2 Chronicles 22:1--23:21 
Context22:1 The residents of Jerusalem 1 made his youngest son Ahaziah king in his place, for the raiding party that invaded the city with the Arabs had killed all the older sons. 2 So Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah. 22:2 Ahaziah was twenty-two 3 years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter 4 of Omri. 22:3 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty, 5 for his mother gave him evil advice. 6 22:4 He did evil in the sight of 7 the Lord like Ahab’s dynasty because, after his father’s death, they 8 gave him advice that led to his destruction. 22:5 He followed their advice and joined Ahab’s son King Joram 9 of Israel in a battle against King Hazael of Syria 10 at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 22:6 Joram 11 returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians 12 in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Ahaziah 13 son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he had been wounded. 14
22:7 God brought about Ahaziah’s downfall through his visit to Joram. 15 When Ahaziah 16 arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the Lord had commissioned 17 to wipe out Ahab’s family. 18 22:8 While Jehu was dishing out punishment to Ahab’s family, he discovered the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s relatives who were serving Ahaziah and killed them. 22:9 He looked for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria. 19 They brought him to Jehu and then executed him. They did give him a burial, for they reasoned, 20 “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with his whole heart.” There was no one in Ahaziah’s family strong enough to rule in his place. 21
22:10 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line 22 of Judah. 23 22:11 So Jehoshabeath, 24 the daughter of King Jehoram, 25 took Ahaziah’s son Joash and sneaked him away 26 from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored. So Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so she could not execute him. 22:12 He remained in hiding in God’s temple 27 for six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.
23:1 In the seventh year Jehoiada made a bold move. He made a pact 28 with the officers of the units of hundreds: Azariah son of Jehoram, Ishmael son of Jehochanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zikri. 23:2 They traveled throughout Judah and assembled the Levites from all the cities of Judah, as well as the Israelite family leaders.
They came to Jerusalem, 29 23:3 and the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the temple of God. Jehoiada 30 said to them, “The king’s son will rule, just as the Lord promised David’s descendants. 23:4 This is what you must do. One third of you priests and Levites who are on duty during the Sabbath will guard the doors. 23:5 Another third of you will be stationed at the royal palace and still another third at the Foundation Gate. All the others 31 will stand in the courtyards of the Lord’s temple. 23:6 No one must enter the Lord’s temple except the priests and Levites who are on duty. They may enter because they are ceremonially pure. All the others should carry out their assigned service to the Lord. 23:7 The Levites must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever tries to enter the temple 32 must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.” 33
23:8 The Levites and all the men of Judah 34 did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath. Jehoiada the priest did not release his divisions from their duties. 23:9 Jehoiada the priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and shields 35 that were kept in God’s temple. 23:10 He placed the men at their posts, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king. 36 23:11 Jehoiada and his sons led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia. 37 They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head. 38 They declared, “Long live the king!”
23:12 When Athaliah heard the royal guard 39 shouting and praising the king, she joined the crowd 40 at the Lord’s temple. 23:13 Then she saw 41 the king standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and trumpeters stood beside the king and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets, and the musicians with various instruments were leading the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes and yelled, “Treason! Treason!” 42 23:14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army, and ordered them, “Bring her outside the temple to the guards. 43 Put the sword to anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple. 44 23:15 They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance. 45 There they executed her.
23:16 Jehoiada then drew up a covenant stipulating that he, all the people, and the king should be loyal to the Lord. 46 23:17 All the people went and demolished 47 the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols. 48 They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. 23:18 Jehoiada then assigned the duties of the Lord’s temple to the priests, the Levites whom David had assigned to the Lord’s temple. They were responsible for offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to 49 the law of Moses and the edict of David. 23:19 He posted guards at the gates of the Lord’s temple, so no one who was ceremonially unclean in any way could enter. 23:20 He summoned 50 the officers of the units of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people, and all the people of land, and he then led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne. 23:21 All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah. 51
Revelation 10:1-11
Context10:1 Then 52 I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped 53 in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire. 54 10:2 He held 55 in his hand a little scroll that was open, and he put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. 10:3 Then 56 he shouted in a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded their voices. 10:4 When the seven thunders spoke, I was preparing to write, but 57 just then 58 I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders spoke and do not write it down.” 10:5 Then 59 the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 10:6 and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will be no more delay! 60 10:7 But in the days 61 when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed, 62 just as he has 63 proclaimed to his servants 64 the prophets.” 10:8 Then 65 the voice I had heard from heaven began to speak 66 to me 67 again, 68 “Go and take the open 69 scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 10:9 So 70 I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He 71 said to me, “Take the scroll 72 and eat it. It 73 will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10:10 So 74 I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it did taste 75 as sweet as honey in my mouth, but 76 when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 10:11 Then 77 they 78 told me: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, 79 languages, and kings.”
