Joshua 1:1-18 
Context1:1 After Moses the Lord’s servant died, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant: 1:2 “Moses my servant is dead. Get ready! 1 Cross the Jordan River! 2 Lead these people into the land which I am ready to hand over to them. 3 1:3 I am handing over to you every place you set foot, as I promised Moses. 4 1:4 Your territory will extend from the wilderness in the south to Lebanon in the north. It will extend all the way to the great River Euphrates in the east (including all of Syria) 5 and all the way to the Mediterranean Sea 6 in the west. 7 1:5 No one will be able to resist you 8 all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not abandon you or leave you alone. 1:6 Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them. 9 1:7 Make sure you are 10 very strong and brave! Carefully obey 11 all the law my servant Moses charged you to keep! 12 Do not swerve from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful 13 in all you do. 14 1:8 This law scroll must not leave your lips! 15 You must memorize it 16 day and night so you can carefully obey 17 all that is written in it. Then you will prosper 18 and be successful. 19 1:9 I repeat, 20 be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, 21 for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.” 22
1:10 Joshua instructed 23 the leaders of the people: 1:11 “Go through the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your supplies, for within three days you will cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of the land the Lord your God is ready to hand over to you.’” 24
1:12 Joshua told the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh: 1:13 “Remember what Moses the Lord’s servant commanded you. 25 The Lord your God is giving you a place to settle and is handing this land over to you. 26 1:14 Your wives, children and cattle may stay in the land that Moses assigned to you east of the Jordan River. But all you warriors must cross over armed for battle ahead of your brothers. 27 You must help them 1:15 until the Lord gives your brothers a place like yours to settle and they conquer the land the Lord your God is ready to hand over to them. Then you may go back to your allotted land and occupy the land Moses the Lord’s servant assigned you east of the Jordan.” 28
1:16 They told Joshua, “We will do everything you say. We will go wherever you send us. 1:17 Just as we obeyed 29 Moses, so we will obey you. But 30 may the Lord your God be with you as he was with Moses! 1:18 Any man who rebels against what you say and does not obey all your commands will be executed. 31 But 32 be strong and brave!”
Psalms 120:1--122:9
ContextA song of ascents. 34
120:1 In my distress I cried out
to the Lord and he answered me.
120:2 I said, 35 “O Lord, rescue me 36
from those who lie with their lips 37
and those who deceive with their tongue. 38
120:3 How will he severely punish you,
you deceptive talker? 39
120:4 Here’s how! 40 With the sharp arrows of warriors,
with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. 41
For I have lived temporarily 43 in Meshech;
I have resided among the tents of Kedar. 44
120:6 For too long I have had to reside
with those who hate 45 peace.
120:7 I am committed to peace, 46
but when I speak, they want to make war. 47
A song of ascents. 49
121:1 I look up 50 toward the hills.
From where 51 does my help come?
121:2 My help comes from the Lord, 52
the Creator 53 of heaven and earth!
121:3 May he not allow your foot to slip!
May your protector 54 not sleep! 55
121:4 Look! Israel’s protector 56
does not sleep or slumber!
121:5 The Lord is your protector;
the Lord is the shade at your right hand.
121:6 The sun will not harm you by day,
or the moon by night. 57
121:7 The Lord will protect you from all harm;
he will protect your life.
121:8 The Lord will protect you in all you do, 58
now and forevermore.
A song of ascents, 60 by David.
122:1 I was glad because 61 they said to me,
“We will go to the Lord’s temple.”
122:2 Our feet are 62 standing
inside your gates, O Jerusalem.
122:3 Jerusalem 63 is a city designed
to accommodate an assembly. 64
122:4 The tribes go up 65 there, 66
the tribes of the Lord,
where it is required that Israel
give thanks to the name of the Lord. 67
122:5 Indeed, 68 the leaders sit 69 there on thrones and make legal decisions,
on the thrones of the house of David. 70
122:6 Pray 71 for the peace of Jerusalem!
May those who love her prosper! 72
122:7 May there be peace inside your defenses,
and prosperity 73 inside your fortresses! 74
122:8 For the sake of my brothers and my neighbors
I will say, “May there be peace in you!”
