¹ sn The breakdown of ch. 26 for outlining purposes will be essentially according to the tribes of Israel. The format and structure is similar to the first census, and so less comment is necessary here.

² tc The MT has also “saying.”

³ tn Heb “house of their fathers.”

⁴ tn Heb “everyone who goes out in the army in Israel.”

⁵ tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity (also in v. 62).

⁶ map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

⁷ tn “Number the people” is added here to the text for a smooth reading.

⁸ tc The Hebrew text has no preposition here, but one has been supplied in the translation for clarity. Cf. vv. 23, 30, 31, 32.

⁹ sn The Reubenites had decreased from 46,500 to 43,730.

¹⁰ tc The MT has “and the sons of Pallu.”

¹¹ tn Or “company” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV); Heb “congregation.”

¹² tc This is “Zohar” in Exod 6:15 and Gen 46:10.

¹³ sn Before entering Sinai the tribe numbered 59,300, the third largest. Now it was about one-third its original size.

¹⁴ tc The MT of Gen 46:16 reads this as “Ezbon.”

¹⁵ tc The Greek version and Smr have “Ad[d]i,” probably by confusion of letters.

¹⁶ tc Gen 46:16 and the LXX here read “Arodi.”

¹⁷ sn The Gadites decreased from 45,650 to 40,500.

¹⁸ tc Smr and the Greek version have “Hamuel.”

¹⁹ sn The Judahites increased from 74,600 to 76,500.

²⁰ sn The Issacharites increased from 54,400 to 64,300.

²¹ sn The Zebulunites showed a slight increase from 57,400 to 60,500.

²² sn The Manassehites increased from 32,200 to 52,700.

²³ sn This is a significant reduction from the first count of 40,500.

²⁴ tc With the exception of a few manuscripts the MT has Shephupham. The spelling in the translation above is supported by Smr and the ancient versions.

²⁵ tc The LXX has Adar. Cf. 1 Chr 8:3.

²⁶ tc “From Ard” is not in the Hebrew text.

²⁷ sn The Benjaminites increased from 35,400 to 45,600. The Greek version has here 35,500.

²⁸ sn The Danites increased from 62,700 to 64,400.

²⁹ tn Also mentioned in 1 Chr 7:30.

³⁰ sn The Asherites increased from 41,500 to 53,400.

³¹ sn The Naphtalites decreased from 53,400 to 45,400.

³² sn This number shows only a slightly smaller total in the second census; the first was 603,550.

³³ tn Heb “to many you will multiply his inheritance.”

³⁴ tn Heb “to a few you will lessen his inheritance.”

³⁵ tn Heb “according to those that were numbered of him,” meaning, in accordance with the number of people in his clan.

³⁶ tn Heb “divided.”

³⁷ tn Heb “who she bore him to Levi.” The verb has no expressed subject. Either one could be supplied, such as “her mother,” or it could be treated as a passive.

³⁸ tn The expression אֵשׁ זָרָה (’esh zarah, “strange fire”) seems imprecise and has been interpreted numerous ways (see the helpful summary in J. E. Hartley, Leviticus [WBC 4], 132-33). The infraction may have involved any of the following or a combination thereof: (1) using coals from some place other than the burnt offering altar (i.e., “unauthorized coals” according to J. Milgrom, Leviticus [AB], 1:598; cf. Lev 16:12 and cf. “unauthorized person” [אִישׁ זָר, ’ish zar] in Num 16:40 [17:5 HT], NASB “layman”), (2) using the wrong kind of incense (cf. the Exod 30:9 regulation against “strange incense” [קְטֹרֶת זָרָה, qÿtoret zarah] on the incense altar and the possible connection to Exod 30:34-38), (3) performing an incense offering at an unprescribed time (B. A. Levine, Leviticus [JPSTC], 59), or (4) entering the Holy of Holies at an inappropriate time (Lev 16:1-2).

sn This event is narrated in Lev 10:1-7.

³⁹ map For the location of Jericho see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

⁴⁰ tn “who had been” is added to clarify the text.

⁴¹ sn Psalm 69. The psalmist laments his oppressed condition and asks the Lord to deliver him by severely judging his enemies.

⁴² tn Heb “according to lilies.” See the superscription to Ps 45.

