Who Am I? Part 16

Posted on March 21, 2024 by admin

This is a continuation of my consideration of “5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith” by Kristi Burke. Her first Bible passage was “Romans 9…the starting point of my deconstruction journey.”¹ Though she began with verse 16, I started at the beginning of the chapter to gain some context.

I’ll pick up where I left off (Romans 9:22-24 NET):

But what if God, willing (θέλων, a form of θέλω) to demonstrate (ἐνδείξασθαι, a form of ἐνδείκνυμι) his wrath (Romans 1:18-32) and to make known his power, has endured with much patience the objects of wrath prepared for destruction? And what if he is willing to make known the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy that he has prepared beforehand for glory—even us, whom he has called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?

God’s demonstration of this contrast between the wealth of his glory on the objects of mercy and his wrath on those who prepared themselves for destruction offended Ms. Burke: “I was fed one version of god who was a loving father but I’m learning about this completely different god who intentionally creates people to go to hell.”² If I believed that the Lord’s wish…for all to come to repentance³ was subordinate to the wishes of every individual, I might be troubled by this, too. Apart from the Lord’s intervention—he has prepared beforehand (προητοίμασεν, a form of προετοιμάζω) for glory—we all share an innate propensity to prepare ourselves for destruction. But I believe that God has consigned all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all⁴ and that Jesus will draw all to Himself.⁵

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”⁶ the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas (Acts 16:31a NET Table):

They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved…”

I can read this verse as written now, believing that I am saved primarily from my own sinfulness. When I believed what I was taught (or imagined I was being taught) in church, I believed that I was saved primarily from hell. I was explicitly instructed to add “before you die” as a condition to faith:

Believe in the Lord Jesus [before you die] and you will be saved [from hell].

I surveyed the 10 occurrences of forms of ᾅδης in the New Testament (see table below). All were translated hell in the KJV. Obviously, to be saved from KJV hell, one must trust the Lord before one dies. And there was a time I thought KJV hell was synonymous with the lake of fire of the final judgment (Revelation 20:11-15 NET).

Then I saw a large white throne and the one who was seated on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Then books were opened, and another book was opened—the book of life. So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds [Table]. The sea gave up the⁷ dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the⁸ dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire [Table]. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire.

There were 66 occurrences of forms of שְׁאוֹל (šᵊ’ôl) in the Masoretic text (see table below); 31 of them were translated hell in the KJV. Most forms of שְׁאוֹל (šᵊ’ôl) in the Masoretic text were translated with forms of ᾅδης in the Septuagint. Most occurrences of forms of שְׁאוֹל (šᵊ’ôl) mirror death as we perceive it.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Ecclesiastes 9:10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NET)	Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NETS)	Ecclesiastes 9:10 (English Elpenor)
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave (בִּשְׁא֕וֹל), whither thou goest.	Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave (šᵊ’ôl, בשאול), the place where you will eventually go.	Whatever your hand finds to do, as is your might, do! For there is no work and reasoning and knowledge and wisdom in Hades (ἐν ᾅδῃ), where you are going.	Whatsoever thine hand shall find to do, do with all thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Hades (ἐν ᾅδῃ) wither thou goest.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 14:11 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 14:11 (NET)	Isaiah 14:11 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:11 (English Elpenor)
Thy pomp is brought down to the grave (שְׁא֛וֹל), and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.	Your splendor has been brought down to Sheol (šᵊ’ôl, שאול), as well as the sound of your stringed instruments. You lie on a bed of maggots, with a blanket of worms over you.’	But your glory has gone down to Hades (εἰς ᾅδου)—your abundant joy; they will spread decay beneath you, and a worm will be your covering.	Thy glory has come down to Hades (εἰς ᾅδου), and thy great mirth: under thee they shall spread corruption, and the worm shall be thy covering.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 38:18 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 38:18 (NET)	Isaiah 38:18 (NETS)	Isaiah 38:18 (English Elpenor)
For the grave (שְׁא֛וֹל) cannot praise thee, death (מָ֣וֶת) can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit (ב֖וֹר) cannot hope for thy truth.	Indeed Sheol (šᵊ’ôl, שאול) does not give you thanks; death (māveṯ, מות) does not praise you. Those who descend into the Pit (bôr, בור) do not anticipate your faithfulness.	For those who are in Hades (ἐν ᾅδου) will not praise you, nor will the dead (οἱ ἀποθανόντες) bless you, nor will those who are in Hades (ἐν ᾅδου) hope for your mercy.	For they that are in the grave (ἐν ᾅδου) shall not praise thee, neither shall the dead (οἱ ἀποθανόντες) bless thee, neither shall they that are in Hades (ἐν ᾅδου) hope for thy mercy.

This very human understanding of death corresponds to the euphemism fallen asleep (κεκοίμηται, a form of κοιμάω) as Jesus used it (John 11:11b-15a NET):

“Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep (κεκοίμηται, a form of κοιμάω). But I am going there to awaken him.” Then the disciples replied,⁹ “Lord, if he has fallen asleep (κεκοίμηται, a form of κοιμάω), he will recover.” (Now Jesus had been talking about his death [θανάτου, a form of θάνατος], but they thought he had been talking about real sleep [τῆς κοιμήσεως τοῦ ὕπνου].)

Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died (ἀπέθανεν, a form of ἀποθνήσκω)…

Paul used κοιμηθησόμεθα (another form of κοιμάω) in a similar way (1 Corinthians 15:51, 52 NET):

Listen, I will tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep (κοιμηθησόμεθα), but we will all be changed [Table]—in a moment, in the blinking of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead (νεκροὶ, a form of νεκρός) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

Now some Sadducees (who contend that there is no resurrection)¹⁰ asked Jesus a trick question about a woman and seven brothers: “In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman¹¹ be? For all seven had married her.”¹² First, Jesus corrected their misunderstanding of the coming age (Luke 20:34, 35 NET):

So Jesus¹³ said to them, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.¹⁴ But those who are regarded as worthy to share in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.¹⁵

Then Jesus elaborated on the resurrection (Luke 20:36, 37 NET):

In fact, they can no¹⁶ longer die (ἀποθανεῖν, another form of ἀποθνήσκω) because they are equal to angels (ἰσάγγελοι, a form of ἰσάγγελος) and are sons of God,¹⁷ since they are sons of the resurrection. But even Moses revealed that the dead are raised in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob [Table].

Jesus went one step further to affirm something about God and those who have died as we perceive death (Luke 20:38 NET):

Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.

The Greek word translated live was ζῶσιν, a form of ζάω in the present tense. Technically, ζῶσιν might also indicate the subjunctive mood, “for all may live before him,” but I found no English translation other¹⁸ than the indicative mood.

One occurrence (perhaps two) of שְׁאוֹל (šᵊ’ôl) in the Masoretic text conveys this idea of living (ζώντων) inhabitants.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Isaiah 14:9, 10 (Tanakh/KJV)	Isaiah 14:9, 10 (NET)	Isaiah 14:9, 10 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:9, 10 (English Elpenor)
Hell (שְׁא֗וֹל) from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.	Sheol (šᵊ’ôl, שאול) below is stirred up about you, ready to meet you when you arrive. It rouses the spirits of the dead for you, all the former leaders of the earth; it makes all the former kings of the nations rise from their thrones.	Hades (ὁ ᾅδης) beneath was embittered on meeting you; all the mighty who have ruled the earth rose up together against you—those who have roused from their thrones all the kings of the nations.	Hell (ὁ ᾅδης) from beneath is provoked to meet thee: all the great ones that have ruled over the earth have risen up together against thee, they that have raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?	All of them respond to you, saying: ‘You too have become weak like us! You have become just like us!	All will answer and say to you: “You too were taken even as we were, and you were counted among us!”	All shall answer and say to thee, Thou also hast been taken, even as we; and thou art numbered amongst us.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Ezekiel 32:21 (Tanakh/KJV)	Ezekiel 32:21 (NET)	Ezekiel 32:21 (NETS)	Ezekiel 32:21 (English Elpenor)
The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell (שְׁא֖וֹל) with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.	The bravest of the warriors will speak to him from the midst of Sheol (šᵊ’ôl, שאול) along with his allies, saying: ‘The uncircumcised have come down; they lie still, killed by the sword.’	And the giants in the depth of the hole (βόθρου) shall say to you, “You are greater than whom? Descend, and lie with the uncircumcised in the midst of those wounded by dagger.”	the giants also shall say to thee, Be thou in the depth of the pit (βόθρου): to whom art thou superior? yea, go down, and lie with the uncircumcised, in the midst of them [that are] slain with the sword.

Jesus described a rich man in Hades calling out to Abraham (Luke 16:23, 24 NET):

And in Hades (τῷ ᾅδῃ), as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side [Table]. So he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue because I am in anguish in this fire.’

This survey helped me to understand why eternal life wasn’t about living forever when Jesus prayed: Now this is eternal life—that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.¹⁹ More to the point in this essay, given that even Paul wrote of those who have fallen asleep in Christ,²⁰ waiting to rise in the resurrection at the last day,²¹ it focused my attention on the question: What gave anyone hope that believing in the Lord Jesus, even before one dies, might save one from KJV hell?

Three²² Scriptures come to mind. I’ll consider those in another essay. The tables mentioned above follow:

English Translations of Forms of ᾅδης
Reference	Greek	KJV	NET
Matthew 11:23	ᾅδου	to hell	to Hades
Matthew 16:18	ᾅδου	of hell	of Hades
Luke 10:15	ᾅδου	to hell	to Hades
Luke 16:23	ᾅδῃ	hell	Hades
Acts 2:27	ᾅδην	hell	Hades
Acts 2:31	ᾅδην	hell	Hades
Revelation 1:18	ᾅδου	of hell	of Hades
Revelation 6:8	ᾅδης	Hell	Hades
Revelation 20:13	ᾅδης	hell	Hades
Revelation 20:14	ᾅδης	hell	Hades

English Translations of Forms of שְׁאוֹל (šᵊ’ôl)
Reference	Hebrew	KJV	NET	Septuagint (BLB/Elpenor)
Genesis 37:35	שאלה	into the grave	to the grave	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Genesis 42:38	שאולה	to the grave	to the grave	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ἅδου
Genesis 44:29	שאלה	to the grave	to the grave	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Genesis 44:31	שאלה	to the grave	to the grave	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Numbers 16:30	שאלה	into the pit	to the grave	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Numbers 16:33	שאלה	into the pit	into the pit	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Deuteronomy 32:22	שאול	hell	Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
1 Samuel (1 Kings) 2:6	שאול	to the grave	to the grave	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
2 Samuel (2 Kings) 22:6	שאול	of hell	of Sheol	θανάτου / θανάτου
1 Kings (3 Kings) 2:6	שאל	to the grave	death	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
1 Kings (3 Kings) 2:9	שאול	to the grave	death	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Job 7:9	שאול	to the grave	to the grave	εἰς ᾅδην / εἰς ᾄδην
Job 11:8	משאול	than hell	than Sheol	τῶν ἐν ᾅδου / τῶν ἐν ᾃδου
Job 14:13	בשאול	in the grave	in Sheol	ἐν ᾅδῃ / ἐν ᾅδῃ
Job 17:13	שאול	the grave	the grave	ᾅδης / ᾅδης
Job 17:16	שאל	of the pit	of death	εἰς ᾅδην / εἰς ᾅδην
Job 21:13	שאול	to the grave	to the grave	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Job 24:19	שאול	the grave	the grave	na / na
Job 26:6	שאול	Hell	The underworld	ὁ ᾅδης / ὁ ᾅδης
Psalm 6:5 (6:6)	בשאול	in the grave	In Sheol	ἐν δὲ τῷ ᾅδῃ / ἐν δὲ τῷ ῞ᾼδῃ
Psalm 9:17 (9:18)	לשאולה	into hell	sent to Sheol	εἰς τὸν ᾅδην / εἰς τὸν ᾅδην
Psalm 16:10 (15:10)	לשאול	in hell	to Sheol	εἰς ᾅδην / εἰς ᾅδην
Psalm 18:5 (17:6)	שאול	of hell	of Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Psalm 30:3 (29:4)	שאול	the grave	Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Psalm 31:17 (30:18)	לשאול	in the grave	to the grave	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Psalm 49:14 (48:15)	לשאול	in the grave	to Sheol	ἐν ᾅδῃ / ἐν ᾅδῃ
Psalm 49:14 (48:15)	שאול	in the grave	Sheol	ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ / ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ
Psalm 49:15 (48:16)	שאול	of the grave	of Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Psalm 55:15 (54:16)	שאול	into hell	into Sheol	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Psalm 86:13 (85:13)	משאול	hell	of Sheol	ἐξ ᾅδου / ἐξ ᾅδου
Psalm 88:3 (87:4)	לשאול	unto the grave	Sheol	τῷ ᾅδῃ / τῷ ᾅδῃ
Psalm 89:48 (88:49)	שאול	of the grave	of Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Psalm 116:3 (114:3)	שאול	of hell	of Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Psalm 139:9 (138:8)	שאול	in hell	in Sheol	εἰς τὸν ᾅδην / εἰς τὸν ᾅδην
Psalm 141:7	שאול	grave’s	of Sheol	τὸν ᾅδην / τὸν ᾅδην
Proverbs 1:12	כשאול	as the grave	like Sheol	ὥσπερ ᾅδης / ὥσπερ ᾅδης
Proverbs 5:5	שאול	on hell	to the grave	εἰς τὸν ᾅδην / εἰς τὸν ᾅδην
Proverbs 7:27	שאול	to hell	to the grave	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Proverbs 9:18	שאול	of hell	of the grave	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Proverbs 15:11	שאול	Hell	Death	ᾅδης / ᾅδης
Proverbs 15:24	משאול	from hell	to Sheol	ἐκ τοῦ ᾅδου / ἐκ τοῦ ᾅδου
Proverbs 23:14	משאול	from hell	from death	ἐκ θανάτου / ἐκ θανάτου
Proverbs 27:20	שאול	Hell	Death	ᾅδης / ᾅδης
Proverbs 30:16	שאול	The grave	the grave	ᾅδης / na
Ecclesiastes 9:10	בשאול	in the grave	in the grave	ἐν ᾅδῃ / ἐν ᾅδῃ
Song of Songs 8:6	כשאול	as the grave	as Sheol	ὡς ᾅδης / ὡς ᾅδης
Isaiah 5:14	שאול	hell	Death	ὁ ᾅδης / ὁ ᾅδης
Isaiah 7:11	שאלה	ask it	as Sheol (Note 17)	na / na
Isaiah 14:9	שאול	Hell	Sheol	ὁ ᾅδης / ὁ ᾅδης
Isaiah 14:11	שאול	to the grave	to Sheol	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Isaiah 14:15	שאול	hell	Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδην
Isaiah 28:15	שאול	hell	Sheol	τοῦ ᾅδου / τοῦ ᾅδου
Isaiah 28:18	שאול	hell	Sheol	τὸν ᾅδην / τὸν ᾅδην
Isaiah 38:10	שאול	of the grave	of Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Isaiah 38:18	שאול	the grave	Sheol	οἱ ἐν ᾅδου / οἱ ἐν ᾅδου
Isaiah 57:9	שאול	hell	Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Ezekiel 31:15	שאולה	to the grave	to Sheol	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Ezekiel 31:16	שאולה	to hell	to Sheol	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Ezekiel 31:17	שאולה	into hell	to Sheol	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Ezekiel 32:21	שאול	of hell	of Sheol	βόθρου / βόθρου
Ezekiel 32:27	שאול	to hell	to Sheol	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Hosea 13:14	שאול	of the grave	of Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Hosea 13:14	שאול	O grave	O Sheol	ᾅδη / ᾅδη
Amos 9:2	בשאול	into hell	into the netherworld	εἰς ᾅδου / εἰς ᾅδου
Jonah 2:2 (2:3)	שאול	of hell	of Sheol	ᾅδου / ᾅδου
Habakkuk 2:5	כשאול	as hell	as Sheol’s	καθὼς ὁ ᾅδης / καθὼς ᾅδης

According to a note (87) in the NET Jesus quoted from Exodus 3:6 in Luke 20:37. A table comparing the Greek of his quotation to the Septuagint follows.

