Joshua 2:1-24 
Context2:1 Joshua son of Nun sent two spies out from Shittim secretly and instructed them: 1 “Find out what you can about the land, especially Jericho.” 2 They stopped at the house of a prostitute named Rahab and spent the night there. 3 2:2 The king of Jericho received this report: “Note well! 4 Israelite men have come here tonight 5 to spy on the land.” 2:3 So the king of Jericho sent this order to Rahab: 6 “Turn over 7 the men who came to you 8 – the ones who came to your house 9 – for they have come to spy on the whole land!” 2:4 But the woman hid the two men 10 and replied, “Yes, these men were clients of mine, 11 but I didn’t know where they came from. 2:5 When it was time to shut the city gate for the night, the men left. 12 I don’t know where they were heading. Chase after them quickly, for you have time to catch them!” 2:6 (Now she had taken them up to the roof and had hidden them in the stalks of flax she had spread out 13 on the roof.) 2:7 Meanwhile 14 the king’s men tried to find them on the road to the Jordan River 15 near the fords. 16 The city gate was shut as soon as they set out in pursuit of them. 17
2:8 Now before the spies 18 went to sleep, Rahab 19 went up 20 to the roof. 2:9 She said to the men, “I know the Lord is handing this land over to you. 21 We are absolutely terrified of you, 22 and all who live in the land are cringing before 23 you. 24 2:10 For we heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you left Egypt and how you annihilated the two Amorite kings, Sihon and Og, on the other side of the Jordan. 25 2:11 When we heard the news we lost our courage and no one could even breathe for fear of you. 26 For the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on earth below! 2:12 So now, promise me this with an oath sworn in the Lord’s name. 27 Because I have shown allegiance to you, show allegiance to my family. 28 Give me a solemn pledge 29 2:13 that you will spare the lives of my father, mother, brothers, sisters, and all who belong to them, and rescue us 30 from death.” 2:14 The men said to her, “If you 31 die, may we die too! 32 If you do not report what we’ve been up to, 33 then, when the Lord hands the land over to us, we will show unswerving allegiance 34 to you.” 35
2:15 Then Rahab 36 let them down by a rope 37 through the window. (Her 38 house was built as part of the city wall; she lived in the wall.) 39 2:16 She told them, “Head 40 to the hill country, so the ones chasing you don’t find you. 41 Hide from them there for three days, long enough for those chasing you 42 to return. Then you can be on your way.” 2:17 The men said to her, “We are not bound by this oath you made us swear unless the following conditions are met: 43 2:18 When we invade the land 44 , tie this red rope 45 in the window through which you let us down, and gather together in your house your father, mother, brothers, and all who live in your father’s house. 46 2:19 Anyone who leaves your house will be responsible for his own death – we are innocent in that case! 47 But if anyone with you in the house is harmed, we will be responsible. 48 2:20 If you should report what we’ve been up to, 49 we are not bound by this oath you made us swear.” 2:21 She said, “I agree to these conditions.” 50 She sent them on their way 51 and then tied the red rope in the window. 2:22 They went 52 to the hill country and stayed there for three days, long enough for those chasing them 53 to return. Their pursuers 54 looked all along the way but did not find them. 55 2:23 Then the two men returned – they came down from the hills, crossed the river, 56 came to Joshua son of Nun, and reported to him all they had discovered. 2:24 They told Joshua, “Surely the Lord is handing over all the land to us! 57 All who live in the land are cringing before us!” 58
Psalms 123:1--125:5
ContextA song of ascents. 60
123:1 I look up 61 toward you,
the one enthroned 62 in heaven.
123:2 Look, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a female servant look to the hand of her mistress, 63
so my eyes will look to the Lord, our God, until he shows us favor.
123:3 Show us favor, O Lord, show us favor!
For we have had our fill of humiliation, and then some. 64
of the taunts of the self-assured,
of the contempt of the proud.
A song of ascents, 67 by David.
124:1 “If the Lord had not been on our side” –
let Israel say this! –
124:2 if the Lord had not been on our side,
when men attacked us, 68
124:3 they would have swallowed us alive,
when their anger raged against us.
