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The Daily Audio Bible Reading for Tuesday December 22, 2020 (NIV)

Zechariah 2-3

Vision Three: The Surveyor

2 (2:5) I looked again, and there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. 2 I asked, “Where are you going?” He replied, “To measure Jerusalem in order to determine its width and its length.” 3 At this point the angelic messenger[a] who spoke to me went out, and another messenger came to meet him 4 and said to him, “Hurry, speak to this young man[b] as follows: ‘Jerusalem will no longer be enclosed by walls[c] because of the multitude of people and animals there. 5 But I,’ the Lord says, ‘will be a wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem[d] and the source of glory in her midst.’”

6 “You there![e] Flee from the northland!” says the Lord, “for like the four winds of heaven[f] I have scattered you,” says the Lord. 7 “Escape, Zion, you who live among the Babylonians!”[g] 8 For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “For his own glory[h] he has sent me to the nations that plundered you—for anyone who touches you touches the pupil[i] of his[j] eye. 9 Yes, look here, I am about to punish them[k] so that they will be looted by their own slaves.” Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me.

10 “Sing out and be happy, Zion my daughter![l] For look, I have come; I will settle in your midst,” says the Lord. 11 “Many nations will join themselves to the Lord on the day of salvation,[m] and they will also be my[n] people. Indeed, I will settle in the midst of you all. Then you will know that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has sent me to you. 12 The Lord will take possession of[o] Judah as his portion in the holy land and he will choose Jerusalem once again. 13 Be silent in the Lord’s presence, all people everywhere,[p] for he is being moved to action in his holy dwelling place.”[q]

Vision Four: The Priest

3 Next I saw Joshua the high priest[r] standing before the angel of the Lord, with Satan[s] standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 The Lord[t] said to Satan, “May the Lord rebuke you, Satan! May the Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Isn’t this man like a burning stick snatched from the fire?” 3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes[u] as he stood there before the angel. 4 The angel[v] spoke up to those standing all around, “Remove his filthy clothes.” Then he said to Joshua,[w] “I have freely forgiven your iniquity and will dress you[x] in fine clothing.” 5 Then I spoke up, “Let a clean turban be put on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood nearby. 6 Then the angel of the Lord exhorted Joshua solemnly: 7 “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, ‘If you follow[y] my ways and keep my requirements, you will be able to preside over my temple[z] and attend to my courtyards, and I will allow you to come and go among these others who are standing by you. 8 Listen now, Joshua the high priest, both you and your colleagues who are sitting before you, all of you[aa] are a symbol that I am about to introduce my servant, the Branch.[ab] 9 As for the stone[ac] I have set before Joshua—on the one stone there are seven eyes.[ad] I am about to engrave an inscription on it,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘to the effect that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.[ae] 10 In that day,’ says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, ‘everyone will invite his friend to fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree.’”[af]

Footnotes:

