Isaiah 53:10-12, Part 11

This is a continuation of a consideration of the differences between the Masoretic text and the Septuagint, a translation of the Hebrew before Israel rejected Jesus as Messiah. The final clause of the first verse under consideration follows:

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Isaiah 53:10d (Tanakh) Table

Isaiah 53:10d (NET)

Isaiah 53:10d (NETS) Table

Isaiah 53:11a (Elpenor English)

and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand (בְּיָד֥וֹ). and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him (yāḏ, בידו). And the Lord wishes to take away (ἀφελεῗν) the Lord also is pleased to take away (ἀφελεῖν) from

I had begun to consider other occurrences of forms ἀφαιρέω (Table) in Isaiah to get a feel for any potential relationship between ἀφελεῖν (a form of ἀφαιρέω) and בְּיָד֥וֹ (yāḏ). Since a form of ἀφαιρέω was the translation of a form of סוּר (sûr) in two of the three examples I considered in another essay,1 I’ve continued with those occurrences in Isaiah.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Isaiah 18:5 (Tanakh/KJV)

Isaiah 18:5 (NET)

Isaiah 18:5 (NETS)

Isaiah 18:5 (Elpenor English)

For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away (הֵסִ֥יר) and cut down the branches. For before the harvest, when the bud has sprouted and the ripening fruit appears, he will cut off the unproductive shoots with pruning knives; he will prune the tendrils [Note 13: the tendrils he will remove (sûr, הסיר), he will cut off]. Before the harvest, when the blossom has been completed and the unripe grape blossoms—a grape-bearing blossom—then he will take away (ἀφελεῗ) the little clusters with pruning hooks and take away (ἀφελεῗ) the small branches and cut them off Before the reaping time, when the flower has been completely formed, and the unripe grape has put forth its flower and blossomed, then shall he take away (ἀφελεῖ) the little clusters with pruning-hooks, and shall take away (ἀφελεῖ) the small branches, and cut them off;

This seems to be an example of one instance of הֵסִ֥יר (sûr) translated with two instances of ἀφελεῖ (a form of ἀφαιρέω) because of the Hebrew word וְכָרַ֚ת (kāraṯ), translated he shall both cut off (Tanakh, KJV). I won’t spend time here to try to confirm it with other examples.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Isaiah 25:8 (Tanakh/KJV)

Isaiah 25:8 (NET)

Isaiah 25:8 (NETS)

Isaiah 25:8 (Elpenor English)

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away (וּמָחָ֨ה) tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away (יָסִיר֙) from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. he will swallow up death permanently. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away (māḥâ, ומחה) the tears from every face, and remove (sûr, יסיר) his people’s disgrace from all the earth. Indeed, the Lord has announced it! Death, having prevailed, swallowed them up, and God has again taken away (ἀφεῗλεν) every tear from every face; the disgrace of the people he has taken away (ἀφεῗλεν) from all the earth, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Death has prevailed and swallowed [men] up; but again the Lord God has taken away (ἀφεῖλε) every tear from every face. He has taken away (ἀφεῖλεν) the reproach of [his] people from all the earth: for the mouth off the Lord has spoken it.

Here both וּמָחָ֨ה (māḥâ) and יָסִיר֙ (sûr) were translated ἀφεῖλε(ν) and ἀφεῗλεν (a form of ἀφαιρέω) in the Septuagint. According to a note (33) in the NET Paul quoted Isaiah 25:8, “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”2 The table below compares Paul’s Greek to that of the Septuagint.

1 Corinthians 15:54b (NET Parallel Greek)

Isaiah 25:8a (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 25:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας

1 Corinthians 15:54b (NET)

Isaiah 25:8 (NETS)

Isaiah 25:8 (English Elpenor)

Death has been swallowed up in victory.” Death, having prevailed, swallowed them up Death has prevailed and swallowed [men] up

Perhaps κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος (Death has been swallowed up in victory) was a popular saying (λόγος), a summation of the first two clauses of Hosea 13:14 alluding to the καταπίνω imagery (“to drink down, swallow, gulp”) of Isaiah 28:5. As death has swallowed up the living, the living God will swallow up death through Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:54b (NET Parallel Greek)

Hosea 13:14a (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 13:14a (Septuagint Elpenor)

κατεπόθη ὁ θάνατος εἰς νῖκος ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου ῥύσομαι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκ θανάτου λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου ῥύσομαι καὶ ἐκ θανάτου λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς

1 Corinthians 15:54b (NET)

Hosea 13:14a (NETS)

Hosea 13:14a (English Elpenor)

Death has been swallowed up in victory.” I shall rescue them from the hand of Hades and shall redeem them from Death. I will deliver [them] out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death:

1 Corinthians 15:55 (NET Parallel Greek)

Hosea 13:14b (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 13:14b (Septuagint Elpenor)

ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ νῖκος;3 ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον ποῦ δίκη σου θάνατε ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου ᾅδη ποῦ δίκη σου, θάνατε; ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου, ᾅδη

1 Corinthians 15:55 (NET)

Hosea 13:14b (NETS)

Hosea 13:14b (English Elpenor)

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” O Death, where is your sentence? O Hades, where is your goad? where is thy penalty, O death? O Hades, where is thy sting?

