2 Chronicles 30:1-27 
Context30:1 Hezekiah sent messages throughout Israel and Judah; he even wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasseh, summoning them to come to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem 1 and observe a Passover celebration for the Lord God of Israel. 30:2 The king, his officials, and the entire assembly in Jerusalem decided to observe the Passover in the second month. 30:3 They were unable to observe it at the regular 2 time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem. 30:4 The proposal seemed appropriate to 3 the king and the entire assembly. 30:5 So they sent an edict 4 throughout Israel from Beer Sheba to Dan, summoning the people 5 to come and observe a Passover for the Lord God of Israel in Jerusalem, for they had not observed it on a nationwide scale as prescribed in the law. 6 30:6 Messengers 7 delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah.
This royal edict read: 8 “O Israelites, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return 9 to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria. 10 30:7 Don’t be like your fathers and brothers who were unfaithful to the Lord God of their ancestors, 11 provoking him to destroy them, 12 as you can see. 30:8 Now, don’t be stubborn 13 like your fathers! Submit 14 to the Lord and come to his sanctuary which he has permanently consecrated. Serve the Lord your God so that he might relent from his raging anger. 15 30:9 For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and sons will be shown mercy by their captors and return to this land. The Lord your God is merciful and compassionate; he will not reject you 16 if you return to him.”
30:10 The messengers journeyed from city to city through the land of Ephraim and Manasseh as far as Zebulun, but people mocked and ridiculed them. 17 30:11 But some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. 30:12 In Judah God moved the people to unite and carry out the edict the king and the officers had issued at the Lord’s command. 18 30:13 A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month. 19 30:14 They removed the altars in Jerusalem; they also removed all the incense altars and threw them into the Kidron Valley. 20
30:15 They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed, so they consecrated themselves and brought burnt sacrifices to the Lord’s temple. 30:16 They stood at their posts according to the regulations outlined in the law of Moses, the man of God. The priests were splashing the blood as the Levites handed it to them. 21 30:17 Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered 22 the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the Lord. 23 30:18 The majority of the many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun were ceremonially unclean, yet they ate the Passover in violation of what is prescribed in the law. 24 For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying: “May the Lord, who is good, forgive 25 30:19 everyone who has determined to follow God, 26 the Lord God of his ancestors, even if he is not ceremonially clean according to the standards of the temple.” 27 30:20 The Lord responded favorably 28 to Hezekiah and forgave 29 the people.
30:21 The Israelites who were in Jerusalem observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests were praising the Lord every day with all their might. 30 30:22 Hezekiah expressed his appreciation to all the Levites, 31 who demonstrated great skill in serving the Lord. 32 They feasted for the seven days of the festival, 33 and were making peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord God of their ancestors.
30:23 The entire assembly then decided to celebrate for seven more days; so they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. 30:24 King Hezekiah of Judah supplied 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep 34 for the assembly, while the officials supplied them 35 with 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep. Many priests consecrated themselves. 30:25 The celebration included 36 the entire assembly of Judah, the priests, the Levites, the entire assembly of those who came from Israel, the resident foreigners who came from the land of Israel, and the residents of Judah. 30:26 There was a great celebration in Jerusalem, unlike anything that had occurred in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon son of David of Israel. 37 30:27 The priests and Levites got up and pronounced blessings on the people. The Lord responded favorably to them 38 as their prayers reached his holy dwelling place in heaven.
Revelation 16:1-21
Context16:1 Then 39 I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.” 40 16:2 So 41 the first angel 42 went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then 43 ugly and painful sores 44 appeared on the people 45 who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
16:3 Next, 46 the second angel 47 poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died.
16:4 Then 48 the third angel 49 poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood. 16:5 Now 50 I heard the angel of the waters saying:
“You are just 51 – the one who is and who was,
the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments, 52
16:6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets,
so 53 you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” 54
16:7 Then 55 I heard the altar reply, 56 “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, 57 your judgments are true and just!”
16:8 Then 58 the fourth angel 59 poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people 60 with fire. 16:9 Thus 61 people 62 were scorched by the terrible heat, 63 yet 64 they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority 65 over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.
16:10 Then 66 the fifth angel 67 poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that 68 darkness covered his kingdom, 69 and people 70 began to bite 71 their tongues because 72 of their pain. 16:11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings 73 and because of their sores, 74 but nevertheless 75 they still refused to repent 76 of their deeds.
16:12 Then 77 the sixth angel 78 poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water 79 to prepare the way 80 for the kings from the east. 81 16:13 Then 82 I saw three unclean spirits 83 that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 16:14 For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth 84 to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful. 85
16:15 (Look! I will come like a thief!
Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose 86 his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition 87 be seen.) 88
16:16 Now 89 the spirits 90 gathered the kings and their armies 91 to the place that is called Armageddon 92 in Hebrew.
