Genesis 27:1-46 
Context27:1 When 1 Isaac was old and his eyes were so weak that he was almost blind, 2 he called his older 3 son Esau and said to him, “My son!” “Here I am!” Esau 4 replied. 27:2 Isaac 5 said, “Since 6 I am so old, I could die at any time. 7 27:3 Therefore, take your weapons – your quiver and your bow – and go out into the open fields and hunt down some wild game 8 for me. 27:4 Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then 9 I will eat it so that I may bless you 10 before I die.”
27:5 Now Rebekah had been listening while Isaac spoke to his son Esau. 11 When Esau went out to the open fields to hunt down some wild game and bring it back, 12 27:6 Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau, 27:7 ‘Bring me some wild game and prepare for me some tasty food. Then I will eat 13 it and bless you 14 in the presence of the Lord 15 before I die.’ 27:8 Now then, my son, do 16 exactly what I tell you! 17 27:9 Go to the flock and get me two of the best young goats. I’ll prepare 18 them in a tasty way for your father, just the way he loves them. 27:10 Then you will take 19 it to your father. Thus he will eat it 20 and 21 bless you before he dies.”
27:11 “But Esau my brother is a hairy man,” Jacob protested to his mother Rebekah, “and I have smooth skin! 22 27:12 My father may touch me! Then he’ll think I’m mocking him 23 and I’ll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing.” 27:13 So his mother told him, “Any curse against you will fall on me, 24 my son! Just obey me! 25 Go and get them for me!”
27:14 So he went and got the goats 26 and brought them to his mother. She 27 prepared some tasty food, just the way his father loved it. 27:15 Then Rebekah took her older son Esau’s best clothes, which she had with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob. 27:16 She put the skins of the young goats 28 on his hands 29 and the smooth part of his neck. 27:17 Then she handed 30 the tasty food and the bread she had made to her son Jacob.
27:18 He went to his father and said, “My father!” Isaac 31 replied, “Here I am. Which are you, my son?” 32 27:19 Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau, your firstborn. I’ve done as you told me. Now sit up 33 and eat some of my wild game so that you can bless me.” 34 27:20 But Isaac asked his son, “How in the world 35 did you find it so quickly, 36 my son?” “Because the Lord your God brought it to me,” 37 he replied. 38 27:21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Come closer so I can touch you, 39 my son, and know for certain if you really are my son Esau.” 40 27:22 So Jacob went over to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, “The voice is Jacob’s, but the hands are Esau’s.” 27:23 He did not recognize him because his hands were hairy, like his brother Esau’s hands. So Isaac blessed Jacob. 41 27:24 Then he asked, “Are you really my son Esau?” “I am,” Jacob 42 replied. 27:25 Isaac 43 said, “Bring some of the wild game for me to eat, my son. 44 Then I will bless you.” 45 So Jacob 46 brought it to him, and he ate it. He also brought him wine, and Isaac 47 drank. 27:26 Then his father Isaac said to him, “Come here and kiss me, my son.” 27:27 So Jacob 48 went over and kissed him. When Isaac caught the scent 49 of his clothing, he blessed him, saying,
“Yes, 50 my son smells
like the scent of an open field
which the Lord has blessed.
27:28 May God give you
the dew of the sky 51
and the richness 52 of the earth,
and plenty of grain and new wine.
27:29 May peoples serve you
and nations bow down to you.
You will be 53 lord 54 over your brothers,
and the sons of your mother will bow down to you. 55
May those who curse you be cursed,
and those who bless you be blessed.”
27:30 Isaac had just finished blessing Jacob, and Jacob had scarcely left 56 his father’s 57 presence, when his brother Esau returned from the hunt. 58 27:31 He also prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Esau 59 said to him, “My father, get up 60 and eat some of your son’s wild game. Then you can bless me.” 61 27:32 His father Isaac asked, 62 “Who are you?” “I am your firstborn son,” 63 he replied, “Esau!” 27:33 Isaac began to shake violently 64 and asked, “Then who else hunted game and brought it to me? I ate all of it just before you arrived, and I blessed him. 65 He will indeed be blessed!”
27:34 When Esau heard 66 his father’s words, he wailed loudly and bitterly. 67 He said to his father, “Bless me too, my father!” 27:35 But Isaac 68 replied, “Your brother came in here deceitfully and took away 69 your blessing.” 27:36 Esau exclaimed, “‘Jacob’ is the right name for him! 70 He has tripped me up 71 two times! He took away my birthright, and now, look, he has taken away my blessing!” Then he asked, “Have you not kept back a blessing for me?”
27:37 Isaac replied to Esau, “Look! I have made him lord over you. I have made all his relatives his servants and provided him with grain and new wine. What is left that I can do for you, my son?” 27:38 Esau said to his father, “Do you have only that one blessing, my father? Bless me too!” 72 Then Esau wept loudly. 73
27:39 So his father Isaac said to him,
“Indeed, 74 your home will be
away from the richness 75 of the earth,
and away from the dew of the sky above.
27:40 You will live by your sword
but you will serve your brother.
When you grow restless,
you will tear off his yoke
from your neck.” 76
27:41 So Esau hated 77 Jacob because of the blessing his father had given to his brother. 78 Esau said privately, 79 “The time 80 of mourning for my father is near; then I will kill 81 my brother Jacob!”
27:42 When Rebekah heard what her older son Esau had said, 82 she quickly summoned 83 her younger son Jacob and told him, “Look, your brother Esau is planning to get revenge by killing you. 84 27:43 Now then, my son, do what I say. 85 Run away immediately 86 to my brother Laban in Haran. 27:44 Live with him for a little while 87 until your brother’s rage subsides. 27:45 Stay there 88 until your brother’s anger against you subsides and he forgets what you did to him. Then I’ll send someone to bring you back from there. 89 Why should I lose both of you in one day?” 90
27:46 Then Rebekah said to Isaac, “I am deeply depressed 91 because of these daughters of Heth. 92 If Jacob were to marry one of these daughters of Heth who live in this land, I would want to die!” 93
Matthew 26:1-75
Context26:1 When 94 Jesus had finished saying all these things, he told his disciples, 26:2 “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be handed over 95 to be crucified.” 96 26:3 Then the chief priests and the elders of the people met together in the palace of the high priest, who was named Caiaphas. 26:4 They 97 planned to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. 26:5 But they said, “Not during the feast, so that there won’t be a riot among the people.” 98
26:6 Now while Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, 26:7 a woman came to him with an alabaster jar 99 of expensive perfumed oil, 100 and she poured it on his head as he was at the table. 101 26:8 When 102 the disciples saw this, they became indignant and said, “Why this waste? 26:9 It 103 could have been sold at a high price and the money 104 given to the poor!” 26:10 When 105 Jesus learned of this, he said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She 106 has done a good service for me. 26:11 For you will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me! 107 26:12 When 108 she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. 26:13 I tell you the truth, 109 wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”
26:14 Then one of the twelve, the one named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 26:15 and said, “What will you give me to betray him into your hands?” 110 So they set out thirty silver coins for him. 26:16 From that time 111 on, Judas 112 began looking for an opportunity to betray him.