Zechariah 6:1-15
Context6:1 Once more I looked, and this time I saw four chariots emerging from between two mountains of bronze. 80 6:2 Harnessed to the first chariot were red horses, to the second black horses, 6:3 to the third white horses, and to the fourth spotted horses, all of them strong. 81 6:4 Then I asked the angelic messenger 82 who was speaking with me, “What are these, sir?” 6:5 The messenger replied, “These are the four spirits 83 of heaven that have been presenting themselves before the Lord of all the earth. 6:6 The chariot with the black horses is going to the north country and the white ones are going after them, but the spotted ones are going to the south country. 6:7 All these strong ones 84 are scattering; they have sought permission to go and walk about over the earth.” The Lord had said, “Go! Walk about over the earth!” So they are doing so. 6:8 Then he cried out to me, “Look! The ones going to the northland have brought me 85 peace about the northland.” 86
6:9 The word of the Lord came to me as follows: 6:10 “Choose some people 87 from among the exiles, namely, Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah, all of whom have come from Babylon, and when you have done so go to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. 88 6:11 Then take some silver and gold to make a crown 89 and set it on the head of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. 6:12 Then say to him, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Look – here is the man whose name is Branch, 90 who will sprout up from his place and build the temple of the Lord. 6:13 Indeed, he will build the temple of the Lord, and he will be clothed in splendor, sitting as king on his throne. Moreover, there will be a priest 91 with him on his throne and they will see eye to eye on everything. 6:14 The crown will then be turned over to Helem, 92 Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Hen 93 son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of the Lord. 6:15 Then those who are far away 94 will come and build the temple of the Lord so that you may know that the Lord who rules over all has sent me to you. This will all come to pass if you completely obey the voice of the Lord your God.”’”
John 9:1-41
Context9:1 Now as Jesus was passing by, 95 he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 9:2 His disciples asked him, 96 “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man 97 or his parents?” 98 9:3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man 99 nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that 100 the acts 101 of God may be revealed 102 through what happens to him. 103 9:4 We must perform the deeds 104 of the one who sent me 105 as long as 106 it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work. 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 107 9:6 Having said this, 108 he spat on the ground and made some mud 109 with the saliva. He 110 smeared the mud on the blind man’s 111 eyes 9:7 and said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” 112 (which is translated “sent”). 113 So the blind man 114 went away and washed, and came back seeing.
9:8 Then the neighbors and the people who had seen him previously 115 as a beggar began saying, 116 “Is this not the man 117 who used to sit and beg?” 9:9 Some people said, 118 “This is the man!” 119 while others said, “No, but he looks like him.” 120 The man himself 121 kept insisting, “I am the one!” 122 9:10 So they asked him, 123 “How then were you made to see?” 124 9:11 He replied, 125 “The man called Jesus made mud, 126 smeared it 127 on my eyes and told me, 128 ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and was able to see.” 129 9:12 They said 130 to him, “Where is that man?” 131 He replied, 132 “I don’t know.”
9:13 They brought the man who used to be blind 133 to the Pharisees. 134 9:14 (Now the day on which Jesus made the mud 135 and caused him to see 136 was a Sabbath.) 137 9:15 So the Pharisees asked him again how he had gained his sight. 138 He replied, 139 “He put mud 140 on my eyes and I washed, and now 141 I am able to see.”
