Christian Greek Scriptures

Christian Greek Scriptures somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John

A Revelation to John somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | A Revelation to John 01:1-20

NWT | A Revelation to John 01:1-20 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 1:1-20

1 A revelation* by Jesus Christ, which God gave him,a to show his slavesb the things that must shortly take place. And he sent his angel and presented it in signs through him to his slave John,c ² who bore witness to the word God gave and to the witness Jesus Christ gave, yes, to all the things he saw. ³ Happy is the one who reads aloud and those who hear the words of this prophecy and who observe the things written in it,d for the appointed time is near. ⁴ John to the seven congregationse that are in the province of Asia: May you have undeserved kindness and peace from “the One who is and who was and who is coming,”f and from the seven spiritsg that are before his throne, ⁵ and from Jesus Christ, “the Faithful Witness,”h “the firstborn from the dead,”i and “the Ruler of the kings of the earth.”j To him who loves usk and who set us free from our sins by means of his own bloodl— ⁶ and he made us to be a kingdom,m priestsn to his God and Father—yes, to him be the glory and the might forever. Amen. ⁷ Look! He is coming with the clouds,o and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him.p Yes, Amen. ⁸ “I am the Alʹpha and the O·meʹga,”*q says Jehovah* God, “the One who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty.”r ⁹ I John, your brother and a sharer with you in the tribulations and kingdomt and enduranceu in association with Jesus,v was on the island called Patʹmos for speaking about God and bearing witness concerning Jesus. ¹⁰ By inspiration I came to be in the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a strong voice like that of a trumpet, ¹¹ saying: “What you see, write in a scroll and send it to the seven congregations: in Ephʹe·sus,w in Smyrʹna,x in Perʹga·mum,y in Thy·a·tiʹra,z in Sarʹdis,a in Philadelphia,b and in La·o·di·ceʹa.”c ¹² I turned to see who was speaking with me, and when I turned, I saw seven golden lampstands,d ¹³ and in the midst of the lampstands someone like a son of man,e clothed in a garment that reached down to the feet and wearing a golden sash around his chest. ¹⁴ Moreover, his head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame,f ¹⁵ and his feet were like fine copperg when glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. ¹⁶ And he had in his right hand seven stars,h and out of his mouth a sharp, long, two-edged swordi was protruding, and his countenance* was like the sun when it shines at its brightest.j ¹⁷ When I saw him, I fell as dead at his feet. And he laid his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the Firstk and the Last,l ¹⁸ and the living one,m and I became dead,n but look! I am living forever and ever,o and I have the keys of death and of the Grave.*p ¹⁹ So write down the things you saw, and the things that are, and the things that will take place after these. ²⁰ As for the sacred secret of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars mean the angels of the seven congregations, and the seven lampstands mean the seven congregations.q

Revelation 1

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NWT | A Revelation to John 02:1-29

NWT | A Revelation to John 02:1-29 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 2:1-29

2 “To the angela of the congregation in Ephʹe·susb write: These are the things that he says who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands:c ² ‘I know your deeds, and your labor and endurance, and that you cannot tolerate bad men, and that you put to the test those who say they are apostles,d but they are not, and you found them to be liars. ³ You are also showing endurance, and you have persevered for the sake of my namee and have not grown weary.f ⁴ Nevertheless, I hold this against you, that you have left the love you had at first. ⁵ “‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repentg and do the deeds you did at first. If you do not, I will come to you, and I will remove your lampstandh from its place, unless you repent.i ⁶ Still, you do have this in your favor: that you hate the deeds of the sect of Nic·o·laʹus,j which I also hate. ⁷ Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations:k To the one who conquersl I will grant to eat of the tree of life,m which is in the paradise of God.’ ⁸ “And to the angel of the congregation in Smyrʹna write: These are the things that he says, ‘the First and the Last,’n who became dead and came to life again:o ⁹ ‘I know your tribulation and poverty—but you are richp—and the blasphemy by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but they are a synagogue of Satan.q ¹⁰ Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer.r Look! The Devil will keep on throwing some of you into prison so that you may be fully put to the test, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.s ¹¹ Let the one who has an ear heart what the spirit says to the congregations: The one who conquersu will by no means be harmed by the second death.’v ¹² “To the angel of the congregation in Perʹga·mum write: These are the things that he says who has the sharp, long, two-edged sword:w ¹³ ‘I know where you are dwelling, that is, where the throne of Satan is; and yet you keep holding fast to my name,x and you did not deny your faith in mey even in the days of Anʹti·pas, my faithful witness,z who was killeda by your side, where Satan is dwelling. ¹⁴ “‘Nevertheless, I have a few things against you, that you have there those adhering to the teaching of Baʹlaam,b who taught Baʹlakc to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.*d ¹⁵ In the same way, you also have those adhering to the teaching of the sect of Nic·o·laʹus.e ¹⁶ So repent. If you do not, I am coming to you quickly, and I will war against them with the long sword of my mouth.f ¹⁷ “‘Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations:g To the one who conquersh I will give some of the hidden manna,i and I will give him a white pebble, and written on the pebble is a new name that no one knows except the one receiving it.’ ¹⁸ “To the angel of the congregation in Thy·a·tiʹraj write: These are the things that the Son of God says, the one who has eyes like a fiery flamek and whose feet are like fine copper:l ¹⁹ ‘I know your deeds, and your love and faith and ministry and endurance, and that your deeds of late are more than those you did at first. ²⁰ “‘Nevertheless, I do hold this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezʹe·bel,m who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and misleads my slaves to commit sexual immorality*n and to eat things sacrificed to idols. ²¹ And I gave her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality.* ²² Look! I am about to throw her into a sickbed, and those committing adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds. ²³ And I will kill her children with deadly plague, so that all the congregations will know that I am the one who searches the innermost thoughts* and hearts, and I will give to you individually according to your deeds.o ²⁴ “‘However, I say to the rest of you who are in Thy·a·tiʹra, all those who do not follow this teaching, those who did not get to know the so-called “deep things of Satan”:p I am not putting on you any other burden. ²⁵ Just the same, hold fast to what you have until I come.q ²⁶ And to the one who conquers and observes my deeds down to the end, I will give authority over the nations,r ²⁷ and he will shepherd the people with an iron rods so that they will be broken to pieces like clay vessels, just as I have received from my Father. ²⁸ And I will give him the morning star.t ²⁹ Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’

Revelation 2

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NWT | A Revelation to John 03:1-22

NWT | A Revelation to John 03:1-22 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 3:1-22

3 “To the angel of the congregation in Sarʹdis write: These are the things that he says who has the seven spirits of Goda and the seven stars:b ‘I know your deeds, that you have the name* that you are alive, but you are dead.c ² Become watchful,d and strengthen the things remaining that were ready to die, for I have not found your works fully performed* before my God. ³ Therefore, continue mindful of* how you have received and how you heard, and go on keeping it, and repent.e Certainly unless you wake up, I will come as a thief,f and you will not know at all at what hour I will come upon you.g ⁴ “‘Nevertheless, you do have a few individuals* in Sarʹdis who did not defile their garments,h and they will walk with me in white ones,i because they are worthy. ⁵ The one who conquersj will thus be dressed in white garments,k and I will by no means blot out* his name from the book of life,l but I will acknowledge his name before my Father and before his angels.m ⁶ Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’ ⁷ “To the angel of the congregation in Philadelphia write: These are the things he says who is holy,n who is true,o who has the key of David,p who opens so that no one will shut and shuts so that no one opens: ⁸ ‘I know your deeds—look! I have set before you an opened door,q which no one can shut. And I know that you have a little power, and you kept my word and did not prove false to my name. ⁹ Look! I will make those from the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews yet are not,r but are lying—look! I will make them come and bow* before your feet and make them know that I have loved you. ¹⁰ Because you kept the word about my endurance,*s I will also keep you from the hour of test,t which is to come upon the entire inhabited earth, to put to the test those dwelling on the earth. ¹¹ I am coming quickly.u Keep holding fast to what you have, so that no one may take your crown.v ¹² “‘The one who conquers—I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will by no means go out from it anymore, and I will write upon him the name of my Godw and the name of the city of my God, the New Jerusalemx that descends out of heaven from my God, and my own new name.y ¹³ Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’ ¹⁴ “To the angel of the congregation in La·o·di·ceʹaz write: These are the things that the Amena says, the faithful and trueb witness,c the beginning of the creation by God:d ¹⁵ ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or else hot. ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm and neither hote nor cold,f I am going to vomit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ Because you say, “I am richg and have acquired riches and do not need anything at all,” but you do not know that you are miserable and pitiful and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may become dressed and that the shame of your nakedness may not be exposed,h and eyesalve to rub in your eyesi so that you may see.j ¹⁹ “‘All those for whom I have affection, I reprove and discipline.k So be zealous and repent.l ²⁰ Look! I am standing at the door and knocking. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into his house and take the evening meal with him and he with me. ²¹ To the one who conquersm I will grant to sit down with me on my throne,n just as I conquered and sat downo with my Father on his throne. ²² Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations.’”

Revelation 3

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NWT | A Revelation to John 04:1-11

NWT | A Revelation to John 04:1-11 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 4:1-11

4 After this I saw, and look! an opened door in heaven, and the first voice that I heard speaking with me was like a trumpet, saying: “Come up here, and I will show you the things that must take place.” ² After this I immediately came to be in the power of the spirit, and look! a throne was in its position in heaven, and someone was seated on the throne.a ³ And the One seated had the appearance of a jasper stoneb and a sardius stone,* and all around the throne was a rainbow like an emerald in appearance.c ⁴ All around the throne were 24 thrones, and on these thrones I saw seated 24 eldersd dressed in white garments, and on their heads golden crowns. ⁵ From the throne were coming lightninge and voices and thunders;f and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, and these mean the seven spirits of God.g ⁶ Before the throne was something resembling a glassy sea,h like crystal. In the midst of the throne* and around the throne were four living creaturesi that were full of eyes in front and behind. ⁷ The first living creature was like a lion,j and the second living creature was like a young bull,k and the third living creaturel had a face like a man’s, and the fourth living creaturem was like a flying eagle.n ⁸ As for the four living creatures, each one of them had six wings; they were full of eyes all around and underneath.o And continuously, day and night, they say: “Holy, holy, holy is Jehovah*p God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is coming.”q ⁹ Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanksgiving to the One seated on the throne, the One who lives forever and ever,r ¹⁰ the 24 elderss fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship the One who lives forever and ever, and they cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ¹¹ “You are worthy, Jehovah* our God, to receive the gloryt and the honoru and the power,v because you created all things,w and because of your will they came into existence and were created.”

Revelation 4

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NWT | A Revelation to John 05:1-14

NWT | A Revelation to John 05:1-14 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 5:1-14

5 And I saw in the right hand of the One seated on the thronea a scroll written on both sides,* sealed tight with seven seals. ² And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” ³ But no one in heaven or on earth or underneath the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁴ I gave way to a great deal of weeping because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. ⁵ But one of the elders said to me: “Stop weeping. Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah,b the rootc of David,d has conquerede so as to open the scroll and its seven seals.” ⁶ And I saw standing in the midst* of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the eldersf a lambg that seemed to have been slaughtered,h having seven horns and seven eyes, and the eyes mean the seven spirits of Godi that have been sent out into the whole earth. ⁷ At once he came forward and took it out of the right hand of the One seated on the throne.j ⁸ When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 eldersk fell down before the Lamb, and each one had a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense. (The incense means the prayers of the holy ones.)l ⁹ And they sing a new song,m saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought people for Godn out of every tribe and tongue* and people and nation,o ¹⁰ and you made them to be a kingdomp and priests to our God,q and they are to rule as kingsr over the earth.” ¹¹ And I saw, and I heard a voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders, and the number of them was myriads of myriads* and thousands of thousands,s ¹² and they were saying with a loud voice: “The Lamb who was slaughteredt is worthy to receive the power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”u ¹³ And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and underneath the earthv and on the sea, and all the things in them, saying: “To the One sitting on the thronew and to the Lambx be the blessing and the honory and the glory and the might forever and ever.”z ¹⁴ The four living creatures were saying: “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshipped.

Revelation 5

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NWT | A Revelation to John 06:1-17

NWT | A Revelation to John 06:1-17 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 6:1-17

6 And I saw when the Lamba opened one of the seven seals,b and I heard one of the four living creaturesc say with a voice like thunder: “Come!” ² And I saw, and look! a white horse,d and the one seated on it had a bow; and a crown was given him,e and he went out conquering and to complete his conquest.f ³ When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creatureg say: “Come!” ⁴ Another came out, a fiery-colored horse, and it was granted to the one seated on it to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another, and he was given a great sword.h ⁵ When he opened the third seal,i I heard the third living creaturej say: “Come!” And I saw, and look! a black horse, and the one seated on it had a pair of scales in his hand. ⁶ I heard what sounded like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures say: “A quart* of wheat for a de·narʹi·us*k and three quarts of barley for a de·narʹi·us; and do not harm the olive oil and the wine.”l ⁷ When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creaturem say: “Come!” ⁸ And I saw, and look! a pale horse, and the one seated on it had the name Death. And the Grave* was closely following him. And authority was given them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with a long sword and with food shortagen and with deadly plague and by the wild beasts of the earth.o ⁹ When he opened the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altarp the souls*q of those slaughtered because of the word of God and because of the witness they had given.r ¹⁰ They shouted with a loud voice, saying: “Until when, Sovereign Lord, holy and true,s are you refraining from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”t ¹¹ And a white robe was given to each of them,u and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number was filled of their fellow slaves and their brothers who were about to be killed as they had been.v ¹² And I saw when he opened the sixth seal, and a great earthquake occurred; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair,* and the entire moon became as blood,w ¹³ and the stars of heaven fell to the earth as when a fig tree shaken by a high wind drops its unripe figs. ¹⁴ And the heaven departed as a scroll that is being rolled up,x and every mountain and every island was removed from its place.y ¹⁵ Then the kings of the earth, the high officials, the military commanders, the rich, the strong, every slave, and every free person hid in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.z ¹⁶ And they keep saying to the mountains and to the rocks: “Fall over usa and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throneb and from the wrath of the Lamb,c ¹⁷ because the great day of their wrath has come,d and who is able to stand?”e

Revelation 6

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NWT | A Revelation to John 07:1-17

NWT | A Revelation to John 07:1-17 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 7:1-17

7 After this I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding tight the four winds of the earth, so that no wind could blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. ² And I saw another angel ascending from the sunrise,* having a seal of the living God; and he called with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, ³ saying: “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until after we have sealeda the slaves of our God in their foreheads.”b ⁴ And I heard the number of those who were sealed, 144,000,c sealed out of every tribe of the sons of Israel:d ⁵ Out of the tribe of Judah 12,000 sealed;out of the tribe of Reuʹben 12,000;out of the tribe of Gad 12,000; ⁶ out of the tribe of Ashʹer 12,000;out of the tribe of Naphʹta·li 12,000;out of the tribe of Ma·nasʹsehe 12,000; ⁷ out of the tribe of Simʹe·on 12,000;out of the tribe of Leʹvi 12,000;out of the tribe of Isʹsa·char 12,000; ⁸ out of the tribe of Zebʹu·lun 12,000;out of the tribe of Joseph 12,000;out of the tribe of Benjamin 12,000 sealed. ⁹ After this I saw, and look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues,*f standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes;g and there were palm branches in their hands.h ¹⁰ And they keep shouting with a loud voice, saying: “Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne,i and to the Lamb.”j ¹¹ All the angels were standing around the throne and the eldersk and the four living creatures, and they fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, ¹² saying: “Amen! Let the praise and the glory and the wisdom and the thanksgiving and the honor and the power and the strength be to our God forever and ever.l Amen.” ¹³ In response one of the elders said to me: “These who are dressed in the white robes,m who are they and where did they come from?” ¹⁴ So right away I said to him: “My lord, you are the one who knows.” And he said to me: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation,n and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.o ¹⁵ That is why they are before the throne of God, and they are rendering him sacred service day and night in his temple; and the One seated on the thronep will spread his tent over them.q ¹⁶ They will hunger no more nor thirst anymore, neither will the sun beat down on them nor any scorching heat,r ¹⁷ because the Lamb,s who is in the midst* of the throne, will shepherd themt and will guide them to springs* of waters of life.u And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes.”v

Revelation 7

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NWT | A Revelation to John 08:1-13

NWT | A Revelation to John 08:1-13 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 8:1-13

8 When hea opened the seventh seal,b there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. ² And I saw the seven angelsc who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. ³ Another angel, holding a golden incense vessel,* arrived and stood at the altar,d and a large quantity of incensee was given him to offer it with the prayers of all the holy ones on the golden altarf that was before the throne. ⁴ The smoke of the incense from the hand of the angel ascended with the prayersg of the holy ones before God. ⁵ But right away the angel took the incense vessel, and he filled it with some of the fire of the altar and hurled it to the earth. And there were thunders and voices and flashes of lightningh and an earthquake. ⁶ And the seven angels with the seven trumpetsi prepared to blow them. ⁷ The first one blew his trumpet. And there was hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was hurled to the earth;j and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green vegetation was burned up.k ⁸ The second angel blew his trumpet. And something like a great mountain burning with fire was hurled into the sea.l And a third of the sea became blood;m ⁹ and a third of the living creatures* in the sea died,n and a third of the ships were wrecked. ¹⁰ The third angel blew his trumpet. And a great star burning like a lamp fell from heaven, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs* of waters.o ¹¹ The name of the star is Wormwood. And a third of the waters turned into wormwood, and many of the people died from the waters, because these had been made bitter.p ¹² The fourth angel blew his trumpet. And a third of the sun was struckq and a third of the moon and a third of the stars, in order that a third of them might be darkenedr and the day might not have light for a third of it, and the night likewise. ¹³ And I saw, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven say with a loud voice: “Woe, woe, woes to those dwelling on the earth because of the rest of the trumpet blasts of the three angels who are about to blow their trumpets!”t

Revelation 8

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NWT | A Revelation to John 09:1-21

NWT | A Revelation to John 09:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 9:1-21

9 The fifth angel blew his trumpet.+ And I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to the earth, and the key to the shaft* of the abyss+ was given to him. ² He opened the shaft* of the abyss, and smoke ascended out of the shaft* like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun was darkened,+ also the air, by the smoke of the shaft.* ³ And locusts came out of the smoke onto the earth,+ and authority was given to them, the same authority that the scorpions of the earth have. ⁴ They were told not to harm the vegetation of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.+ ⁵ And it was granted the locusts, not to kill them, but to torment them five months, and their torment was like torment by a scorpion+ when it strikes a person. ⁶ In those days people will seek death but will by no means find it, and they will long to die, but death will flee from them. ⁷ And in appearance the locusts resembled horses prepared for battle;+ on their heads were what seemed to be crowns of gold, and their faces were like human faces, ⁸ but they had hair like women’s hair. And their teeth were like those of lions,+ ⁹ and they had breastplates like iron breastplates. And the sound of their wings was like the sound of horse-drawn chariots rushing into battle.+ ¹⁰ Also, they have tails with stingers like scorpions, and in their tails is their authority to hurt the people for five months.+ ¹¹ They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss.+ In Hebrew his name is A·badʹdon,* but in Greek he has the name A·polʹlyon.* ¹² The one woe is past. Look! Two more woes+ are coming after these things. ¹³ The sixth angel+ blew his trumpet.+ And I heard one voice from the horns of the golden altar+ that is before God ¹⁴ say to the sixth angel who had the trumpet: “Untie the four angels who are bound at the great river Eu·phraʹtes.”+ ¹⁵ And the four angels who have been prepared for the hour and day and month and year were untied to kill a third of the people. ¹⁶ The number of the armies of cavalry was two myriads of myriads;* I heard the number of them. ¹⁷ And this is how I saw the horses in the vision and those seated on them: They had fire-red and hyacinth-blue and sulfur-yellow breastplates, and the heads of the horses were like the heads of lions,+ and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. ¹⁸ A third of the people were killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the sulfur that came out of their mouths. ¹⁹ For the authority of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with these they inflict harm. ²⁰ But the rest of the people who were not killed by these plagues did not repent of the works of their hands; they did not stop worshipping the demons and the idols of gold and silver and copper and stone and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk.+ ²¹ And they did not repent of their murders nor of their spiritistic practices nor of their sexual immorality* nor of their thefts.

Footnotes

^ Or “pit.”

^ Meaning “Destruction.”

^ Meaning “Destroyer.”

^ Or “20,000 times 10,000,” that is, 200,000,000.

^ Greek, por·neiʹa. See Glossary.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Revelation 9

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NWT | A Revelation to John 10:1-11

NWT | A Revelation to John 10:1-11 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 10:1-11

10 And I saw another strong angel descending from heaven, arrayed* with a cloud, and a rainbow was on his head, and his face was like the sun,a and his legs* were like pillars of fire, ² and he had in his hand a little scroll that had been unrolled. And he set his right foot on the sea, but his left one on the earth, ³ and he cried out with a loud voice just as when a lion roars.b And when he cried out, the voices of the seven thundersc spoke. ⁴ Now when the seven thunders spoke, I was about to write, but I heard a voice out of heavend say: “Seal up the things the seven thunders spoke, and do not write them down.” ⁵ The angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the earth raised his right hand to heaven, ⁶ and he swore by the One who lives forever and ever,e who created the heaven and the things in it and the earth and the things in it and the sea and the things in it:f “There will be no delay any longer. ⁷ But in the days when the seventh angelg is about to blow his trumpet,h the sacred secreti that God declared as good news to his own slaves the prophetsj is indeed brought to a finish.” ⁸ And I heard the voice out of heavenk speaking again with me and saying: “Go, take the opened scroll that is in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the earth.”l ⁹ I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. He said to me: “Take it and eat it up,m and it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet like honey.” ¹⁰ I took the little scroll out of the hand of the angel and ate it,n and in my mouth it was sweet like honey,o but when I had eaten it, my stomach was made bitter. ¹¹ And they said to me: “You must prophesy again about peoples and nations and tongues* and many kings.”

Revelation 10

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NWT | A Revelation to John 11:1-19

NWT | A Revelation to John 11:1-19 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 11:1-19

11 And a reed like a rod*a was given to me as he said: “Get up and measure the temple sanctuary of God and the altar and those worshipping in it. ² But as for the courtyard that is outside the temple sanctuary, leave it out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy cityb underfoot for 42 months.c ³ I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy for 1,260 days dressed in sackcloth.” ⁴ These are symbolized by the two olive treesd and the two lampstandse and are standing before the Lord of the earth.f ⁵ If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and consumes their enemies. If anyone should want to harm them, this is how he must be killed. ⁶ These have the authority to shut up the sky*g so that no rain may fallh during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into bloodi and to strike the earth with every sort of plague as often as they wish. ⁷ When they have finished their witnessing, the wild beast that ascends out of the abyss will wage war with them and conquer them and kill them.j ⁸ And their corpses will be on the main street of the great city that is in a spiritual sense called Sodʹom and Egypt, where their Lord was also executed on the stake. ⁹ And those of the peoples and tribes and tongues* and nations will look at their corpses for three and a half days,k and they do not allow their corpses to be laid in a tomb. ¹⁰ And those dwelling on the earth rejoice over them and celebrate, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those dwelling on the earth. ¹¹ After the three and a half days, spirit of life from God entered into them,l and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell upon those who saw them. ¹² And they heard a loud voice from heaven say to them: “Come up here.” And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies saw them.* ¹³ In that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; and 7,000 persons were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven. ¹⁴ The second woem is past. Look! The third woe is coming quickly. ¹⁵ The seventh angel blew his trumpet.n And there were loud voices in heaven, saying: “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lordo and of his Christ,p and he will rule as king forever and ever.”q ¹⁶ And the 24 eldersr who were seated before God on their thrones fell upon their faces and worshipped God, ¹⁷ saying: “We thank you, Jehovah* God, the Almighty, the one who iss and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun ruling as king.t ¹⁸ But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time came for the dead to be judged and to rewardu your slaves the prophetsv and the holy ones and those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining* the earth.”w ¹⁹ And the temple sanctuary of God in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple sanctuary.x And there were flashes of lightning and voices and thunders and an earthquake and a great hail.

Revelation 11

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NWT | A Revelation to John 12:1-17

NWT | A Revelation to John 12:1-17 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 12:1-17

12 Then a great sign was seen in heaven: A womana was arrayed* with the sun, and the moon was beneath her feet, and on her head was a crown of 12 stars, ² and she was pregnant. And she was crying out in her pains and in her agony to give birth. ³ Another sign was seen in heaven. Look! A great fiery-colored dragon,b with seven heads and ten horns and on its heads seven diadems;* ⁴ and its tail drags a third of the starsc of heaven, and it hurled them down to the earth.d And the dragon kept standing before the womane who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth, it might devour her child. ⁵ And she gave birth to a son,f a male, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod.g And her child was snatched* away to God and to his throne. ⁶ And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God and where they would feed her for 1,260 days.h ⁷ And war broke out in heaven: Miʹcha·el*i and his angels battled with the dragon, and the dragon and its angels battled ⁸ but they did not prevail,* nor was a place found for them any longer in heaven. ⁹ So down the great dragonj was hurled, the original serpent,k the one called Devill and Satan,m who is misleading the entire inhabited earth;n he was hurled down to the earth,o and his angels were hurled down with him. ¹⁰ I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come to pass the salvationp and the power and the Kingdom of our Godq and the authority of his Christ, because the accuser of our brothers has been hurled down, who accuses them day and night before our God!r ¹¹ And they conquered hims because of the blood of the Lambt and because of the word of their witnessing,u and they did not love their souls*v even in the face of death. ¹² On this account be glad, you heavens and you who reside in them! Woe for the earth and for the sea,w because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing that he has a short period of time.”x ¹³ Now when the dragon saw that it had been hurled down to the earth,y it persecuted the womanz who gave birth to the male child. ¹⁴ But the two wings of the great eaglea were given to the woman, so that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is to be fed for a time and times and half a time*b away from the face of the serpent.c ¹⁵ And the serpent spewed out water like a river from its mouth after the woman, to cause her to be drowned by the river. ¹⁶ But the earth came to the woman’s help, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon spewed out from its mouth. ¹⁷ So the dragon became enraged at the woman and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her offspring,*d who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness concerning Jesus.e

Revelation 12

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NWT | A Revelation to John 13:1-18

NWT | A Revelation to John 13:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 13:1-18

13 And it* stood still on the sand of the sea. And I saw a wild beasta ascending out of the sea,b with ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns ten diadems,* but on its heads blasphemous names. ² Now the wild beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like those of a bear, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And the dragonc gave to the beast its power and its throne and great authority.d ³ I saw that one of its heads seemed to have been fatally wounded, but its mortal wound had been healed,e and all the earth followed the wild beast with admiration. ⁴ And they worshipped the dragon because it gave the authority to the wild beast, and they worshipped the wild beast with the words: “Who is like the wild beast, and who can do battle with it?” ⁵ It was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and it was given authority to act for 42 months.f ⁶ And it opened its mouth in blasphemiesg against God to blaspheme his name and his dwelling place, even those residing in heaven.h ⁷ It was permitted to wage war with the holy ones and conquer them,i and it was given authority over every tribe and people and tongue* and nation. ⁸ And all those who dwell on the earth will worship it. From the founding of the world, not one of their names has been written in the scroll of lifej of the Lamb who was slaughtered.k ⁹ If anyone has an ear, let him hear.l ¹⁰ If anyone is meant for captivity, he will go into captivity. If anyone will kill with the sword,* he must be killed with the sword.m This is where it calls for endurancen and faitho on the part of the holy ones.p ¹¹ Then I saw another wild beast ascending out of the earth, and it had two horns like a lamb, but it began speaking like a dragon.q ¹² It exercises all the authority of the first wild beastr in its sight. And it makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first wild beast, whose mortal wound was healed.s ¹³ And it performs great signs, even making fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the sight of mankind. ¹⁴ It misleads those who dwell on the earth, because of the signs that it was permitted to perform in the sight of the wild beast, while it tells those who dwell on the earth to make an imaget to the wild beast that had the sword-stroke and yet revived.u ¹⁵ And it was permitted to give breath* to the image of the wild beast, so that the image of the wild beast should both speak and cause to be killed all those who refuse to worship the image of the wild beast. ¹⁶ It puts under compulsion all people—the small and the great, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves—that these should be marked on their right hand or on their forehead,v ¹⁷ and that nobody can buy or sell except a person having the mark, the namew of the wild beast or the number of its name.x ¹⁸ This is where it calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the number of the wild beast, for it is a man’s number,* and its number is 666.y

Revelation 13

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NWT | A Revelation to John 14:1-20

NWT | A Revelation to John 14:1-20 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 14:1-20

14 Then I saw, and look! the Lamba standing on Mount Zion,b and with him 144,000c who have his name and the name of his Fatherd written on their foreheads. ² I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the sound that I heard was like singers who accompany themselves by playing on their harps. ³ And they are singing what seems to be a new songe before the throne and before the four living creaturesf and the elders,g and no one was able to master that song except the 144,000,h who have been bought from the earth. ⁴ These are the ones who did not defile themselves with women; in fact, they are virgins.i These are the ones who keep following the Lamb no matter where he goes.j These were boughtk from among mankind as firstfruitsl to God and to the Lamb, ⁵ and no deceit was found in their mouths; they are without blemish.m ⁶ And I saw another angel flying in midheaven,* and he had everlasting good news to declare to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue* and people.n ⁷ He was saying in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of judgment by him has arrived,o so worship the One who made the heaven and the earth and the seap and the springs* of water.” ⁸ Another, a second angel, followed, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Greatq has fallen,r she who made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion* of her sexual immorality!”*s ⁹ Another angel, a third, followed them, saying in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the wild beastt and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand,u ¹⁰ he will also drink of the wine of the anger of God that is poured out undiluted into the cup of His wrath,v and he will be tormented with fire and sulfurw in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever,x and day and night they have no rest, those who worship the wild beast and its image and whoever receives the mark of its name.y ¹² Here is where it calls for endurance on the part of the holy ones,z those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faitha of Jesus.” ¹³ And I heard a voice out of heaven say, “Write: Happy are the dead who die in union with the Lordb from this time onward. Yes, says the spirit, let them rest from their labors, for the things they did go right* with them.” ¹⁴ Then I saw, and look! a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like a son of man,c with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. ¹⁵ Another angel emerged from the temple sanctuary, calling with a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud: “Put your sickle in and reap, because the hour has come to reap, for the harvest of the earth is fully ripe.”d ¹⁶ And the one seated on the cloud thrust his sickle into the earth, and the earth was reaped. ¹⁷ And still another angel emerged from the temple sanctuary that is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. ¹⁸ And still another angel emerged from the altar, and he had authority over the fire. And he called out with a loud voice to the one who had the sharp sickle, saying: “Put your sharp sickle in and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for its grapes have become ripe.”e ¹⁹ The angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and he hurled it into the great winepress of God’s anger.f ²⁰ The winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress as high up as the bridles of the horses for a distance of 1,600 stadia.*

Revelation 14

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NWT | A Revelation to John 15:1-8

NWT | A Revelation to John 15:1-8 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 15:1-8

15 And I saw in heaven another sign, great and wonderful, seven angelsa with seven plagues. These are the last ones, because by means of them the anger of God is brought to a finish.b ² And I saw something like a sea of glassc mingled with fire, and those who are victoriousd over the wild beast and its imagee and the number of its namef were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps of God. ³ They were singing the song of Mosesg the slave of God and the song of the Lamb,h saying: “Great and wonderful are your works,i Jehovah* God, the Almighty.j Righteous and true are your ways,k King of eternity.l ⁴ Who will not really fear you, Jehovah,* and glorify your name, for you alone are loyal?m For all the nations will come and worship before you,n because your righteous decrees have been revealed.” ⁵ After this I saw, and the sanctuary of the tent of the witnesso was opened in heaven,p ⁶ and the seven angels with the seven plaguesq emerged from the sanctuary, clothed with clean, bright linen and with golden sashes wrapped around their chests. ⁷ One of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls that were full of the anger of God,r who lives forever and ever. ⁸ And the sanctuary became filled with smoke because of the glory of Gods and because of his power, and no one was able to enter the sanctuary until the seven plaguest of the seven angels were finished.