26:17 Now on the first day of the feast of 113 Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and said, 114 “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 115 26:18 He 116 said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near. I will observe the Passover with my disciples at your house.”’” 26:19 So 117 the disciples did as Jesus had instructed them, and they prepared the Passover. 26:20 When 118 it was evening, he took his place at the table 119 with the twelve. 120 26:21 And while they were eating he said, “I tell you the truth, 121 one of you will betray me.” 122 26:22 They 123 became greatly distressed 124 and each one began to say to him, “Surely not I, Lord?” 26:23 He 125 answered, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me 126 will betray me. 26:24 The Son of Man will go as it is written about him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would be better for him if he had never been born.” 26:25 Then 127 Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus 128 replied, “You have said it yourself.”
26:26 While 129 they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after giving thanks he broke it, gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat, this is my body.” 26:27 And after taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, 26:28 for this is my blood, the blood 130 of the covenant, 131 that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 26:29 I 132 tell you, from now on I will not drink of this fruit 133 of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” 26:30 After 134 singing a hymn, 135 they went out to the Mount of Olives.
26:31 Then Jesus said to them, “This night you will all fall away because of me, for it is written:
‘I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 136
26:32 But after I am raised, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.” 26:33 Peter 137 said to him, “If they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away!” 26:34 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, 138 on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 26:35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will never deny you.” And all the disciples said the same thing.
26:36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 26:37 He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and became anguished and distressed. 26:38 Then he said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay awake with me.” 26:39 Going a little farther, he threw himself down with his face to the ground and prayed, 139 “My Father, if possible, 140 let this cup 141 pass from me! Yet not what I will, but what you will.” 26:40 Then he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. He 142 said to Peter, “So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour? 26:41 Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 26:42 He went away a second time and prayed, 143 “My Father, if this cup 144 cannot be taken away unless I drink it, your will must be done.” 26:43 He came again and found them sleeping; they could not keep their eyes open. 145 26:44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same thing once more. 26:45 Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour is approaching, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 26:46 Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer 146 is approaching!”
26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas, 147 one of the twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief priests and elders of the people. 26:48 (Now the betrayer 148 had given them a sign, saying, “The one I kiss is the man. 149 Arrest him!”) 150 26:49 Immediately 151 he went up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi,” and kissed him. 152 26:50 Jesus 153 said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold 154 of Jesus and arrested him. 26:51 But 155 one of those with Jesus grabbed 156 his sword, drew it out, and struck the high priest’s slave, 157 cutting off his ear. 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back in its place! 158 For all who take hold of the sword will die by the sword. 26:53 Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and that he would send me more than twelve legions 159 of angels right now? 26:54 How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?” 26:55 At that moment Jesus said to the crowd, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest me like you would an outlaw? 160 Day after day I sat teaching in the temple courts, yet 161 you did not arrest me. 26:56 But this has happened so that 162 the scriptures of the prophets would be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.
26:57 Now the ones who had arrested Jesus led him to Caiaphas, the high priest, in whose house 163 the experts in the law 164 and the elders had gathered. 26:58 But Peter was following him from a distance, all the way to the high priest’s courtyard. After 165 going in, he sat with the guards 166 to see the outcome. 26:59 The 167 chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were trying to find false testimony against Jesus so that they could put him to death. 26:60 But they did not find anything, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally 168 two came forward 26:61 and declared, “This man 169 said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” 26:62 So 170 the high priest stood up and said to him, “Have you no answer? What is this that they are testifying against you?” 26:63 But Jesus was silent. The 171 high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, 172 the Son of God.” 26:64 Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand 173 of the Power 174 and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 175 26:65 Then the high priest tore his clothes and declared, 176 “He has blasphemed! Why do we still need witnesses? Now 177 you have heard the blasphemy! 26:66 What is your verdict?” 178 They 179 answered, “He is guilty and deserves 180 death.” 26:67 Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. And some slapped him, 26:68 saying, “Prophesy for us, you Christ! 181 Who hit you?” 182
26:69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. A 183 slave girl 184 came to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” 26:70 But he denied it in front of them all: 185 “I don’t know what you’re talking about!” 26:71 When 186 he went out to the gateway, another slave girl 187 saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 26:72 He denied it again with an oath, “I do not know the man!” 26:73 After 188 a little while, those standing there came up to Peter and said, “You really are one of them too – even your accent 189 gives you away!” 26:74 At that he began to curse, and he swore with an oath, “I do not know the man!” At that moment a rooster crowed. 190 26:75 Then Peter remembered what Jesus had said: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. 191
Esther 3:1-15
Context3:1 Some time later 192 King Ahasuerus promoted 193 Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, exalting him and setting his position 194 above that of all the officials who were with him. 3:2 As a result, 195 all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate were bowing and paying homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded. However, Mordecai did not bow, 196 nor did he pay him homage.
3:3 Then the servants of the king who were at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you violating the king’s commandment?” 3:4 And after they had spoken to him day after day 197 without his paying any attention to them, they informed Haman to see whether this attitude on Mordecai’s part would be permitted. 198 Furthermore, he had disclosed to them that he was a Jew. 199
3:5 When Haman saw that Mordecai was not bowing or paying homage to him, he 200 was filled with rage. 3:6 But the thought of striking out against 201 Mordecai alone was repugnant to him, for he had been informed 202 of the identity of Mordecai’s people. 203 So Haman sought to destroy all the Jews (that is, the people of Mordecai) 204 who were in all the kingdom of Ahasuerus.
3:7 In the first month (that is, the month of Nisan), in the twelfth year 205 of King Ahasuerus’ reign, pur 206 (that is, the lot) was cast before Haman in order to determine a day and a month. 207 It turned out to be the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar). 208
3:8 Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a particular people 209 that is dispersed and spread among the inhabitants 210 throughout all the provinces of your kingdom whose laws differ from those of all other peoples. Furthermore, they do not observe the king’s laws. It is not appropriate for the king to provide a haven for them. 211 3:9 If the king is so inclined, 212 let an edict be issued 213 to destroy them. I will pay ten thousand talents of silver 214 to be conveyed to the king’s treasuries for the officials who carry out this business.”