124:4 The water would have overpowered us;
the current 69 would have overwhelmed 70 us. 71
124:5 The raging water
would have overwhelmed us. 72
124:6 The Lord deserves praise, 73
for 74 he did not hand us over as prey to their teeth.
124:7 We escaped with our lives, 75 like a bird from a hunter’s snare.
The snare broke, and we escaped.
124:8 Our deliverer is the Lord, 76
the Creator 77 of heaven and earth.
A song of ascents. 79
125:1 Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion;
it cannot be upended and will endure forever.
125:2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, 80
so the Lord surrounds his people,
now and forevermore.
125:3 Indeed, 81 the scepter of a wicked king 82 will not settle 83
upon the allotted land of the godly.
Otherwise the godly might
do what is wrong. 84
125:4 Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
to the morally upright! 85
125:5 As for those who are bent on traveling a sinful path, 86
may the Lord remove them, 87 along with those who behave wickedly! 88
May Israel experience peace! 89
Isaiah 62:1-12
Context62:1 “For the sake of Zion I will not be silent;
for the sake of Jerusalem 90 I will not be quiet,
until her vindication shines brightly 91
and her deliverance burns like a torch.”
62:2 Nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your splendor.
You will be called by a new name
that the Lord himself will give you. 92
62:3 You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord,
a royal turban in the hand of your God.
62:4 You will no longer be called, “Abandoned,”
and your land will no longer be called “Desolate.”
Indeed, 93 you will be called “My Delight is in Her,” 94
and your land “Married.” 95
For the Lord will take delight in you,
and your land will be married to him. 96
62:5 As a young man marries a young woman,
so your sons 97 will marry you.
As a bridegroom rejoices over a bride,
so your God will rejoice over you.
62:6 I 98 post watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem;
they should keep praying all day and all night. 99
You who pray to 100 the Lord, don’t be silent!
62:7 Don’t allow him to rest until he reestablishes Jerusalem, 101
until he makes Jerusalem the pride 102 of the earth.
62:8 The Lord swears an oath by his right hand,
by his strong arm: 103
“I will never again give your grain
to your enemies as food,
and foreigners will not drink your wine,
which you worked hard to produce.
62:9 But those who harvest the grain 104 will eat it,
and will praise the Lord.
Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine 105
in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”
62:10 Come through! Come through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people!
Build it! Build the roadway!
Remove the stones!
Lift a signal flag for the nations!
62:11 Look, the Lord announces to the entire earth: 106
“Say to Daughter Zion,
‘Look, your deliverer comes!
Look, his reward is with him
and his reward goes before him!’” 107
62:12 They will be called, “The Holy People,
the Ones Protected 108 by the Lord.”
You will be called, “Sought After,
City Not Abandoned.”
Matthew 10:1-42
Context10:1 Jesus 109 called his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits 110 so they could cast them out and heal every kind of disease and sickness. 111 10:2 Now these are the names of the twelve apostles: 112 first, Simon 113 (called Peter), and Andrew his brother; James son of Zebedee and John his brother; 10:3 Philip and Bartholomew; 114 Thomas 115 and Matthew the tax collector; 116 James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 117 10:4 Simon the Zealot 118 and Judas Iscariot, 119 who betrayed him. 120
10:5 Jesus sent out these twelve, instructing them as follows: 121 “Do not go to Gentile regions 122 and do not enter any Samaritan town. 123 10:6 Go 124 instead to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 10:7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, 125 cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 10:9 Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts, 10:10 no bag 126 for the journey, or an extra tunic, 127 or sandals or staff, 128 for the worker deserves his provisions. 10:11 Whenever 129 you enter a town or village, 130 find out who is worthy there 131 and stay with them 132 until you leave. 10:12 As you enter the house, give it greetings. 133 10:13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come on it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 134 10:14 And if anyone will not welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust off 135 your feet as you leave that house or that town. 10:15 I tell you the truth, 136 it will be more bearable for the region of Sodom and Gomorrah 137 on the day of judgment than for that town!