122:9 For the sake of the temple of the Lord our God
I will pray for you to prosper. 75
Isaiah 61:1-11
Context61:1 The spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon me,
because the Lord has chosen 76 me. 77
He has commissioned 78 me to encourage 79 the poor,
to help 80 the brokenhearted,
to decree the release of captives,
and the freeing of prisoners,
61:2 to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor,
the day when our God will seek vengeance, 81
to console all who mourn,
61:3 to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,
by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,
oil symbolizing joy, 82 instead of mourning,
a garment symbolizing praise, 83 instead of discouragement. 84
They will be called oaks of righteousness, 85
trees planted by the Lord to reveal his splendor. 86
61:4 They will rebuild the perpetual ruins
and restore the places that were desolate; 87
they will reestablish the ruined cities,
the places that have been desolate since ancient times.
61:5 88 “Foreigners will take care of 89 your sheep;
foreigners will work in your fields and vineyards.
61:6 You will be called, ‘the Lord’s priests,
servants of our God.’ 90
You will enjoy 91 the wealth of nations
and boast about 92 the riches you receive from them. 93
61:7 Instead of shame, you will get a double portion; 94
instead of humiliation, they will rejoice over the land they receive. 95
Yes, 96 they will possess a double portion in their land
and experience lasting joy.
61:8 For I, the Lord, love justice
and hate robbery and sin.
I will repay them because of my faithfulness; 97
I will make a permanent covenant with them.
61:9 Their descendants will be known among the nations,
their offspring among the peoples.
All who see them will recognize that
the Lord has blessed them.” 98
61:10 I 99 will greatly rejoice 100 in the Lord;
I will be overjoyed because of my God. 101
For he clothes me in garments of deliverance;
he puts on me a robe symbolizing vindication. 102
I look like a bridegroom when he wears a turban as a priest would;
I look like a bride when she puts on her jewelry. 103
61:11 For just as the ground produces its crops
and a garden yields its produce,
so the sovereign Lord will cause deliverance 104 to grow,
and give his people reason to praise him in the sight of all the nations. 105
Matthew 9:1-38
Context9:1 After getting into a boat he crossed to the other side and came to his own town. 106 9:2 Just then 107 some people 108 brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. 109 When Jesus saw their 110 faith, he said to the paralytic, “Have courage, son! Your sins are forgiven.” 111 9:3 Then 112 some of the experts in the law 113 said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming!” 114 9:4 When Jesus saw their reaction he said, “Why do you respond with evil in your hearts? 9:5 Which is easier, 115 to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 9:6 But so that you may know 116 that the Son of Man 117 has authority on earth to forgive sins” – then he said to the paralytic 118 – “Stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.” 119 9:7 And he stood up and went home. 120 9:8 When 121 the crowd saw this, they were afraid 122 and honored God who had given such authority to men. 123
9:9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. 124 “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him. 9:10 As 125 Jesus 126 was having a meal 127 in Matthew’s 128 house, many tax collectors 129 and sinners came and ate with Jesus and his disciples. 9:11 When the Pharisees 130 saw this they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 131 9:12 When 132 Jesus heard this he said, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. 133 9:13 Go and learn what this saying means: ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice.’ 134 For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
9:14 Then John’s 135 disciples came to Jesus 136 and asked, “Why do we and the Pharisees 137 fast often, 138 but your disciples don’t fast?” 9:15 Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests 139 cannot mourn while the bridegroom 140 is with them, can they? But the days 141 are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them, 142 and then they will fast. 9:16 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, because the patch will pull away from the garment and the tear will be worse. 9:17 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins; 143 otherwise the skins burst and the wine is spilled out and the skins are destroyed. Instead they put new wine into new wineskins 144 and both are preserved.”
9:18 As he was saying these things, a ruler came, bowed low before him, and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.” 9:19 Jesus and his disciples got up and followed him. 9:20 But 145 a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage 146 for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge 147 of his cloak. 148 9:21 For she kept saying to herself, 149 “If only I touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 150 9:22 But when Jesus turned and saw her he said, “Have courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well.” 151 And the woman was healed 152 from that hour. 9:23 When Jesus entered the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the disorderly crowd, 9:24 he said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but asleep.” And they began making fun of him. 153 9:25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and gently took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 9:26 And the news of this spread throughout that region. 154
9:27 As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, shouting, 155 “Have mercy 156 on us, Son of David!” 157 9:28 When 158 he went into the house, the blind men came to him. Jesus 159 said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 9:29 Then he touched their eyes saying, “Let it be done for you according to your faith.” 9:30 And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about this.” 9:31 But they went out and spread the news about him throughout that entire region. 160
9:32 As 161 they were going away, 162 a man who could not talk and was demon-possessed was brought to him. 9:33 After the demon was cast out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowds were amazed and said, “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel!” 9:34 But the Pharisees 163 said, “By the ruler 164 of demons he casts out demons.” 165
9:35 Then Jesus went throughout all the towns 166 and villages, teaching in their synagogues, 167 preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and sickness. 168 9:36 When 169 he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were bewildered and helpless, 170 like sheep without a shepherd. 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 9:38 Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest 171 to send out 172 workers into his harvest.”