Luke 20:37b (NET Parallel Greek) Table	Exodus 3:6a (Septuagint BLB) Table	Exodus 3:6a (Septuagint Elpenor)
τὸν θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ θεὸν Ἰσαὰκ καὶ θεὸν Ἰακώβ	θεὸς Αβρααμ καὶ θεὸς Ισαακ καὶ θεὸς Ιακωβ	Θεὸς ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ιακώβ
Luke 20:37b (NET)	Exodus 3:6a (NETS)	Exodus 3:6a (English Elpenor)
the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob	God of Abraam and God of Isaak and God of Iakob	the God of Abraam, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob

Tables comparing Ecclesiastes 9:10; Isaiah 14:11; 38:18; 14:9; 14:10 and Ezekiel 32:21 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET; and tables comparing Ecclesiastes 9:10; Isaiah 14:11; 38:18; 14:9; 14:10 and Ezekiel 32:21 in the BLB and Elpenor versions of the Septuagint with the English translations from Hebrew and Greek, and tables comparing the Greek of Revelation 20:13; John 11:12; 11:15; Luke 20:33; 20:34, 35 and Luke 20:36 the NET and KJV follow.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (Tanakh)	Ecclesiastes 9:10 (KJV)	Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NET)
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.	Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.	Whatever you find to do with your hands, do it with all your might, because there is neither work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave, the place where you will eventually go.

Ecclesiastes 9:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Ecclesiastes 9:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πάντα ὅσα ἂν εὕρῃ ἡ χείρ σου τοῦ ποιῆσαι ὡς ἡ δύναμίς σου ποίησον ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ποίημα καὶ λογισμὸς καὶ γνῶσις καὶ σοφία ἐν ᾅδῃ ὅπου σὺ πορεύῃ ἐκεῖ	πάντα, ὅσα ἂν εὕρῃ ἡ χείρ σου τοῦ ποιῆσαι, ὡς ἡ δύναμίς σου ποίησον, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι ποίημα καὶ λογισμὸς καὶ γνῶσις καὶ σοφία ἐν ᾅδῃ, ὅπου σὺ πορεύῃ ἐκεῖ
Ecclesiastes 9:10 (NETS)	Ecclesiastes 9:10 (English Elpenor)
Whatever your hand finds to do, as is your might, do! For there is no work and reasoning and knowledge and wisdom in Hades, where you are going.	Whatsoever thine hand shall find to do, do with all thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in Hades wither thou goest.

Isaiah 14:11 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:11 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:11 (NET)
Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.	Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols: the worm is spread under thee, and the worms cover thee.	Your splendor has been brought down to Sheol, as well as the sound of your stringed instruments. You lie on a bed of maggots, with a blanket of worms over you.’

Isaiah 14:11 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κατέβη δὲ εἰς ᾅδου ἡ δόξα σου ἡ πολλή σου εὐφροσύνη ὑποκάτω σου στρώσουσιν σῆψιν καὶ τὸ κατακάλυμμά σου σκώληξ	κατέβη εἰς ᾅδου ἡ δόξα σου, ἡ πολλὴ εὐφροσύνη σου· ὑποκάτω σου στρώσουσι σῆψιν, καὶ τὸ κατακάλυμμά σου σκώληξ
Isaiah 14:11 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:11 (English Elpenor)
But your glory has gone down to Hades—your abundant joy; they will spread decay beneath you, and a worm will be your covering.	Thy glory has come down to Hades, and thy great mirth: under thee they shall spread corruption, and the worm shall be thy covering.

Isaiah 38:18 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 38:18 (KJV)	Isaiah 38:18 (NET)
For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.	For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.	Indeed Sheol does not give you thanks; death does not praise you. Those who descend into the Pit do not anticipate your faithfulness.

Isaiah 38:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 38:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἐν ᾅδου αἰνέσουσίν σε οὐδὲ οἱ ἀποθανόντες εὐλογήσουσίν σε οὐδὲ ἐλπιοῦσιν οἱ ἐν ᾅδου τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην σου	οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἐν ᾅδου αἰνέσουσί σε, οὐδὲ οἱ ἀποθανόντες εὐλογήσουσί σε, οὐδὲ ἐλπιοῦσιν οἱ ἐν ᾅδου τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην σου
Isaiah 38:18 (NETS)	Isaiah 38:18 (English Elpenor)
For those who are in Hades will not praise you, nor will the dead bless you, nor will those who are in Hades hope for your mercy.	For they that are in the grave shall not praise thee, neither shall the dead bless thee, neither shall they that are in Hades hope for thy mercy.

Isaiah 14:9 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:9 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:9 (NET)
Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.	Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.	Sheol below is stirred up about you, ready to meet you when you arrive. It rouses the spirits of the dead for you, all the former leaders of the earth; it makes all the former kings of the nations rise from their thrones.

Isaiah 14:9 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:9 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὁ ᾅδης κάτωθεν ἐπικράνθη συναντήσας σοι συνηγέρθησάν σοι πάντες οἱ γίγαντες οἱ ἄρξαντες τῆς γῆς οἱ ἐγείραντες ἐκ τῶν θρόνων αὐτῶν πάντας βασιλεῖς ἐθνῶν	ὁ ᾅδης κάτωθεν ἐπικράνθη συναντήσας σοι, συνηγέρθησάν σοι πάντες οἱ γίγαντες οἱ ἄρξαντες τῆς γῆς, οἱ ἐγείραντες ἐκ τῶν θρόνων αὐτῶν πάντας βασιλεῖς ἐθνῶν
Isaiah 14:9 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:9 (English Elpenor)
Hades beneath was embittered on meeting you; all the mighty who have ruled the earth rose up together against you—those who have roused from their thrones all the kings of the nations.	Hell from beneath is provoked to meet thee: all the great ones that have ruled over the earth have risen up together against thee, they that have raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.

Isaiah 14:10 (Tanakh)	Isaiah 14:10 (KJV)	Isaiah 14:10 (NET)
All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?	All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us?	All of them respond to you, saying: ‘You too have become weak like us! You have become just like us!

Isaiah 14:10 (Septuagint BLB)	Isaiah 14:10 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πάντες ἀποκριθήσονται καὶ ἐροῦσίν σοι καὶ σὺ ἑάλως ὥσπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν ἡμῖν δὲ κατελογίσθης	πάντες ἀποκριθήσονται καὶ ἐροῦσί σοι· καὶ σὺ ἑάλως, ὥσπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐν ἡμῖν δὲ κατελογίσθης
Isaiah 14:10 (NETS)	Isaiah 14:10 (English Elpenor)
All will answer and say to you: “You too were taken even as we were, and you were counted among us!”	All shall answer and say to thee, Thou also hast been taken, even as we; and thou art numbered amongst us.

Ezekiel 32:21 (Tanakh)	Ezekiel 32:21 (KJV)	Ezekiel 32:21 (NET)
The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.	The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword.	The bravest of the warriors will speak to him from the midst of Sheol along with his allies, saying: ‘The uncircumcised have come down; they lie still, killed by the sword.’

Ezekiel 32:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Ezekiel 32:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐροῦσίν σοι οἱ γίγαντες ἐν βάθει βόθρου γίνου τίνος κρείττων εἶ κατάβηθι καὶ κοιμήθητι μετὰ ἀπεριτμήτων ἐν μέσῳ τραυματιῶν μαχαίρας	καὶ ἐροῦσί σοι οἱ γίγαντες· ἐν βάθει βόθρου γίνου, τίνος κρείττων εἶ; κατάβηθι καὶ κοιμήθητι μετὰ ἀπεριτμήτων ἐν μέσῳ τραυματιῶν μαχαίρας
Ezekiel 32:21 (NETS)	Ezekiel 32:21 (English Elpenor)
And the giants in the depth of the hole shall say to you, “You are greater than whom? Descend, and lie with the uncircumcised in the midst of those wounded by dagger.”	the giants also shall say to thee, Be thou in the depth of the pit: to whom art thou superior? yea, go down, and lie with the uncircumcised, in the midst of them [that are] slain with the sword.

Revelation 20:13 (NET)	Revelation 20:13 (KJV)
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each one was judged according to his deeds.	And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Revelation 20:13 (NET Parallel Greek)	Revelation 20:13 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Revelation 20:13 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ ἔδωκεν ἡ θάλασσα τοὺς νεκροὺς τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ὁ θάνατος καὶ ὁ ᾅδης ἔδωκαν τοὺς νεκροὺς τοὺς ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἐκρίθησαν ἕκαστος κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν	και εδωκεν η θαλασσα τους εν αυτη νεκρους και ο θανατος και ο αδης εδωκαν τους εν αυτοις νεκρους και εκριθησαν εκαστος κατα τα εργα αυτων	και εδωκεν η θαλασσα τους νεκρους τους εν αυτη και ο θανατος και ο αδης εδωκαν τους νεκρους τους εν αυτοις και εκριθησαν εκαστος κατα τα εργα αυτων

John 11:12 (NET)	John 11:12 (KJV)
Then the disciples replied, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.”	Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

John 11:12 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 11:12 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 11:12 (Byzantine Majority Text)
εἶπαν οὖν οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτῷ· κύριε, εἰ κεκοίμηται σωθήσεται	ειπον ουν οι μαθηται αυτου κυριε ει κεκοιμηται σωθησεται	ειπον ουν οι μαθηται αυτου κυριε ει κεκοιμηται σωθησεται

John 11:15 (NET)	John 11:15 (KJV)
and I am glad for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”	And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

John 11:15 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 11:15 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	John 11:15 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ χαίρω δι᾿ ὑμᾶς ἵνα πιστεύσητε, ὅτι οὐκ ἤμην ἐκεῖ· ἀλλὰ ἄγωμεν πρὸς αὐτόν	και χαιρω δι υμας ινα πιστευσητε οτι ουκ ημην εκει αλλ αγωμεν προς αυτον	και χαιρω δι υμας ινα πιστευσητε οτι ουκ ημην εκει αλλα αγωμεν προς αυτον

Luke 20:33 (NET)	Luke 20:33 (KJV)
In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For all seven had married her.”	Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.

Luke 20:33 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 20:33 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 20:33 (Byzantine Majority Text)
ἡ γυνὴ οὖν ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τίνος αὐτῶν γίνεται γυνή; οἱ γὰρ ἑπτὰ ἔσχον αὐτὴν γυναῖκα	εν τη ουν αναστασει τινος αυτων γινεται γυνη οι γαρ επτα εσχον αυτην γυναικα	εν τη ουν αναστασει τινος αυτων γινεται γυνη οι γαρ επτα εσχον αυτην γυναικα

Luke 20:34, 35 (NET)	Luke 20:34, 35 (KJV)
So Jesus said to them, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.	And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

Luke 20:34 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 20:34 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 20:34 (Byzantine Majority Text)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου γαμοῦσιν καὶ γαμίσκονται	και αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους οι υιοι του αιωνος τουτου γαμουσιν και εκγαμισκονται	και αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις ο ιησους οι υιοι του αιωνος τουτου γαμουσιν και εκγαμισκονται

But those who are regarded as worthy to share in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

Luke 20:35 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 20:35 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 20:35 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οἱ δὲ καταξιωθέντες τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐκείνου τυχεῖν καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε γαμίζονται	οι δε καταξιωθεντες του αιωνος εκεινου τυχειν και της αναστασεως της εκ νεκρων ουτε γαμουσιν ουτε εκγαμισκονται	οι δε καταξιωθεντες του αιωνος εκεινου τυχειν και της αναστασεως της εκ νεκρων ουτε γαμουσιν ουτε εκγαμιζονται

Luke 20:36 (NET)	Luke 20:36 (KJV)
In fact, they can no longer die because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, since they are sons of the resurrection.	Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

Luke 20:36 (NET Parallel Greek)	Luke 20:36 (Stephanus Textus Receptus)	Luke 20:36 (Byzantine Majority Text)
οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀποθανεῖν ἔτι δύνανται, ἰσάγγελοι γάρ εἰσιν καὶ υἱοί εἰσιν θεοῦ τῆς ἀναστάσεως υἱοὶ ὄντες	ουτε γαρ αποθανειν ετι δυνανται ισαγγελοι γαρ εισιν και υιοι εισιν του θεου της αναστασεως υιοι οντες	ουτε γαρ αποθανειν ετι δυνανται ισαγγελοι γαρ εισιν και υιοι εισιν του θεου της αναστασεως υιοι οντες

Who Am I? Part 17

¹ “5 Bible Passages That Caused Me to Lose My Faith,” Kristi Burke

² Ibid.

³ 2 Peter 3:9b (NET) Table

⁴ Romans 11:32 (NET)

⁵ John 12:32

⁶ Acts 16:30b (NET)

⁷ The Net parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τοὺς preceding dead. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

⁸ The Net parallel Greek text, NA²⁸ and Byzantine Majority Text had the article τοὺς preceding dead. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

⁹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had εἶπαν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ειπον (KJV: said).

¹⁰ Luke 20:27a (NET)

¹¹ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had ἡ γυνὴ at the beginning of this clause. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

¹² Luke 20:33 (NET)

¹³ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αποκριθεις (KJV: answering) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁴ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γαμίσκονται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had εκγαμισκονται.

¹⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had γαμίζονται here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus had εκγαμισκονται and the Byzantine Majority Text had εκγαμιζονται.

¹⁶ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὐδὲ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ουτε (KJV: Neither).

¹⁷ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had the article του preceding of God. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

¹⁸ The Aramaic Bible in Plain English treats both ἔστιν and ζῶσιν as if they were not in the present tense, but both are still in the indicative mood: “But he was not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all of them were alive to him.”

According to Rev. Glenn David Bauscher in the introduction to his translation of the Aramaic New Testament: “Aramaic was the language of Jesus of Nazareth (‘Yeshua Netsari’ in Aramaic) and of his twelve disciples. The Peshitta New Testament is the only complete Aramaic New Testament known today which is held by a significant Christian denomination to be the original text written by the Apostles. The Church of The East has always held to this text as the original writing of the Apostles, preserved with word for word accuracy by its Scribes for nearly two thousand years with meticulous care and reverence.”

In an article titled “Be one of the few who has a copy of the Original New Testament!” Rev. Bauscher contends: “While the apostle Paul was carrying the gospel message to the West — ‘first to the Jew, then to the Gentile’ — Thomas was doing the same, except going in the opposite direction . . . to the East. The Church of the East became the largest Christian church of the middle ages, spreading the gospel message and building churches as far away as India and China, with 100 million members. The Muslim conquests and massacres of the 7th – 11th centuries, as well as the Mongol’s destruction of Christians and churches, left very few members of that great church remaining. This is history unknown to most in the West, but eastern Christians have not forgotten.”

¹⁹ John 17:3 (NET)

²⁰ 1 Corinthians 15:18a (NET)

²¹ John 11:24b (NET) Table

²² Luke 23:43; 2 Corinthians 5:8; John 11:26

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 9

Posted on December 22, 2023 by admin

In another essay I began to consider the substance or body which cast the shadow of the scape-goat (English Elpenor) or the [goat] to be sent off (NETS) in Leviticus 16:8 (Septuagint [Table]). It led me to Paul’s continuing discussion of the death of those who were baptized into Christ Jesus (Romans 7:14-20 NET):

For we know that the law is spiritual—but I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin [Table]. For I don’t understand what I am doing. For I do not do what I want—instead, I do what I hate. But if I do what I don’t want, I agree that the law is good. But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me [Table]. For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but I do the very evil I do not want! Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me [Table].