Regardless, the rabbis who translated the Septuagint didn’t understand the first clause of Isaiah 25:8 in the same way that more contemporary translators have translated the Hebrew of the Masoretic text.

Isaiah 25:8a (Tanakh/KJV from the Masoretic text)

Isaiah 25:8a (NETS from the Septuagint)

He will swallow up death in victory; Death, having prevailed, swallowed them up,

Does this mean that the Hebrew text the rabbis translated was different from that in the Masoretic text? It’s hard to say. The NET translation of Hosea 13:14 leads me to believe that even the Hebrew of the Masoretic text is open to interpretation.

Masoretic Text

Septuagint

Hosea 13:14 (Tanakh/KJV)

Hosea 13:14 (NET)

Hosea 13:14 (NETS)

Hosea 13:14 (Elpenor English)

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. Will I deliver them from the power of Sheol? No, I will not! Will I redeem them from death? No, I will not! O Death, bring on your plagues! O Sheol, bring on your destruction! My eyes will not show any compassion! I shall rescue them from the hand of Hades and shall redeem them from Death. O Death, where is your sentence? O Hades, where is your goad? Comfort is hidden from my eyes. I will deliver [them] out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death: where is thy penalty, O death? O Hades, where is thy sting? comfort is hidden from mine eyes.

This kind of complexity is frustrating to anyone living a timed life. I certainly live a timed life, traveling on airplanes to various cities to record conference sessions that happen in various locations at various times on media that will only hold a fixed amount of data. But I also live an eternal life, knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom [He] sent.4 I can trust Him—to unfold, to uncover, to reveal the things that frustrate or confuse me—with that continuous supply of his own peace, patience and faithfulness. Jesus said (Matthew 7:7, 8 NET)

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

My ten years’ association with the study of Geology, first as a student taking courses then as a teaching assistant helping other students learn field techniques for identifying rocks and minerals, helped me see the sediments deposited by a great flood in the Grand Canyon. Standing on the north rim I could almost feel the uplift of the kaibab plateau and the rapid recession of flood waters that carved out most of the features of the Grand Canyon through relatively unconsolidated sediments. On the drive back down to St. Louis I saw for the first time that grander canyon known as the Mississippi valley. And as I recalled the similarity of sedimentary rock strata on the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa I perceived the grandest canyon of all, called the Atlantic Ocean, though my mind still boggles at the power that created it.

Clearly, I didn’t learn what I was expected to learn. My instructors preferred to deliberately suppress this fact, that by the word of God heavens existed long ago and an earth was formed out of water and by means of water. Through these things the world existing at that time was destroyed when it was deluged with water.5

Peter’s point in this portion of his letter was that by the same word the present heavens and earth have been reserved for fire, by being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.6 [T]he heavens will disappear with a horrific noise, and the celestial bodies will melt away in a blaze.7 This destruction of the universe (or at least this solar system) makes space for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness truly resides.8

In answer to a question why this hasn’t happened yet (2 Peter 3:3, 4), Peter replied, The Lordis being patient toward you because he does not wish (βουλόμενός, a form of βούλομαι) for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.9 His wish corresponds to the way Jesus pictured death and Hades (Luke 16:19-31): as the opportunity and space for rich and poor alike to focus their attention on the Bible, something they may have ignored or been completely ignorant of during their lives here.

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death10—the lake of fire.11 I admit I’ve thought of Death and Hades here as euphemisms for those who have died and those who reside in the place of the dead respectively. Now I’m more willing to consider that it is the very concepts Death and Hades (as the place of the dead) which will be done away with. They become superfluous once every knee has bowed and every tongue confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:5-11).

Paul wrote (Philippians 2:10, 11 NET):

…so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

The Greek word translated will bow above was not κάμψουσιν, the future tense indicative form of κάμπτω. It was κάμψῃ in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood. Likewise, the Greek word translated confess was not ἐξομολογήσεται, the future tense indicative form of ἐξομολογέω (Romans 14:11). It was ἐξομολογήσηται in the aorist tense and subjunctive mood. This is part of the intrigue of translating Koine Greek into English.