16:17 Finally 93 the seventh angel 94 poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: “It is done!” 16:18 Then 95 there were flashes of lightning, roaring, 96 and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake – an earthquake unequaled since humanity 97 has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake. 16:19 The 98 great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations 99 collapsed. 100 So 101 Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup 102 filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath. 103 16:20 Every 104 island fled away 105 and no mountains could be found. 106 16:21 And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds 107 each, fell from heaven 108 on people, 109 but they 110 blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it 111 was so horrendous. 112
Zechariah 12:1--13:1
Context12:1 The revelation of the word of the Lord concerning Israel: The Lord – he who stretches out the heavens and lays the foundations of the earth, who forms the human spirit within a person 113 – says, 12:2 “I am about to make Jerusalem 114 a cup that brings dizziness 115 to all the surrounding nations; indeed, Judah will also be included when Jerusalem is besieged. 12:3 Moreover, on that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy burden 116 for all the nations, and all who try to carry it will be seriously injured; 117 yet all the peoples of the earth will be assembled against it. 12:4 In that day,” says the Lord, “I will strike every horse with confusion and its rider with madness. I will pay close attention to the house of Judah, but will strike all the horses 118 of the nations 119 with blindness. 12:5 Then the leaders of Judah will say to themselves, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a means of strength to us through their God, the Lord who rules over all.’ 12:6 On that day 120 I will make the leaders of Judah like an igniter 121 among sticks and a burning torch among sheaves, and they will burn up all the surrounding nations right and left. Then the people of Jerusalem will settle once more in their place, the city of Jerusalem. 12:7 The Lord also will deliver the homes 122 of Judah first, so that the splendor of the kingship 123 of David and of the people of Jerusalem may not exceed that of Judah. 12:8 On that day the Lord himself will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the weakest among them will be like mighty David, and the dynasty of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord before them. 124 12:9 So on that day I will set out to destroy all the nations 125 that come against Jerusalem.”
12:10 “I will pour out on the kingship 126 of David and the population of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication so that they will look to me, 127 the one they have pierced. They will lament for him as one laments for an only son, and there will be a bitter cry for him like the bitter cry for a firstborn. 128 12:11 On that day the lamentation in Jerusalem will be as great as the lamentation at Hadad-Rimmon 129 in the plain of Megiddo. 130 12:12 The land will mourn, clan by clan – the clan of the royal household of David by itself and their wives by themselves; the clan of the family of Nathan 131 by itself and their wives by themselves; 12:13 the clan of the descendants of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; and the clan of the Shimeites 132 by itself and their wives by themselves – 12:14 all the clans that remain, each separately with their wives.”
13:1 “In that day there will be a fountain opened up for the dynasty 133 of David and the people of Jerusalem 134 to cleanse them from sin and impurity. 135
John 15:1-27
Context15:1 “I am the true vine 136 and my Father is the gardener. 137 15:2 He takes away 138 every branch that does not bear 139 fruit in me. He 140 prunes 141 every branch that bears 142 fruit so that it will bear more fruit. 15:3 You are clean already 143 because of the word that I have spoken to you. 15:4 Remain 144 in me, and I will remain in you. 145 Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, 146 unless it remains 147 in 148 the vine, so neither can you unless you remain 149 in me.
15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains 150 in me – and I in him – bears 151 much fruit, 152 because apart from me you can accomplish 153 nothing. 15:6 If anyone does not remain 154 in me, he is thrown out like a branch, and dries up; and such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire, 155 and are burned up. 156 15:7 If you remain 157 in me and my words remain 158 in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. 159 15:8 My Father is honored 160 by this, that 161 you bear 162 much fruit and show that you are 163 my disciples.
15:9 “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain 164 in my love. 15:10 If you obey 165 my commandments, you will remain 166 in my love, just as I have obeyed 167 my Father’s commandments and remain 168 in his love. 15:11 I have told you these things 169 so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. 15:12 My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you. 170 15:13 No one has greater love than this – that one lays down his life 171 for his friends. 15:14 You are my friends 172 if you do what I command you. 15:15 I no longer call you slaves, 173 because the slave does not understand 174 what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything 175 I heard 176 from my Father. 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you 177 and appointed you to go and bear 178 fruit, fruit that remains, 179 so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. 15:17 This 180 I command you – to love one another.
15:18 “If the world hates you, be aware 181 that it hated me first. 182 15:19 If you belonged to the world, 183 the world would love you as its own. 184 However, because you do not belong to the world, 185 but I chose you out of the world, for this reason 186 the world hates you. 187 15:20 Remember what 188 I told you, ‘A slave 189 is not greater than his master.’ 190 If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed 191 my word, they will obey 192 yours too. 15:21 But they will do all these things to you on account of 193 my name, because they do not know the one who sent me. 194 15:22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. 195 But they no longer have any excuse for their sin. 15:23 The one who hates me hates my Father too. 15:24 If I had not performed 196 among them the miraculous deeds 197 that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. 198 But now they have seen the deeds 199 and have hated both me and my Father. 200 15:25 Now this happened 201 to fulfill the word that is written in their law, ‘They hated me without reason.’ 202 15:26 When the Advocate 203 comes, whom I will send you from the Father – the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father – he 204 will testify about me, 15:27 and you also will testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.
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 “at that time.”
3 tn Heb “and the thing was proper in the eyes of.”
4 tn Heb “and they caused to stand a word to cause a voice to pass through.”