Revelation 15

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NWT | A Revelation to John 16:1-21

NWT | A Revelation to John 16:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 16:1-21

16 And I heard a loud voice out of the sanctuarya say to the seven angels: “Go and pour out the seven bowls of the anger of God on the earth.”b ² The first one went off and poured out his bowl on the earth.c And a hurtful and malignant ulcerd afflicted the people who had the mark of the wild beaste and who were worshipping its image.f ³ The second one poured out his bowl into the sea.g And it became bloodh like that of a dead man, and every living creature* died, yes, the things in the sea.i ⁴ The third one poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs* of water.j And they became blood.k ⁵ I heard the angel over the waters say: “You, the One who is and who was,l the loyal One,m are righteous, for you have issued these judgments,n ⁶ because they poured out the blood of holy ones and of prophets,o and you have given them blood to drink;p they deserve it.”q ⁷ And I heard the altar say: “Yes, Jehovah* God, the Almighty,r true and righteous are your judgments.”*s ⁸ The fourth one poured out his bowl on the sun,t and to the sun it was granted to scorch the people with fire. ⁹ And the people were scorched by the great heat, but they blasphemed the name of God, who has the authority over these plagues, and they did not repent and give glory to him. ¹⁰ The fifth one poured out his bowl on the throne of the wild beast. And its kingdom became darkened,u and they began to gnaw their tongues because of their pain, ¹¹ but they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their ulcers, and they did not repent of their works. ¹² The sixth one poured out his bowl on the great river Eu·phraʹtes,v and its water was dried upw to prepare the way for the kingsx from the rising of the sun.* ¹³ And I saw three unclean inspired expressions* that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragony and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. ¹⁴ They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and they perform signs,z and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the wara of the great day of God the Almighty.b ¹⁵ “Look! I am coming as a thief.c Happy is the one who stays awaked and keeps his outer garments, so that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness.”e ¹⁶ And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon.*f ¹⁷ The seventh one poured out his bowl on the air. At this a loud voice came out of the sanctuaryg from the throne, saying: “It has come to pass!” ¹⁸ And there were flashes of lightning and voices and thunders, and there was a great earthquake unlike any that had occurred since men came to be on the earth,h so extensive and so great was the earthquake. ¹⁹ The great cityi split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell; and Babylon the Greatj was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.k ²⁰ Also, every island fled, and mountains were not found.l ²¹ Then great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent,* fell from heaven on the people,m and the people blasphemed God because of the plague of hail,n for the plague was unusually great.

Revelation 16

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NWT | A Revelation to John 17:1-18

NWT | A Revelation to John 17:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 17:1-18

17 One of the seven angels who had the seven bowlsa came and said to me: “Come, I will show you the judgment on the great prostitute who sits on many waters,b ² with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality,*c and earth’s inhabitants were made drunk with the wine of her sexual immorality.”*d ³ And he carried me away in the power of the spirit into a wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet-colored wild beast that was full of blasphemous names and that had seven heads and ten horns. ⁴ The woman was clothed in purplee and scarlet, and she was adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls,f and she had in her hand a golden cup that was full of disgusting things and the unclean things of her sexual immorality.* ⁵ On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the mother of the prostitutesg and of the disgusting things of the earth.”h ⁶ And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.i Well, on seeing her I was greatly amazed. ⁷ So the angel said to me: “Why is it that you were amazed? I will tell you the mystery of the womanj and of the wild beast that is carrying her and that has the seven heads and the ten horns:k ⁸ The wild beast that you saw was, but is not, and yet is about to ascend out of the abyss,l and it is to go off into destruction. And the inhabitants of the earth—those whose names have not been written in the scroll of lifem from the founding of the world—will be amazed when they see how the wild beast was, but is not, and yet will be present. ⁹ “This calls for a mind* that has wisdom: The seven headsn mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. ¹⁰ And there are seven kings: Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet arrived; but when he does arrive, he must remain a short while. ¹¹ And the wild beast that was but is not,o it is also an eighth king, but it springs from the seven, and it goes off into destruction. ¹² “The ten horns that you saw mean ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they do receive authority as kings for one hour with the wild beast. ¹³ These have one thought, so they give their power and authority to the wild beast. ¹⁴ These will battle with the Lamb,p but because he is Lord of lords and King of kings,q the Lamb will conquer them.r Also, those with him who are called and chosen and faithful will do so.”s ¹⁵ He said to me: “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is sitting, mean peoples and crowds and nations and tongues.*t ¹⁶ And the ten hornsu that you saw and the wild beast,v these will hate the prostitutew and will make her devastated and naked, and they will eat up her flesh and completely burn her with fire.x ¹⁷ For God put it into their hearts to carry out his thought,y yes, to carry out their one thought by giving their kingdom to the wild beast,z until the words of God will have been accomplished. ¹⁸ And the womana whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

Revelation 17

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NWT | A Revelation to John 18:1-24

NWT | A Revelation to John 18:1-24 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 18:1-24

18 After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. ² And he cried out with a strong voice, saying: “She has fallen! Babylon the Great has fallen,a and she has become a dwelling place of demons and a place where every unclean spirit* and every unclean and hated bird lurks!b ³ For because of the wine of the passion* of her sexual immorality,* all the nations have fallen victim,c and the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her,d and the merchants* of the earth became rich owing to the power of her shameless luxury.” ⁴ And I heard another voice out of heaven say: “Get out of her, my people,e if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues.f ⁵ For her sins have massed together clear up to heaven,g and God has called her acts of injustice* to mind.h ⁶ Repay her in the way she treated others,i yes, pay her back double for the things she has done;j in the cupk she has mixed, mix a double portion for her.l ⁷ To the extent that she glorified herself and lived in shameless luxury, to that extent give her torment and mourning. For she keeps saying in her heart: ‘I sit as queen, and I am not a widow, and I will never see mourning.’m ⁸ That is why in one day her plagues will come, death and mourning and famine, and she will be completely burned with fire,n because Jehovah* God, who judged her, is strong.o ⁹ “And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality* with her and lived with her in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her when they see the smoke from her burning. ¹⁰ They will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say: ‘Too bad, too bad, you great city,p Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!’ ¹¹ “Also, the merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full cargo anymore, ¹² a full cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, and scarlet cloth; and everything made from scented wood; and every sort of object made from ivory, and from precious wood, copper, iron, and marble; ¹³ also cinnamon, Indian spice, incense, perfumed oil, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, carriages, slaves, and human lives.* ¹⁴ Yes, the fine fruit that you* desired has left you, and all the delicacies and the splendid things have vanished from you, never to be found again. ¹⁵ “The merchants who sold these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, ¹⁶ saying: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, clothed with fine linen, purple, and scarlet and richly adorned with gold ornaments, precious stones, and pearls,q ¹⁷ because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!’ “And every ship captain and every seafaring person and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea stood at a distance ¹⁸ and cried out as they looked at the smoke from her burning and said: ‘What city is like the great city?’ ¹⁹ They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said: ‘Too bad, too bad, the great city, in which all those who had ships at sea became rich from her wealth, because in one hour she has been devastated!’r ²⁰ “Be glad over her, O heaven,s also you holy onest and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced his judgment on her in your behalf!”u ²¹ And a strong angel lifted up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying: “Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the great city be hurled down, and she will never be found again.v ²² And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp, of musicians, of flutists, and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again. And no craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again, and no sound of a millstone will ever be heard in you again. ²³ No light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in you again; for your merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, and by your spiritistic practicesw all the nations were misled. ²⁴ Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy onesx and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.”y

Revelation 18

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NWT | A Revelation to John 19:1-21

NWT | A Revelation to John 19:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 19:1-21

19 After this I heard what seemed to be a loud voice of a great crowd in heaven. They said: “Praise Jah!*a The salvation and the glory and the power belong to our God, ² because his judgments are true and righteous.b For he has executed judgment on the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality,* and he has avenged the blood of his slaves that is on her hands.”*c ³ And right away for the second time they said: “Praise Jah!*d And the smoke from her goes on ascending forever and ever.”e ⁴ And the 24 eldersf and the four living creaturesg fell down and worshipped God who sits on the throne and said: “Amen! Praise Jah!”*h ⁵ Also, a voice came from the throne and said: “Be praising our God, all you his slaves,i who fear him, the small ones and the great.”j ⁶ And I heard what sounded like a voice of a great crowd and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of heavy thunders. They said: “Praise Jah,*k because Jehovah* our God, the Almighty,l has begun to rule as king!m ⁷ Let us rejoice and be overjoyed and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself. ⁸ Yes, it has been granted to her to be clothed with bright, clean, fine linen—for the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the holy ones.”n ⁹ And he tells me, “Write: Happy are those invited to the evening meal of the Lamb’s marriage.”o Also, he tells me: “These are the true sayings of God.” ¹⁰ At that I fell down before his feet to worship him. But he tells me: “Be careful! Do not do that!p I am only a fellow slave of you and of your brothers who have the work of witnessing concerning Jesus.q Worship God!r For the witness concerning Jesus is what inspires prophecy.”s ¹¹ I saw heaven opened, and look! a white horse.t And the one seated on it is called Faithfulu and True,v and he judges and carries on war in righteousness.w ¹² His eyes are a fiery flame,x and on his head are many diadems.* He has a name written that no one knows but he himself, ¹³ and he is clothed with an outer garment stained* with blood, and he is called by the name The Wordy of God. ¹⁴ Also, the armies in heaven were following him on white horses, and they were clothed in white, clean, fine linen. ¹⁵ And out of his mouth protrudes a sharp, long swordz with which to strike the nations, and he will shepherd them with a rod of iron.a Moreover, he treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty.b ¹⁶ On his outer garment, yes, on his thigh, he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.c ¹⁷ I saw also an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice and said to all the birds that fly in midheaven:* “Come here, be gathered together to the great evening meal of God,d ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of military commanders and the flesh of strong mene and the flesh of horses and of those seated on them,f and the flesh of all, of freemen as well as of slaves and of small ones and great.” ¹⁹ And I saw the wild beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the one seated on the horse and against his army.g ²⁰ And the wild beast was caught, and along with it the false propheth that performed in front of it the signs with which he misled those who received the mark of the wild beasti and those who worship its image.j While still alive, they both were hurled into the fiery lake that burns with sulfur.k ²¹ But the rest were killed off with the long sword that proceeded out of the mouth of the one seated on the horse.l And all the birds were filled with their flesh.m

Revelation 19

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NWT | A Revelation to John 20:1-15

NWT | A Revelation to John 20:1-15 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 20:1-15

20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyssa and a great chain in his hand. ² He seized the dragon,b the original serpent,c who is the Devild and Satan,e and bound him for 1,000 years. ³ And he hurled him into the abyssf and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not mislead the nations anymore until the 1,000 years were ended. After this he must be released for a little while.g ⁴ And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls* of those executed* for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand.h And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christi for 1,000 years. ⁵ (The rest of the deadj did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.k ⁶ Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection;l over these the second deathm has no authority,n but they will be priestso of God and of the Christ, and they will rule as kings with him for the 1,000 years.p ⁷ Now as soon as the 1,000 years have ended, Satan will be released from his prison, ⁸ and he will go out to mislead those nations in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Maʹgog, to gather them together for the war. The number of these is as the sand of the sea. ⁹ And they advanced over the whole earth and encircled the camp of the holy ones and the beloved city. But fire came down out of heaven and consumed them.q ¹⁰ And the Devil who was misleading them was hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur, where both the wild beastr and the false prophet already were;s and they will be tormented* day and night forever and ever. ¹¹ And I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it.t From before him the earth and the heaven fled away,u and no place was found for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life.v The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds.w ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead in it, and death and the Grave* gave up the dead in them, and they were judged individually according to their deeds.x ¹⁴ And death and the Grave* were hurled into the lake of fire.y This means the second death,z the lake of fire.a ¹⁵ Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of lifeb was hurled into the lake of fire.c

Revelation 20

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NWT | A Revelation to John 21:1-27

NWT | A Revelation to John 21:1-27 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 21:1-27

21 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth;a for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away,b and the seac is no more. ² I also saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from Godd and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.e ³ With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them.f ⁴ And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes,g and death will be no more,h neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.i The former things have passed away.” ⁵ And the One seated on the thronej said: “Look! I am making all things new.”k Also he says: “Write, for these words are faithful* and true.” ⁶ And he said to me: “They have come to pass! I am the Alʹpha and the O·meʹga,* the beginning and the end.l To anyone thirsting I will give from the spring* of the water of life free.*m ⁷ Anyone conquering will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son. ⁸ But as for the cowards and those without faithn and those who are disgusting in their filth and murdererso and the sexually immoral*p and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars,q their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.r This means the second death.”s ⁹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls that were full of the seven last plaguest came and said to me: “Come, and I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”u ¹⁰ So he carried me away in the power of the spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from Godv ¹¹ and having the glory of God.w Its radiance was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone shining crystal clear.x ¹² It had a great and lofty wall and had 12 gates with 12 angels at the gates, and on the gates were inscribed the names of the 12 tribes of the sons of Israel. ¹³ On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.y ¹⁴ The wall of the city also had 12 foundation stones, and on them were the 12 names of the 12 apostlesz of the Lamb. ¹⁵ Now the one who was speaking with me was holding a golden reed as a measure in order to measure the city and its gates and its wall.a ¹⁶ And the city is laid out as a square, and its length is as great as its width. And he measured the city with the reed, 12,000 stadia;* its length and width and height are equal. ¹⁷ He also measured its wall, 144 cubits* according to a man’s measure, at the same time an angel’s measure. ¹⁸ Now the wall was made of jasper,b and the city was pure gold like clear glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city wall were adorned with every sort of precious stone: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chal·ceʹdo·ny, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth sar·donʹyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysʹo·lite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysʹo·prase, the eleventh hyacinth, the twelfth amethyst. ²¹ Also, the 12 gates were 12 pearls; each one of the gates was made of one pearl. And the main street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. ²² I did not see a temple in it, for Jehovah* God the Almightyc is its temple, also the Lamb is. ²³ And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God illuminated it,d and its lamp was the Lamb.e ²⁴ And the nations will walk by means of its light,f and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. ²⁵ Its gates will not be closed at all by day, for night will not exist there.g ²⁶ And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.h ²⁷ But anything defiled and anyone who does what is disgusting and deceitful will in no way enter into it;i only those written in the Lamb’s scroll of life will enter.j

Revelation 21

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NWT | A Revelation to John 22:1-21

NWT | A Revelation to John 22:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

A Revelation to John 22:1-21

22 And he showed me a river of water of life,a clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lambb ² down the middle of its main street. On both sides of the river were trees of life producing 12 crops of fruit, yielding their fruit each month. And the leaves of the trees were for the healing of the nations.c ³ And there will no longer be any curse. But the throne of God and of the Lambd will be in the city, and his slaves will offer him sacred service; ⁴ and they will see his face,e and his name will be on their foreheads.f ⁵ Also, night will be no more,g and they have no need of lamplight or sunlight, for Jehovah* God will shed light upon them,h and they will rule as kings forever and ever.i ⁶ He said to me: “These words are faithful* and true;j yes, Jehovah,* the God who inspired the prophets,k has sent his angel to show his slaves the things that must shortly take place. ⁷ Look! I am coming quickly.l Happy is anyone observing the words of the prophecy of this scroll.”m ⁸ Well I, John, was the one hearing and seeing these things. When I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing me these things. ⁹ But he tells me: “Be careful! Do not do that! I am only a fellow slave of you and of your brothers the prophets and of those observing the words of this scroll. Worship God.”n ¹⁰ He also tells me: “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, for the appointed time is near. ¹¹ Let the one who is unrighteous continue in unrighteousness, and let the filthy one continue in his filth; but let the righteous one continue in righteousness, and let the holy one continue in holiness. ¹² “‘Look! I am coming quickly, and the reward I give is with me, to repay each one according to his work.o ¹³ I am the Alʹpha and the O·meʹga,*p the first and the last, the beginning and the end. ¹⁴ Happy are those who wash their robes,q so that they may have authority to go to the trees of lifer and that they may gain entrance into the city through its gates.s ¹⁵ Outside are the dogs* and those who practice spiritism and those who are sexually immoral* and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices lying.’t ¹⁶ “‘I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to you about these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of Davidu and the bright morning star.’”v ¹⁷ And the spirit and the bridew keep on saying, “Come!” and let anyone hearing say, “Come!” and let anyone thirsting come;x let anyone who wishes take life’s water free.y ¹⁸ “I am bearing witness to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone makes an addition to these things,z God will add to him the plagues that are written in this scroll;a ¹⁹ and if anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of lifeb and out of the holy city,c things that are written about in this scroll. ²⁰ “The one who bears witness of these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming quickly.’”d “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.” ²¹ May the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus be with the holy ones.

Revelation 22

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According to John

According to John somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | According to John 01:1-51

NWT | According to John 01:1-51 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 1:1-51

1 In the beginning was the Word,a and the Word was with God,b and the Word was a god.c ² This one was in the beginning with God.d ³ All things came into existence through him,e and apart from him not even one thing came into existence. What has come into existence ⁴ by means of him was life, and the life was the light of men.*f ⁵ And the light is shining in the darkness,g but the darkness has not overpowered it. ⁶ There came a man who was sent as a representative of God; his name was John.h ⁷ This man came as a witness, in order to bear witness about the light,i so that people of all sorts might believe through him. ⁸ He was not that light,j but he was meant to bear witness about that light.k ⁹ The true light that gives light to every sort of man was about to come into the world.l ¹⁰ He was in the world,m and the world came into existence through him,n but the world did not know* him. ¹¹ He came to his own home, but his own people did not accept him.o ¹² However, to all who did receive him, he gave authority to become God’s children,p because they were exercising faith in his name.q ¹³ And they were born, not from blood or from a fleshly will or from man’s will, but from God.r ¹⁴ So the Word became fleshs and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten sont from a father; and he was full of divine favor and truth.u ¹⁵ (John bore witness about him, yes, he cried out: “This was the one of whom I said, ‘The one coming behind me has advanced in front of me, for he existed before me.’”)v ¹⁶ For we all received from his fullness, even undeserved kindness upon undeserved kindness. ¹⁷ Because the Law was given through Moses,w the undeserved kindnessx and the truth came to be through Jesus Christ.y ¹⁸ No man has seen God at any time;z the only-begotten goda who is at the Father’s sideb is the one who has explained Him.c ¹⁹ This is the witness John gave when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him: “Who are you?”d ²⁰ And he admitted it and did not deny it, saying: “I am not the Christ.”e ²¹ And they asked him: “What, then? Are you E·liʹjah?”f He replied: “I am not.”g “Are you the Prophet?”h And he answered: “No!” ²² So they said to him: “Who are you? Tell us so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” ²³ He said: “I am a voice of someone crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make the way of Jehovah straight,’i just as Isaiah the prophet said.”j ²⁴ Now those sent were from the Pharisees. ²⁵ So they questioned him and said to him: “Why, then, do you baptize if you are not the Christ or E·liʹjah or the Prophet?” ²⁶ John answered them: “I baptize in water. One is standing among you whom you do not know, ²⁷ the one coming behind me, the lace of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”k ²⁸ These things took place in Bethʹa·ny across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.l ²⁹ The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and he said: “See, the Lambm of God who takes away the sinn of the world!o ³⁰ This is the one about whom I said: ‘Behind me there comes a man who has advanced in front of me, for he existed before me.’p ³¹ Even I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing in water was so that he might be made manifest to Israel.”q ³² John also bore witness, saying: “I viewed the spirit coming down as a dove out of heaven, and it remained upon him.r ³³ Even I did not know him, but the very One who sent me to baptize in water said to me: ‘Whoever it is upon whom you see the spirit coming down and remaining,s this is the one who baptizes in holy spirit.’t ³⁴ And I have seen it, and I have given witness that this one is the Son of God.”u ³⁵ Again the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, ³⁶ and as he looked at Jesus walking, he said: “See, the Lambv of God!” ³⁷ When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. ³⁸ Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, he said to them: “What are you looking for?” They said to him: “Rabbi (which means, when translated, “Teacher”), where are you staying?” ³⁹ He said to them: “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day; it was about the tenth hour. ⁴⁰ Andrew,w the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard what John said and followed Jesus. ⁴¹ He first found* his own brother Simon and said to him: “We have found the Mes·siʹah”x (which means, when translated, “Christ”),y ⁴² and he led him to Jesus. When Jesus looked at him, he said: “You are Simon,z the son of John; you will be called Ceʹphas” (which is translated “Peter”).a ⁴³ The next day he wanted to leave for Galʹi·lee. Jesus then found Philipb and said to him: “Be my follower.” ⁴⁴ Now Philip was from Beth·saʹi·da, from the city of Andrew and Peter. ⁴⁵ Philip found Na·thanʹa·elc and said to him: “We have found the one of whom Moses, in the Law, and the Prophets wrote:d Jesus, the son of Joseph,e from Nazʹa·reth.” ⁴⁶ But Na·thanʹa·el said to him: “Can anything good come out of Nazʹa·reth?”f Philip said to him: “Come and see.” ⁴⁷ Jesus saw Na·thanʹa·el coming toward him and said about him: “See, truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”g ⁴⁸ Na·thanʹa·el said to him: “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him: “Before Philip called you, while you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” ⁴⁹ Na·thanʹa·el responded: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel.”h ⁵⁰ Jesus answered him: “Do you believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see things greater than these.” ⁵¹ He then said to him: “Most truly I say to you men, you will see heaven opened up and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man.”i

John 1

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NWT | According to John 02:1-25

NWT | According to John 02:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 2:1-25

2 And on the third day a marriage feast took place in Caʹnaa of Galʹi·lee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the marriage feast. ³ When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him: “They have no wine.” ⁴ But Jesus said to her: “Woman, why is that of concern to me and to you? My hour has not yet come.” ⁵ His mother said to those serving: “Do whatever he tells you.” ⁶ Now there were six stone water jars sitting there as required by the purification rules of the Jews,b each able to hold two or three liquid measures. ⁷ Jesus said to them: “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. ⁸ Then he said to them: “Now draw some out and take it to the director of the feast.” So they took it. ⁹ When the director of the feast tasted the water that had now been turned into wine, not knowing where it came from (although the servants who had drawn out the water knew), the director of the feast called the bridegroom ¹⁰ and said to him: “Everyone else puts out the fine wine first, and when people are intoxicated, the inferior. You have saved the fine wine until now.” ¹¹ Jesus did this in Caʹna of Galʹi·lee as the beginning of his signs, and he made his glory manifest,c and his disciples put their faith in him. ¹² After this he and his mother and his brothersd and his disciples went down to Ca·perʹna·um,e but they did not stay there many days. ¹³ Now the Passoverf of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ He found in the temple those selling cattle and sheep and doves,g and the money brokers in their seats. ¹⁵ So after making a whip of ropes, he drove all those with the sheep and cattle out of the temple, and he poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.h ¹⁶ And he said to those selling the doves: “Take these things away from here! Stop making the house of my Father a house of commerce!”i ¹⁷ His disciples recalled that it is written: “The zeal for your house will consume me.”j ¹⁸ Therefore, in response the Jews said to him: “What sign can you show us,k since you are doing these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus replied to them: “Tear down this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”l ²⁰ The Jews then said: “This temple was built in 46 years, and will you raise it up in three days?” ²¹ But he was talking about the temple of his body.m ²² When, though, he was raised up from the dead, his disciples recalled that he used to say this,n and they believed the scripture and what Jesus had spoken. ²³ However, when he was in Jerusalem at the festival of the Passover, many people put their faith in his name when they saw the signs that he was performing.o ²⁴ But Jesus would not entrust himself to them because he knew them all ²⁵ and because he did not need to have anyone bear witness about man, for he knew what was in man.p

John 2

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NWT | According to John 03:1-36

NWT | According to John 03:1-36 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 3:1-36

3 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nic·o·deʹmus,a a ruler of the Jews. ² This one came to him in the nightb and said to him: “Rabbi,c we know that you have come from God as a teacher, for no one can perform these signsd that you perform unless God is with him.”e ³ In response Jesus said to him: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born again,f he cannot see the Kingdom of God.”g ⁴ Nic·o·deʹmus said to him: “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter into the womb of his mother a second time and be born, can he?” ⁵ Jesus answered: “Most truly I say to you, unless anyone is born from waterh and spirit,i he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God. ⁶ What has been born from the flesh is flesh, and what has been born from the spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not be amazed because I told you: You people must be born again.j ⁸ The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going. So it is with everyone who has been born from the spirit.”k ⁹ In answer Nic·o·deʹmus said to him: “How can these things be?” ¹⁰ Jesus replied: “Are you a teacher of Israel and yet do not know these things? ¹¹ Most truly I say to you, what we know we speak, and what we have seen we bear witness to,l but you do not receive the witness we give.m ¹² If I have told you earthly things and you still do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?n ¹³ Moreover, no man has ascended into heaveno but the one who descended from heaven,p the Son of man. ¹⁴ And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,q so the Son of man must be lifted up,r ¹⁵ so that everyone believing in him may have everlasting life.s ¹⁶ “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son,t so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.u ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him.v ¹⁸ Whoever exercises faith in him is not to be judged.w Whoever does not exercise faith has been judged already, because he has not exercised faith in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.x ¹⁹ Now this is the basis for judgment: that the light has come into the world,y but men* have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked.z ²⁰ For whoever practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, so that his works may not be reproved.* ²¹ But whoever does what is true comes to the light,a so that his works may be made manifest as having been done in harmony with God.” ²² After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Ju·deʹan countryside, and there he spent some time with them and was baptizing.b ²³ But John too was baptizing in Aeʹnon near Saʹlim, because there was a great quantity of water there,c and people kept coming and were being baptized;d ²⁴ for John had not yet been thrown into prison.e ²⁵ Now the disciples of John had a dispute with a Jew concerning purification. ²⁶ So they came to John and said to him: “Rabbi, the man who was with you across the Jordan, about whom you bore witness,f see, this one is baptizing, and all are going to him.” ²⁷ In answer John said: “A man cannot receive a single thing unless it has been given him from heaven. ²⁸ You yourselves bear me witness that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,g but I have been sent ahead of that one.’h ²⁹ Whoever has the bride is the bridegroom.i But the friend of the bridegroom, when he stands and hears him, has a great deal of joy on account of the voice of the bridegroom. So my joy has been made complete. ³⁰ That one must keep on increasing, but I must keep on decreasing.”j ³¹ The one who comes from abovek is over all others.* The one who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks of things of the earth. The one who comes from heaven is over all others.l ³² He bears witness to what he has seen and heard,m but no man accepts his witness.n ³³ Whoever has accepted his witness has put his seal to it that God is true.o ³⁴ For the one whom God sent speaks the sayings of God,p for He does not give the spirit sparingly.* ³⁵ The Father loves the Sonq and has given all things into his hand.r ³⁶ The one who exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life;s the one who disobeys the Son will not see life,t but the wrath of God remains upon him.u

John 3

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NWT | According to John 04:1-54

NWT | According to John 04:1-54 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 4:1-54

4 When the Lord became aware that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizinga more disciples than John— ² although Jesus himself did no baptizing but his disciples did— ³ he left Ju·deʹa and departed again for Galʹi·lee.b ⁴ But it was necessary for him to go through Sa·marʹi·a. ⁵ So he came to a city of Sa·marʹi·a called Syʹchar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.c ⁶ In fact, Jacob’s well was there.d Now Jesus, tired out as he was from the journey, was sitting at the well. It was about the sixth hour. ⁷ A woman of Sa·marʹi·a came to draw water. Jesus said to her: “Give me a drink.” ⁸ (For his disciples had gone off into the city to buy food.) ⁹ So the Sa·marʹi·tan woman said to him: “How is it that you, despite being a Jew, ask me for a drink even though I am a Sa·marʹi·tan woman?” (For Jews have no dealings with Sa·marʹi·tans.)e ¹⁰ In answer Jesus said to her: “If you had known of the free gift of Godf and who it is who says to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.”g ¹¹ She said to him: “Sir, you do not even have a bucket for drawing water, and the well is deep. From what source, then, do you have this living water? ¹² You are not greater than our forefather Jacob, who gave us the well and who together with his sons and his cattle drank out of it, are you?” ¹³ In answer Jesus said to her: “Everyone drinking from this water will get thirsty again. ¹⁴ Whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty at all,h but the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water bubbling up to impart everlasting life.”i ¹⁵ The woman said to him: “Sir, give me this water, so that I may neither thirst nor keep coming over to this place to draw water.” ¹⁶ He said to her: “Go, call your husband and come to this place.” ¹⁷ The woman replied: “I do not have a husband.” Jesus said to her: “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’ ¹⁸ For you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. This you have said truthfully.” ¹⁹ The woman said to him: “Sir, I see that you are a prophet.j ²⁰ Our forefathers worshipped on this mountain, but you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where people must worship.”k ²¹ Jesus said to her: “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know;l we worship what we know, because salvation begins with the Jews.m ²³ Nevertheless, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the true worshippers will worship the Father with spirit and truth, for indeed, the Father is looking for ones like these to worship him.n ²⁴ God is a Spirit,o and those worshipping him must worship with spirit and truth.”p ²⁵ The woman said to him: “I know that Mes·siʹah is coming, who is called Christ. Whenever that one comes, he will declare all things to us openly.”q ²⁶ Jesus said to her: “I am he, the one speaking to you.”r ²⁷ Just then his disciples arrived, and they were surprised because he was speaking with a woman. Of course, no one said: “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking to her?” ²⁸ So the woman left her water jar and went off into the city and told the people: ²⁹ “Come and see a man who told me everything I did. Could this not perhaps be the Christ?” ³⁰ They left the city and began coming to him. ³¹ Meanwhile, the disciples were urging him: “Rabbi,s eat.” ³² But he said to them: “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” ³³ So the disciples said to one another: “No one brought him anything to eat, did he?” ³⁴ Jesus said to them: “My food is to do the will of him who sent met and to finish his work.u ³⁵ Do you not say that there are yet four months before the harvest comes? Look! I say to you: Lift up your eyes and view the fields, that they are white for harvesting.v Already ³⁶ the reaper is receiving wages and gathering fruit for everlasting life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.w ³⁷ For in this respect the saying is true: One is the sower and another the reaper. ³⁸ I sent you to reap what you did not labor on. Others have labored, and you have entered into the benefit of their labor.” ³⁹ Many of the Sa·marʹi·tans from that city put faith in him because of the word of the woman who bore witness, saying: “He told me all the things I did.”x ⁴⁰ So when the Sa·marʹi·tans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. ⁴¹ As a result, many more believed because of what he said, ⁴² and they said to the woman: “We no longer believe just because of what you said; for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the savior of the world.”y ⁴³ After the two days, he left there for Galʹi·lee. ⁴⁴ Jesus himself, however, bore witness that a prophet has no honor in his own homeland.z ⁴⁵ So when he arrived in Galʹi·lee, the Gal·i·leʹans welcomed him, because they had seen all the things he did in Jerusalem at the festival,a for they too had gone to the festival.b ⁴⁶ Then he came again to Caʹna of Galʹi·lee, where he had turned the water into wine.c Now there was a royal official whose son was sick in Ca·perʹna·um. ⁴⁷ When this man heard that Jesus had come out of Ju·deʹa into Galʹi·lee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of dying. ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him: “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will never believe.”d ⁴⁹ The royal official said to him: “Lord, come down before my young child dies.” ⁵⁰ Jesus said to him: “Go your way; your son lives.”e The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he left. ⁵¹ But while he was on his way down, his slaves met him to say that his boy was alive.* ⁵² So he asked them at what hour he got better. They replied to him: “The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour.”f ⁵³ The father then knew that it was in the very hour that Jesus had said to him: “Your son lives.”g So he and his whole household believed. ⁵⁴ This was the second signh Jesus performed when he came from Ju·deʹa into Galʹi·lee.

