Matthew 1:1--4:25 
Context1:1 This is the record of the genealogy 1 of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
1:2 Abraham was the father 2 of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 1:3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah (by Tamar), Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 1:4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 1:5 Salmon the father of Boaz (by Rahab), Boaz the father of Obed (by Ruth), Obed the father of Jesse, 1:6 and Jesse the father of David the king.
David was the father of Solomon (by the wife of Uriah 3 ), 1:7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 4 1:8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah, 1:9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 1:10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, 5 Amon the father of Josiah, 1:11 and Josiah 6 the father of Jeconiah and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.
1:12 After 7 the deportation to Babylon, Jeconiah became the father of Shealtiel, 8 Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 1:13 Zerubbabel the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 1:14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, 1:15 Eliud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 1:16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, by whom 9 Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 10
1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon, fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to Christ, 11 fourteen generations.
1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened this way. While his mother Mary was engaged to Joseph, but before they came together, 12 she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 1:19 Because Joseph, her husband to be, 13 was a righteous man, and because he did not want to disgrace her, he intended to divorce her 14 privately. 1:20 When he had contemplated this, an 15 angel of the Lord 16 appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 1:21 She will give birth to a son and you will name him 17 Jesus, 18 because he will save his people from their sins.” 1:22 This all happened so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet would be fulfilled: 1:23 “Look! The virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call him 19 Emmanuel,” 20 which means 21 “God with us.” 22 1:24 When Joseph awoke from sleep he did what the angel of the Lord 23 told him. He took his wife, 1:25 but did not have marital relations 24 with her until she gave birth to a son, whom he named 25 Jesus.
2:1 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem 26 in Judea, in the time 27 of King Herod, 28 wise men 29 from the East came to Jerusalem 30 2:2 saying, “Where is the one who is born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose 31 and have come to worship him.” 2:3 When King Herod 32 heard this he was alarmed, and all Jerusalem with him. 2:4 After assembling all the chief priests and experts in the law, 33 he asked them where the Christ 34 was to be born. 2:5 “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they said, “for it is written this way by the prophet:
2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are in no way least among the rulers of Judah,
for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” 35
2:7 Then Herod 36 privately summoned the wise men and determined from them when the star had appeared. 2:8 He 37 sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and look carefully for the child. When you find him, inform me so that I can go and worship him as well.” 2:9 After listening to the king they left, and once again 38 the star they saw when it rose 39 led them until it stopped above the place where the child was. 2:10 When they saw the star they shouted joyfully. 40 2:11 As they came into the house and saw the child with Mary his mother, they bowed down 41 and worshiped him. They opened their treasure boxes and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, 42 and myrrh. 43 2:12 After being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, 44 they went back by another route to their own country.
2:13 After they had gone, an 45 angel of the Lord 46 appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod 47 is going to look for the child to kill him.” 2:14 Then he got up, took the child and his mother during 48 the night, and went to Egypt. 2:15 He stayed there until Herod 49 died. In this way what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet was fulfilled: “I called my Son out of Egypt.” 50
2:16 When Herod 51 saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he became enraged. He sent men 52 to kill all the children in Bethlehem 53 and throughout the surrounding region from the age of two and under, according to the time he had learned from the wise men. 2:17 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:
2:18 “A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud wailing, 54
Rachel weeping for her children,
and she did not want to be comforted, because they were 55 gone.” 56
2:19 After Herod 57 had died, an 58 angel of the Lord 59 appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt 2:20 saying, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.” 2:21 So 60 he got up and took the child and his mother and returned to the land of Israel. 2:22 But when he heard that Archelaus 61 was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, 62 he was afraid to go there. After being warned in a dream, he went to the regions of Galilee. 2:23 He came to a town called Nazareth 63 and lived there. Then what had been spoken by the prophets was fulfilled, that Jesus 64 would be called a Nazarene. 65
3:1 In those days John the Baptist came into the wilderness 66 of Judea proclaiming, 3:2 “Repent, 67 for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3:3 For he is the one about whom Isaiah the prophet had spoken: 68
“The voice 69 of one shouting in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make 70 his paths straight.’” 71
3:4 Now John wore clothing made from camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. 72 3:5 Then people from Jerusalem, 73 as well as all Judea and all the region around the Jordan, were going out to him, 3:6 and he was baptizing them 74 in the Jordan River as they confessed their sins.