1 tn Heb “Get up!”
2 tn Heb “this Jordan”; the word “River” has been supplied in the translation for clarity (likewise in v. 11).
3 tc Heb “Cross over this Jordan, you and all these people, to the land that I am giving to them, to the children of Israel.” The final phrase, “to the children of Israel,” is probably a later scribal addition specifying the identity of “these people/them.”
4 tn Heb “Every place on which the sole of your foot walks, to you I have given it, as I said to Moses.” The second person pronouns in vv. 3-4 are plural, indicating that all the people are addressed here. The verbal form נְתַתִּיו (nÿtattiv, “I have given it”) is probably a perfect of certitude, emphasizing the certainty of the action. Another option is to translate, “I have already assigned it.” In this case the verb would probably refer to the
5 tn Heb “all the land of the Hittites.” The expression “the land of the Hittites” does not refer to Anatolia (modern Turkey), where the ancient Hittite kingdom of the second millennium
6 tn Heb “the Great Sea,” the typical designation for the Mediterranean Sea.
7 tn Heb “From the wilderness and this Lebanon even to the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, even to the great sea [at] the place where the sun sets, your territory will be.”
8 tn Heb “A man will not stand before you.” The second person pronouns in this verse are singular, indicating Joshua is the addressee.
9 tn Heb “For you will cause these people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give to them.” The pronoun “them” at the end of the verse refers to either the people or to the fathers.
10 tn Or “Only be.”
11 tn Heb “so you can be careful to do.” The use of the infinitive לִשְׁמֹר (lishmor, “to keep”) after the imperatives suggests that strength and bravery will be necessary for obedience. Another option is to take the form לִשְׁמֹר as a vocative lamed (ל) with imperative (see Isa 38:20 for an example of this construction), which could be translated, “Indeed, be careful!”
12 tn Heb “commanded you.”
13 tn Heb “be wise,” but the word can mean “be successful” by metonymy.
14 tn Heb “in all which you go.”
15 tn Heb “mouth.”
sn This law scroll must not leave your lips. The ancient practice of reading aloud to oneself as an aid to memorization is in view here.
16 tn Heb “read it in undertones,” or “recite it quietly” (see HALOT 1:237).
17 tn Heb “be careful to do.”
18 tn Heb “you will make your way prosperous.”
19 tn Heb “and be wise,” but the word can mean “be successful” by metonymy.
20 tn Heb “Have I not commanded you?” The rhetorical question emphasizes the importance of the following command by reminding the listener that it is being repeated.
21 tn Or perhaps, “don’t get discouraged!”
22 tn Heb “in all which you go.”
23 tn Or “commanded.”
24 tn Heb “to enter to possess the land which the
25 tn Heb “remember the word which Moses, the
sn This command can be found in Deut 3:18-20. In vv. 13-15 Joshua paraphrases the command, as the third person reference to Moses in v. 14 indicates.
26 tn Heb “is providing rest for you and is giving to you this land.”
sn “This land” refers to the trans-Jordanian lands allotted to these tribes.
27 tn Heb “But you must cross over armed for battle before your brothers, all [you] mighty men of strength.”
28 tn Heb “Then you may return to the land of your possession and possess it, that which Moses, the
29 tn Heb “listened to.”
30 tn Or “Only.” Here and in v. 18 this word qualifies what precedes (see also v. 7).
31 tn Heb “any man who rebels against your mouth and does not listen to your words, to all which you command us, will be put to death.”
32 tn Or “Only.” Here and in v. 17 this word qualifies what precedes (see also v. 7).
33 sn Psalm 120. The genre and structure of this psalm are uncertain. It begins like a thanksgiving psalm, with a brief notice that God has heard the psalmist’s prayer for help and has intervened. But v. 2 is a petition for help, followed by a taunt directed toward enemies (vv. 3-4) and a lament (vv. 5-7). Perhaps vv. 2-7 recall the psalmist’s prayer when he cried out to the Lord.
