⁶ tn Grk “my letter grieved you.”

¹ tn That is, “letter of recommendation.”

³ sn The smallest letter refers to the smallest Hebrew letter (yod) and the stroke of a letter to a serif (a hook or projection on a Hebrew letter).

² sn My letter. Paul is referring to the “severe” letter mentioned in 2 Cor 2:4.

³ sn This letter is otherwise unknown, but some have suggested that it is the letter known today as Ephesians.

² tn The word translated “mark” is in Hebrew the letter ת (tav). Outside this context the only other occurrence of the word is in Job 31:35. In ancient Hebrew script this letter was written like the letter X.

³ sn With my own hand. Paul may have considered this letter so delicate that he wrote the letter himself as opposed to using an amanuensis or secretary.

¹ tn The translation “to write a letter, to send a letter to” for ἐπιστέλλω (epistellō) is given in L&N 33.49.

¹ tn Grk “as also in all his letters speaking in them of these things.”

² tn The relative pronoun is plural, indicating that the following statement is true about both letters.

² tn Grk “that you were taught whether by word or by letter of ours.”

² tn Grk “in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter.”

¹ sn Many interpreters see Rom 5:1 as beginning the second major division of the letter.

¹ tn Grk “writing by their hand” (an idiom for sending a letter).

¹ tn Or “one small part of a letter” (L&N 33.37).

⁵ tn Heb “letters.” Though GKC 397 §124.b, n. 1 denies it, this is probably a case of the plural of extension. For a similar usage see Isa 37:14, where the plural “letters” is referred to later as an “it.” Even if there were other “letters,” the focus is on the letter to Zephaniah.

² tc The Greek version and Smr have “Ad[d]i,” probably by confusion of letters.

¹ tn The Masoretic accents indicate that the phrase “to Artaxerxes the king” goes with what precedes and that the letter begins with the words “from your servants.” But it seems better to understand the letter to begin by identifying the addressee.

¹ tn The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.

¹ tn The word “From” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied to indicate the sender of the letter.