Immediately, I was confronted with my own unbelief. My religious mind rebels against the idea that I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin.¹ Why adhere to a religion that renders me unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin? The easiest way to overcome the evangelical penchant of my religious mind to fabricate a religion palatable to unbelievers is to stop thinking about religion and start thinking about truth: Set them apart in the truth, Jesus prayed to his Father; your word is truth.²

Truthfully, my religious mind wants I am unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin to apply to the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires.³ My old man may well be the proximate cause of my unspirituality and slavery to sin, but Paul described an I, as I am seen here and now, that is comprised of both an old man and a new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth:⁴ For I want to do the good, he wrote, but I cannot do it.⁵

Though this saying is too defeatist for my religious mind, its truth is readily apparent when contrasted to the lie told at the inauguration of the law.

Romans 7:18b (NET)	Exodus 19:8b (NET)
For I want to do the good, but I cannot do it.	All that the Lord has commanded we will do!

Besides, I do not do the good: For through the law I died to the law so that I may live to God. I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside God’s grace, because if righteousness could come through the law, then Christ died for nothing!⁶

Literally: “For I by law to law died” (ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον). I suppose I’ve wanted this I to be the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires⁷ only, but Paul wrote (Romans 12:1 NET):

Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies (τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν) as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service.

I wonder if persons might be a better translation of σώματα here, but the bodies or persons to whom Paul wrote were comprised of both an old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires⁸ and a new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth.⁹

Paul continued: so that I may live to God.¹⁰ Literally: “so that (ἵνα) to God (θεῷ) I may live (ζήσω).” The may was added because the verb ζήσω is in the subjunctive mood. Logically, it can be dropped, however, because this is a purpose and a result clause: “to God I live” because “I by law to law died.” Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him,¹¹ Jesus told some Sadducees (who contend that there is no resurrection).¹²

I have been crucified with Christ (Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι):¹³ “in Christ, to Christ, by Christ I have been and am crucified with [Him].” The Greek verb συνεσταύρωμαι is in the perfect tense:

The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence. Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.

For example, Galatians 2:20 should be translated “I am in a present state of having been crucified with Christ,” indicating that not only was I crucified with Christ in the past, but I am existing now in that present condition.

Paul continued: and it is no longer I who live.¹⁴ Literally, “and I live (ζῶ δὲ) no longer I (οὐκέτι ἐγώ),” but Christ lives in me.¹⁵ Literally, “but lives (ζῇ δὲ) in me (ἐν ἐμοὶ) Christ (Χριστός).” So the life I now live in the body:¹⁶ “so which (ὃ δὲ) now I live (νῦν ζῶ) in flesh (ἐν σαρκί),” I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God:¹⁷ “in the faithfulness I live (ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ) of the Son of God (τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ),”¹⁸ who loved me (τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντος με) and gave himself (καὶ παραδόντος ἑαυτὸν) for me (ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ).¹⁹

So, the I who actually accomplishes the good I want to do,²⁰ or “is present in/with me,” (but cannot do) is Christ [who] lives in me.²¹ This is in keeping with Paul’s explanation in his letter to the Galatians of an I comprised of an old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires²² and a new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth²³ (Galatians 5:16, 17 NET):

But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want (θέλητε, a form of θέλω) [Table].

But I say (Λέγω δέ), live by the Spirit, “by [the] Spirit (πνεύματι) walk or you walk (περιπατεῖτε),” and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh,²⁴ “and (καὶ) desire of flesh (ἐπιθυμίαν σαρκὸς) you never carry out (οὐ μὴ τελέσητε).” I wrote about the strength of οὐ μὴ τελέσητε elsewhere. Jesus is the One who proved this statement true.

So, to walk or live by the Spirit, buoyed up and carried along by the fruit of the Spirit—Jesus’ own love, his joy, his peace, his patience, his kindness, his goodness, his faithfulness, his gentleness and his self-control—is the only way I will do the good I want but cannot do. So you too, Jesus said, when you have done (ποιήσητε, a form of ποιέω) everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; we have only done (ποιῆσαι, another form of ποιέω) what was our duty.’²⁵ Though I’ve complained—“You mean, I can’t even put in my thumb, pull out a plum and say, ‘Oh, what a good boy am I’?”²⁶—I do recognize how little credit I deserve for what is effectively the Lord’s work in and through me.

This explains to my satisfaction why Paul and the Holy Spirit considered an I comprised of an old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires²⁷ and a new man who has been created in God’s image—in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth,²⁸ who want[s] to do the good, but…cannot do it,²⁹ unspiritual, sold into slavery to sin.³⁰ This new desire (Romans 3:10-18), this new will, to do the will of God revealed in the law, prompted the following conclusion (Romans 7:16, 17 NET):

But if I do what I don’t want, I agree that the law is good. But now it is no longer me doing it, but sin that lives in me [Table].

Literally, “But if (εἰ δὲ) what not I want (ὃ οὐ θέλω) this I do (τοῦτο ποιῶ),” according to a note (23) in the NET, “I agree with the law (σύμφημι τῷ νόμῳ) that it is good (ὅτι καλός)” or beautiful. But now (νυνὶ δὲ) it is no longer me (οὐκέτι ἐγὼ) doing it (κατεργάζομαι αὐτὸ), “but (ἀλλὰ) this lives (ἡ |οἰκοῦσα|) in me (ἐν ἐμοὶ), sin (ἁμαρτία)” or “but this sin lives in me.”

Here is the substance or body which cast the shadow of the scape-goat (English Elpenor) or the [goat] to be sent off (NETS). It was repeated for good measure (Romans 7:20 NET [Table]).

Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer me doing it but sin that lives in me.

Literally, “If now (εἰ δὲ) what not I want (ὃ οὐ θέλω) I ([ἐγὼ]) this do (τοῦτο ποιῶ), it is no longer me (οὐκέτι ἐγὼ) doing it (κατεργάζομαι αὐτὸ), but (ἀλλὰ) this lives (ἡ οἰκοῦσα) in me (ἐν ἐμοὶ), sin (ἁμαρτία)” or “but this sin lives in me.”

Paul continued (Romans 7:21-25 NET):

So, I find the law that when I want to do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God in my inner being. But I see a different law in my members waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that is in my members [Table]. Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin [Table].

Paul seemed simultaneously frustrated and calmly resigned to reside in this body of death (τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου) for a season, trusting the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.³¹ The Lord described the scape-goat ceremony as follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Leviticus 16:21, 22 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 16:21, 22 (NET)	Leviticus 16:21, 22 (NETS)	Leviticus 16:21, 22 (English Elpenor)
And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of an appointed man into the wilderness.	Aaron is to lay his two hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins, and thus he is to put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the desert by the hand of a man standing ready.	And Aaron shall lay his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the lawless acts of the sons of Israel and all their offenses and all their sins and shall put them on the head of the live goat and shall send it away into the desert by the hand of a ready person.	and Aaron shall lay his hands on the head of the live goat, and he shall declare over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their unrighteousness, and all their sins; and he shall lay them upon the head of the live goat, and shall send him by the hand of a ready man into the wilderness.
And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land which is cut off (גְּזֵרָ֑ה); and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.	The goat is to bear on itself all their iniquities into an inaccessible (gᵊzērâ, גזרה) land, so he is to send the goat away into the desert.	And the goat shall bear on itself their offenses to an untrodden (ἄβατον) region, and he shall send off the goat into the wilderness.	And the goat shall bear their unrighteousnesses upon him into a desert (ἄβατον) land; and Aaron shall send away the goat into the wilderness.

I’ll pick this up in another essay. A table comparing Exodus 19:8 translated from the Hebrew of the Masoretic text and the Greek of the Septuagint follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Exodus 19:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 19:8 (NET)	Exodus 19:8 (NETS)	Exodus 19:8 (English Elpenor)
And all the people answered together, and said: ‘All that HaShem (יְהוָֹ֖ה) hath spoken we will do.’ And Moses reported the words of the people unto HaShem (יְהוָֹֽה).	and all the people answered together, “All that the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה) has commanded we will do!” So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord (Yᵊhōvâ, יהוה).	And all the people with one accord answered and said, “All that God (ὁ θεός) said we will do and heed.” Then Moyses carried the words of the people up to God (τὸν θεόν).	And all the people answered with one accord, and said, All things that God (ὁ Θεός) has spoken, we will do and hearken to: and Moses reported these words to God (τὸν Θεόν).

Tables comparing Exodus 19:8; Leviticus 16:21 and 16:22 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Exodus 19:8; Leviticus 16:21 and 16:22 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow.

Exodus 19:8 (Tanakh)	Exodus 19:8 (KJV)	Exodus 19:8 (NET)
And all the people answered together, and said: ‘All that HaShem hath spoken we will do.’ And Moses reported the words of the people unto HaShem.	And all the people answered together, and said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD.	and all the people answered together, “All that the Lord has commanded we will do!” So Moses brought the words of the people back to the Lord.

Exodus 19:8 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 19:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀπεκρίθη δὲ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁμοθυμαδὸν καὶ εἶπαν πάντα ὅσα εἶπεν ὁ θεός ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα ἀνήνεγκεν δὲ Μωυσῆς τοὺς λόγους τοῦ λαοῦ πρὸς τὸν θεόν	ἀπεκρίθη δὲ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὁμοθυμαδὸν καὶ εἶπαν· πάντα, ὅσα εἶπεν ὁ Θεός, ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα. ἀνήνεγκε δὲ Μωυσῆς τοὺς λόγους τούτους πρὸς τὸν Θεόν
Exodus 19:8 (Septuagint NETS)	Exodus 19:8 (English Elpenor)
And all the people with one accord answered and said, “All that God said we will do and heed.” Then Moyses carried the words of the people up to God.	And all the people answered with one accord, and said, All things that God has spoken, we will do and hearken to: and Moses reported these words to God.

Leviticus 16:21 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 16:21 (KJV)	Leviticus 16:21 (NET)
And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, even all their sins; and he shall put them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of an appointed man into the wilderness.	And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness:	Aaron is to lay his two hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the Israelites and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins, and thus he is to put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the desert by the hand of a man standing ready.

Leviticus 16:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 16:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐπιθήσει Ααρων τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ χιμάρου τοῦ ζῶντος καὶ ἐξαγορεύσει ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας τῶν υἱῶν Ισραηλ καὶ πάσας τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν καὶ πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπιθήσει αὐτὰς ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ χιμάρου τοῦ ζῶντος καὶ ἐξαποστελεῖ ἐν χειρὶ ἀνθρώπου ἑτοίμου εἰς τὴν ἔρημον	καὶ ἐπιθήσει ᾿Ααρὼν τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ χιμάρου τοῦ ζῶντος καὶ ἐξαγορεύσει ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ πάσας τὰς ἀνομίας τῶν υἱῶν ᾿Ισραὴλ καὶ πάσας τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν καὶ πάσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπιθήσει αὐτὰς ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ χιμάρου τοῦ ζῶντος καὶ ἐξαποστελεῖ ἐν χειρὶ ἀνθρώπου ἑτοίμου εἰς τὴν ἔρημον
Leviticus 16:21 (Septuagint NETS)	Leviticus 16:21 (English Elpenor)
And Aaron shall lay his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the lawless acts of the sons of Israel and all their offenses and all their sins and shall put them on the head of the live goat and shall send it away into the desert by the hand of a ready person.	and Aaron shall lay his hands on the head of the live goat, and he shall declare over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their unrighteousness, and all their sins; and he shall lay them upon the head of the live goat, and shall send him by the hand of a ready man into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:22 (Tanakh)	Leviticus 16:22 (KJV)	Leviticus 16:22 (NET)
And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land which is cut off; and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.	And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness.	The goat is to bear on itself all their iniquities into an inaccessible land, so he is to send the goat away into the desert.

Leviticus 16:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Leviticus 16:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ λήμψεται ὁ χίμαρος ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν εἰς γῆν ἄβατον καὶ ἐξαποστελεῖ τὸν χίμαρον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον	καὶ λήψεται ὁ χίμαρος ἐφ᾿ ἑαυτῷ τὰς ἀδικίας αὐτῶν εἰς γῆν ἄβατον, καὶ ἐξαποστελεῖ τὸν χίμαρον εἰς τὴν ἔρημον
Leviticus 16:22 (Septuagint NETS)	Leviticus 16:22 (English Elpenor)
And the goat shall bear on itself their offenses to an untrodden region, and he shall send off the goat into the wilderness.	And the goat shall bear their unrighteousnesses upon him into a desert land; and Aaron shall send away the goat into the wilderness.

A Shadow of the Good Things, Part 10

¹ Romans 7:14b (NET) Table

² John 17:17 (NET) Table

³ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

⁴ Ephesians 4:24b (NET)

⁵ Romans 7:18b (NET) Table

⁶ Galatians 2:19-21 (NET)

⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

⁸ Ibid.

⁹ Ephesians 4:24b (NET)

¹⁰ Galatians 2:19b (NET)

¹¹ Luke 20:38 (NET)

¹² Luke 20:27 (NET)

¹³ Galatians 2:20a (NET)

¹⁴ Galatians 2:20b (NET)

¹⁵ Galatians 2:20c (NET)

¹⁶ Galatians 2:20d (NET)

¹⁷ Galatians 2:20e (NET)

¹⁸ Both πίστει and the article τῇ are in the dative case. Perhaps, this could be understood as “in faithfulness I live to” the Son of God, but that strikes me as the selfsame lie as All that the Lord has commanded we will do! (Exodus 19:8b NET)

¹⁹ Galatians 2:20f (NET)

²⁰ Romans 7:18b (NET) Table

²¹ Galatians 2:20c (NET)

²² Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

²³ Ephesians 4:24b (NET)

²⁴ Galatians 5:16 (NET)

²⁵ Luke 17:10 (NET)

²⁶ From Little Jack Horner on Nursery Rhymes online.

²⁷ Ephesians 4:22b (NET)

²⁸ Ephesians 4:24b (NET)

²⁹ Romans 7:18b (NET) Table

³⁰ Romans 7:14b (NET) Table

³¹ Romans 7:25b (NET) Table

The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 11

Posted on March 5, 2023 by admin

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself,¹ Jesus said. The Greek word translated when was ἐὰν. Another possible translation was if: And I, [if] I am lifted up from the earth…

I understand why the translators chose when; if might imply to some that Jesus questioned whether his crucifixion might happen: My Father, if (εἰ) possible, let this cup pass from me!² But to the philosophical bent of my mind, if sounds like the introduction to an if-then statement.

If Jesus is crucified,
then He will draw all people to Himself.
Jesus was crucified.
Therefore, He will draw all people to Himself.

This is a valid form of deductive reasoning called modus ponens or affirming the antecedent. It is logically equivalent to:

If Jesus is crucified,
then He will draw all people to Himself.
Jesus will not draw all people to Himself.
Therefore, He was not crucified.

This is another valid form of deductive reasoning called modus tollens or denying the consequent. Though the form is valid, everything depends on the truth of the original conditional statement. Interestingly, the example of a conditional statement given in the Oxford Reference online is false.

If the burglars entered by the front door,
then they forced the lock.
The burglars entered by the front door.
Therefore, they forced the lock.

Affirming the antecedent seems at least plausible. What about denying the consequent?

If the burglars entered by the front door,
then they forced the lock.
The lock was not forced.
Therefore, the burglars did not enter by the front door.

Perhaps the burglars had a key. Perhaps they found the front door unlocked and were savvy enough to lock it as they exited, making the crime scene appear more like insurance fraud than burglary.

Those who believe Jesus assume that his conditional statements are true. That probably explains why I’m not finding a lot of rational arguments describing: “1) how Jesus was wrong and 2) when He changed his mind.” I’m finding emotional arguments instead disputing that He said, I…will draw all people to Myself.

Those with no philosophical bent to their minds feel no compulsion in the argument that Jesus will not draw all to Himself is the logical equivalent of Jesus was not crucified. So, I’ll continue to take the long way, which I’m finding quite edifying anyway. Jesus prayed (John 17:12 NET [Table]):

When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name that you have given me. Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled.