9:16 Then some of the Pharisees began to say, 142 “This man is not from God, because he does not observe 143 the Sabbath.” 144 But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform 145 such miraculous signs?” Thus there was a division 146 among them. 9:17 So again they asked the man who used to be blind, 147 “What do you say about him, since he caused you to see?” 148 “He is a prophet,” the man replied. 149
9:18 Now the Jewish religious leaders 150 refused to believe 151 that he had really been blind and had gained his sight until at last they summoned 152 the parents of the man who had become able to see. 153 9:19 They asked the parents, 154 “Is this your son, whom you say 155 was born blind? Then how does he now see?” 9:20 So his parents replied, 156 “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 9:21 But we do not know how he is now able to see, nor do we know who caused him to see. 157 Ask him, he is a mature adult. 158 He will speak for himself.” 9:22 (His parents said these things because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. 159 For the Jewish leaders had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus 160 to be the Christ 161 would be put out 162 of the synagogue. 163 9:23 For this reason his parents said, “He is a mature adult, 164 ask him.”) 165
9:24 Then they summoned 166 the man who used to be blind 167 a second time and said to him, “Promise before God to tell the truth. 168 We know that this man 169 is a sinner.” 9:25 He replied, 170 “I do not know whether he is a sinner. I do know one thing – that although I was blind, now I can see.” 9:26 Then they said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he cause you to see?” 171 9:27 He answered, 172 “I told you already and you didn’t listen. 173 Why do you want to hear it 174 again? You people 175 don’t want to become his disciples too, do you?”
9:28 They 176 heaped insults 177 on him, saying, 178 “You are his disciple! 179 We are disciples of Moses! 9:29 We know that God has spoken to Moses! We do not know where this man 180 comes from!” 9:30 The man replied, 181 “This is a remarkable thing, 182 that you don’t know where he comes from, and yet he caused me to see! 183 9:31 We know that God doesn’t listen to 184 sinners, but if anyone is devout 185 and does his will, God 186 listens to 187 him. 188 9:32 Never before 189 has anyone heard of someone causing a man born blind to see. 190 9:33 If this man 191 were not from God, he could do nothing.” 9:34 They replied, 192 “You were born completely in sinfulness, 193 and yet you presume to teach us?” 194 So they threw him out.
9:35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, so he found the man 195 and said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 196 9:36 The man 197 replied, 198 “And who is he, sir, that 199 I may believe in him?” 9:37 Jesus told him, “You have seen him; he 200 is the one speaking with you.” 201 9:38 [He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. 202 9:39 Jesus 203 said,] 204 “For judgment I have come into this world, so that those who do not see may gain their sight, 205 and the ones who see may become blind.”
9:40 Some of the Pharisees 206 who were with him heard this 207 and asked him, 208 “We are not blind too, are we?” 209 9:41 Jesus replied, 210 “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin, 211 but now because you claim that you can see, 212 your guilt 213 remains.” 214
1 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
2 tn Heb “for all the older [ones] the raiding party that came with the Arabs to the camp had killed.”
3 tc Heb “forty-two,” but the parallel passage in 2 Kgs 8:26 reads “twenty-two” along with some
4 tn The Hebrew term בַּת (bat, “daughter”) can refer, as here, to a granddaughter. See HALOT 165-66 s.v. I בַּת 1.
5 tn Heb “and also he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab.”
6 tn Heb “for his mother was his adviser to do evil.”
7 tn Heb “in the eyes of.”
8 tn That is, the members of Ahab’s royal house.
9 sn Jehoram and Joram are alternate spellings of the Israelite king’s name (also in vv. 6-7). The shorter form is used in these verse to avoid confusion with King Jehoram of Judah, father of Azariah.
10 tn Heb “Aram” (also in v. 6).
11 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joram) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
12 tn Heb “which the Syrians inflicted [on] him.”
13 tc Most Hebrew
14 tn Heb “because he was sick,” presumably referring to the wounds he received in the battle with the Syrians.
15 tn Heb “From God was the downfall of Ahaziah by going to Joram.”
16 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ahaziah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
17 tn Heb “anointed.”
18 tn Heb “to cut off the house of Ahab.”
19 map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.
20 tn Heb “they said.”
21 tn Heb “and there was no one belonging to the house of Ahaziah to retain strength for kingship.”
22 tn Heb “she arose and she destroyed all the royal offspring.” The verb קוּם (qum, “arise”) is here used in an auxiliary sense to indicate that she embarked on a campaign to destroy the royal offspring. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 125.
23 tn Heb “house of Judah.”
24 sn Jehoshabeath is a variant spelling of the name Jehosheba (2 Kgs 11:2).