34 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
35 tn The words “I said” are supplied in the translation for clarification. See the introductory note for this psalm.
36 tn Or “my life.”
37 tn Heb “from a lip of falsehood.”
38 tn Heb “from a tongue of deception.”
39 tn Heb “What will he give to you, and what will he add to you, O tongue of deception?” The psalmist addresses his deceptive enemies. The
40 tn The words “here’s how” are supplied in the translation as a clarification. In v. 4 the psalmist answers the question he raises in v. 3.
41 tn Heb “with coals of the wood of the broom plant.” The wood of the broom plant was used to make charcoal, which in turn was used to fuel the fire used to forge the arrowheads.
42 tn Or “woe to me.” The Hebrew term אוֹיָה (’oyah, “woe”) which occurs only here, is an alternate form of אוֹי (’oy).
43 tn Heb “I live as a resident alien.”
44 sn Meshech was located in central Anatolia (modern Turkey). Kedar was located in the desert to east-southeast of Israel. Because of the reference to Kedar, it is possible that Ps 120:5 refers to a different Meshech, perhaps one associated with the individual mentioned as a descendant of Aram in 1 Chr 1:17. (However, the LXX in 1 Chr 1:17 follows the parallel text in Gen 10:23, which reads “Mash,” not Meshech.) It is, of course, impossible that the psalmist could have been living in both the far north and the east at the same time. For this reason one must assume that he is recalling his experience as a wanderer among the nations or that he is using the geographical terms metaphorically and sarcastically to suggest that the enemies who surround him are like the barbarians who live in these distant regions. For a discussion of the problem, see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 146.
45 tn The singular participial form probably has a representative function here. The psalmist envisions the typical hater of peace who represents the entire category of such individuals.
46 tn Heb “I, peace.”
47 tn Heb “they [are] for war.”
48 sn Psalm 121. The psalm affirms that the Lord protects his people Israel. Unless the psalmist addresses an observer (note the second person singular forms in vv. 3-8), it appears there are two or three speakers represented in the psalm, depending on how one takes v. 3. The translation assumes that speaker one talks in vv. 1-2, that speaker two responds to him with a prayer in v. 3 (this assumes the verbs are true jussives of prayer), and that speaker three responds with words of assurance in vv. 4-8. If the verbs in v. 3 are taken as a rhetorical use of the jussive, then there are two speakers. Verses 3-8 are speaker two’s response to the words of speaker one. See the note on the word “sleep” at the end of v. 3.
49 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
50 tn Heb “I lift my eyes.”
51 tn The Hebrew term מֵאַיִן (me’ayin) is interrogative, not relative, in function. Rather than directly stating that his source of help descends from the hills, the psalmist is asking, “From where does my help come?” Nevertheless, the first line does indicate that he is looking toward the hills for help, probably indicating that he is looking up toward the sky in anticipation of supernatural intervention. The psalmist assumes the dramatic role of one needing help. He answers his own question in v. 2.
52 tn Heb “my help [is] from with the
53 tn Or “Maker.”
54 tn Heb “the one who guards you.”
55 tn The prefixed verbal forms following the negative particle אל appear to be jussives. As noted above, if they are taken as true jussives of prayer, then the speaker in v. 3 would appear to be distinct from both the speaker in vv. 1-2 and the speaker in vv. 4-8. However, according to GKC 322 §109.e), the jussives are used rhetorically here “to express the conviction that something cannot or should not happen.” In this case one should probably translate, “he will not allow your foot to slip, your protector will not sleep,” and understand just one speaker in vv. 4-8.
56 tn Heb “the one who guards Israel.”
57 sn One hardly thinks of the moon’s rays as being physically harmful, like those of the sun. The reference to the moon may simply lend poetic balance to the verse, but it is likely that the verse reflects an ancient, primitive belief that the moon could have an adverse effect on the mind (note the English expression “moonstruck,” which reflects such a belief). Another possibility is that the sun and moon stand by metonymy for harmful forces characteristic of the day and night, respectively.
58 tn Heb “your going out and your coming in.”
59 sn Psalm 122. The psalmist expresses his love for Jerusalem and promises to pray for the city’s security.
60 sn The precise significance of this title, which appears in Pss 120-134, is unclear. Perhaps worshipers recited these psalms when they ascended the road to Jerusalem to celebrate annual religious festivals. For a discussion of their background see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 219-21.