3:10 So the king removed his signet ring 215 from his hand and gave it to Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, who was hostile toward the Jews. 3:11 The king replied to Haman, “Keep your money, 216 and do with those people whatever you wish.” 217
3:12 So the royal scribes 218 were summoned in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month. Everything Haman commanded was written to the king’s satraps 219 and governors who were in every province and to the officials of every people, province by province according to its script and people by people according to its language. In the name of King Ahasuerus it was written and sealed with the king’s signet ring. 3:13 Letters were sent by the runners to all the king’s provinces stating that 220 they should destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, from youth to elderly, both women and children, 221 on a particular day, namely the thirteenth day 222 of the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), and to loot and plunder their possessions. 3:14 A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants, 223 so that they would be prepared for this day. 3:15 The messengers 224 scurried forth 225 with the king’s order. 226 The edict was issued in Susa the citadel. While the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was in an uproar! 227
Acts 26:1-32
Context26:1 So Agrippa 228 said to Paul, “You have permission 229 to speak for yourself.” Then Paul held out his hand 230 and began his defense: 231
26:2 “Regarding all the things I have been accused of by the Jews, King Agrippa, 232 I consider myself fortunate that I am about to make my defense before you today, 26:3 because you are especially 233 familiar with all the customs and controversial issues 234 of the Jews. Therefore I ask 235 you to listen to me patiently. 26:4 Now all the Jews know the way I lived 236 from my youth, spending my life from the beginning among my own people 237 and in Jerusalem. 238 26:5 They know, 239 because they have known 240 me from time past, 241 if they are willing to testify, that according to the strictest party 242 of our religion, I lived as a Pharisee. 243 26:6 And now I stand here on trial 244 because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors, 245 26:7 a promise 246 that our twelve tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve God 247 night and day. Concerning this hope the Jews are accusing me, 248 Your Majesty! 249 26:8 Why do you people 250 think 251 it is unbelievable 252 that 253 God raises the dead? 26:9 Of course, 254 I myself was convinced 255 that it was necessary to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus the Nazarene. 26:10 And that is what I did in Jerusalem: Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons by the authority I received 256 from the chief priests, but I also cast my vote 257 against them when they were sentenced to death. 258 26:11 I punished 259 them often in all the synagogues 260 and tried to force 261 them to blaspheme. Because I was so furiously enraged 262 at them, I went to persecute 263 them even in foreign cities.
26:12 “While doing this very thing, 264 as I was going 265 to Damascus with authority and complete power 266 from the chief priests, 26:13 about noon along the road, Your Majesty, 267 I saw a light from heaven, 268 brighter than the sun, shining everywhere around 269 me and those traveling with me. 26:14 When we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, 270 ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? You are hurting yourself 271 by kicking against the goads.’ 272 26:15 So I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord replied, 273 ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet, for I have appeared to you for this reason, to designate you in advance 274 as a servant and witness 275 to the things 276 you have seen 277 and to the things in which I will appear to you. 26:17 I will rescue 278 you from your own people 279 and from the Gentiles, to whom 280 I am sending you 26:18 to open their eyes so that they turn 281 from darkness to light and from the power 282 of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share 283 among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
26:19 “Therefore, King Agrippa, 284 I was not disobedient 285 to the heavenly 286 vision, 26:20 but I declared to those in Damascus first, and then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, 287 and to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, 288 performing deeds consistent with 289 repentance. 26:21 For this reason the Jews seized me in the temple courts 290 and were trying to kill me. 26:22 I have experienced 291 help from God to this day, and so I stand testifying to both small and great, saying nothing except 292 what the prophets and Moses said 293 was going to happen: 26:23 that 294 the Christ 295 was to suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, to proclaim light both to our people 296 and to the Gentiles.” 297
26:24 As Paul 298 was saying these things in his defense, Festus 299 exclaimed loudly, “You have lost your mind, 300 Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane!” 26:25 But Paul replied, 301 “I have not lost my mind, most excellent Festus, 302 but am speaking 303 true and rational 304 words. 26:26 For the king knows about these things, and I am speaking freely 305 to him, 306 because I cannot believe 307 that any of these things has escaped his notice, 308 for this was not done in a corner. 309 26:27 Do you believe the prophets, 310 King Agrippa? 311 I know that you believe.” 26:28 Agrippa 312 said to Paul, “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” 313 26:29 Paul replied, “I pray to God that whether in a short or a long time 314 not only you but also all those who are listening to me today could become such as I am, except for these chains.” 315
26:30 So the king got up, and with him the governor and Bernice and those sitting with them, 26:31 and as they were leaving they said to one another, 316 “This man is not doing anything deserving 317 death or imprisonment.” 26:32 Agrippa 318 said to Festus, 319 “This man could have been released 320 if he had not appealed to Caesar.” 321
1 tn The clause begins with the temporal indicator (“and it happened”), making it subordinate to the main clause that follows later in the sentence.
2 tn Heb “and his eyes were weak from seeing.”
3 tn Heb “greater” (in terms of age).
4 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Esau) is specified in the translation for clarity.
5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Isaac) is specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh, “look”) here introduces a logically foundational statement, upon which the coming instruction will be based.
7 tn Heb “I do not know the day of my death.”
8 tn The Hebrew word is to be spelled either צַיִד (tsayid) following the marginal reading (Qere), or צֵידָה (tsedah) following the consonantal text (Kethib). Either way it is from the same root as the imperative צוּדָה (tsudah, “hunt down”).
9 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
10 tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The use of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as the subject emphasizes that the blessing will be made with all Isaac’s desire and vitality. The conjunction “so that” closely relates the meal to the blessing, suggesting that this will be a ritual meal in conjunction with the giving of a formal blessing.
11 tn The disjunctive clause (introduced by a conjunction with the subject, followed by the predicate) here introduces a new scene in the story.
12 tc The LXX adds here “to his father,” which may have been accidentally omitted in the MT.
13 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
14 tn The cohortative, with the prefixed conjunction, also expresses logical sequence. See vv. 4, 19, 27.
15 tn In her report to Jacob, Rebekah plays down Isaac’s strong desire to bless Esau by leaving out נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”), but by adding the phrase “in the presence of the
16 tn Heb “listen to my voice.” The Hebrew idiom means “to comply; to obey.”
17 tn Heb “to that which I am commanding you.”
18 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with the prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
19 tn The form is the perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive. It carries forward the tone of instruction initiated by the command to “go…and get” in the preceding verse.
20 tn The form is the perfect with the vav (ו) consecutive; it carries the future nuance of the preceding verbs of instruction, but by switching the subject to Jacob, indicates the expected result of the subterfuge.
21 tn Heb “so that.” The conjunction indicates purpose or result.
22 tn Heb “And Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, ‘Look, Esau my brother is a hairy man, but I am a smooth [skinned] man.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged in the translation for stylistic reasons.
23 tn Heb “Perhaps my father will feel me and I will be in his eyes like a mocker.” The Hebrew expression “I will be in his eyes like” means “I would appear to him as.”
24 tn Heb “upon me your curse.”
25 tn Heb “only listen to my voice.”
26 tn The words “the goats” are not in the Hebrew text, but are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
27 tn Heb “his mother.” This has been replaced by the pronoun “she” in the translation for stylistic reasons.
28 tn In the Hebrew text the object (“the skins of the young goats”) precedes the verb. The disjunctive clause draws attention to this key element in the subterfuge.
29 tn The word “hands” probably includes the forearms here. How the skins were attached is not specified in the Hebrew text; cf. NLT “she made him a pair of gloves.”
30 tn Heb “gave…into the hand of.”
31 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
32 sn Which are you, my son? Isaac’s first question shows that the deception is going to require more subterfuge than Rebekah had anticipated. Jacob will have to pull off the deceit.
33 tn Heb “get up and sit.” This may mean simply “sit up,” or it may indicate that he was to get up from his couch and sit at a table.