The phrase except the one destined for destruction (KJV: but the son of perdition) was εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας in Greek. As I worked on this essay it was brought to my attention that Paul used this same phrase (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NET):

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction (ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας).

It has forced me to acknowledge my assumption that Jesus prayed about Judas Iscariot above. It seems like a good assumption when I focus on, When I was with them I kept them safe and watched over them in your name.³ But if I consider the preceding verse and verse 20 I must admit that Jesus may have been looking much further afield than I have previously imagined. I will proceed, however, as if my original assumption was correct.

Here is what happened when Peter questioned Jesus about the destiny of another (John 21:20-22 ESV):

Peter⁴ turned and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one who also had leaned back against him during the supper and had said, “Lord, who is it that is going to betray you?” When⁵ Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, “Lord, what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!”

I doubt that Jesus would ever question me about Judas Iscariot. But if He asked why I believed that Judas would be redeemed, my account would be: You said you would draw all to yourself. If He asked why I believed that Judas was eternally doomed, I could answer: You prayed, Not one of them was lost except the one destined for destruction, so that the scripture could be fulfilled.⁶ In other words, I would be arguing that lost (ἀπώλετο, a form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) and ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας (NET: the one destined for destruction) were of eternal, rather than temporal, consequence, so that the scripture could be fulfilled. Wow!

Now, I don’t intend to argue that the sin condemned in Judas Iscariot’s flesh, standing on Jesus’ left (if I have understood this moment correctly) will not be condemned into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels.⁷ It is difficult for me to argue, however, that there would be no corresponding new human born of God and the one we know as Judas Iscariot standing on Jesus’ right so that the scripture could be fulfilled. I, and anyone who loves the truth of the scripture, would owe Judas Iscariot an eternal debt of gratitude. But is it necessary for Judas Iscariot to be utterly destroyed eternally so that the scripture could be fulfilled?

I’ll continue to look at examples of ἀπώλετο and ἀπωλείας in the Septuagint and try to remember that the words ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας were applied to another as well.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Psalm 9:5 (Tanakh/KJV)	Psalm 9:5 (NET)	Psalm 9:6 (NETS)	Psalm 9:6 (English Elpenor)
Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed (אִבַּ֣דְתָּ) the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.	You terrified the nations with your battle cry. You destroyed (‘āḇaḏ, אבדת) the wicked; you permanently wiped out all memory of them.	You rebuked nations, and the impious perished (ἀπώλετο); their name you blotted out forever and forever and ever.	Thou hast rebuked the nations, and the ungodly one has perished (ἀπώλετο); thou hast blotted out their name for ever, even for ever and ever.

Phrases like for ever and ever (Tanakh/KJV), forever and forever and ever (NETS) and for ever, even for ever and ever (English Elpenor) make this occurrence of ἀπώλετο (a form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω) seem about as eternal in duration as I can imagine. Only the English Elpenor translation of ὁ ἀσεβής (the ungodly one) makes it entirely clear that that which was destroyed or perished is singular. The Tanakh on chabad.org also translated רָשָׁ֑ע (‘āḇaḏ), a wicked man. I admit I have tended to hear the wicked, the impious and the ungodly as concrete plurals signifying wicked, impious or ungodly people.

A concrete example of God’s destruction of wicked men follows:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 16:26 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:26 (NET)	Numbers 16:26 (NETS)	Numbers 16:26 (English Elpenor)
And [Moses] spoke unto the congregation, saying: ‘Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked (הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙) men (הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים), and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be swept away (תִּסָּפ֖וּ) in all their sins.’	And he said to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked (rāšāʿ, הרשעים) men (‘îš, האנשים), and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed (sāp̄â, תספו) because of all their sins.”	And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Be separated from the tents of these stubborn (τῶν σκληρῶν) men (τῶν ἀνθρώπων), and do not touch anything of all that is theirs, lest you too perish (συναπόλησθε) in all their sin.”	And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Separate yourselves from the tents of these stubborn (τῶν σκληρῶν) men (τῶν ἀνθρώπων), and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest ye be consumed (συναπόλησθε) with them in all their sin.

When wicked and righteous are used almost euphemistically for those outside and those inside the congregation respectively, it doesn’t really surprise me that the rabbis rendered הָֽרְשָׁעִים֙ (rāšāʿ) τῶν σκληρῶν, stubborn in the Septuagint.

The story continued:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Numbers 16:27-33 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:27-33 (NET)	Numbers 16:27-33 (NETS)	Numbers 16:27-33 (English Elpenor)
So they got them up from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.	So they got away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side, and Dathan and Abiram came out and stationed themselves in the entrances of their tents with their wives, their children, and their toddlers.	And they departed from around the tent of Kore, and Dathan and Abiron came out, and they stood by the doors of their tents, and their wives and their children and their chattel.	And they stood aloof from the tent of Core round about; and Dathan and Abiron went forth and stood by the doors of their tents, and their wives and their children and their store.
And Moses said: ‘Hereby ye shall know that HaShem hath sent me to do all these works, and that I have not done them of mine own mind.	Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.	And Moyses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, because it is not of my own accord.	And Moses said, Hereby shall ye know that the Lord has sent me to perform all these works, that [I have] not [done them] of myself.
If these men die the common death of all men, and be visited after the visitation of all men, then HaShem hath not sent Me.	If these men die a natural death, or if they share the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.	If these are to die according to death of all people, if their visitation is to be according to the visitation of all people, the Lord has not sent me.	If these men shall die according to the death of all men, if also their visitation shall be according to the visitation of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.
But if HaShem make a new thing (בְּרִיאָ֞ה), and the ground open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into the pit (שְׁאֹ֑לָה), then ye shall understand that these men have despised HaShem.’	But if the Lord does something entirely new (bᵊrî’â, בריאה), and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up along with all that they have, and they go down alive to the grave (šᵊ’ôl, שאלה), then you will know that these men have despised the Lord!”	But if the Lord will show forth by an omen (φάσματι) and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them down and their households and their tents and all that belongs to them and they go down alive into Hades (ᾅδου), then you shall know that these men provoked the Lord.”	But if the Lord shall shew by a wonder (φάσματι), and the earth shall open her mouth and swallow them up, and their houses, and their tents, and all that belongs to them, and they shall go down alive into Hades (ᾅδου), then ye shall know that these men have provoked the Lord.
And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground did cleave asunder that was under them.	When he had finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open,	Now as he stopped speaking all these words, the earth underneath them was split apart.	And when he ceased speaking all these words, the ground clave asunder beneath them.
And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.	and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, and all Korah’s men, and all their goods.	And the earth was opened and swallowed them down, and their households and all the men who were with Kore and their cattle.	And the ground opened, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that were with Core, and their cattle.
So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive (חַיִּ֖ים) into the pit (שְׁאֹ֑לָה); and the earth closed upon them, and they perished (וַיֹּֽאבְד֖וּ) from among the assembly.	They and all that they had went down alive (ḥay, חיים) into the pit (šᵊ’ôl, שאלה), and the earth closed over them. So they perished (‘āḇaḏ, ויאבדו) from among the community.	And they went down, they and as much as was theirs, alive (ζῶντα) into Hades (ᾅδου), and the earth covered them, and they perished (ἀπώλοντο) from the midst of the congregation.	And they went down and all that they had, alive (ζῶντα) into Hades (ᾅδου); and the ground covered them, and they perished (ἀπώλοντο) from the midst of the congregation.

In this description of actual named men, their families and all they possessed, all that is required for the Scripture to be fulfilled is that they perished (וַיֹּֽאבְד֖וּ) from among the assembly (NET: community), they perished (ἀπώλοντο) from the midst of the congregation. I won’t argue whether they remained alive or how long they remained alive in Hades. From the perspective of the witnesses, they were alive when the earth closed upon them.

I have an extremely limited perspective on life. I consider Hades the place of the dead, but Jesus said: Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living (ζώντων, a form of ζάω), for all live (ζῶσιν, another form of ζάω) before him.⁸ In another essay I wrote: “I’m embarrassed how often I’ve missed what is now so clear in this context: Abraham learned everything he knew of Moses and the prophets who followed him from his own place in Hades after his death.”

I am perhaps equally embarrassed that I wondered how Abraham learned of Moses and the prophets. I couldn’t imagine that anyone had smuggled scrolls or parchments into Hades. But in Hades as Jesus described it (Luke 16:19-31), dead men do tell tales. Korah, Dathan, Abiram, their wives and children, for instance, had a dramatic tale to tell Father Abraham. I’ll turn my attention now to a more abstract rendering of רָשָׁע (rāšāʿ), wicked.

When the Lord revealed his plans for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-22), Abraham was troubled.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 18:23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:23 (NET)	Genesis 18:23 (NETS)	Genesis 18:23 (English Elpenor)
And Abraham drew near, and said: ‘Wilt Thou indeed sweep away (תִּסְפֶּ֔ה) the righteous (צַדִּ֖יק) with the wicked (רָשָֽׁע)?	Abraham approached and said, “Will you really sweep away (sāp̄â, תספה) the godly (ṣadîq, צדיק) along with the wicked (rāšāʿ, רשע)?	Then when Abraam had come near, he said, “Surely you will not destroy (συναπολέσῃς) the righteous (δίκαιον) with the ungodly (ἀσεβοῦς), and the righteous (ὁ δίκαιος) will be as the ungodly (ὁ ἀσεβής)?	And Abraam drew nigh and said, Wouldest thou destroy (συναπολέσῃς) the righteous (δίκαιον) with the wicked (ἀσεβοῦς), and shall the righteous (ὁ δίκαιος) be as the wicked (ὁ ἀσεβής)?

I’m willing to accept that the rabbis added a clause here to clarify Abraham’s argument: and the righteous will be as the ungodly? (NETS), and shall the righteous be as the wicked? (English Elpenor). Here δίκαιον, ἀσεβοῦς, ὁ δίκαιος and ὁ ἀσεβής are all singular. Abraham engaged the Lord in philosophical discussion about the Lord’s justice:

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 18:24 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:24 (NET)	Genesis 18:24 (NETS)	Genesis 18:24 (English Elpenor)
Peradventure there are fifty righteous (צַדִּיקִ֖ם) within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away (תִּסְפֶּה֙) and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous (הַצַּדִּיקִ֖ם) that are therein?	What if there are fifty godly people (ṣadîq, צדיקם) in the city? Will you really wipe it out (sāp̄â, תספה) and not spare the place for the sake of the 50 godly people (ṣadîq, הצדיקם) who are in it?	If there should be fifty righteous (δίκαιοι) in the city, will you destroy (ἀπολεῖς) them? Will you not let the whole place go free on account of the fifty righteous (δικαίων), if they should be in it?	Should there be fifty righteous (δίκαιοι) in the city, wilt thou destroy (ἀπολεῖς) them? wilt thou not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous (δικαίων), if they be in it?

Here both δίκαιοι and δικαίων were plural but refer to fifty hypothetical people in Abraham’s mind.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint
Genesis 18:25 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:25 (NET)	Genesis 18:25 (NETS)	Genesis 18:25 (English Elpenor)
That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay (לְהָמִ֤ית) the righteous (צַדִּיק֙) with the wicked (רָשָׁ֔ע), that so the righteous (כַצַּדִּ֖יק) should be as the wicked (כָּֽרָשָׁ֑ע); that be far from Thee; shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?’	Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill (mûṯ, להמית) the godly (ṣadîq, צדיק) with the wicked (rāšāʿ, רשע), treating the godly (ṣadîq, כצדיק) and the wicked (rāšāʿ, כרשע) alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”	By no means will you do anything like this thing, to slay (ἀποκτεῖναι) the righteous (δίκαιον) with the ungodly (ἀσεβοῦς), and the righteous (ὁ δίκαιος) will be like the ungodly (ὁ ἀσεβής)! By no means! Shall not you, the one who judges all the earth, do what is just?”	By no means shalt thou do as this thing [is] so as to destroy (ἀποκτεῖναι) the righteous (δίκαιον) with the wicked (ἀσεβοῦς), so the righteous (ὁ δίκαιος) shall be as the wicked (ὁ ἀσεβής): by no means. Thou that judgest the whole earth, shalt thou not do right?

The righteous proved to be more hypothetical than the wicked in Sodom and Gomorrah. But in the Septuagint the Greek word translated destroy in Abraham’s question—will you destroy them?⁹—was ἀπολεῖς (a form of ἀπόλλυμι, ἀπόλλω, ἀπολλύω). And his own answer to that question was: By no means will you…slay (ἀποκτεῖναι, a form of ἀποκτείνω) the righteous with the ungodly.¹⁰ As far as eternal consequence is concerned, Jesus promised that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for¹¹ Capernaum. I’ll pick this up in another essay.

Tables comparing Psalm 9:5; Numbers 16:26; 16:27; 16:28; 16:29; 16:30; 16:31; 16:32; 16:33; Genesis 18:23; 18:24 and 18:25 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing the Greek of Psalm 9:5 (9:6); Numbers 16:26; 16:27; 16:28; 16:29; 16:30; 16:31; 16:32; 16:33; Genesis 18:23; 18:24 and 18:25 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing John 21:20, 21 in the NET and KJV follow.

Psalm 9:5 (Tanakh)	Psalm 9:5 (KJV)	Psalm 9:5 (NET)
Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.	Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.	You terrified the nations with your battle cry. You destroyed the wicked; you permanently wiped out all memory of them.

Psalm 9:5 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 9:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐπετίμησας ἔθνεσιν καὶ ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβής τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν ἐξήλειψας εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος	ἐπετίμησας ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβής· τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐξήλειψας εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος
Psalm 9:6 (NETS)	Psalm 9:6 (English Elpenor)
You rebuked nations, and the impious perished; their name you blotted out forever and forever and ever.	Thou hast rebuked the nations, and the ungodly one has perished; thou hast blotted out their name for ever, even for ever and ever.

Numbers 16:26 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:26 (KJV)	Numbers 16:26 (NET)
And he spoke unto the congregation, saying: ‘Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be swept away in all their sins.’	And he spake unto the congregation, saying, Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, lest ye be consumed in all their sins.	And he said to the community, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything they have, lest you be destroyed because of all their sins.”

Numbers 16:26 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:26 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐλάλησεν πρὸς τὴν συναγωγὴν λέγων ἀποσχίσθητε ἀπὸ τῶν σκηνῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν σκληρῶν τούτων καὶ μὴ ἅπτεσθε ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἐστιν αὐτοῖς μὴ συναπόλησθε ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ αὐτῶν	καὶ ἐλάλησε πρὸς τὴν συναγωγὴν λέγων· ἀποσχίσθητε ἀπὸ τῶν σκηνῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν σκληρῶν τούτων, καὶ μὴ ἅπτεσθε ἀπὸ πάντων, ὧν ἐστιν αὐτοῖς, μὴ συναπόλησθε ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ αὐτῶν
Numbers 16:26 (NETS)	Numbers 16:26 (English Elpenor)
And he spoke to the congregation, saying, “Be separated from the tents of these stubborn men, and do not touch anything of all that is theirs, lest you too perish in all their sin.”	And he spoke to the congregation, saying, Separate yourselves from the tents of these stubborn men, and touch nothing that belongs to them, lest ye be consumed with them in all their sin.

Numbers 16:27 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:27 (KJV)	Numbers 16:27 (NET)
So they got them up from the dwelling of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side; and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, and their sons, and their little ones.	So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.	So they got away from the homes of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram on every side, and Dathan and Abiram came out and stationed themselves in the entrances of their tents with their wives, their children, and their toddlers.

