But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, 51 and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out – he 52 will be blessed in what he does. 53 1:26 If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before 54 God the Father 55 is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
Kisah Para Rasul 4:1-22
Konteks4:1 While Peter and John 56 were speaking to the people, the priests and the commander 57 of the temple guard 58 and the Sadducees 59 came up 60 to them, 4:2 angry 61 because they were teaching the people and announcing 62 in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 4:3 So 63 they seized 64 them and put them in jail 65 until the next day (for it was already evening). 4:4 But many of those who had listened to 66 the message 67 believed, and the number of the men 68 came to about five thousand.
4:5 On the next day, 69 their rulers, elders, and experts in the law 70 came together 71 in Jerusalem. 72 4:6 Annas the high priest was there, and Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and others who were members of the high priest’s family. 73 4:7 After 74 making Peter and John 75 stand in their midst, they began to inquire, “By what power or by what name 76 did you do this?” 4:8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, 77 replied, 78 “Rulers of the people and elders, 79 4:9 if 80 we are being examined 81 today for a good deed 82 done to a sick man – by what means this man was healed 83 – 4:10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ 84 the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, this man stands before you healthy. 4:11 This Jesus 85 is the stone that was rejected by you, 86 the builders, that has become the cornerstone. 87 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among people 88 by which we must 89 be saved.”
4:13 When they saw the boldness 90 of Peter and John, and discovered 91 that they were uneducated 92 and ordinary 93 men, they were amazed and recognized these men had been with Jesus. 4:14 And because they saw the man who had been healed standing with them, they had nothing to say against this. 94 4:15 But when they had ordered them to go outside the council, 95 they began to confer with one another, 4:16 saying, “What should we do with these men? For it is plain 96 to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable miraculous sign 97 has come about through them, 98 and we cannot deny it. 4:17 But to keep this matter from spreading any further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more 99 to anyone in this name.” 4:18 And they called them in and ordered 100 them not to speak or teach at all in the name 101 of Jesus. 4:19 But Peter and John replied, 102 “Whether it is right before God to obey 103 you rather than God, you decide, 4:20 for it is impossible 104 for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.” 4:21 After threatening them further, they released them, for they could not find how to punish them on account of the people, because they were all praising 105 God for what had happened. 4:22 For the man, on whom this miraculous sign 106 of healing had been performed, 107 was over forty years old.
[1:1] 1 sn In ancient Judaism Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as a single book with dual authorship. According to the Talmud, “Ezra wrote his book” (b. Bava Batra 15a). The Gemara then asks and answers, “And who finished it? Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.” Accordingly, the two are joined in the Leningrad Codex (ca.
[1:1] 2 sn The name Nehemiah in Hebrew (נְחֶמְיָה, nÿkhemyah) means “the
[1:1] 3 tn That is, the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign (cf. 2:1).
[1:2] 6 tn The Hebrew text does not include the words “to me”; these words were supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.
[1:2] 7 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[1:3] 9 tn Heb “have been burned with fire” (so also in Neh 2:17). The expression “burned with fire” is redundant in contemporary English; the translation uses “burned down” for stylistic reasons.
[1:4] 10 tn Heb “sat down.” Context suggests that this was a rather sudden action, resulting from the emotional shock of the unpleasant news, so “abruptly” has been supplied in the present translation.
[1:5] 11 tn Heb “the covenant and loyal love.” The phrase is a hendiadys: the first noun retains its full nominal sense, while the second noun functions adjectivally (“loyal love” = loving). Alternately, the first might function adjectivally and the second noun function as the noun: “covenant and loyal love” = covenant fidelity (see Neh 9:32).
[1:5] 12 tn Heb “keep.” The Hebrew verb שָׁמַר (shamar, “to observe; to keep”) is often used as an idiom that means “to obey” the commandments of God (e.g., Exod 20:6; Deut 5:16; 23:24; 29:8; Judg 2:22; 1 Kgs 2:43; 11:11; Ps 119:8, 17, 34; Jer 35:18; Ezek 17:14; Amos 2:4). See BDB 1036 s.v. 3.c.
[1:6] 13 tn Heb “have sinned.” For stylistic reasons – to avoid redundancy in English – this was translated as “committed.”
[1:6] 14 tn Heb “the house of my father.”
[1:9] 17 tn Heb “keep.” See the note on the word “obey” in Neh 1:5.
[1:9] 18 tn Heb “at the end of the heavens.”
[1:11] 19 tn The interjection אָנָּא (’anna’) is an emphatic term of entreaty: “please!” (BDB 58 s.v.; HALOT 69-70 s.v.). This term is normally reserved for pleas for mercy from God in life-and-death situations (2 Kgs 20:3 = Isa 38:3; Pss 116:4; 118:25; Jonah 1:14; 4:2) and for forgiveness of heinous sins that would result or have resulted in severe judgment from God (Exod 32:31; Dan 9:4; Neh 1:5, 11).