5 tn The words “summoning the people” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
6 tn Heb “because not for abundance had they done as written.”
7 tn Heb “the runners.”
8 tn Heb “and according to the command of the king, saying.”
9 tn The jussive with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
10 tn Heb “to the survivors who are left to you from the palm of the kings of Assyria.”
11 tn Heb “fathers” (also in vv. 19, 22).
12 tn Heb “and he made them a devastation” (or, perhaps, “an object of horror”).
13 tn Heb “don’t stiffen your neck” (a Hebrew idiom for being stubborn).
14 tn Heb “give a hand.” On the meaning of the idiom here, see HALOT 387 s.v. I יָד 2.
15 tn Heb “so that the rage of his anger might turn from you.” The jussive with vav conjunctive indicates purpose/result after the preceding imperative.
16 tn Heb “turn [his] face from you.”
17 tn Heb “and they were mocking them and ridiculing them.”
18 tn Heb “also in Judah the hand of God was to give to them one heart to do the command of the king and the officials by the word of the
19 tn The Hebrew text adds here, “a very large assembly.” This has not been translated to avoid redundancy with the expression “a huge crowd” at the beginning of the verse.
20 tn Heb “and they arose and removed the altars which were in Jerusalem, and all the incense altars they removed and threw into the Kidron Valley.”
21 tn Heb “from the hand of the Levites.”
22 tn Heb “were over the slaughter of.”
23 tn Heb “of everyone not pure to consecrate to the
24 tn Heb “without what is written.”
25 tn Heb “make atonement for.”
26 tn Heb “everyone [who] has prepared his heart to seek God.”
27 tn Heb “and not according to the purification of the holy place.”
28 tn Heb “listened.”
29 tn Heb “healed.”
30 tn Heb “and they were praising the
31 tn Heb “and Hezekiah spoke to the heart of all the Levites.” On the meaning of the idiom “speak to the heart of” here, see HALOT 210 s.v. II דבר 8.d.
32 tn Heb “who demonstrated skill [with] good skill for the
33 tn Heb “and they ate [during] the appointed time [for] seven days.” מוֹעֵד (mo’ed, “appointed time”) is probably an adverbial accusative of time referring to the festival. However, some understand it as metonymically referring to the food eaten during the festival. See BDB 417 s.v.
34 tn The Hebrew term צֹאן (ts’on, translated “sheep” twice in this verse) denotes smaller livestock in general; depending on context it can refer to sheep only or goats only, but their is nothing in the immediate context here to specify one or the other.
35 tn Heb “the assembly.” The pronoun “them” has been used in the translation for stylistic reasons, to avoid redundancy.
36 tn Heb “they rejoiced.”
37 tn Heb “and there was great joy in Jerusalem, for from the days of Solomon son of David, king of Israel, there was nothing like this in Jerusalem.”
38 tn Heb “and it was heard with their voice.” BDB 1034 s.v. שָׁמַע Niph.4 interprets this to mean “hearing was granted to their voice.” It is possible that the name יְהוָה (yÿhvah, “the
39 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
40 tn Or “anger.” Here τοῦ θυμοῦ (tou qumou) has been translated as a genitive of content.
41 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the directions given by the voice from the temple.
42 tn Grk “the first”; the referent (the first angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
43 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
44 tn Or “ulcerated sores”; the term in the Greek text is singular but is probably best understood as a collective singular.
45 tn Grk ‘the men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
46 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “next” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
47 tn Grk “the second”; the referent (the second angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
48 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
49 tn Grk “the third”; the referent (the third angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
50 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the somewhat parenthetical nature of the remarks that follow.
51 tn Or “righteous,” although the context favors justice as the theme.
52 tn Or “because you have judged these things.” The pronoun ταῦτα (tauta) is neuter gender.
53 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this judgment is the result of what these wicked people did to the saints and prophets.
54 tn Grk “They are worthy”; i.e., of this kind of punishment. By extension, “they got what they deserve.”
55 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
56 tn Grk “the altar saying.”
57 tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”
58 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
59 tn Grk “the fourth”; the referent (the fourth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
60 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
61 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the bowl poured on the sun.
62 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
63 tn On this phrase BDAG 536 s.v. καῦμα states, “burning, heat Rv 7:16…καυματίζεσθαι κ. μέγα be burned with a scorching heat 16:9.”
64 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
65 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
66 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
67 tn Grk “the fifth”; the referent (the fifth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
68 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so that” to indicate the implied result of the fifth bowl being poured out.
69 tn Grk “his kingdom became dark.”
70 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") and refers to both men and women.
71 tn On this term BDAG 620 s.v. μασάομαι states, “bite w. acc. τὰς γλώσσας bite their tongues Rv 16:10.”
72 tn The preposition ἐκ (ek) has been translated here and twice in the following verse with a causal sense.
73 tn Grk “pains” (the same term in Greek [πόνος, ponos] as the last word in v. 11, here translated “sufferings” because it is plural). BDAG 852 s.v. 2 states, “ἐκ τοῦ π. in pain…Rv 16:10; pl. (Gen 41:51; Jos., C. Ap. 2, 146; Test. Jud. 18:4) ἐκ τῶν π. …because of their sufferings vs. 11.”