Ordinarily, the subjunctive mood would be translated something like “every knee may bow” and “every tongue may confess.” That’s what someone who already knows Greek would expect. Of course, someone who already knows Greek probably also knows that “if the subjunctive mood is used in a purpose or result clause, then the action should not be thought of as a possible result, but should be viewed as a definite outcome that will happen as a result of another stated action.”

Here “every knee may bow” and “every tongue may confess” are clearly the result of Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:6-8 NET):

who, though he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature [Table]. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross!

And (Philippians 2:9, 10a NET):

As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that (ἵνα) at the name of Jesus…

And here, apparently, the translators of the NET wanted even those who do not already know Koine Greek to know how certain Paul was of this outcome (Philippians 2:10b, 11 NET):

every knee will bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth—and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

The Lord’s wishfor all to come to repentance isn’t given this much credence in the religious circles I inhabit. But there are six other undisputed12 occurrences of βουλόμενος in the New Testament to consider: Because he wanted (βουλόμενος) to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them.13 Because the Roman commander in Jerusalem wanted (βουλόμενος) to know the true reason Paul was being accused by14 the Jews, he released him15 and ordered the chief priests and the whole16 council17 to assemble.18 He then brought Paul down and had him stand before them.19 When he learned of a plot to kill Paul the Roman commander sent him to the Governor Felix with a letter describing his actions (Acts 23:28 NET):

Since20 I wanted (βουλόμενος) to know21 what charge they were accusing him of, I brought him22 down to their council.

God wanted (βουλόμενος) to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promise that his purpose was unchangeableso he intervened with an oath.23 In each instance quoted above one with power and authority acted to satisfy his βουλόμενος.

When the ship carrying Paul as a prisoner to Rome began to sink (Acts 27:42, 43 NET):

…the soldiers’ plan (βουλὴ) was to kill the prisoners so that none of them would escape24 by swimming away. But the centurion, wanting (βουλόμενος) to save Paul’s life, prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard25 first and get to land.

It was not the relative strengths of the Greek words (βουλὴ vs. βουλόμενος) that carried the day, but the centurion’s authority over his soldiers. Likewise, WhenHerod planned (βουλόμενος) to bring [Peter] out for public trial after the Passover,26 there is every reason to believe he would have carried out his βουλόμενος if he had not been thwarted by a higher power with greater authority (Acts 12:6-11).

Knowing this, I can’t stand before the judgment seat of Christ, look Him in the eye and say to his face, “Your wish for all to come to repentance will never happen.” I’m all in, on Him, his power and his authority because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Tables comparing Isaiah 18:5; 25:8 and Hosea 13:14 in the Tanakh, KJV and NET, and comparing the Greek of Isaiah 18:5; 25:8 and Hosea 13:14 in the Septuagint (BLB and Elpenor), and tables comparing 1 Corinthians 15:55; Revelation 20:14; 2 Corinthians 1:17; Acts 22:30; 23:28 and 27:42, 43 in the NET and KJV follow.

Isaiah 18:5 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 18:5 (KJV)

Isaiah 18:5 (NET)

For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. For before the harvest, when the bud has sprouted and the ripening fruit appears, he will cut off the unproductive shoots with pruning knives; he will prune the tendrils.

Isaiah 18:5 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 18:5 (Septuagint Elpenor)

πρὸ τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅταν συντελεσθῇ ἄνθος καὶ ὄμφαξ ἀνθήσῃ ἄνθος ὀμφακίζουσα καὶ ἀφελεῗ τὰ βοτρύδια τὰ μικρὰ τοῗς δρεπάνοις καὶ τὰς κληματίδας ἀφελεῗ καὶ κατακόψει πρὸ τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅταν συντελεσθῇ ἄνθος καὶ ὄμφαξ ἐξανθήσῃ ἄνθος ὀμφακίζουσα, καὶ ἀφελεῖ τὰ βοτρύδια τὰ μικρὰ τοῖς δρεπάνοις καὶ τὰς κληματίδας ἀφελεῖ καὶ ἀποκόψει

Isaiah 18:5 (NETS)

Isaiah 18:5 (English Elpenor)

Before the harvest, when the blossom has been completed and the unripe grape blossoms—a grape-bearing blossom—then he will take away the little clusters with pruning hooks and take away the small branches and cut them off Before the reaping time, when the flower has been completely formed, and the unripe grape has put forth its flower and blossomed, then shall he take away the little clusters with pruning-hooks, and shall take away the small branches, and cut them off;

Isaiah 25:8 (Tanakh)

Isaiah 25:8 (KJV)

Isaiah 25:8 (NET)

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. he will swallow up death permanently. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from every face, and remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. Indeed, the Lord has announced it!