25 tn Heb “the king”; the referent (King Jehoram, see later in this verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
26 tn Heb “stole.”
27 tn Heb “and he was with them in the house of God hiding.”
28 tn Or “covenant.”
29 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
30 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jehoiada the priest, cf. v. 8) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
31 tn Heb “all the people.”
32 tn Heb “house.”
33 tn Heb “and be with the king in his coming out and in his going out.”
34 tn Heb “all Judah.” The words “the men of” are supplied in the translation for clarity. The Hebrew text uses the name “Judah” by metonymy for the men of Judah.
35 tn The Hebrew text lists two different types of shields here. Most translations render “the large and small shields” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV; NEB “King David’s spears, shields, and bucklers”).
36 tn Heb “and he stationed all the people, each with his weapon in his hand, from the south shoulder of the house to the north shoulder of the house, at the altar and at the house, near the king all around.”
37 tn The Hebrew word עֵדוּת (’edut) normally means “witness” or “testimony.” Here it probably refers to some tangible symbol of kingship, perhaps a piece of jewelry such as an amulet or neck chain (see the discussion in M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings [AB], 128). Some suggest that a document is in view, perhaps a copy of the royal protocol or of the stipulations of the Davidic covenant (see HALOT 790-91 s.v.).
38 tn Or “they made him king and anointed him.”
39 tn Heb “and Athaliah heard the sound of the people, the runners.”
40 tn Heb “she came to the people.”
41 tn Heb “and she saw, and behold.”
42 tn Or “Conspiracy! Conspiracy!”
43 tn Heb “ranks.”
44 tn Heb “for the priest had said, ‘Do not put her to death in the house of the
45 tn Heb “and they placed hands on her, and she went through the entrance of the gate of the horses [into] the house of the king.” Some English versions treat the phrase “gate of the horses” as the name of the gate (“the Horse Gate”; e.g., NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV).
46 tn Heb “and Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and [between] all the people and [between] the king, to become a people for the
47 tn Or “tore down.”
48 tn Or “images.”
49 tn Heb “as it is written in.”
50 tn Heb “took.”
51 tn Heb “killed Athaliah with the sword.”
52 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
53 tn Or “clothed.”
54 tn Or “like fiery pillars,” translating πυρός (puros) as an attributive genitive.
55 tn Grk “and having.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “he.”
56 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
57 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
58 tn The words “just then” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.
59 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
60 tn On this phrase see BDAG 1092 s.v. χρόνος.
61 tn Grk “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel.”
62 tn The aorist ἐτελέσθη (etelesqh) has been translated as a proleptic (futuristic) aorist (ExSyn 564 cites this verse as an example).
63 tn The time of the action described by the aorist εὐηγγέλισεν (euhngelisen) seems to be past with respect to the aorist passive ἐτελέσθη (etelesqh). This does not require that the prophets in view here be OT prophets. They may actually refer to the martyrs in the church (so G. B. Caird, Revelation [HNTC], 129).
64 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
65 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
66 tn The participle λαλοῦσαν (lalousan) has been translated as “began to speak.” The use of πάλιν (palin) indicates an ingressive idea.
67 tn Grk “with me.” The translation “with me” implies that John was engaged in a dialogue with the one speaking to him (e.g., Jesus or an angel) when in reality it was a one-sided conversation, with John doing all the listening. For this reason, μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ (met’ emou, “with me”) was translated as “to me.”
68 tn Grk “again, saying.” The participle λέγουσαν (legousan) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
69 tn The perfect passive participle ἠνεῳγμένον (hnewgmenon) is in second attributive position and has been translated as an attributive adjective.
70 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the instructions given by the voice.
71 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
72 tn The words “the scroll” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
73 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
74 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the instructions given by the angel.
75 tn Grk “it was.” The idea of taste is implied.
76 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
77 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
78 tn The referent of “they” is not clear in the Greek text.