74 tn Or “ulcerated sores” (see 16:2).
75 tn Grk “and they did not repent.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but nevertheless” to express the contrast here.
76 tn Grk “they did not repent” The addition of “still refused” reflects the hardness of people’s hearts in the context.
77 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
78 tn Grk “the sixth”; the referent (the sixth angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
79 tn Grk “and its water was dried up.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.
80 tn Grk “in order that the way might be prepared.” Here the passive construction has been translated as an active one.
81 tn Grk “from the rising of the sun.” BDAG 74 s.v. ἀνατολή 2.a takes this as a geographical direction: “ἀπὸ ἀ. ἡλίου…from the east Rv 7:2; 16:12; simply ἀπὸ ἀ. …21:13.”
82 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
83 sn According to the next verse, these three unclean spirits are spirits of demons.
84 tn BDAG 699 s.v. οἰκουμένη 1 states, “the inhabited earth, the world…ὅλη ἡ οἰκ. the whole inhabited earth…Mt 24:14; Ac 11:28; Rv 3:10; 16:14.”
85 tn On this word BDAG 755 s.v. παντοκράτωρ states, “the Almighty, All-Powerful, Omnipotent (One) only of God…(ὁ) κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ π. …Rv 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7; 21:22.”
86 tn Grk “and keeps.” BDAG 1002 s.v. τηρέω 2.c states “of holding on to someth. so as not to give it up or lose it…τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ Rv 16:15 (or else he will have to go naked).”
87 tn On the translation of ἀσχημοσύνη (aschmosunh) as “shameful condition” see L&N 25.202. The indefinite third person plural (“and they see”) has been translated as a passive here.
88 sn These lines are parenthetical, forming an aside to the narrative. The speaker here is the Lord Jesus Christ himself rather than the narrator. Many interpreters have seen this verse as so abrupt that it could not be an original part of the work, but the author has used such asides before (1:7; 14:13) and the suddenness here (on the eve of Armageddon) is completely parallel to Jesus’ warning in Mark 13:15-16 and parallels.
89 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the resumption and conclusion of the remarks about the pouring out of the sixth bowl.
90 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
91 tn Grk “gathered them”; the referent (the kings and [implied] their armies, v. 14) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
92 tc There are many variations in the spelling of this name among the Greek
tn Or “Harmagedon” (a literal transliteration of the Greek), or “Har-Magedon” (NASB), meaning “the Mount of Magedon” in Hebrew.
93 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “finally” to indicate the conclusion of the seven bowl judgments.
94 tn Grk “the seventh”; the referent (the seventh angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
95 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the vision.
96 tn Or “sounds,” “voices.” It is not entirely clear what this refers to. BDAG 1071 s.v. φωνή 1 states, “In Rv we have ἀστραπαὶ καὶ φωναὶ καὶ βρονταί (cp. Ex 19:16) 4:5; 8:5; 11:19; 16:18 (are certain other sounds in nature thought of here in addition to thunder, as e.g. the roar of the storm?…).”
97 tn The singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used generically here to refer to the human race.
98 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
99 tn Or “of the Gentiles” (the same Greek word may be translated “Gentiles” or “nations”).
100 tn Grk “fell.”
101 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Babylon’s misdeeds (see Rev 14:8).
102 tn Grk “the cup of the wine of the anger of the wrath of him.” The concatenation of four genitives has been rendered somewhat differently by various translations (see the note on the word “wrath”).
103 tn Following BDAG 461 s.v. θυμός 2, the combination of the genitives of θυμός (qumo") and ὀργή (orgh) in Rev 16:19 and 19:15 are taken to be a strengthening of the thought as in the OT and Qumran literature (Exod 32:12; Jer 32:37; Lam 2:3; CD 10:9). Thus in Rev 14:8 (to which the present passage alludes) and 18:3 there is irony: The wine of immoral behavior with which Babylon makes the nations drunk becomes the wine of God’s wrath for her.
104 tn Grk “And every.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
105 tn Or “vanished.”
106 sn Every island fled away and no mountains could be found. Major geographical and topographical changes will accompany the Day of the Lord.
107 tn Here BDAG 988 s.v. ταλαντιαῖος states, “weighing a talent…χάλαζα μεγάλη ὡς ταλαντιαία a severe hailstorm with hailstones weighing a talent (the talent=125 librae, or Roman pounds of c. 343 gr. or 12 ounces each) (weighing about a hundred pounds NRSV) Rv 16:21.” This means each hailstone would weigh just under 100 pounds or 40 kilograms.
108 tn Or “the sky.” Due to the apocalyptic nature of this book, it is probably best to leave the translation as “from heaven,” since God is ultimately the source of the judgment.
109 tn Grk “on men,” but ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a generic sense to refer to people in general (the hailstones did not single out adult males, but would have also fallen on women and children).
110 tn Grk “the men”; for stylistic reasons the pronoun “they” is used here.
111 tn Grk “the plague of it.”
112 tn Grk “since the plague of it was exceedingly great.”
113 tn Heb “who forms the spirit of man within him” (so NIV).