Numbers 16:27 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:27 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς Κορε κύκλῳ καὶ Δαθαν καὶ Αβιρων ἐξῆλθον καὶ εἱστήκεισαν παρὰ τὰς θύρας τῶν σκηνῶν αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ αὐτῶν	καὶ ἀπέστησαν ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς Κορὲ κύκλῳ· καὶ Δαθὰν καὶ ᾿Αβειρὼν ἐξῆλθον καὶ εἱστήκεισαν παρὰ τὰς θύρας τῶν σκηνῶν αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τέκνα αὐτῶν καὶ ἡ ἀποσκευὴ αὐτῶν
Numbers 16:27 (NETS)	Numbers 16:27 (English Elpenor)
And they departed from around the tent of Kore, and Dathan and Abiron came out, and they stood by the doors of their tents, and their wives and their children and their chattel.	And they stood aloof from the tent of Core round about; and Dathan and Abiron went forth and stood by the doors of their tents, and their wives and their children and their store.

Numbers 16:28 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:28 (KJV)	Numbers 16:28 (NET)
And Moses said: ‘Hereby ye shall know that HaShem hath sent me to do all these works, and that I have not done them of mine own mind.	And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the LORD hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind.	Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will.

Numbers 16:28 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:28 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν Μωυσῆς ἐν τούτῳ γνώσεσθε ὅτι κύριος ἀπέστειλέν με ποιῆσαι πάντα τὰ ἔργα ταῦτα ὅτι οὐκ ἀπ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ	καὶ εἶπε Μωυσῆς· ἐν τούτῳ γνώσεσθε ὅτι Κύριος ἀπέστειλέ με ποιῆσαι πάντα τὰ ἔργα ταῦτα, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπ’ ἐμαυτοῦ
Numbers 16:28 (NETS)	Numbers 16:28 (English Elpenor)
And Moyses said, “By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, because it is not of my own accord.	And Moses said, Hereby shall ye know that the Lord has sent me to perform all these works, that [I have] not [done them] of myself.

Numbers 16:29 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:29 (KJV)	Numbers 16:29 (NET)
If these men die the common death of all men, and be visited after the visitation of all men, then HaShem hath not sent Me.	If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me.	If these men die a natural death, or if they share the fate of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.

Numbers 16:29 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:29 (Septuagint Elpenor)
εἰ κατὰ θάνατον πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀποθανοῦνται οὗτοι εἰ καὶ κατ᾽ ἐπίσκεψιν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐπισκοπὴ ἔσται αὐτῶν οὐχὶ κύριος ἀπέσταλκέν με	εἰ κατὰ θάνατον πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀποθανοῦνται οὗτοι, εἰ καὶ κατ’ ἐπίσκεψιν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐπισκοπὴ ἔσται αὐτῶν, οὐχὶ Κύριος ἀπέσταλκέ με
Numbers 16:29 (NETS)	Numbers 16:29 (English Elpenor)
If these are to die according to death of all people, if their visitation is to be according to the visitation of all people, the Lord has not sent me.	If these men shall die according to the death of all men, if also their visitation shall be according to the visitation of all men, then the Lord has not sent me.

Numbers 16:30 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:30 (KJV)	Numbers 16:30 (NET)
But if HaShem make a new thing, and the ground open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down alive into the pit, then ye shall understand that these men have despised HaShem.’	But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD.	But if the Lord does something entirely new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up along with all that they have, and they go down alive to the grave, then you will know that these men have despised the Lord!”

Numbers 16:30 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:30 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἐν φάσματι δείξει κύριος καὶ ἀνοίξασα ἡ γῆ τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς καταπίεται αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς σκηνὰς αὐτῶν καὶ πάντα ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς καὶ καταβήσονται ζῶντες εἰς ᾅδου καὶ γνώσεσθε ὅτι παρώξυναν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι τὸν κύριον	ἀλλ’ ἢ ἐν φάσματι δείξει Κύριος, καὶ ἀνοίξασα ἡ γῆ τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς καταπίεται αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς σκηνὰς αὐτῶν καὶ πάντα, ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς, καὶ καταβήσονται ζῶντες εἰς ᾅδου, καὶ γνώσεσθε, ὅτι παρώξυναν οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι τὸν Κύριον
Numbers 16:30 (NETS)	Numbers 16:30 (English Elpenor)
But if the Lord will show forth by an omen and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them down and their households and their tents and all that belongs to them and they go down alive into Hades, then you shall know that these men provoked the Lord.”	But if the Lord shall shew by a wonder, and the earth shall open her mouth and swallow them up, and their houses, and their tents, and all that belongs to them, and they shall go down alive into Hades, then ye shall know that these men have provoked the Lord.

Numbers 16:31 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:31 (KJV)	Numbers 16:31 (NET)
And it came to pass, as he made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground did cleave asunder that was under them.	And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them:	When he had finished speaking all these words, the ground that was under them split open,

Numbers 16:31 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:31 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους ἐρράγη ἡ γῆ ὑποκάτω αὐτῶν	ὡς δὲ ἐπαύσατο λαλῶν πάντας τοὺς λόγους τούτους, ἐρράγη ἡ γῆ ὑποκάτω αὐτῶν
Numbers 16:31 (NETS)	Numbers 16:31 (English Elpenor)
Now as he stopped speaking all these words, the earth underneath them was split apart.	And when he ceased speaking all these words, the ground clave asunder beneath them.

Numbers 16:32 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:32 (KJV)	Numbers 16:32 (NET)
And the earth opened her mouth and swallowed them up, and their households, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.	And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods.	and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with their households, and all Korah’s men, and all their goods.

Numbers 16:32 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:32 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἠνοίχθη ἡ γῆ καὶ κατέπιεν αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς ὄντας μετὰ Κορε καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν	καὶ ἠνοίχθη ἡ γῆ καὶ κατέπιεν αὐτοὺς καὶ τοὺς οἴκους αὐτῶν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς ὄντας μετὰ Κορὲ καὶ τὰ κτήνη αὐτῶν
Numbers 16:32 (NETS)	Numbers 16:32 (English Elpenor)
And the earth was opened and swallowed them down, and their households and all the men who were with Kore and their cattle.	And when he ceased speaking all these words, the ground And the ground opened, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that were with Core, and their cattle.

Numbers 16:33 (Tanakh)	Numbers 16:33 (KJV)	Numbers 16:33 (NET)
So they, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit; and the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the assembly.	They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.	They and all that they had went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed over them. So they perished from among the community.

Numbers 16:33 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 16:33 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κατέβησαν αὐτοὶ καὶ ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῶν ζῶντα εἰς ᾅδου καὶ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτοὺς ἡ γῆ καὶ ἀπώλοντο ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς	καὶ κατέβησαν αὐτοὶ καὶ ὅσα ἐστὶν αὐτῶν ζῶντα εἰς ᾅδου, καὶ ἐκάλυψεν αὐτοὺς ἡ γῆ, καὶ ἀπώλοντο ἐκ μέσου τῆς συναγωγῆς
Numbers 16:33 (NETS)	Numbers 16:33 (English Elpenor)
And they went down, they and as much as was theirs, alive into Hades, and the earth covered them, and they perished from the midst of the congregation.	And they went down and all that they had, alive into Hades; and the ground covered them, and they perished from the midst of the congregation.

Genesis 18:23 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:23 (KJV)	Genesis 18:23 (NET)
And Abraham drew near, and said: ‘Wilt Thou indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?	And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?	Abraham approached and said, “Will you really sweep away the godly along with the wicked?

Genesis 18:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 18:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐγγίσας Αβρααμ εἶπεν μὴ συναπολέσῃς δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής	καὶ ἐγγίσας ῾Αβραὰμ εἶπε· μὴ συναπολέσῃς δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής
Genesis 18:23 (NETS)	Genesis 18:23 (English Elpenor)
Then when Abraam had come near, he said, “Surely you will not destroy the righteous with the ungodly, and the righteous will be as the ungodly?	And Abraam drew nigh and said, Wouldest thou destroy the righteous with the wicked, and shall the righteous be as the wicked?

Genesis 18:24 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:24 (KJV)	Genesis 18:24 (NET)
Peradventure there are fifty righteous within the city; wilt Thou indeed sweep away and not forgive the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?	Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?	What if there are fifty godly people in the city? Will you really wipe it out and not spare the place for the sake of the 50 godly people who are in it?

Genesis 18:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 18:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν ὦσιν πεντήκοντα δίκαιοι ἐν τῇ πόλει ἀπολεῖς αὐτούς οὐκ ἀνήσεις πάντα τὸν τόπον ἕνεκεν τῶν πεντήκοντα δικαίων ἐὰν ὦσιν ἐν αὐτῇ	ἐὰν ὦσι πεντήκοντα δίκαιοι ἐν τῇ πόλει, ἀπολεῖς αὐτούς; οὐκ ἀνήσεις πάντα τὸν τόπον ἕνεκεν τῶν πεντήκοντα δικαίων, ἐὰν ὦσιν ἐν αὐτῇ
Genesis 18:24 (NETS)	Genesis 18:24 (English Elpenor)
If there should be fifty righteous in the city, will you destroy them? Will you not let the whole place go free on account of the fifty righteous, if they should be in it?	Should there be fifty righteous in the city, wilt thou destroy them? wilt thou not spare the whole place for the sake of the fifty righteous, if they be in it?

Genesis 18:25 (Tanakh)	Genesis 18:25 (KJV)	Genesis 18:25 (NET)
That be far from Thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked, that so the righteous should be as the wicked; that be far from Thee; shall not the judge of all the earth do justly?’	That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?	Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the godly with the wicked, treating the godly and the wicked alike! Far be it from you! Will not the judge of the whole earth do what is right?”

Genesis 18:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Genesis 18:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
μηδαμῶς σὺ ποιήσεις ὡς τὸ ῥῆμα τοῦτο τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής μηδαμῶς ὁ κρίνων πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν οὐ ποιήσεις κρίσιν	μηδαμῶς σὺ ποιήσεις ὡς τὸ ρῆμα τοῦτο, τοῦ ἀποκτεῖναι δίκαιον μετὰ ἀσεβοῦς, καὶ ἔσται ὁ δίκαιος ὡς ὁ ἀσεβής. μηδαμῶς· ὁ κρίνων πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, οὐ ποιήσεις κρίσιν
Genesis 18:25 (NETS)	Genesis 18:25 (English Elpenor)
By no means will you do anything like this thing, to slay the righteous with the ungodly, and the righteous will be like the ungodly! By no means! Shall not you, the one who judges all the earth, do what is just?”	By no means shalt thou do as this thing [is] so as to destroy the righteous with the wicked, so the righteous shall be as the wicked: by no means. Thou that judgest the whole earth, shalt thou not do right?

John 21:20, 21 (NET)	John 21:20, 21 (KJV)
Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them. (This was the disciple who had leaned back against Jesus’ chest at the meal and asked, “Lord, who is the one who is going to betray you?”)	Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?

John 21:20 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 21:20 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	John 21:20 (Byzantine Majority Text)
Ἐπιστραφεὶς ὁ Πέτρος βλέπει τὸν μαθητὴν ὃν ἠγάπα ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀκολουθοῦντα (ὃς καὶ ἀνέπεσεν ἐν τῷ δείπνῳ ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπεν· κύριε, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παραδιδούς σε;)	επιστραφεις δε ο πετρος βλεπει τον μαθητην ον ηγαπα ο ιησους ακολουθουντα ος και ανεπεσεν εν τω δειπνω επι το στηθος αυτου και ειπεν κυριε τις εστιν ο παραδιδους σε	επιστραφεις δε ο πετρος βλεπει τον μαθητην ον ηγαπα ο ιησους ακολουθουντα ος και ανεπεσεν εν τω δειπνω επι το στηθος αυτου και ειπεν κυριε τις εστιν ο παραδιδους σε

So when Peter saw him, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what about him?”

Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?

John 21:21 (NET Parallel Greek)	John 21:21 (Stepanus Textus Receptus)	John 21:21 (Byzantine Majority Text)
τοῦτον οὖν ἰδὼν ὁ Πέτρος λέγει τῷ Ἰησοῦ· κύριε, οὗτος δὲ τί	τουτον ιδων ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου κυριε ουτος δε τι	τουτον ιδων ο πετρος λεγει τω ιησου κυριε ουτος δε τι

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 1

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 2

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 3

Back to The Day of the Lord, Part 4

¹ John 12:32 (NET)

² Matthew 26:39b (NET) Table

³ John 17:12a (NET) Table

⁴ The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: Then) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ did not.

⁵ The NET parallel Greek text and NA²⁸ had οὖν (NET: So) here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text did not.

⁶ John 17:12b (NET) Table

⁷ Matthew 25:41b (NET)

⁸ Luke 20:38 (NET)

⁹ Genesis 18:24b (NETS)

¹⁰ Genesis 18:25a (NETS)

¹¹ Matthew 11:24 (NET)

Romans, Part 53

Posted on July 23, 2014 by admin

So, how can I view—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord^[1]—as a definition of love (ἀγάπη) rather than as rules? Again, I’ve constructed the following table to help.

The Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22, 23 (NET)	love (ἀγάπη)
Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love (ἀγάπη) of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.^[2]		Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong (κακὸν, a form of κακός) to a neighbor. Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment of the law.^[3] Knowledge puffs up, but love (ἀγάπη) builds up.^[4]
Love (ἀγάπη) is… 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NET)	…not self-serving (οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς; literally, “not seek itself”)… 1 Corinthians 13:5 (NET)
If someone owns a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go look for (ζητεῖ, a form of ζητέω) the one that went astray?^[5] But above all pursue (ζητεῖτε, another form of ζητέω) his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.^[6]
This Love Without Hypocrisy… Romans 12:9-21 (NET)	Do not lag in zeal (σπουδῇ, a form of σπουδή), be enthusiastic (ζέοντες, a form of ζέω) in spirit… Romans 12:11a (NET)	…serve (δουλεύοντες, a form of δουλεύω) the Lord. Romans 12:11b (NET)
But as you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in all eagerness (σπουδῇ) and in the love from us that is in you – make sure that you excel in this act of kindness too.^[7]	Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephesus. He was an eloquent speaker, well-versed in the scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and with great enthusiasm (ζέων, another form of ζέω) he spoke and taught accurately the facts about Jesus (KJV: the Lord), although he knew only the baptism of John.^[8]	Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, not like those who do their work only when someone is watching – as people-pleasers – but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. Obey with enthusiasm (εὐνοίας, a form of εὔνοια), as though serving (δουλεύοντες) the Lord and not people, because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good (ἀγαθόν, a form of ἀγαθός), this will be rewarded by the Lord.^[9]

In the previous essay it seemed to make intuitive sense to place cling to what is good^[10]under that aspect of the fruit of the Spirit translated goodness. Here it may seem like begging the question ^[11] to simply place—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—under love. In one sense love (ἀγάπη) is the master key that can stand for all aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. I think John used ἀγάπη that way often, but I want to follow Paul’s thinking here.

Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith (πίστεως, a form of πίστις), he wrote. By our own faith? I think not, for πίστις ^[12] is an aspect of the fruit of the Spirit. Since we have been declared righteous by faith we have peace (εἰρήνην, a form of εἰρήνη) with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.^[13] Again, peace (εἰρήνη) is an aspect of the fruit of his Spirit. Through our Lord Jesus Christ we have also obtained access by faith (πίστει, another form of πίστις) into this grace (χάριν, a form of χάρις) in which we stand. And by grace, though Paul may mean more, I think he cannot mean less than the credited righteousness of God, this very fruit of God’s Holy Spirit. And we rejoice in the hope of our glory! But that’s not what Paul wrote. And we rejoice (καυχώμεθα, a form of καυχάομαι) in the hope of God’s glory.^[14]

Though the NET translators chose rejoice for καυχώμεθα here and in the next verse, boast is a more obvious meaning. I say again, let no one think that I am a fool. But if you do, then at least accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast (καυχήσωμαι, another form of καυχάομαι) a little. What I am saying with this boastful (καυχήσεως, a form of καύχησις) confidence I do not say the way the Lord would. Instead it is, as it were, foolishness. Since many are boasting (καυχῶνται, another form of καυχάομαι) according to human standards, I too will boast (καυχήσομαι, another form of καυχάομαι).^[15] By the way, according to human standards is κατὰ σάρκα in Greek, according to the flesh (NKJV).