⁴³ tn The Hebrew term נפשׁ (nefesh) here refers to the psalmist’s throat or neck. The psalmist compares himself to a helpless, drowning man.

⁴⁴ tn Heb “and there is no place to stand.”

⁴⁵ tn Heb “have entered.”

⁴⁶ tn Or perhaps “raw”; Heb “burned; enflamed.”

⁴⁷ tn Heb “my eyes fail from waiting for my God.” The psalmist has intently kept his eyes open, looking for God to intervene, but now his eyes are watery and bloodshot, impairing his vision.

⁴⁸ tn Heb “[with] a lie.” The Hebrew noun שֶׁקֶר (sheqer, “lie”) is used here as an adverb, “falsely, wrongfully” (see Pss 35:19; 38:19).

⁴⁹ tn The Hebrew verb עָצַם (’atsam) can sometimes mean “are strong,” but here it probably focuses on numerical superiority; note the parallel verb רָבַב (ravav, “be many”).

⁵⁰ tn Heb “that which I did not steal, then I restore.” Apparently אָז (’az, “then”) is used here to emphasize the verb that follows.

sn They make me repay what I did not steal. The psalmist’s enemies falsely accuse him and hold him accountable for alleged crimes he did not even commit.

⁵¹ tn Heb “you know my foolishness.”

⁵² sn The psalmist is the first to admit that he is not perfect. But even so, he is innocent of the allegations which his enemies bring against him (v. 5b). God, who is aware of his foolish sins and guilt, can testify to the truth of his claim.

⁵³ tn Heb “O Master, Lord of hosts.” Both titles draw attention to God’s sovereign position.

⁵⁴ tn Heb “carry, bear.”

⁵⁵ tn Heb “on account of you.”

⁵⁶ tn Heb “and shame covers my face.”

⁵⁷ tn Heb “and I am estranged to my brothers, and a foreigner to the sons of my mother.”

⁵⁸ tn Or “for.” This verse explains that the psalmist’s suffering is due to his allegiance to God.

⁵⁹ tn Or “devotion to.”

⁶⁰ sn God’s house, the temple, here represents by metonymy God himself.

⁶¹ tn Heb “the insults of those who insult you fall upon me.”

sn Jn 2:17 applies the first half of this verse to Jesus’ ministry in the context of John’s account of Jesus cleansing the temple.

⁶² sn Fasting was a practice of mourners. By refraining from normal activities such as eating food, the mourner demonstrated the sincerity of his sorrow.

⁶³ tn Heb “and it becomes insults to me.”

⁶⁴ tn Heb “and I am an object of ridicule to them.”

⁶⁵ tn Heb “the mocking songs of the drinkers of beer.”

⁶⁶ tn Heb “as for me, [may] my prayer be to you, O Lord, [in] a time of favor.”

⁶⁷ tn Heb “O God, in the abundance of your loyal love, answer me in the faithfulness of your deliverance.”

⁶⁸ tn Heb “let me be delivered.”

⁶⁹ tn Heb “well,” which here symbolizes the place of the dead (cf. Ps 55:23).

⁷⁰ tn Heb “do not let the well close its mouth upon me.”

⁷¹ tn Or “pleasant”; or “desirable.”

⁷² tn Heb “do not hide your face from.” The Hebrew idiom “hide the face” can (1) mean “ignore” (see Pss 10:11; 13:1; 51:9) or (2) carry the stronger idea of “reject” (see Pss 30:7; 88:14).

⁷³ tn Or “quickly.”

⁷⁴ tn Heb “come near my life and redeem it.” The verb “redeem” casts the Lord in the role of a leader who protects members of his extended family in times of need and crisis (see Ps 19:14).

⁷⁵ tn Heb “before you [are] all my enemies.”

⁷⁶ tn Heb “break my heart.” The “heart” is viewed here as the origin of the psalmist’s emotions.

⁷⁷ tn The verb form appears to be a Qal preterite from an otherwise unattested root נוּשׁ (nush), which some consider an alternate form of אָנַשׁ (’anash, “be weak; be sick”; see BDB 60 s.v. I אָנַשׁ). Perhaps the form should be emended to a Niphal, וָאֵאָנְשָׁה (va’e’onshah, “and I am sick”). The Niphal of אָנַשׁ occurs in 2 Sam 12:15, where it is used to describe David’s sick child.