10:16 “I 138 am sending you out like sheep surrounded by wolves, 139 so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 10:17 Beware 140 of people, because they will hand you over to councils 141 and flog 142 you in their synagogues. 143 10:18 And you will be brought before governors and kings 144 because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles. 10:19 Whenever 145 they hand you over for trial, do not worry about how to speak or what to say, 146 for what you should say will be given to you at that time. 147 10:20 For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
10:21 “Brother 148 will hand over brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against 149 parents and have them put to death. 10:22 And you will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 10:23 Whenever 150 they persecute you in one place, 151 flee to another. I tell you the truth, 152 you will not finish going through all the towns 153 of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
10:24 “A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave 154 greater than his master. 10:25 It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!
10:26 “Do 155 not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden 156 that will not be revealed, 157 and nothing is secret that will not be made known. 10:27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear, 158 proclaim from the housetops. 159 10:28 Do 160 not be afraid of those who kill the body 161 but cannot kill the soul. Instead, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 162 10:29 Aren’t two sparrows sold for a penny? 163 Yet not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 164 10:30 Even all the hairs on your head are numbered. 10:31 So do not be afraid; 165 you are more valuable than many sparrows.
10:32 “Whoever, then, acknowledges 166 me before people, I will acknowledge 167 before my Father in heaven. 10:33 But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven.
10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring 168 peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace but a sword. 10:35 For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, 10:36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household. 169
10:37 “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 10:38 And whoever does not take up his cross 170 and follow me is not worthy of me. 10:39 Whoever finds his life 171 will lose it, 172 and whoever loses his life because of me 173 will find it.
10:40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. 174 10:41 Whoever receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. Whoever 175 receives a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 10:42 And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple, I tell you the truth, 176 he will never lose his reward.”
1 tn Heb “Joshua, son of Nun, sent from Shittim two men, spies, secretly, saying.”
2 tn Heb “go, see the land, and Jericho.”
map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.
3 tn Heb “they went and entered the house of a woman, a prostitute, and her name was Rahab, and they slept there.”
4 tn Or “look.”
5 tn Heb “men have come here tonight from the sons of Israel.”
6 tn Heb “and the king of Jericho sent to Rahab, saying.”
7 tn Heb “bring out.”
8 tn The idiom “come to” (בוֹא אֶל, bo’ ’el) probably has sexual connotations here, as it often does elsewhere when a man “comes to” a woman. If so, the phrase could be translated “your clients.” The instructions reflect Rahab’s perspective as to the identity of the men.
9 tn The words “the ones who came to your house” (Heb “who came to your house”) may be a euphemistic scribal addition designed to blur the sexual connotation of the preceding words.
10 tn Heb “The woman took the two men and hid him.” The third masculine singular pronominal suffix on “hid” has to be a scribal error (see GKC §135.p).
11 tn Heb “the men came to me.” See the note on this phrase in v. 3.
12 tn Heb “And the gate was to be shut in the darkness and the men went out.”
13 tn Heb “arranged in rows by her.”
14 tn Another way to translate vv. 6-7 would be, “While she took them up to the roof and hid them…, the king’s men tried to find them….” Both of the main clauses have the subject prior to the predicate, perhaps indicating simultaneous action. (On the grammatical point, see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 42, §235.) In this case Rahab moves the Israelite spies from the hiding place referred to in v. 4 to a safer and less accessible hiding place.
15 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but is supplied for clarity.
16 tn Heb “And the men chased after them [on] the road [leading to] the Jordan to the fords.” The text is written from the perspective of the king’s men. As far as they were concerned, they were chasing the spies.
17 tn Heb “And they shut the gate after – as soon as the ones chasing after them went out.” The expressions “after” and “as soon as” may represent a conflation of alternate readings.
18 tn Heb “they.”
19 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20 tn The Hebrew text adds, “to them.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has not been translated.
21 tn Heb “has given the land to you.” Rahab’s statement uses the Hebrew perfect, suggesting certitude.
22 tn Heb “terror of you has fallen upon us.”
23 tn Or “melting away because of.”
24 tn Both of these statements are actually subordinated to “I know” in the Hebrew text, which reads, “I know that the
25 tn Heb “and what you did to the two Amorite kings who were beyond the Jordan, Sihon and Og, how you annihilated them.”