  1. Zechariah 2:3 tn See the note on the expression “angelic messenger” in 1:9.
  2. Zechariah 2:4 sn That is, to Zechariah.
  3. Zechariah 2:4 tn Heb “Jerusalem will dwell as open regions (פְּרָזוֹת, perazot)”; cf. NAB “in open country”; CEV “won’t have any boundaries.” The population will be so large as to spill beyond the ancient and normal enclosures. The people need not fear, however, for the Lord will be an invisible but strong wall (v. 5).
  4. Zechariah 2:5 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Jerusalem) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  5. Zechariah 2:6 sn These are the scattered Jews of eschatological times (as the expression four winds of heaven makes clear) and not those of Zechariah’s time who have, for the most part, already returned by 520 b.c. This theme continues and is reinforced in vv. 10-13.
  6. Zechariah 2:6 tn Or “of the sky.” The same Hebrew term, שָׁמַיִם (shamayim), may be translated “heaven(s)” or “sky” depending on the context.
  7. Zechariah 2:7 tn Heb “live in [or “with” (cf. NASB), i.e., “among”] the daughter of Babylon” (so NIV; NAB “dwell in daughter Babylon”).
  8. Zechariah 2:8 tn Heb “After glory has he sent me” (similar KJV, NASB). What is clearly in view is the role of Zechariah who, by faithful proclamation of the message, will glorify the Lord.
  9. Zechariah 2:8 tn Heb “gate” (בָּבָה, bavah) of the eye, that is, pupil. The rendering of this term by KJV as “apple” has created a well-known idiom in the English language, “the apple of his eye” (so ASV, NIV). The pupil is one of the most vulnerable and valuable parts of the body, so for Judah to be considered the “pupil” of the Lord’s eye is to raise her value to an incalculable price (cf. NLT “my most precious possession”).
  10. Zechariah 2:8 tc A scribal emendation (tiqqun sopherim) has apparently altered an original “my eye” to “his eye” in order to allow the prophet to be the speaker throughout vv. 8-9. This alleviates the problem of the Lord saying, in effect, that he has sent himself on the mission to the nations.
  11. Zechariah 2:9 tn Heb “I will wave my hand over them” (so NASB); NIV, NRSV “raise my hand against them.”
  12. Zechariah 2:10 sn This individualizing of Zion as a daughter draws attention to the corporate nature of the covenant community and also to the tenderness with which the Lord regards his chosen people.
  13. Zechariah 2:11 tn Heb “on that day.” The descriptive phrase “of salvation” has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  14. Zechariah 2:11 tc The LXX and Syriac have the third person masculine singular suffix in both places (“his people” and “he will settle”; cf. NAB, TEV) in order to avoid the Lord’s speaking of himself in the third person. Such resort is unnecessary, however, in light of the common shifting of person in Hebrew narrative (cf. 3:2).
  15. Zechariah 2:12 tn Heb “will inherit” (so NIV, NRSV).
  16. Zechariah 2:13 tn Heb “all flesh”; NAB, NIV “all mankind.”
  17. Zechariah 2:13 sn The sense here is that God in heaven is about to undertake an occupation of his earthly realm (v. 12) by restoring his people to the promised land.
  18. Zechariah 3:1 sn Joshua the high priest mentioned here is the son of the priest Jehozadak, mentioned also in Hag 1:1 (cf. Ezra 2:2; 3:2, 8; 4:3; 5:2; 10:18; Neh 7:7; 12:1, 7, 10, 26). He also appears to have been the grandfather of the high priest contemporary with Nehemiah ca. 445 b.c. (Neh 12:10).
  19. Zechariah 3:1 tn The Hebrew term הַשָּׂטָן (hassatan, “the satan”) suggests not so much a personal name (as in almost all English translations) but an epithet, namely, “the adversary.” This evil being is also described this way in Job 1 and 2 and possibly 1 Chr 21:1.
  20. Zechariah 3:2 sn The juxtaposition of the messenger of the Lord in v. 1 and the Lord in v. 2 shows that here, at least, they are one and the same. See Zech 1:11, 12 where they are distinguished from each other.
  21. Zechariah 3:3 sn The Hebrew word צוֹאִים (tsoʾim) means “excrement.” This disgusting figure of speech suggests Joshua’s absolute disqualification for priestly service in the flesh, but v. 2 speaks of his having been rescued from that deplorable state by God’s grace. He is like a burning stick pulled out of the fire before it is consumed. This is a picture of cleansing, saving grace.
  22. Zechariah 3:4 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the angel, cf. v. 1) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  23. Zechariah 3:4 tn Heb “to him”; the referent (Joshua) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  24. Zechariah 3:4 tn The occurrence of the infinitive absolute here for an expected imperfect first person common singular (or even imperative second person masculine plural or preterite third person masculine plural) is well-attested elsewhere. Most English translations render this as first person singular (“and I will clothe”), but cf. NAB “Take off…and clothe him.”
  25. Zechariah 3:7 tn Heb “walk,” a frequent biblical metaphor for lifestyle or conduct; TEV “If you [+ truly CEV] obey.” To “walk” in the ways of the Lord is to live life as he intends (cf. Deut 8:6; 10:12-22; 28:9).
  26. Zechariah 3:7 sn The statement you will be able to preside over my temple (Heb “house,” a reference to the Jerusalem temple) is a hint of the increasingly important role the high priest played in the postexilic Jewish community, especially in the absence of a monarchy. It also suggests the messianic character of the eschatological priesthood in which the priest would have royal prerogatives.
  27. Zechariah 3:8 tn Heb “these men.” The cleansing of Joshua and his elevation to enhanced leadership as a priest signify the coming of the messianic age.
  28. Zechariah 3:8 sn The collocation of servant and branch gives double significance to the messianic meaning of the passage (cf. Isa 41:8, 9; 42:1, 19; 43:10; 44:1, 2, 21; Ps 132:17; Jer 23:5; 33:15).
  29. Zechariah 3:9 sn The stone is also a metaphor for the Messiah, a foundation stone that, at first rejected (Ps 118:22-23; Isa 8:13-15), will become the chief cornerstone of the church (Eph 2:19-22).
  30. Zechariah 3:9 tn Some understand the Hebrew term עַיִן (ʿayin) here to refer to facets (cf. NAB, NRSV, NLT) or “faces” (NCV, CEV “seven sides”) of the stone rather than some representation of organs of sight.sn The seven eyes are symbolic of divine omniscience and universal dominion (cf. Zech 1:10; 4:10; 2 Chr 16:9).
  31. Zechariah 3:9 sn Inscriptions were common on ancient Near Eastern cornerstones. This inscription speaks of the redemption achieved by the divine resident of the temple, the Messiah, who will in the day of the Lord bring salvation to all Israel (cf. Isa 66:7-9).
  32. Zechariah 3:10 tn Heb “under the vine and under the fig tree,” with the Hebrew article used twice as a possessive pronoun (cf. NASB “his”). Some English translations render this as second person rather than third (NRSV “your vine”; cf. also NAB, NCV, TEV).sn The imagery of fellowship under his vine and under his fig tree describes the peaceful dominion of the Lord in the coming messianic age (Mic 4:4; cf. 1 Kgs 4:25).
New English Translation (NET)