⁷⁸ tn Heb “wait.”

⁷⁹ tn Heb “and I wait for sympathy, but there is none.” The form נוּד (nud) is an infinitive functioning as a verbal noun:, “sympathizing.” Some suggest emending the form to a participle נָד (nad, “one who shows sympathy”). The verb נוּד (nud) also has the nuance “show sympathy” in Job 2:11; 42:11 and Isa 51:19.

⁸⁰ tn According to BDB 912 s.v. II רֹאשׁ the term can mean “a bitter and poisonous plant.”

⁸¹ sn John 19:28-30 appears to understand Jesus’ experience on the cross as a fulfillment of this passage (or Ps 22:15). See the study note on the word “thirsty” in John 19:28.

⁸² tc Heb “and to the friends for a snare.” The plural of שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) is used in Ps 55:20 of one’s “friends.” If the reading of the MT is retained here, the term depicts the psalmist’s enemies as a close-knit group of friends who are bound together by their hatred for the psalmist. Some prefer to revocalize the text as וּלְשִׁלּוּמִים (ulÿshillumim, “and for retribution”). In this case the noun stands parallel to פַּח (pakh, “trap”) and מוֹקֵשׁ (moqesh, “snare”), and one might translate, “may their dining table become a trap before them, [a means of] retribution and a snare” (cf. NIV).

⁸³ tn Heb “may their eyes be darkened from seeing.”

⁸⁴ tn Heb “make their hips shake continually.”

⁸⁵ tn Heb “anger.” “Anger” here refers metonymically to divine judgment, which is the practical effect of God’s anger.

⁸⁶ tn Heb “the rage of your anger.” The phrase “rage of your anger” employs an appositional genitive. Synonyms are joined in a construct relationship to emphasize the single idea. For a detailed discussion of the grammatical point with numerous examples, see Y. Avishur, “Pairs of Synonymous Words in the Construct State (and in Appositional Hendiadys) in Biblical Hebrew,” Semitics 2 (1971), 17-81.

⁸⁷ tn Heb “in their tents may there not be one who dwells.”

sn In Acts 1:20 Peter applies the language of this verse to Judas’ experience. By changing the pronouns from plural to singular, he is able to apply the ancient curse, pronounced against the psalmist’s enemies, to Judas in particular.

⁸⁸ tn Or “persecute”; Heb “chase.”

⁸⁹ tn Heb “for you, the one whom you strike, they chase.”

⁹⁰ tn Heb “they announce the pain of your wounded ones” (i.e., “the ones whom you wounded,” as the parallel line makes clear).

sn The psalmist is innocent of the false charges made by his enemies (v. 4), but he is also aware of his sinfulness (v. 5) and admits that he experiences divine discipline (v. 26) despite his devotion to God (v. 9). Here he laments that his enemies take advantage of such divine discipline by harassing and slandering him. They “kick him while he’s down,” as the expression goes.

⁹¹ tn Heb “place sin upon their sin.”

⁹² tn Heb “let them not come into your vindication.”

⁹³ tn Heb “let them be wiped out of the scroll of the living.”

sn The phrase the scroll of the living occurs only here in the OT. It pictures a scroll or census list containing the names of the citizens of a community. When an individual died, that person’s name was removed from the list. So this curse is a very vivid way of asking that the enemies die.

⁹⁴ tn Heb “and with the godly let them not be written.”

sn Do not let their names be listed with the godly. This curse pictures a scroll in which God records the names of his loyal followers. The psalmist makes the point that his enemies have no right to be included in this list of the godly.

⁹⁵ tn Heb “your deliverance, O God, may it protect me.”

⁹⁶ tn Heb “I will praise the name of God with a song.”

⁹⁷ tn Heb “I will magnify him with thanks.”

⁹⁸ sn You who seek God refers to those who seek to have a relationship with God by obeying and worshiping him (see Ps 53:2).

⁹⁹ tn Heb “may your heart[s] live.” See Ps 22:26.

¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “his prisoners he does not despise.”

¹⁰¹ tn Heb “they”; the referent (God’s people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰² tn Heb “it.” The third feminine singular pronominal suffix probably refers to “Zion” (see Pss 48:12; 102:14); thus the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰³ tn Heb “the lovers of his name.” The phrase refers to those who are loyal to God (cf. v. 35). See Pss 5:11; 119:132; Isa 56:6.