3:7 But when he saw many Pharisees 75 and Sadducees 76 coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 3:8 Therefore produce fruit 77 that proves your 78 repentance, 3:9 and don’t think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 3:10 Even now the ax is laid at 79 the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
3:11 “I baptize you with water, for repentance, but the one coming after me is more powerful than I am – I am not worthy 80 to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 81 3:12 His winnowing fork 82 is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, 83 but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.” 84
3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. 85 3:14 But John 86 tried to prevent 87 him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?” 3:15 So Jesus replied 88 to him, “Let it happen now, 89 for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John 90 yielded 91 to him. 3:16 After 92 Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the 93 heavens 94 opened 95 and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove 96 and coming on him. 3:17 And 97 a voice from heaven said, 98 “This is my one dear Son; 99 in him 100 I take great delight.” 101
4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness 102 to be tempted by the devil. 4:2 After he fasted forty days and forty nights he was famished. 103 4:3 The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread.” 104 4:4 But he answered, 105 “It is written, ‘Man 106 does not live 107 by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 108 4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, 109 had him stand 110 on the highest point 111 of the temple, 4:6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you’ 112 and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 113 4:7 Jesus said to him, “Once again it is written: ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” 114 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their grandeur. 115 4:9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you throw yourself to the ground and worship 116 me.” 4:10 Then Jesus said to him, “Go away, 117 Satan! For it is written: ‘You are to worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” 118 4:11 Then the devil left him, and angels 119 came and began ministering to his needs.
4:12 Now when Jesus 120 heard that John had been imprisoned, 121 he went into Galilee. 4:13 While in Galilee, he moved from Nazareth 122 to make his home in Capernaum 123 by the sea, 124 in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 4:14 so that what was spoken by Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled: 125
4:15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,
the way by the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles –
4:16 the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,
and on those who sit in the region and shadow of death a light has dawned.” 126
4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach this message: 127 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
4:18 As 128 he was walking by the Sea of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea (for they were fishermen). 129 4:19 He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” 130 4:20 They 131 left their nets immediately and followed him. 132 4:21 Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat 133 with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Then 134 he called them. 4:22 They 135 immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.
4:23 Jesus 136 went throughout all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, 137 preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of disease and sickness among the people. 4:24 So a report about him spread throughout Syria. People 138 brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those who had seizures, 139 paralytics, and those possessed by demons, 140 and he healed them. 4:25 And large crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, 141 Jerusalem, 142 Judea, and beyond the Jordan River. 143
1 tn Grk “the book of the genealogy.” The noun βίβλος (biblo"), though it is without the article, is to be translated as definite due to Apollonius’ corollary and the normal use of anarthrous nouns in titles.
2 tn Grk “fathered.”
3 sn By the wife of Uriah, i.e., Bathsheba (cf. 2 Sam 11:3).
4 tc The reading ᾿Ασάφ (Asaf), a variant spelling on ᾿Ασά (Asa), is found in the earliest and most widespread witnesses (Ì1vid א B C [Dluc] Ë1,13 700 pc it co). Although Asaph was a psalmist and Asa was a king, it is doubtful that the author mistook one for the other since other ancient documents have variant spellings on the king’s name (such as “Asab,” “Asanos,” and “Asaph”). Thus the spelling ᾿Ασάφ that is almost surely found in the original of Matt 1:7-8 has been translated as “Asa” in keeping with the more common spelling of the king’s name.