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Revelation 13

The Two Beasts

13 Then[a] I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It[b] had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns,[c] and on its heads a blasphemous name.[d] 2 Now[e] the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The[f] dragon gave the beast[g] his power, his throne, and great authority to rule.[h] 3 One of the beast’s[i] heads appeared to have been killed,[j] but the lethal wound had been healed.[k] And the whole world followed[l] the beast in amazement; 4 they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority[m] to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to make war against him?”[n] 5 The beast[o] was given a mouth speaking proud words[p] and blasphemies, and he was permitted[q] to exercise ruling authority[r] for forty-two months. 6 So[s] the beast[t] opened his mouth to blaspheme against God—to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place,[u] that is, those who dwell in heaven. 7 The beast[v] was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them.[w] He was given ruling authority[x] over every tribe, people,[y] language, and nation, 8 and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast,[z] everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world[aa] in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed.[ab] 9 If anyone has an ear, he had better listen!

10 If anyone is meant for captivity,
into captivity he will go.
If anyone is to be killed by the sword,[ac]
then by the sword he must be killed.

This[ad] requires steadfast endurance[ae] and faith from the saints.

11 Then[af] I saw another beast[ag] coming up from the earth. He[ah] had two horns like a lamb,[ai] but[aj] was speaking like a dragon. 12 He[ak] exercised all the ruling authority[al] of the first beast on his behalf,[am] and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast, the one whose lethal wound had been healed. 13 He[an] performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people[ao] 14 and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told[ap] those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived. 15 The second beast[aq] was empowered[ar] to give life[as] to the image of the first beast[at] so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 16 He also caused[au] everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave[av]) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. 17 Thus no one was allowed to buy[aw] or sell things[ax] unless he bore[ay] the mark of the beast—that is, his name or his number.[az] 18 This calls for wisdom:[ba] Let the one who has insight calculate the beast’s number, for it is man’s number,[bb] and his number is 666.[bc]

Footnotes:

  1. Revelation 13:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
  2. Revelation 13:1 tn Grk “having” (a continuation of the previous sentence). All of the pronouns referring to this beast (along with the second beast appearing in 13:11) could be translated as “it” because the word for beast (θηρίον, thērion) is neuter gender in Greek and all the pronouns related to it are parsed as neuter in the Gramcord/Accordance database. Nevertheless, most interpreters would agree that the beast ultimately represents a human ruler, so beginning at the end of v. 4 the masculine pronouns (“he,” “him,” etc.) are used to refer to the first beast as well as the second beast appearing in 13:11.
  3. Revelation 13:1 tn For the translation of διάδημα (diadēma) as “diadem crown” see L&N 6.196.sn Diadem crowns were a type of crown used as a symbol of the highest ruling authority in a given area, and thus often associated with kingship.
  4. Revelation 13:1 tc ‡ Several mss (A 051 1611 1854 2053 2344 2351 MK) read the plural ὀνόματα (onomata, “[blasphemous] names”), while the singular ὄνομα (onoma, “name”) has somewhat better support (P47 א C 1006 1841 2329 MA). The plural reading seems motivated by the fact that what is written is written “on its heads.” In the least, it is a clarifying reading. NA28 puts the plural in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity.sn Whether this means a single name on all seven heads or seven names, one on each head, is not clear.
  5. Revelation 13:2 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the parenthetical nature of the following description of the beast.
  6. Revelation 13:2 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  7. Revelation 13:2 tn Grk “gave it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  8. Revelation 13:2 tn For the translation “authority to rule” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
  9. Revelation 13:3 tn Grk “one of its heads”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  10. Revelation 13:3 tn Grk “killed to death,” an expression emphatic in its redundancy. The phrase behind this translation is ὡς ἐσφαγμένον (hōs esphagmenon). The particle ὡς is used in Greek generally for comparison, and in Revelation it is used often to describe the appearance of what the author saw. In this instance, the appearance of the beast’s head did not match reality, because the next phrase shows that in fact it did not die. This text does not affirm that the beast died and was resurrected, but some draw this conclusion because of the only other use of the phrase, which refers to Jesus in 5:6.
  11. Revelation 13:3 tn The phrase τοῦ θανάτου (tou thanatou) can be translated as an attributive genitive (“deathly wound”) or an objective genitive (the wound which caused death) and the final αὐτοῦ (autou) is either possessive or reference/respect.
  12. Revelation 13:3 tn On the phrase “the whole world followed the beast in amazement,” BDAG 445 s.v. θαυμάζω 2 states, “wonder, be amazed…Rv 17:8. In pregnant constr. ἐθαυμάσθη ὅλη ἡ γῆ ὀπίσω τ. θηρίου the whole world followed the beast, full of wonder 13:3 (here wonder becomes worship: cp. Ael. Aristid. 13 p. 290 D.; 39 p. 747 of Dionysus and Heracles, οἳ ὑφ᾿ ἡμῶν ἐθαυμάσθησαν. Sir 7:29; Jos., Ant. 3, 65.—The act. is also found in this sense: Cebes 2, 3 θ. τινά = ‘admire’ or ‘venerate’ someone; Epict. 1, 17, 19 θ. τὸν θεόν).”
  13. Revelation 13:4 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
  14. Revelation 13:4 tn On the use of the masculine pronoun to refer to the beast, see the note on the word “It” in 13:1.
  15. Revelation 13:5 tn Grk “and there was given to him.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  16. Revelation 13:5 tn For the translation “proud words” (Grk “great things” or “important things”) see BDAG 624 s.v. μέγας 4.b.
  17. Revelation 13:5 tn Grk “to it was granted.”
  18. Revelation 13:5 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
  19. Revelation 13:6 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the permission granted to the beast.
  20. Revelation 13:6 tn Grk “he” (or “it”); the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  21. Revelation 13:6 tc The reading “and his dwelling place” does not occur in codex C, but its omission is probably due to scribal oversight since the phrase has the same ending as the phrase before it, i.e., they both end in “his” (αὐτοῦ, autou). This is similar to the mistake this scribe made in 12:14 with the omission of the reading “and half a time” (καὶ ἥμισυ καιροῦ, kai hēmisu kairou).