John 4

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NWT | According to John 05:1-47

NWT | According to John 05:1-47 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 5:1-47

5 After this there was a festivala of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ² Now in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gateb is a pool called in Hebrew Beth·zaʹtha, with five colonnades. ³ Within these a multitude of the sick, blind, lame, and those with withered* limbs were lying down. ⁴ —— ⁵ But one man was there who had been sick for 38 years. ⁶ Seeing this man lying there and being aware that he had already been sick for a long time, Jesus said to him: “Do you want to get well?”c ⁷ The sick man answered him: “Sir, I do not have anyone to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am on my way, another steps down ahead of me.” ⁸ Jesus said to him: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”d ⁹ And the man immediately got well, and he picked up his mat and began to walk. That day was the Sabbath.e ¹⁰ So the Jews began to say to the cured man: “It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to carry the mat.”f ¹¹ But he answered them: “The same one who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’” ¹² They asked him: “Who is the man who told you, ‘Pick it up and walk’?” ¹³ But the healed man did not know who he was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. ¹⁴ After this Jesus found him in the temple and said to him: “See, you have become well. Do not sin anymore, so that something worse does not happen to you.” ¹⁵ The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. ¹⁶ For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things during the Sabbath.g ¹⁷ But he answered them: “My Father has kept working until now, and I keep working.”h ¹⁸ This is why the Jews began seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath but he was also calling God his own Father, making himself equal to God.i ¹⁹ Therefore, in response Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, the Son cannot do a single thing of his own initiative, but only what he sees the Father doing.j For whatever things that One does, these things the Son does also in like manner. ²⁰ For the Father has affection for the Sonk and shows him all the things he himself does, and he will show him works greater than these, so that you may marvel.l ²¹ For just as the Father raises the dead up and makes them alive,m so the Son also makes alive whomever he wants to.n ²² For the Father judges no one at all, but he has entrusted all the judging to the Son,o ²³ so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.p ²⁴ Most truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes the One who sent me has everlasting life,q and he does not come into judgment but has passed over from death to life.r ²⁵ “Most truly I say to you, the hour is coming, and it is now, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who have paid attention will live. ²⁶ For just as the Father has life in himself,s so he has granted also to the Son to have life in himself.t ²⁷ And he has given him authority to do judging,u because he is the Son of man.v ²⁸ Do not be amazed at this, for the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voicew ²⁹ and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, and those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.x ³⁰ I cannot do a single thing of my own initiative. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is righteousy because I seek, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.z ³¹ “If I alone bear witness about myself, my witness is not true.a ³² There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the witness he bears about me is true.b ³³ You have sent men to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.c ³⁴ However, I do not accept the witness from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. ³⁵ That man was a burning and shining lamp, and for a short time you were willing to rejoice greatly in his light.d ³⁶ But I have the witness greater than that of John, for the very works that my Father assigned me to accomplish, these works that I am doing, bear witness that the Father sent me.e ³⁷ And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me.f You have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form,g ³⁸ and you do not have his word residing in you, because you do not believe the very one whom he sent. ³⁹ “You are searching the Scripturesh because you think that you will have everlasting life by means of them; and these are the very ones that bear witness about me.i ⁴⁰ And yet you do not want to come to mej so that you may have life. ⁴¹ I do not accept glory from men,* ⁴² but I well know that you do not have the love of God in you. ⁴³ I have come in the name of my Father, but you do not receive me. If someone else came in his own name, you would receive that one. ⁴⁴ How can you believe, when you are accepting glory from one anotherk and you are not seeking the glory that is from the only God?l ⁴⁵ Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you, Moses,m in whom you have put your hope. ⁴⁶ In fact, if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.n ⁴⁷ But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe what I say?”o

John 5

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NWT | According to John 06:1-71

NWT | According to John 06:1-71 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 6:1-71

6 After this Jesus set out across the Sea of Galʹi·lee, or Ti·beʹri·as.a ² And a large crowd kept following him,b because they were observing the miraculous signs he was performing in healing the sick.c ³ So Jesus went up on a mountain and sat down there with his disciples. ⁴ Now the Passover,d the festival of the Jews, was near. ⁵ When Jesus raised his eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he said to Philip:e “Where will we buy bread for these people to eat?”f ⁶ However, he was saying this to test him, for he knew what he was about to do. ⁷ Philip answered him: “Two hundred de·narʹi·i worth of bread is not enough for each of them to get even a little.” ⁸ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him: ⁹ “Here is a little boy who has five barley loaves and two small fish. But what are these among so many?”g ¹⁰ Jesus said: “Have the people sit down.” As there was a lot of grass in that place, the men sat down there, about 5,000 in number.h ¹¹ Jesus took the bread, and after giving thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting there; he did likewise with the small fish, and they had as much as they wanted. ¹² But when they had eaten their fill, he said to his disciples: “Gather together the fragments left over, so that nothing is wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them together and filled 12 baskets with fragments left over by those who had eaten from the five barley loaves. ¹⁴ When the people saw the sign he performed, they began to say: “This really is the Prophet who was to come into the world.”i ¹⁵ Then Jesus, knowing that they were about to come and seize him to make him king, withdrewj again to the mountain all alone.k ¹⁶ When evening fell, his disciples went down to the sea,l ¹⁷ and boarding a boat, they set out across the sea for Ca·perʹna·um. By now it had grown dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.m ¹⁸ Also, the sea was getting rough because a strong wind was blowing.n ¹⁹ However, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and getting near the boat, and they became fearful. ²⁰ But he said to them: “It is I; do not be afraid!”o ²¹ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and right away the boat arrived at the land to which they had been heading.p ²² The next day the crowd that had stayed on the other side of the sea saw that there was no boat there. A small one had been there, but Jesus had not boarded that boat with his disciples, for his disciples had left by themselves. ²³ Boats from Ti·beʹri·as, however, arrived near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴ So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they boarded their boats and came to Ca·perʹna·um to look for Jesus. ²⁵ When they found him across the sea, they said to him: “Rabbi,q when did you get here?” ²⁶ Jesus answered them: “Most truly I say to you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate from the loaves and were satisfied.r ²⁷ Work, not for the food that perishes,s but for the food that remains for everlasting life,t which the Son of man will give you; for on this one the Father, God himself, has put his seal of approval.”u ²⁸ So they said to him: “What must we do to carry out the works of God?” ²⁹ In answer Jesus said to them: “This is the work of God, that you exercise faith in the one whom he sent.”v ³⁰ Then they said to him: “What are you performing as a sign,w so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you doing? ³¹ Our forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness,x just as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”y ³² Jesus then said to them: “Most truly I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. ³³ For the bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”z ³⁴ So they said to him: “Lord, always give us this bread.” ³⁵ Jesus said to them: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will not get hungry at all, and whoever exercises faith in me will never get thirsty at all.a ³⁶ But as I said to you, you have even seen me and yet do not believe.b ³⁷ All those whom the Father gives me will come to me, and I will never drive away the one who comes to me;c ³⁸ for I have come down from heavend to do, not my own will, but the will of him who sent me.e ³⁹ This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose none out of all those whom he has given me,f but that I should resurrectg them on the last day. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who recognizes the Son and exercises faith in him should have everlasting life,h and I will resurrecti him on the last day.” ⁴¹ Then the Jews began to murmur about him because he had said: “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”j ⁴² And they began saying: “Is this not Jesus the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?k How does he now say, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” ⁴³ In response Jesus said to them: “Stop murmuring among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No man can come to me unless the Father, who sent me, draws him,l and I will resurrect him on the last day.m ⁴⁵ It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught* by Jehovah.’n Everyone who has listened to the Father and has learned comes to me. ⁴⁶ Not that any man has seen the Father,o except the one who is from God; this one has seen the Father.p ⁴⁷ Most truly I say to you, whoever believes has everlasting life.q ⁴⁸ “I am the bread of life.r ⁴⁹ Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness and yet they died.s ⁵⁰ This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and for a fact, the bread that I will give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world.”t ⁵² Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying: “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” ⁵³ So Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves.u ⁵⁴ Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I will resurrectv him on the last day; ⁵⁵ for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I in union with him.w ⁵⁷ Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so also the one who feeds on me will live because of me.x ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven. It is not as when your forefathers ate and yet died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”y ⁵⁹ He said these things as he was teaching in a synagogue in Ca·perʹna·um. ⁶⁰ When they heard this, many of his disciples said: “This speech is shocking; who can listen to it?” ⁶¹ But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were murmuring about this, said to them: “Does this stumble you?* ⁶² What, therefore, if you should see the Son of man ascending to where he was before?z ⁶³ It is the spirit that is life-giving;a the flesh is of no use at all. The sayings that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.b ⁶⁴ But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning those who did not believe and the one who would betray him.c ⁶⁵ He went on to say: “This is why I have said to you, no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”d ⁶⁶ Because of this, many of his disciples went off to the things behinde and would no longer walk with him. ⁶⁷ So Jesus said to the Twelve: “You do not want to go also, do you?” ⁶⁸ Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, whom shall we go away to?f You have sayings of everlasting life.g ⁶⁹ We have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”h ⁷⁰ Jesus answered them: “I chose you twelve, did I not?i Yet one of you is a slanderer.”j ⁷¹ He was, in fact, speaking of Judas the son of Simon Is·carʹi·ot, for this one was going to betray him, although he was one of the Twelve.k

John 6

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NWT | According to John 07:1-52

NWT | According to John 07:1-52 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 7:1-52

7 After this Jesus continued traveling* about in Galʹi·lee, for he did not want to do so in Ju·deʹa because the Jews were seeking to kill him.a ² However, the Jewish Festival of Tabernaclesb was near. ³ So his brothersc said to him: “Leave here and go into Ju·deʹa, so that your disciples may also see the works you are doing. ⁴ For no one does anything in secret when he seeks to be known publicly. If you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” ⁵ His brothers were, in fact, not exercising faith in him.d ⁶ So Jesus said to them: “My time has not yet arrived,e but your time is always at hand. ⁷ The world has no reason to hate you, but it hates me, because I bear witness about it that its works are wicked.f ⁸ You go up to the festival; I am not yet going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.”g ⁹ So after he told them these things, he remained in Galʹi·lee. ¹⁰ But when his brothers had gone up to the festival, then he also went up, not openly but in secret. ¹¹ So the Jews began looking for him at the festival and saying: “Where is that man?” ¹² And there was a lot of subdued talk about him among the crowds. Some would say: “He is a good man.” Others would say: “He is not. He misleads the crowd.”h ¹³ Of course, no one would speak about him publicly because of fear of the Jews.i ¹⁴ When the festival was half over, Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. ¹⁵ And the Jews were astonished, saying: “How does this man have such a knowledge of the Scripturesj when he has not studied at the schools?”k ¹⁶ Jesus, in turn, answered them and said: “What I teach is not mine, but belongs to him who sent me.l ¹⁷ If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether the teaching is from Godm or I speak of my own originality. ¹⁸ Whoever speaks of his own originality is seeking his own glory; but whoever seeks the glory of the one who sent him,n this one is true* and there is no unrighteousness in him. ¹⁹ Moses gave you the Law,o did he not? But not one of you obeys the Law. Why are you seeking to kill me?”p ²⁰ The crowd answered: “You have a demon.*q Who is seeking to kill you?” ²¹ In answer Jesus said to them: “One deed I performed, and you are all surprised. ²² For this reason Moses has given you circumcisionr—not that it is from Moses, but it is from the forefatherss—and you circumcise a man on a sabbath. ²³ If a man receives circumcision on a sabbath so that the Law of Moses may not be broken, are you violently angry at me because I made a man completely well on a sabbath?t ²⁴ Stop judging by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”u ²⁵ Then some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem began to say: “This is the man they are seeking to kill, is it not?v ²⁶ And yet see! he is speaking in public, and they say nothing to him. Have the rulers come to know for certain that this is the Christ? ²⁷ On the contrary, we know where this man is from;w yet when the Christ comes, no one is to know where he is from.” ²⁸ Then as he was teaching in the temple, Jesus called out: “You know me and you know where I am from. And I have not come of my own initiative,x but the One who sent me is real, and you do not know him.y ²⁹ I know him,z because I am a representative from him, and that One sent me.” ³⁰ So they began seeking to get hold of him,a but no one laid a hand on him, for his hour had not yet come.b ³¹ Still, many of the crowd put faith in him,c and they were saying: “When the Christ comes, he will not perform more signs than this man has done, will he?”d ³² The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things about him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize* him. ³³ Jesus then said: “I will be with you a little while longer before I go to the One who sent me.e ³⁴ You will look for me, but you will not find me, and where I am you cannot come.”f ³⁵ Therefore, the Jews said among themselves: “Where does this man intend to go, so that we will not find him? He does not intend to go to the Jews dispersed among the Greeks and teach the Greeks, does he? ³⁶ What does he mean when he says, ‘You will look for me, but you will not find me, and where I am you cannot come’?” ³⁷ On the last day, the great day of the festival,g Jesus stood up and he called out: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.h ³⁸ Whoever puts faith in me, just as the scripture has said: ‘From deep within him streams of living water will flow.’”i ³⁹ However, he said this concerning the spirit, which those who put faith in him were about to receive; for as yet there was no spirit,j because Jesus had not yet been glorified.k ⁴⁰ Some in the crowd who heard these words began saying: “This really is the Prophet.”l ⁴¹ Others were saying: “This is the Christ.”m But some were saying: “The Christ is not coming out of Galʹi·lee, is he?n ⁴² Does the scripture not say that the Christ is coming from the offspring of Davido and from Bethʹle·hem,p the village where David was?”q ⁴³ So a division over him arose among the crowd. ⁴⁴ Some of them, though, wanted to seize* him, but no one laid his hands on him. ⁴⁵ Then the officers went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, and the latter said to them: “Why did you not bring him in?” ⁴⁶ The officers replied: “Never has any man spoken like this.”r ⁴⁷ In turn the Pharisees answered: “You have not been misled also, have you? ⁴⁸ Not one of the rulers or of the Pharisees has put faith in him, has he?s ⁴⁹ But this crowd who do not know the Law are accursed people.” ⁵⁰ Nic·o·deʹmus, who had come to him previouslyt and who was one of them, said to them: ⁵¹ “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and learns what he is doing, does it?”u ⁵² In answer they said to him: “You are not also out of Galʹi·lee, are you? Search and see that no prophet is to be raised up out of Galʹi·lee.”v

John 7

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NWT | According to John 08:12-59

NWT | According to John 08:12-59 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 8:12-59

8 ¹² Then Jesus spoke again to them, saying: “I am the light of the world.a Whoever follows me will by no means walk in darkness, but will possess the lightb of life.” ¹³ So the Pharisees said to him: “You bear witness about yourself; your witness is not true.” ¹⁴ In answer Jesus said to them: “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my witness is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going.c But you do not know where I came from and where I am going. ¹⁵ You judge according to the flesh;*d I do not judge any man at all. ¹⁶ And yet even if I do judge, my judgment is truthful, because I am not alone, but the Father who sent me is with me.e ¹⁷ Also, in your own Law it is written: ‘The witness of two men is true.’f ¹⁸ I am one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”g ¹⁹ Then they said to him: “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered: “You know neither me nor my Father.h If you did know me, you would know my Father also.”i ²⁰ He spoke these words in the treasuryj as he was teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, for his hour had not yet come.k ²¹ So he said to them again: “I am going away, and you will look for me, and yet you will die in your sin.l Where I am going, you cannot come.”m ²² The Jews then began to say: “He will not kill himself, will he? Because he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’” ²³ He went on to say to them: “You are from the realms below; I am from the realms above.n You are from this world; I am not from this world. ²⁴ That is why I said to you: You will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am the one, you will die in your sins.” ²⁵ So they began to say to him: “Who are you?” Jesus replied to them: “Why am I even speaking to you at all? ²⁶ I have many things to speak concerning you and to pass judgment on. As a matter of fact, the One who sent me is true, and the very things I heard from him I am speaking in the world.”o ²⁷ They did not grasp that he was talking to them about the Father. ²⁸ Jesus then said: “After you have lifted up the Son of man,p then you will know that I am heq and that I do nothing of my own initiative;r but just as the Father taught me, I speak these things. ²⁹ And the One who sent me is with me; he did not abandon me to myself, because I always do the things pleasing to him.”s ³⁰ As he was saying these things, many put faith in him. ³¹ Then Jesus went on to say to the Jews who had believed him: “If you remain in my word, you are really my disciples, ³² and you will know the truth,t and the truth will set you free.”u ³³ They replied to him: “We are Abraham’s offspring* and never have been slaves to anyone. How is it you say, ‘You will become free’?” ³⁴ Jesus answered them: “Most truly I say to you, every doer of sin is a slave of sin.v ³⁵ Moreover, the slave does not remain in the household forever; the son remains forever. ³⁶ So if the Son sets you free, you will be truly free. ³⁷ I know that you are Abraham’s offspring. But you are seeking to kill me, because my word makes no progress among you. ³⁸ I speak the things I have seen while with my Father,w but you do the things you have heard from your father.” ³⁹ In answer they said to him: “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them: “If you were Abraham’s children,x you would be doing the works of Abraham. ⁴⁰ But now you are seeking to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God.y Abraham did not do this. ⁴¹ You are doing the works of your father.” They said to him: “We were not born from immorality; we have one Father, God.” ⁴² Jesus said to them: “If God were your Father, you would love me,z for I came from God and I am here. I have not come of my own initiative, but that One sent me.a ⁴³ Why do you not understand what I am saying? Because you cannot listen to* my word. ⁴⁴ You are from your father the Devil, and you wish to do the desires of your father.b That one was a murderer when he began,c and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie.d ⁴⁵ Because I, on the other hand, tell you the truth, you do not believe me. ⁴⁶ Who of you convicts me of sin?e If I speak truth, why is it that you do not believe me? ⁴⁷ The one who is from God listens to the sayings of God.f This is why you do not listen, because you are not from God.”g ⁴⁸ In answer the Jews said to him: “Are we not right in saying, ‘You are a Sa·marʹi·tanh and have a demon’?”i ⁴⁹ Jesus answered: “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. ⁵⁰ But I am not seeking glory for myself;j there is One who is seeking and judging. ⁵¹ Most truly I say to you, if anyone observes my word, he will never see death at all.”k ⁵² The Jews said to him: “Now we do know that you have a demon. Abraham died, also the prophets, but you say, ‘If anyone observes my word, he will never taste death at all.’ ⁵³ You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are you? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?” ⁵⁴ Jesus answered: “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me,l the one who you say is your God. ⁵⁵ Yet you have not known him, but I know him.m And if I said I do not know him, I would be like you, a liar. But I do know him and am observing his word. ⁵⁶ Abraham your father rejoiced greatly at the prospect of seeing my day, and he saw it and rejoiced.”n ⁵⁷ Then the Jews said to him: “You are not yet 50 years old, and still you have seen Abraham?” ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them: “Most truly I say to you, before Abraham came into existence, I have been.”o ⁵⁹ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid and went out of the temple.

John 8

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NWT | According to John 09:1-41

NWT | According to John 09:1-41 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 9:1-41

9 As he was passing along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. ² And his disciples asked him: “Rabbi,a who sinned, this man or his parents, so that he was born blind?” ³ Jesus answered: “Neither this man sinned nor his parents, but it was so that the works of God might be made manifest in his case.b ⁴ We must do the works of the One who sent me while it is day;c the night is coming when no man can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the world’s light.”d ⁶ After he said these things, he spat on the ground and made a paste with the saliva, and he smeared the paste on the man’s eyese ⁷ and said to him: “Go wash in the pool of Si·loʹam” (which is translated “Sent Forth”). And he went and washed, and came back seeing.f ⁸ Then the neighbors and those who formerly used to see that he was a beggar began to say: “This is the man who used to sit and beg, is it not?” ⁹ Some were saying: “This is he.” Others were saying: “No, but he looks like him.” The man kept saying: “I am he.” ¹⁰ So they asked him: “How, then, were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He answered: “The man called Jesus made a paste and smeared it on my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Si·loʹam and wash.’g So I went and washed and gained sight.” ¹² At this they said to him: “Where is that man?” He said: “I do not know.” ¹³ They led the formerly blind man to the Pharisees. ¹⁴ Incidentally, the day that Jesus made the paste and opened his eyesh was the Sabbath.i ¹⁵ So this time the Pharisees also began asking the man how he gained sight. He said to them: “He put a paste on my eyes, and I washed, and I can see.” ¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees then began to say: “This is not a man from God, for he does not observe the Sabbath.”j Others said: “How can a man who is a sinner perform signs of that sort?”k So there was a division among them.l ¹⁷ And again they said to the blind man: “What do you say about him, since it was your eyes that he opened?” The man said: “He is a prophet.”m ¹⁸ However, the Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had gained sight, until they called the parents of the man who could now see. ¹⁹ And they asked them: “Is this your son who you say was born blind? How, then, does he now see?” ²⁰ His parents answered: “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. ²¹ But how it is that he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him. He is of age. He must speak for himself.” ²² His parents said these things because they were in fear of the Jews,n for the Jews had already come to an agreement that if anyone acknowledged him as Christ, that person should be expelled from the synagogue.o ²³ This is why his parents said: “He is of age. Question him.” ²⁴ So a second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him: “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He answered: “Whether he is a sinner, I do not know. One thing I do know, that I was blind, but now I can see.” ²⁶ Then they said to him: “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” ²⁷ He answered them: “I told you already, and yet you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become his disciples also, do you?” ²⁸ At this they scornfully told him: “You are a disciple of that man, but we are disciples of Moses. ²⁹ We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he is from.” ³⁰ The man answered them: “This is certainly amazing, that you do not know where he is from, and yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners,p but if anyone is God-fearing and does his will, he listens to this one.q ³² From of old it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of one born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing at all.”r ³⁴ In answer they said to him: “You were altogether born in sin, and yet are you teaching us?” And they threw him out!s ³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and on finding him, he said: “Are you putting faith in the Son of man?” ³⁶ The man answered: “And who is he, sir, so that I may put faith in him?” ³⁷ Jesus said to him: “You have seen him, and in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”t ³⁸ He said: “I do put faith in him, Lord.” And he did obeisance to him. ³⁹ Jesus then said: “For this judgment I came into this world, that those not seeing might seeu and those seeing might become blind.”v ⁴⁰ Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and they said to him: “We are not blind also, are we?”w ⁴¹ Jesus said to them: “If you were blind, you would have no sin. But now you say, ‘We see.’ Your sin remains.”x

John 9

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NWT | According to John 10:1-42

NWT | According to John 10:1-42 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 10:1-42

10 “Most truly I say to you, the one who does not enter into the sheepfold through the door but climbs in by another way, that one is a thief and a plunderer.a ² But the one who enters through the door is the shepherd of the sheep.b ³ The doorkeeper opens to this one,c and the sheep listen to his voice.d He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴ When he has brought all his own out, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice. ⁵ They will by no means follow a stranger but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”e ⁶ Jesus spoke this comparison to them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁷ So Jesus said again: “Most truly I say to you, I am the door for the sheep.f ⁸ All those who have come in place of me are thieves and plunderers; but the sheep have not listened to them. ⁹ I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and that one will go in and out and find pasturage.g ¹⁰ The thief does not come unless it is to steal and slay and destroy.h I have come that they may have life and have it in abundance. ¹¹ I am the fine shepherd;i the fine shepherd surrenders his life in behalf of the sheep.j ¹² The hired man, who is not a shepherd and to whom the sheep do not belong, sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them— ¹³ because he is a hired man and does not care for the sheep. ¹⁴ I am the fine shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me,k ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;l and I surrender my life in behalf of the sheep.m ¹⁶ “And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold;n those too I must bring in, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.o ¹⁷ This is why the Father loves me,p because I surrender my life,q so that I may receive it again. ¹⁸ No man takes it away from me, but I surrender it of my own initiative. I have authority to surrender it, and I have authority to receive it again.r This commandment I received from my Father.” ¹⁹ A division again resulted among the Jewss because of these words. ²⁰ Many of them were saying: “He has a demon and is out of his mind.t Why do you listen to him?” ²¹ Others said: “These are not the sayings of a demonized man. A demon cannot open blind people’s eyes, can it?” ²² At that time the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem. It was wintertime, ²³ and Jesus was walking in the temple in the colonnade of Solʹo·mon.u ²⁴ Then the Jews surrounded him and began to say to him: “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” ²⁵ Jesus answered them: “I told you, and yet you do not believe. The works that I am doing in my Father’s name, these bear witness about me.v ²⁶ But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep.w ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.x ²⁸ I give them everlasting life,y and they will by no means ever be destroyed, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.z ²⁹ What my Father has given me is something greater than all other things, and no one can snatch them out of the hand of the Father.a ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”b ³¹ Once again the Jews picked up stones to stone him.c ³² Jesus replied to them: “I displayed to you many fine works from the Father. For which of those works are you stoning me?” ³³ The Jews answered him: “We are stoning you, not for a fine work, but for blasphemy;d for you, although being a man, make yourself a god.” ³⁴ Jesus answered them: “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said: “You are gods”’?e ³⁵ If he called ‘gods’f those against* whom the word of God came—and yet the scripture cannot be nullified— ³⁶ do you say to me* whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?g ³⁷ If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. ³⁸ But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works,h so that you may come to know and may continue knowing that the Father is in union with me and I am in union with the Father.”i ³⁹ So they tried again to seize him, but he escaped from their reach.j ⁴⁰ And he went away again across the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first,k and he stayed there. ⁴¹ And many people came to him and began saying: “John did not perform a single sign, but all the things John said about this man were true.”l ⁴² And many put faith in him there.