114 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
115 sn The image of a cup that brings dizziness is that of drunkenness. The
116 tn Heb “heavy stone” (so NRSV, TEV, NLT); KJV “burdensome stone”; NIV “an immovable rock.”
117 sn In Israel’s and Judah’s past they had been uprooted by various conquerors such as the Assyrians and the Babylonians. In the eschaton, however, they will be so “heavy” with God’s glory and so rooted in his promises that no nation will be able to move them.
118 tn Heb “every horse.”
119 tn Or “peoples” (so NAB, NRSV).
120 sn On that day (referring to the day of the
121 tn Heb “a firepot” (so NASB, NIV); NRSV “a blazing pot”; NLT “a brazier.”
122 tn Heb “the tents” (so NAB, NRSV); NIV “the dwellings.”
123 tn Heb “house,” referring here to the dynastic line. Cf. NLT “the royal line”; CEV “the kingdom.” The same expression is translated “dynasty” in the following verse.
124 sn The statement the dynasty of David will be like God is hyperbole to show the remarkable enhancements that will accompany the inauguration of the millennial age.
125 tn Or “peoples.”
126 tn Or “dynasty”; Heb “house.”
127 tc Because of the difficulty of the concept of the mortal piercing of God, the subject of this clause, and the shift of pronoun from “me” to “him” in the next, many
tn Or “on me.”
128 tn The Hebrew term בְּכוֹר (bÿkhor, “firstborn”), translated usually in the LXX by πρωτότοκος (prwtotokos), has unmistakable messianic overtones as the use of the Greek term in the NT to describe Jesus makes clear (cf. Col 1:15, 18). Thus, the idea of God being pierced sets the stage for the fatal wounding of Jesus, the Messiah and the Son of God (cf. John 19:37; Rev 1:7). Note that some English translations supply “son” from the context (e.g., NIV, TEV, NLT).
129 tn “Hadad-Rimmon” is a compound of the names of two Canaanite deities, the gods of storm and thunder respectively. The grammar (a subjective genitive) allows, and the problem of comparing Israel’s grief at God’s “wounding” with pagan mourning seems to demand, that this be viewed as a place name, perhaps where Judah lamented the death of good king Josiah (cf. 2 Chr 35:25). However, some translations render this as “for” (NRSV, NCV, TEV, CEV), suggesting a person, while others translate as “of” (KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NLT) which is ambiguous.
130 map For location see Map1 D4; Map2 C1; Map4 C2; Map5 F2; Map7 B1.
131 sn By the time of Zechariah the line of descent from David had already been transferred from the Solomon branch to the Nathan branch (the clan of the family of Nathan). Nathan was a son of David (2 Sam 5:14) through whom Jesus eventually came (Luke 3:23-31). Matthew traces Jesus’ ancestry back through Solomon (Matt 1:6-16) but apparently this is to tie Joseph into the Davidic (and thus messianic) line. The “official” descent of Jesus may be viewed as passing through Solomon whereas the “physical” descent came through Nathan.
132 sn The Shimeites were Levites (Exod 6:16-17; Num 3:17-18) who presumably were prominent in the postexilic era. Just as David and Nathan represented the political leadership of the community, so Levi and Shimei represented the religious leadership. All will lament the piercing of the Messiah.
133 tn Heb “house” (so NIV, NRSV), referring to dynastic descendants.
134 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
135 tn Heb “for sin and for impurity.” The purpose implied here has been stated explicitly in the translation for clarity.
sn This reference to the fountain opened up…to cleanse them from sin and impurity is anticipatory of the cleansing from sin that lies at the heart of the NT gospel message (Rom 10:9-10; Titus 3:5). “In that day” throughout the passage (vv. 1, 2, 4) locates this cleansing in the eschatological (church) age (John 19:37).
136 sn I am the true vine. There are numerous OT passages which refer to Israel as a vine: Ps 80:8-16, Isa 5:1-7, Jer 2:21, Ezek 15:1-8, 17:5-10, 19:10-14, and Hos 10:1. The vine became symbolic of Israel, and even appeared on some coins issued by the Maccabees. The OT passages which use this symbol appear to regard Israel as faithless to Yahweh (typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT) and/or the object of severe punishment. Ezek 15:1-8 in particular talks about the worthlessness of wood from a vine (in relation to disobedient Judah). A branch cut from a vine is worthless except to be burned as fuel. This fits more with the statements about the disciples (John 15:6) than with Jesus’ description of himself as the vine. Ezek 17:5-10 contains vine imagery which refers to a king of the house of David, Zedekiah, who was set up as king in Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah allied himself to Egypt and broke his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar (and therefore also with God), which would ultimately result in his downfall (17:20-21). Ezek 17:22-24 then describes the planting of a cedar sprig which grows into a lofty tree, a figurative description of Messiah. But it is significant that Messiah himself is not described in Ezek 17 as a vine, but as a cedar tree. The vine imagery here applies to Zedekiah’s disobedience. Jesus’ description of himself as the true vine in John 15:1 ff. is to be seen against this background, but it differs significantly from the imagery surveyed above. It represents new imagery which differs significantly from OT concepts; it appears to be original with Jesus. The imagery of the vine underscores the importance of fruitfulness in the Christian life and the truth that this results not from human achievement, but from one’s position in Christ. Jesus is not just giving some comforting advice, but portraying to the disciples the difficult path of faithful service. To some degree the figure is similar to the head-body metaphor used by Paul, with Christ as head and believers as members of the body. Both metaphors bring out the vital and necessary connection which exists between Christ and believers.