¹⁰⁴ sn Verses 35-36 appear to be an addition to the psalm from the time of the exile. The earlier lament reflects an individual’s situation, while these verses seem to reflect a communal application of it.

¹⁰⁵ tc The Hebrew text reads literally, “Send [a plural imperatival form is used] a ram [to] the ruler of the land.” The term כַּר (kar, “ram”) should be emended to the plural כָּרִים (karim). The singular form in the text is probably the result of haplography; note that the next word begins with a mem (מ).

¹⁰⁶ tn The Hebrew text has “toward [across?] the desert.”

¹⁰⁷ tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

¹⁰⁸ tn Heb “like a bird fleeing, thrust away [from] a nest, the daughters of Moab are [at] the fords of Arnon.”

¹⁰⁹ sn It is unclear who is being addressed in this verse. Perhaps the prophet, playing the role of a panic stricken Moabite refugee, requests the leaders of Judah (the imperatives are plural) to take pity on the fugitives.

¹¹⁰ tn Heb “Make your shade like night in the midst of noonday.” “Shade” here symbolizes shelter, while the heat of noonday represents the intense suffering of the Moabites. By comparing the desired shade to night, the speaker visualizes a huge dark shadow cast by a large tree that would provide relief from the sun’s heat.

¹¹¹ tn Heb “disclose, uncover.”

¹¹² tn That is, “live as resident foreigners.”

¹¹³ tn Heb “Be a hiding place for them.”

¹¹⁴ tn The present translation understands כִּי (ki) as asseverative, but one could take it as explanatory (“for,” KJV, NASB) or temporal (“when,” NAB, NRSV). In the latter case, v. 4b would be logically connected to v. 5.

¹¹⁵ tn A perfect verbal form is used here and in the next two lines for rhetorical effect; the demise of the oppressor(s) is described as if it had already occurred.

¹¹⁶ tc The Hebrew text has, “they will be finished, the one who tramples, from the earth.” The plural verb form תַּמּוּ, (tammu, “disappear”) could be emended to agree with the singular subject רֹמֵס (romes, “the one who tramples”) or the participle can be emended to a plural (רֹמֵסִם, romesim) to agree with the verb. The translation assumes the latter. Haplography of mem (ם) seems likely; note that the word after רֹמֵס begins with a mem.

¹¹⁷ tn Heb “and a throne will be established in faithfulness, and he will sit on it in reliability, in the tent of David.”

¹¹⁸ tn Heb “one who judges and seeks justice, and one experienced in fairness.” Many understand מְהִר (mÿhir) to mean “quick, prompt” (see BDB 555 s.v. מָהִיר), but HALOT 552 s.v. מָהִיר offers the meaning “skillful, experienced,” and translates the phrase in v. 5 “zealous for what is right.”

¹¹⁹ tn עֶבְרָה (’evrah) often means “anger, fury,” but here it appears to refer to boastful outbursts or excessive claims. See HALOT 782 s.v. עֶבְרָה.

¹²⁰ tn Heb “not so his boasting.”

¹²¹ tn Heb “So Moab wails for Moab.”

¹²² tn The Hebrew text has, “for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth you [masculine plural] moan, surely destroyed.” The “raisin cakes” could have cultic significance (see Hos 3:1), but the next verse focuses on agricultural disaster, so here the raisin cakes are mentioned as an example of the fine foods that are no longer available (see 2 Sam 6:19; Song 2:5) because the vines have been destroyed by the invader (see v. 8). Some prefer to take אֲשִׁישֵׁי (’ashishe, “raisin cakes of”) as “men of” (see HALOT 95 s.v. *אָשִׁישׁ; cf. NIV). The verb form תֶהְגּוּ (tehgu, “you moan”) is probably the result of dittography (note that the preceding word ends in tav [ת]) and should be emended to הגו (a perfect, third plural form), “they moan.”

¹²³ tn Heb “So I weep with the weeping of Jazer.” Once more the speaker (the Lord? – see v. 10b) plays the role of a mourner (see 15:5).