26 tn Heb “And we heard and our heart[s] melted and there remained no longer breath in a man because of you.”
27 tn Heb “Now, swear to me by the
sn To swear an oath in the
28 tn Heb “with the house of my father.”
29 tn Heb “true sign,” that is, “an inviolable token or pledge.”
30 tn Or “our lives.”
31 tn The second person pronoun is masculine plural, indicating that Rahab’s entire family is in view.
32 tn Heb “Our lives in return for you to die.” If the lives of Rahab’s family are not spared, then the spies will pay for the broken vow with their own lives.
33 tn Heb “If you do not report this matter of ours.”
34 tn Heb “allegiance and faithfulness.” These virtual synonyms are joined in the translation as “unswerving allegiance” to emphasize the degree of promised loyalty.
35 tn The second person pronoun is feminine singular, referring specifically to Rahab.
36 tn Heb “she”; the referent (Rahab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
37 tc The phrase “by a rope” is omitted in the LXX. It may be a later clarifying addition. If original, the omission in the LXX is likely due to an error of homoioarcton. A scribe’s or translator’s eye could have jumped from the initial ב (bet) in the phrase בַּחֶבֶל (bakhevel, “with a rope”) to the initial ב on the immediately following בְּעַד (bÿ’ad, “through”) and accidentally omitted the intervening letters.
38 tn Heb “For her house.”
39 tc These explanatory statements are omitted in the LXX and probably represent a later scribal addition.
40 tn Heb “Go.”
41 tn Heb “so that the pursuers might not meet you.”
42 tn Heb “the pursuers.” The object (“you”) is not in the Hebrew text but is implied.
43 tn Heb “We are free from this oath of yours which you made us swear.” The words “unless the following conditions are met” are not in the Hebrew text, but are added for clarification.
44 tn Heb “Look! We are about to enter the land.”
45 tn Heb “the cord of this red thread.”
46 tn Heb “and your father and your mother and your brothers and all the house of your father gather to yourself to the house.”
47 tn Heb “Anyone who goes out from the doors of your house to the outside, his blood is on his head. We are innocent.”
48 tn Heb “But anyone who is with you in the house, his blood is on our head if a hand should be on him.”
49 tn Heb “and if you report this matter of ours.”
50 tn Heb “According to your words, so it [will be].”
51 tn Heb “she sent them away and they went.”
52 tn Heb “they went and came.”
53 tn Heb “the pursuers.” The object (“them”) is added for clarification.
54 tn Heb “the ones chasing them.” This has been rendered as “their pursuers” in the translation to avoid redundancy with the preceding clause.
55 tn Heb “The pursuers looked in all the way and did not find [them].”
56 tn The words “the river,” though not in the Hebrew text, are added for clarification.
57 tn Heb “Surely the
58 tn Heb “are melting away because of us.”
59 sn Psalm 123. The psalmist, speaking for God’s people, acknowledges his dependence on God in the midst of a crisis.
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 “I lift my eyes.”
62 tn Heb “sitting.” The Hebrew verb יָשַׁב (yashav) is here used metonymically of “sitting enthroned” (see Pss 9:7; 29:10; 55:19; 102:12).
63 sn Servants look to their master for food, shelter, and other basic needs.
64 tn Heb “for greatly we are filled [with] humiliation.”
65 tn Heb “greatly our soul is full to it.”
66 sn Psalm 124. Israel acknowledges that the Lord delivered them from certain disaster.
67 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.
68 tn Heb “rose up against us.”
69 tn Or “stream.”
70 tn Heb “would have passed over.”
71 tn Heb “our being.” The Hebrew term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh) with a pronominal suffix is often equivalent to a pronoun, especially in poetry (see BDB 660 s.v. נֶפֶשׁ 4.a).
72 tn Heb “then they would have passed over our being, the raging waters.”
73 tn Heb “blessed [be] the
74 tn Heb “[the one] who.”
75 tn Heb “our life escaped.”
76 tn Heb “our help [is] in the name of the
77 tn Or “Maker.”
78 sn Psalm 125. The psalmist affirms his confidence in the Lord’s protection and justice.
79 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.
80 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
81 tn Or “for.”