34 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.” These words, though not reported by Rebekah to Jacob (see v. 7) accurately reflect what Isaac actually said to Esau (see v. 4). Perhaps Jacob knew more than Rebekah realized, but it is more likely that this was an idiom for sincere blessing with which Jacob was familiar. At any rate, his use of the precise wording was a nice, convincing touch.
35 tn Heb “What is this?” The enclitic pronoun “this” adds emphasis to the question, which is comparable to the English rhetorical question, “How in the world?”
36 tn Heb “you hastened to find.” In translation the infinitive becomes the main verb and the first verb becomes adverbial.
37 tn Heb “caused to meet before me.”
38 tn Heb “and he said, ‘Because the
39 tn Following the imperative, the cohortative (with prefixed conjunction) indicates purpose or result.
40 tn Heb “Are you this one, Esau, my son, or not?” On the use of the interrogative particle here, see BDB 210 s.v. הֲ.
41 tn Heb “and he blessed him.” The referents of the pronouns “he” (Isaac) and “him” (Jacob) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
42 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
43 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
44 tn Heb “Bring near to me and I will eat of the wild game, my son.” Following the imperative, the cohortative with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
45 tn Heb “so that my soul may bless you.” The presence of נַפְשִׁי (nafshi, “my soul”) as subject emphasizes Isaac’s heartfelt desire to do this. The conjunction indicates that the ritual meal must be first eaten before the formal blessing may be given.
46 tn Heb “and he brought”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
47 tn Heb “and he drank”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
48 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (Jacob) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
49 tn Heb “and he smelled the smell”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
50 tn Heb “see.”
51 tn Heb “and from the dew of the sky.”
52 tn Heb “and from the fatness.”
53 tn Heb “and be.” The verb is an imperative, which is used rhetorically in this oracle of blessing. It is an invitation to exercise authority his brothers and indicates that he is granted such authority by the patriarch of the family. Furthermore, the blessing enables the recipient to accomplish this.
54 tn The Hebrew word is גְבִיר (gevir, “lord, mighty one”). The one being blessed will be stronger and therefore more powerful than his brother. See Gen 25:23. The feminine form of this rare noun means “mistress” or “queen-mother.”
55 tn Following the imperative, the prefixed verbal form (which is either an imperfect or a jussive) with the prefixed conjunction indicates purpose or result.
56 tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite form of the verb makes the construction emphatic.
57 tn Heb “the presence of Isaac his father.” The repetition of the proper name (“Isaac”) was
58 tn Heb “and Esau his brother came from his hunt.”
59 tn Heb “and he said to his father”; the referent of “he” (Esau) has been specified in the translation for clarity, while the words “his father” have been replaced by the pronoun “him” for stylistic reasons.
60 tn Or “arise” (i.e., sit up).
61 tn Heb “so that your soul may bless me.”
62 tn Heb “said.”
63 tn Heb “and he said, ‘I [am] your son, your firstborn.’” The order of the introductory clause and the direct discourse has been rearranged for stylistic reasons.
64 tn Heb “and Isaac trembled with a great trembling to excess.” The verb “trembled” is joined with a cognate accusative, which is modified by an adjective “great,” and a prepositional phrase “to excess.” All of this is emphatic, showing the violence of Isaac’s reaction to the news.
65 tn Heb “Who then is he who hunted game and brought [it] to me so that I ate from all before you arrived and blessed him?”
66 tn The temporal clause is introduced with the temporal indicator and has the infinitive as its verb.
67 tn Heb “and he yelled [with] a great and bitter yell to excess.”
68 tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Isaac) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
69 tn Or “took”; “received.”
70 tn Heb “Is he not rightly named Jacob?” The rhetorical question, since it expects a positive reply, has been translated as a declarative statement.
71 sn He has tripped me up. When originally given, the name Jacob was a play on the word “heel” (see Gen 25:26). The name (since it is a verb) probably means something like “may he protect,” that is, as a rearguard, dogging the heels. This name was probably chosen because of the immediate association with the incident of grabbing the heel. Esau gives the name “Jacob” a negative connotation here, the meaning “to trip up; to supplant.”
72 tn Heb “Bless me, me also, my father.” The words “my father” have not been repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
73 tn Heb “and Esau lifted his voice and wept.”
74 tn Heb “look.”
75 tn Heb “from the fatness.”
76 sn You will tear off his yoke from your neck. It may be that this prophetic blessing found its fulfillment when Jerusalem fell and Edom got its revenge. The oracle makes Edom subservient to Israel and suggests the Edomites would live away from the best land and be forced to sustain themselves by violent measures.
77 tn Or “bore a grudge against” (cf. NAB, NASB, NIV). The Hebrew verb שָׂטַם (satam) describes persistent hatred.
78 tn Heb “because of the blessing which his father blessed him.”
79 tn Heb “said in his heart.” The expression may mean “said to himself.” Even if this is the case, v. 42 makes it clear that he must have shared his intentions with someone, because the news reached Rebekah.
80 tn Heb “days.”
81 tn The cohortative here expresses Esau’s determined resolve to kill Jacob.
82 tn Heb “and the words of Esau her older son were told to Rebekah.”
83 tn Heb “she sent and called for.”
84 tn Heb “is consoling himself with respect to you to kill you.” The only way Esau had of dealing with his anger at the moment was to plan to kill his brother after the death of Isaac.
85 tn Heb “listen to my voice.”
86 tn Heb “arise, flee.”
87 tn Heb “a few days.” Rebekah probably downplays the length of time Jacob will be gone, perhaps to encourage him and assure him that things will settle down soon. She probably expects Esau’s anger to die down quickly. However, Jacob ends up being gone twenty years and he never sees Rebekah again.
88 tn The words “stay there” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
89 tn Heb “and I will send and I will take you from there.” The verb “send” has no object in the Hebrew text; one must be supplied in the translation. Either “someone” or “a message” could be supplied, but since in those times a message would require a messenger, “someone” has been used.
90 tn If Jacob stayed, he would be killed and Esau would be forced to run away.
91 tn Heb “loathe my life.” The Hebrew verb translated “loathe” refers to strong disgust (see Lev 20:23).
92 tn Some translate the Hebrew term “Heth” as “Hittites” here (see also Gen 23:3), but this gives the impression that these people were the classical Hittites of Anatolia. However, there is no known connection between these sons of Heth, apparently a Canaanite group (see Gen 10:15), and the Hittites of Asia Minor. See H. A. Hoffner, Jr., “Hittites,” Peoples of the Old Testament World, 152-53.
93 tn Heb “If Jacob takes a wife from the daughters of Heth, like these, from the daughters of the land, why to me life?”
94 tn Grk “And it happened when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
95 tn Or “will be delivered up.”
96 sn See the note on crucified in 20:19.
97 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
98 sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him.
99 sn A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be used.
100 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205).
sn Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This perfumed oil, if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.
101 tn Grk “as he was reclining at table.”
sn 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
102 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
103 tn Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
104 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied (as the proceeds from the sale of the perfumed oil).