¹²⁴ tc The form אֲרַיָּוֶךְ (’arayyavekh) should be emended to אֲרַוָּיֶךְ (’aravvayekh; the vav [ו] and yod [י] have been accidentally transposed) from רָוָה (ravah, “be saturated”).

¹²⁵ tn Heb “for over your fruit and over your harvest shouting has fallen.” The translation assumes that the shouting is that of the conqueror (Jer 51:14). Another possibility is that the shouting is that of the harvesters (see v. 10b, as well as Jer 25:30), in which case one might translate, “for the joyful shouting over the fruit and crops has fallen silent.”

¹²⁶ tn Heb “wine in the vats the treader does not tread.”

¹²⁷ sn The Lord appears to be the speaker here. See 15:9.

¹²⁸ tn Heb “so my intestines sigh for Moab like a harp.” The word מֵעַי (me’ay, “intestines”) is used here of the seat of the emotions. English idiom requires the word “heart.” The point of the comparison to a harp is not entirely clear. Perhaps his sighs of mourning resemble a harp in sound, or his constant sighing is like the repetitive strumming of a harp.

¹²⁹ tn The verb is supplied in the translation; “sighs” in the preceding line does double duty in the parallel structure.

¹³⁰ tn Heb “Kir Heres” (so ASV, NRSV, TEV, CEV), a variant name for “Kir Hareseth” (see v. 7).

¹³¹ tn The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.

¹³² tn Heb “when he appears, when he grows tired, Moab on the high places, and enters his temple to pray, he will not prevail.” It is possible that “when he grows tired” is an explanatory gloss for the preceding “when he appears.”

¹³³ tn Heb “in three years, like the years of a hired worker.” The three years must be reckoned exactly, just as a hired worker would carefully keep track of the time he had agreed to work for an employer in exchange for a predetermined wage.

¹³⁴ tn Heb “and the splendor of Moab will be disgraced with all the great multitude, and a small little remnant will not be strong.”

¹³⁵ tc Most mss (א² A P Ï) add ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν (Juper Jhmwn, “for us”); others (א* 69 1505 pc) add ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν (Juper Jumwn, “for you”), the first hand of א also has ἀποθανόντος (apoqanonto", “since he died”) instead of παθόντος (paqonto", “since he suffered”). But the reading without ὑπὲρ ἡ/ὑμῶν best explains the rise of the other readings, for not only is there confusion as to which pronoun belongs here, but the longer readings, being clarifications, are evidently motivated readings. The shortest reading is found in important and early Alexandrian and Western witnesses (Ì⁷² B C Ψ 0285 323 1739) and is strongly preferred.

¹³⁶ sn Has finished with sin. The last sentence in v. 1 may refer to Christ as the one who suffered in the flesh (cf. 2:21, 23; 3:18; 4:1a) and the latter part would then mean, “he has finished dealing with sin.” But it is more likely that it refers to the Christian who suffers unjustly (cf. 2:19-20; 3:14, 17). This shows that he has made a break with sin as vs. 2 describes.

¹³⁷ tn This verse may give the purpose or result of their “arming” themselves as called for in v. 1b and then the translation would be: “so that you may spend the rest of your time…” But it is better to take it as explanatory of the last phrase in v. 1: what it means to be finished with sin.

¹³⁸ tn Grk “the Gentiles,” used here of those who are not God’s people.

¹³⁹ tn Grk “to accomplish the desire of the Gentiles.”

¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “having gone along,” referring to the readers’ behavior in time past.

¹⁴¹ tn According to BDAG 857 s.v. πότος the term refers to a social gathering at which wine is served, hence “drinking parties” (cf. TEV, NASB). However, the collocation with the other terms in v. 4 suggests something less sophisticated and more along the lines of wild and frenzied drinking bouts.

¹⁴² tn The Greek words here all occur in the plural to describe their common practice in the past.

¹⁴³ tn Grk “in/by which,” referring to the change of behavior described in v. 3. The unbelievers are astonished by the readers’ moral transformation. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

¹⁴⁴ tn Or “are surprised, are taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:12.

¹⁴⁵ tn Grk “blaspheming,” giving the result of their astonishment. Here the target of their “blasphemy/vilification” is not God but the Christian.

¹⁴⁶ tn Grk “give an account to.”

¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “the one”; the referent (Jesus Christ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁴⁸ tn Grk “since for this purpose the gospel was preached even to the dead,” referring to the purpose described in the clause to follow in v. 6b.