82 tn Heb “a scepter of wickedness.” The “scepter” symbolizes royal authority; when collocated with “wickedness” the phrase refers to an oppressive foreign conqueror.
83 tn Or “rest.”
84 tn Heb “so that the godly might not stretch out their hands in wrongdoing.” A wicked king who sets a sinful example can have an adverse moral and ethical effect on the people he rules.
85 tn Heb “pure of heart.” The “heart” is here viewed as the seat of one’s moral character and motives. The “pure of heart” are God’s faithful followers who trust in and love the
86 tn Heb “and the ones making their paths twisted.” A sinful lifestyle is compared to a twisting, winding road.
87 tn Heb “lead them away.” The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer here (note the prayers directly before and after this). Another option is to translate, “the
88 tn Heb “the workers of wickedness.”
89 tn Heb “peace [be] upon Israel.” The statement is understood as a prayer (see Ps 122:8 for a similar prayer for peace).
90 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
91 tn Heb “goes forth like brightness.”
92 tn Heb “which the mouth of the Lord will designate.”
93 tn Or “for”; KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV “but.”
94 tn Hebrew חֶפְצִי־בָהּ (kheftsi-vah), traditionally transliterated “Hephzibah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
95 tn Hebrew בְּעוּלָה (bÿ’ulah), traditionally transliterated “Beulah” (so KJV, ASV, NIV).
96 tn That is, the land will be restored to the Lord’s favor and once again enjoy his blessing and protection. To indicate the land’s relationship to the Lord, the words “to him” have been supplied at the end of the clause.
97 tc The Hebrew text has “your sons,” but this produces an odd metaphor and is somewhat incongruous with the parallelism. In the context (v. 4b, see also 54:5-7) the Lord is the one who “marries” Zion. Therefore several prefer to emend “your sons” to בֹּנָיִךְ (bonayikh, “your builder”; e.g., NRSV). In Ps 147:2 the Lord is called the “builder of Jerusalem.” However, this emendation is not the best option for at least four reasons. First, although the Lord is never called the “builder” of Jerusalem in Isaiah, the idea of Zion’s children possessing the land does occur (Isa 49:20; 54:3; cf. also 14:1; 60:21). Secondly, all the ancient versions support the MT reading. Thirdly, although the verb בָּעַל (ba’al) can mean “to marry,” its basic idea is “to possess.” Consequently, the verb stresses a relationship more than a state. All the ancient versions render this verb “to dwell in” or “to dwell with.” The point is not just that the land will be reinhabited, but that it will be in a relationship of “belonging” to the Israelites. Hence a relational verb like בָּעַל is used (J. N. Oswalt, Isaiah [NICOT], 2:581). Finally, “sons” is a well-known metaphor for “inhabitants” (J. de Waard, Isaiah, 208).
98 sn The speaker here is probably the prophet.
99 tn Heb “all day and all night continually they do not keep silent.” The following lines suggest that they pray for the Lord’s intervention and restoration of the city.
100 tn Or “invoke”; NIV “call on”; NASB, NRSV “remind.”
101 tn “Jerusalem” is supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons; note the following line.
102 tn Heb “[the object of] praise.”
103 tn The Lord’s right hand and strong arm here symbolize his power and remind the audience that his might guarantees the fulfillment of the following promise.
104 tn Heb “it,” the grain mentioned in v. 8a.
105 tn Heb “and those who gather it will drink it.” The masculine singular pronominal suffixes attached to “gather” and “drink” refer back to the masculine noun תִּירוֹשׁ (tirosh, “wine”) in v. 8b.
106 tn Heb “to the end of the earth” (so NASB, NRSV).
107 sn As v. 12 indicates, the returning exiles are the Lord’s reward/prize. See also 40:10 and the note there.
108 tn Or “the redeemed of the Lord” (KJV, NAB).
109 tn Grk “And he.”
110 sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.
111 tn Grk “and every [kind of] sickness.” Here “every” was not repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
112 sn The term apostles is rare in the gospels, found only here, Mark 3:14, and six more times in Luke (6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10).