105 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
106 tn Grk “For she.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
107 tn In the Greek text of this clause, “me” is in emphatic position (the first word in the clause). To convey some impression of the emphasis, an exclamation point is used in the translation.
108 tn Grk “For when.” Here γάρ (gar) has not been translated.
109 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
110 tn Grk “What will you give to me, and I will betray him to you?”
111 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
112 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Judas) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
113 tn The words “the feast of” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity.
114 tn Grk “the disciples came to Jesus, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.
115 sn This required getting a suitable lamb and finding lodging in Jerusalem where the meal could be eaten. The population of the city swelled during the feast, so lodging could be difficult to find. The Passover was celebrated each year in commemoration of the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt; thus it was a feast celebrating redemption (see Exod 12). The Passover lamb was roasted and eaten after sunset in a family group of at least ten people (m. Pesahim 7.13). People ate the meal while reclining (see the note on table in 26:20). It included, besides the lamb, unleavened bread and bitter herbs as a reminder of Israel’s bitter affliction at the hands of the Egyptians. Four cups of wine mixed with water were also used for the meal. For a further description of the meal and the significance of the wine cups, see E. Ferguson, Backgrounds of Early Christianity, 523-24.
116 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
117 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
118 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
119 tn Grk “he was reclining at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
120 tc Many witnesses, some of them important, have μαθητῶν (maqhtwn, “disciples”; א A L W Δ Θ 33 892 1241 1424 pm lat) or μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ (maqhtwn autou, “his disciples”; 0281 pc it) after δώδεκα (dwdeka, “twelve”). However, such clarifications are typical scribal expansions to the text. Further, the shorter reading (the one that ends with δώδεκα) has strong support in Ì37vid,45vid B D K Γ Ë1,13 565 579 700 pm. Thus both internally and externally the reading that ends the verse with “the twelve” is to be preferred.
121 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
122 tn Or “will hand me over.”
123 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
124 tn The participle λυπούμενοι (lupoumenoi) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.
125 tn Grk “answering, he said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
126 sn The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me. The point of Jesus’ comment here is not to identify the specific individual per se, but to indicate that it is one who was close to him – somebody whom no one would suspect. His comment serves to heighten the treachery of Judas’ betrayal.
127 tn Grk “answering, Judas.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to reflect the sequence of events in the narrative.
128 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
129 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
130 tn Grk “for this is my blood of the covenant that is poured out for many.” In order to avoid confusion about which is poured out, the translation supplies “blood” twice so that the following phrase clearly modifies “blood,” not “covenant.”
131 tc Although most witnesses read καινῆς (kainhs, “new”) here, this is evidently motivated by the parallel in Luke 22:20. Apart from the possibility of homoioteleuton, there is no good reason for the shorter reading to have arisen later on. But since it is found in such good and diverse witnesses (e.g., Ì37,45vid א B L Z Θ 0298vid 33 pc mae), the likelihood of homoioteleuton becomes rather remote.
sn Jesus’ death established the forgiveness promised in the new covenant of Jer 31:31. Jesus is reinterpreting the symbolism of the Passover meal, indicating the presence of a new era.
132 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
133 tn Grk “produce” (“the produce of the vine” is a figurative expression for wine).
134 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
135 sn After singing a hymn. The Hallel Psalms (Pss 113-118) were sung during the meal. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung just before the second cup and 115-118 were sung at the end of the meal, after the fourth, or hallel cup.
136 sn A quotation from Zech 13:7.
137 tn Grk “answering, Peter said to him.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
138 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
139 tn Grk “ground, praying and saying.” Here the participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
140 tn Grk “if it is possible.”
141 sn This cup alludes to the wrath of God that Jesus would experience (in the form of suffering and death) for us. See Ps 11:6; 75:8-9; Isa 51:17, 19, 22 for this figure.
142 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
143 tn Grk “saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant here in contemporary English and has not been translated.
144 tn Grk “this”; the referent (the cup) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
145 tn Grk “because their eyes were weighed down,” an idiom for becoming extremely or excessively sleepy (L&N 23.69).
146 tn Grk “the one who betrays me.”
147 tn Grk “behold, Judas.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
148 tn Grk “the one who betrays him.”
149 tn Grk “The one I kiss is he.”
150 sn This remark is parenthetical within the narrative and has thus been placed in parentheses.
151 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
152 sn Judas’ act of betrayal when he kissed Jesus is especially sinister when it is realized that it was common in the culture of the times for a disciple to kiss his master when greeting him.
153 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
154 tn Grk “and put their hands on Jesus.”
155 tn Grk “And behold one.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
156 tn Grk “extending his hand, drew out his sword, and struck.” Because rapid motion is implied in the circumstances, the translation “grabbed” was used.
157 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
158 tn The translation “put your sword back in its place” for this phrase is given in L&N 85.52.
159 sn A legion was a Roman army unit of about 6,000 soldiers, so twelve legions would be 72,000.
160 tn Or “a revolutionary.” This term can refer to one who stirs up rebellion: BDAG 594 s.v. λῃστής 2 has “revolutionary, insurrectionist, guerrilla” citing evidence from Josephus (J. W. 2.13.2-3 [2.253-254]). However, this usage generally postdates Jesus’ time. It does refer to a figure of violence. Luke uses the same term for the highwaymen who attack the traveler in the parable of the good Samaritan (Luke 10:30).
161 tn Grk “and” (καί, kai), a conjunction that is elastic enough to be used to indicate a contrast, as here.
162 tn Grk “But so that”; the verb “has happened” is implied.
163 tn Grk “where.”
164 tn Or “where the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
165 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
166 sn The guards would have been the guards of the chief priests who had accompanied Judas to arrest Jesus.
167 tn Grk “Now the.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
168 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
169 tn Grk “This one.”
170 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the false testimony.
171 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
172 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
173 sn An allusion to Ps 110:1. This is a claim that Jesus shares authority with God in heaven. Those present may have thought they were his judges, but, in fact, the reverse was true.
174 sn The expression the right hand of the Power is a circumlocution for referring to God. Such indirect references to God were common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.
175 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13 (see also Matt 24:30).
176 tn Grk “the high priest tore his clothes, saying.”
177 tn Grk “Behold now.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
178 tn Grk “What do you think?”
179 tn Grk “answering, they said.” This is somewhat redundant and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
180 tn Grk “he is guilty of death.” L&N 88.313 states, “pertaining to being guilty and thus deserving some particular penalty – ‘guilty and deserving, guilty and punishable by.’ οἱ δὲ ἀποκριθέντες εἶπαν, ᾿Ενοχος θανάτου ἐστίν ‘they answered, He is guilty and deserves death’ Mt 26:66.”
181 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 1:16.
182 tn Grk “Who is the one who hit you?”
sn Who hit you? This is a variation of one of three ancient games that involved blindfolds.
183 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
184 tn The Greek term here is παιδίσκη (paidiskh), referring to a slave girl or slave woman.
185 tn Grk “he denied it…saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
186 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
187 tn The words “slave girl” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the feminine singular form ἄλλη (allh).