61 tn Heb “in the ones saying to me.” After the verb שָׂמַח (samakh), the preposition בְּ (bet) usually introduces the reason for joy.
62 tn Or “were.”
63 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
64 tc Heb “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which is joined to her together.” The meaning of the Hebrew text is unclear. Many regard this as a description of the compact way in which the city was designed or constructed. The translation assumes an emendation of the verb חֻבְּרָה (khubbÿrah, “is joined”) to a noun חֶבְרָה (khevrah, “association; company”). The text then reads literally, “Jerusalem, which is built like a city which has a company together.” This in turn can be taken as a reference to Jerusalem’s role as a city where people congregated for religious festivals and other civic occasions (see vv. 4-5).
65 tn Or “went up.”
66 tn Heb “which is where the tribes go up.”
67 tn Heb “[it is] a statute for Israel to give thanks to the name of the
68 tn Or “for.”
69 tn Or “sat.”
70 tn Heb “Indeed, there they sit [on] thrones for judgment, [on] thrones [belonging] to the house of David.”
71 tn Heb “ask [for].”
72 tn Or “be secure.”
73 tn or “security.”
74 tn The psalmist uses second feminine singular pronominal forms to address personified Jerusalem.
75 tn Heb “I will seek good for you.” The psalmist will seek Jerusalem’s “good” through prayer.
76 tn Heb “anointed,” i.e., designated to carry out an assigned task.
77 sn The speaker is not identified, but he is distinct from the Lord and from Zion’s suffering people. He possesses the divine spirit, is God’s spokesman, and is sent to release prisoners from bondage. The evidence suggests he is the Lord’s special servant, described earlier in the servant songs (see 42:1-4, 7; 49:2, 9; 50:4; see also 51:16).
78 tn Or “sent” (NAB); NCV “has appointed me.”
79 tn Or “proclaim good news to.”
80 tn Heb “to bind up [the wounds of].”
81 tn Heb “to announce the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of our God’s vengeance.
82 tn Heb “oil of joy” (KJV, ASV); NASB, NIV, NRSV “the oil of gladness.”
83 tn Heb “garment of praise.”
84 tn Heb “a faint spirit” (so NRSV); KJV, ASV “the spirit of heaviness”; NASB “a spirit of fainting.”
85 tn Rather than referring to the character of the people, צֶדֶק (tsedeq) may carry the nuance “vindication” here, suggesting that God’s restored people are a testimony to his justice. See v. 2, which alludes to the fact that God will take vengeance against the enemies of his people. Cf. NAB “oaks of justice.”
86 tn Heb “a planting of the Lord to reveal splendor.”
87 tn Heb “and the formerly desolate places they will raise up.”
88 sn The Lord speaks in vv. 7-8 (and possibly v. 9). It is not clear where the servant’s speech (see vv. 1-3a) ends and the Lord’s begins. Perhaps the direct address to the people signals the beginning of the Lord’s speech.
89 tn Heb “will stand [in position] and shepherd.”
90 tn The Hebrew text adds, “it will be said concerning you.”
91 tn Heb “eat” (KJV, NAB, NASB); NIV “feed on”; NLT “be fed with.”
92 tc The form in the Hebrew text is probably a corruption of יִתְאַמְּרוּ (yit’ammÿru), a Hitpael from אָמַר (’amar), meaning “boast about” (see HALOT 67 s.v. II אמר, HALOT 416 s.v. ימר, and BDB 56 s.v. אָמַר).
93 tn Heb “their glory” (i.e., riches).
94 tn Heb “instead of your shame, a double portion.”
95 tn Heb “and [instead of] humiliation they will rejoice [over] their portion.” The term תָחָת (takhat, “instead of”) is understood by ellipsis (note the preceding line).
96 tn Heb “therefore” (so KJV, NASB); NIV “and so.”
97 tn Heb “in faithfulness”; NASB, NRSV, NLT “faithfully.”
98 tn Heb “all who see them will recognize them, that they [are] descendants [whom] the Lord has blessed.”
99 sn The speaker in vv. 10-11 is not identified, but it is likely that the personified nation (or perhaps Zion) responds here to the Lord’s promise of restoration.
100 tn The infinitive absolute appears before the finite verb for emphasis.
101 tn Heb “my being is happy in my God”; NAB “in my God is the joy of my soul.”
102 tn Heb “robe of vindication”; KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV “robe of righteousness.”