John 10

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NWT | According to John 11:1-57

NWT | According to John 11:1-57 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 11:1-57

11 Now a man named Lazʹa·rus was sick; he was from Bethʹa·ny,a the village of Mary and her sister Martha.b ² This was the Mary who poured perfumed oil on the Lord and wiped his feet dry with her hair;c it was her brother Lazʹa·rus who was sick. ³ So his sisters sent a message to him, saying: “Lord, see! the one you have affection for is sick.”d ⁴ But when Jesus heard it, he said: “This sickness is not meant to end in death, but is for the glory of God,e so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazʹa·rus. ⁶ However, when he heard that Lazʹa·rus was sick, he actually remained in the place where he was for two more days. ⁷ Then after this he said to the disciples: “Let us go into Ju·deʹa again.” ⁸ The disciples said to him: “Rabbi,f just lately the Ju·deʹans were seeking to stone you,g and are you going there again?” ⁹ Jesus answered: “There are 12 hours of daylight, are there not?h If anyone walks in daylight, he does not stumble into anything, because he sees the light of this world. ¹⁰ But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” ¹¹ After he said these things, he added: “Lazʹa·rus our friend has fallen asleep,i but I am traveling there to awaken him.” ¹² The disciples then said to him: “Lord, if he is sleeping, he will get well.”* ¹³ Jesus, however, had spoken about his death. But they imagined he was speaking about taking rest in sleep. ¹⁴ Then Jesus said to them plainly: “Lazʹa·rus has died,j ¹⁵ and I rejoice for your sake that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” ¹⁶ So Thomas, who was called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples: “Let us also go, so that we may die with him.”k ¹⁷ When Jesus arrived, he found that Lazʹa·rus had already been in the tomb for four days. ¹⁸ Now Bethʹa·ny was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. ¹⁹ And many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. ²⁰ When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went to meet him; but Maryl kept sitting at home. ²¹ Martha then said to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. ²² Yet even now I know that whatever you ask God for, God will give you.” ²³ Jesus said to her: “Your brother will rise.” ²⁴ Martha said to him: “I know he will rise in the resurrectionm on the last day.” ²⁵ Jesus said to her: “I am the resurrection and the life.n The one who exercises faith in me, even though he dies, will come to life; ²⁶ and everyone who is living and exercises faith in me will never die at all.o Do you believe this?” ²⁷ She said to him: “Yes, Lord, I have believed that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” ²⁸ When she had said this, she went off and called Mary her sister, saying privately: “The Teacherp is here and is calling you.” ²⁹ On hearing this, she got up quickly and went to him. ³⁰ Jesus had not yet come into the village, but he was still in the place where Martha had met him. ³¹ When the Jews who were with Mary in the house consoling her saw her get up quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tombq to weep there. ³² When Mary arrived where Jesus was and caught sight of him, she fell at his feet and said to him: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” ³³ When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come with her weeping, he groaned within himself and became troubled. ³⁴ He said: “Where have you laid him?” They said to him: “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Jesus gave way to tears.r ³⁶ At that the Jews began to say: “See, what affection he had for him!” ³⁷ But some of them said: “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the blind mans prevent this one from dying?” ³⁸ Then Jesus, after groaning again within himself, came to the tomb. It was, in fact, a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹ Jesus said: “Take the stone away.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to him: “Lord, by now he must smell, for it has been four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus said to her: “Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”t ⁴¹ So they took the stone away. Then Jesus raised his eyes heavenwardu and said: “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴² True, I knew that you always hear me; but I spoke on account of the crowd standing around, so that they may believe that you sent me.”v ⁴³ When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice: “Lazʹa·rus, come out!”w ⁴⁴ The man who had been dead came out with his feet and hands bound with wrappings, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them: “Free him and let him go.” ⁴⁵ Therefore, many of the Jews who had come to Mary and who saw what he did put faith in him,x ⁴⁶ but some of them went off to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. ⁴⁷ So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Sanʹhe·drin together and said: “What are we to do, for this man performs many signs?y ⁴⁸ If we let him go on this way, they will all put faith in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, Caʹia·phas,z who was high priest that year, said to them: “You do not know anything at all, ⁵⁰ and you have not reasoned that it is to your benefit for one man to die in behalf of the people rather than for the whole nation to be destroyed.”a ⁵¹ He did not say this, however, of his own originality, but because he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was to die for the nation, ⁵² and not only for the nation but also to gather together into one the children of God who were scattered about.b ⁵³ So from that day on they conspired to kill him.c ⁵⁴ Therefore, Jesus no longer walked about publicly among the Jews, but he departed from there to the region near the wilderness,d to a city called Eʹphra·im,e and he stayed there with the disciples. ⁵⁵ Now the Passoverf of the Jews was near, and many people from the countryside went up to Jerusalem before the Passover to cleanse themselves ceremonially. ⁵⁶ They were looking for Jesus, and they were saying to one another as they stood around in the temple: “What is your opinion? That he will not come to the festival at all?” ⁵⁷ But the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone got to know where Jesus was, he should report it, so that they could seize* him.

John 11

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NWT | According to John 12:1-50

NWT | According to John 12:1-50 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 12:1-50

12 Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethʹa·ny,+ where Lazʹa·rus+ was, whom Jesus had raised up from the dead. ² So they spread an evening meal for him there, and Martha was serving them,+ but Lazʹa·rus was one of those dining* with him. ³ Then Mary took a pound of perfumed oil, genuine nard, very costly, and she poured it on the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet dry with her hair.+ The house became filled with the scent of the perfumed oil.+ ⁴ But Judas Is·carʹi·ot,+ one of his disciples, who was about to betray him, said: ⁵ “Why was this perfumed oil not sold for 300 de·narʹi·i and given to the poor?” ⁶ He said this, though, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief and had the money box and used to steal the money put in it. ⁷ Then Jesus said: “Let her alone, so that she may keep this observance in view of the day of my burial.+ ⁸ For you always have the poor with you,+ but you will not always have me.”+ ⁹ Meanwhile, a large crowd of Jews got to know that he was there, and they came not only because of Jesus but also to see Lazʹa·rus, whom he had raised up from the dead.+ ¹⁰ The chief priests now conspired to kill Lazʹa·rus also,+ ¹¹ since it was because of him that many of the Jews were going there and putting faith in Jesus.+ ¹² The next day the large crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. ¹³ So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him,+ and they began to shout: “Save, we pray you! Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name,+ the King of Israel!”+ ¹⁴ When Jesus found a young donkey, he sat on it,+ just as it is written: ¹⁵ “Have no fear, daughter of Zion. Look! Your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”+ ¹⁶ These things his disciples did not understand at first,+ but when Jesus was glorified,+ they recalled that these things were written about him and that they did these things to him.+ ¹⁷ Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazʹa·rus out of the tomb+ and raised him up from the dead kept bearing witness.+ ¹⁸ This is also why the crowd went to meet him, because they heard he had performed this sign. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said among themselves: “You see that you are not getting anywhere. Look! The whole world has gone after him.”+ ²⁰ Now there were some Greeks among those who had come to worship at the festival. ²¹ So these approached Philip,+ who was from Beth·saʹi·da of Galʹi·lee, and they began to request him, saying: “Sir, we want to see Jesus.” ²² Philip came and told Andrew.+ Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus. ²³ But Jesus answered them: “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified.+ ²⁴ Most truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just one grain; but if it dies,+ it then bears much fruit. ²⁵ Whoever is fond of his life destroys it, but whoever hates his life+ in this world will safeguard it for everlasting life.+ ²⁶ If anyone would minister to me, let him follow me, and where I am, there my minister will be also.+ If anyone would minister to me, the Father will honor him. ²⁷ Now I am troubled,+ and what should I say? Father, save me out of this hour.+ Nevertheless, this is why I have come to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice+ came out of heaven: “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.”+ ²⁹ The crowd that was standing there heard it and began to say that it had thundered. Others said: “An angel has spoken to him.” ³⁰ Jesus answered: “This voice has occurred, not for my sake, but for your sakes.+ ³¹ Now there is a judging of this world; now the ruler of this world+ will be cast out.+ ³² And yet I, if I am lifted up from the earth,+ will draw all sorts of men to myself.”+ ³³ This he was really saying to indicate what sort of death he was about to die.+ ³⁴ Then the crowd answered him: “We heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever.+ How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up?+ Who is this Son of man?” ³⁵ So Jesus said to them: “The light will be among you a little while longer.+ Walk while you still have the light, so that darkness does not overpower you; whoever walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.+ ³⁶ While you have the light, exercise faith in the light, so that you may become sons of light.”+ Jesus said these things and went off and hid from them. ³⁷ Although he had performed so many signs before them, they were not putting faith in him, ³⁸ so that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, who said: “Jehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard from us?*+ And as for the arm of Jehovah, to whom has it been revealed?”+ ³⁹ The reason why they were not able to believe is that again Isaiah said: ⁴⁰ “He has blinded their eyes and has made their hearts hard, so that they would not see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and turn around and I heal them.”+ ⁴¹ Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory, and he spoke about him.+ ⁴² All the same, many even of the rulers actually put faith in him,+ but they would not acknowledge him because of the Pharisees, so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue;+ ⁴³ for they loved the glory of men even more than the glory of God.*+ ⁴⁴ However, Jesus called out and said: “Whoever puts faith in me puts faith not only in me but also in him who sent me;+ ⁴⁵ and whoever sees me sees also the One who sent me.+ ⁴⁶ I have come as a light into the world,+ so that everyone putting faith in me may not remain in the darkness.+ ⁴⁷ But if anyone hears my sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I came, not to judge the world, but to save the world.+ ⁴⁸ Whoever disregards me and does not receive my sayings has one to judge him. The word that I have spoken is what will judge him on the last day.+ ⁴⁹ For I have not spoken of my own initiative, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak.+ ⁵⁰ And I know that his commandment means* everlasting life.+ So whatever I speak, I speak just as the Father has told me.”+

Footnotes

^ Or “reclining at the table.”

^ Or “in our report (message)?”

^ Or “the praise (approval) from humans even more than the praise (approval) from God.”

^ Or “is.”

Study Notes

While Jesus was in Bethany: The events described at Mt 26:6-13 evidently took place after sunset when Nisan 9 began. That timing is indicated by the parallel account in John, where Jesus is said to arrive at Bethany “six days before the Passover.” (Joh 12:1) He must have arrived about the beginning (at sunset) of the Sabbath on Nisan 8, which was the day before the meal at Simon’s place.—Joh 12:2-11; see App. A7 and B12.

Bethany: A village on the ESE slope of the Mount of Olives at a distance of about 3 km (2 mi) from Jerusalem. (Joh 11:18) The home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, located in this village, appears to have been Jesus’ base in Judea. (Joh 11:1) Today the site is marked by a small village with an Arabic name meaning “The Place of Lazarus.”

Lazarus: Probably the Greek form of the Hebrew name Eleazar, meaning “God Has Helped.”

Six days before the Passover: Jesus must have arrived about the time when the Sabbath began on Nisan 8 (at sunset). Following the Sabbath (that is, at the beginning of Nisan 9), he enjoyed an evening meal in the home of Simon the leper, along with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.—Joh 12:2-11; see study note on Mt 26:6 and App. A7 and B12.

Bethany: See study note on Mt 21:17.

Lazarus: See study note on Lu 16:20.

evening meal: That is, the meal held at the home of Simon the leper after sundown, at the beginning of Nisan 9.—Mt 26:6; Mr 14:3.

pouring it on his head: According to Matthew and Mark, the woman poured the oil on Jesus’ head. (Mt 26:7) John, who wrote years later, supplied the added detail that she also poured it on his feet. (Joh 12:3) Jesus explains that this loving act, in a figurative sense, prepared him for burial.—See study note on Mr 14:8.

Mary: That is, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. (Joh 11:1, 2) In the parallel accounts at Mt 26:7 and Mr 14:3, she is referred to as “a woman.”

pound: The Greek term liʹtra is usually equated with the Roman pound (Latin, libra). Thus, it was about 327 g (11.5 oz).—See App. B14.

perfumed oil, . . . very costly: John’s account specifies that Judas Iscariot said that the oil could be sold for “300 denarii.” (Joh 12:5) That sum represented about a year’s wages for an ordinary laborer. The source of such perfumed oil is generally thought to be an aromatic plant (Nardostachys jatamansi) found in the Himalayas. Nard was often adulterated, even counterfeited, but both Mark and John say that this oil was genuine nard.—Mr 14:3; see Glossary, “Nard.”

she poured it on the feet of Jesus: See study note on Mr 14:3.

from the beginning: This expression does not refer to Judas’ birth or to his being selected as an apostle, which happened after Jesus had prayed the entire night. (Lu 6:12-16) Rather, it refers to the start of Judas’ acting treacherously, which Jesus immediately discerned. (Joh 2:24, 25; Re 1:1; 2:23; see study notes on Joh 6:70; 13:11.) This also shows that Judas’ actions were premeditated and planned, not the result of a sudden change of heart. The meaning of the term “beginning” (Greek, ar·kheʹ) in the Christian Greek Scriptures is relative, depending on the context. For example, at 2Pe 3:4, “beginning” refers to the start of creation. But in most instances, it is used in a more limited sense. For instance, Peter said that the holy spirit fell on the Gentiles “just as it did also on us in the beginning.” (Ac 11:15) Peter was not referring to the time of his birth or to the time when he was called to be an apostle. Rather, he was referring to the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., that is, “the beginning” of the outpouring of holy spirit for a specific purpose. (Ac 2:1-4) Other examples of how the context affects the meaning of the term “beginning” can be found at Lu 1:2; Joh 15:27; and 1Jo 2:7.

who was about to betray him: The combination of the two Greek verbs used here (one rendered “was about to” and one rendered “betray”), both in the present tense, allows for the idea that Judas’ betrayal of Jesus was, not impulsive, but premeditated. The statement made at Joh 6:64 supports this understanding.—See study note on Joh 6:64.

300 denarii: Matthew’s account simply says “a great deal of money” (Mt 26:9), but the accounts of Mark and John are more specific.—See study note on Mr 14:3; Glossary, “Denarius”; and App. B14.

300 denarii: See study note on Mr 14:5.

she put this perfumed oil on my body: The woman (see study note on Mt 26:7) performed this generous act out of love and appreciation for Jesus. He explained that she was unknowingly preparing his body for burial, since such perfumed oil and ointments were often applied to dead bodies.—2Ch 16:14.

this observance in view of . . . my burial: See study note on Mt 26:12.

there: That is, at Bethany.—Joh 12:1.

next day: That is, the morning of Nisan 9, 33 C.E. Nisan 9 started at sunset the evening before. On that evening, Jesus enjoyed a meal in the home of Simon the leper.—See study note on Joh 12:1 and App. B12.

the festival: As shown by the context, the festival referred to is the Passover. (Joh 11:55; 12:1; 13:1) In Jesus’ time, the Passover, celebrated on Nisan 14, and the Festival of the Unleavened Bread, which lasted from Nisan 15 to 21 (Le 23:5, 6; Nu 28:16, 17; see App. B15), had become so closely connected that all eight days, from Nisan 14 to 21, were treated as one festival. (Lu 22:1) Josephus speaks of “a feast for eight days, which is called the feast of unleavened bread.”—See App. B12.

Save, we pray: Lit., “Hosanna.” That Greek term comes from a Hebrew expression that means “save, we pray” or “save, please.” Here the term is used as a plea to God for salvation or victory; it could be rendered “please, grant salvation to.” In time, it became an expression of both prayer and praise. The Hebrew expression is found at Ps 118:25, which was part of the Hallel Psalms sung regularly during Passover season. Therefore, these words readily came to mind on this occasion. One way God answered this prayer to save the Son of David was by resurrecting him from the dead. At Mt 21:42, Jesus himself quotes Ps 118:22, 23 and applies it to the Messiah.

Save, we pray you: See study note on Mt 21:9.

Jehovah’s: In this quote from Ps 118:25, 26, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text.—See App. A5 and C.

just as it is written: The quote that follows at Joh 12:15 is taken from Zec 9:9.

the daughter of Zion: Or “daughter Zion,” as some Bible translations say. In the Bible, cities are often personified as women or figuratively referred to using feminine terms. In this expression, “daughter” may refer to the city itself or to the people of the city. The name Zion was closely connected with the city of Jerusalem.

a donkey tied and a colt with her: Only Matthew’s account mentions both the donkey and its colt. (Mr 11:2-7; Lu 19:30-35; Joh 12:14, 15) Evidently, since Jesus rode only on the colt, Mark, Luke, and John mention only one animal.—See study note on Mt 21:5.

on a donkey, yes, on a colt: Although two animals are mentioned at Mt 21:2, 7, the prophecy at Zec 9:9 refers to the king as riding only one animal.—See study note on Mt 21:2.

daughter of Zion: See study note on Mt 21:5.

a donkey’s colt: That is, a young donkey. The accounts of Mark (11:2), Luke (19:35), and John mention only one animal, the colt, when describing this event. Matthew’s account (21:2-7) adds the detail that the parent donkey was also present.—See study notes on Mt 21:2, 5.

tomb: Or “memorial tomb.”—See Glossary, “Memorial tomb.”

Greeks: There were many Greek colonies in Palestine in the first century, but in this context, the term apparently refers to Greek proselytes, or converts, to the Jewish religion. Note that at Joh 12:32, Jesus prophetically said: “I . . . will draw all sorts of men to myself.”

his life: Or “his soul.”—See Glossary, “Soul.”

minister: Or “servant.” The Bible often uses the Greek word di·aʹko·nos to refer to one who does not let up in humbly rendering service in behalf of others. The term is used to describe Christ (Ro 15:8), ministers or servants of Christ (1Co 3:5-7; Col 1:23), ministerial servants (Php 1:1; 1Ti 3:8), as well as household servants (Joh 2:5, 9) and government officials (Ro 13:4).

minister to: Or “serve.” The Greek noun di·aʹko·nos, rendered minister (or, “servant”) in this same verse, is related to the Greek verb di·a·ko·neʹo used here. The Bible often uses the Greek word di·aʹko·nos to refer to one who does not let up in humbly rendering service in behalf of others.—See study note on Mt 20:26.

I am: Or “my soul is.” The Greek word psy·kheʹ, traditionally rendered “soul,” here refers to a person’s entire being. So “my soul” can be rendered “my whole being” or simply “I.”—See Glossary, “Soul.”

a voice: The third of three instances in the Gospel accounts where Jehovah is reported as speaking directly to humans. The first instance occurred at Jesus’ baptism in 29 C.E. and is recorded at Mt 3:16, 17; Mr 1:11; and Lu 3:22. The second instance was in connection with Jesus’ transfiguration in 32 C.E. and is recorded at Mt 17:5; Mr 9:7; and Lu 9:35. The third instance, mentioned only in the Gospel of John, happened in 33 C.E., shortly before Jesus’ last Passover. Jehovah responded to Jesus’ request that his Father glorify His own name.

the ruler of this world: A similar expression occurs at Joh 14:30 and 16:11 and refers to Satan the Devil. In this context, the term “world” (Greek, koʹsmos) refers to human society that is alienated from God and whose behavior is out of harmony with his will. God did not produce this unrighteous world; it is “lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1Jo 5:19) Satan and his “wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places” act as the invisible “world rulers [form of the Greek word ko·smo·kraʹtor] of this darkness.”—Eph 6:11, 12.

will be cast out: Jesus’ prophetic words point to a future time when Satan will be expelled from his position as ruler of this world.

draws him: Although the Greek verb for “draw” is used in reference to hauling in a net of fish (Joh 21:6, 11), it does not suggest that God drags people against their will. This verb can also mean “to attract,” and Jesus’ statement may allude to Jer 31:3, where Jehovah said to his ancient people: “I have drawn you to me with loyal love.” (The Septuagint uses the same Greek verb here.) Joh 12:32 (see study note) shows that in a similar way, Jesus draws men of all sorts to himself. The Scriptures show that Jehovah has given humans free will. Everyone has a choice when it comes to serving Him. (De 30:19, 20) God gently draws to himself those who have a heart that is rightly disposed. (Ps 11:5; Pr 21:2; Ac 13:48) Jehovah does so through the Bible’s message and through his holy spirit. The prophecy from Isa 54:13, quoted in Joh 6:45, applies to those who are drawn by the Father.—Compare Joh 6:65.

I am lifted up from the earth: Apparently referring to Jesus’ execution on a stake, as indicated by the verse that follows.

all sorts of men: Or “people of all sorts.” Jesus declares that he will draw people of all backgrounds to himself, regardless of nationality, race, or economic status. (Ac 10:34, 35; Re 7:9, 10; see study note on Joh 6:44.) It is worth noting that on this occasion, “some Greeks” worshipping at the temple wanted to see Jesus. (See study note on Joh 12:20.) Many translations render the Greek word pas (“everyone; all [people]”) in a way that indicates that every human will ultimately be drawn to Jesus. This idea, however, would not agree with the rest of the inspired Scriptures. (Ps 145:20; Mt 7:13; Lu 2:34; 2Th 1:9) While the Greek word literally means “all; everyone” (Ro 5:12), Mt 5:11 and Ac 10:12 clearly show that it can mean “every sort” or “all sorts”; in these verses many translations use renderings such as “every sort of; all kinds of.”—Joh 1:7; 1Ti 2:4.

Jehovah: In this quote from Isa 53:1, the original Hebrew text uses the divine name only once, in the expression “the arm of Jehovah.” John, however, apparently quotes from the Septuagint translation of Isaiah’s prophecy, where the Greek text begins with the form of the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) used for direct address. (See Ro 10:16, where Isa 53:1 is also quoted.) The translators may have inserted the divine name in this first occurrence in order to clarify to the reader that the prophet addresses his questions to God. As previously noted, Kyʹri·os in later copies of the Septuagint is often used as a substitute for the Tetragrammaton in the original Hebrew text (as is the case in the second occurrence of Kyʹri·os in this quote). Therefore, the divine name has here been used in the main text. A number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew (referred to as J^{12, 14, 16-18, 22, 23} in App. C4) use the divine name at its first occurrence at Joh 12:38.

arm of Jehovah: In this quote from Isa 53:1, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs once in the original Hebrew text. (See study note on the first occurrence of Jehovah in this verse and App. A5 and C.) The Hebrew and Greek terms for arm are often used figuratively in the Bible to represent the ability to exert strength or power. Through the signs and miracles that Jesus performed, Jehovah revealed His “arm,” His might and ability to exercise power.

Isaiah . . . saw his glory: When Isaiah saw a vision of the heavenly courts where Jehovah was sitting on his lofty throne, Jehovah asked Isaiah: “Who will go for us?” (Isa 6:1, 8-10) The use of the plural pronoun “us” indicates that at least one other person was with God in this vision. So it is reasonable to conclude that when John wrote that Isaiah “saw his glory,” this refers to Jesus’ prehuman glory alongside Jehovah. (Joh 1:14) This harmonizes with such scriptures as Ge 1:26, where God said: “Let us make man in our image.” (See also Pr 8:30, 31; Joh 1:1-3; Col 1:15, 16.) John adds that Isaiah spoke about him, that is, the Christ, because a large portion of Isaiah’s writings focuses on the foretold Messiah.

Nicodemus: A Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, that is, a member of the Sanhedrin. (See Glossary, “Sanhedrin.”) The name Nicodemus, which means “Conqueror of the People,” was well-known among the Greeks and had been adopted by some Jews. Nicodemus is mentioned only in John’s Gospel (Joh 3:4, 9; 7:50; 19:39), and Jesus calls him “a teacher of Israel” at Joh 3:10.—See study note on Joh 19:39.

expelled from the synagogue: Or “excommunicated; banned from the synagogue.” The Greek adjective a·po·sy·naʹgo·gos is used only here and at Joh 12:42 and 16:2. An expelled person would be shunned and scorned as a social outcast. Such cutting off of fellowship from other Jews would have severe economic consequences for the family. The synagogues, which were used primarily for education, to some extent were also used as places for local courts that had the power to inflict the penalties of scourging and excommunication.—See study note on Mt 10:17.

the rulers: Here the Greek word for “rulers” apparently refers to members of the Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin. The term is used at Joh 3:1 with reference to Nicodemus, a member of that court.—See study note on Joh 3:1.

expelled from the synagogue: See study note on Joh 9:22.

judge: Or “condemn.” Jehovah did not send his Son to judge adversely, or condemn, the world of mankind, but he sent Jesus on a loving mission to save those who showed faith.—Joh 3:16; 2Pe 3:9.

judge: Or “condemn.”—See study note on Joh 3:17.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

John 12

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NWT | According to John 13:1-38

NWT | According to John 13:1-38 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 13:1-38

13 Now because he knew before the festival of the Passover that his hour had come+ for him to leave this world and go to the Father,+ Jesus, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end.+ ² The evening meal was going on,* and the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Is·carʹi·ot,+ the son of Simon, to betray him.+ ³ So Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he came from God and was going to God,+ ⁴ got up from the evening meal and laid aside his outer garments. And taking a towel, he wrapped it around his waist.+ ⁵ After that he put water into a basin and started to wash the feet of the disciples and to dry them off with the towel that was wrapped around him.+ ⁶ Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him: “Lord, are you washing my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered him: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after these things.” ⁸ Peter said to him: “You will certainly never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him: “Unless I wash you,+ you have no share with me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to him: “Lord, wash not only my feet but also my hands and my head.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him: “Whoever has bathed does not need to have more than his feet washed, but is completely clean.+ And you men are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For he knew the man who was betraying him.+ This is why he said: “Not all of you are clean.” ¹² When, now, he had washed their feet and had put his outer garments on, he again reclined at the table and said to them: “Do you understand what I have done to you? ¹³ You address me as ‘Teacher’+ and ‘Lord,’ and you are correct, for I am such.+ ¹⁴ Therefore, if I, the Lord and Teacher, washed your feet,+ you also should wash the feet of one another.+ ¹⁵ For I set the pattern for you, that just as I did to you, you should also do.+ ¹⁶ Most truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.+ ¹⁷ If you know these things, happy you are if you do them.+ ¹⁸ I am not talking about all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this was so that the scripture might be fulfilled:+ ‘The one who was eating my bread has lifted his heel against me.’+ ¹⁹ From this moment on, I am telling you before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe that I am he.+ ²⁰ Most truly I say to you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me also,+ and whoever receives me receives also the One who sent me.”+ ²¹ After saying these things, Jesus became troubled in spirit, and he bore witness, saying: “Most truly I say to you, one of you will betray me.”+ ²² The disciples began to look at one another, being at a loss as to which one he was talking about.+ ²³ One of the disciples, the one whom Jesus loved,+ was reclining close to Jesus. ²⁴ Therefore, Simon Peter nodded to this one and said to him: “Tell us whom he is talking about.” ²⁵ So the latter leaned back on the chest of Jesus and said to him: “Lord, who is it?”+ ²⁶ Jesus answered: “It is the one to whom I will give the piece of bread that I dip.”+ So after dipping the bread, he took it and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Is·carʹi·ot. ²⁷ After Judas took the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him.+ So Jesus said to him: “What you are doing, do it more quickly.” ²⁸ However, none of those reclining at the table knew why he said this to him. ²⁹ Some, in fact, were thinking that since Judas was holding the money box,+ Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ So after he received the piece of bread, he went out immediately. And it was night.+ ³¹ When, therefore, he had gone out, Jesus said: “Now the Son of man is glorified,+ and God is glorified in connection with him.* ³² God himself will glorify him,+ and he will glorify him immediately. ³³ Little children, I am with you a little longer. You will look for me; and just as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’+ I now say it also to you. ³⁴ I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you,+ you also love one another.+ ³⁵ By this all will know that you are my disciples—if you have love among yourselves.”+ ³⁶ Simon Peter said to him: “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered: “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”+ ³⁷ Peter said to him: “Lord, why is it I cannot follow you now? I will surrender my life in your behalf.”+ ³⁸ Jesus answered: “Will you surrender your life in my behalf? Most truly I say to you, a rooster will by no means crow until you have disowned me three times.”+

Footnotes

^ Or possibly, “was being prepared.”

^ Or “by means of him.”

Study Notes

the Passover: Jesus started his preaching activity after his baptism in the fall of 29 C.E., so this reference to a Passover early in his ministry must have been to the one celebrated in the spring of 30 C.E. (See study note on Lu 3:1 and App. A7.) A comparison of the four Gospel accounts indicates that four Passovers were celebrated during Jesus’ earthly ministry, leading to the conclusion that his ministry was three and a half years long. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (often called the synoptic Gospels) do not mention any Passover except the final one, at which Jesus died. John’s account specifically mentions three Passovers (Joh 2:13; 6:4; 11:55), and a fourth one is most likely referred to by the expression “a festival of the Jews” at Joh 5:1. This example highlights the value of comparing the Gospel accounts to gain a more complete picture of Jesus’ life.—See study notes on Joh 5:1; 6:4; 11:55.

the festival of the Passover: That is, Passover of 33 C.E.—See study note on Joh 2:13.

having loved: Love becomes a prominent theme throughout the remaining chapters of John’s Gospel. In the first 12 chapters of John’s account, the Greek verb a·ga·paʹo (to love) and the noun a·gaʹpe (love) are used a combined total of eight times. But in John chapters 13 to 21, these terms appear a total of 36 times. In fact, Jesus’ deep love for his Father and for his disciples is nowhere made more apparent than in the closing chapters of John’s Gospel. For instance, all four Gospel accounts reveal Jesus’ love for Jehovah, but only John records that Jesus explicitly stated: “I love the Father.” (Joh 14:31) And it is during Jesus’ parting counsel to his disciples that he not only states that Jehovah loves him but also explains why.—Joh 15:9, 10.

loved them to the end: The Greek phrase used here likely refers to the end of Jesus’ life as a human. However, others understand the Greek expression in this context to mean “loved them completely (fully); loved them continually.”

he wrapped it around his waist: Or “he girded himself.” Usually, it was a slave’s job to wash and dry the feet of others. (Joh 13:12-17) By performing this menial task, Jesus taught his disciples a powerful lesson about the attitude Jehovah requires his servants to display. The apostle Peter, present that night, may have had this event in mind when he later admonished fellow believers: “All of you clothe [or, “gird”] yourselves with humility.”—1Pe 5:5; ftn.

wash the feet of the disciples: In ancient Israel, sandals were the most common footwear. They were little more than a sole strapped to the foot and ankle, so a traveler’s feet would inevitably get dirty from the dusty or muddy roads and fields. Therefore, it was customary for a person to remove his sandals upon entering a home, and a hospitable host would make sure that his guest’s feet were washed. The Bible contains a number of references to this practice. (Ge 18:4, 5; 24:32; 1Sa 25:41; Lu 7:37, 38, 44) When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, he used this custom to give them an object lesson in humility and in serving one another.

that was wrapped around him: Or “with which he was girded.”—See study note on Joh 13:4.

you men are clean: The disciples had just had their feet washed by the Master and were completely clean physically. Yet, one of them was spiritually unclean. Like the deceitful Pharisees who cleansed the outside of a cup or dish but left the inside dirty, Judas Iscariot was physically clean but spiritually unclean.—Mt 23:25, 26.

he knew: Since Jesus could discern the thinking and attitudes of those around him, it is clear that Judas did not have a treasonous attitude when he was selected to be an apostle. (Mt 9:4; Mr 2:8; Joh 2:24, 25) However, when Judas later began to develop a bad attitude, Jesus detected it and was able to identify his betrayer. Despite knowing that Judas would betray him, Jesus still washed the feet of this traitor.—See study notes on Joh 6:64; 6:70.

a slanderer: Or “a devil.” The Greek word di·aʹbo·los, most often used with reference to the Devil, means “slanderer.” It is rendered “slanderers” (2Ti 3:3) or “slanderous” (1Ti 3:11; Tit 2:3) in the few other occurrences where the term does not refer to the Devil. In Greek, when used about the Devil, it is almost always preceded by the definite article. (See study note on Mt 4:1 and Glossary, “Definite Article.”) Here the term is used to describe Judas Iscariot, who had developed a bad quality. It is possible that at this point Jesus detected that Judas was starting down a wrong course, one that later allowed Satan to use Judas as an ally in having Jesus killed.—Joh 13:2, 11.