  22. Revelation 13:7 tn Grk “and it was given to him to go to war.” Here the passive construction has been simplified, the referent (the beast) has been specified for clarity, and καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  23. Revelation 13:7 tc Many mss omit the phrase “it was given to make war with the saints and to overcome them” (P47 A C 2053 MA sa). It is, however, found in P115vid א 051 1006 (1611) 1841 (1854) 2329 2344 2351 (MK) lat syph,(h) bo. Although the ms evidence is somewhat in favor of the shorter reading, the support of P115 (a recently-discovered ms) for the longer reading balances things out. Normally, the shorter reading should be given preference. However, in an instance in which homoioteleuton could play a role, caution must be exercised. In this passage, accidental omission is quite likely. That this could have happened seems apparent from the two occurrences of the identical phrase “and it was given to him” (καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ, kai edothē autō) in v. 7. The scribe’s eye skipped over the first καὶ ἐδόθη αὐτῷ and went to the second, hence creating an accidental omission of eleven words.
  24. Revelation 13:7 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
  25. Revelation 13:7 tn Grk “and people,” but καί (kai) has not been translated here or before the following term since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
  26. Revelation 13:8 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  27. Revelation 13:8 tn The prepositional phrase “since the foundation of the world” is traditionally translated as a modifier of the immediately preceding phrase in the Greek text, “the Lamb who was killed” (so also G. B. Caird, Revelation [HNTC], 168), but it is more likely that the phrase “since the foundation of the world” modifies the verb “written” (as translated above). Confirmation of this can be found in Rev 17:8 where the phrase “written in the book of life since the foundation of the world” occurs with no ambiguity.
  28. Revelation 13:8 tn Or “slaughtered”; traditionally, “slain.”
  29. Revelation 13:10 tc Many mss (C 051* 2351 MA) read “if anyone will kill with the sword, it is necessary for him to be killed with the sword” (εἴ τις ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτενεῖ, δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι). Other mss (א 1006 1611* 1854 al) are similar except that they read a present tense “kills” (ἀποκτείνει, apokteinei) in this sentence. Both of these variants may be regarded as essentially saying the same thing. On the other hand, codex A reads “if anyone is to be killed by the sword, he is to be killed by the sword” (εἴ τις ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι αὐτὸν ἐν μαχαίρῃ ἀποκτανθῆναι). Thus the first two variants convey the idea of retribution, while the last variant, supported by codex A, does not. (There are actually a dozen variants here, evidence that scribes found the original text quite difficult. Only the most important variants are discussed in this note.) The first two variants seem to be in line with Jesus’ comments in Matt 26:52: “everyone who takes up the sword will die by the sword.” The last variant, however, seems to be taking up an idea found in Jer 15:2: “Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.” Though G. B. Caird, Revelation (HNTC), 169-70, gives four arguments in favor of the first reading (i.e., “whoever kills with the sword must with the sword be killed”), the arguments he puts forward can be read equally as well to support the latter alternative. In the end, the reading in codex A seems to be that of the initial text. The fact that this sentence seems to be in parallel with 10a (which simply focuses on God’s will and suffering passively and is therefore akin to the reading in codex A), and that it most likely gave rise to the others as the most difficult reading, argues for its authenticity.
  30. Revelation 13:10 tn On ὧδε (hōde) here, BDAG 1101 s.v. 2 states: “a ref. to a present event, object, or circumstance, in this case, at this point, on this occasion, under these circumstances…in this case moreover 1 Cor 4:2. ὧδε ἡ σοφία ἐστίν…Rv 13:18; cf. 17:9. ὧδέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονή…13:10; 14:12.”
  31. Revelation 13:10 tn Or “perseverance.”
  32. Revelation 13:11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence within the narrative.
  33. Revelation 13:11 sn This second beast is identified in Rev 16:13 as “the false prophet.”
  34. Revelation 13:11 tn Grk “and it had,” a continuation of the preceding sentence. On the use of the pronoun “he” to refer to the second beast, see the note on the word “It” in 13:1.