[1:11] 20 tn Heb “let your ear be attentive.”
[1:11] 22 tn Heb “grant compassion.” The words “to me” are supplied in the translation for the sake of smoothness and style in English.
[1:11] 23 tn The vav (ו) on וַאֲנִי (va’ani, “Now, I”) introduces a disjunctive parenthetical clause that provides background information to the reader.
[1:1] 24 tn Grk “James.” The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.
[1:1] 25 tn Traditionally, “servant” or “bondservant.” Though δοῦλος (doulos) 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.
[1:1] sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
[1:1] 26 tn Grk “to the twelve tribes in the Diaspora.” The Greek term διασπορά (diaspora, “dispersion”) refers to Jews not living in Palestine but “dispersed” or scattered among the Gentiles.
[1:2] 27 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). Where the plural term is used in direct address, as here, “brothers and sisters” is used; where the term is singular and not direct address (as in v. 9), “believer” is preferred.
[1:2] 28 tn Grk “all joy,” “full joy,” or “greatest joy.”
[1:8] 29 tn Grk “a man of two minds,” continuing the description of the person in v. 7, giving the reason that he cannot expect to receive anything. The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person,” as here (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2).
[1:8] sn A double-minded man is one whose devotion to God is less than total. His attention is divided between God and other things, and as a consequence he is unstable and therefore unable to receive from God.
[1:9] 30 tn Grk “brother.” Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. TEV, NLT “Christians”; CEV “God’s people”). The term broadly connotes familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a).
[1:9] 31 tn Grk “the lowly brother,” but “lowly/humble” is clarified in context by the contrast with “wealthy” in v. 10.
[1:9] 32 tn Grk “let him boast.”
[1:9] 33 tn Grk “his height,” “his exaltation.”
[1:10] 34 tn Grk “a flower of grass.”
[1:11] 35 tn Or “perishes,” “is destroyed.”
[1:12] 36 tn The word for “man” or “individual” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
[1:12] 37 tc Most
[1:13] 38 tn Or “God must not be tested by evil people.”
[1:16] 39 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[1:17] 40 tn The first phrase refers to the action of giving and the second to what is given.
[1:17] 41 tn Or “All generous giving and every perfect gift from above is coming down.”
[1:17] 42 tn Grk “variation or shadow of turning” (referring to the motions of heavenly bodies causing variations of light and darkness).
[1:18] 43 tn Grk “Having willed, he gave us birth.”
[1:19] 44 tn Grk “brothers.” See note on the phrase “brothers and sisters” in 1:2.
[1:20] 45 tn The word translated “human” here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” But it sometimes is used generically to mean “anyone,” “a person” (cf. BDAG 79 s.v. 2), and in this context, contrasted with “God’s righteousness,” the point is “human” anger (not exclusively “male” anger).
[1:20] 46 sn God’s righteousness could refer to (1) God’s righteous standard, (2) the righteousness God gives, (3) righteousness before God, or (4) God’s eschatological righteousness (see P. H. Davids, James [NIGTC], 93, for discussion).
[1:21] 47 tn Or “with meekness.”
[1:23] 48 tn The word for “man” or “individual” is ἀνήρ (anhr), which often means “male” or “man (as opposed to woman).” However, as BDAG 79 s.v. 2 says, here it is “equivalent to τὶς someone, a person.”
[1:23] 49 tn Grk “the face of his beginning [or origin].”
[1:24] 50 tn Grk “and he has gone out and immediately has forgotten.”
[1:25] 53 tn Grk “in his doing.”
[1:27] 54 tn Or “in the sight of”; Grk “with.”
[1:27] 55 tn Grk “the God and Father.”
[4:1] 56 tn Grk “While they”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:1] 58 tn Grk “the official of the temple,” a title for the commander of the Jewish soldiers guarding the temple (thus the translation, “the commander of the temple guard”). See L&N 37.91.
[4:1] sn The commander of the temple guard was the title of the officer commanding the Jewish soldiers responsible for guarding and keeping order in the temple courts in Jerusalem.
[4:1] 59 sn The Sadducees controlled the official political structures of Judaism at this time, being the majority members of the Sanhedrin. They were known as extremely strict on law and order issues (Josephus, J. W. 2.8.2 [2.119], 2.8.14 [2.164-166]; Ant. 13.5.9 [13.171-173], 13.10.6 [13.293-298], 18.1.2 [18.11], 18.1.4 [18.16-17], 20.9.1 [20.199]; Life 2 [10-11]). See also Matt 3:7; 16:1-12; 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 5:17; 23:6-8.
[4:1] 60 tn Or “approached.” This verb often denotes a sudden appearing (BDAG 418 s.v. ἐφίστημι 1).
[4:2] 61 tn Or “greatly annoyed,” “provoked.”
[4:3] 63 tn Grk “And” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the logical sequence of events.
[4:3] 64 tn Or “they arrested”; Grk “they laid hands on.”