Jesus knew . . . the one who would betray him: Jesus was referring to Judas Iscariot. Jesus spent the entire night in prayer to his Father before selecting the 12 apostles. (Lu 6:12-16) So at first, Judas was faithful to God. However, Jesus knew from Hebrew Scripture prophecies that he would be betrayed by a close associate. (Ps 41:9; 109:8; Joh 13:18, 19) When Judas started to go bad, Jesus, who could read hearts and thoughts, detected this change. (Mt 9:4) By use of his foreknowledge, God knew that a trusted companion of Jesus would turn traitor. But it is inconsistent with God’s qualities and past dealings to think that Judas had to be the one who would fail, as if his failure were predestined.

should: Or “are under obligation to.” The Greek verb used here is often used in a financial sense, basically meaning “to be indebted to someone; to owe something to someone.” (Mt 18:28, 30, 34; Lu 16:5, 7) Here and in other contexts, it is used in the broader sense of being obligated to or under obligation to do something.—1Jo 3:16; 4:11; 3Jo 8.

wash the feet of one another: The context of this statement shows that Jesus is here teaching his faithful followers to show humble concern not only for their brothers’ physical needs but also for their spiritual needs. He had just given his disciples a lesson in humility and service to one another when he, their Master, washed their feet. Then he said: “You men are clean, but not all of you,” indicating that he was not just talking about a literal washing of feet. (Joh 13:10) At Eph 5:25, 26, Jesus is spoken of as cleansing the Christian congregation with “the bath of water by means of the word” of truth. The disciples could imitate Jesus’ example by helping one another to keep clean from daily temptations and the entanglements with this world that might contaminate a Christian.—Ga 6:1; Heb 10:22; 12:13.

apostles: Or “sent ones.” The Greek word a·poʹsto·los is derived from the verb a·po·stelʹlo, which is used toward the end of the verse and is rendered “send out.”—See study note on Mt 10:2.

apostles: Or “sent ones.” The Greek word a·poʹsto·los is derived from the verb a·po·stelʹlo, meaning “to send away (out).” (Mt 10:5; Lu 11:49; 14:32) Its basic meaning is clearly illustrated in Jesus’ statement at Joh 13:16, where it is rendered “one who is sent.”

one who is sent: Or “a messenger (an envoy); an apostle.” The Greek word a·poʹsto·los (derived from the verb a·po·stelʹlo, meaning “to send out”) is rendered “apostle(s)” in 78 of the 80 occurrences in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (At Php 2:25, this Greek word is rendered “envoy.”) The only occurrence of the Greek term in John’s Gospel is in this verse.—Mt 10:5; Lu 11:49; 14:32; see study notes on Mt 10:2; Mr 3:14 and Glossary, “Apostle.”

eating my bread: Eating bread with someone was a symbol of friendship, indicating that the guest was at peace with his host. (Ge 31:54; compare with Ex 2:20 and 18:12, where the Hebrew expression “eat bread” is rendered “eat” and “eat a meal.”) A person who ate bread with his host and afterward did him harm was considered to be the vilest of traitors.—Ps 41:9.

has lifted his heel against me: Or “has turned against me.” Jesus here quotes the prophetic words of Ps 41:9, which literally reads “has made [his] heel great against me.” There David used figurative speech about a traitorous companion, perhaps referring to Ahithophel, “David’s adviser.” (2Sa 15:12) Jesus applies these words to Judas Iscariot. In this context, the expression thus indicates a treacherous action, one threatening harm to the person against whom the heel is “lifted.”

the disciple whom Jesus loved: That is, the one whom Jesus especially loved. This is the last of five occurrences mentioning a certain disciple “whom Jesus [or “he”] loved” or “for whom Jesus had affection.” (Joh 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20) It is generally believed that this disciple was the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James. (Mt 4:21; Mr 1:19; Lu 5:10; Joh 21:2) As the context of Joh 21:20-24 shows, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” was also “the disciple who . . . wrote these things,” that is, the writer of the Gospel of John.—See study notes on Joh Title; 1:6; 13:23.

John: The English equivalent of the Hebrew name Jehohanan or Johanan, meaning “Jehovah Has Shown Favor; Jehovah Has Been Gracious.” The writer of this Gospel is not identified by name. However, by the second and third centuries C.E., the book was widely attributed to the apostle John. Whenever the name John is mentioned in this Gospel, it refers to John the Baptist, with the exception of Joh 1:42 and 21:15-17, where Jesus referred to the father of Peter as John. (See study notes on Joh 1:42 and 21:15.) Although the apostle John is never mentioned by name, he and his brother James are referred to as “the sons of Zebedee.” (Joh 21:2; Mt 4:21; Mr 1:19; Lu 5:10; see study note on Joh 1:6.) In the closing verses of the Gospel, the writer refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (Joh 21:20-24), and there are good reasons for linking this expression with the apostle John.—See study note on Joh 13:23.

John: That is, John the Baptist. The writer of this Gospel, the apostle John, refers to John the Baptist 19 times but, unlike the other Gospel writers, never uses the designation “the Baptist” or “the Baptizer.” (See study notes on Mt 3:1; Mr 1:4.) The apostle John does distinguish between the three Marys. (Joh 11:1, 2; 19:25; 20:1) However, he did not need to make such a distinction when referring to John the Baptist, since the apostle never refers to himself by name and no one would misunderstand which John was meant. This is another confirmation that the apostle John wrote this Gospel.—See “Introduction to John” and study note on Joh Title.

to Abraham’s side: Lit., “to the bosom of Abraham.” The bosom position was one of special favor and close fellowship. (See study note on Joh 1:18.) This figure of speech is drawn from the practice of reclining on couches at meals in such a way that one would lean back on the bosom, or chest, of a special friend.—Joh 13:23-25.

by his side: Lit., “in his bosom.”—See study note on Lu 16:22.

at the Father’s side: Lit., “in the bosom of the Father.” This expression refers to a position of special favor and close fellowship. It is a figure of speech that is likely drawn from the way meals were eaten; guests would recline on couches in such a way that one could lean back on the bosom, or chest, of a close friend. (Joh 13:23-25) Jesus is thus described as the closest friend of Jehovah, the one person who could explain God more fully and thoroughly than anyone else could.—Mt 11:27.

the one whom Jesus loved: That is, the one whom Jesus especially loved. This is the first of five occurrences mentioning a certain disciple “whom Jesus [or “he”] loved” or “for whom Jesus had affection.” (Joh 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20) It is generally believed that this disciple is the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and the brother of James. (Mt 4:21; Mr 1:19; Lu 5:10) One reason for this identification is that the apostle John is not referred to by name in this Gospel, except for the mention of “the sons of Zebedee” at Joh 21:2. Another indication is found at Joh 21:20-24, where the expression “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is used with reference to the writer of this Gospel. Also, Jesus said of that apostle: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?” This suggests that the one referred to would long survive Peter and the other apostles, a description that fits the apostle John.—See study notes on Joh Title and Joh 1:6; 21:20.

close to: Lit., “in the bosom of.” This expression refers to the way people were positioned at a dining table in Jesus’ day. Guests reclined on their left side with a cushion supporting their left elbow. A guest could lean back on the bosom, or chest, of a friend reclining next to him and engage in a confidential conversation. (Joh 13:25) Being “close to,” or “in the bosom of,” someone meant being in a special relationship of favor and close fellowship with that person. This custom was apparently the background for the expressions used in Lu and Joh.—See study notes on Lu 16:22, 23; Joh 1:18.

for the festival: Apparently referring to the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which began after the Passover.

Little children: In the Gospels, there is no earlier record of Jesus’ addressing his disciples with this affectionate expression. The Greek word here rendered “little children,” te·kniʹon, is the diminutive form of the word teʹknon (child). In the Christian Greek Scriptures, diminutives are often used to indicate affection and familiarity. (See Glossary, “Diminutive.”) This expression could therefore also be rendered “dear children” or “beloved children.” It occurs nine times in the Christian Greek Scriptures and is always used in a figurative sense, referring to disciples.—Ga 4:19; 1Jo 2:1, 12, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21.

new commandment: The Mosaic Law required that a person love his neighbor as he loved himself. (Le 19:18) It called for neighbor love but not necessarily for self-sacrificing love that would go even to the point of giving one’s life for a fellow human. Jesus’ commandment was “new,” or unprecedented, in that he said: just as I have loved you. He gave his followers a perfect model to follow in how to love and live unselfishly for others, a love that would move a person to die for others. Both Jesus’ life and his death exemplified the love called for by this new commandment.—Joh 15:13.

life: Or “soul.” The meaning of the Greek word psy·kheʹ, traditionally rendered “soul,” has to be determined by the context. Here it refers to Peter’s life, which he says he is willing to give up for Jesus.—See Glossary, “Soul.”

life: Or “soul.” The meaning of the Greek word psy·kheʹ, traditionally rendered “soul,” has to be determined by the context. Here it refers to Peter’s life.—See study note on Joh 13:37 and Glossary, “Soul.”

a rooster: All four Gospels mention that a rooster would crow, but only Mark’s account adds the detail that the rooster would crow twice. (Mt 26:34, 74, 75; Mr 14:30, 72; Lu 22:34, 60, 61; Joh 18:27) The Mishnah indicates that roosters were bred in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day, lending support to the Bible account. This crowing likely occurred very early in the morning.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

John 13

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | According to John 14:1-31

NWT | According to John 14:1-31 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 14:1-31

14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled.+ Exercise faith in God;+ exercise faith also in me. ² In the house of my Father are many dwelling places. Otherwise, I would have told you, for I am going my way to prepare a place for you.+ ³ Also, if I go my way and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will receive you home to myself, so that where I am you also may be.+ ⁴ And where I am going, you know the way.” ⁵ Thomas+ said to him: “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” ⁶ Jesus said to him: “I am the way+ and the truth+ and the life.+ No one comes to the Father except through me.+ ⁷ If you men had known me, you would have known my Father also;+ from this moment on you know him and have seen him.”+ ⁸ Philip said to him: “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” ⁹ Jesus said to him: “Even after I have been with you men for such a long time, Philip, have you not come to know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also.+ How is it you say, ‘Show us the Father’? ¹⁰ Do you not believe that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me?+ The things I say to you I do not speak of my own originality,+ but the Father who remains in union with me is doing his works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in union with the Father and the Father is in union with me; otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.+ ¹² Most truly I say to you, whoever exercises faith in me will also do the works that I do; and he will do works greater than these,+ because I am going my way to the Father.+ ¹³ Also, whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, so that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son.+ ¹⁴ If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. ¹⁵ “If you love me, you will observe my commandments.+ ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever,+ ¹⁷ the spirit of the truth,+ which the world cannot receive, because it neither sees it nor knows it.+ You know it, because it remains with you and is in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you bereaved. I am coming to you.+ ¹⁹ In a little while the world will see me no more, but you will see me,+ because I live and you will live. ²⁰ In that day you will know that I am in union with my Father and you are in union with me and I am in union with you.+ ²¹ Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. In turn, whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,+ and I will love him and will clearly show myself to him.” ²² Judas,+ not Is·carʹi·ot, said to him: “Lord, what has happened that you intend to show yourself clearly to us and not to the world?” ²³ In answer Jesus said to him: “If anyone loves me, he will observe my word,+ and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.+ ²⁴ Whoever does not love me does not observe my words. The word that you are hearing is not mine, but belongs to the Father who sent me.+ ²⁵ “I have spoken these things to you while I am still with you. ²⁶ But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring back to your minds all the things I told you.+ ²⁷ I leave you peace; I give you my peace.+ I do not give it to you the way that the world gives it. Do not let your hearts be troubled nor let them shrink out of fear. ²⁸ You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I am.+ ²⁹ So now I have told you before it occurs, so that you may believe when it does occur.+ ³⁰ I will not speak with you much more, for the ruler of the world+ is coming, and he has no hold on me.+ ³¹ But for the world to know that I love the Father, I am doing just as the Father has commanded me to do.+ Get up, let us go from here.

Footnotes

Study Notes

dwelling places: Or “abodes.” The Greek word mo·neʹ occurs only here and at Joh 14:23, where it is rendered “dwelling.” Although the term was sometimes used in secular literature to refer to a stop or a resting place for a traveler on a journey, most scholars agree that in this context, Jesus was promising permanent dwelling places in the house of his Father in heaven, where he was going. For Jesus to prepare a place for his disciples required that he appear before God and present to Him the value of his blood. (Heb 9:12, 24-28) Only after he did that could humans follow him to heaven.—Php 3:20, 21.

prepare a place for you: This would involve Jesus’ validating or inaugurating the new covenant by appearing before God and presenting to Him the value of his blood. The preparation would also include Christ’s receiving kingly power, after which the heavenly resurrection of his anointed followers would begin.—1Th 4:14-17; Heb 9:12, 24-28; 1Pe 1:19; Re 11:15.

I am the way and the truth and the life: Jesus is the way because it is only through him that it is possible to approach God in prayer. He is also “the way” for humans to be reconciled to God. (Joh 16:23; Ro 5:8) Jesus is the truth in that he spoke and lived in harmony with truth. He also fulfilled scores of prophecies that show his central role in the outworking of God’s purpose. (Joh 1:14; Re 19:10) These prophecies became “‘yes’ [or were fulfilled] by means of him.” (2Co 1:20) Jesus is the life because by means of the ransom, he made it possible for mankind to gain “the real life,” that is, “everlasting life.” (1Ti 6:12, 19; Eph 1:7; 1Jo 1:7) He will also prove to be “the life” for millions who will be resurrected with the prospect of living in Paradise forever.—Joh 5:28, 29.

show us the Father: Apparently, Philip wanted Jesus to provide for his disciples a visible manifestation of God, such as was granted in visions to Moses, Elijah, and Isaiah in ancient times.—Ex 24:10; 1Ki 19:9-13; Isa 6:1-5.

Whoever has seen me has seen the Father also: Philip’s request recorded at Joh 14:8 suggests that he wanted Jesus to provide his disciples with a visible manifestation of God, such as was granted in visions to Moses, Elijah, and Isaiah. (Ex 24:10; 1Ki 19:9-13; Isa 6:1-5) In such visions, God’s servants saw symbolic representations of God, not God himself. (Ex 33:17-23; Joh 1:18) Jesus’ reply indicated that Philip had already seen something better than such a vision of God. Because Jesus perfectly reflected the personality of his Father, seeing Jesus was like seeing God himself. (Mt 11:27) The disciples had “seen the Father” by perceiving God’s personality, will, and purpose through what Jesus said and did. So when the Bible describes Jesus—his love for his friends, his compassion that moved him to heal others, his empathy that caused him to give way to tears, and his powerful teaching—the reader might well picture his Father, Jehovah, saying and doing those very things.—Mt 7:28, 29; Mr 1:40-42; Joh 11:32-36.

of my own originality: Or “on my own.” Lit., “from myself.” As God’s Chief Representative, Jesus always listens to Jehovah’s voice and speaks what Jehovah directs.

works greater than these: Jesus is not saying that the miraculous works his disciples would perform would be greater than his own miraculous works. Rather, he humbly acknowledges that the extent of their preaching and teaching work would be greater than his. His followers would cover more territory, reach more people, and preach for a longer period of time than he would. Jesus’ words clearly show that he expected his followers to continue his work.

whatever you ask in my name: Jesus here introduced a new feature to prayer. Never before had Jehovah required that people pray in someone’s name. For instance, even though Moses had been a mediator between the nation of Israel and God, Jehovah did not say that the Israelites should use Moses’ name when praying. However, on the last evening with his disciples before his death, Jesus revealed this new way to pray, mentioning the expression ‘ask in my name’ four times. (Joh 14:13, 14; 15:16; 16:23, 24) Since Jesus purchased the human race when he gave his perfect life as a ransom, he is the only channel through which God’s blessings are extended to mankind. (Ro 5:12, 18, 19; 1Co 6:20; Ga 3:13) That act made Jesus the only legal Mediator between God and man (1Ti 2:5, 6), the only one through whom a person can be freed from the curse of sin and death (Ac 4:12). Appropriately, then, Jesus is the only channel of approach to God. (Heb 4:14-16) Those who pray in Jesus’ name acknowledge the vital role he plays.

ask: This reading is supported by some ancient manuscripts and agrees with the wording at Joh 15:16 and 16:23. Other ancient manuscripts read: “ask me.”

another helper: This wording indicates that the disciples already had a “helper” in Jesus. In fact, 1Jo 2:1 used the same Greek term for “helper” (pa·raʹkle·tos) regarding the role of Jesus. But here Jesus promises that God’s spirit, or active force, would provide further help after his departure from the earthly scene.

helper: Or “comforter; encourager; advocate.” The word rendered “helper” (pa·raʹkle·tos) is used in the Bible to describe the roles of both the holy spirit (Joh 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) and Jesus (1Jo 2:1). It could literally be rendered “one called to someone’s side” to give help. When Jesus spoke of the holy spirit, an impersonal force, as a helper and referred to this helper as ‘teaching,’ ‘bearing witness,’ ‘giving evidence,’ ‘guiding,’ ‘speaking,’ ‘hearing,’ and ‘receiving’ (Joh 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-15), he used a figure of speech called personification, that is, referring to something impersonal or inanimate as if it were alive. In the Scriptures, it is not unusual for something that is not actually a person to be personified. Some examples are wisdom, death, sin, and undeserved kindness. (Mt 11:19; Lu 7:35; Ro 5:14, 17, 21; 6:12; 7:8-11) It is obvious that not one of these things is an actual person. God’s spirit is often mentioned together with other impersonal forces or things, further supporting the fact that it is not a person. (Mt 3:11; Ac 6:3, 5; 13:52; 2Co 6:4-8; Eph 5:18) Some argue that the use of Greek masculine pronouns when referring to this “helper” shows that holy spirit is a person. (Joh 14:26) However, Greek grammar requires masculine pronouns when the activity of “the helper” is described, since the word for “helper” is in the masculine gender. (Joh 16:7, 8, 13, 14) On the other hand, when the neuter Greek word for “spirit” (pneuʹma) is used, neuter pronouns are used.—See study note on Joh 14:17.

spirit: Or “active force.” The Greek term pneuʹma is in the neuter gender and therefore neuter pronouns are used when referring to it. The Greek word has a number of meanings. All of them refer to that which is invisible to human sight and gives evidence of force in motion. (See Glossary.) In this context, “spirit” refers to God’s holy spirit, which is here called the spirit of the truth, an expression that also occurs at Joh 15:26 and 16:13, where Jesus explains that “the helper” (Joh 16:7), that is, “the spirit of the truth,” will “guide” Jesus’ disciples “into all the truth.”

sees it . . . You know it: The two occurrences of “it” render the Greek pronoun au·toʹ, which is in the neuter gender and refers to the Greek word for spirit (pneuʹma), which is also in the neuter gender.—See study note on Joh 14:16.

bereaved: Or “as orphans.” At Jas 1:27, the Greek word for “orphan,” or·pha·nosʹ, is used in the literal sense of someone being without parents. Here it has the figurative meaning of someone left without the support and protection of a friend, caretaker, or master. Jesus is promising his disciples that he will not leave them abandoned, helpless, or unprotected.

Judas, not Iscariot: Referring to the apostle Judas, also called Thaddaeus.—See study note on Mt 10:3.

Thaddaeus: In the listings of the apostles at Lu 6:16 and Ac 1:13, the name Thaddaeus is not included; instead, we find “Judas the son of James,” leading to the conclusion that Thaddaeus is another name for the apostle whom John calls “Judas, not Iscariot.” (Joh 14:22) The possibility of confusing this Judas with the traitor, Judas Iscariot, might be a reason why the name Thaddaeus is sometimes used.

dwelling: Or “abode.”—See study note on Joh 14:2.

that one: Both “that one” and “he” in verses 13 and 14 refer back to “the helper” mentioned at Joh 16:7. Jesus used “the helper” (which is in the masculine gender in Greek) as a personification of the holy spirit, an impersonal force, which is in the neuter gender in Greek.—See study note on Joh 14:16.

helper: Or “comforter; encourager; advocate.”—See study note on Joh 14:16.

that one: The Greek demonstrative pronoun e·keiʹnos is in the masculine gender and refers to the helper, which is also in the masculine gender in Greek.—See study notes on Joh 14:16; 16:13.

for the Father is greater than I am: On numerous occasions, Jesus acknowledged his Father’s greatness, authority, and superior position. (Mt 4:9, 10; 20:23; Lu 22:41, 42; Joh 5:19; 8:42; 13:16) Even after Jesus’ ascension to heaven, his apostles described the Father as having a separate and superior position in relation to Jesus. (1Co 11:3; 15:20, 24-28; 1Pe 1:3; 1Jo 2:1; 4:9, 10) The Greek word here rendered “greater” (meiʹzon) is the comparative form of the word for “great” (meʹgas), and it is used in many contexts where one person or thing is said to be superior to another.—Mt 18:1; 23:17; Mr 9:34; 12:31; Lu 22:24; Joh 13:16; 1Co 13:13.

the ruler of the world: A similar expression occurs at Joh 12:31 and 16:11 and refers to Satan the Devil. In this context, the term “world” (Greek, koʹsmos) refers to human society that is alienated from God and whose behavior is out of harmony with his will. God did not produce this unrighteous world; it is “lying in the power of the wicked one.” (1Jo 5:19) Satan and his “wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places” act as the invisible “world rulers [form of the Greek word ko·smo·kraʹtor] of this darkness.”—Eph 6:11, 12.

he has no hold on me: Or “he has no power over me.” Lit., “in me he has nothing.” Jesus had no imperfection or wrong desire that Satan could take advantage of so as to turn him away from serving God. The Greek expression rendered “has no hold on me” may reflect a Hebrew idiom used in legal contexts with the meaning “he has no claim on me.” By contrast, the Devil was able to enter into Judas and get a hold on him.—Joh 13:27.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

John 14

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NWT | According to John 15:1-27

NWT | According to John 15:1-27 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 15:1-27

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the cultivator. ² He takes away every branch in me not bearing fruit, and he cleans every one bearing fruit, so that it may bear more fruit.+ ³ You are already clean because of the word that I have spoken to you.+ ⁴ Remain in union with me, and I will remain in union with you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you unless you remain in union with me.+ ⁵ I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in union with me and I in union with him, this one bears much fruit;+ for apart from me you can do* nothing at all. ⁶ If anyone does not remain in union with me, he is thrown out like a branch and dries up. And men gather those branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.+ ⁷ If you remain in union with me and my sayings remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will take place for you.+ ⁸ My Father is glorified in this, that you keep bearing much fruit and prove yourselves my disciples.+ ⁹ Just as the Father has loved me,+ so I have loved you; remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you observe my commandments, you will remain in my love,+ just as I have observed the commandments of the Father and remain in his love.+ ¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be made full.+ ¹² This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you.+ ¹³ No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his life in behalf of his friends.+ ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I am commanding you.+ ¹⁵ I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, because I have made known to you all the things I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you, and I appointed you to go and keep bearing fruit and that your fruit should remain, so that no matter what you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.+ ¹⁷ “These things I command you, that you love one another.+ ¹⁸ If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you.+ ¹⁹ If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world,+ but I have chosen you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you.+ ²⁰ Keep in mind the word I said to you: A slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you;+ if they have observed my word, they will also observe yours. ²¹ But they will do all these things against you on account of my name, because they do not know the One who sent me.+ ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin.+ But now they have no excuse for their sin.+ ²³ Whoever hates me also hates my Father.+ ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would have no sin;+ but now they have both seen me and hated me as well as my Father. ²⁵ But this happened in order to fulfill the word written in their Law: ‘They hated me without cause.’+ ²⁶ When the helper comes that I will send you from the Father, the spirit of the truth,+ which comes from the Father, that one will bear witness about me;+ ²⁷ and you, in turn, are to bear witness,+ because you have been with me from the beginning.

Footnotes

^ Or “produce.”

Study Notes

I am the true vine: Jesus’ metaphor resembles word pictures found in the Hebrew Scriptures. In Isaiah’s prophecy, “the house of Israel” is called “the vineyard of Jehovah of armies.” (Isa 5:1-7) Jehovah also referred to unfaithful Israel as “the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine” and as “a degenerate vine.” (Jer 2:21; Ho 10:1, 2) But unlike that disloyal nation, Jesus is “the true vine,” and his Father, the cultivator. After likening his disciples to “branches” of the vine, he urged them to remain in union with him. Just as branches of a literal vine must remain attached to the trunk in order to remain alive and fruitful, the disciples need to remain in union with Jesus to be spiritually alive and productive. The illustration also shows that just as a cultivator expects a vine to produce fruit, Jehovah expects those in union with Christ to produce spiritual fruitage. This illustration emphasizes the unity that exists not only between Jesus’ true followers and Jesus but also between the disciples and Jesus’ Father.—Joh 15:2-8.

cleans: Or “prunes.” The Greek word here rendered “cleans” is a verb form of the Greek word rendered “clean” at Joh 15:3.

life: Or “soul.” The meaning of the Greek word psy·kheʹ, traditionally rendered “soul,” has to be determined by the context. Here it refers to a person’s life.—See Glossary, “Soul.”

I no longer call you slaves: The Greek term for “a slave,” douʹlos, is generally used with reference to individuals owned by fellow men. (Mt 8:9; 10:24, 25; 13:27) It is also used figuratively to refer to devoted servants of God and of his Son, Jesus Christ, whether human (Ac 2:18; 4:29; Ro 1:1; Ga 1:10) or angelic (Re 19:10, where the word synʹdou·los [fellow slave] appears). In another figurative usage, the term applies to people in slavery to sin (Joh 8:34; Ro 6:16-20) or to corruption (2Pe 2:19). When Jesus sacrificed his perfect life, he used the value of that blood to buy the lives of all those who follow him. As a result, Christians do not belong to themselves but are “Christ’s slaves.” (Eph 6:6; 1Co 6:19, 20; 7:23; Ga 3:13) Although Jesus called the apostles his friends, by redeeming them from sin, they became his slaves. At times, he used this expression to refer to his followers.—Joh 15:20.

world: In this context, the Greek word koʹsmos refers to the world of mankind apart from God’s servants, the unrighteous human society alienated from God. John is the only Gospel writer to quote Jesus as saying that his followers are no part of the world or do not belong to the world. The same thought is expressed two more times in Jesus’ last prayer with his faithful apostles.—Joh 17:14, 16.

name: The personal name of God, represented by the four Hebrew letters יהוה (YHWH) and commonly rendered “Jehovah” in English. In the New World Translation, the name occurs 6,979 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and 237 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (For information on the use of the divine name in the Christian Greek Scriptures, see App. A5 and App. C.) In the Bible, the term “name” at times also stands for the person himself, his reputation, and all that he declares himself to be.—Compare Ex 34:5, 6; Re 3:4, ftn.

on account of my name: In the Bible, the term “name” at times stands for the person who bears the name, his reputation, and all that he represents. (See study note on Mt 6:9.) In the case of Jesus’ name, it also stands for the authority and position that his Father has given him. (Mt 28:18; Php 2:9, 10; Heb 1:3, 4) Jesus here explains why people of the world would do things against his followers: because they do not know the One who sent him. Knowing God would help them to understand and acknowledge what Jesus’ name stands for. (Ac 4:12) This would include Jesus’ position as God’s appointed Ruler, the King of kings, to whom all people should bow in submission in order to gain life.—Joh 17:3; Re 19:11-16; compare Ps 2:7-12.

in their Law: Here referring to the entire Hebrew Scriptures. The quote that follows is taken from Ps 35:19; 69:4. “Law” is used in the same sense at Joh 10:34; 12:34.

helper: See study note on Joh 14:16.

that one: The Greek demonstrative pronoun e·keiʹnos is in the masculine gender and refers to the helper, which is also in the masculine gender.—See study notes on Joh 14:16; 16:13.

from the beginning: Or “from when I began,” that is, from when Jesus began his ministry.