Isaiah 25:8 (Septuagint BLB)

Isaiah 25:8 (Septuagint Elpenor)

κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας καὶ πάλιν ἀφεῗλεν ὁ θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου τὸ ὄνειδος τοῦ λαοῦ ἀφεῗλεν ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς γῆς τὸ γὰρ στόμα κυρίου ἐλάλησεν κατέπιεν ὁ θάνατος ἰσχύσας, καὶ πάλιν ἀφεῖλε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς πᾶν δάκρυον ἀπὸ παντὸς προσώπου· τὸ ὄνειδος τοῦ λαοῦ ἀφεῖλεν ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς γῆς, τὸ γὰρ στόμα Κυρίου ἐλάλησε

Isaiah 25:8 (NETS)

Isaiah 25:8 (English Elpenor)

Death, having prevailed, swallowed them up, and God has again taken away every tear from every face; the disgrace of the people he has taken away from all the earth, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken. Death has prevailed and swallowed [men] up; but again the Lord God has taken away every tear from every face. He has taken away the reproach of [his] people from all the earth: for the mouth off the Lord has spoken it.

Hosea 13:14 (Tanakh)

Hosea 13:14 (KJV)

Hosea 13:14 (NET)

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. Will I deliver them from the power of Sheol? No, I will not! Will I redeem them from death? No, I will not! O Death, bring on your plagues! O Sheol, bring on your destruction! My eyes will not show any compassion!

Hosea 13:14 (Septuagint BLB)

Hosea 13:14 (Septuagint Elpenor)

ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου ῥύσομαι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκ θανάτου λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς ποῦ ἡ δίκη σου θάνατε ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου ᾅδη παράκλησις κέκρυπται ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου ἐκ χειρὸς ᾅδου ῥύσομαι καὶ ἐκ θανάτου λυτρώσομαι αὐτούς, ποῦ ἡ δίκη σου, θάνατε; ποῦ τὸ κέντρον σου, ᾅδη; παράκλησις κέκρυπται ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν μου,

Hosea 13:14 (NETS)

Hosea 13:14 (English Elpenor)

I shall rescue them from the hand of Hades and shall redeem them from Death. O Death, where is your sentence? O Hades, where is your goad? Comfort is hidden from my eyes. I will deliver [them] out of the power of Hades, and will redeem them from death: where is thy penalty, O death? O Hades, where is thy sting? comfort is hidden from mine eyes.

1 Corinthians 15:55 (NET)

1 Corinthians 15:55 (KJV)

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ νῖκος; ποῦ σου, θάνατε, τὸ κέντρον που σου θανατε το κεντρον που σου αδη το νικος που σου θανατε το κεντρον που σου αδη το νικος

Revelation 20:14 (NET)

Revelation 20:14 (KJV)

Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

καὶ ὁ θάνατος καὶ ὁ ᾅδης ἐβλήθησαν εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρός. οὗτος θάνατος ὁ δεύτερος ἐστιν, λίμνη τοῦ πυρός και ο θανατος και ο αδης εβληθησαν εις την λιμνην του πυρος ουτος εστιν ο δευτερος θανατος και ο θανατος και ο αδης εβληθησαν εις την λιμνην του πυρος ουτος ο θανατος ο δευτερος εστιν η λιμνη του πυρος

2 Corinthians 1:17 (NET)

2 Corinthians 1:17 (KJV)

Therefore when I was planning to do this, I did not do so without thinking about what I was doing, did I? Or do I make my plans according to mere human standards so that I would be saying both “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? When I therefore was thus minded, did I use lightness? or the things that I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, that with me there should be yea yea, and nay nay?

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

τοῦτο οὖν βουλόμενος μήτι ἄρα τῇ ἐλαφρίᾳ ἐχρησάμην; ἢ ἃ βουλεύομαι κατὰ σάρκα βουλεύομαι, ἵνα ᾖ παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ τὸ ναὶ ναὶ καὶ τὸ οὒ οὔ τουτο ουν βουλευομενος μη τι αρα τη ελαφρια εχρησαμην η α βουλευομαι κατα σαρκα βουλευομαι ινα η παρ εμοι το ναι ναι και το ου ου τουτο ουν βουλευομενος μη τι αρα τη ελαφρια εχρησαμην η α βουλευομαι κατα σαρκα βουλευομαι ινα η παρ εμοι το ναι ναι και το ου ου