113 sn In the various lists of the twelve, Simon (that is, Peter) is always mentioned first (see also Mark 3:16-19; Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:13) and the first four are always the same, though not in the same order after Peter.
114 sn Bartholomew (meaning “son of Tolmai” in Aramaic) could be another name for Nathanael mentioned in John 1:45.
115 sn This is the “doubting Thomas” of John 20:24-29.
116 sn See the note on tax collectors in 5:46.
117 tc Witnesses differ on the identification of the last disciple mentioned in v. 3: He is called Λεββαῖος (Lebbaio", “Lebbaeus”) in D, Judas Zelotes in it, and not present in sys. The Byzantine text, along with a few others (C[*],2 L W Θ Ë1 33 Ï), conflates earlier readings by calling him “Lebbaeus, who was called Thaddaeus,” while codex 13 pc conflate by way of transposition (“Thaddaeus, who was called Lebbaeus”). But excellent witnesses of the earliest texttypes (א B Ë13 892 pc lat co) call him merely Θαδδαῖος (Qaddaio", “Thaddaeus”), a reading which, because of this support, is most likely correct.
118 tn Grk “the Cananean,” but according to both BDAG 507 s.v. Καναναῖος and L&N 11.88, this term has no relation at all to the geographical terms for Cana or Canaan, but is derived from the Aramaic term for “enthusiast, zealot” (see Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), possibly because of an earlier affiliation with the party of the Zealots. He may not have been technically a member of the particular Jewish nationalistic party known as “Zealots” (since according to some scholars this party had not been organized at that time), but simply someone who was zealous for Jewish independence from Rome, in which case the term would refer to his temperament.
119 sn There is some debate about what the name Iscariot means. It probably alludes to a region in Judea and thus might make Judas the only non-Galilean in the group. Several explanations for the name Iscariot have been proposed, but it is probably transliterated Hebrew with the meaning “man of Kerioth” (there are at least two villages that had that name). For further discussion see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 1:546; also D. A. Carson, John, 304.
120 tn Grk “who even betrayed him.”
121 tn Grk “instructing them, saying.”
122 tn Grk “on the road of the Gentiles.” That is, a path that leads to Gentile regions.
123 tn Grk “town [or city] of the Samaritans.”
124 tn Grk “But go.” The Greek μᾶλλον (mallon, “rather, instead”) conveys the adversative nuance here so that δέ (de) has not been translated.
125 tc The majority of Byzantine minuscules, along with a few other witnesses (C3 K L Γ Θ 700* al), lack νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε (nekrou" ejgeirete, “raise the dead”), most likely because of oversight due to a string of similar endings (-ετε in the second person imperatives, occurring five times in v. 8). The longer version of this verse is found in several diverse and ancient witnesses such as א B C* (D) N 0281vid Ë1,13 33 565 al lat; P W Δ 348 have a word-order variation, but nevertheless include νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε. Although some Byzantine-text proponents charge the Alexandrian witnesses with theologically-motivated alterations toward heterodoxy, it is interesting to find a variant such as this in which the charge could be reversed (do the Byzantine scribes have something against the miracle of resurrection?). In reality, such charges of wholesale theologically-motivated changes toward heterodoxy are immediately suspect due to lack of evidence of intentional changes (here the change is evidently due to accidental omission).
126 tn Or “no traveler’s bag”; or possibly “no beggar’s bag” (L&N 6.145; BDAG 811 s.v. πήρα).
127 tn Grk “two tunics.” See the note on the word “tunic” in Matt 5:40.
128 sn Mark 6:8 allows one staff. It might be that Matthew’s summary (cf. Luke 9:3) means not taking an extra staff or that the expression is merely rhetorical for “traveling light” which has been rendered in two slightly different ways.
129 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
130 tn Grk “Into whatever town or village you enter.” This acts as a distributive, meaning every town or village they enter; this is expressed more naturally in English as “whenever you enter a town or village.”
131 tn Grk “in it” (referring to the city or village).
132 tn Grk “there.” This was translated as “with them” to avoid redundancy in English and to clarify where the disciples were to stay.
sn Jesus telling his disciples to stay with them in one house contrasts with the practice of religious philosophers in the ancient world who went from house to house begging.