137 tn Or “the farmer.”
138 tn Or “He cuts off.”
sn The Greek verb αἴρω (airw) can mean “lift up” as well as “take away,” and it is sometimes argued that here it is a reference to the gardener “lifting up” (i.e., propping up) a weak branch so that it bears fruit again. In Johannine usage the word occurs in the sense of “lift up” in 8:59 and 5:8-12, but in the sense of “remove” it is found in 11:39, 11:48, 16:22, and 17:15. In context (theological presuppositions aside for the moment) the meaning “remove” does seem more natural and less forced (particularly in light of v. 6, where worthless branches are described as being “thrown out” – an image that seems incompatible with restoration). One option, therefore, would be to understand the branches which are taken away (v. 2) and thrown out (v. 6) as believers who forfeit their salvation because of unfruitfulness. However, many see this interpretation as encountering problems with the Johannine teaching on the security of the believer, especially John 10:28-29. This leaves two basic ways of understanding Jesus’ statements about removal of branches in 15:2 and 15:6: (1) These statements may refer to an unfaithful (disobedient) Christian, who is judged at the judgment seat of Christ “through fire” (cf. 1 Cor 3:11-15). In this case the “removal” of 15:2 may refer (in an extreme case) to the physical death of a disobedient Christian. (2) These statements may refer to someone who was never a genuine believer in the first place (e.g., Judas and the Jews who withdrew after Jesus’ difficult teaching in 6:66), in which case 15:6 refers to eternal judgment. In either instance it is clear that 15:6 refers to the fires of judgment (cf. OT imagery in Ps 80:16 and Ezek 15:1-8). But view (1) requires us to understand this in terms of the judgment of believers at the judgment seat of Christ. This concept does not appear in the Fourth Gospel because from the perspective of the author the believer does not come under judgment; note especially 3:18, 5:24, 5:29. The first reference (3:18) is especially important because it occurs in the context of 3:16-21, the section which is key to the framework of the entire Fourth Gospel and which is repeatedly alluded to throughout. A similar image to this one is used by John the Baptist in Matt 3:10, “And the ax is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Since this is addressed to the Pharisees and Sadducees who were coming to John for baptism, it almost certainly represents a call to initial repentance. More importantly, however, the imagery of being cast into the fire constitutes a reference to eternal judgment, a use of imagery which is much nearer to the Johannine imagery in 15:6 than the Pauline concept of the judgment seat of Christ (a judgment for believers) mentioned above. The use of the Greek verb μένω (menw) in 15:6 also supports view (2). When used of the relationship between Jesus and the disciple and/or Jesus and the Father, it emphasizes the permanence of the relationship (John 6:56, 8:31, 8:35, 14:10). The prototypical branch who has not remained is Judas, who departed in 13:30. He did not bear fruit, and is now in the realm of darkness, a mere tool of Satan. His eternal destiny, being cast into the fire of eternal judgment, is still to come. It seems most likely, therefore, that the branches who do not bear fruit and are taken away and burned are false believers, those who profess to belong to Jesus but who in reality do not belong to him. In the Gospel of John, the primary example of this category is Judas. In 1 John 2:18-19 the “antichrists” fall into the same category; they too may be thought of as branches that did not bear fruit. They departed from the ranks of the Christians because they never did really belong, and their departure shows that they did not belong.
139 tn Or “does not yield.”
140 tn Grk “And he”; the conjunction καί (kai, “and”) has been omitted in the translation in keeping with the tendency in contemporary English style to use shorter sentences.
141 tn Or “trims”; Grk “cleanses” (a wordplay with “clean” in v. 3). Καθαίρει (kaqairei) is not the word one would have expected here, but it provides the transition from the vine imagery to the disciples – there is a wordplay (not reproducible in English) between αἴρει (airei) and καθαίρει in this verse. While the purpose of the Father in cleansing his people is clear, the precise means by which he does so is not immediately obvious. This will become clearer, however, in the following verse.
142 tn Or “that yields.”
143 sn The phrase you are clean already occurs elsewhere in the Gospel of John only at the washing of the disciples’ feet in 13:10, where Jesus had used it of the disciples being cleansed from sin. This further confirms the proposed understanding of John 15:2 and 15:6 since Judas was specifically excluded from this statement (but not all of you).
144 tn Or “Reside.”
145 tn Grk “and I in you.” The verb has been repeated for clarity and to conform to contemporary English style, which typically allows fewer ellipses (omitted or understood words) than Greek.
146 sn The branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains connected to the vine, from which its life and sustenance flows. As far as the disciples were concerned, they would produce no fruit from themselves if they did not remain in their relationship to Jesus, because the eternal life which a disciple must possess in order to bear fruit originates with Jesus; he is the source of all life and productivity for the disciple.