Acts 22:30 (NET)

Acts 22:30 (KJV)

The next day, because the commanding officer wanted to know the true reason Paul was being accused by the Jews, he released him and ordered the chief priests and the whole council to assemble. He then brought Paul down and had him stand before them. On the morrow, because he would have known the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Jews, he loosed him from his bands, and commanded the chief priests and all their council to appear, and brought Paul down, and set him before them.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον βουλόμενος γνῶναι τὸ ἀσφαλές, τὸ τί κατηγορεῖται ὑπὸ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἔλυσεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκέλευσεν συνελθεῖν τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ πᾶν τὸ συνέδριον, καὶ καταγαγὼν τὸν Παῦλον ἔστησεν εἰς αὐτούς τη δε επαυριον βουλομενος γνωναι το ασφαλες το τι κατηγορειται παρα των ιουδαιων ελυσεν αυτον απο των δεσμων και εκελευσεν ελθειν τους αρχιερεις και ολον το συνεδριον αυτων και καταγαγων τον παυλον εστησεν εις αυτους τη δε επαυριον βουλομενος γνωναι το ασφαλες το τι κατηγορειται παρα των ιουδαιων ελυσεν αυτον απο των δεσμων και εκελευσεν ελθειν τους αρχιερεις και ολον το συνεδριον αυτων και καταγαγων τον παυλον εστησεν εις αυτους

Acts 23:28 (NET)

Acts 23:28 (KJV)

Since I wanted to know what charge they were accusing him of, I brought him down to their council. And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him, I brought him forth into their council:

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

βουλόμενος τε ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν αἰτίαν δι᾿ ἣν ἐνεκάλουν αὐτῷ, |κατήγαγον εἰς τὸ συνέδριον αὐτῶν| βουλομενος δε γνωναι την αιτιαν δι ην ενεκαλουν αυτω κατηγαγον αυτον εις το συνεδριον αυτων βουλομενος δε γνωναι την αιτιαν δι ην ενεκαλουν αυτω κατηγαγον αυτον εις το συνεδριον αυτων

Acts 27:42, 43 (NET)

Acts 27:42, 43 (KJV)

Now the soldiers’ plan was to kill the prisoners so that none of them would escape by swimming away. And the soldiers’ counsel was to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out, and escape.

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

Τῶν δὲ στρατιωτῶν βουλὴ ἐγένετο ἵνα τοὺς δεσμώτας ἀποκτείνωσιν, μή τις ἐκκολυμβήσας διαφύγῃ των δε στρατιωτων βουλη εγενετο ινα τους δεσμωτας αποκτεινωσιν μη τις εκκολυμβησας διαφυγοι των δε στρατιωτων βουλη εγενετο ινα τους δεσμωτας αποκτεινωσιν μη τις εκκολυμβησας διαφυγη
But the centurion, wanting to save Paul’s life, prevented them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land, But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:

NET Parallel Greek

Stephanus Textus Receptus

Byzantine Majority Text

ὁ δὲ ἑκατοντάρχης βουλόμενος διασῶσαι τὸν Παῦλον ἐκώλυσεν αὐτοὺς τοῦ βουλήματος, ἐκέλευσεν τε τοὺς δυναμένους κολυμβᾶν ἀπορίψαντας πρώτους ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἐξιέναι ο δε εκατονταρχος βουλομενος διασωσαι τον παυλον εκωλυσεν αυτους του βουληματος εκελευσεν τε τους δυναμενους κολυμβαν απορριψαντας πρωτους επι την γην εξιεναι ο δε εκατονταρχος βουλομενος διασωσαι τον παυλον εκωλυσεν αυτους του βουληματος εκελευσεν τε τους δυναμενους κολυμβαν απορριψαντας πρωτους επι την γην εξιεναι

2 1 Corinthians 15:54b (NET)

4 John 17:3b (NET)

5 2 Peter 3:5, 6 (NET)

6 2 Peter 3:7 (NET) Table

7 2 Peter 3:10b (NET) Table

8 2 Peter 3:13 (NET)

9 2 Peter 3:9 (NET) Table

10 The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had the article preceding death. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

11 Revelation 20:14 (NET) The NET parallel Greek text, NA28 and Byzantine Majority Text had λίμνη τοῦ πυρός here. The Stephanus Textus Receptus did not.

12 In the NET parallel Greek text and NA28 planning to do (NET) was βουλόμενος, but in the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text When Iwasminded was βουλευομενος.

13 Mark 15:15a (NET)

14 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ὑπὸ here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had παρα (KJV: of).

15 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απο των δεσμων (KJV: from his bands) following released him (KJV: loosed him). The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

16 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had πᾶν here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had ολον (KJV: all).

