6:5 “Whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while standing in synagogues 5 and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly I say to you, they have their reward.
6:16 “When 6 you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces unattractive 7 so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, 8 they have their reward.
11:25 At that time Jesus said, 24 “I praise 25 you, Father, Lord 26 of heaven and earth, because 27 you have hidden these things from the wise 28 and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.
12:18 “Here is 31 my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I take great delight. 32
I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
18:6 “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, 33 it would be better for him to have a huge millstone 34 hung around his neck and to be drowned in the open sea. 35
21:42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the scriptures:
‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 40
This is from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? 41
1 sn On this word here and in the following verse, see the note on the word hell in 5:22.
2 tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today. The giving of alms was highly regarded in the ancient world (Deut 15:7-11).
3 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
4 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
5 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
6 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
7 tn Here the term “disfigure” used in a number of translations was not used because it could convey to the modern reader the notion of mutilation. L&N 79.17 states, “‘to make unsightly, to disfigure, to make ugly.’ ἀφανίζουσιν γὰρ τὰ πρόσωπα αὐτῶν ‘for they make their faces unsightly’ Mt 6:16.”
8 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
9 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
10 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
11 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.
12 tn Grk “they”; the referent (some unnamed people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 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.
14 sn The plural pronoun their makes it clear that Jesus was responding to the faith of the entire group, not just the paralyzed man.
15 sn The passive voice here is a divine passive (ExSyn 437). It is clear that God does the forgiving.
16 sn Chorazin was a town of Galilee that was probably fairly small in contrast to Bethsaida and is otherwise unattested. Bethsaida was declared a polis by the tetrarch Herod Philip, sometime after
17 tn This introduces a second class (contrary to fact) condition in the Greek text.
18 tn Or “powerful deeds.”
19 map For location see Map1-A2; Map2-G2; Map4-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
20 sn Tyre and Sidon are two other notorious OT cities (Isa 23; Jer 25:22; 47:4). The remark is a severe rebuke, in effect: “Even the sinners of the old era would have responded to the proclamation of the kingdom, unlike you!”
map For location see Map1-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3.
21 sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.
map For location see Map1-D2; Map2-C3; Map3-B2.
22 tn The interrogative particle introducing this question expects a negative reply.
23 sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Luke 10:15; 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).
24 tn Grk “At that time, answering, Jesus said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.
25 tn Or “thank.”
26 sn The title Lord is an important name for God, showing his sovereignty, but it is interesting that it comes next to a reference to the Father, a term indicative of God’s care. The two concepts are often related in the NT; see Eph 1:3-6.
27 tn Or “that.”
28 sn See 1 Cor 1:26-31.
29 sn This verse has been noted for its conceptual similarity to teaching in John’s Gospel (10:15; 17:2). The authority of the Son and the Father are totally intertwined.
30 tn Or “wishes”; or “intends”; or “plans” (cf. BDAG 182 s.v. βούλομαι 2.b). Here it is the Son who has sovereignty.
31 tn Grk “Behold my servant.”
32 tn Grk “in whom my soul is well pleased.”
33 tn The Greek term σκανδαλίζω (skandalizw), translated here “causes to sin” can also be translated “offends” or “causes to stumble.”
34 tn Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Mark 9:42.
sn The punishment of drowning with a heavy weight attached is extremely gruesome and reflects Jesus’ views concerning those who cause others who believe in him to sin.
35 tn The term translated “open” here (πελάγει, pelagei) refers to the open sea as opposed to a stretch of water near a coastline (BDAG 794 s.v. πέλαγος). A similar English expression would be “the high seas.”
36 tn Grk “than having.”
37 tn Grk “the Gehenna of fire.”
sn See the note on the word hell in 5:22.
38 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
39 sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward: You will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.
40 tn Or “capstone,” “keystone.” Although these meanings are lexically possible, the imagery in Eph 2:20-22 and 1 Cor 3:11 indicates that the term κεφαλὴ γωνίας (kefalh gwnia") refers to a cornerstone, not a capstone.
sn The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. The use of Ps 118:22-23 and the “stone imagery” as a reference to Christ and his suffering and exaltation is common in the NT (see also Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17; Acts 4:11; 1 Pet 2:6-8; cf. also Eph 2:20). The irony in the use of Ps 118:22-23 here is that in the OT, Israel was the one rejected (or perhaps her king) by the Gentiles, but in the NT it is Jesus who is rejected by Israel.
41 sn A quotation from Ps 118:22-23.
42 tn Grk “His master said to him.”
43 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).
44 tn Grk “and” (καί, kai), a conjunction that is elastic enough to be used to indicate a contrast, as here.
45 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.
46 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.
47 sn An allusion to Dan 7:13 (see also Matt 24:30).
48 tn Grk “And behold he.” 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).