133 tn This is a metonymy; the “house” is put for those who live in it.
134 sn The response to these messengers determines how God’s blessing is bestowed – if the messengers are not welcomed, their blessing will return to them. Jesus shows just how important their mission is by this remark.
135 sn To shake the dust off represented shaking off the uncleanness from one’s feet; see Luke 10:11; Acts 13:51; 18:6. It was a sign of rejection.
136 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
137 sn The allusion to Sodom and Gomorrah, the most wicked of OT cities from Gen 19:1-29, shows that to reject the current message is even more serious than the worst sins of the old era and will result in more severe punishment.
138 tn Grk “Behold I.” 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).
139 sn This imagery of wolves is found in intertestamental Judaism; see Pss. Sol. 8:23, 30.
140 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
141 sn Councils in this context refers to local judicial bodies attached to the Jewish synagogue. This group would be responsible for meting out justice and discipline within the Jewish community.
142 tn BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1.a states, “of flogging as a punishment decreed by the synagogue (Dt 25:2f; s. the Mishna Tractate Sanhedrin-Makkoth, edited w. notes by SKrauss ’33) w. acc. of pers. Mt 10:17; 23:34.”
143 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
144 sn These statements look at persecution both from a Jewish context as the mention of courts and synagogues suggests, and from a Gentile one as the reference to governors and kings suggests. Some fulfillment of Jewish persecution can be seen in Acts.
145 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
146 tn Grk “how or what you might speak.”
147 tn Grk “in that hour.”
148 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
149 tn Or “will rebel against.”
150 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
151 tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis), which can mean either “town” or “city.”
152 tn Grk “For truly (ἀμήν, amhn) I say to you.” Here γάρ (gar, “for”) has not been translated.
153 tn The Greek word here is πόλις (polis), which can mean either “town” or “city.” “Town” was chosen here to emphasize the extensive nature of the disciples’ ministry. The same word is translated earlier in the verse as “place.”
154 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
155 tn Grk “Therefore do not.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
156 tn Or “concealed.”
157 sn I.e., be revealed by God. The passive voice here and in the next verb see the revelation as coming from God. The text is both a warning about bad things being revealed and an encouragement that good things will be made known.
158 tn Grk “what you hear in the ear,” an idiom.
159 tn The expression “proclaim from the housetops” is an idiom for proclaiming something publicly (L&N 7.51). Roofs of many first century Jewish houses in Judea and Galilee were flat and had access either from outside or from within the house. Something shouted from atop a house would be heard by everyone in the street below.
160 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
161 sn Judaism had a similar exhortation in 4 Macc 13:14-15.
162 sn See the note on the word hell in 5:22.
163 sn The penny refers to an assarion, a small Roman copper coin. One of them was worth one-sixteenth of a denarius or less than a half hour’s average wage. Sparrows were the cheapest items sold in the market. God knows about even the most financially insignificant things; see Isa 49:15.
164 tn Or “to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father.”
165 sn Do not be afraid. One should respect and show reverence to God, but need not fear his tender care.
166 tn Or “confesses.”
167 tn Grk “I will acknowledge him also.”
sn This acknowledgment will take place at the judgment. On Jesus and judgment, see Luke 22:69; Acts 10:42-43; 17:31.
168 tn Grk “cast.” For βάλλω (ballw) in the sense of causing a state or condition, see L&N 13.14.
169 tn Matt 10:35-36 are an allusion to Mic 7:6.
170 sn It was customary practice in a Roman crucifixion for the prisoner to be made to carry his own cross. Jesus is speaking figuratively here in the context of rejection. If the priority is not one’s allegiance to Jesus, then one will not follow him in the face of possible rejection.
171 tn Grk “his soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.
172 sn If there is no willingness to suffer the world’s rejection at this point, then one will not respond to Jesus (which is trying to find life) and then will be subject to this judgment (which is losing it).
173 tn Or “for my sake.” The traditional rendering “for my sake” can be understood in the sense of “for my benefit,” but the Greek term ἕνεκα indicates the cause or reason for something (BDAG 334 s.v. 1).
174 sn The one who sent me refers to God.
175 tn Grk “And whoever.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
176 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