It gives me the sense that Paul meant we boast in the hope of God’s glory. We boast in the hope that God will be glorified by the lives we live in the flesh (not according to the flesh), crucified with Christ (it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me),^[16] living by the Spirit,^[17] not by the works of the flesh.^[18] Translated that way we might be less likely to gloss over it and boast in the hope of our own glory. Not only this, Paul continued, but we also rejoice (καυχώμεθα, a form of καυχάομαι; or, boast) in sufferings.^[19] So where does Paul get off writing this wacko stuff?

If I must boast (καυχᾶσθαι, another form of καυχάομαι), I will boast (καυχήσομαι, another form of καυχάομαι) about the things that show my weakness (ἀσθενείας, a form of ἀσθένεια).^[20] There was method to Paul’s madness. For the Lord said to him, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness (ἀσθενείᾳ).” So then, Paul concluded, I will boast (καυχήσομαι) most gladly about my weaknesses (ἀσθενείαις), so that the power of Christ may reside in me.^[21] And in Romans we find a similar method to his madness: we also rejoice (or, boast) in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.^[22] And here I get a beautiful glimmer of an understanding why the NET translators chose rejoice over boast.

We don’t rejoice or boast in our own suffering because of a rational understanding: knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. We can only rejoice or boast in our own suffering because we are filled with the joy (χαρὰ) of God, another aspect of the fruit of his Spirit. And rejoice hearkens back to that fact better than boast ever could. I am confident they chose rejoice for this reason because of a note on the next verse.

And hope does not disappoint, Paul concluded, because the love (ἀγάπη) of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.^[23] The note in the NET reads: “The phrase ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ θεοῦ (…‘the love of God’) could be interpreted as either an objective genitive (‘our love for God’), subjective genitive (‘God’s love for us’), or both (M. Zerwick’s ‘general’ genitive [Biblical Greek,§§36-39]; D. B. Wallace’s ‘plenary’ genitive [ExSyn 119-21]). The immediate context, which discusses what God has done for believers, favors a subjective genitive, but the fact that this love is poured out within the hearts of believers implies that it may be the source for believers’ love for God; consequently an objective genitive cannot be ruled out. It is possible that both these ideas are meant in the text and that this is a plenary genitive: ‘The love that comes from God and that produces our love for God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us’ (ExSyn 121).”

Here is one place I can say with confidence the NET translators really got what Paul was saying. This love (ἀγάπη), which has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us, does no wrong (κακὸν) to a neighbor. Therefore love (ἀγάπη) is the fulfillment (πλήρωμα) of the law.^[24] Pouring this love out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us is what Jesus meant when He said: Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish these things but to fulfill (πληρῶσαι, a form of πληρόω, the verb from which the noun πλήρωμα is derived) them.^[25]

I want to spend some time with κακὸν (a form of κακός) since this ἀγάπη does (or, works) no wrong (or, harm) to a neighbor. The first time κακὸν occurs in the New Testament was from the mouth of the Roman governor. Pilate said to them, “Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?” They all said, “Crucify him!” He asked, “Why? What wrong (κακὸν) has he done?” But they shouted more insistently, “Crucify him!”^[26] Though Pilate found no κακὸν in Him under Roman law the chief priests and elders of Israel had accused Him of many things: “Don’t you hear how many charges they are bringing against you?”^[27] Pilate asked. When Jesus was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he did not respond.^[28]

Now, with 20-20 hindsight I can see Jesus consciously fulfilling Scripture: He was treated harshly and afflicted, but he did not even open his mouth. Like a lamb led to the slaughtering block, like a sheep silent before her shearers, he did not even open his mouth.^[29] At the time in the moment, however, He appeared obstinate, belligerent and disdainful of authority. Consider his teaching (Matthew 23:1-12 NET).

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The experts in the law and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat. Therefore pay attention to what they tell you and do it. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they teach. They tie up heavy loads, hard to carry, and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing even to lift a finger to move them. They do all their deeds to be seen by people, for they make their phylacteries wide and their tassels long. They love the place of honor at banquets and the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and to have people call them ‘Rabbi.’ But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. And call no one your ‘father’ on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Nor are you to be called ‘teacher,’ for you have one teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Even here there is a very rough edge that is disdainful of human authority. More to the point, perhaps, Jesus did nothing that would inhibit his progress toward the cross. My commandment (ἐντολὴ, a form of ἐντολή) is this, He also said, to love (ἀγαπᾶτε, a form of ἀγαπάω) one another just as I have loved (ἠγάπησα, another form of ἀγαπάω) you. No one has greater love (ἀγάπην, a form of ἀγάπη) than this – that one lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command (ἐντέλλομαι) you.^[30] Hanging on the cross, after thirty plus years of human experience, eating it, drinking it, pissing and shitting it, Jesus prayed what I consider the real prayer of salvation: Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.^[31]

My point here, I suppose, is that the love that does (or, works) no wrong (or, harm) to a neighbor may not always appear to all the people all the time to be doing or working no wrong or harm to a neighbor. By his own admission Jesus’ death on a cross was not his will but his Father’s.^[32] Like most human beings Jesus wanted to live; whoever is among the living has hope; a live dog is better than a dead lion.^[33] Perhaps I’ve overstated the case. Jesus was not suicidal as He hung on the cross.

I want to follow this just a bit farther (Luke 16:25 NET).

Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things (ἀγαθά, another form of ἀγαθός) and Lazarus likewise bad things (κακά, another form of κακός), but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.’

When I considered this in the light of the gospel I gleaned from my religion,^[34] Abraham’s words seemed like karmic nonsense. But in the light of the knowledge of God I’m compelled to reconsider. God is love (ἀγάπη).^[35] Love (ἀγάπη) does no wrong (κακὸν, a form of κακός) to a neighbor.^[36] (And this is οὐκ the absolute negation, modifying ἐργάζεται [a form of ἐργάζομαι] apparently not κακὸν.) So while I might be intellectually stimulated to wonder what role God’s love played in Lazarus’ life, the Holy Spirit reminds me that Knowledge puffs up, but love (ἀγάπη) builds up.^[37] All in all it is simpler then to assume that God’s love was revealed after Lazarus’ death. This is in accord with Jesus’ knowledge of God: he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.^[38] And it is prudent to accept that I do not dictate when God reveals his love to anyone (or, in anyone for that matter).

I’ll continue looking into—Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord—as a definition of love rather than as rules in the next essay.

Romans, Part 54

Back to To Make Holy, Part 1

Back to The Lost Son of Perdition, Part 8

^[1] Romans 12:11 (NET) Table

^[2] Romans 5:1-5 (NET)

^[3] Romans 13:10 (NET)

^[4] 1 Corinthians 8:1b (NET)

^[5] Matthew 18:12b (NET)

^[6] Matthew 6:33 (NET)

^[7] 2 Corinthians 8:7 (NET)

^[8] Acts 18:24, 25 (NET) Table

^[9] Ephesians 6:5-8 (NET)

^[10] Romans 12:9b (NET)

^[11] Fallacy: Begging the Question

^[12] Galatians 5:22 (NET) translated faithfulness

^[13] Romans 5:1 (NET)

^[14] Romans 5:2 (NET)

^[15] 2 Corinthians 11:16-18 (NET)

^[16] Galatians 2:20 (NET)

^[17] Galatians 5:16 (NET)

^[18] Galatians 5:19 (NET)

^[19] Romans 5:3a (NET)

^[20] 2 Corinthians 11:30 (NET)

^[21] 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NET)

^[22] Romans 5:3, 4 (NET)

^[23] Romans 5:5 (NET)

^[24] Romans 13:10 (NET)

^[25] Matthew 5:17 (NET)

^[26] Matthew 27:22, 23 (NET)

^[27] Matthew 27:13 (NET)

^[28] Matthew 27:12 (NET)

^[29] Isaiah 53:7 (NET)

^[30] John 15:12-14 (NET)

^[31] Luke 23:34a (NET) Table

^[32] Luke 22:42 (NET)

^[33] Ecclesiastes 9:4 (NET)

^[34] “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ before you die or burn in hell for all eternity.”

^[35] 1 John 4:8, 16 (NET) Table

^[36] Romans 13:10a (NET)

^[37] 1 Corinthians 8:1b (NET)

^[38] Luke 20:38 (NET)

Condemnation or Judgment? – Part 4

Posted on January 12, 2014 by admin

Then Jesus began to criticize openly the cities in which he had done many of his miracles, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment (ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως) than for you!^[1]

Here, potentially, I have another instance where more bearable meant that fewer people rise up at the judgment to condemn the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon than the inhabitants of Chorazin and Bethsaida, those who witnessed Jesus’ miracles and yet rejected his message. The same may be true of Capernaum relative to Sodom (Matthew 11:23, 24 NET).

And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be thrown down to Hades! For if the miracles done among you had been done in Sodom, it would have continued to this day. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for the region (γῇ)^[2] of Sodom on the day of judgment (ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως) than for you!

But all of this assumes that my intuition that κρίσεως^[3] is limited to judgment and does not expand to mean condemnation is correct. In Revelation κρίσεως may mean condemnation as I understand it: Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language, and people. He declared in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment (ἡ ὥρα^[4] τῆς κρίσεως αὐτοῦ) has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!”^[5]

Granted, the first thing that happens after the announcement of the hour of his judgment is a distinction I recognize as judgment. One like a son of man seated on a cloud reaped the harvest of the earth for some unspecified purpose, at the command of an angel who came out of the temple in heaven.^[6] Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven and reaped the earth at the command of another angel who was in charge of the fire. Those harvested in this way were the grapes from the vineyard of the earth, and were tossed into the great winepress of the wrath of God.^[7]

So far so good. But what I would consider the condemnation of the great winepress of the wrath of God was spelled out in some detail later as the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.

First Bowl Revelation 16:2 (NET)	…ugly and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
Second Bowl Revelation 16:3 (NET)	…the sea…turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died.
Third Bowl Revelation 16:4-7 (NET)	…the rivers and the springs of water…turned into blood.
Fourth Bowl Revelation 16:8, 9 (NET)	…the sun…was permitted to scorch people with fire.
Fifth Bowl Revelation 16:10, 11 (NET)	…on the throne of the beast so that darkness covered his kingdom, and people began to bite their tongues because of their pain.
Sixth Bowl Revelation 16:12-16 (NET)	…on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
Seventh Bowl Revelation 16:17-21 (NET)	Then there were flashes of lightning, roaring, and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake – an earthquake unequaled since humanity has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake. The great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed….Every island fled away and no mountains could be found. And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people…

After the third bowl containing God’s wrath John recorded: Now I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are just – the one who is and who was, the Holy One – because (ὅτι)^[8] you have passed these judgments (ἔκρινας, a form of κρίνω),^[9] because (ὅτι) they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!” Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments (κρίσεις, a form of κρίσις)^[10] are true and just!”^[11] Here both κρίνω and κρίσις were used for the adverse sentence, condemnation as I understand it. It makes my careful distinctions moot.

I don’t recant because: 1) I’m not comfortable deriving the meaning of words from the most esoteric and figurative book in the Bible; and 2) the angel’s reasoning sounds vaguely demonic to me. (And, yes, I recognize the audacity of that statement.) Perhaps that is all demonic means. Perhaps a demon is nothing more than an angel who has elevated his own reasoning above the will and word of God. But I don’t believe that God is just or righteous because he passed these judgments (KJV, hast judged thus).

I don’t believe that God is just or righteous because He conforms to some abstract conception of justice or righteousness: they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved! I believe that God is just and righteous because he is the Holy One, who is and who was. What He does, how He judges, is just or righteous because of who He is. Let God be proven true, and every human being shown up as a liar, Paul wrote the Romans, just as it is written: “so that you will be justified in your words and will prevail when you are judged.”^[12] But I suspect here that God is judged not only by human beings, but by angels. Or, perhaps, ὅτι should have been translated—regarding the fact that—as in Acts 13:34 (NET).

But regarding the fact that (ὅτι) he has raised Jesus from the dead, never again to be in a state of decay, God has spoken in this way: “I will give you the holy and trustworthy promises made to David.”

I don’t have any issue with the altar’s reply—Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!—except its tacit and uncritical acceptance of the angel’s reasoning (if his statement is translated correctly). And, no, I’m not particularly troubled by a living altar in heaven capable of speech and reason.

Perhaps Genesis 1:11 and 12 is simply a poetic and figurative way of expressing God’s creation of plant life on the earth, or perhaps it is meant to be understood as God’s way of expressing how He created a living earth with a God-given ability to create plant life. What is conspicuously absent from the text is any mention of God’s direct action in the creation of plant life, as is the case of animals in the sea and birds in the air (Genesis 1:21), animals on the earth (Genesis 1:25) and human beings (Genesis 1:26). Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him,^[13] Jesus said in a different but potentially related context.

If the angel flying directly overhead had the seven bowls in mind, condemnation as I understand it, when he said ἡ ὥρα τῆς κρίσεως αὐτοῦ (the hour of his judgment) then Jesus’ contrasts may have a different meaning as well. The regions of Sodom, Gomorrah, Tyre and Sidon may be places of refuge from ugly and painful sores, rivers and springs of water turned into blood, and the scorching fire of the sun relative to Chorazin, Behtsaida, Capernaum or any town in Israel where the inhabitants rejected Jesus’ disciples’ message, The kingdom of heaven is near! That is, of course, if the angel flying directly overhead was reasoning correctly and not thinking as backwards as the angel of the waters (if the angel of the waters was translated correctly). So I’m conflicted here and continue in the spirit of giving the angel flying directly overhead the benefit of the doubt.

“Fear God and give him glory, the angel flying directly overhead said, because the hour of his judgment (ἡ ὥρα τῆς κρίσεως αὐτοῦ) has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!” After the fourth bowl was poured out, people were scorched by the terrible heat, yet they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.^[14] After the fifth bowl, They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores, but nevertheless they still refused to repent of their deeds.^[15] After the seventh bowl, gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people, but they blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it was so horrendous.^[16] This makes it more plausible that κρίσεως here meant the condemnation of the seven bowls, the great winepress of the wrath of God, and not merely the judgment of Revelation 14:14-19.

In that case, however, I would tend to understand Jesus’ words like this: Furthermore, the Father does not [condemn (κρίνει, a form of κρίνω)] anyone, but has assigned all [condemnation (κρίσιν, a form of κρίσις)] to the Son…^[17] For just as the Father has life in himself, thus he has granted the Son to have life in himself, and he has granted the Son authority to execute (ποιεῖν, a form of ποιέω)^[18] [condemnation (κρίσιν, a form of κρίσις)], because he is the Son of Man.^[19] The writer of Hebrews would have written, And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face [condemnation (κρίσις)], so also, after Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, to those who eagerly await him he will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to bring salvation.^[20]

I’ve been through this before.^[21] This is why I would like to keep κρίνω as judge rather than condemn (κατακρίνω),^[22] and κρίσις as judgment rather than condemnation (κατάκρισις,^[23] κατάκριμα^[24]). Though I suppose it doesn’t matter really whether the Father assigned all judgment or all condemnation to the Son, or whether He has the authority to execute judgment or condemnation, if He does not judge or condemn the world because God sent Him into the world…that the world should be saved through him^[25] instead.