79 tn Grk “and nations,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the next item since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
80 tn Heb “two mountains, and the mountains [were] mountains of bronze.” This has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
sn Bronze, a hard, almost impenetrable metal, is an apt figure to speak of the obstacles standing in the way of the accomplishment of God’s purposes for the postexilic Jewish community (cf. 4:7). The cleft between the two from which the chariots emerge might be related to the eschatological triumph of the
81 tc For the MT reading אֲמֻצִּים (’amutsim, “strong”) Aquila and Syriac presuppose אֲדֻמִּים (’adummim, “red”), thus giving the red horse an assignment and eliminating the problem of a fifth, “spotted” horse. The fourth would be a mottled red horse according to this view. There is, however, no manuscript support for this interpretation.
82 tn See the note on the expression “angelic messenger” in 1:9.
83 tn The Hebrew term translated “spirit” here may also be translated “wind” or “breath” depending on the context (cf. ASV, NRSV, CEV “the four winds of heaven”; NAB similar).
84 tn The present translation takes אֲמֻצִּים (’amutsim, “strong”) to be a descriptive of all the horses – white, black, red, and spotted (cf. NAB, NIV, NLT).
85 tn Heb “my spirit.” The subject appears to be the
86 sn The immediate referent of peace about the northland is to the peace brought by Persia’s conquest of Babylonia, a peace that allowed the restoration of the Jewish people (cf. 2 Chr 36:22-23; Isa 44:28; 45:1-2). However, there is also an eschatological dimension, referring to a time when there will be perfect and universal peace.
87 tn The words “some people” are supplied in the translation. The Hebrew verb translated “choose” (alternatively “take” [NAB, NIV]; “collect” [NRSV, CEV]) has no direct object specified in the text. Some translations supply “silver and gold” (NIV, NRSV) or “an offering” (NASB).
88 sn Except for Joshua (v. 11) none of these individuals is otherwise mentioned and therefore they cannot be further identified.
89 tn Heb “crowns” (so KJV, ASV; also in v. 14). The Hebrew word for “crown” here is עֲטֶרֶת (’ateret), a term never used in the OT for the priestly crown or mitre. Thus, the scene here describes the investing of the priest with royal authority.
90 tn The epithet “Branch” (צֶמַח, tsemakh) derives from the verb used here (יִצְמָח, yitsmakh, “will sprout up”) to describe the rise of the Messiah, already referred to in this manner in Zech 3:8 (cf. Isa 11:1; 53:2; Jer 33:15). In the immediate context this refers to Zerubbabel, but the ultimate referent is Jesus (cf. John 19:5).
91 sn The priest here in the immediate context is Joshua but the fuller and more distant allusion is to the Messiah, a ruling priest. The notion of the ruler as a priest-king was already apparent in David and his successors (Pss 2:2, 6-8; 110:2, 4), and it finds mature expression in David’s greater Son, Jesus Christ, who will combine both offices in his kingship (Heb 5:1-10; 7:1-25).
92 tn “Helem” is probably the same individual as “Heldai” in v. 10. Since the MT and the major ancient versions leave the apparent conflict unresolved it is probably best to view “Helem” as interchangeable with “Heldai” (cf. “Heled” in 1 Chr 11:30 with “Heleb” [2 Sam 23:29] and “Heldai” [1 Chr 27:15]). A number of modern English versions use “Heldai” here (e.g., NAB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, NLT).
93 tn Since the “son of Zephaniah” in v. 10 is Josiah, it might be best here to understand “Hen” in its meaning “grace” (חֵן, khen); that is, “Hen” is a nickname for Josiah – “the gracious one.” A number of modern English translations use “Josiah” here (e.g., NCV, NRSV, NLT).
94 sn Those who are far away is probably a reference to later groups of returning exiles under Ezra, Nehemiah, and others.
95 tn Or “going along.” The opening words of chap. 9, καὶ παράγων (kai paragwn), convey only the vaguest indication of the circumstances.
sn Since there is no break with chap. 8, Jesus is presumably still in Jerusalem, and presumably not still in the temple area. The events of chap. 9 fall somewhere between the feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2) and the feast of the Dedication (John 10:22). But in the author’s narrative the connection exists – the incident recorded in chap. 9 (along with the ensuing debates with the Pharisees) serves as a real-life illustration of the claim Jesus made in 8:12, I am the light of the world. This is in fact the probable theological motivation behind the juxtaposition of these two incidents in the narrative. The second serves as an illustration of the first, and as a concrete example of the victory of light over darkness. One other thing which should be pointed out about the miracle recorded in chap. 9 is its messianic significance. In the OT it is God himself who is associated with the giving of sight to the blind (Exod 4:11, Ps 146:8). In a number of passages in Isa (29:18, 35:5, 42:7) it is considered to be a messianic activity.