5 tc ᾿Αμώς (Amws) is the reading found in the earliest and best witnesses (א B C [Dluc] γ δ θ Ë1 33 pc it sa bo), and as such is most likely original, but this is a variant spelling of the name ᾿Αμών (Amwn). The translation uses the more well-known spelling “Amon” found in the Hebrew MT and the majority of LXX
6 sn Before the mention of Jeconiah, several medieval
7 tn Because of the difference between Greek style, which usually begins a sentence with a conjunction, and English style, which generally does not, the conjunction δέ (de) has not been translated here.
8 sn The Greek text and the KJV read Salathiel. Most modern English translations use the OT form of the name (cf. Ezra 3:2).
9 tc There are three significant variant readings at this point in the text. Some
sn The pronoun whom is feminine gender in the Greek text, referring to Mary.
10 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn The term χριστός (cristos) was originally an adjective (“anointed”), developing in LXX into a substantive (“an anointed one”), then developing still further into a technical generic term (“the anointed one”). In the intertestamental period it developed further into a technical term referring to the hoped-for anointed one, that is, a specific individual. In the NT the development starts there (technical-specific), is so used in the gospels, and then develops in Paul to mean virtually Jesus’ last name.
11 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
12 tn The connotation of the Greek is “before they came together in marital and domestic union” (so BDAG 970 s.v. συνέρχομαι 3).
13 tn Grk “husband.” See following note for discussion.
14 tn Or “send her away.”
sn In the Jewish context, “full betrothal was so binding that its breaking required a certificate of divorce, and the death of one party made the other a widow or widower (m. Ketub. 1:2; m. Sota 1:5; m. Git. passim…)” (R. H. Gundry, Matthew: A Commentary on his Literary and Theological Art, 21).
15 tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
16 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” Linguistically, “angel of the Lord” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of the Lord” or “the angel of the Lord” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.
17 tn Grk “you will call his name.”
18 sn The Greek form of the name Ihsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means “Yahweh saves” (Yahweh is typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT). It was a fairly common name among Jews in 1st century Palestine, as references to a number of people by this name in the LXX and Josephus indicate.
19 tn Grk “they will call his name.”
20 sn A quotation from Isa 7:14.
21 tn Grk “is translated.”
22 sn An allusion to Isa 8:8, 10 (LXX).
23 tn See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20. Here the translation “the angel of the Lord” is used because the Greek article (ὁ, Jo) which precedes ἄγγελος (angelos) is taken as an anaphoric article (ExSyn 217-19) referring back to the angel mentioned in v. 20.
24 tn Or “did not have sexual relations”; Grk “was not knowing her.” The verb “know” (in both Hebrew and Greek) is a frequent biblical euphemism for sexual relations. However, a translation like “did not have sexual relations with her” is too graphic in light of the popularity and wide use of Matthew’s infancy narrative. Thus the somewhat more subdued but still clear “did not have marital relations” was selected.
25 tn Grk “and he called his name Jesus.” The coordinate clause has been translated as a relative clause in English for stylistic reasons.
26 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
27 tn Grk “in the days.”
28 sn King Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37
29 sn The Greek term magi here describes a class of wise men and priests who were astrologers (L&N 32.40).
30 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
31 tn Or “in its rising,” referring to the astrological significance of a star in a particular portion of the sky. The term used for the “East” in v. 1 is ἀνατολαί (anatolai, a plural form that is used typically of the rising of the sun), while in vv. 2 and 9 the singular ἀνατολή (anatolh) is used. The singular is typically used of the rising of a star and as such should not normally be translated “in the east” (cf. BDAG 74 s.v. 1: “because of the sg. and the article in contrast to ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν, vs. 1, [it is] prob. not a geograph. expr. like the latter, but rather astronomical…likew. vs. 9”).
32 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
33 tn Or “and scribes of the people.” 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.
34 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
35 sn A quotation from Mic 5:2.
36 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
37 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
38 tn Grk “and behold the star.”
39 tn See the note on the word “rose” in 2:2.
40 tn Grk “they rejoiced with very great joy.”