Condemnation of Judgment? – Part 5

Back to Justice, Vengeance and Punishment

^[1] Matthew 11:20-22 (NET)

^[5] Revelation 14:6, 7 (NET)

^[6] Revelation 14:14-16 (NET)

^[7] Revelation 14:17-19 (NET)

^[11] Revelation 16:5-7 (NET)

^[12] Romans 3:4 (NET)

^[13] Luke 20:38 (NET)

^[14] Revelation 16:9 (NET)

^[15] Revelation 16:11 (NET)

^[16] Revelation 16:21 (NET)

^[17] John 5:22 (NET)

^[19] John 5:26, 27 (NET)

^[20] Hebrews 9:27, 28 (NET)

^[21] Son of God – John, Part 2; Son of God – John, Part 3; Son of God – John, Part 4

^[25] John 3:17 (NET)

Jedidiah, Part 6

Posted on July 12, 2012 by admin

And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches¹ in Christ Jesus.² Paul wrote this blessing to the Philippians after receiving their gift to help in his ministry. It is the theme in my mind for the next few lines of David’s song. Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me! Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your deliverance. O Lord, give me the words! Then my mouth will praise you.³

I don’t know if David the king was concerned about surviving the avenger of blood⁴ or the Lord’s decree: So now the sword will never depart from your house.⁵ But whether it is rescue from the guilt of murder or the words to praise God, David expected his God to supply his every need. And just to remind myself again, his God did not call him an annoying leach or parasite, but a man after his own heart.⁶ God was, and still is, pleased with this kind of faith.

Since I brought up the avenger of blood I want to consider that for a moment because it fits in with my theme of finding the Gospel in the Old Testament. There were cities of refuge in Israel for someone who committed unintentional homicide. The perpetrator was considered a murderer, he had killed someone. But if he made it to a city of refuge before the avenger of blood killed him, the people of that city were to decide between the murderer and the avenger of blood on the basis of Numbers 35:20-25a (NET):

…if [the murderer] strikes him out of hatred or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies, or with enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death, for he is a murderer. The avenger of blood must kill the murderer when he meets him. But if he strikes him suddenly, without enmity, or throws anything at him unintentionally, or with any stone large enough that a man could die, without seeing him, and throws it at him, and he dies, even though he was not his enemy nor sought his harm, then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions. The community must deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood…

It surprised me to realize that Jesus hadn’t invented a novel thing when He said, You have heard that it was said to an older generation, ‘Do not murder,’ and ‘whoever murders will be subjected to judgment.’ But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother⁷ will be subjected to judgment.⁸ The hatred or enmity was what was supposed to be punished, even more so than the killing itself, in his law. So, though the Ammonites actually killed Uriah in battle, because Joab withdrew support from him, it was David’s enmity toward Uriah that made David the actual murderer.

Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, David’s song continued, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice. The sacrifices God desires are a humble spirit – O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.⁹ And Jesus told a parable about a tax collector who stood far off and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, sinner that I am!” I tell you that this man went down to his home justified (δεδικαιωμένος, a form of δικαιόω) rather than the Pharisee.¹⁰

Just as Achan’s sin impacted not only his own family but the whole nation, David’s attention focused last on Israel and its capital Jerusalem: Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her! Fortify the walls of Jerusalem! Then you will accept the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings; then bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.¹¹

These are the circumstances when God named Solomon Jedidiah: So David comforted his wife Bathsheba, after their first child died. He went to her and had marital relations with her.¹² So here are the same two people doing exactly the same thing they did before. She gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon.¹³ So the same two people did exactly the same thing with exactly the same result, but everything is different. Now the Lord loved the child and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the Lord’s sake.¹⁴ According to the footnote Jedidiah means “loved by the Lord.”

Obviously this message from the Lord meant more to David and Bathsheba than it could ever mean to Solomon. But I want to recall how much it meant to the Lord. Even after Solomon broke every rule God gave the kings of Israel, the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. However, for your father David’s sake I will not do this while you are alive.”¹⁵

As far as anyone knew David was already dead. But I consider Jesus’ enigmatic statement to the Sadduccees, You are deceived, because you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God…have you not read what was spoken to you by God, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob”? He¹⁶ is not the God of the dead but of the living!¹⁷

Jesus quoted from Exodus. When He spoke these words to Moses it was several hundred years since Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had died as far as anyone on this planet knew. But Luke dispelled the enigma of Jesus’ words when he related the story in his Gospel. The entire quote read, Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live before him.¹⁸

In other words, one who believes Jesus finds yet another element of the Gospel here. God continued to show his love for Jedidiah throughout Solomon’s lifetime for the sake of all that meant to the man after his own heart, the living David. It is hard to imagine a more beautiful demonstration of the transforming power of Jesus’ forgiveness. But here is one more for good measure.

Years later the blind prophet Ahijah spoke to Jeroboam’s wife: Go, tell Jeroboam, the rebel king of the divided nation of Israel, This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “I raised you up from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel. I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve.”¹⁹ Though the incident remains in Scripture for the boy Jesus’ benefit (and ours), it has been removed entirely, though justly and righteously, from his “rememory” of David’s life.

Addendum: February 23, 2020
A table comparing the Greek of Jesus’ quotation of Exodus 3:6 in Matthew 22:36 follows:

Matthew 22:32 (NET Parallel Greek)	Exodus 3:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ	ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου θεὸς Αβρααμ καὶ θεὸς Ισαακ καὶ θεὸς Ιακωβ	ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου, Θεὸς ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ιακώβ
Matthew 22:32 (NET)	Exodus 3:6 (NETS)	Exodus 3:6 (English Elpenor)
I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob	I am the God of your father, God of Abraam and God of Isaak and God of Iakob.	I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraam, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob

The story of Jeroboam’s wife’s visiting Ahijah the prophet (1 Kings 14:1-18) is apparently missing from the BLB version of the Septuagint. I went to the next “rememory” of David’s life that I found in both versions of the Septuagint only to discover that it was not a “rememory” in the Masoretic text.

Masoretic Text		Septuagint (BLB, Elpenor)
1 Kings 15:4, 5 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 15:4, 5 (NET)	3 Reigns 15:4, 5 (NETS)	3 Kings 15:4, 5 (English Elpenor)
Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:	Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty in Jerusalem by giving him a son to succeed him and by protecting Jerusalem.	For because of Dauid the Lord gave him a remnant, that he might establish his children after him and establish Ierousalem;	Howbeit for David’s sake the Lord gave him a remnant, that he might establish his children after him, and might establish Jerusalem.
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.	He did this because David had done what he approved and had not disregarded any of his commandments his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite.	as Dauid did what was right before the Lord, he did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life.	Forasmuch as David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord: he turned not from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life.

Before I began any methodical study of the Septuagint I would have assumed that the rabbis dropped any mention of Uriah the Hittite from their translation. Now I’m more willing to consider whether the Masoretes added it to the original Hebrew text. A comparison of the “rememories” in 1 and 2 Kings in the Masoretic text and the Septuagint might be an interesting study I may or may not pursue any time soon. After all, the only reason I was interested in a Rememory in the movie The Final Cut was my own memory of God’s remembrances of David in English translation of the Masoretic text of 1 and 2 Kings.

Tables comparing Psalm 51:14; 51:15; Numbers 35:20; 35:21; 35:22; 35:23; 35:24; 35:25; Psalm 51:16; 51:17; 51:18; 51:19; 2 Samuel 12:24; 12:25; 1 Kings 11:11; 11:12; Exodus 3:6; 1 Kings 14:7; 14:8; 15:4 and 15:5 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and tables comparing Psalm 51:14 (50:16); 51:15 (50:17); Numbers 35:20; 35:21; 35:22; 35:23; 35:24; 35:25; Psalm 51:16 (50:18); 51:17 (50:19); 51:18 (50:20); 51:19 (50:21); 2 Samuel (Reigns, Kings) 12:24; 12:25; 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 11:11; 11:12; Exodus 3:6; 1 Kings (3 Reigns, 3 Kings) 14:7; 14:8; 15:4 and 15:5 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor) follow. Following those are tables comparing Philippians 4:19; Matthew 5:22 and 22:32 in the NET and KJV.

Psalm 51:14 (Tanakh)	Psalm 51:14 (KJV)	Psalm 51:14 (NET)
Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.	Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.	Rescue me from the guilt of murder, O God, the God who delivers me. Then my tongue will shout for joy because of your righteousness.

Psalm 51:14 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 50:16 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ῥῦσαί με ἐξ αἱμάτων ὁ θεὸς ὁ θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου ἀγαλλιάσεται ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου	ρῦσαί με ἐξ αἱμάτων, ὁ Θεὸς ὁ Θεὸς τῆς σωτηρίας μου· ἀγαλλιάσεται ἡ γλῶσσά μου τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου
Psalm 50:16 (NETS)	Psalm 50:16 (English Elpenor)
Rescue me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my deliverance; my tongue will rejoice at your righteousness.	Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, the God of my salvation: [and] my tongue shall joyfully declare thy righteousness.

Psalm 51:15 (Tanakh)	Psalm 51:15 (KJV)	Psalm 51:15 (NET)
O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.	O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.	O Lord, give me the words. Then my mouth will praise you.

Psalm 51:15 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 50:17 (Septuagint Elpenor)
κύριε τὰ χείλη μου ἀνοίξεις καὶ τὸ στόμα μου ἀναγγελεῗ τὴν αἴνεσίν σου	Κύριε, τὰ χείλη μου ἀνοίξεις, καὶ τὸ στόμα μου ἀναγγελεῖ τὴν αἴνεσίν σου
Psalm 50:17 (NETS)	Psalm 50:17 (English Elpenor)
O Lord, my lips you will open, and my mouth will declare your praise.	O Lord, thou shalt open my lips; and my mouth shall declare thy praise.

Numbers 35:20 (Tanakh)	Numbers 35:20 (KJV)	Numbers 35:20 (NET)
And if he thrust him of hatred, or hurled at him any thing, lying in wait, so that he died;	But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die;	“‘But if he strikes him out of hatred or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies,

Numbers 35:20 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 35:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ δι᾽ ἔχθραν ὤσῃ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπιρρίψῃ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν πᾶν σκεῦος ἐξ ἐνέδρου καὶ ἀποθάνῃ	ἐὰν δὲ δι’ ἔχθραν ὤσῃ αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπιρρίψῃ ἐπ’ αὐτὸν πᾶν σκεῦος ἐξ ἐνέδρου, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ
Numbers 35:20 (NETS)	Numbers 35:20 (English Elpenor)
Now if out of enmity he pushes him and hurls at him any object from an ambush and he dies	And if he should thrust him through enmity, or cast any thing upon him from an ambuscade, and the man should die,

Numbers 35:21 (Tanakh)	Numbers 35:21 (KJV)	Numbers 35:21 (NET)
or in enmity smote him with his hand, that he died; he that smote him shall surely be put to death: he is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meeteth him.	Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him.	or with enmity he strikes him with his hand and he dies, the one who struck him must surely be put to death, for he is a murderer. The avenger of blood must kill the murderer when he meets him.

Numbers 35:21 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 35:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ διὰ μῆνιν ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν τῇ χειρί καὶ ἀποθάνῃ θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ὁ πατάξας φονευτής ἐστιν θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ὁ φονεύων ὁ ἀγχιστεύων τὸ αἷμα ἀποκτενεῗ τὸν φονεύσαντα ἐν τῷ συναντῆσαι αὐτῷ	ἢ διὰ μῆνιν ἐπάταξεν αὐτὸν τῇ χειρί, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ὁ πατάξας, φονευτής ἐστι· θανάτῳ θανατούσθω ὁ φονεύων· ὁ ἀγχιστεύων τὸ αἷμα ἀποκτενεῖ τὸν φονεύσαντα ἐν τῷ συναντῆσαι αὐτῷ
Numbers 35:21 (NETS)	Numbers 35:21 (English Elpenor)
or out of rage he struck him with the hand and he dies, let the one who struck be put to death by death—he is a murderer; let the murderer be put to death by death; the one doing the relative’s blood duty shall strike the one that committed murder when he meets him.	or if he have smitten him with his hand through anger, and the man should die, let the man that smote him be put to death by all means, he is a murderer: let the murderer by all means be put to death: the avenger of blood shall slay the murderer when he meets him.

Numbers 35:22 (Tanakh)	Numbers 35:22 (KJV)	Numbers 35:22 (NET)
But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or hurled upon him any thing without lying in wait,	But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait,	“But if he strikes him suddenly, without enmity, or throws anything at him unintentionally,

Numbers 35:22 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 35:22 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἐὰν δὲ ἐξάπινα οὐ δι᾽ ἔχθραν ὤσῃ αὐτὸν ἢ ἐπιρρίψῃ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν πᾶν σκεῦος οὐκ ἐξ ἐνέδρου	ἐὰν δὲ ἐξάπινα οὐ δι’ ἔχθραν ὤσῃ αὐτὸν ἢ ἐπιρρίψῃ ἐπ’ αὐτὸν πᾶν σκεῦος οὐκ ἐξ ἐνέδρου
Numbers 35:22 (NETS)	Numbers 35:22 (English Elpenor)
But if he pushes him suddenly, not out of enmity, or throws at him any object not from an ambush	But if he should thrust him suddenly, not through enmity, or cast any thing upon him, not from an ambuscade,

Numbers 35:23 (Tanakh)	Numbers 35:23 (KJV)	Numbers 35:23 (NET)
or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;	or with any stone, whereby a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, so that he died, and he was not his enemy, neither sought his harm;	or with any stone large enough that a man could die, without seeing him, and throws it at him, and he dies, even though he was not his enemy nor sought his harm,

Numbers 35:23 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 35:23 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἢ παντὶ λίθῳ ἐν ᾧ ἀποθανεῗται ἐν αὐτῷ οὐκ εἰδώς καὶ ἐπιπέσῃ ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν καὶ ἀποθάνῃ αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ ἐχθρὸς αὐτοῦ ἦν οὐδὲ ζητῶν κακοποιῆσαι αὐτόν	ἢ παντὶ λίθῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἀποθανεῖται ἐν αὐτῷ, οὐκ εἰδώς, καὶ ἐπιπέσῃ ἐπ’ αὐτόν, καὶ ἀποθάνῃ, αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ ἐχθρὸς αὐτοῦ ἦν, οὐδὲ ζητῶν κακοποιῆσαι αὐτόν
Numbers 35:23 (NETS)	Numbers 35:23 (English Elpenor)
or with any stone—by which he may die—unknowingly, and it falls upon him and he dies but he is not his enemy nor was he seeking to harm him,	or [smite him] with any stone, whereby a man may die, unawares, and it should fall upon him, and he should die, but he was not his enemy, nor sought to hurt him;

Numbers 35:24 (Tanakh)	Numbers 35:24 (KJV)	Numbers 35:24 (NET)
then the congregation shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood according to these ordinances;	Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments:	then the community must judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood according to these decisions.

Numbers 35:24 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 35:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ κρινεῗ ἡ συναγωγὴ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ πατάξαντος καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα κατὰ τὰ κρίματα ταῦτα	καὶ κρινεῖ ἡ συναγωγὴ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ πατάξαντος καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα, κατὰ τὰ κρίματα ταῦτα
Numbers 35:24 (NETS)	Numbers 35:24 (English Elpenor)
then the congregation shall judge between the striker and between the one doing the relative’s blood duty, according to these judgments,	then the assembly shall judge between the smiter and the avenger of blood, according to these judgments.

Numbers 35:25 (Tanakh)	Numbers 35:25 (KJV)	Numbers 35:25 (NET)
and the congregation shall deliver the manslayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he was fled; and he shall dwell therein until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.	And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil.	The community must deliver the slayer out of the hand of the avenger of blood, and the community must restore him to the town of refuge to which he fled, and he must live there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the consecrated oil.