96 tn Grk “asked him, saying.”
97 tn Grk “this one.”
98 tn Grk “in order that he should be born blind.”
sn The disciples assumed that sin (regardless of who committed it) was the cause of the man’s blindness. This was a common belief in Judaism; the rabbis used Ezek 18:20 to prove there was no death without sin, and Ps 89:33 to prove there was no punishment without guilt (the Babylonian Talmud, b. Shabbat 55a, although later than the NT, illustrates this). Thus in this case the sin must have been on the part of the man’s parents, or during his own prenatal existence. Song Rabbah 1:41 (another later rabbinic work) stated that when a pregnant woman worshiped in a heathen temple the unborn child also committed idolatry. This is only one example of how, in rabbinic Jewish thought, an unborn child was capable of sinning.
99 tn Grk “this one.”
100 tn Grk “but so that.” There is an ellipsis that must be supplied: “but [he was born blind] so that” or “but [it happened to him] so that.”
101 tn Or “deeds”; Grk “works.”
102 tn Or “manifested,” “brought to light.”
103 tn Grk “in him.”
104 tn Grk “We must work the works.”
105 tn Or “of him who sent me” (God).
106 tn Or “while.”
107 sn Jesus’ statement I am the light of the world connects the present account with 8:12. Here (seen more clearly than at 8:12) it is obvious what the author sees as the significance of Jesus’ statement. “Light” is not a metaphysical definition of the person of Jesus but a description of his effect on the world, forcing everyone in the world to ‘choose up sides’ for or against him (cf. 3:19-21).
108 tn Grk “said these things.”
109 tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency). The textual variant preserved in the Syriac text of Ephraem’s commentary on the Diatessaron (“he made eyes from his clay”) probably arose from the interpretation given by Irenaeus in Against Heresies: “that which the Artificer, the Word, had omitted to form in the womb, he then supplied in public.” This involves taking the clay as an allusion to Gen 2:7, which is very unlikely.
110 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) was replaced by a third person pronoun and a new sentence started here in the translation.
111 tn Grk “on his.”
112 tn The pool’s name in Hebrew is shiloah from the Hebrew verb “to send.” In Gen 49:10 the somewhat obscure shiloh was interpreted messianically by later Jewish tradition, and some have seen a lexical connection between the two names (although this is somewhat dubious). It is known, however, that it was from the pool of Siloam that the water which was poured out at the altar during the feast of Tabernacles was drawn.
113 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author. Why does he comment on the meaning of the name of the pool? Here, the significance is that the Father sent the Son, and the Son sent the man born blind. The name of the pool is applicable to the man, but also to Jesus himself, who was sent from heaven.
114 tn Grk “So he”; the referent (the blind man) is specified in the translation for clarity.
115 tn Or “formerly.”
116 tn An ingressive force (“began saying”) is present here because the change in status of the blind person provokes this new response from those who knew him.
117 tn Grk “the one.”
118 tn Grk “Others were saying.”
119 tn Grk “This is the one.”
120 tn Grk “No, but he is like him.”
121 tn Grk “That one”; the referent (the man himself) is specified in the translation for clarity.
122 tn Grk “I am he.”
123 tn Grk “So they were saying to him.”
124 tn Grk “How then were your eyes opened” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
125 tn Grk “That one answered.”
126 tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).
127 tn Grk “and smeared.” Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when obvious from the context.
128 tn Grk “said to me.”
129 tn Or “and I gained my sight.”
130 tn Grk “And they said.”
131 tn Grk “that one.” “Man” is more normal English style for the referent.
132 tn Grk “He said.”
133 tn Grk “who was formerly blind.”
134 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
135 tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).
136 tn Grk “and opened his eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
137 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
138 tn Or “how he had become able to see.”
sn So the Pharisees asked him. Note the subtlety here: On the surface, the man is being judged. But through him, Jesus is being judged. Yet in reality (as the discerning reader will realize) it is ironically the Pharisees themselves who are being judged by their response to Jesus who is the light of the world (cf. 3:17-21).
139 tn Grk “And he said to them.”
140 tn Or “clay” (moistened earth of a clay-like consistency).