147 tn Or “resides.”
148 tn While it would be more natural to say “on the vine” (so NAB), the English preposition “in” has been retained here to emphasize the parallelism with the following clause “unless you remain in me.” To speak of remaining “in” a person is not natural English either, but is nevertheless a biblical concept (cf. “in Christ” in Eph 1:3, 4, 6, 7, 11).
149 tn Or “you reside.”
150 tn Or “resides.”
151 tn Or “yields.”
152 tn Grk “in him, this one bears much fruit.” The pronoun “this one” has been omitted from the translation because it is redundant according to contemporary English style.
sn Many interpret the imagery of fruit here and in 15:2, 4 in terms of good deeds or character qualities, relating it to passages elsewhere in the NT like Matt 3:8 and 7:20, Rom 6:22, Gal 5:22, etc. This is not necessarily inaccurate, but one must remember that for John, to have life at all is to bear fruit, while one who does not bear fruit shows that he does not have the life (once again, conduct is the clue to paternity, as in John 8:41; compare also 1 John 4:20).
153 tn Or “do.”
154 tn Or “reside.”
155 sn Such branches are gathered up and thrown into the fire. The author does not tell who it is who does the gathering and throwing into the fire. Although some claim that realized eschatology is so prevalent in the Fourth Gospel that no references to final eschatology appear at all, the fate of these branches seems to point to the opposite. The imagery is almost certainly that of eschatological judgment, and recalls some of the OT vine imagery which involves divine rejection and judgment of disobedient Israel (Ezek 15:4-6, 19:12).
156 tn Grk “they gather them up and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.”
157 tn Or “reside.”
158 tn Or “reside.”
159 sn Once again Jesus promises the disciples ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you. This recalls 14:13-14, where the disciples were promised that if they asked anything in Jesus’ name it would be done for them. The two thoughts are really quite similar, since here it is conditioned on the disciples’ remaining in Jesus and his words remaining in them. The first phrase relates to the genuineness of their relationship with Jesus. The second phrase relates to their obedience. When both of these qualifications are met, the disciples would in fact be asking in Jesus’ name and therefore according to his will.
160 tn Grk “glorified.”
161 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause is best taken as substantival in apposition to ἐν τούτῳ (en toutw) at the beginning of the verse. The Father is glorified when the disciples bring forth abundant fruit. Just as Jesus has done the works which he has seen his Father doing (5:19-29) so also will his disciples.
162 tn Or “yield.”
163 tc Most
164 tn Or “reside.”
165 tn Or “keep.”
166 tn Or “reside.”
167 tn Or “kept.”
168 tn Or “reside.”
169 tn Grk “These things I have spoken to you.”
170 sn Now the reference to the commandments (plural) in 15:10 have been reduced to a singular commandment: The disciples are to love one another, just as Jesus has loved them. This is the ‘new commandment’ of John 13:34, and it is repeated in 15:17. The disciples’ love for one another is compared to Jesus’ love for them. How has Jesus shown his love for the disciples? This was illustrated in 13:1-20 in the washing of the disciples’ feet, introduced by the statement in 13:1 that Jesus loved them “to the end.” In context this constitutes a reference to Jesus’ self-sacrificial death on the cross on their behalf; the love they are to have for one another is so great that it must include a self-sacrificial willingness to die for one another if necessary. This is exactly what Jesus is discussing here, because he introduces the theme of his sacrificial death in the following verse. In John 10:18 and 14:31 Jesus spoke of his death on the cross as a commandment he had received from his Father, which also links the idea of commandment and love as they are linked here. One final note: It is not just the degree or intensity of the disciples’ love for one another that Jesus is referring to when he introduces by comparison his own death on the cross (that they must love one another enough to die for one another) but the very means of expressing that love: It is to express itself in self-sacrifice for one another, sacrifice up to the point of death, which is what Jesus himself did on the cross (cf. 1 John 3:16).
171 tn Or “one dies willingly.”
172 sn This verse really explains John 15:10 in another way. Those who keep Jesus’ commandments are called his friends, those friends for whom he lays down his life (v. 13). It is possible to understand this verse as referring to a smaller group within Christianity as a whole, perhaps only the apostles who were present when Jesus spoke these words. Some have supported this by comparing it to the small group of associates and advisers to the Roman Emperor who were called “Friends of the Emperor.” Others would see these words as addressed only to those Christians who as disciples were obedient to Jesus. In either case the result would be to create a sort of “inner circle” of Christians who are more privileged than mere “believers” or average Christians. In context, it seems clear that Jesus’ words must be addressed to all true Christians, not just some narrower category of believers, because Jesus’ sacrificial death, which is his act of love toward his friends (v. 13) applies to all Christians equally (cf. John 13:1).
173 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
174 tn Or “does not know.”
175 tn Grk “all things.”
176 tn Or “learned.”