17 The Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had αυτων (KJV: their) here. The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 did not.

19 Acts 22:30 (NET)

20 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had τε here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had δε (KJV: And).

23 Hebrews 6:17 (NET)

25 The NET parallel Greek text and NA28 had ἀπορίψαντας here, where the Stephanus Textus Receptus and Byzantine Majority Text had απορριψαντας (KJV: should cast themselves…into the sea).

26 Acts 12:4b (NET)

Romans, Part 81

As I worked on this essay I read an article by Jeffrey FleishmanHow an angry national mood is reflected in pop culture.  Two sentences really resonated: 1) “Our screens and phones fume with righteousness;” and 2) “Our shared humanity has been demarcated on smaller and smaller screens that often brim more with quicksilver judgment than open-mindedness.”  It struck me as a sort of default position that I quote here as contrast to the righteousness of love Paul described.

One person regards one day holier than other days, and another regards them all alike,[1] Paul continued his discussion of love.  No form of ἅγιος occurs in the text.  The concept holier is derived from κρίνει (a form of κρίνω), “to distinguish, to separate, put asunder, to pick out, select, choose,” translated regards.  I don’t think there is any problem with that translation except that the second regards is also κρίνει, so another regards all days equally holy would be a more balanced translation of the second clause.  A note (3) in the NET acknowledged the literal text: “For one judges day from day, and one judges all days.”

Each must be fully convinced (πληροφορείσθω, a form of πληροφορέω) in his own mind,[2] Paul continued.  He was fully convinced (πληροφορηθεὶς, another form of πληροφορέω) that what God promised he was also able to do, Paul wrote of Abraham.  So indeed it was credited to Abraham as righteousness.[3]  But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message would be fully proclaimed (πληροφορηθῇ, another form of πληροφορέω) for all the Gentiles to hear,[4] he wrote Timothy.  And, You, however, be self-controlled in all things, endure hardship, do an evangelist’s work, fulfill (πληροφόρησον, another form of πληροφορέω) your ministry.  For I am already being poured out as an offering, and the time for me to depart is at hand.[5]  Epaphras, who is one of you, Paul wrote believers in Colossae, and a slave of Christ, greets you.  He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured (πεπληροφορημένοι, another form of πληροφορέω) in all the will of God.[6]

This gives me a good picture of the caliber of conviction Paul addressed.  A Catholic believer may be fully convinced that Sunday, the day Jesus arose from death, is the most holy day of the week.  A Seventh Day Adventist may be fully convinced that Saturday (28 Fundamental Beliefs, The Sabbath 20), the original Sabbath yehôvâh consecrated in the law, is more holy.  And I may be fully convinced that since I began to be led by the Holy Spirit every day is most holy:  Consequently a Sabbath rest remains for the people of God.  For the one who enters God’s rest has also rested from his works, just as God did from his own works.[7]

As I rest from my own works of sin and my own righteousness (likened to used tampons) to rely instead on the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness,[8] the fruit of the Spirit, I see every day as the Sabbath.  And I  understand why Jesus healed so stubbornly on the Sabbath: to demonstrate beyond the shadow of any doubt that it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath,[9] including by the way serving my employer as a slave of Christ.[10]  But love neither despises nor judges us—the Catholic, the Seventh Day Adventist or me—for our differing convictions concerning holy days.

The one who observes (φρονῶν, a form of φρονέω) the day does (φρονεῖ, another form of φρονέω) it for the Lord, Paul continued.  The one who eats, eats for the Lord because he gives thanks to God, and the one who abstains from eating abstains for the Lord, and he gives thanks to God.  For none of us lives for himself and none dies for himself.  If we live, we live for the Lord; if we die, we die for the Lord.  Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.[11]  Then Paul added a somewhat curious aside about Jesus’ rule (κυριεύσῃ, a form of κυριεύω).  For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord (κυριεύσῃ) of both the dead and the living.[12]

My religion has taught me to add “if I allow it” to an assertion such as this.  I’ve learned to assert my will over the lordship of Jesus.  But I notice now that isn’t in the text.  And certainly the assertion of my authority over his was never my elders’ intent but an unintended consequence of what I now see as a defensive posture: If I refuse or fail to believe sufficiently in Jesus in this lifetime and spend eternity in hell it was not that Christ’s death and life failed to make Him Lord of both the dead and the living, but that I didn’t allow his Lordship to be efficacious in my earthly lifetime.  It is a brilliant maneuver.  I’m not convinced it’s true, so I’ll let Paul speak for himself once again: For this reason Christ died and returned to life, so that he may be the Lord of both the dead and the living.