188 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
189 tn Grk “your speech.”
190 tn It seems most likely that this refers to a real rooster crowing, although a number of scholars have suggested that “cockcrow” is a technical term referring to the trumpet call which ended the third watch of the night (from midnight to 3 a.m.). This would then be a reference to the Roman gallicinium (ἀλεκτοροφωνία, alektorofwnia; the term is used in Mark 13:35 and is found in some
191 sn When Peter went out and wept bitterly it shows he really did not want to fail here and was deeply grieved that he had.
192 tn Heb “after these things” (so KJV, ASV); NAB, NASB, NIV “After these events.”
193 tn Heb “made great”; NAB “raised…to high rank”; NIV “honored.”
sn The promotion of Haman in 3:1 for reasons unexplained contrasts noticeably with 2:19-23, where Mordecai’s contribution to saving the king’s life goes unnoticed. The irony is striking.
194 tn Heb “chair”; KJV, NRSV “seat”; NASB “established his authority.”
195 tn Heb “and” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV). Other modern English versions leave the conjunction untranslated here (NAB, NIV, NCV, NLT).
196 sn Mordecai did not bow. The reason for Mordecai’s refusal to bow before Haman is not clearly stated here. Certainly the Jews did not refuse to bow as a matter of principle, as though such an action somehow violated the second command of the Decalogue. Many biblical texts bear witness to their practice of falling prostrate before people of power and influence (e.g., 1 Sam 24:8; 2 Sam 14:4; 1 Kgs 1:16). Perhaps the issue here was that Haman was a descendant of the Amalekites, a people who had attacked Israel in an earlier age (see Exod 17:8-16; 1 Sam 15:17-20; Deut 25:17-19).
197 sn Mordecai’s position in the service of the king brought him into regular contact with these royal officials. Because of this association the officials would have found ample opportunity to complain of Mordecai’s refusal to honor Haman by bowing down before him.
198 tn Heb “Will the matters of Mordecai stand?”; NASB “to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand.”
199 sn This disclosure of Jewish identity is a reversal of the practice mentioned in 1:10, 20.
200 tn Heb “Haman.” The pronoun (“he”) was used in the translation for stylistic reasons. Repeating the proper name here is redundant according to contemporary English style, although the name is repeated in NASB and NRSV.
201 tn Heb “to send a hand against”; KJV, NRSV “to lay hands on.”
202 tn Heb “they had related to him.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a passive construction.
203 tc The entire first half of the verse is not included in the LXX.
204 tc This parenthetical phrase is not included in the LXX. Some scholars emend the MT reading עַם (’am, “people”) to עִם (’im, “with”), arguing that the phrase is awkwardly placed and syntactically inappropriate. While there is some truth to their complaint, the MT makes sufficient sense to be acceptable here, and is followed by most English versions.
205 sn This year would be ca. 474
206 tn The term פּוּר (pur, “lot”) is an Akkadian loanword; the narrator therefore explains it for his Hebrew readers (“that is, the lot”). It is from the plural form of this word (i.e., Purim) that the festival celebrating the deliverance of the Jews takes its name (cf. 9:24, 26, 28, 31).
207 tc The LXX adds the following words: “in order to destroy in one day the race of Mordecai, and the lot fell on the fourteenth day of the month.” The LXX reading is included by NAB.
tn Heb “from day to day and from month to month” (so KJV, NASB).
208 tn Since v. 7 seems to interrupt the flow of the narrative, many scholars have suggested that it is a late addition to the text. But there is not enough evidence to warrant such a conclusion. Even though its placement is somewhat awkward, the verse supplies to the reader an important piece of chronological information.
209 tn Heb “one people.” Note the subtle absence at this point of a specific mention of the Jewish people by name.
210 tn Heb “peoples” (so NASB, NIV); NAB “nations”
211 tn Heb “to cause them to rest”; NASB “to let them remain”; NAB, NIV, NRSV “to tolerate them.”
212 tn Heb “If upon the king it is good”; KJV “If it please the king.”
213 tn Heb “let it be written” (so KJV, ASV); NASB “let it be decreed.”
214 sn The enormity of the monetary sum referred to here can be grasped by comparing this amount (10,000 talents of silver) to the annual income of the empire, which according to Herodotus (Histories 3.95) was 14,500 Euboic talents. In other words Haman is offering the king a bribe equal to two-thirds of the royal income. Doubtless this huge sum of money was to come (in large measure) from the anticipated confiscation of Jewish property and assets once the Jews had been destroyed. That such a large sum of money is mentioned may indicate something of the economic standing of the Jewish population in the empire of King Ahasuerus.
215 sn Possessing the king’s signet ring would enable Haman to act with full royal authority. The king’s ring would be used to impress the royal seal on edicts, making them as binding as if the king himself had enacted them.
216 tn Heb “the silver is given to you”; NRSV “the money is given to you”; CEV “You can keep their money.” C. A. Moore (Esther [AB], 40) understands these words somewhat differently, taking them to imply acceptance of the money on Xerxes’ part. He translates, “Well, it’s your money.”
217 tn Heb “according to what is good in your eyes”; NASB “do with them as you please.”
218 tn Or “secretaries” (so NIV, NRSV, NLT).
219 tn Or “princes” (so NLT); CEV “highest officials.”
220 tn The words “stating that” are not in the Hebrew text but have been supplied in the translation for clarity.
221 tn Heb “children and women.” The translation follows contemporary English idiom, which reverses the order.
222 tc The LXX does not include the words “on the thirteenth day.”
223 tn Heb “peoples” (so NASB, NRSV).
224 tn Heb “runners.” So also in 8:10, 14. Cf. NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “couriers.”
225 tn Or “went forth in haste” (so ASV).
226 tn Heb “with the word of the king.”
227 sn The city of Susa was in an uproar. This final statement of v. 15 is a sad commentary on the pathetic disregard of despots for the human misery and suffering that they sometimes inflict on those who are helpless to resist their power. Here, while common people braced for the reckless loss of life and property that was about to begin, the perpetrators went about their mundane activities as though nothing of importance was happening.
228 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
229 tn Grk “It is permitted for you.”
230 tn Or “extended his hand” (a speaker’s gesture).
231 tn Or “and began to speak in his own defense.”
232 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
233 tn BDAG 613 s.v. μάλιστα 1 states, “μ. γνώστην ὄντα σε since you are outstandingly familiar Ac 26:3.”
234 tn Grk “several controversial issues.” BDAG 428 s.v. ζήτημα states, “in our lit. only in Ac, w. the mng. it still has in Mod. Gk. (controversial) question, issue, argument…Ac 15:2; 26:3. ζ. περί τινος questions about someth.…18:15; 25:19.”
235 tn BDAG 218 s.v. δέομαι states, “In our lit. only w. the mng. to ask for something pleadingly, ask, request,” and then in section a.α states, “w. inf. foll.…Ac 26:3.”
236 tn Grk “my manner of life.”
237 tn Or “nation.”