177 sn You did not choose me, but I chose you. If the disciples are now elevated in status from slaves to friends, they are friends who have been chosen by Jesus, rather than the opposite way round. Again this is true of all Christians, not just the twelve, and the theme that Christians are “chosen” by God appears frequently in other NT texts (e.g., Rom 8:33; Eph 1:4ff.; Col 3:12; and 1 Pet 2:4). Putting this together with the comments on 15:14 one may ask whether the author sees any special significance at all for the twelve. Jesus said in John 6:70 and 13:18 that he chose them, and 15:27 makes clear that Jesus in the immediate context is addressing those who have been with him from the beginning. In the Fourth Gospel the twelve, as the most intimate and most committed followers of Jesus, are presented as the models for all Christians, both in terms of their election and in terms of their mission.
178 tn Or “and yield.”
179 sn The purpose for which the disciples were appointed (“commissioned”) is to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains. The introduction of the idea of “going” at this point suggests that the fruit is something more than just character qualities in the disciples’ own lives, but rather involves fruit in the lives of others, i.e., Christian converts. There is a mission involved (cf. John 4:36). The idea that their fruit is permanent, however, relates back to vv. 7-8, as does the reference to asking the Father in Jesus’ name. It appears that as the imagery of the vine and the branches develops, the “fruit” which the branches produce shifts in emphasis from qualities in the disciples’ own lives in John 15:2, 4, 5 to the idea of a mission which affects the lives of others in John 15:16. The point of transition would be the reference to fruit in 15:8.
180 tn Grk “These things.”
181 tn Grk “know.”
182 tn Grk “it hated me before you.”
183 tn Grk “if you were of the world.”
184 tn The words “you as” are not in the original but are supplied for clarity.
185 tn Grk “because you are not of the world.”
186 tn Or “world, therefore.”
187 sn I chose you out of the world…the world hates you. Two themes are brought together here. In 8:23 Jesus had distinguished himself from the world in addressing his Jewish opponents: “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” In 15:16 Jesus told the disciples “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you.” Now Jesus has united these two ideas as he informs the disciples that he has chosen them out of the world. While the disciples will still be “in” the world after Jesus has departed, they will not belong to it, and Jesus prays later in John 17:15-16 to the Father, “I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” The same theme also occurs in 1 John 4:5-6: “They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us.” Thus the basic reason why the world hates the disciples (as it hated Jesus before them) is because they are not of the world. They are born from above, and are not of the world. For this reason the world hates them.
188 tn Grk “Remember the word that I said to you.”
189 tn See the note on the word “slaves” in 4:51.
190 sn A slave is not greater than his master. Jesus now recalled a statement he had made to the disciples before, in John 13:16. As the master has been treated, so will the slaves be treated also. If the world had persecuted Jesus, then it would also persecute the disciples. If the world had kept Jesus’ word, it would likewise keep the word of the disciples. In this statement there is the implication that the disciples would carry on the ministry of Jesus after his departure; they would in their preaching and teaching continue to spread the message which Jesus himself had taught while he was with them. And they would meet with the same response, by and large, that he encountered.
191 tn Or “if they kept.”
192 tn Or “they will keep.”
193 tn Or “because of.”
194 tn Jesus is referring to God as “the one who sent me.”
195 tn Grk “they would not have sin” (an idiom).
sn Jesus now describes the guilt of the world. He came to these people with both words (15:22) and sign-miracles (15:24), yet they remained obstinate in their unbelief, and this sin of unbelief was without excuse. Jesus was not saying that if he had not come and spoken to these people they would be sinless; rather he was saying that if he had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of the sin of rejecting him and the Father he came to reveal. Rejecting Jesus is the one ultimate sin for which there can be no forgiveness, because the one who has committed this sin has at the same time rejected the only cure that exists. Jesus spoke similarly to the Pharisees in 9:41: “If you were blind, you would have no sin (same phrase as here), but now you say ‘We see’ your sin remains.”
196 tn Or “If I had not done.”
197 tn Grk “the works.”
198 tn Grk “they would not have sin” (an idiom).
199 tn The words “the deeds” are supplied to clarify from context what was seen. Direct objects in Greek were often omitted when clear from the context.
200 tn Or “But now they have both seen and hated both me and my Father.” It is possible to understand both the “seeing” and the “hating” to refer to both Jesus and the Father, but this has the world “seeing” the Father, which seems alien to the Johannine Jesus. (Some point out John 14:9 as an example, but this is addressed to the disciples, not to the world.) It is more likely that the “seeing” refers to the miraculous deeds mentioned in the first half of the verse. Such an understanding of the first “both – and” construction is apparently supported by BDF §444.3.
201 tn The words “this happened” are not in the Greek text but are supplied to complete an ellipsis.
202 sn A quotation from Ps 35:19 and Ps 69:4. As a technical term law (νόμος, nomos) is usually restricted to the Pentateuch (the first five books of the OT), but here it must have a broader reference, since the quotation is from Ps 35:19 or Ps 69:4. The latter is the more likely source for the quoted words, since it is cited elsewhere in John’s Gospel (2:17 and 19:29, in both instances in contexts associated with Jesus’ suffering and death).
203 tn Or “Helper” or “Counselor”; Grk “Paraclete,” from the Greek word παράκλητος (paraklhto"). See the note on the word “Advocate” in John 14:16 for discussion of how this word is translated.
204 tn Grk “that one.”