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John 15

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NWT | According to John 16:1-33

NWT | According to John 16:1-33 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 16:1-33

16 “I have said these things to you so that you may not be stumbled. ² Men will expel you from the synagogue.a In fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills youb will think he has offered a sacred service to God. ³ But they will do these things because they have not come to know either the Father or me.c ⁴ Nevertheless, I have told you these things so that when the hour for them to happen arrives, you will remember that I told them to you.d “I did not tell you these things at first, because I was with you. ⁵ But now I am going to the One who sent me;e yet not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ ⁶ But because I have told you these things, grief has filled your hearts.f ⁷ Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth, it is for your benefit that I am going away. For if I do not go away, the helperg will not come to you; but if I do go, I will send him to you. ⁸ And when that one comes, he will give the world convincing evidence concerning sin and concerning righteousness and concerning judgment: ⁹ first concerning sin,h because they are not exercising faith in me;i ¹⁰ then concerning righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; ¹¹ then concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.j ¹² “I still have many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them now.k ¹³ However, when that one comes, the spirit of the truth,l he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak of his own initiative, but what he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things to come.m ¹⁴ That one will glorify me,n because he will receive from what is mine and will declare it to you.o ¹⁵ All the things that the Father has are mine.p That is why I said he receives from what is mine and declares it to you. ¹⁶ In a little while you will see me no longer,q and again, in a little while you will see me.” ¹⁷ At that some of his disciples said to one another: “What does he mean by saying to us, ‘In a little while you will not see me, and again, in a little while you will see me,’ and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” ¹⁸ So they were saying: “What does he mean by saying, ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” ¹⁹ Jesus knew they wanted to question him, so he said to them: “Are you asking one another this because I said: ‘In a little while you will not see me, and again, in a little while you will see me’? ²⁰ Most truly I say to you, you will weep and wail,r but the world will rejoice; you will be grieved, but your grief will be turned into joy.s ²¹ When a woman is giving birth, she has grief because her hour has come, but when she has given birth to the child, she remembers the tribulation no more because of the joy that a human has been born into the world. ²² So you also, now you have grief; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice,t and no one will take away your joy. ²³ In that day you will ask me no question at all. Most truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything,u he will give it to you in my name.v ²⁴ Until now you have not asked for a single thing in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete. ²⁵ “I have spoken these things to you in comparisons. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in comparisons, but I will tell you plainly about the Father. ²⁶ In that day you will make request of the Father in my name; in saying this, I do not mean that I will make request for you. ²⁷ For the Father himself has affection for you, because you have had affection for mew and have believed that I came as God’s representative.x ²⁸ I came as the Father’s representative and have come into the world. Now I am leaving the world and am going to the Father.”y ²⁹ His disciples said: “See! Now you are speaking plainly and are not using comparisons. ³⁰ Now we know that you know all things and you do not need to have anyone question you. By this we believe that you came from God.” ³¹ Jesus answered them: “Do you believe now? ³² Look! The hour is coming, indeed, it has come, when each one of you will be scattered to his own house and you will leave me alone.z But I am not alone, because the Father is with me.a ³³ I have said these things to you so that by means of me you may have peace.b In the world you will have tribulation,c but take courage! I have conquered the world.”d

John 16

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NWT | According to John 17:1-26

NWT | According to John 17:1-26 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 17:1-26

17 Jesus spoke these things, and raising his eyes to heaven, he said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son so that your son may glorify you,a ² just as you have given him authority over all flesh,b so that he may give everlasting lifec to all those whom you have given to him.d ³ This means everlasting life,e their coming to know you, the only true God,f and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.g ⁴ I have glorified you on the earth,h having finished the work you have given me to do.i ⁵ So now, Father, glorify me at your side with the glory that I had alongside you before the world was.j ⁶ “I have made your name manifest* to the men whom you gave me out of the world.k They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have observed your word. ⁷ Now they have come to know that all the things you gave me are from you; ⁸ because I have given them the sayings that you gave me,l and they have accepted them and have certainly come to know that I came as your representative,m and they have believed that you sent me.n ⁹ I make request concerning them; I make request, not concerning the world, but concerning those whom you have given me, because they are yours; ¹⁰ and all my things are yours and yours are mine,o and I have been glorified among them. ¹¹ “I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world,p and I am coming to you. Holy Father, watch over themq on account of your own name, which you have given me, so that they may be one just as we are one.r ¹² When I was with them, I used to watch over thems on account of your own name, which you have given me; and I have protected them, and not one of them is destroyedt except the son of destruction,u so that the scripture might be fulfilled.v ¹³ But now I am coming to you, and I am saying these things in the world, so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.w ¹⁴ I have given your word to them, but the world has hated them,x because they are no part of the world,y just as I am no part of the world. ¹⁵ “I do not request that you take them out of the world, but that you watch over them because of the wicked one.z ¹⁶ They are no part of the world,a just as I am no part of the world.b ¹⁷ Sanctify them by means of the truth;c your word is truth.d ¹⁸ Just as you sent me into the world, I also sent them into the world.e ¹⁹ And I am sanctifying myself in their behalf, so that they also may be sanctified by means of truth. ²⁰ “I make request, not concerning these only, but also concerning those putting faith in me through their word, ²¹ so that they may all be one,f just as you, Father, are in union with me and I am in union with you,g that they also may be in union with us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. ²² I have given them the glory that you have given me, in order that they may be one just as we are one.h ²³ I in union with them and you in union with me, in order that they may be perfected into one,i so that the world may know that you sent me and that you loved them just as you loved me. ²⁴ Father, I want those whom you have given me to be with me where I am,j in order that they may look upon my glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the founding of the world.k ²⁵ Righteous Father, the world has, indeed, not come to know you,l but I know you,m and these have come to know that you sent me. ²⁶ I have made your name known to them and will make it known,n so that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them.”o

John 17

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NWT | According to John 18:1-40

NWT | According to John 18:1-40 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 18:1-40

18 After he said these things, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidʹron Valleya to where there was a garden, and he and his disciples went into it.b ² Now Judas, his betrayer,c also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. ³ So Judas brought the detachment of soldiers and officers of the chief priests and of the Pharisees and came there with torches and lamps and weapons.d ⁴ Then Jesus, knowing all the things that were going to happen to him, stepped forward and said to them: “Whom are you looking for?” ⁵ They answered him: “Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ.”e He said to them: “I am he.” Now Judas, his betrayer, was also standing with them.f ⁶ However, when Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.g ⁷ So he asked them again: “Whom are you looking for?” They said: “Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ.” ⁸ Jesus answered: “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.” ⁹ This was to fulfill what he had said: “Of those whom you have given me, I have not lost a single one.”h ¹⁰ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.i The name of the slave was Malchus. ¹¹ Jesus, however, said to Peter: “Put the sword into its sheath.j Should I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”k ¹² Then the soldiers and the military commander and the officers of the Jews seized* Jesus and bound him. ¹³ They led him first to Anʹnas, for he was the father-in-law of Caʹia·phas,l who was high priest that year.m ¹⁴ Caʹia·phas was, in fact, the one who had advised the Jews that it was to their benefit for one man to die in behalf of the people.n ¹⁵ Now Simon Peter, as well as another disciple, was following Jesus.o That disciple was known to the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, ¹⁶ but Peter was standing outside at the door.* So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper and brought Peter in. ¹⁷ The servant girl who was the doorkeeper then said to Peter: “You are not also one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said: “I am not.”p ¹⁸ Now the slaves and the officers were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, because it was cold and they were warming themselves. Peter also was standing with them and warming himself. ¹⁹ So the chief priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. ²⁰ Jesus answered him: “I have spoken to the world publicly. I always taught in a synagogue and in the temple,q where all the Jews come together, and I said nothing in secret. ²¹ Why do you question me? Question those who have heard what I told them. See! These know what I said.” ²² After he said these things, one of the officers who was standing by gave Jesus a slap in the facer and said: “Is that the way you answer the chief priest?” ²³ Jesus answered him: “If I said something wrong, bear witness* about the wrong; but if what I said was right, why do you hit me?” ²⁴ Then Anʹnas sent him away bound to Caʹia·phas the high priest.s ²⁵ Now Simon Peter was standing there warming himself. Then they said to him: “You are not also one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said: “I am not.”t ²⁶ One of the slaves of the high priest, who was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off,u said: “I saw you in the garden with him, did I not?” ²⁷ However, Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.v ²⁸ Then they led Jesus from Caʹia·phas to the governor’s residence.w It was now early in the morning. But they themselves did not enter into the governor’s residence, so that they would not get defiledx but could eat the Passover. ²⁹ So Pilate came outside to them and said: “What accusation do you bring against this man?” ³⁰ They answered him: “If this man were not a wrongdoer,* we would not have handed him over to you.” ³¹ So Pilate said to them: “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.”y The Jews said to him: “It is not lawful for us to kill anyone.”z ³² This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to indicate what sort of death he was about to die.a ³³ So Pilate entered the governor’s residence again and called Jesus and said to him: “Are you the King of the Jews?”b ³⁴ Jesus answered: “Are you asking this of your own originality, or did others tell you about me?” ³⁵ Pilate replied: “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over to me. What did you do?” ³⁶ Jesus answered:c “My Kingdom is no part of this world.d If my Kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be handed over to the Jews.e But as it is, my Kingdom is not from this source.” ³⁷ So Pilate said to him: “Well, then, are you a king?” Jesus answered: “You yourself are saying that I am a king.f For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.g Everyone who is on the side of the truth listens to my voice.”h ³⁸ Pilate said to him: “What is truth?” After saying this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them: “I find no fault in him.i ³⁹ Moreover, you have a custom that I should release a man to you at the Passover.j So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ Again they shouted: “Not this man, but Bar·abʹbas!” Now Bar·abʹbas was a robber.k

John 18

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NWT | According to John 19:1-42

NWT | According to John 19:1-42 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 19:1-42

19 Pilate then took Jesus and scourged him.a ² And the soldiers braided a crown of thorns and put it on his head and clothed him with a purple robe,b ³ and they kept coming up to him and saying: “Greetings, you King of the Jews!” They also kept slapping him in the face.c ⁴ Pilate went outside again and said to them: “See! I bring him outside to you in order for you to know that I find no fault in him.”d ⁵ So Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them: “Look! The man!” ⁶ However, when the chief priests and the officers saw him, they shouted: “To the stake with him! To the stake with him!”*e Pilate said to them: “Take him yourselves and execute him,* for I do not find any fault in him.”f ⁷ The Jews answered him: “We have a law, and according to the law he ought to die,g because he made himself God’s son.”h ⁸ When Pilate heard what they were saying, he became even more fearful, ⁹ and he entered the governor’s residence again and said to Jesus: “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.i ¹⁰ So Pilate said to him: “Are you refusing to speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and I have authority to execute you?”* ¹¹ Jesus answered him: “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been granted to you from above.j This is why the man who handed me over to you has greater sin.” ¹² For this reason Pilate kept trying to find a way to release him, but the Jews shouted: “If you release this man, you are not a friend of Caesar. Everyone who makes himself a king speaks against* Caesar.”k ¹³ Then Pilate, after hearing these words, brought Jesus outside, and he sat down on a judgment seat in a place called the Stone Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabʹba·tha. ¹⁴ Now it was the day of Preparationl of the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews: “See! Your king!” ¹⁵ However, they shouted: “Take him away! Take him away! To the stake with him!”* Pilate said to them: “Shall I execute your king?” The chief priests answered: “We have no king but Caesar.” ¹⁶ Then he handed him over to them to be executed on the stake.m So they took charge of Jesus. ¹⁷ Bearing the torture stake for himself, he went out to the so-called Skull Place,n which is called Golʹgo·tha in Hebrew.o ¹⁸ There they nailed him to the stakep alongside two other men, one on each side, with Jesus in the middle.q ¹⁹ Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the torture stake. It was written: “Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ the King of the Jews.”r ²⁰ Many of the Jews read this title, because the place where Jesus was nailed to the stake was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew, in Latin, and in Greek. ²¹ However, the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that he said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’” ²² Pilate answered: “What I have written, I have written.” ²³ Now when the soldiers had nailed Jesus to the stake, they took his outer garments and divided them into four parts, one for each soldier, and they also took the inner garment. But the inner garment was without a seam, being woven from top to bottom. ²⁴ So they said to one another: “Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots over it to decide whose it will be.”s This was to fulfill the scripture: “They divided my garments among themselves, and they cast lots for my clothing.”t So the soldiers actually did these things. ²⁵ By the torture stake of Jesus, however, there were standing his motheru and his mother’s sister; Mary the wife of Cloʹpas and Mary Magʹda·lene.v ²⁶ So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he lovedw standing nearby, he said to his mother: “Woman, see! Your son!” ²⁷ Next he said to the disciple: “See! Your mother!” And from that hour on, the disciple took her into his own home. ²⁸ After this, when Jesus knew that by now all things had been accomplished, in order to fulfill the scripture he said: “I am thirsty.”x ²⁹ A jar was sitting there full of sour wine. So they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop stalk and held it up to his mouth.y ³⁰ When he had received the sour wine, Jesus said: “It has been accomplished!”z and bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.a ³¹ Since it was the day of Preparation,b so that the bodies would not remain on the torture stakesc on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath day was a great one),d the Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken away. ³² So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man and those of the other man who was on a stake alongside him. ³³ But on coming to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they did not break his legs. ³⁴ But one of the soldiers jabbed his side with a spear,e and immediately blood and water came out. ³⁵ And the one who has seen it has given this witness, and his witness is true, and he knows that what he says is true, so that you also may believe.f ³⁶ In fact, these things took place for the scripture to be fulfilled: “Not a bone of his will be broken.”g ³⁷ And again, a different scripture says: “They will look to the one whom they pierced.”h ³⁸ Now after these things, Joseph of Ar·i·ma·theʹa, who was a disciple of Jesus but a secret one because of his fear of the Jews,i asked Pilate if he could take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body away.j ³⁹ Nic·o·deʹmus,k the man who had come to him in the night the first time, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about a hundred pounds.l ⁴⁰ So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices,m according to the burial custom of the Jews.n ⁴¹ Incidentally, there was a garden at the place where he was executed,* and in the garden was a new tombo in which no one had ever yet been laid. ⁴² Because it was the day of Preparationp of the Jews and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

John 19

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NWT | According to John 20:1-31

NWT | According to John 20:1-31 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 20:1-31

20 On the first day of the week, Mary Magʹda·lene came to the tomb early,a while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone had already been taken away from the tomb.b ² So she came running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, for whom Jesus had affection,c and she said to them: “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb,d and we do not know where they have laid him.” ³ Then Peter and the other disciple set out for the tomb. ⁴ The two of them began running together, but the other disciple ran faster than Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ Stooping forward, he saw the linen cloths lying there,e but he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter also came, following him, and he went into the tomb. And he saw the linen cloths lying there. ⁷ The cloth that had been on his head was not lying with the other cloth bands but was rolled up in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed. ⁹ For they did not yet understand the scripture that he must rise from the dead.f ¹⁰ So the disciples went back to their homes. ¹¹ Mary, however, kept standing outside near the tomb, weeping. While she was weeping, she stooped forward to look into the tomb, ¹² and she saw two angelsg in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and one at the feet. ¹³ And they said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them: “They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have laid him.” ¹⁴ After saying this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.h ¹⁵ Jesus said to her: “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She, thinking it was the gardener, said to him: “Sir, if you have carried him off, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to her: “Mary!” On turning around, she said to him in Hebrew: “Rab·boʹni!” (which means “Teacher!”) ¹⁷ Jesus said to her: “Stop clinging to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothersi and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Fatherj and your Father and to my Godk and your God.’” ¹⁸ Mary Magʹda·lene came and brought the news to the disciples: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.l ¹⁹ When it was late that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them: “May you have peace.”m ²⁰ After saying this, he showed them his hands and his side.n Then the disciples rejoiced at seeing the Lord.o ²¹ Jesus said to them again: “May you have peace.p Just as the Father has sent me,q I also am sending you.”r ²² After saying this he blew on them and said to them: “Receive holy spirit.s ²³ If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven; if you retain those of anyone, they are retained.” ²⁴ But Thomas,t one of the Twelve,u who was called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples were telling him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print* of the nails and stick my hand into his side,v I will never believe it.”w ²⁶ Well, eight days later his disciples were again indoors, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and he stood in their midst and said: “May you have peace.”x ²⁷ Next he said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands, and take your hand and stick it into my side, and stop doubting* but believe.” ²⁸ In answer Thomas said to him: “My Lord and my God!”y ²⁹ Jesus said to him: “Because you have seen me, have you believed? Happy are those who have not seen and yet believe.”z ³⁰ To be sure, Jesus also performed many other signs before the disciples, which are not written down in this scroll.a ³¹ But these have been written down so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and because of believing, you may have life by means of his name.b

John 20

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NWT | According to John 21:1-25

NWT | According to John 21:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to John 21:1-25

21 After this Jesus manifested himself* again to the disciples, at the Sea of Ti·beʹri·as. He made the manifestation in this way. ² There were together Simon Peter, Thomas (who was called the Twin),+ Na·thanʹa·el+ from Caʹna of Galʹi·lee, the sons of Zebʹe·dee,+ and two others of his disciples. ³ Simon Peter said to them: “I am going fishing.” They said to him: “We are coming with you.” They went out and got aboard the boat, but during that night they caught nothing.+ ⁴ However, just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the beach, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.+ ⁵ Then Jesus said to them: “Children, you do not have anything to eat, do you?” They answered: “No!” ⁶ He said to them: “Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” So they cast it, but they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish.+ ⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved+ said to Peter: “It is the Lord!” Now Simon Peter, on hearing that it was the Lord, put on* his outer garment, for he was naked, and plunged into the sea. ⁸ But the other disciples came in the small boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not a long way from land, only about 300 feet away. ⁹ When they came ashore, they saw there a charcoal fire with fish lying on it and bread. ¹⁰ Jesus said to them: “Bring some of the fish you just now caught.” ¹¹ So Simon Peter went on board and hauled the net ashore full of big fish, 153 of them. And though there were so many, the net did not burst. ¹² Jesus said to them: “Come, have your breakfast.”+ Not one of the disciples had the courage to ask him: “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the same with the fish. ¹⁴ This was now the third time+ that Jesus appeared to the disciples after being raised up from the dead. ¹⁵ When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter: “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He replied to him: “Yes, Lord, you know I have affection for you.” He said to him: “Feed my lambs.”+ ¹⁶ Again he said to him a second time: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He replied: “Yes, Lord, you know I have affection for you.” He said to him: “Shepherd my little sheep.”+ ¹⁷ He said to him a third time: “Simon son of John, do you have affection for me?” Peter became grieved that he asked him the third time: “Do you have affection for me?” So he said to him: “Lord, you are aware of all things; you know that I have affection for you.” Jesus said to him: “Feed my little sheep.+ ¹⁸ Most truly I say to you, when you were younger, you used to clothe yourself and walk about where you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another man will clothe you and carry you where you do not wish.”+ ¹⁹ He said this to indicate by what sort of death he would glorify God. After he said this, he said to him: “Continue following me.”+ ²⁰ Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved+ following, the one who at the evening meal had also leaned back on his chest and said: “Lord, who is the one betraying you?” ²¹ So when he caught sight of him, Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, what about this man?” ²² Jesus said to him: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you? You continue following me.” ²³ So the saying went out among the brothers that this disciple would not die. However, Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but he said: “If it is my will for him to remain until I come, of what concern is that to you?” ²⁴ This is the disciple+ who gives this witness about these things and who wrote these things, and we know that his witness is true.+ ²⁵ There are also, in fact, many other things that Jesus did, which if ever they were written in full detail, I suppose the world itself could not contain the scrolls written.+

Footnotes

^ Or “appeared.”

^ Or “wrapped around himself; girded about himself.”

Study Notes

Children: Or “Young children.” The Greek word pai·diʹon (diminutive of pais, “child”) is an endearing form of address that may indicate a fatherly interest. Here it is used as an affectionate expression of friendship.

anything to eat: Or “any fish.” The Greek word pro·sphaʹgi·on occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. In non-Biblical texts, it describes something that can be eaten with bread. In this context, used in a question addressed to a group of fishermen, it obviously refers to fish.

naked: Or “not sufficiently dressed.” The Greek word gy·mnosʹ can have the meaning “lightly clad; in the undergarment only.”—Jas 2:15, ftn.

the disciple whom Jesus loved: That is, the one whom Jesus especially loved. This is the fourth of five occurrences mentioning a certain disciple “whom Jesus [or “he”] loved” or “for whom Jesus had affection.” (Joh 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20) It is generally believed that this disciple was the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James.—Mt 4:21; Mr 1:19; Lu 5:10; Joh 21:2; the reasons for this identification are given in the study notes on Joh 13:23; 21:20.

naked: Or “lightly clad.” The Greek word gy·mnosʹ can have the meaning “lightly clad; in the undergarment only.”—Jas 2:15, ftn.; see study note on Mt 25:36.

about 300 feet: About 90 m. Lit., “about 200 cubits.” The Greek word peʹkhys (rendered “cubit(s)” at Mt 6:27; Lu 12:25; Re 21:17) refers to a short measure that is roughly the distance from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger. The Israelites commonly used a cubit of about 44.5 cm (17.5 in.).—See Glossary, “Cubit,” and App. B14.

Jesus said to Simon Peter: This conversation between Jesus and Peter took place shortly after Peter had denied Jesus three times. Jesus asked three probing questions about Peter’s feelings for him, to the point that “Peter became grieved.” (Joh 21:17) John’s account recorded at Joh 21:15-17 uses two different Greek verbs: a·ga·paʹo, rendered love, and phi·leʹo, rendered have affection. Twice Jesus asked Peter: “Do you love me?” Both times Peter earnestly affirmed that he had “affection” for Jesus. Finally, Jesus asked: “Do you have affection for me?” Again Peter asserted that he did. Each time Peter affirmed his love, Jesus emphasized that this love and affection should motivate Peter to feed and “shepherd” Jesus’ disciples spiritually, here referred to as his lambs, or “little sheep.” (Joh 21:16, 17; 1Pe 5:1-3) Jesus allowed Peter to confirm his love three times and then entrusted him with the responsibility to care for the sheep. In this way, Jesus dispelled any doubts that he had forgiven Peter for denying him three times.

John: According to some ancient manuscripts, the father of the apostle Peter is here called John. In other ancient manuscripts, he is called Jona. At Mt 16:17, Jesus addresses Peter as “Simon son of Jonah.” (See study note on Mt 16:17.) According to some scholars, the Greek forms of the names John and Jona(h) may be different spellings of the same Hebrew name.

do you love me more than these?: Grammatically, the phrase “more than these” can be understood in more than one way. Some scholars prefer such a meaning as “do you love me more than you love these other disciples?” or “do you love me more than these disciples love me?” However, the likely meaning is “do you love me more than these things?” that is, the fish they caught or the things connected with the fishing business. So the overall idea of the verse seems to be: ‘Do you love me more than material things or pursuits? If so, feed my lambs.’ The question would be appropriate in view of Peter’s past. Although Peter was one of Jesus’ first disciples (Joh 1:35-42), he did not immediately follow Jesus full-time. Rather, he returned to his fishing. Some months later, Jesus called Peter away from that substantial business to become a ‘fisher of men.’ (Mt 4:18-20; Lu 5:1-11) Shortly after Jesus’ death, Peter announced that he was going fishing, and other apostles joined him. (Joh 21:2, 3) So it seems likely that Jesus is here driving home to Peter the need for making a decisive choice: Would he put first in his life a career in the fishing business, represented by the fish piled before them, or would he give priority to the work of spiritually feeding Jesus’ lambs, or followers?—Joh 21:4-8.

son of Jonah: Or “Bar-jonah.” Many Hebrew names included the Hebrew word ben or the Aramaic word bar, both meaning “son,” followed by the name of the father as a surname. The use of the Aramaic loanword bar in several proper names, such as Bartholomew, Bartimaeus, Barnabas, and Bar-Jesus, is evidence of the influence of Aramaic on the Hebrew spoken in Jesus’ day.

love . . . have affection: See study note on Joh 21:15.

little sheep: The Greek word pro·baʹti·on, here and in verse 17 rendered “little sheep,” is the diminutive form of the Greek word for “sheep.” In the Christian Greek Scriptures, diminutives are often used to indicate affection and familiarity.—See Glossary, “Diminutive.”

a third time: Peter had denied his Lord three times; Jesus now gave him the opportunity to affirm his feelings three times. As Peter did so, Jesus told him to show that love and affection by putting sacred service ahead of all else. Along with other responsible brothers, Peter would feed, strengthen, and shepherd Christ’s flock of faithful followers. These ones were anointed but still needed to be fed spiritually.—Lu 22:32.

the one who . . . leaned back on his chest: See study note on Joh 13:23.

until I come: These words may have given the other apostles the impression that the apostle John would outlive them. In fact, he served faithfully for almost another 70 years and was likely the last apostle to die. Also, the expression “until I come” may have reminded Jesus’ disciples of his reference to “the Son of man coming in his Kingdom.” (Mt 16:28) In a sense, John did remain until Jesus came. Near the end of John’s life, while in exile on the isle of Patmos, he received the Revelation with all its amazing prophetic signs of events that were to occur during “the Lord’s day” when Jesus would come in Kingdom power. John was so deeply moved by these spectacular visions that when Jesus said: “Yes; I am coming quickly,” John exclaimed: “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus.”—Re 1:1, 9, 10; 22:20.

the world: The Greek word koʹsmos is closely linked with mankind in secular Greek literature and particularly in the Bible. (See study note on Joh 1:10.) In secular Greek writings, however, the term was also used to refer to the universe and to creation in general. It is possible that Paul, who was trying to establish common ground with his Greek audience, here used the term in that sense.

many other things that Jesus did: Using hyperbole, John wrote that the world itself would not have room for all the scrolls (the book style then used) needed to record every detail about Jesus’ life and ministry. The Greek term John used for “world” (koʹsmos) could have been understood in the broad sense of the whole human society (with its then existing libraries), though it was sometimes used in secular Greek writings to refer to the whole universe, that is, the greatest space conceivable. (Compare study note on Ac 17:24.) John’s point was that much more could have been written, but there is enough in John’s “scroll” and the other inspired Scriptures to prove beyond doubt that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” (Joh 20:30, 31) John’s relatively brief written record reveals a beautiful portrait of God’s Son.

Media

Remains of a Galilean Fishing Boat

A 1985/1986 drought caused the water level in the Sea of Galilee to fall, exposing part of the hull of an ancient boat that was buried in the mud. The remains of the boat are 8.2 m (27 ft) long and 2.3 m (7.5 ft) wide and have a maximum height of 1.3 m (4.3 ft). Archaeologists say that the boat was built sometime between the first century B.C.E. and the first century C.E. This video animation reconstructs the boat, which is now displayed in a museum in Israel, showing what it may have looked like as it traversed the waters some 2,000 years ago.

First-Century Fishing Boat

This rendering is based on the remains of a first-century fishing boat found buried in mud near the shores of the Sea of Galilee and on a mosaic discovered in a first-century home in the seaside town of Migdal. This kind of boat may have been rigged with a mast and sail(s) and may have had a crew of five—four oarsmen and one helmsman, who stood on a small deck at the stern. The boat was approximately 8 m (26.5 ft) long and at midpoint was about 2.5 m (8 ft) wide and 1.25 m (4 ft) deep. It seems that it could carry 13 or more men.