238 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
239 tn These words are repeated from v. 4 (“all the Jews know”). Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, it was necessary to begin a new sentence at the beginning of v. 5 in the translation, but for this to make sense, the main verb ἵσασι ({isasi) has to be repeated to connect with the ὅτι (Joti) clause (indirect discourse) in v. 5.
240 tn Grk “having known me from time past.” The participle προγινώσκοντες (proginwskonte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
241 tn BDAG 866 s.v. προγινώσκω 2 has “Know from time past…προγινώσκοντές με ἄνωθεν Ac 26:5.” L&N 28.6 states, “‘they have already known me beforehand, if they are willing to testify’ Ac 26:5.”
242 tn That is, strictest religious party. “Party” alone is used in the translation because “the strictest religious party of our religion” would be redundant.
243 sn See the note on Pharisee in 5:34.
244 tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 5.a.α has “κρίνεσθαι ἐπί τινι be on trial because of a thing Ac 26:6.”
245 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
246 tn Grk “to which [promise] our twelve tribes…” The antecedent of the relative pronoun (the promise in v. 6) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
247 tn Or “earnestly worship.” The object of this service, God, is omitted but implied: BDAG 587 s.v. λατρεύω states, “Without the dat. of the one to whom service is given: ἐν ἐκτενείᾳ νύκτα κ. ἡμέραν λ. serve (God) earnestly night and day Ac 26:7.” Although clear from the context in Greek, “God” must be supplied as the recipient of the service for the modern English reader.
248 tn Grk “I am being accused by the Jews.” The passive construction was simplified by converting it to an active one in the translation.
249 tn Grk “O King!”
250 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate that the second person pronoun (“you”) is plural (others in addition to King Agrippa are being addressed).
251 tn BDAG 568 s.v. κρίνω 3 states, “τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾿ ὑμῖν; why do you think it is incredible? Ac 26:8.” The passive construction (“why is it thought unbelievable…”) has been converted to an active one to simplify the translation.
252 tn Or “incredible.” BDAG 103 s.v. ἄπιστος 1 states, “unbelievable, incredible…τί ἄπιστον κρίνεται παρ᾿ ὑμῖν…; why does it seem incredible to you? Ac 26:8.”
253 tn Grk “if.” The first-class conditional construction, which assumes reality for the sake of argument, has been translated as indirect discourse.
254 tn BDAG 737 s.v. οὖν 3 states, “It has been proposed that some traces of older Gk. usage in which οὖν is emphatic, = certainly, really, to be sure etc. (s. L-S-J-M s.v. 1) remain in the pap…and in the NT…indeed, of course Ac 26:9.”
255 tn Grk “I thought to myself.” BDAG 255 s.v. δοκέω 2.a has “ἔδοξα ἐμαυτῷ δεῖν πρᾶξαι = Lat. mihi videbar I was convinced that it was necessary to do Ac 26:9.”
256 tn Grk “by receiving authority.” The participle λαβών (labwn) has been taken instrumentally.
257 tn Grk “cast down a pebble against them.” L&N 30.103 states, “(an idiom, Grk ‘to bring a pebble against someone,’ a reference to a white or black pebble used in voting for or against someone) to make known one’s choice against someone – ‘to vote against.’ …‘when they were sentenced to death, I also voted against them’ Ac 26:10.”
258 tn Grk “when they were being executed”; but the context supports the sentencing rather than the execution itself (cf. L&N 30.103).
259 tn Grk “and punishing…I tried.” The participle τιμωρῶν (timwrwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. 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.
260 sn See the note on synagogue in 6:9.
261 tn The imperfect verb ἠνάγκαζον (hnankazon) has been translated as a conative imperfect (so BDAG 60 s.v. ἀναγκάζω 1, which has “ἠνάγκαζον βλασφημεῖν I tried to force them to blaspheme Ac 26:11”).
262 tn Or “was so insanely angry with them.” BDAG 322 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι states, “to be filled with such anger that one appears to be mad, be enraged…περισσῶς ἐμμαινόμενος αὐτοῖς being furiously enraged at them Ac 26:11”; L&N 88.182 s.v. ἐμμαίνομαι, “to be so furiously angry with someone as to be almost out of one’s mind – ‘to be enraged, to be infuriated, to be insanely angry’ …‘I was so infuriated with them that I even went to foreign cities to persecute them’ Ac 26:11.”
263 tn Or “I pursued them even as far as foreign cities.”
264 tn Grk “in which [activity].” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started at the beginning of v. 12 in the translation. The referent of the relative pronoun (“which”) was specified as “this very thing” for clarity.
265 tn Grk “going.” The participle πορευόμενος (poreuomenos) has been taken temporally.
266 tn L&N 37.40 s.v. ἐπιτροπή states, “the full authority to carry out an assignment or commission – ‘authority, complete power.’ πορευόμενος εἰς τὴν Δαμασκὸν μετ᾿ ἐξουσίας καὶ ἐπιτροπῆς τῶν ἀρχιερέων ‘going to Damascus with authority and complete power from the high priests’ Ac 26:12. In Ac 26:12 the combination of ἐξουσία and ἐπιτροπή serves to reinforce the sense of complete authority.”
267 tn Grk “O King.”
268 tn Or “from the sky” (the same Greek word means both “heaven” and “sky”).
269 tn The word “everywhere” has been supplied in the translation to clarify the meaning of περιλάμψαν (perilamyan). Otherwise the modern reader might think that each of the individuals were encircled by lights or halos. See also Acts 9:7; 22:6, 9.
270 tn Grk “in the Hebrew language.” See Acts 22:7 and 9:4.
271 tn Grk “It is hard for you.”
272 tn “Goads” are pointed sticks used to direct a draft animal (an idiom for stubborn resistance). See BDAG 539-40 s.v. κέντρον 2.
sn Sayings which contain the imagery used here (kicking against the goads) were also found in Greek writings; see Pindar, Pythians 2.94-96; Euripides, Bacchae 795.
273 tn Grk “said.”
274 tn L&N 30.89 has “‘to choose in advance, to select beforehand, to designate in advance.’”
275 sn As a servant and witness. The commission is similar to Acts 1:8 and Luke 1:2. Paul was now an “eyewitness” of the Lord.
276 tn BDAG 719 s.v. ὁράω A.1.b states, “W. attraction of the relative ὧν = τούτων ἅ Lk 9:36; Ac 22:15. The attraction may be due to colloq. breviloquence in μάρτυρα ὧν τε εἶδες με ὧν τε ὀφθήσομαί σοι a witness to the things in which you saw me and to those in which I shall appear to you Ac 26:16b.”
277 tc ‡ Some
278 tn Grk “rescuing.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle ἐξαιρούμενος (exairoumeno") has been translated as a finite verb and a new sentence started in the translation at the beginning of v. 17.
279 tn That is, from the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the words “your own” have been supplied to clarify the meaning.
280 tn The antecedent of the relative pronoun is probably both the Jews (“your own people”) and the Gentiles, indicating the comprehensive commission Paul received.