But you who eat vegetables only, Paul continued, why do you judge (κρίνεις, another form of κρίνω) your brother or sister?  And you who eat everything – why do you despise (ἐξουθενεῖς, a form of ἐξουθενέω) your brother or sister?  For we will all stand before the judgment seat (βήματι, a form of βῆμα) of God.  For it is written,As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.”[13]  I’m not sure about translating ἐξομολογήσεται (a form of ἐξομολογέω) will give praise here, no matter how hopeful it sounds.

Judas agreed (ἐξωμολόγησεν, another form of ἐξομολογέω) and began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.[14]  Paul wrote the Philippians, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess (ἐξομολογήσηται, another form of ἐξομολογέω) that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.[15]  As it is written, Paul quoted Psalm 18:49, “Because of this I will confess (ἐξομολογήσομαι, another form of ἐξομολογέω) you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises (ψαλῶ, a form of ψάλλω) to your name.”[16]  So confess (ἐξομολογεῖσθε, another form of ἐξομολογέω) your sins to one another,[17] James wrote.  People from Jerusalemconfessed (ἐξομολογούμενοι, another form of ἐξομολογέω) their sins[18] as they were baptized.  And in Ephesus, Many of those who had believed came forward, confessing (ἐξομολογούμενοι, another form of ἐξομολογέω) and making their deeds known.[19]

Paul’s point here was, Therefore, each of us will give an account (λόγον, a form of λόγος) of himself to God.[20]  Of course, if every tongue confesses, what will the outcome be?  To be fair and complete, Jesus said, I praise (ἐξομολογοῦμαι, another form of ἐξομολογέω) you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.[21]  On that same occasion Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise (ἐξομολογοῦμαι, another form of ἐξομολογέω) you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children.  Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.”[22]  Perhaps this ἐξομολογέω, agreement with God, confession to God, is a form of praise after all.

Therefore we must not pass judgment on one another,[23] Paul concluded, Μηκέτι οὖν ἀλλήλους κρίνωμεν (literally, “no longer therefore one another judge” or “therefore we no longer judge one another”).  I don’t understand why the NET translators turned this simple declarative statement into a rule, beyond the social construction of our shared religious reality.  Most translations adopted some form of let us stop here. Though I remain the locus of control in both translations, one might argue that in let us stop I have repented and am heading in the right direction, not-doing as opposed to doing.  But neither translation conveys being the love with which Christ’s Spirit fills us.

Before I was focused on the fruit of the Spirit I was like a fat ugly woman–or an old poor powerless man for that matter–priding myself in my celibacy.  But seeing righteousness as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control has put me in direct conflict with how sinful the sin in my flesh actually is.  It is utterly opposed to love or joy or peace or patience or kindness or goodness or faithfulness or gentleness or any and every form of control.  This conflict, mostly losing it, has taught me to stop trusting in myself but in God who raises the dead.

We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer (μηκέτι) be enslaved to sin.[24]  This is the same word as Μηκέτι in “therefore we no longer judge one another” above.  And [Jesus] died for all so that those who live should no longer (μηκέτι) live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised.[25]  So we are no longer (μηκέτι) to be children, tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes.  But practicing the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Christ, who is the head.  From him the whole body grows, fitted and held together through every supporting ligament.  As each one does its part, the body grows in love.  So I say this, and insist in the Lord, that you no longer (μηκέτι) live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking.[26]

In other words, this κρίνωμεν (another form of κρίνω; translated pass judgment) is from the old human.  We judge no longer if we are no longer the old human, if we are led by Spirit, but rather determine (κρίνατε, another form of κρίνω) never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister, Paul continued.  I know (οἶδα, a form of εἴδω) and am convinced (πέπεισμαι, a form of πείθω) in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean (κοινὸν, a form of κοινός) in itself,[27] the former Pharisee agreed and confessed with (and so praised?) Jesus (Mark 7:1-8 NET).

Now the Pharisees and some of the experts in the law who came from Jerusalem gathered around him.  And they saw that some of Jesus’ disciples ate their bread with unclean (κοιναῖς, another form of κοινός) hands, that is, unwashed (ἀνίπτοις, a form of ἄνιπτος).  (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they perform a ritual washing, holding fast to the tradition of the elders.  And when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  They hold fast to many other traditions: the washing of cups, pots, kettles, and dining couches.)  The Pharisees and the experts in the law asked him, “Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with unwashed (κοιναῖς, another form of κοινός) hands?”  He said to them, “Isaiah prophesied correctly about you hypocrites, as it is written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men.’  Having no regard for the command of God, you hold fast to human tradition.”