Fish of the Sea of Galilee

The Bible contains many references to fish, fishing, and fishermen in connection with the Sea of Galilee. About 18 species of fish live in the Sea of Galilee. Of that number, only about ten have been sought by fishermen. These ten can be divided into three commercially important groups. One group is the binny, also known as the barbel (Barbus longiceps is shown) (1). Its three species display barbs at the corners of the mouth; hence, its Semitic name biny, meaning “hair.” It feeds on mollusks, snails, and small fish. The longheaded barbel reaches a length of 75 cm (30 in.) and can weigh over 7 kg (15 lb). The second group is called musht (Tilapia galilea is shown) (2), which means “comb” in Arabic, because its five species display a comblike dorsal fin. One variety of musht reaches a length of about 45 cm (18 in.) and can weigh some 2 kg (4.5 lb). The third group is the Kinneret sardine (Acanthobrama terrae sanctae is shown) (3), which resembles a small herring. From ancient times, this fish has been preserved by pickling.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

John 21

English

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

According to Luke

According to Luke somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | According to Luke 01:1-80

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According to Luke 1:1-80

1 Seeing that many have undertaken to compile an account of the facts that are given full credence among us,+ ² just as these were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses+ and attendants of the message,+ ³ I resolved also, because I have traced all things from the start with accuracy, to write them to you in logical order,+ most excellent The·ophʹi·lus,+ ⁴ so that you may know fully the certainty of the things that you have been taught orally.+ ⁵ In the days of Herod,+ king of Ju·deʹa, there was a priest named Zech·a·riʹah of the division of A·biʹjah.+ His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶ They both were righteous before God, walking blamelessly in accord with all the commandments and legal requirements of Jehovah. ⁷ But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well along in years.+ ⁸ Now as he was serving as priest in the assignment of his division+ before God, ⁹ according to the established practice* of the priesthood it became his turn to offer incense+ when he entered into the sanctuary of Jehovah.+ ¹⁰ And the entire multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of offering incense. ¹¹ Jehovah’s angel appeared to him, standing at the right side of the incense altar. ¹² But Zech·a·riʹah became troubled at the sight, and he was overcome with fear. ¹³ However, the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zech·a·riʹah, because your supplication has been favorably heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to name him John.+ ¹⁴ You will have joy and great gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth,+ ¹⁵ for he will be great in the sight of Jehovah.+ But he must drink no wine or any alcoholic drink at all,+ and he will be filled with holy spirit even from before birth,*+ ¹⁶ and he will turn back many of the sons of Israel to Jehovah their God.+ ¹⁷ Also, he will go ahead of him with E·liʹjah’s spirit and power,+ to turn back the hearts of fathers to children+ and the disobedient ones to the practical wisdom of righteous ones, in order to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people.”+ ¹⁸ Zech·a·riʹah said to the angel: “How can I be sure of this? For I am old, and my wife is well along in years.”+ ¹⁹ In reply the angel said to him: “I am Gaʹbri·el,+ who stands near before God,+ and I was sent to speak with you and to declare this good news to you. ²⁰ But look! you will be silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place,+ because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their appointed time.” ²¹ Meanwhile, the people continued waiting for Zech·a·riʹah, and they were surprised that he delayed so long in the sanctuary. ²² When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had just seen a supernatural sight* in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them but remained speechless. ²³ When the days of his holy service were completed, he went off to his home. ²⁴ Some days later Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself secluded for five months, saying: ²⁵ “This is how Jehovah has dealt with me in these days. He has turned his attention to me to take away my reproach among men.”+ ²⁶ In her sixth month, the angel Gaʹbri·el+ was sent from God to a city of Galʹi·lee named Nazʹa·reth, ²⁷ to a virgin+ promised in marriage to a man named Joseph of David’s house, and the name of the virgin was Mary.+ ²⁸ And coming in, the angel said to her: “Greetings, you highly favored one, Jehovah is with you.” ²⁹ But she was deeply disturbed at his words and tried to understand what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ So the angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And look! you will become pregnant* and give birth to a son,+ and you are to name him Jesus.+ ³² This one will be great+ and will be called Son of the Most High,+ and Jehovah God will give him the throne of David his father,+ ³³ and he will rule as King over the house of Jacob forever, and there will be no end to his Kingdom.”+ ³⁴ But Mary said to the angel: “How is this to be, since I am not having sexual relations with a man?”+ ³⁵ In answer the angel said to her: “Holy spirit will come upon you,+ and power of the Most High will overshadow you. And for that reason the one who is born will be called holy,+ God’s Son.+ ³⁶ And look! Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son, in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her, the so-called barren woman; ³⁷ for no declaration will be impossible for God.”+ ³⁸ Then Mary said: “Look! Jehovah’s slave girl! May it happen to me according to your declaration.” At that the angel departed from her. ³⁹ So Mary set out in those days and traveled with haste into the mountainous country, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰ and she entered the home of Zech·a·riʹah and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ Well, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant in her womb leaped, and Elizabeth was filled with holy spirit ⁴² and loudly cried out: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruitage of your womb! ⁴³ So how is it that this privilege is mine, to have the mother of my Lord come to me? ⁴⁴ For look! as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Happy too is she who believed, for there will be a complete fulfillment of those things spoken to her from Jehovah.” ⁴⁶ And Mary said: “My soul magnifies Jehovah,+ ⁴⁷ and my spirit cannot keep from being overjoyed at God my Savior,+ ⁴⁸ because he has looked upon the low position of his slave girl.+ For look! from now on all generations will declare me happy,+ ⁴⁹ because the powerful One has done great deeds for me, and holy is his name,+ ⁵⁰ and for generation after generation his mercy is upon those who fear him.+ ⁵¹ He has acted mightily with his arm;+ he has scattered those who are haughty in the intention of their hearts.+ ⁵² He has brought down powerful men from thrones+ and has exalted lowly ones;+ ⁵³ he has fully satisfied hungry ones with good things+ and has sent away empty-handed those who had wealth. ⁵⁴ He has come to the aid of Israel his servant, remembering his mercy,+ ⁵⁵ just as he spoke to our forefathers, to Abraham and to his offspring,*+ forever.” ⁵⁶ Mary stayed with her about three months and then returned to her own home. ⁵⁷ The time now came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ And the neighbors and her relatives heard that Jehovah had magnified his mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.+ ⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the young child,+ and they were going to name him after his father, Zech·a·riʹah. ⁶⁰ But his mother said in reply: “No! but he will be called John.” ⁶¹ At this they said to her: “Not one of your relatives is called by this name.” ⁶² Then they asked his father by signs what he wanted him to be called. ⁶³ So he asked for a tablet and wrote: “John is his name.”+ At this they were all amazed. ⁶⁴ Instantly his mouth was opened and his tongue was set free and he began to speak,+ praising God. ⁶⁵ And fear fell upon all those living in their neighborhood, and all these things began to be talked about in the whole mountainous country of Ju·deʹa. ⁶⁶ And all who heard noted it in their hearts, saying: “What will this young child turn out to be?” For the hand of Jehovah was indeed with him. ⁶⁷ Then Zech·a·riʹah his father was filled with holy spirit, and he prophesied, saying: ⁶⁸ “Let Jehovah be praised, the God of Israel,+ because he has turned his attention to his people and has brought them deliverance.+ ⁶⁹ And he has raised up a horn of salvation+ for us in the house of David his servant,+ ⁷⁰ just as he has spoken through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,+ ⁷¹ of a salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those hating us;+ ⁷² to show mercy in connection with our forefathers and to call to mind his holy covenant,+ ⁷³ the oath that he swore to Abraham our forefather,+ ⁷⁴ to grant us, after we have been rescued from the hands of enemies, the privilege of fearlessly rendering sacred service to him ⁷⁵ with loyalty and righteousness before him all our days. ⁷⁶ But as for you, young child, you will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will go ahead of Jehovah to prepare his ways,+ ⁷⁷ to give knowledge of salvation to his people by forgiveness of their sins,+ ⁷⁸ because of the tender compassion of our God. With this compassion a daybreak will visit us from on high,+ ⁷⁹ to give light to those sitting in darkness and death’s shadow+ and to guide our feet in the way of peace.” ⁸⁰ And the young child grew up and became strong in spirit, and he continued in the desert until the day he showed himself openly to Israel.

Footnotes

^ Or “the custom.”

^ Or “right from his mother’s womb.”

^ Or “a vision.”

^ Or “will conceive in your womb.”

^ Lit., “seed.”

Study Notes

Luke: The Greek form of the name is Lou·kasʹ, from the Latin name Lucas. Luke, the writer of this Gospel and of Acts of Apostles, was a physician and a faithful companion to the apostle Paul. (Col 4:14; see also “Introduction to Luke.”) Because of his Greek name and his style of writing, some have claimed that Luke was not a Jew. Also, at Col 4:10-14, Paul first speaks of “those circumcised” and later mentions Luke. However, that claim runs contrary to the indication at Ro 3:1, 2, which says that the Jews “were entrusted with the sacred pronouncements of God.” Therefore, Luke may have been a Greek-speaking Jew with a Greek name.

According to Luke: None of the Gospel writers identify themselves as such in their accounts, and titles are evidently not part of the original text. In some manuscripts of Luke’s Gospel, the title appears as Eu·ag·geʹli·on Ka·taʹ Lou·kanʹ (“Good News [or, “Gospel”] According to Luke”), whereas in others a shorter title, Ka·taʹ Lou·kanʹ (“According to Luke”), is used. It is not clear exactly when such titles were added or began to be used. Some suggest the second century C.E., since examples of the longer title have been found in Gospel manuscripts that have been dated to the end of the second century or early third century. According to some scholars, the opening words of Mark’s book (“The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God”) may have been the reason why the term “gospel” (lit., “good news”) came to be used to describe these accounts. The use of such titles along with the name of the writer may have come about for practical reasons, providing a clear means of identification of the books.

that are given full credence: The Greek expression could also be rendered “that are given full credibility.” It highlights that the facts had been thoroughly examined. Combining this with the expression among us indicates that there was full conviction among Christians that all things connected with Christ had been fulfilled and had proved true and were worthy of being accepted with confidence. Therefore, some translations use such phrases as “that have been fully believed among us.” In other contexts, forms of the same Greek word are rendered “fully convinced” and “with firm conviction.”—Ro 4:21; 14:5; Col 4:12.

attendants of the message: Or “servants of the word.” Two translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew (referred to as J^{18, 22} in App. C) here use the Tetragrammaton and read “servants of Jehovah’s word.”

traced: Or “carefully investigated.” Luke was not an eyewitness to the events he recorded. So in addition to being inspired by holy spirit, he evidently based his account on the following sources: (1) Written records available to him as he compiled Jesus’ genealogy. (Lu 3:23-38) (2) The inspired account penned by Matthew. (3) Personal interviews with many eyewitnesses (Lu 1:2), such as the surviving disciples and possibly Jesus’ mother, Mary. Nearly 60 percent of the material in Luke’s Gospel is unique to his account.—See “Introduction to Luke.”

in logical order: Or “in an orderly sequence.” The Greek expression ka·the·xesʹ, rendered “in logical order,” can refer to sequence of time, topic, or logic, but it does not necessarily denote strict chronological order. That Luke did not always record the events in chronological sequence is evident from Lu 3:18-21. Therefore, all four Gospel accounts need to be examined to establish the order of events during Jesus’ life and ministry. Luke generally related events in chronological order, but he evidently allowed other factors to influence his systematic presentation of events and topics.

most excellent: The Greek word for “most excellent” (kraʹti·stos) is used in an official sense when addressing high officials. (Ac 23:26; 24:3; 26:25) Therefore, some scholars feel that this term may indicate that Theophilus held a high position before becoming a Christian. Others understand the Greek term to be simply a friendly or polite form of address or an expression of high esteem. Theophilus was evidently a Christian, for he had already been “taught orally” about Jesus Christ and his ministry. (Lu 1:4) Luke’s written statement would have served to assure him of the certainty of what he had previously learned by word of mouth. However, there are other views on this matter. Some feel that Theophilus was at first an interested person who later converted, whereas others feel that the name, meaning “Loved by God; Friend of God,” was used as a pseudonym for Christians in general. When addressing Theophilus at the beginning of Acts of Apostles, Luke does not use the expression “most excellent.”—Ac 1:1.

his turn to offer incense: High Priest Aaron initially offered the incense on the golden altar. (Ex 30:7) However, his son Eleazar was given oversight of the incense and other tabernacle items. (Nu 4:16) Zechariah, who was an underpriest, is here described as burning the incense, so it appears that handling this service, except on the Day of Atonement, was not restricted to the high priest. The burning of incense may have been considered the most esteemed of the daily services at the temple. It was done after the sacrifice was offered, and during that time, the people would be gathered for prayer outside the sanctuary. According to Rabbinic tradition, lots were drawn for this service but a priest who had previously officiated was not allowed to do so again unless all present had performed the service before. If this is so, a priest might have the honor only once in a lifetime.

Herod: Refers to Herod the Great.—See Glossary.

Zechariah: From the Hebrew name meaning “Jehovah Has Remembered.” Some Bible translations use “Zacharias,” reflecting the Greek form of the name.

the division of Abijah: Abijah was a priestly descendant of Aaron. In King David’s day, Abijah was recognized as head of one of the paternal houses of Israel. David divided the priesthood into 24 divisions, each to serve at the sanctuary in Jerusalem for a one-week period every six months. The paternal house of Abijah was chosen by lot to head the eighth division. (1Ch 24:3-10) “The division of Abijah” did not necessarily have to do with the line of descent of Zechariah but with the priestly division with which Zechariah was assigned to serve.—See study note on Lu 1:9.

Abijah: From the Hebrew name meaning “My Father Is Jehovah.”

Elizabeth: The Greek name E·lei·saʹbet comes from the Hebrew name ʼE·li·sheʹvaʽ (Elisheba), meaning “My God Is Plenty; God of Plenty.” Elizabeth was from the daughters of Aaron, that is, a descendant of Aaron, so John’s parents were both of priestly descent.

Jehovah: In this translation, this is the first occurrence of the divine name in the Gospel of Luke. Although existing Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, there are good reasons to believe that the divine name was originally used in this verse and later replaced with the title Lord. (See App. C1 and C3 introduction; Lu 1:6.) The first two chapters of Luke’s account are rich with references to and allusions to expressions and passages in the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name occurs. For example, the phrase commandments and legal requirements and similar combinations of legal terms can be found in the Hebrew Scriptures in contexts where the divine name is used or where Jehovah is speaking.—Ge 26:2, 5; Nu 36:13; De 4:40; 27:10; Eze 36:23, 27.

temple: The Greek word na·osʹ used here can refer to the entire complex, including its courtyards, and not only to the inner sanctuary of the temple itself.

sanctuary: The Greek word na·osʹ here refers to the central edifice with its Holy and Most Holy compartments.

sanctuary: In this context, the Greek word na·osʹ refers to the central temple building. When it was Zechariah’s “turn to offer incense,” he had to enter the Holy, the first compartment of the sanctuary, where the altar of incense was located.—See study notes on Mt 27:5; 27:51 and App. B11.

the sanctuary of Jehovah: As mentioned in the study note on Lu 1:6, the first two chapters of Luke’s account are rich with references to and allusions to passages and expressions in the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name occurs. For example, expressions corresponding to the combination “sanctuary [or “temple”] of Jehovah” often include the Tetragrammaton. (Nu 19:20; 2Ki 18:16; 23:4; 24:13; 2Ch 26:16; 27:2; Jer 24:1; Eze 8:16; Hag 2:15) As explained in App. C1, there are good reasons to believe that the divine name was originally used in this verse and later replaced with the title Lord. Therefore, the name Jehovah is used in the main text.—See App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:9.

Jehovah’s angel: Starting at Ge 16:7, this phrase is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “angel” and the Tetragrammaton. When it occurs at Zec 3:5, 6 in an early copy of the Septuagint, the Greek word agʹge·los (angel; messenger) is followed by the divine name written in Hebrew characters. This fragment, found in a cave in Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert, is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. The reasons why the New World Translation uses the expression “Jehovah’s angel” in the main text, although available Greek manuscripts of Lu 1:11 read “Lord’s angel,” are explained in App. C1 and C3.

John: The English equivalent of the Hebrew name Jehohanan or Johanan, meaning “Jehovah Has Shown Favor; Jehovah Has Been Gracious.”

John: See study note on Mt 3:1.

in the sight of Jehovah: The Greek expression e·noʹpi·on Ky·riʹou (lit., “in sight of [before] Lord”) reflects a Hebrew idiom and occurs over 100 times in existing copies of the Septuagint as a translation of Hebrew phrases where the Tetragrammaton is used in the original text. (Jg 11:11; 1Sa 10:19; 2Sa 5:3; 6:5) The Hebrew Scripture background for this expression is an indication that Kyʹri·os is here used as a substitute for the divine name.—See App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:15.

holy spirit: Or “holy active force.”—See Glossary, “Holy spirit”; “Spirit.”

Jehovah: The angel’s message to Zechariah (vss. 13-17) strongly reflects language used in the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, the combination of Kyʹri·os (Lord) and The·osʹ (God) along with a personal pronoun (here rendered Jehovah their God) is common in quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures. (Compare the expression “Jehovah your God” at Lu 4:8, 12; 10:27.) In the Hebrew Scriptures, the combination “Jehovah their God” occurs over 30 times, whereas the expression “the Lord their God” is never used. Also, the term the sons of Israel reflects a Hebrew idiom used many times in the Hebrew Scriptures, meaning “the people of Israel” or “the Israelites.”—Ge 36:31; ftn.; see App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:16.

Elijah’s: From the Hebrew name meaning “My God Is Jehovah.”

to turn back the hearts of fathers to children: This expression, quoting a prophecy at Mal 4:6, is not foretelling a general reconciliation between fathers and their children. Rather, John’s message would move fathers to repent, changing their hard hearts into humble, teachable hearts, like those of obedient children. Some would become children of God. Malachi similarly foretold that the hearts of sons would turn back to fathers, meaning that repentant men would become more like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, their faithful forefathers.

get ready for Jehovah a prepared people: The angel’s words to Zechariah (vss. 13-17) contain allusions to such verses as Mal 3:1; 4:5, 6; and Isa 40:3, where the divine name is used. (See study notes on Lu 1:15, 16.) An expression similar to the Greek phrase for to get ready . . . a people can be found in the Septuagint at 2Sa 7:24, where the Hebrew text reads: “You established your people Israel . . . , O Jehovah.”—See App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:17.

the good news: First occurrence of the Greek word eu·ag·geʹli·on, rendered “gospel” in some English Bibles. A related Greek expression eu·ag·ge·li·stesʹ, rendered “evangelizer,” means “a proclaimer of good news.”—Ac 21:8; Eph 4:11, ftn.; 2Ti 4:5, ftn.

this good news: The Greek word eu·ag·geʹli·on is derived from the words eu, meaning “good; well” and agʹge·los, “one who brings news; one who proclaims (announces).” (See Glossary.) It is rendered “gospel” in some English Bibles. The related expression rendered “evangelizer” (Greek, eu·ag·ge·li·stesʹ) means “a proclaimer of good news.”—Ac 21:8; Eph 4:11, ftn.; 2Ti 4:5, ftn.

is preached in all the world: Similar to his prophecy at Mt 24:14, Jesus here foretells that the good news would be proclaimed in all the world and would include this woman’s act of devotion. God inspired three Gospel writers to mention what she did.—Mr 14:8, 9; Joh 12:7; see study note on Mt 24:14.

Gabriel: From the Hebrew name meaning “A Strong (Able-Bodied) One of God.” (Da 8:15, 16) Other than Michael, Gabriel is the only angel named in the Bible and the only materialized angel to reveal his own name.

declare this good news: The Greek verb eu·ag·ge·liʹzo·mai is related to the noun eu·ag·geʹli·on, “good news.” The angel Gabriel is here acting as an evangelizer.—See study notes on Mt 4:23; 24:14; 26:13.

holy service: Or “public service.” The Greek word lei·tour·giʹa used here and the related words lei·tour·geʹo (to render public service) and lei·tour·gosʹ (public servant, or worker) were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to refer to work or service for the State or for civil authorities and done for the benefit of the people. For example, at Ro 13:6, the secular authorities are called God’s “public servants” (plural form of lei·tour·gosʹ) in the sense that they provide beneficial services for the people. The term as used here by Luke reflects the usage found in the Septuagint, where the verb and noun forms of this expression frequently refer to the temple service of the priests and Levites. (Ex 28:35; Nu 8:22) Service performed at the temple included the idea of a public service for the benefit of the people. However, it also included holiness, since the Levitical priests taught God’s Law and offered sacrifices that covered the sins of the people.—2Ch 15:3; Mal 2:7.

how Jehovah has dealt with me: Or “what Jehovah has done for me.” Here Elizabeth expresses her gratitude in a way that may bring to mind Sarah’s experience as described at Ge 21:1, in which verse the divine name occurs. Elizabeth’s comment about how her reproach of being childless has been taken away echoes the words of Rachel, recorded at Ge 30:23.—See App. C1 and C3 introduction; Lu 1:25.

In her sixth month: That is, the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, as shown by the context, verses 24 and 25. Lit., “In the sixth month.”

promised in marriage: Among the Hebrews, to be “promised in marriage,” or engaged, was a binding arrangement. An engaged couple was viewed as already married, although the man and the woman did not begin living together as husband and wife until the wedding formalities were completed.

promised in marriage: See study note on Mt 1:18.

Mary: Corresponding to the Hebrew name “Miriam.” Six women in the Christian Greek Scriptures are named Mary: (1) Mary the mother of Jesus, (2) Mary Magdalene (Mt 27:56; Lu 8:2; 24:10), (3) Mary the mother of James and Joses (Mt 27:56; Lu 24:10), (4) Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus (Lu 10:39; Joh 11:1), (5) Mary the mother of John Mark (Ac 12:12), and (6) Mary of Rome (Ro 16:6). In Jesus’ day, Mary was one of the most common female names.

Jehovah is with you: This and similar phrases that include the divine name often occur in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Ru 2:4; 2Sa 7:3; 2Ch 15:2; Jer 1:19) The angel’s greeting to Mary is similar to the words used when Jehovah’s angel addressed Gideon at Jg 6:12: “Jehovah is with you, you mighty warrior.”—See App. C1 and C3 introduction; Lu 1:28.

Jesus: Corresponds to the Hebrew name Jeshua or Joshua, a shortened form of Jehoshua, meaning “Jehovah Is Salvation.”

Jesus: See study note on Mt 1:21.

Jehovah God: As mentioned in the study note on Lu 1:6, the first two chapters of Luke’s account are rich with references to and allusions to passages and expressions in the Hebrew Scriptures where the divine name occurs. The angel’s words about the throne of David are an allusion to the promise at 2Sa 7:12, 13, 16, where Jehovah is speaking to David through the prophet Nathan and where the Tetragrammaton occurs several times in the immediate context. (2Sa 7:4-16) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the expression here rendered “Jehovah God” and similar combinations occur mainly in quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures or in passages reflecting Hebrew language style.—See study note on Lu 1:16 and App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:32.

your relative: This form of the Greek term (spelled syg·ge·nisʹ) occurs only once in the Christian Greek Scriptures, but another spelling (syg·ge·nesʹ) of the word is used in other verses. (Lu 1:58; 21:16; Ac 10:24; Ro 9:3) Both terms refer to a relative in general, someone belonging to the same extended family or clan. So Mary and Elizabeth were related, but the exact relationship is not specified. Zechariah and Elizabeth were of the tribe of Levi and Joseph and Mary were of the tribe of Judah, so the relationship may not have been close.

no declaration will be impossible for God: Or “no word from God will ever fail.” Or possibly, “nothing will be impossible for God.” The Greek word rheʹma, rendered “declaration,” can refer to “a word; a saying; a declaration.” Or it can refer to “a thing; the thing spoken of,” whether an event, an action described, or the result of what has been declared. Although the Greek text could be rendered in different ways, the overall meaning remains the same, namely, that nothing is impossible as far as God is concerned or with respect to any of his promises. The wording here is similar to the Septuagint rendering of Ge 18:14, where Jehovah assured Abraham that his wife, Sarah, would give birth to Isaac in her old age.

Look! Jehovah’s slave girl!: With these words, Mary echoes expressions of other servants of Jehovah mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, Hannah says in her prayer recorded at 1Sa 1:11: “O Jehovah of armies, if you look upon the affliction of your servant [or, “slave girl”].” At 1Sa 1:11, the Septuagint uses the same Greek word for “slave girl” as is used in Luke’s account.—See App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:38.

traveled . . . into the mountainous country: From Mary’s home in Nazareth, this trip into the Judean hills might have taken three or four days, depending on where the city of Zechariah and Elizabeth was located. The distance may have been 100 km (60 mi) or more.

the fruitage of your womb: Or “the child in your womb.” The Greek word for “fruit; fruitage” (kar·posʹ) is here used figuratively together with the term rendered “womb” to refer to an unborn child. The whole expression reflects a Hebrew idiom that refers to offspring as a “fruit; fruitage,” or product, of human reproduction.—Ge 30:2, ftn.; De 7:13, ftn.; 28:4, ftn.; Ps 127:3; 132:11, ftn.; Isa 13:18; La 2:20, ftn.

from Jehovah: The things spoken to Mary by the angel had their origin with Jehovah God. The Greek expression pa·raʹ Ky·riʹou, here rendered “from Jehovah,” occurs in existing copies of the Septuagint as a translation of Hebrew expressions in which the divine name is typically used.—Ge 24:50; Jg 14:4; 1Sa 1:20; Isa 21:10; Jer 11:1; 18:1; 21:1; see App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:45.

And Mary said: Mary’s words of praise that follow in verses 46-55 contain well over 20 references to or allusions to the Hebrew Scriptures. Many of her expressions echo words of the prayer of Hannah, Samuel’s mother, who also received a blessing from Jehovah in the matter of childbirth. (1Sa 2:1-10) Some other examples of expressions referred to or alluded to can be found at Ps 35:9; Hab 3:18; Isa 61:10 (vs. 47); Ge 30:13; Mal 3:12 (vs. 48); De 10:21; Ps 111:9 (vs. 49); Job 12:19 (vs. 52); Ps 107:9 (vs. 53); Isa 41:8, 9; Ps 98:3 (vs. 54); Mic 7:20; Isa 41:8; 2Sa 22:51 (vs. 55). Mary’s words give evidence of her spirituality and her knowledge of the Scriptures. They show her appreciative attitude. Her words also reveal the depth of her faith, as she spoke of Jehovah as abasing the haughty and powerful and as helping the lowly and poor who seek to serve him.

My soul: Or “My whole being.” The Greek word psy·kheʹ, traditionally rendered “soul,” here refers to a person’s entire being. In this context, “my soul” can also be rendered “I.”—See Glossary, “Soul.”

My soul magnifies Jehovah: Or “My soul praises (proclaims) the greatness of Jehovah.” These words of Mary may echo passages in the Hebrew Scriptures, such as Ps 34:3 and 69:30, where the divine name is used in the same verse or in the context. (Ps 69:31) In these verses, the same Greek word for “magnify” (me·ga·lyʹno) is used in the Septuagint.—See study note on And Mary said in this verse and study notes on Lu 1:6, 25, 38 and App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:46.

that Jehovah had magnified his mercy to her: This expression reflects the wording of verses in the Hebrew Scriptures, including Ge 19:18-20, where Lot addresses Jehovah by saying: “Jehovah! . . . You are showing great kindness to me [lit., “You are magnifying your kindness”].”—See App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:58.

hand of Jehovah: This phrase, as well as “Jehovah’s hand,” is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “hand” and the Tetragrammaton. (Some examples are found at Ex 9:3; Nu 11:23; Jg 2:15; Ru 1:13; 1Sa 5:6, 9; 7:13; 12:15; 1Ki 18:46; Ezr 7:6; Job 12:9; Isa 19:16; 40:2; Eze 1:3.) In the Bible, the term “hand” is often used figuratively for “power.” Since the hand applies the power of the arm, “hand” may also convey the idea of “applied power.” The Greek expression rendered “the hand of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s hand”) also occurs at Lu 1:66 and Ac 13:11.—See study notes on Lu 1:6, 66 and App. C3 introduction; Ac 11:21.

hand: This term is often used figuratively for “power.” Since the hand applies the power of the arm, “hand” may also convey the idea of “applied power.”

hand of Jehovah: This phrase, as well as “Jehovah’s hand,” is often found in the Hebrew Scriptures as a combination of the Hebrew word for “hand” and the Tetragrammaton. (Ex 9:3; Nu 11:23; Jg 2:15; Ru 1:13; 1Sa 5:6, 9; 7:13; 12:15; 1Ki 18:46; Ezr 7:6; Job 12:9; Isa 19:16; 40:2; Eze 1:3) The Greek expression rendered “hand of Jehovah” also occurs at Ac 11:21; 13:11.—See study notes on Lu 1:6, 9; Ac 11:21 and App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:66.

Let Jehovah be praised: Or “Blessed be Jehovah.” This expression of praise is common in the Hebrew Scriptures, where it is often used with the divine name.—1Sa 25:32; 1Ki 1:48; 8:15; Ps 41:13; 72:18; 106:48; see App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:68.

a horn of salvation: Or “a powerful savior.” In the Bible, animal horns often represent strength, conquest, and victory. (1Sa 2:1; Ps 75:4, 5, 10; 148:14; ftns.) Also, rulers and ruling dynasties, both the righteous and the wicked, are symbolized by horns, and their achieving of conquests was likened to pushing with horns. (De 33:17; Da 7:24; 8:2-10, 20-24) In this context, the expression “a horn of salvation” refers to the Messiah as the one having power to save, a mighty savior.—See Glossary, “Horn.”

rendering sacred service to him: Or “worshipping him.” The Greek verb la·treuʹo basically denotes serving. As used in the Scriptures, it refers to rendering service to God or in connection with the worship of him (Mt 4:10; Lu 2:37; 4:8; Ac 7:7; Ro 1:9; Php 3:3; 2Ti 1:3; Heb 9:14; 12:28; Re 7:15; 22:3) or to rendering service at the sanctuary or temple (Heb 8:5; 9:9; 10:2; 13:10). Thus, in some contexts the expression can also be rendered “to worship.” In a few cases, it is used in connection with false worship—rendering service to, or worshipping, created things.—Ac 7:42; Ro 1:25.

Jehovah: At Isa 40:3, quoted here, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text. (See App. C.) Luke applies this prophecy to John the Baptist. John would prepare the way of Jehovah in that he would be the forerunner of Jesus, who would represent his Father and come in his Father’s name. (Joh 5:43; 8:29) In the apostle John’s Gospel, John the Baptist applies this prophecy to himself.—Joh 1:23.

Jehovah: The prophetic words of Zechariah in the second part of this verse reflect the wording of Isa 40:3 and Mal 3:1, where the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text.—See study notes on Lu 1:6, 16, 17; 3:4 and App. C3 introduction; Lu 1:76.

you will go ahead of Jehovah: John the Baptist would “go ahead of Jehovah” in the sense that he would be the forerunner of Jesus, who would represent his Father and come in his Father’s name.—Joh 5:43; 8:29; see the study note on Jehovah in this verse.

those days: According to Lu 3:1-3, John the Baptizer began his ministry “in the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar,” that is, during the spring of 29 C.E. (See study note on Lu 3:1.) About six months later, in the fall of 29 C.E., Jesus came to John to be baptized.—See App. A7.

the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius: Caesar Augustus died on August 17, 14 C.E. (Gregorian calendar). On September 15, Tiberius allowed the Roman Senate to proclaim him emperor. If the years were counted from the death of Augustus, the 15th year of Tiberius’ reign ran from August 28 C.E. to August 29 C.E. If counted from when he was formally proclaimed emperor, the 15th year ran from September 28 C.E. to September 29 C.E. John evidently began his ministry in the spring (in the northern hemisphere) of 29 C.E., which is within the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius. In Tiberius’ 15th year, John would have been about 30 years old, which was the age when the Levite priests began their service at the temple. (Nu 4:2, 3) Similarly, when Jesus was baptized by John and “began his work,” according to Lu 3:21-23, “he was about 30 years old.” Jesus’ death took place in the spring month of Nisan, so his three-and-a-half-year ministry evidently began in the fall, about the month of Ethanim (September/October). John was likely six months older than Jesus and evidently began his ministry six months before Jesus did. (Lu, chap. 1) Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that John began his ministry in the spring of 29 C.E.—See study notes on Lu 3:23; Joh 2:13.

began his work: Or “began his ministry; started to teach.” Lit., “began; started.” Luke uses the same Greek expression at Ac 1:21, 22 and 10:37, 38 when referring to the start of Jesus’ earthly ministry. His public ministry involved preaching, teaching, and disciple-making.

the day he showed himself openly to Israel: Referring to the time when John the Baptist began his public ministry, that is, during the spring of 29 C.E.—See study notes on Mr 1:9; Lu 3:1, 23.