103 tn Heb “like a bridegroom [who] acts like a priest [by wearing] a turban, and like a bride [who] wears her jewelry.” The words “I look” are supplied for stylistic reasons and clarification.
104 tn Or perhaps, “righteousness,” but the context seems to emphasize deliverance and restoration (see v. 10 and 62:1).
105 tn Heb “and praise before all the nations.”
106 sn His own town refers to Capernaum. It was a town of approximately 1000-1500, though of some significance.
107 tn Grk “And behold, they were bringing.” Here καὶ ἰδού (kai idou) has been translated as “just then” to indicate the somewhat sudden appearance of the people carrying the paralytic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1), especially in conjunction with the suddenness of the stretcher bearers’ appearance.
108 tn Grk “they”; the referent (some unnamed people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
109 tn Traditionally, “on a bed,” but this could be confusing to the modern reader who might envision a large piece of furniture. In various contexts, κλίνη (klinh) may be translated “bed, couch, cot, stretcher, or bier” (in the case of a corpse). See L&N 6.106.
110 sn The plural pronoun their makes it clear that Jesus was responding to the faith of the entire group, not just the paralyzed man.
111 sn The passive voice here is a divine passive (ExSyn 437). It is clear that God does the forgiving.
112 tn Grk “And behold.” 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). Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the narrative.
113 tn Or “some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4.
114 sn Blaspheming meant to say something that dishonored God. To claim divine prerogatives or claim to speak for God when one really does not would be such an act of offense. The remark raised directly the issue of the nature of Jesus’ ministry.
115 sn Which is easier is a reflective kind of question. On the one hand to declare sins are forgiven is easier, since one does not need to see it, unlike telling a paralyzed person to walk. On the other hand, it is harder, because for it to be true one must possess the authority to forgive the sin.
116 sn Now Jesus put the two actions together. The walking of the man would be proof (so that you may know) that his sins were forgiven and that God had worked through Jesus (i.e., the Son of Man).
117 sn The term Son of Man, which is a title in Greek, comes from a pictorial description in Dan 7:13 of one “like a son of man” (i.e., a human being). It is Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. Jesus did not reveal the background of the term here, which mixes human and divine imagery as the man in Daniel rides a cloud, something only God does. He just used it. It also could be an idiom in Aramaic meaning either “some person” or “me.” So there is a little ambiguity in its use here, since its origin is not clear at this point. However, the action makes it clear that Jesus used it to refer to himself here.
118 sn Jesus did not finish his sentence with words but with action, that is, healing the paralytic with an accompanying pronouncement to him directly.
119 tn Grk “to your house.”
120 tn Grk “to his house.”
121 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
122 tc Most witnesses (C L Θ 0233 Ë13 Ï) have ἐθαύμασαν (eqaumasan; “marveled, were amazed”) instead of ἐφοβήθησαν (efobhqhsan) here, effectively turning the fearful reaction into one of veneration. But the harder reading is well supported by א B D W 0281 Ë1 33 892 1424 al lat co and thus is surely authentic.
123 tn Grk “people.” The plural of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") usually indicates people in general, but the singular is used in the expression “Son of Man.” There is thus an ironic allusion to Jesus’ statement in v. 6: His self-designation as “Son of Man” is meant to be unique, but the crowd regards it simply as meaning “human, person.” To maintain this connection for the English reader the plural ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") has been translated here as “men” rather than as the more generic “people.”
124 tn While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telwnion, so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings.
sn The tax booth was a booth located on the edge of a city or town to collect taxes for trade. There was a tax booth in Capernaum, which was on the trade route from Damascus to Galilee and the Mediterranean. The “taxes” were collected on produce and goods brought into the area for sale, and were a sort of “sales tax” paid by the seller but obviously passed on to the purchaser in the form of increased prices (L&N 57.183). It was here that Jesus met Matthew (also named Levi [see Mark 2:14, Luke 5:27]) who was ultimately employed by the Romans, though perhaps more directly responsible to Herod Antipas. It was his job to collect taxes for Rome and he was thus despised by Jews who undoubtedly regarded him as a traitor.
125 tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
126 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
127 tn Grk “was reclining at table.”
sn As Jesus was having a meal. 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.
128 tn Grk “in the house.” The Greek article is used here in a context that implies possession, and the referent of the implied possessive pronoun (Matthew) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
129 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
130 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
131 sn The issue here is inappropriate associations. Jews were very careful about personal associations and contact as a matter of ritual cleanliness. Their question borders on an accusation that Jesus is ritually unclean.