141 tn The word “now” is not in the Greek text, but is supplied to indicate the contrast between the man’s former state (blind) and his present state (able to see).
142 tn As a response to the answers of the man who used to be blind, the use of the imperfect tense in the reply of the Pharisees is best translated as an ingressive imperfect (“began to say” or “started saying”).
143 tn Grk “he does not keep.”
144 sn The Jewish religious leaders considered the work involved in making the mud to be a violation of the Sabbath.
145 tn Grk “do.”
146 tn Or “So there was discord.”
147 tn Grk “the blind man.”
148 tn Grk “since he opened your eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
149 tn Grk “And he said, ‘He is a prophet.’”
sn At this point the man, pressed by the Pharisees, admitted there was something special about Jesus. But here, since prophet is anarthrous (is not accompanied by the Greek article) and since in his initial reply in 9:11-12 the man showed no particular insight into the true identity of Jesus, this probably does not refer to the prophet of Deut 18:15, but merely to an unusual person who is capable of working miracles. The Pharisees had put this man on the spot, and he felt compelled to say something about Jesus, but he still didn’t have a clear conception of who Jesus was, so he labeled him a “prophet.”
150 tn Or “the Jewish religious authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” In NT usage the term ᾿Ιουδαῖοι (Ioudaioi) may refer to the entire Jewish people, the residents of Jerusalem and surrounding territory, the authorities in Jerusalem, or merely those who were hostile to Jesus. (For further information see R. G. Bratcher, “‘The Jews’ in the Gospel of John,” BT 26 [1975]: 401-9.) Here the phrase refers mainly to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. References in this context to Pharisees and to the synagogue (v. 22) suggest an emphasis on the religious nature of the debate which is brought out by the translation “the Jewish religious leaders.”
151 tn The Greek text contains the words “about him” at this point: “the Jewish authorities did not believe about him…”
152 tn Grk “they called.”
153 tn Or “the man who had gained his sight.”
154 tn Grk “and they asked them, saying”; the referent (the parents) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
155 tn The Greek pronoun and verb are both plural (both parents are addressed).
156 tn Grk “So his parents answered and said.”
157 tn Grk “who opened his eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
158 tn Or “he is of age.”
159 tn Or “the Jewish religious authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Twice in this verse the phrase refers to the Pharisees, mentioned by name in John 9:13, 15, 16. The second occurrence is shortened to “the Jewish leaders” for stylistic reasons. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish religious leaders” in v. 18.
160 tn Grk “confessed him.”
161 tn Or “the Messiah” (Both Greek “Christ” and Hebrew and Aramaic “Messiah” mean “one who has been anointed”).
sn See the note on Christ in 1:20.
162 tn Or “would be expelled from.”
163 sn This reference to excommunication from the Jewish synagogue for those who had made some sort of confession about Jesus being the Messiah is dismissed as anachronistic by some (e.g., Barrett) and nonhistorical by others. In later Jewish practice there were at least two forms of excommunication: a temporary ban for thirty days, and a permanent ban. But whether these applied in NT times is far from certain. There is no substantial evidence for a formal ban on Christians until later than this Gospel could possibly have been written. This may be a reference to some form of excommunication adopted as a contingency to deal with those who were proclaiming Jesus to be the Messiah. If so, there is no other record of the procedure than here. It was probably local, limited to the area around Jerusalem. See also the note on synagogue in 6:59.
164 tn Or “he is of age.”
165 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author explaining the parents’ response.
166 tn Grk “they called.”
167 tn Grk “who was blind.”
168 tn Grk “Give glory to God” (an idiomatic formula used in placing someone under oath to tell the truth).
169 tn The phrase “this man” is a reference to Jesus.
170 tn Grk “Then that one answered.”
171 tn Grk “open your eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
172 tn Grk “He answered them.” The indirect object αὐτοῖς (autois) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
173 tn Grk “you did not hear.”
174 tn “It” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when they were clearly implied in the context.
175 tn The word “people” is supplied in the translation to clarify the plural Greek pronoun and verb.
176 tn Grk “And they.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
177 tn The Greek word means “to insult strongly” or “slander.”
178 tn Grk “and said.”
179 tn Grk “You are that one’s disciple.”
180 tn Grk “where this one.”