41 tn Grk “they fell down.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
42 sn Frankincense refers to the aromatic resin of certain trees, used as a sweet-smelling incense (L&N 6.212).
43 sn Myrrh consisted of the aromatic resin of certain shrubs (L&N 6.208). It was used in preparing a corpse for burial.
44 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
45 tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
46 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
47 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Herod the Great was particularly ruthless regarding the succession to his throne.
48 tn The feminine singular genitive noun νυκτός (nuktos, “night”) indicates the time during which the action of the main verb takes place (ExSyn 124).
49 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
50 sn A quotation from Hos 11:1.
51 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. Note the fulfillment of the prophecy given by the angel in 2:13.
52 tn Or “soldiers.”
53 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
54 tc The LXX of Jer 38:15 (31:15 ET) has “lamentation, weeping, and loud wailing”; most later
55 tn Grk “are”; the Greek text uses a present tense verb.
56 sn A quotation from Jer 31:15.
57 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1. When Herod the Great died in 4
58 tn Grk “behold, an angel.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
59 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:20.
60 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the angel’s instructions.
61 sn Archelaus took after his father Herod the Great in terms of cruelty and ruthlessness, so Joseph was afraid to go there. After further direction in a dream, he went instead to Galilee.
62 sn See the note on King Herod in 2:1.
63 sn Nazareth was a very small village in the region of Galilee (Galilee lay north of Samaria and Judea). The town was located about 15 mi (25 km) west of the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee. According to Luke 1:26, Mary was living in Nazareth when the birth of Jesus was announced to her.
map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
64 tn There is no expressed subject of the third person singular verb here; the pronoun “he” is implied. Instead of this pronoun the referent “Jesus” has been supplied in the text to clarify to whom this statement refers.
65 tn The Greek could be indirect discourse (as in the text), or direct discourse (“he will be called a Nazarene”). Judging by the difficulty of finding OT quotations (as implied in the plural “prophets”) to match the wording here, it appears that the author was using a current expression of scorn that conceptually (but not verbally) found its roots in the OT.
66 tn Or “desert.”
67 tn Grk “and saying, ‘Repent.’” The participle λέγων (legwn) at the beginning of v. 2 is redundant in English and has not been translated.
68 tn Grk “was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legonto") is redundant and has not been translated. The passive construction has also been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
69 tn Or “A voice.”
70 sn This call to “make paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance.
71 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3.
72 sn John’s lifestyle was in stark contrast to many of the religious leaders of Jerusalem who lived in relative ease and luxury. While his clothing and diet were indicative of someone who lived in the desert, they also depicted him in his role as God’s prophet (cf. Zech 13:4); his appearance is similar to the Prophet Elijah (2 Kgs 1:8). Locusts and wild honey were a common diet in desert regions, and locusts (dried insects) are listed in Lev 11:22 among the “clean” foods.
73 tn Grk “Then Jerusalem.”
map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
74 tn Grk “they were being baptized by him.” The passive construction has been rendered as active in the translation for the sake of English style.
75 sn Pharisees were members of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.
76 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 16:1-12; 22:23-34; Mark 12:18-27; Luke 20:27-38; Acts 5:17; 23:6-8.
77 sn Fruit worthy of repentance refers to the deeds that indicate a change of attitude (heart) on the part of John’s hearers.
78 tn Grk “fruit worthy of.”
79 sn Laid at the root. That is, placed and aimed, ready to begin cutting.
80 tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”
sn The humility of John is evident in the statement I am not worthy. This was considered one of the least worthy tasks of a slave, and John did not consider himself worthy to do even that for the one to come, despite the fact he himself was a prophet.