132 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
133 sn Jesus’ point is that he associates with those who are sick because they have the need and will respond to the offer of help. A person who is healthy (or who thinks mistakenly that he is) will not seek treatment.
134 sn A quotation from Hos 6:6 (see also Matt 12:7).
135 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
136 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
137 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
138 sn John’s disciples and the Pharisees followed typical practices with regard to fasting and prayer. Many Jews fasted regularly (Lev 16:29-34; 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11). The zealous fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursday.
139 tn Grk “sons of the wedding hall,” an idiom referring to wedding guests, or more specifically friends of the bridegroom present at the wedding celebration (L&N 11.7).
140 sn The expression while the bridegroom is with them is an allusion to messianic times (John 3:29; Isa 54:5-6; 62:4-5; 4 Ezra 2:15, 38).
141 tn Grk “days.”
142 sn The statement the bridegroom will be taken from them is a veiled allusion by Jesus to his death, which he did not make explicit until the incident at Caesarea Philippi in 16:13ff.
143 sn Wineskins were bags made of skin or leather, used for storing wine in NT times. As the new wine fermented and expanded, it would stretch the new wineskins. Putting new (unfermented) wine in old wineskins, which had already been stretched, would result in the bursting of the wineskins.
144 sn The meaning of the saying new wine into new wineskins is that the presence and teaching of Jesus was something new and signaled the passing of the old. It could not be confined within the old religion of Judaism, but involved the inauguration and consummation of the kingdom of God.
145 tn Grk “And behold a woman.” 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).
146 sn Suffering from a hemorrhage. The woman was most likely suffering from a vaginal hemorrhage which would make her ritually unclean.
147 sn The edge of his cloak refers to the kraspedon, the blue tassel on the garment that symbolized a Jewish man’s obedience to the law (cf. Num 15:37-41). The woman thus touched the very part of Jesus’ clothing that indicated his ritual purity.
148 tn Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον (Jimation) denotes the outer garment in particular.
149 tn The imperfect verb is here taken iteratively, for the context suggests that the woman was trying to find the courage to touch Jesus’ cloak.
150 tn Grk “saved.”
sn In this pericope the author uses a term for being healed (Grk “saved”) that would have spiritual significance to his readers. It may be a double entendre (cf. parallel in Mark 5:28 which uses the same term), since elsewhere he uses verbs that simply mean “heal”: If only the reader would “touch” Jesus, he too would be “saved.”
151 tn Or “has delivered you”; Grk “has saved you.” This should not be understood as an expression for full salvation in the immediate context; it refers only to the woman’s healing.
152 tn Grk “saved.”
153 tn Grk “They were laughing at him.” The imperfect verb has been taken ingressively.
154 tn For the translation of τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην (thn ghn ekeinhn) as “that region,” see L&N 1.79.
155 tn Grk “shouting, saying.” The participle λέγοντες (legontes) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
156 sn Have mercy on us is a request for healing. It is not owed to the men. They simply ask for God’s kind grace.
157 sn There was a tradition in Judaism that the Son of David (Solomon) had great powers of healing (Josephus, Ant. 8.2.5 [8.42-49]).
158 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
159 tn Grk “to him, and Jesus.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek, but a new sentence was started here in the translation.
160 tn For the translation of τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην (thn ghn ekeinhn) as “that region,” see L&N 1.79.
161 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
162 tn Grk “away, behold, they brought a man to him.” 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).
163 sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.
164 tn Or “prince.”
165 tc Although codex Cantabrigiensis (D), along with a few other Western versional and patristic witnesses, lacks this verse, virtually all other witnesses have it. The Western text’s reputation for free alterations as well as the heightened climax if v. 33 concludes this pericope explains why these witnesses omitted the verse.
166 tn Or “cities.”
167 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
168 tn Grk “and every [kind of] sickness.” Here “every” was not repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
169 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
170 tn Or “because they had been bewildered and helpless.” The translational issue is whether the perfect participles are predicate (as in the text) or are pluperfect periphrastic (the alternate translation). If the latter, the implication would seem to be that the crowds had been in such a state until the Great Shepherd arrived.
171 sn The phrase Lord of the harvest recognizes God’s sovereignty over the harvest process.
172 tn Grk “to thrust out.”