Numbers 35:25 (Septuagint BLB)	Numbers 35:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἐξελεῗται ἡ συναγωγὴ τὸν φονεύσαντα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα καὶ ἀποκαταστήσουσιν αὐτὸν ἡ συναγωγὴ εἰς τὴν πόλιν τοῦ φυγαδευτηρίου αὐτοῦ οὗ κατέφυγεν καὶ κατοικήσει ἐκεῗ ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας ὃν ἔχρισαν αὐτὸν τῷ ἐλαίῳ τῷ ἁγίῳ	καὶ ἐξελεῖται ἡ συναγωγὴ τὸν φονεύσαντα ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀγχιστεύοντος τὸ αἷμα, καὶ ἀποκαταστήσουσιν αὐτὸν ἡ συναγωγὴ εἰς τὴν πόλιν τοῦ φυγαδευτηρίου αὐτοῦ, οὗ κατέφυγε, καὶ κατοικήσει ἐκεῖ ἕως ἂν ἀποθάνῃ ὁ ἱερεὺς ὁ μέγας, ὃν ἔχρισαν αὐτὸν τῷ ἐλαίῳ τῷ ἁγίῳ
Numbers 35:25 (NETS)	Numbers 35:25 (English Elpenor)
and the congregation shall rescue the one that committed murder from the one doing the relative’s blood duty. And the congregation shall restore him to the city of his place of refuge, where he fled for refuge. And he shall live there until the great priest dies, him whom they anointed with the holy oil.	And the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge, whither he fled for refuge; and he shall dwell there till the death of the high-priest, whom they anointed with the holy oil.

Psalm 51:16 (Tanakh)	Psalm 51:16 (KJV)	Psalm 51:16 (NET)
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.	For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.	Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.

Psalm 51:16 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 50:18 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι εἰ ἠθέλησας θυσίαν ἔδωκα ἄν ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐκ εὐδοκήσεις	ὅτι εἰ ἠθέλησας θυσίαν, ἔδωκα ἄν· ὁλοκαυτώματα οὐκ εὐδοκήσεις
Psalm 50:18 (NETS)	Psalm 50:18 (English Elpenor)
because if you had wanted sacrifice, I would have given it; with whole burnt offerings you will not be pleased.	For if thou desiredst sacrifice, I would have given [it]: thou wilt not take pleasure in whole-burnt-offerings.

Psalm 51:17 (Tanakh)	Psalm 51:17 (KJV)	Psalm 51:17 (NET)
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.	The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.	The sacrifice God desires is a humble spirit—O God, a humble and repentant heart you will not reject.

Psalm 51:17 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 50:19 (Septuagint Elpenor)
θυσία τῷ θεῷ πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουθενώσει	θυσία τῷ Θεῷ πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον, καρδίαν συντετριμμένην καὶ τεταπεινωμένην ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐξουδενώσει
Psalm 50:19 (NETS)	Psalm 50:19 (English Elpenor)
Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit; a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.	Sacrifice to God is a broken spirit: a broken and humbled heart God will not despise.

Psalm 51:18 (Tanakh)	Psalm 51:18 (KJV)	Psalm 51:18 (NET)
Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.	Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.	Because you favor Zion, do what is good for her. Fortify the walls of Jerusalem.

Psalm 51:18 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 50:20 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ἀγάθυνον κύριε ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ σου τὴν Σιων καὶ οἰκοδομηθήτω τὰ τείχη Ιερουσαλημ	ἀγάθυνον, Κύριε, ἐν τῇ εὐδοκίᾳ σου τὴν Σιών, καὶ οἰκοδομηθήτω τὰ τείχη ῾Ιερουσαλήμ
Psalm 50:20 (NETS)	Psalm 50:20 (English Elpenor)
Do good to Sion in your good pleasure, and let the walls of Ierousalem be built;	Do good, O Lord, to Sion in thy good pleasure; and let the walls of Jerusalem be built.

Psalm 51:19 (Tanakh)	Psalm 51:19 (KJV)	Psalm 51:19 (NET)
Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.	Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.	Then you will accept the proper sacrifices, burnt sacrifices and whole offerings; then bulls will be sacrificed on your altar.

Psalm 51:19 (Septuagint BLB)	Psalm 50:21 (Septuagint Elpenor)
τότε εὐδοκήσεις θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης ἀναφορὰν καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα τότε ἀνοίσουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριόν σου μόσχους	τότε εὐδοκήσεις θυσίαν δικαιοσύνης, ἀναφορὰν καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα· τότε ἀνοίσουσιν ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριόν σου μόσχους
Psalm 50:21 (NETS)	Psalm 50:21 (English Elpenor)
then you will delight in a sacrifice of righteousness, in offering and whole burnt offerings; then they will offer calves on your altar.	Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

2 Samuel 12:24 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 12:24 (KJV)	2 Samuel 12:24 (NET)
And David comforted Bath-sheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and called his name Solomon. And HaShem loved him;	And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.	So David comforted his wife Bathsheba. He came to her and went to bed with her. Later she gave birth to a son, and David named him Solomon. Now the Lord loved the child

2 Samuel 12:24 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 12:24 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ παρεκάλεσεν Δαυιδ Βηρσαβεε τὴν γυναῗκα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ᾽ αὐτῆς καὶ συνέλαβεν καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σαλωμων καὶ κύριος ἠγάπησεν αὐτόν	καὶ παρεκάλεσε Δαυὶδ Βηρσαβεὲ τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθε πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ ἐκοιμήθη μετ’ αὐτῆς καὶ συνέλαβε καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱόν, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Σαλωμών, καὶ Κύριος ἠγάπησεν αὐτόν
2 Reigns 12:24 (NETS)	2 Kings 12:24 (English Elpenor)
And Dauid consoled Bersabee his wife and went in to her and lay with her, and she conceived and bore a son and called his name Salomon. And the Lord loved him.	Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

2 Samuel 12:25 (Tanakh)	2 Samuel 12:25 (KJV)	2 Samuel 12:25 (NET)
and He sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Jedidiah, for HaShem’S sake.	And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet; and he called his name Jedidiah, because of the LORD.	and sent word through Nathan the prophet that he should be named Jedidiah for the Lord’s sake.

2 Samuel 12:25 (Septuagint BLB)	2 Kings 12:25 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Ναθαν τοῦ προφήτου καὶ ἐκάλεσεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ιδεδι ἕνεκεν κυρίου	καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐν χειρὶ Νάθαν τοῦ προφήτου, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ᾿Ιεδεδί, ἕνεκεν Κυρίου
2 Reigns 12:25 (NETS)	2 Kings 12:25 (English Elpenor)
And he sent by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his name Idedi, on account of the Lord.	Then shalt thou be pleased with a sacrifice of righteousness, offering, and whole-burnt-sacrifices: then shall they offer calves upon thine altar.

1 Kings 11:11 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:11 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:11 (NET)
Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.	Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant.	So the Lord said to Solomon, “Because you insist on doing these things and have not kept the covenantal rules I gave you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant.

1 Kings 11:11 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:11 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν κύριος πρὸς Σαλωμων ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐγένετο ταῦτα μετὰ σοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου ἃ ἐνετειλάμην σοι διαρρήσσων διαρρήξω τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐκ χειρός σου καὶ δώσω αὐτὴν τῷ δούλῳ σου	καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς Σαλωμών· ἀνθ᾿ ὧν ἐγένετο ταῦτα μετὰ σοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐφύλαξας τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ τὰ προστάγματά μου, ἃ ἐνετειλάμην σοι, διαρρήσσων διαρρήξω τὴν βασιλείαν σου ἐκ χειρός σου καὶ δώσω αὐτὴν τῷ δούλῳ σου
3 Reigns 11:11 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:11 (English Elpenor)
And the Lord said to Salomon, “Since these thing were with you and you did not keep my commandments and my ordinances that I commanded you, tearing I will tear your kingdom from your hand and give it to your slave.	And the Lord said to Solomon, Because it has been thus with thee, and thou hast not kept my commandments and my ordinances which I commanded thee, I will surely rend thy kingdom out of thy hand, and give it to thy servant.

1 Kings 11:12 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 11:12 (KJV)	1 Kings 11:12 (NET)
Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.	Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.	However, for your father David’s sake I will not do this while you are alive. I will tear it away from your son’s hand instead.

1 Kings 11:12 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 11:12 (Septuagint Elpenor)
πλὴν ἐν ταῗς ἡμέραις σου οὐ ποιήσω αὐτὰ διὰ Δαυιδ τὸν πατέρα σου ἐκ χειρὸς υἱοῦ σου λήμψομαι αὐτήν	πλὴν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις σου οὐ ποιήσω αὐτὰ διὰ Δαυὶδ τὸν πατέρα σου· ἐκ χειρὸς υἱοῦ σου λήψομαι αὐτήν
3 Reigns 11:12 (NETS)	3 Kings 11:12 (English Elpenor)
Yet, for the sake of your father Dauid I will not do them in your days; I will take it out of the hand of your son.	Only in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: [but] I will take it out of the hand of thy son.

Exodus 3:6 (Tanakh)	Exodus 3:6 (KJV)	Exodus 3:6 (NET)
Moreover He said: ‘I am the G-d of thy father, the G-d of Abraham, the G-d of Isaac, and the G-d of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon G-d.	Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.	He added, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.

Exodus 3:6 (Septuagint BLB)	Exodus 3:6 (Septuagint Elpenor)
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου θεὸς Αβρααμ καὶ θεὸς Ισαακ καὶ θεὸς Ιακωβ ἀπέστρεψεν δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εὐλαβεῗτο γὰρ κατεμβλέψαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ θεοῦ	καὶ εἶπεν· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου, Θεὸς ῾Αβραὰμ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ισαὰκ καὶ Θεὸς ᾿Ιακώβ. ἀπέστρεψε δὲ Μωυσῆς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ· εὐλαβεῖτο γὰρ κατεμβλέψαι ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ
Exodus 3:6 (NETS)	Exodus 3:6 (English Elpenor)
And he said to him, “I am the God of your father, God of Abraam and God of Isaak and God of Iakob.” And Moyses turned his face away, for he was being reverent to look down before God.	And he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraam, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and Moses turned away his face, for he was afraid to gaze at God.

1 Kings 14:7 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 14:7 (KJV)	1 Kings 14:7 (NET)
Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,	Go, tell Jeroboam, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Forasmuch as I exalted thee from among the people, and made thee prince over my people Israel,	Go, tell Jeroboam, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel has said: “I raised you up from among the people and made you ruler over my people Israel.

1 Kings 14:7 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 14:7 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	πορευθεῖσα εἰπὸν τῷ ῾Ιεροβοάμ· τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ισραήλ· ἀνθ᾿ οὗ ὅσον ὕψωσά σε ἀπὸ μέσου λαοῦ καὶ ἔδωκά σε ἡγούμενον ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν μου ᾿Ισραήλ,
3 Reigns 14:7 (NETS)	3 Kings 14:7 (English Elpenor)
NA	In going, say to Jeroboam, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Because as much as I exalted you from the midst of the people and appointed you leading over the people of Israel,

1 Kings 14:8 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 14:8 (KJV)	1 Kings 14:8 (NET)
And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;	And rent the kingdom away from the house of David, and gave it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant David, who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes;	I tore the kingdom away from the Davidic dynasty and gave it to you. But you are not like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me wholeheartedly by doing only what I approve.

1 Kings 14:8 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 14:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)
NA	καὶ ἔρρηξα σὺν τὸ βασίλειον ἀπὸ τοῦ οἶκου Δαυὶδ καὶ ἔδωκα αὐτό σοι καὶ οὐκ ἐγένου ὡς ὁ δοῦλός μου Δαυίδ, ὃς ἐφύλαξε τὰς ἐντολάς μου καὶ ὃς ἐπορεύθη ὀπίσω μου ἐν πάσῃ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ ποιῆσαι ἕκαστος τὸ εὐθὲς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς μου
3 Reigns 14:8 (NETS)	3 Kings 14:8 (English Elpenor)
NA	and tore the crown of state from the house of David and gave it to you; and you have not become as my servant David who kept my commandments, and who went after me with all his heart, to do right in my eyes.

1 Kings 15:4 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 15:4 (KJV)	1 Kings 15:4 (NET)
Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:	Nevertheless for David’s sake did the LORD his God give him a lamp in Jerusalem, to set up his son after him, and to establish Jerusalem:	Nevertheless for David’s sake the Lord his God maintained his dynasty in Jerusalem by giving him a son to succeed him and by protecting Jerusalem.

1 Kings 15:4 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 15:4 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὅτι διὰ Δαυιδ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ κύριος κατάλειμμα ἵνα στήσῃ τέκνα αὐτοῦ μετ᾽ αὐτὸν καὶ στήσῃ τὴν Ιερουσαλημ	ὅτι διὰ Δαυὶδ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ Κύριος κατάλειμμα, ἵνα στήσῃ τὰ τέκνα αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν καὶ στήσῃ τὴν ῾Ιερουσαλήμ
3 Reigns 15:4 (NETS)	3 Kings 15:4 (English Elpenor)
For because of Dauid the Lord gave him a remnant, that he might establish his children after him and establish Ierousalem;	Howbeit for David’s sake the Lord gave him a remnant, that he might establish his children after him, and might establish Jerusalem.

1 Kings 15:5 (Tanakh)	1 Kings 15:5 (KJV)	1 Kings 15:5 (NET)
Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.	Because David did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.	He did this because David had done what he approved and had not disregarded any of his commandments his entire lifetime, except for the incident involving Uriah the Hittite.

1 Kings 15:5 (Septuagint BLB)	3 Kings 15:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)
ὡς ἐποίησεν Δαυιδ τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον κυρίου οὐκ ἐξέκλινεν ἀπὸ πάντων ὧν ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ	ὡς ἐποίησε Δαυὶδ τὸ εὐθὲς ἐνώπιον Κυρίου, οὐκ ἐξέκλινεν ἀπὸ πάντων, ὧν ἐνετείλατο αὐτῷ, πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ
3 Reigns 15:5 (NETS)	3 Kings 15:5 (English Elpenor)
as Dauid did what was right before the Lord, he did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life.	Forasmuch as David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord: he turned not from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life.

Philippians 4:19 (NET)	Philippians 4:19 (KJV)
And my God will supply your every need according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.	But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ὁ δὲ θεός μου πληρώσει πᾶσαν χρείαν ὑμῶν κατὰ τὸ πλοῦτος αὐτοῦ ἐν δόξῃ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ	ο δε θεος μου πληρωσει πασαν χρειαν υμων κατα τον πλουτον αυτου εν δοξη εν χριστω ιησου	ο δε θεος μου πληρωσει πασαν χρειαν υμων κατα τον πλουτον αυτου εν δοξη εν χριστω ιησου

Matthew 5:22 (NET)	Matthew 5:22 (KJV)
But I say to you that anyone who is angry with a brother will be subjected to judgment. And whoever insults a brother will be brought before the council, and whoever says ‘Fool’ will be sent to fiery hell.	But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πᾶς ὁ ὀργιζόμενος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ ἔνοχος ἔσται τῇ κρίσει· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν εἴπῃ τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ· ρακά, ἔνοχος ἔσται τῷ συνεδρίῳ· ὃς δ᾿ ἂν εἴπῃ· μωρέ, ἔνοχος ἔσται εἰς τὴν γέενναν τοῦ πυρός	εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι πας ο οργιζομενος τω αδελφω αυτου εικη ενοχος εσται τη κρισει ος δ αν ειπη τω αδελφω αυτου ρακα ενοχος εσται τω συνεδριω ος δ αν ειπη μωρε ενοχος εσται εις την γεενναν του πυρος	εγω δε λεγω υμιν οτι πας ο οργιζομενος τω αδελφω αυτου εικη ενοχος εσται τη κρισει ος δ αν ειπη τω αδελφω αυτου ρακα ενοχος εσται τω συνεδριω ος δ αν ειπη μωρε ενοχος εσται εις την γεενναν του πυρος

Matthew 22:32 (NET)	Matthew 22:32 (KJV)
‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living!”	I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

NET Parallel Greek	Stephanus Textus Receptus	Byzantine Majority Text
ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ; οὐκ ἔστιν [ὁ] θεὸς νεκρῶν ἀλλὰ ζώντων	εγω ειμι ο θεος αβρααμ και ο θεος ισαακ και ο θεος ιακωβ ουκ εστιν ο θεος θεος νεκρων αλλα ζωντων	εγω ειμι ο θεος αβρααμ και ο θεος ισαακ και ο θεος ιακωβ ουκ εστιν ο θεος θεος νεκρων αλλα ζωντων