81 sn With the Holy Spirit and fire. There are differing interpretations for this phrase regarding the number of baptisms and their nature. (1) Some see one baptism here, and this can be divided further into two options. (a) The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire could refer to the cleansing, purifying work of the Spirit in the individual believer through salvation and sanctification, or (b) it could refer to two different results of Christ’s ministry: Some accept Christ and are baptized with the Holy Spirit, but some reject him and receive judgment. (2) Other interpreters see two baptisms here: The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the salvation Jesus brings at his first advent, in which believers receive the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of fire refers to the judgment Jesus will bring upon the world at his second coming. One must take into account both the image of fire and whether individual or corporate baptism is in view. A decision is not easy on either issue. The image of fire is used to refer to both eternal judgment (e.g., Matt 25:41) and the power of the Lord’s presence to purge and cleanse his people (e.g., Isa 4:4-5). The pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost, a fulfillment of this prophecy no matter which interpretation is taken, had both individual and corporate dimensions. It is possible that since Holy Spirit and fire are governed by a single preposition in Greek, the one-baptism view may be more likely, but this is not certain. Simply put, there is no consensus view in scholarship at this time on the best interpretation of this passage.
82 sn A winnowing fork was a pitchfork-like tool used to toss threshed grain in the air so that the wind blew away the chaff, leaving the grain to fall to the ground. The note of purging is highlighted by the use of imagery involving sifting though threshed grain for the useful kernels.
83 tn Or “granary,” “barn” (referring to a building used to store a farm’s produce rather than a building to house livestock).
84 sn The image of fire that cannot be extinguished is from the OT: Job 20:26; Isa 34:8-10; 66:24.
85 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
86 tc ‡ The earliest
87 tn The imperfect verb has been translated conatively.
88 tn Grk “but Jesus, answering, said.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation to “replied to him.”
89 tn Grk “Permit now.”
90 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
91 tn Or “permitted him.”
92 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
93 tn Grk “behold the heavens.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
94 tn Or “sky.” The Greek word οὐρανός (ourano") may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The same word is used in v. 17.
95 tc ‡ αὐτῷ (autw, “to/before him”) is found in the majority of witnesses (א1 C Ds L W 0233 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat), perhaps added as a point of clarification or emphasis. NA27 includes the word in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.
96 sn The phrase like a dove is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descended like one in some sort of bodily representation.
97 tn Grk “and behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated here.
98 tn Grk “behold, a voice from the cloud, saying.” This is an incomplete sentence in Greek which portrays intensity and emotion. The participle λέγουσα (legousa) was translated as a finite verb in keeping with English style.
99 tn Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός (agaphtos) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1).
sn The parallel accounts in Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22 read “You are” rather than “This is,” portraying the remark as addressed personally to Jesus.
100 tn Grk “in whom.”
101 tn Or “with whom I am well pleased.”
sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; Isa 42:1 and either Isa 41:8 or, less likely, Gen 22:12,16. God is marking out Jesus as his chosen one (the meaning of “[in him I take] great delight”), but it may well be that this was a private experience that only Jesus and John saw and heard (cf. John 1:32-33).
102 tn Or “desert.”
103 tn Grk “and having fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward he was hungry.”
104 tn Grk “say that these stones should become bread.”
105 tn Grk “answering, he said.” The participle ἀποκριθείς (apokriqeis) is redundant, but the syntax of the phrase has been changed for clarity.
106 tn Or “a person.” Greek ὁ ἄνθρωπος (Jo anqrwpo") is used generically for humanity. The translation “man” is used because the emphasis in Jesus’ response seems to be on his dependence on God as a man.
107 tn Grk “will not live.” The verb in Greek is a future tense, but it is unclear whether it is meant to be taken as a command (also known as an imperatival future) or as a statement of reality (predictive future).
108 sn A quotation from Deut 8:3.
109 sn The order of the second and third temptations differs in Luke’s account (4:5-12) from the order given in Matthew.
110 tn Grk “and he stood him.”
111 sn The highest point of the temple probably refers to the point on the temple’s southeast corner where it looms directly over a cliff some 450 ft (135 m) high. However, some have suggested the reference could be to the temple’s high gate.
112 sn A quotation from Ps 91:11. This was not so much an incorrect citation as a use in a wrong context (a misapplication of the passage).