  35. Revelation 13:11 tn Or perhaps, “like a ram.” Here L&N 4.25 states, “In the one context in the NT, namely, Re 13:11, in which ἀρνίον refers literally to a sheep, it is used in a phrase referring to the horns of an ἀρνίον. In such a context the reference is undoubtedly to a ‘ram,’ that is to say, the adult male of sheep.” In spite of this most translations render the word “lamb” here to maintain the connection between this false lamb and the true Lamb of the Book of Revelation, Jesus Christ.
  36. Revelation 13:11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
  37. Revelation 13:12 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  38. Revelation 13:12 tn For the translation “ruling authority” for ἐξουσία (exousia) see L&N 37.35.
  39. Revelation 13:12 tn For this meaning see BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνώπιον 4.b, “by the authority of, on behalf of Rv 13:12, 14; 19:20.”
  40. Revelation 13:13 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  41. Revelation 13:13 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos), referring to both men and women.
  42. Revelation 13:14 tn Grk “earth, telling.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in Greek.sn He told followed by an infinitive (“to make an image…”) is sufficiently ambiguous in Greek that it could be taken as “he ordered” (so NIV) or “he persuaded” (so REB).
  43. Revelation 13:15 tn Grk “it”; the referent (the second beast) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  44. Revelation 13:15 tn Grk “it was given [permitted] to it [the second beast].”
  45. Revelation 13:15 tn Grk “breath,” but in context the point is that the image of the first beast is made to come to life and speak.
  46. Revelation 13:15 tn Grk “of the beast”; the word “first” has been supplied to specify the referent.
  47. Revelation 13:16 tn Or “forced”; Grk “makes” (ποιεῖ, poiei).
  48. Revelation 13:16 tn See the note on the word “servants” in 1:1.
  49. Revelation 13:17 tn Grk “and that no one be able to buy or sell.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. Although the ἵνα (hina) is left untranslated, the English conjunction “thus” is used to indicate that this is a result clause.
  50. Revelation 13:17 tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context. In the context of buying and selling, food could be primarily in view, but the more general “things” was used in the translation because the context is not specific.
  51. Revelation 13:17 tn Grk “except the one who had.”
  52. Revelation 13:17 tn Grk “his name or the number of his name.”
  53. Revelation 13:18 tn Grk “Here is wisdom.”
  54. Revelation 13:18 tn Grk “it is man’s number.” ExSyn 254 states “if ἀνθρώπου is generic, then the sense is, ‘It is [the] number of humankind.’ It is significant that this construction fits Apollonius’ Canon (i.e., both the head noun and the genitive are anarthrous), suggesting that if one of these nouns is definite, then the other is, too. Grammatically, those who contend that the sense is ‘it is [the] number of a man’ have the burden of proof on them (for they treat the head noun, ἀριθμός, as definite and the genitive, ἀνθρώπου, as indefinite—the rarest of all possibilities). In light of Johannine usage, we might also add Rev 16:18, where the Seer clearly uses the anarthrous ἄνθρωπος in a generic sense, meaning ‘humankind.’ The implications of this grammatical possibility, exegetically speaking, are simply that the number ‘666’ is the number that represents humankind. Of course, an individual is in view, but his number may be the number representing all of humankind. Thus the Seer might be suggesting here that the antichrist, who is the best representative of humanity without Christ (and the best counterfeit of a perfect man that his master, that old serpent, could muster), is still less than perfection (which would have been represented by the number seven).” See G. K. Beale, Revelation, [NIGTC], 723-24, who argues for the “generic” understanding of the noun; for an indefinite translation, see the ASV and ESV which both translate the clause as “it is the number of a man.” sn The translation man’s number suggests that the beast’s number is symbolic of humanity in general, while the translation a man’s number suggests that it represents an individual.
  55. Revelation 13:18 tc A few mss (P115 C, along with a few mss known to Irenaeus and two minuscule mss, 5 and 11, no longer extant), read 616 here, and several other witnesses have other variations. Irenaeus’ mention of mss that have 616 is balanced by his rejection of such witnesses in this case. As intriguing as the reading 616 is (since the conversion of Nero Caesar’s name in Latin by way of gematria would come out to 616), it must remain suspect because such a reading seems motivated in that it conforms more neatly to Nero’s gematria.
New English Translation (NET)