[4:3] 65 tn Or “prison,” “custody.”
[4:4] 68 tn In the historical setting it is likely that only men are referred to here. The Greek term ἀνήρ (anhr) usually refers to males or husbands rather than people in general. Thus to translate “of the people” would give a false impression of the number, since any women and children were apparently not included in the count.
[4:5] 69 tn Grk “It happened that on the next day.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[4:5] 70 tn Or “and scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
[4:5] sn Experts in the law would have been mostly like the Pharisees in approach. Thus various sects of Judaism were coming together against Jesus.
[4:5] 71 tn Or “law assembled,” “law met together.”
[4:5] 72 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[4:6] 73 sn The high priest’s family. This family controlled the high priesthood as far back as
[4:7] 74 tn Grk “And after.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new sentence is begun in the translation at the beginning of v. 7.
[4:7] 75 tn Grk “making them”; the referents (Peter and John) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:7] 76 sn By what name. The issue of the “name” comes up again here. This question, meaning “by whose authority,” surfaces an old dispute (see Luke 20:1-8). Who speaks for God about the ancient faith?
[4:8] 77 sn Filled with the Holy Spirit. The narrator’s remark about the Holy Spirit indicates that Peter speaks as directed by God and for God. This fulfills Luke 12:11-12 (1 Pet 3:15).
[4:8] 78 tn Grk “Spirit, said to them.”
[4:8] 79 tc The Western and Byzantine texts, as well as one or two Alexandrian witnesses, read τοῦ ᾿Ισραήλ (tou Israhl, “of Israel”) after πρεσβύτεροι (presbuteroi, “elders”; so D E Ψ 33 1739 Ï it), while most of the better witnesses, chiefly Alexandrian (Ì74 א A B 0165 1175 vg sa bo), lack this modifier. The longer reading was most likely added by scribes to give literary balance to the addressees in that “Rulers” already had an adjunct while “elders” was left absolute.
[4:9] 80 tn This clause is a first class condition. It assumes for the sake of argument that this is what they were being questioned about.
[4:9] 81 tn Or “questioned.” The Greek term ἀνακρίνω (anakrinw) points to an examination similar to a legal one.
[4:9] 82 tn Or “for an act of kindness.”
[4:9] 83 tn Or “delivered” (σέσωται [seswtai], from σώζω [swzw]). See 4:12.
[4:10] 84 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[4:11] 85 tn Grk “This one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:11] 86 tn The word “you” is inserted into the quotation because Peter is making a direct application of Ps 118:22 to his hearers. Because it is not in the OT, it has been left as normal type (rather than bold italic). The remarks are like Acts 2:22-24 and 3:12-15.
[4:11] 87 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22 which combines the theme of rejection with the theme of God’s vindication/exaltation.
[4:12] 88 tn Here ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated as a generic noun (“people”).
[4:12] 89 sn Must be saved. The term used here (δεῖ, dei, “it is necessary”) reflects the necessity set up by God’s directive plan.
[4:13] 91 tn Or “and found out.”
[4:13] 92 sn Uneducated does not mean “illiterate,” that is, unable to read or write. Among Jews in NT times there was almost universal literacy, especially as the result of widespread synagogue schools. The term refers to the fact that Peter and John had no formal rabbinic training and thus, in the view of their accusers, were not qualified to expound the law or teach publicly. The objection is like Acts 2:7.
[4:13] 93 tn For the translation of ἰδιῶται (idiwtai) as “ordinary men” see L&N 27.26.
[4:14] 94 tn Or “nothing to say in opposition.”
[4:15] 95 tn Or “the Sanhedrin” (the highest legal, legislative, and judicial body among the Jews).
[4:16] 97 tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. It is clear that the healing of the lame man was a miracle, but for the Sanhedrin it was the value of the miraculous healing as a sign that concerned them because it gave attestation to the message of Peter and John. The sign “speaks” as Peter claimed in 3:11-16.
[4:16] 98 tn Or “has been done by them.”
[4:17] 99 tn Or “speak no longer.”
[4:18] 101 sn In the name of Jesus. Once again, the “name” reflects the person. The person of Jesus and his authority is the “troubling” topic that, as far as the Jewish leadership is concerned, needs controlling.
[4:19] 102 tn Grk “answered and said to them.”
[4:19] 103 tn Grk “hear,” but the idea of “hear and obey” or simply “obey” is frequently contained in the Greek verb ἀκούω (akouw; see L&N 36.14).
[4:20] 104 tn Grk “for we are not able not to speak about what we have seen and heard,” but the double negative, which cancels out in English, is emphatic in Greek. The force is captured somewhat by the English translation “it is impossible for us not to speak…” although this is slightly awkward.
[4:21] 105 tn Or “glorifying.”
[4:22] 106 tn Here σημεῖον (shmeion) has been translated as “miraculous sign” rather than simply “sign” or “miracle” since both components appear to be present in the context. See also the note on this word in v. 16.