113 sn A quotation from Ps 91:12.
114 sn A quotation from Deut 6:16.
115 tn Grk “glory.”
116 tn Grk “if, falling down, you will worship.” BDAG 815 s.v. πίπτω 1.b.α.ב has “fall down, throw oneself to the ground as a sign of devotion, before high-ranking persons or divine beings.”
117 tc The majority of later witnesses (C2 D L Z 33 Ï) have “behind me” (ὀπίσω μου; opisw mou) after “Go away.” But since this is the wording in Matt 16:23, where the text is certain, scribes most likely added the words here to conform to the later passage. Further, the shorter reading has superior support (א B C*vid K P W Δ 0233 Ë1,13 565 579* 700 al). Thus, both externally and internally, the shorter reading is strongly preferred.
118 sn A quotation from Deut 6:13. The word “only” is an interpretive expansion not found in either the Hebrew or Greek (LXX) text of the OT.
119 tn Grk “and behold, angels.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
120 tn Grk “he.”
121 tn Or “arrested,” “taken into custody” (see L&N 37.12).
122 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
123 tn Grk “and leaving Nazareth, he came and took up residence in Capernaum.”
sn Capernaum was a town located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
124 tn Or “by the lake.”
sn By the sea refers to the Sea of Galilee.
125 tn The redundant participle λέγοντος (legontos) has not been translated here.
126 sn A quotation from Isa 9:1.
127 tn Grk “and to say.”
128 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
129 tn The two phrases in this verse placed in parentheses are explanatory comments by the author, parenthetical in nature.
130 tn The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpos) is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”
sn The kind of fishing envisioned was net – not line – fishing (cf. v. 18; cf. also BDAG 55 s.v. ἀμφιβάλλω, ἀμφίβληστρον) which involved a circular net that had heavy weights around its perimeter. The occupation of fisherman was labor-intensive. The imagery of using a lure and a line (and waiting for the fish to strike) is thus foreign to this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours, and often little results. Jesus’ point may have been one or more of the following: the strenuousness of evangelism, the work ethic that it required, persistence and dedication to the task (often in spite of minimal results), the infinite value of the new “catch” (viz., people), and perhaps an eschatological theme of snatching people from judgment (cf. W. L. Lane, Mark [NICNT], 67). If this last motif is in view, then catching people is the opposite of catching fish: The fish would be caught, killed, cooked, and eaten; people would be caught so as to remove them from eternal destruction and to give them new life.
131 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
132 sn The expression followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
133 tn Or “their boat.” The phrase ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ (en tw ploiw) can either refer to a generic boat, some boat (as it seems to do here); or it can refer to “their” boat, implying possession. Mark assumes a certain preunderstanding on the part of his readers about the first four disciples and hence the translation “their boat” is justified (cf. also v. 20 in which the “hired men” indicates that Zebedee’s family owned the boats), while Matthew does not.
134 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
135 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
136 tn Grk “And he.”
137 sn Synagogues were places for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
138 tn Grk “And they”; “they” is probably an indefinite plural, referring to people in general rather than to the Syrians (cf. v. 25).
139 tn Grk “those who were moonstruck,” possibly meaning “lunatic” (so NAB), although now the term is generally regarded as referring to some sort of seizure disorder such as epilepsy (L&N 23.169; BDAG 919 s.v. σεληνιάζομαι).
140 tn The translation has adopted a different phrase order here than that in the Greek text. The Greek text reads, “People brought to him all who suffered with various illnesses and afflictions, those possessed by demons, epileptics, and paralytics.” Even though it is obvious that four separate groups of people are in view here, following the Greek word order could lead to the misconception that certain people were possessed by epileptics and paralytics. The word order adopted in the translation avoids this problem.
141 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated before each of the places in the list, since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
sn The Decapolis refers to a league of towns (originally consisting of ten; the Greek name literally means “ten towns”) whose region (except for Scythopolis) lay across the Jordan River.
142 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
143 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).