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Psalm 141

Psalm 141[a]

A psalm of David.

141 O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me.
Pay attention to me when I cry out to you.
2 May you accept my prayer like incense,
my uplifted hands like the evening offering.[b]
3 O Lord, place a guard on my mouth.
Protect the opening[c] of my lips.[d]
4 Do not let me have evil desires,[e]
or participate in sinful activities
with men who behave wickedly.[f]
I will not eat their delicacies.[g]
5 May the godly strike me in love and correct me.
May my head not refuse[h] choice oil.[i]
Indeed, my prayer is a witness against their evil deeds.[j]
6 They will be thrown over the side of a cliff by their judges.[k]
They[l] will listen to my words, for they are pleasant.
7 As when one plows and breaks up the soil,[m]
so our bones are scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8 Surely I am looking to you,[n] O Sovereign Lord.
In you I take shelter.
Do not expose me to danger.[o]
9 Protect me from the snare they have laid for me,
and the traps the evildoers have set.[p]
10 Let the wicked fall[q] into their[r] own nets,
while I escape.[s]

Footnotes:

  1. Psalm 141:1 sn Psalm 141. The psalmist asks God to protect him from sin and from sinful men.
  2. Psalm 141:2 tn Heb “may my prayer be established [like] incense before you, the uplifting of my hands [like] an evening offering.”
  3. Psalm 141:3 tn Heb “door.” The Hebrew word occurs only here in the OT.
  4. Psalm 141:3 sn My mouth…my lips. The psalmist asks God to protect him from speaking inappropriately or sinfully.
  5. Psalm 141:4 tn Heb “do not turn my heart toward an evil thing.”
  6. Psalm 141:4 tn Heb “to act sinfully in practices in wickedness with men, doers of evil.”
  7. Psalm 141:4 sn Their delicacies. This probably refers to the enjoyment that a sinful lifestyle appears to offer.
  8. Psalm 141:5 tn The form יָנִי (yani) appears to be derived from the verbal root נוּא (nuʾ). Another option is to emend the form to יְנָא (yenaʾ), a Piel from נָאָה (naʾah), and translate “may choice oil not adorn my head” (see L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 [WBC], 271). In this case, choice oil, like delicacies in v. 4, symbolize the pleasures of sin.
  9. Psalm 141:5 sn May my head not refuse choice oil. The psalmist compares the constructive criticism of the godly (see the previous line) to having refreshing olive oil poured over one’s head.
  10. Psalm 141:5 tc Heb “for still, and my prayer [is] against their evil deeds.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult; the sequence -כִּי־עוֹד וּ (ki ʿod u-, “for still and”) occurs only here. The translation assumes an emendation to כִּי עֵד תְּפִלָּתִי (ki ʿed tefillati, “indeed a witness [is] my prayer”). The psalmist’s lament about the evil actions of sinful men (see v. 4) testifies against the wicked in the divine court.
  11. Psalm 141:6 tn Heb “they are thrown down by the hands of a cliff, their judges.” The syntax of the Hebrew text is difficult and the meaning uncertain. The perfect verbal form is understood as rhetorical; the psalmist describes the anticipated downfall of the wicked as if it had already occurred. “Their judges” could be taken as the subject of the verb, but this makes little, if any, sense. The translation assumes the judges are the agents and that the wicked, mentioned earlier in the psalm, are the subjects of the verb.
  12. Psalm 141:6 tn It is unclear how this statement relates to the preceding sentence. Perhaps the judges are the referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) of the verb “will listen,” and “my words” are the referent of the pronominal subject (“they”) of the phrase “are pleasant.” The psalmist may be affirming here his confidence that he will be vindicated when he presents his case before the judges, while the wicked will be punished.
  13. Psalm 141:7 tn Heb “like splitting and breaking open in the earth.” The meaning of the statement and the point of the comparison are not entirely clear. Perhaps the psalmist is suggesting that he and other godly individuals are as good as dead; their bones are scattered about like dirt that is dug up and tossed aside.
  14. Psalm 141:8 tn Heb “my eyes [are] toward you.”
  15. Psalm 141:8 tn Heb “do not lay bare my life.” Only here is the Piel form of the verb collocated with the term נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh, “life”). In Isa 53:12 the Lord’s servant “lays bare (the Hiphil form of the verb is used) his life to death.”
  16. Psalm 141:9 tn Heb “and the traps of the doers of evil.”
  17. Psalm 141:10 tn The prefixed verbal form is understood as a jussive of prayer. Another option is to translate, “the wicked will fall.”
  18. Psalm 141:10 tn Heb “his.”
  19. Psalm 141:10 tn Heb “at the same [that] I, until I pass by.” Another option is to take יַחַד (yakhad) with the preceding line, “let the wicked fall together into their own nets.”
New English Translation (NET)