281 sn To open their eyes so that they turn… Here is Luke’s most comprehensive report of Paul’s divine calling. His role was to call humanity to change their position before God and experience God’s forgiveness as a part of God’s family. The image of turning is a key one in the NT: Luke 1:79; Rom 2:19; 13:12; 2 Cor 4:6; 6:14; Eph 5:8; Col 1:12; 1 Thess 5:5. See also Luke 1:77-79; 3:3; 24:47.
282 tn BDAG 352-53 s.v. ἐξουσία 2 states, “Also of Satan’s power Ac 26:18.” It is also possible to translate this “the domain of Satan” (cf. BDAG 353 s.v. 6)
283 tn Or “and an inheritance.”
284 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
285 sn I was not disobedient. Paul’s defense is that he merely obeyed the risen Jesus. He was arrested for obeying heavenly direction and preaching the opportunity to turn to God.
286 tn According to L&N 1.5, “In Ac 26:19 the adjective οὐράνιος could be interpreted as being related simply to the meaning of οὐρανόςa ‘sky,’ but it seems preferable to regard οὐράνιος in this context as meaning simply ‘from heaven’ or ‘heavenly.’”
287 tn BDAG 1093-94 s.v. χώρα 2.b states, “of the provincial name (1 Macc 8:3) ἡ χώρα τῆς ᾿Ιουδαίας Ac 26:20.”
288 sn That they should repent and turn to God. This is the shortest summary of Paul’s message that he preached.
289 tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b, “καρποὶ ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας fruits in keeping with your repentance…Lk 3:8; Mt 3:8. For this ἄ. τῆς μετανοίας ἔργα Ac 26:20.” Note how Paul preached the gospel offer and the issue of response together, side by side.
290 tn Grk “in the temple.” This is actually a reference to the courts surrounding the temple proper, and has been translated accordingly.
291 tn Grk “So experiencing…I stand.” The participle τυχών (tucwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
292 tn BDAG 311 s.v. ἐκτός 3.b, “functions as prep. w. gen. οὐδὲν ἐ. ὧν nothing except what (cf. 1 Ch 29:3; 2 Ch 17:19; TestNapht. 6:2) Ac 26:22.”
293 sn What the prophets and Moses said. Paul argued that his message reflected the hope of the Jewish scriptures.
294 tn BDAG 277-78 s.v. εἰ 2 has “marker of an indirect question as content, that…Sim. also (Procop. Soph., Ep. 123 χάριν ἔχειν εἰ = that) μαρτυρόμενος…εἰ παθητὸς ὁ Χριστός testifying…that the Christ was to suffer…Ac 26:23.”
295 tn Or “the Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 2:31.
296 tn That is, to the Jewish people. Grk “the people”; the word “our” has been supplied to clarify the meaning.
297 sn Note how the context of Paul’s gospel message about Jesus, resurrection, and light both to Jews and to the Gentiles is rooted in the prophetic message of the OT scriptures. Paul was guilty of following God’s call and preaching the scriptural hope.
298 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Paul) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
299 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
300 tn On the term translated “lost your mind” see BDAG 610 s.v. μαίνομαι, which has “you’re out of your mind, you’re raving, said to one whose enthusiasm seems to have outrun better judgment 26:24.”
sn The expression “You have lost your mind” would be said to someone who speaks incredible things, in the opinion of the hearer. Paul’s mention of the resurrection (v. 23) was probably what prompted Festus to say this.
301 tn Grk “said.”
302 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
303 tn Or “declaring.” BDAG 125 s.v. ἀποφθέγγομαι states, “speak out, declare boldly or loudly…τὶ: σωφροσύνης ῥήματα Ac 26:25.”
304 tn BDAG 987 s.v. σωφροσύνη 1 has “gener. soundness of mind, reasonableness, rationality…ἀληθείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ῥήματα true and rational words (opp. μαίνομαι) Ac 26:25.”
305 tn BDAG 782 s.v. παρρησιάζομαι 1 states, “speak freely, openly, fearlessly…likew. in the ptc. w. a verb of saying foll.…παρρησιασάμενοι εἶπαν 13:46. – 26:26.” This could refer to boldness in speaking here.
306 tn Grk “to whom I am speaking freely.” The relative pronoun (“whom”) was replaced by the personal pronoun (“him”) to simplify the translation.
307 tn Grk “I cannot convince myself.” BDAG 792 s.v. πείθω 3.a states, “οὐ πείθομαι w. acc. and inf. I cannot believe Ac 26:26” (see also BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω).
308 tn BDAG 586 s.v. λανθάνω states, “λανθάνειν αὐτὸν τούτων οὐ πείθομαι οὐθέν I cannot bring myself to believe that any of these things has escaped his notice Ac 26:26.”
309 tn This term refers to a hidden corner (BDAG 209 s.v. γωνία). Paul’s point is that these events to which he refers were not done in a secret, hidden place, tucked away outside of view. They were done in public for all the world to see.
310 sn “Do you believe the prophets?” Note how Paul made the issue believing the OT prophets and God’s promise which God fulfilled in Christ. He was pushing King Agrippa toward a decision not for or against Paul’s guilt of any crime, but concerning Paul’s message.
311 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
312 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
313 tn Or “In a short time you will make me a Christian.” On the difficulty of the precise nuances of Agrippa’s reply in this passage, see BDAG 791 s.v. πείθω 1.b. The idiom is like 1 Kgs 21:7 LXX. The point is that Paul was trying to persuade Agrippa to accept his message. If Agrippa had let Paul persuade him, he would have converted to Christianity.
sn The question “In such a short time are you persuading me to become a Christian?” was probably a ploy on Agrippa’s part to deflect Paul from his call for a decision. Note also how the tables have turned: Agrippa was brought in to hear Paul’s defense, and now ends up defending himself. The questioner is now being questioned.
314 tn BDAG 703 s.v. ὀλίγος 2.b.β has “καὶ ἐν ὀλ. καὶ ἐν μεγάλῳ whether in a short or a long time vs. 29 (cf. B-D-F §195; GWhitaker, The Words of Agrippa to St. Paul: JTS 15, 1914, 82f; AFridrichsen, SymbOsl 14, ’35, 50; Field, Notes 141-43; s. Rob. 653).”
315 sn Except for these chains. The chains represented Paul’s unjust suffering for the sake of the message. His point was, in effect, “I do not care how long it takes. I only hope you and everyone else hearing this would become believers in Christ, but without my unjust suffering.”
316 tn Grk “they spoke to one another saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
317 tn BDAG 93 s.v. ἄξιος 1.b has “θανάτου ἢ δεσμῶν ἄ. nothing deserving death or imprisonment 23:29; 26:31.”
sn Not doing anything deserving death… Here is yet another declaration of Paul’s innocence, but still no release. The portrayal shows how unjust Paul’s confinement was.
318 sn See the note on King Agrippa in 25:13.
319 sn See the note on Porcius Festus in 24:27.
320 tn Or “set free.”
321 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
sn If he had not appealed to Caesar. Ultimately Agrippa and Festus blamed what Paul himself had done in appealing to Caesar for his own continued custody. In terms of Luke’s narrative, this still appears unjust and a denial of responsibility.