¹⁴⁹ sn In context the phrase those who are dead refers to those now dead who had accepted the gospel while they were still living and had suffered persecution for their faith. Though they “suffered judgment” in this earthly life (i.e., they died, in the midst of physical abuse from the ungodly), they will enjoy life from God in the spiritual, heavenly realm because of the gospel (v. 6b). It clearly does not assume a second chance for conversion offered to unbelievers who had died; why would Peter urge people to suffer in this life for the sake of the gospel if he believed that mercy would be extended to all the dead in the hereafter (cf. 2:7-8; 4:1-5, 12-19)?

¹⁵⁰ tn Grk “so that they may be judged…but may live.” Greek emphasizes the contrast between these two clauses more than can be easily expressed in English.

¹⁵¹ tn Or “in their earthly lives,” since “flesh” here denotes the physical, earthly life. The phrase “in the flesh” is retained to preserve the links with 3:18 and 4:1 which use the same wording.

¹⁵² tn Grk “according to men.”

¹⁵³ tn Grk “in spirit,” referring to the heavenly, eternal realm of existence (cf. 3:18).

¹⁵⁴ tn Grk “according to God.”

¹⁵⁵ tn Grk “for prayers.”

¹⁵⁶ tn The primary verb of v. 8 is a participle (“having”) but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.

¹⁵⁷ tn Or “constant.”

¹⁵⁸ sn The statement of v. 8b, love covers a multitude of sins, is proverbial: It is quoted from Prov 10:12 (cf. Jas 5:20). It speaks of the forbearance that comes with love: Christian love is patient and forgiving toward the offenses of a fellow Christian (Matt 18:21-22; 1 Cor 13:4-7).

¹⁵⁹ tn There is no main verb in this verse (“showing hospitality” translates the adjective φιλόξενοι [filoxenoi]), but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.

¹⁶⁰ tn Grk “serving it to one another.” The primary verb is a participle but it continues the sense of command from v. 7.

¹⁶¹ tn Grk “if anyone speaks – as God’s words.”

¹⁶² tn Or “oracles.”

¹⁶³ tn Grk “if anyone serves – with strength…”

¹⁶⁴ tn Grk “is/are.”

¹⁶⁵ tn Or “do not be surprised, taken aback.” The same verb occurs in 4:4.

¹⁶⁶ tn Grk “at the burning among you, occurring to you for testing.”

¹⁶⁷ tn Grk “in the revelation of his glory.”

¹⁶⁸ tn The verb “be glad” is used also in 1:6 and 1:8. The verbs of v. 13b are used together in Matt 5:12 and Rev 19:7.

¹⁶⁹ tc Many mss, some of them important and early ([א] A P 33 81 323 945 1241 1739 pm bo), add καὶ δυνάμεως (kai dunamew"; “and of power”) here. The shorter reading is supported by Ì⁷² B K L Ψ 049 pm). Although the evidence is evenly divided, the longer reading looks to be an explanatory or liturgical expansion on the text and for this reason should be considered secondary.

¹⁷⁰ tn Grk “the Spirit of glory and of God.”

¹⁷¹ sn A quotation taken from Isa 11:2.

¹⁷² tn The meaning of the Greek word used here is uncertain. It may mean “spy, informer,” “revolutionary,” or “defrauder, embezzler.” But the most likely meaning is “busybody, one who meddles in the affairs of others, troublesome meddler.” The translation given in the text is intended to suggest this general idea.

¹⁷³ tn The verb is implied by the context but not expressed; Grk “but if as a Christian.”

¹⁷⁴ tn These are third-person imperatives in Greek (“if [one of you suffers] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed…let him glorify”), but have been translated as second-person verbs since this is smoother English idiom.

¹⁷⁵ tn Grk “in this name.”

¹⁷⁶ tn Grk “to begin from the house.”

¹⁷⁷ tn Or “the end.”

¹⁷⁸ tn Grk “where will he appear.”

¹⁷⁹ tn The personal references in v. 18 are generic singulars, but they have been changed to the plural in English to maintain consistency with the plurals of v. 17.

sn A quotation from Prov 11:31 (LXX).

¹⁸⁰ tn Grk “in doing good.”