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Proverbs 30:18-20

18 There are three things that are too wonderful for me,[a]
four that I do not understand:
19 the way[b] of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship in the sea,
and the way of a man with a woman.[c]
20 This is the way[d] of an adulterous[e] woman:
she has eaten and wiped her mouth[f]
and has said, “I have not done wrong.”[g]

Footnotes:

  1. Proverbs 30:18 tn The form נִפְלְאוּ (nifleʾu) is the Niphal perfect from פָּלָא (palaʾ); the verb means “to be wonderful; to be extraordinary; to be surpassing”; cf. NIV “too amazing.” The things mentioned are things that the sage finds incomprehensible (e.g., Gen 18:14; Judg 13:18; Ps 139:6; Isa 9:6 [5]). The sage can only admire these wonders—he is at a loss to explain them.
  2. Proverbs 30:19 sn It is difficult to know for certain what these four things had in common for the sage. They are all linked by the word “way” (meaning “a course of action”) and by a sense of mystery in each area. Suggestions for the connections between the four include: (1) all four things are hidden from continued observation, for they are in majestic form and then gone; (2) they all have a mysterious means of propulsion or motivation; (3) they all describe the movement of one thing within the sphere or domain of another; or (4) the first three serve as illustrations of the fourth and greatest wonder, which concerns human relationships and is slightly different than the first three.
  3. Proverbs 30:19 tn This last item in the series is the most difficult to understand. The MT reads וְדֶּרֶךְ גֶּבֶר בְּעַלְמָה (vederekh gever beʾalmah, “and the way of a man with a maid,” so KJV, NASB). The last term does not in and of itself mean “virgin” but rather describes a young woman who is sexually ready for marriage. What is probably in view here is the wonder of human sexuality, for the preposition ב (bet) in this sequence indicates that the “way of the man” is “with” the woman. This mystery might begin with the manner of obtaining the love of the young woman, but focuses on the most intimate part of human relationships. And all of this was amazing to the sage. All of it is part of God’s creative plan and therefore can be enjoyed and appreciated without fully comprehending it.
  4. Proverbs 30:20 sn Equally amazing is the insensitivity of the adulterous woman to the sin. The use of the word “way” clearly connects this and the preceding material. Its presence here also supports the interpretation of the final clause in v. 19 as referring to sexual intimacy. While that is a wonder of God’s creation, so is the way that human nature has distorted it and ruined it.
  5. Proverbs 30:20 sn The word clearly indicates that the woman is married and unchaste, but the text describes her as amoral as much as immoral—she sees nothing wrong with what she does.
  6. Proverbs 30:20 sn The acts of “eating” and “wiping her mouth” are euphemistic; these acts of having a meal stand in as a metaphor for sexual activity (e.g., Prov 9:17).
  7. Proverbs 30:20 sn This is the amazing part of the observation. It is one thing to sin, for everyone sins, but to dismiss the act of adultery so easily, as if it were no more significant than a meal, is incredibly brazen.
New English Translation (NET)

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