181 tn Grk “The man answered and said to them.” This has been simplified in the translation to “The man replied.”
182 tn Grk “For in this is a remarkable thing.”
183 tn Grk “and he opened my eyes” (an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
184 tn Grk “God does not hear.”
185 tn Or “godly.”
186 tn Grk “he”; the referent (God) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
187 tn Or “hears.”
188 tn Grk “this one.”
189 tn Or “Never from the beginning of time,” Grk “From eternity.”
190 tn Grk “someone opening the eyes of a man born blind” (“opening the eyes” is an idiom referring to restoration of sight).
191 tn Grk “this one.”
192 tn Grk “They answered and said to him.” This has been simplified in the translation to “They replied.”
193 tn Or “From birth you have been evil.” The implication of this insult, in the context of John 9, is that the man whom Jesus caused to see had not previously adhered rigorously to all the conventional requirements of the OT law as interpreted by the Pharisees. Thus he had no right to instruct them about who Jesus was.
194 tn Grk “and are you teaching us?”
195 tn Grk “found him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
196 tc Although most witnesses (A L Θ Ψ 070 0250 Ë1,13 33 Ï lat) have θεοῦ (qeou, “of God”) instead of ἀνθρώπου (anqrwpou, “of man”) here, the better witnesses (Ì66,75 א B D W sys) have ἀνθρώπου. Not only is the external evidence decidedly on the side of ἀνθρώπου, but it is difficult to see such early and diverse witnesses changing θεοῦ to ἀνθρώπου. The wording “Son of Man” is thus virtually certain.
197 tn Grk “That one.”
198 tn Grk answered and said.” This has been simplified in the translation to “replied.”
199 tn Or “And who is he, sir? Tell me so that…” Some translations supply elliptical words like “Tell me” (NIV, NRSV) following the man’s initial question, but the shorter form given in the translation is clear enough.
200 tn Grk “that one.”
201 tn The καί – καί (kai – kai) construction would normally be translated “both – and”: “You have both seen him, and he is the one speaking with you.” In this instance the English semicolon was used instead because it produces a smoother and more emphatic effect in English.
202 sn Assuming the authenticity of John 9:38-39a (see the tc note following the bracket in v. 39), the man’s response after Jesus’ statement of v. 37 is extremely significant: He worshiped Jesus. In the Johannine context the word would connote its full sense: This was something due God alone. Note also that Jesus did not prevent the man from doing this. The verb προσκυνέω (proskunew) is used in John 4:20-25 of worshiping God, and again with the same sense in 12:20. This would be the only place in John’s Gospel where anyone is said to have worshiped Jesus using this term. As such, it forms the climax of the story of the man born blind, but the uniqueness of the concept of worshiping Jesus at this point in John's narrative (which reaches its ultimate climax in the confession of Thomas in John 20:28) may suggest it is too early for such a response and it represents a later scribal addition.
203 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
204 tc ‡ Some early and important witnesses (Ì75 א* W b sams ac2 mf) lack the words, “He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him. Jesus said,” (vv. 38-39a). This is weighty evidence for the omission of these words. It is difficult to overstate the value of Ì75 here, since it is the only currently available papyrus ms extant for the text of John 9:38-39. Further, א is an important and early Alexandrian witness for the omission. The versional testimony and codex W also give strong support to the omission. Nearly all other
205 tn Or “that those who do not see may see.”
206 sn See the note on Pharisees in 1:24.
207 tn Grk “heard these things.”
208 tn Grk “and said to him.”
209 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “are we?”).
210 tn Grk “Jesus said to them.”
211 tn Grk “you would not have sin.”
212 tn Grk “now because you say, ‘We see…’”
213 tn Or “your sin.”
214 sn Because you claim that you can see, your guilt remains. The blind man received sight physically, and this led him to see spiritually as well. But the Pharisees, who claimed to possess spiritual sight, were spiritually blinded. The reader might recall Jesus’ words to Nicodemus in 3:10, “Are you the teacher of Israel and don’t understand these things?” In other words, to receive Jesus was to receive the light of the world, to reject him was to reject the light, close one’s eyes, and become blind. This is the serious sin of which Jesus had warned before (8:21-24). The blindness of such people was incurable since they had rejected the only cure that exists (cf. 12:39-41).