Born the son of a scrubby dutch mother with an obsessive personality of my own, I have a serious hand-washing fetish.  It has become apparent that applying the sterile conditions of the operating room to all of life is detrimental to human health.  At the Institute for Functional Medicine conferences I record I’m learning that our overly cleanly habits may be part of the cause of our maladaptive immune systems.  Children need dirt as much as mother’s milk to jump-start their immune and digestive systems.  Jesus said (Mark 7:14, 15 NET):

Listen to me, everyone, and understand.  There is nothing outside of a person that can defile (κοινῶσαι, a form of κοινόω) him by going into him.  Rather, it is what comes out of a person that defiles (κοινοῦντα, another form of κοινόω) him.

Jesus’ disciples were as surprised by this as we may be, so he explained (Mark 7:18-23 NET):

“Are you so foolish?  Don’t you understand that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile (κοινῶσαι, another form of κοινόω) him?  For it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and then goes out into the sewer.”  (This means all foods are clean.)  He said, “What comes out of a person defiles (κοινοῖ, another form of κοινόω) him.  For from within, out of the human heart, come evil ideas, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, evil (πονηρίαι, a form of πονηρία), deceit, debauchery, envy (ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός), slander, pride, and folly.  All these evils come from within and defile (κοινοῖ, another form of κοινόω) a person.”

By the way, another tidbit I’ve gleaned from IFM conferences is that inflammation caused by stress impairs the healthy functioning of all our biological systems.  I imagine the stress of all these evils (πονηρὰ, a form of πονηρός, “hurtful, full of labours, annoyances, hardships”) and know firsthand the stress of attempting to overcome them in my own strength rather than receiving the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness, the fruit of his Spirit.  I’ll pick this up again later.

Below is a comparison of Paul’s Old Testament quotations with the Septuagint, the NET and the KJV.

NET

Parallel Greek

Septuagint

every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.

Romans 14:11b

ὅτι ἐμοὶ κάμψει πᾶν γόνυ καὶ πᾶσα γλῶσσα ἐξομολογήσεται τῷ θεῷ

Romans 14:11b

ὅτι ἐμοὶ κάμψει πᾶν γόνυ καὶ ἐξομολογήσεται πᾶσα γλῶσσα τῷ θεῷ

Isaiah 45:23b

NET

NET

KJV

every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will give praise to God.

Romans 14:11b

Surely every knee will bow to me, every tongue will solemnly affirm

Isaiah 45:23b

That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear

Isaiah 45:23b

NET Parallel Greek

Septuagint

Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.

Romans 15:9b

διὰ τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαι σοι ἐν ἔθνεσιν καὶ τῷ ὀνόματι σου ψαλῶ

Romans 15:9b

διὰ τοῦτο ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι ἐν ἔθνεσιν κύριε καὶ τῷ ὀνόματί σου ψαλῶ

Psalm 18:49

NET

NET

KJV

Because of this I will confess you among the Gentiles, and I will sing praises to your name.

Romans 15:9b

So I will give you thanks before the nations, O Lord!  I will sing praises to you!

Psalm 18:49

Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

Psalm 18:49

Romans, Part 82

[1] Romans 14:5a (NET)

[2] Romans 14:5b (NET)

[3] Romans 4:21, 22 (NET)

[4] 2 Timothy 4:17a (NET)

[5] 2 Timothy 4:5, 6 (NET)

[6] Colossians 4:12 (NET)

[7] Hebrews 4:9, 10 (NET)

[8] Philippians 3:9b (NET)

[9] Matthew 12:12b (NET)

[10] Ephesians 6:5-8 (NET)  I certainly relate to having difficulty with this passage.  If you find it impossible to serve your employer as a slave of Christ, perhaps you are not being led by the Holy Spirit or perhaps you need to seek a new job, assuming you are free to do so.

[11] Romans 14:6-8 (NET)

[12] Romans 14:9 (NET)

[13] Romans 14:10, 11 (NET)

[14] Luke 22:6 (NET)

[15] Philippians 2:10, 11 (NET)

[16] Romans 15:9b (NET)

[17] James 5:16a (NET)

[18] Matthew 3:5, 6 (NET); Mark 1:5 (NET)

[19] Acts 19:18 (NET)

[20] Romans 14:12 (NET) Table

[21] Matthew 11:25 (NET)

[22] Luke 10:21 (NET)

[23] Romans 14:13a (NET)

[24] Romans 6:6 (NET)

[25] 2 Corinthians 5:15 (NET)

[26] Ephesians 4:14-17 (NET) Table

[27] Romans 14:13b, 14a (NET)