Media

Video Introduction to the Book of Luke

Gospel of Luke—Some Major Events

Where possible, events have been listed in chronological order

Each Gospel map traces a different series of events

1. The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah at the temple and foretells the birth of John the Baptist (Lu 1:8, 11-13)

2. After Jesus’ birth, angels appear to shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem (Lu 2:8-11)

3. Twelve-year-old Jesus talks with teachers at the temple (Lu 2:41-43, 46, 47)

4. The Devil stations Jesus “on the battlement of the temple” and tempts him (Mt 4:5-7; Lu 4:9, 12, 13)

5. In the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus reads from the scroll of Isaiah (Lu 4:16-19)

6. Jesus is rejected in his hometown (Lu 4:28-30)

7. Jesus travels to Nain, apparently from Capernaum (Lu 7:1, 11)

8. In Nain, Jesus resurrects a widow’s only son (Lu 7:12-15)

9. Jesus makes his second preaching tour of Galilee (Lu 8:1-3)

10. Jesus resurrects Jairus’ daughter, probably in Capernaum (Mt 9:23-25; Mr 5:38, 41, 42; Lu 8:49, 50, 54, 55)

11. While traveling to Jerusalem through Samaria, Jesus says: “The Son of man has nowhere to lay down his head” (Lu 9:57, 58)

12. Jesus sends out the 70, probably in Judea (Lu 10:1, 2)

13. Location for the illustration of the neighborly Samaritan going down the road to Jericho (Lu 10:30, 33, 34, 36, 37)

14. Jesus teaches in cities and villages in Perea and travels to Jerusalem (Lu 13:22)

15. Passing between Samaria and Galilee, Jesus heals ten lepers (Lu 17:11-14)

16. Jesus visits Zacchaeus, the tax collector, in Jericho (Lu 19:2-5)

17. Jesus prays in the garden of Gethsemane (Mt 26:36, 39; Mr 14:32, 35, 36; Lu 22:40-43)

18. Peter denies Jesus three times in the courtyard of the house of Caiaphas (Mt 26:69-75; Mr 14:66-72; Lu 22:55-62; Joh 18:25-27)

19. At the place called Skull (Golgotha), Jesus says to the criminal: “You will be with me in Paradise” (Lu 23:33, 42, 43)

20. Jesus appears before two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lu 24:13, 15, 16, 30-32)

21. Jesus leads the disciples as far as Bethany; Jesus ascends to heaven from the nearby Mount of Olives (Lu 24:50, 51)

Approaching the Entrance to Herod’s Temple

This animation depicts what Zechariah may have seen as he approached the entrance to the temple. Some sources say that the temple built by Herod was 15 stories high. Apparently, the facade surrounding the front doors was plated with gold. The entrance faced east, so light from the rising sun would have been reflected with dazzling brilliance.

(1) Court of Women

(2) Altar of Burnt Offering

(3) Entrance to the Holy

(4) Sea of Cast Metal

Symmachus’ Greek Translation Containing the Hebrew Tetragrammaton

Shown here is a portion of a third or fourth century C.E. parchment fragment of Symmachus’ Greek translation of Ps 69:30, 31 (Ps 68:31, 32, Septuagint). Symmachus produced the original translation in the second century C.E. This fragment is known as P. Vindobonensis Greek 39777 and is now in the Austrian National Library in Vienna. The part shown here contains two occurrences of the divine name written in archaic Hebrew characters ( or ) within the Greek text. The words of Mary at Lu 1:46 may echo the thought of Ps 69:30, 31, where the divine name also occurs in the original Hebrew text. The Hebrew Scripture background of Mary’s expression of praise as well as the use of the Tetragrammaton in this Greek translation provides support for using the divine name in the main text of Lu 1:46.—See study note on Lu 1:46 and Appendix C.

Writing Tablets

Zechariah, who wrote in Hebrew “John is his name,” may have used a wooden tablet similar to the one shown here. Such tablets were in use for centuries throughout the ancient Middle East. The recessed portion of this type of tablet was filled with a thin layer of wax. Using a stylus made of iron, bronze, or ivory, a writer made notes on the soft surface. A typical stylus was pointed on one end and flattened into a chisel shape on the other. The flattened end was used to erase the writing and smooth the wax. Two or more tablets were sometimes held together by small strips of leather. Businessmen, scholars, students, and tax collectors used tablets for records that needed to be kept only temporarily. The tablets shown in the photo date from the second or third century C.E. and were discovered in Egypt.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Luke 1

English

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NWT | According to Luke 02:1-52

NWT | According to Luke 02:1-52 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 2:1-52

2 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Au·gusʹtus for all the inhabited earth to be registered. ² (This first registrationa took place when Qui·rinʹi·us was governor of Syria.) ³ And all the people went to be registered, each one to his own city. ⁴ Of course, Josephb also went up from Galʹi·lee, from the city of Nazʹa·reth, into Ju·deʹa, to David’s city, which is called Bethʹle·hem,c because of his being a member of the house and family of David. ⁵ He went to get registered with Mary, who had been given him in marriage as promisedd and who was soon to give birth.e ⁶ While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. ⁷ And she gave birth to her son, the firstborn,f and she wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger,g because there was no room for them in the lodging place. ⁸ There were also in the same region shepherds living out of doors and keeping watch in the night over their flocks. ⁹ Suddenly Jehovah’s angel stood before them, and Jehovah’s glory gleamed around them, and they became very fearful. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them: “Do not be afraid, for look! I am declaring to you good news of a great joy that all the people will have. ¹¹ For today there was born to you in David’s cityh a savior,i who is Christ the Lord.j ¹² And this is a sign for you: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” ¹³ Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly army,*k praising God and saying: ¹⁴ “Glory in the heights above to God, and on earth peacel among men of goodwill.” ¹⁵ So when the angels had departed from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another: “Let us by all means go over to Bethʹle·hem and see what has taken place, which Jehovah has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they went quickly and found Mary as well as Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they saw this, they made known the message that they had been told concerning this young child. ¹⁸ And all who heard were astonished at what the shepherds told them, ¹⁹ but Mary began to preserve all these sayings, drawing conclusions in her heart.m ²⁰ Then the shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. ²¹ After eight days, when it was time to circumcise him,n he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived.o ²² Also, when the time came for purifying them according to the Law of Moses,p they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to Jehovah, ²³ just as it is written in Jehovah’s Law: “Every firstborn male* must be called holy to Jehovah.”q ²⁴ And they offered a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of Jehovah: “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”r ²⁵ And look! there was a man in Jerusalem named Simʹe·on, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for Israel’s consolation,s and holy spirit was upon him. ²⁶ Furthermore, it had been divinely revealed to him by the holy spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Christ of Jehovah.t ²⁷ Under the power of the spirit, he now came into the temple, and as the parents brought the young child Jesus in to do for him according to the customary practice of the Law,u ²⁸ he took the child into his arms and praised God and said: ²⁹ “Now, Sovereign Lord, you are letting your slave go in peacev according to your declaration, ³⁰ because my eyes have seen your means of salvation*w ³¹ that you have prepared in the sight of all the peoples,x ³² a lighty for removing the veil from the nationsz and a glory of your people Israel.” ³³ And the child’s father and mother continued wondering at the things being spoken about him. ³⁴ Also, Simʹe·on blessed them and said to Mary, the child’s mother: “Look! This child is appointed for the fallinga and the rising again of many in Israelb and for a sign to be spoken againstc ³⁵ (yes, a long sword will be run through you),d in order that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed.” ³⁶ Now there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanʹu·el, of Ashʹer’s tribe. This woman was well along in years and had lived with her husband for seven years after they were married,* ³⁷ and she was a widow now 84 years old. She was never missing from the temple, rendering sacred service night and day with fasting and supplications. ³⁸ In that very hour she came near and began giving thanks to God and speaking about the child to all who were waiting for Jerusalem’s deliverance.e ³⁹ So when they had carried out all the things according to the Law of Jehovah,f they went back into Galʹi·lee to their own city, Nazʹa·reth.g ⁴⁰ And the young child continued growing and getting strong, being filled with wisdom, and God’s favor continued upon him.h ⁴¹ Now his parents were accustomed to go from year to year to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover.i ⁴² And when he was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival.j ⁴³ When the days of the festival were over and they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, and his parents did not notice it. ⁴⁴ Assuming that he was in the group traveling together, they went a day’s journey and then began to search for him among the relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵ But not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem and made a diligent search for him. ⁴⁶ Well, after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers and listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ But all those listening to him were in constant amazement at his understanding and his answers.k ⁴⁸ Now when his parents saw him, they were astounded, and his mother said to him: “Child, why did you treat us this way? Here your father and I have been frantically looking for you.” ⁴⁹ But he said to them: “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in the house of my Father?”l ⁵⁰ However, they did not understand what he was saying to them. ⁵¹ Then he went down with them and returned to Nazʹa·reth, and he continued subject to them.m Also, his mother carefully kept all these sayings in her heart.n ⁵² And Jesus went on progressing in wisdom and in physical growth and in favor with God and men.

Luke 2

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NWT | According to Luke 03:1-38

NWT | According to Luke 03:1-38 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 3:1-38

3 In the 15th year of the reign of Ti·beʹri·us Caesar,* when Pontius Pilatea was governor of Ju·deʹa, Herodb was district ruler of Galʹi·lee, Philip his brother was district ruler of the country of It·u·raeʹa and Trach·o·niʹtis, and Ly·saʹni·as was district ruler of Ab·i·leʹne, ² in the days of chief priest Anʹnas and of Caʹia·phas,c God’s declaration came to Johnd the son of Zech·a·riʹahe in the wilderness.f ³ So he went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching baptism in symbol of repentance for forgiveness of sins,g ⁴ just as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: “A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah! Make his roads straight.h ⁵ Every valley must be filled up, and every mountain and hill leveled; the crooked ways must become straight, and the rough ways smooth; ⁶ and all flesh* will see the salvation of God.’”*i ⁷ So he began to say to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him: “You offspring of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?j ⁸ Therefore, produce fruits that befit repentance. Do not start saying to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. ⁹ Indeed, the ax is already lying at the root of the trees. Every tree, then, that does not produce fine fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”k ¹⁰ And the crowds were asking him: “What, then, should we do?” ¹¹ In reply he said to them: “Let the man who has two garments* share with the man who has none, and let the one who has something to eat do the same.”l ¹² Even tax collectors came to be baptized,m and they said to him: “Teacher, what should we do?” ¹³ He said to them: “Do not demand* anything more than the tax rate.”n ¹⁴ Also, those in military service were asking him: “What should we do?” And he said to them: “Do not harass* anybody or accuse anybody falsely,o but be satisfied with your provisions.” ¹⁵ Now the people were in expectation and all of them were reasoning in their hearts about John, “May he perhaps be the Christ?”p ¹⁶ John gave the answer, saying to all: “I, for my part, baptize you with water, but the one stronger than I am is coming, the lace of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.q He will baptize you with holy spirit and with fire.r ¹⁷ His winnowing shovel is in his hand to clean up his threshing floor completely and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with fire that cannot be put out.” ¹⁸ He also gave many other exhortations and continued declaring good news to the people. ¹⁹ But Herod the district ruler, because of being reproved by John concerning He·roʹdi·as the wife of his brother and concerning all the wicked deeds that Herod had done, ²⁰ added this also to all those deeds: He locked John up in prison.s ²¹ Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus too was baptized.t As he was praying, the heaven was opened up,u ²² and the holy spirit in bodily form like a dove came down upon him, and a voice came out of heaven: “You are my Son, the beloved; I have approved you.”v ²³ When Jesusw began his work, he was about 30 years old,x being the son, as the opinion was,of Joseph,yson of Heʹli, ²⁴ son of Matʹthat,son of Leʹvi,son of Melʹchi,son of Janʹna·i,son of Joseph, ²⁵ son of Mat·ta·thiʹas,son of Aʹmos,son of Naʹhum,son of Esʹli,son of Nagʹga·i, ²⁶ son of Maʹath,son of Mat·ta·thiʹas,son of Semʹe·in,son of Joʹsech,son of Joʹda, ²⁷ son of Jo·anʹan,son of Rheʹsa,son of Ze·rubʹba·bel,zson of She·alʹti·el,ason of Neʹri, ²⁸ son of Melʹchi,son of Adʹdi,son of Coʹsam,son of El·maʹdam,son of Er, ²⁹ son of Jesus,son of E·li·eʹzer,son of Joʹrim,son of Matʹthat,son of Leʹvi, ³⁰ son of Symʹe·on,son of Judas,son of Joseph,son of Joʹnam,son of E·liʹa·kim, ³¹ son of Meʹle·a,son of Menʹna,son of Matʹta·tha,son of Nathan,bson of David,c ³² son of Jesʹse,dson of Oʹbed,eson of Boʹaz,fson of Salʹmon,gson of Nahʹshon,h ³³ son of Am·minʹa·dab,ison of Arʹni,son of Hezʹron,json of Peʹrez,kson of Judah,l ³⁴ son of Jacob,mson of Isaac,nson of Abraham,oson of Teʹrah,pson of Naʹhor,q ³⁵ son of Seʹrug,rson of Reʹu,sson of Peʹleg,tson of Eʹber,uson of Sheʹlah,v ³⁶ son of Ca·iʹnan,son of Ar·pachʹshad,wson of Shem,xson of Noah,yson of Laʹmech,z ³⁷ son of Me·thuʹse·lah,ason of Eʹnoch,bson of Jaʹred,cson of Ma·haʹla·le·el,dson of Ca·iʹnan,e ³⁸ son of Eʹnosh,fson of Seth,gson of Adam,hson of God.

Luke 3

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NWT | According to Luke 04:1-44

NWT | According to Luke 04:1-44 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 4:1-44

4 Then Jesus, full of holy spirit, turned away from the Jordan, and he was led about by the spirit in the wildernessa ² for 40 days, being tempted by the Devil.b And he ate nothing in those days, so when they had ended, he felt hungry. ³ At this the Devil said to him: “If you are a son of God, tell this stone to become a loaf of bread.” ⁴ But Jesus answered him: “It is written, ‘Man must not live on bread alone.’”c ⁵ So he brought him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth in an instant of time.d ⁶ Then the Devil said to him: “I will give you all this authority and their glory, because it has been handed over to me,e and I give it to whomever I wish.f ⁷ If you, therefore, do an act of worship before me, it will all be yours.” ⁸ In reply Jesus said to him: “It is written, ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship, and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’”*g ⁹ He then led him into Jerusalem and stationed him on the battlement of the temple and said to him: “If you are a son of God, throw yourself down from here,h ¹⁰ for it is written, ‘He will give his angels a command concerning you, to preserve you,’ ¹¹ and, ‘They will carry you on their hands, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’”i ¹² In answer Jesus said to him: “It is said, ‘You must not put Jehovah your God to the test.’”j ¹³ So the Devil, having finished all the temptation, departed from him until another convenient time.k ¹⁴ Now Jesus returned in the power of the spirit* into Galʹi·lee.l And good reports about him spread throughout all the surrounding country. ¹⁵ Also, he began to teach in their synagogues, and he was held in honor by all. ¹⁶ He then went to Nazʹa·reth,m where he had been brought up, and according to his custom on the Sabbath day, he entered the synagoguen and stood up to read. ¹⁷ So the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him, and he opened the scroll and found the place where it was written: ¹⁸ “Jehovah’s spirit is upon me, because he anointed me to declare good news to the poor. He sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and a recovery of sight to the blind, to send the crushed ones away free,o ¹⁹ to preach Jehovah’s acceptable year.”p ²⁰ With that he rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were intently fixed on him. ²¹ Then he began to say to them: “Today this scripture that you just heard* is fulfilled.”q ²² And they all began to give favorable witness about him and to be amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth,r and they were saying: “This is a son of Joseph, is it not?”s ²³ At this he said to them: “No doubt you will apply this saying to me, ‘Physician, cure yourself. Do also here in your home territory the things we have heard were done in Ca·perʹna·um.’”t ²⁴ So he said: “Truly I tell you that no prophet is accepted in his home territory.u ²⁵ For instance, I tell you in truth: There were many widows in Israel in the days of E·liʹjah when heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and a great famine came on all the land.v ²⁶ Yet E·liʹjah was sent to none of those women, but only to a widow in Zarʹe·phath in the land of Siʹdon.w ²⁷ Also, there were many lepers in Israel in the time of E·liʹsha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, only Naʹa·man the Syrian.”x ²⁸ Now all those hearing these things in the synagogue became filled with anger,y ²⁹ and they rose up and rushed him outside the city, and they led him to the brow of the mountain* on which their city had been built, in order to throw him down headlong. ³⁰ But he went right through their midst and continued on his way.z ³¹ He then went down to Ca·perʹna·um, a city of Galʹi·lee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath,a ³² and they were astounded at his way of teaching,b because he spoke with authority. ³³ Now in the synagogue there was a man with a spirit, an unclean demon, and he shouted with a loud voice:c ³⁴ “Ah! What have we to do with you, Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ?d Did you come to destroy us? I know exactly who you are, the Holy One of God.”e ³⁵ But Jesus rebuked it, saying: “Be silent, and come out of him.” So after throwing the man down in their midst, the demon came out of him without hurting him. ³⁶ At this they were all astonished and began to say to one another: “What kind of speech is this? For with authority and power he orders the unclean spirits, and out they come!” ³⁷ So the news about him kept spreading into every corner of the surrounding country.f ³⁸ After leaving the synagogue, he entered into Simon’s home. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering with a high fever, and they asked him to help her.g ³⁹ So he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Instantly she got up and began ministering to them. ⁴⁰ But when the sun was setting, all those who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. By laying his hands on each one of them, he cured them.h ⁴¹ Demons also came out of many, crying out and saying: “You are the Son of God.”i But rebuking them, he would not permit them to speak,j for they knew him to be the Christ.k ⁴² However, at daybreak he departed and went to an isolated place.l But the crowds began searching* for him and came to where he was, and they tried to keep him from going away from them. ⁴³ But he said to them: “I must also declare the good news of the Kingdom of God to other cities, because for this I was sent.”m ⁴⁴ So he went on preaching in the synagogues of Ju·deʹa.

Luke 4

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NWT | According to Luke 05:1-39

NWT | According to Luke 05:1-39 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 5:1-39

5 On one occasion when the crowd was pressing in on him and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gen·nesʹa·ret.+ ² And he saw two boats docked at the lakeside, but the fishermen had got out of them and were washing off their nets.+ ³ Going aboard one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to pull away a bit from land. Then he sat down, and he began teaching the crowds from the boat. ⁴ When he stopped speaking, he said to Simon: “Pull out to where it is deep, and let down your nets for a catch.” ⁵ But in reply Simon said: “Instructor, we toiled all night and caught nothing,+ but at your word I will lower the nets.” ⁶ Well, when they did this, they caught a great number of fish. In fact, their nets began ripping apart.+ ⁷ So they motioned to their partners in the other boat to come and assist them, and they came and filled both boats, so that these began to sink. ⁸ Seeing this, Simon Peter fell down at the knees of Jesus, saying: “Depart from me, Lord,* because I am a sinful man.” ⁹ For both he and those with him were overwhelmed with astonishment at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and the same was true of both James and John, Zebʹe·dee’s sons,+ who were partners with Simon. But Jesus said to Simon: “Stop being afraid. From now on you will be catching men* alive.”+ ¹¹ So they brought the boats back to land and abandoned everything and followed him.+ ¹² On another occasion while he was in one of the cities, look! there was a man full of leprosy! When he caught sight of Jesus, he fell facedown and begged him: “Lord, if you just want to, you can make me clean.”+ ¹³ So stretching out his hand, he touched him, saying: “I want to! Be made clean.” Immediately the leprosy vanished from him.+ ¹⁴ Then he gave the man orders to tell no one:+ “But go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses directed,+ for a witness to them.”+ ¹⁵ But the news about him just kept spreading, and large crowds would gather together to listen and to be cured of their sicknesses.+ ¹⁶ However, he often went into the desolate areas to pray. ¹⁷ On one of those days while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the Law who had come out of every village of Galʹi·lee and Ju·deʹa and from Jerusalem were sitting there; and Jehovah’s power was with him to do healing.+ ¹⁸ And look! men were carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher, and they were trying to bring him in and place him before Jesus.+ ¹⁹ So not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they climbed up to the roof, and they lowered him on the stretcher through the tiling, right among those in front of Jesus. ²⁰ When he saw their faith, he said: “Man, your sins are forgiven.”+ ²¹ Then the scribes and the Pharisees started to reason, saying: “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins except God alone?”+ ²² But Jesus, discerning their reasoning, said in answer to them: “What are you reasoning in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ²⁴ But in order for you to know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins—” he said to the paralyzed man: “I say to you, Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go to your home.”+ ²⁵ At that he stood up before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. ²⁶ Then one and all were seized with amazement,+ and they began to glorify God, and they became filled with awe, saying: “We have seen wonderful things today!” ²⁷ Now after this, he went out and saw a tax collector named Leʹvi sitting at the tax office, and he said to him: “Be my follower.”+ ²⁸ And leaving everything behind, he rose up and began to follow him.+ ²⁹ Then Leʹvi spread a big reception feast for him in his house, and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were dining with them.+ ³⁰ At this the Pharisees and their scribes began murmuring to his disciples, saying: “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”+ ³¹ In reply Jesus said to them: “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but those who are ill do.+ ³² I have come to call, not righteous people, but sinners to repentance.”+ ³³ They said to him: “John’s disciples fast frequently and offer supplications, and so do those of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.”+ ³⁴ Jesus said to them: “You cannot make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? ³⁵ But days will come when the bridegroom+ will indeed be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days.”+ ³⁶ He also gave an illustration to them: “Nobody cuts a patch from a new outer garment and sews it on an old garment. If he does, then the new patch tears away and the patch from the new garment does not match the old.+ ³⁷ Also, no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the wineskins and it will be spilled out and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸ But new wine must be put into new wineskins. ³⁹ No one after drinking old wine wants new, for he says, ‘The old is nice.’”

Footnotes

^ Or “Master.”

^ Or “people.”

Study Notes

the Sea of Galilee, or Tiberias: The Sea of Galilee was sometimes called the Sea of Tiberias—after the city on its western shore that was named for Roman Emperor Tiberius Caesar. (Joh 6:23) The name Sea of Tiberias occurs here and at Joh 21:1.—See study note on Mt 4:18.

Gennesaret: A small plain measuring about 5 by 2.5 km (3 by 1.5 mi) bordering the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee. At Lu 5:1, the Sea of Galilee is called “the lake of Gennesaret.”

the lake of Gennesaret: Another name for the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater inland lake in northern Israel. (Mt 4:18) It has also been called the Sea of Chinnereth (Nu 34:11) and the Sea of Tiberias. (See study note on Joh 6:1.) It lies on average 210 m (700 ft) below sea level. It is 21 km (13 mi) long from N to S and 12 km (8 mi) wide from E to W, and its greatest depth is about 48 m (160 ft). Gennesaret is the name of a small plain bordering the NW shore of the lake. Some scholars believe that Gennesaret is probably the Greek form for the early Hebrew name Chinnereth.—See study note on Mt 14:34 and App. A7, Map 3B, “Activity at the Sea of Galilee.”

on the beach: Along the shore of the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum, there is a spot that forms a natural amphitheater. The good acoustic properties of this location would have allowed a large crowd to hear Jesus speak to them from a boat.

teaching the crowds from the boat: See study note on Mt 13:2.

caught: Lit., “enclosed,” as in a net.

a man full of leprosy: The leprosy referred to in the Bible was a serious skin disease, but it was not restricted to the disease known by that name today. Anyone diagnosed with leprosy became an outcast from society until he was cured. (Le 13:2, ftn., 45, 46; see Glossary, “Leprosy; Leper.”) When the Gospel writers Matthew and Mark describe the same incident, they simply call the man “a leper.” (Mt 8:2; Mr 1:40) But the physician Luke recognized that there are different stages of the condition. (Col 4:14) In this case, Luke describes the man as being “full of leprosy,” evidently referring to an advanced stage of the disease.—See study note on Lu 4:38, where Luke marks the degree of another illness.

suffering with a high fever: Matthew and Mark describe Peter’s mother-in-law as “lying down and sick with fever.” (Mt 8:14; Mr 1:30) Only Luke, apparently because he was a physician, draws attention to the seriousness of her condition, classifying it as “a high fever.”—See “Introduction to Luke.”

he touched him: The Mosaic Law required that lepers be quarantined to protect others from contamination. (Le 13:45, 46; Nu 5:1-4) However, Jewish religious leaders imposed additional rules. For example, no one was to come within four cubits, that is, about 1.8 m (6 ft) of a leper, but on windy days, the distance was 100 cubits, that is, about 45 m (150 ft). Such rules led to heartless treatment of lepers. Tradition speaks favorably of a rabbi who hid from lepers and of another who threw stones at them to keep them at a distance. By contrast, Jesus was so deeply moved by the leper’s plight that he did what other Jews would consider unthinkable—he touched the man. He did so even though he could have cured the leper with just a word.—Mt 8:5-13.

I want to: Jesus not only acknowledged the request but expressed a strong desire to respond to it, showing that he was motivated by more than just a sense of duty.

he touched him: See study note on Mt 8:3.

I want to: See study note on Mt 8:3.

show yourself to the priest: See study note on Mr 1:44.

show yourself to the priest: In accord with the Mosaic Law, a priest had to verify that a leper was healed. The cured leper had to travel to the temple and bring as an offering the things Moses directed, as outlined at Le 14:2-32.

As he was praying: In his Gospel, Luke gives the matter of prayer special attention. Only Luke mentions a number of Jesus’ prayers. For example, here Luke adds the detail that Jesus was praying at the time of his baptism. Some of the significant words that he used in his prayer on that occasion were apparently later recorded by Paul. (Heb 10:5-9) Other instances in which Luke alone mentions Jesus’ praying are Lu 5:16; 6:12; 9:18, 28; 11:1; 23:46.

to pray: Only Luke adds this detail about prayer in connection with Jesus’ transfiguration. The next verse also mentions that Jesus “was praying.” (Lu 9:29) Other instances in which Luke alone mentions Jesus’ praying are Lu 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 11:1; 23:46.

he often went into the desolate areas to pray: This is one of several instances in which Luke alone mentions that Jesus was praying. (See study notes on Lu 3:21; 9:28.) The forms of the Greek verbs used in this verse convey the idea that prayer was an ongoing habit for Jesus. The Greek word rendered “desolate areas” (eʹre·mos) often refers to a desert or wilderness but can also refer to an “isolated place” in general. (Mt 14:13; Mr 1:45; 6:31; Lu 4:42; 8:29) Jesus was not a recluse; he loved the company of others. (Mt 9:35, 36; Lu 8:1; 19:7-10; Joh 11:5) However, he frequently sought solitude because he loved even more the company of his Father. He wanted to be alone with Jehovah to speak freely with him in prayer.—Mt 14:23; Mr 1:35.

Jehovah’s power: Although Greek manuscripts use the word Kyʹri·os (Lord) here, there are good reasons for using the divine name in the main text. The context clearly shows that Kyʹri·os is used with reference to God, and the Greek word dyʹna·mis, which could be rendered “power” or “strength,” appears in the Septuagint where the Hebrew text refers to Jehovah’s power, or strength, and uses the Tetragrammaton in the context.—Ps 21:1, 13; 93:1; 118:15; see App. C3 introduction; Lu 5:17.

through the tiling: The account about Jesus healing a paralytic man is recorded in the Gospels of Matthew (9:1-8), Mark (2:1-12), and Luke. The three accounts are complementary. Matthew mentions nothing about the man’s being lowered through the roof, while Mark explains that the man’s friends removed the roof and dug an opening through which they lowered the man on a stretcher. Luke says that the man was lowered “through the tiling.” (See study note on Mr 2:4.) The Greek word rendered “tiling” (keʹra·mos) can refer to “clay,” the material that the tiles were made of, but here the plural form of the Greek word seems to refer to “roof tiles.” There is evidence that tiled roofs were used in ancient Israel. While it is not possible to say exactly what kind of roof the accounts of Mark and Luke describe, the individual tiles may have been put on the mud roof or somehow embedded in it. In any case, the accounts clearly convey that the friends of the paralyzed man went to great lengths to put him before Jesus. These acts no doubt showed the depth of their faith, for all three accounts mention that Jesus “saw their faith.”—Lu 5:20.

removed the roof . . . digging an opening: The roofs of many houses in first-century Israel were flat and were accessed by means of stairs or an external ladder. Mark’s account does not specifically state what the roof of this house was made of. But roofs were often constructed of wooden beams covered with branches, reeds, and a layer of earth, which was plastered. Some houses had tiles; according to Luke’s account, the man was lowered “through the tiling.” (See study note on Lu 5:19.) The friends of the paralytic man could easily have made an opening that would allow enough space to lower the stretcher into the crowded room below.

saw their faith: See study note on Mt 9:2.

seeing their faith: The use of the plural pronoun “their” shows that Jesus noted how much faith the entire group had, not just the paralyzed man.

to forgive sins—: The dash indicates that Jesus stopped in mid-sentence and then powerfully proved his point by publicly healing the man.

Son of man: See study note on Mt 8:20.

to forgive sins—: See study note on Mt 9:6.

Son of man: Or “Son of a human.” This expression occurs about 80 times in the Gospels. Jesus used it to refer to himself, evidently emphasizing that he was truly human, born from a woman, and that he was a fitting human counterpart to Adam, having the power to redeem humankind from sin and death. (Ro 5:12, 14-15) The same expression also identified Jesus as the Messiah, or the Christ.—Da 7:13, 14; see Glossary.

Levi: In the parallel account at Mt 9:9, this disciple is called Matthew. When referring to him as a former tax collector, Mark and Luke use the name Levi (Lu 5:27, 29), but they use the name Matthew when mentioning him as one of the apostles (Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13). The Scriptures do not reveal whether Levi already had the name Matthew before becoming a disciple of Jesus. Mark is the only Gospel writer to mention that Matthew Levi was the son of Alphaeus.—See study note on Mr 3:18.

tax office: Or “tax collection booth.” This could be a small building or a booth where the tax collector sat and gathered taxes on exports, imports, and goods taken through a country by merchants. Levi, also known as Matthew, worked at a tax office located in or near Capernaum.

Be my follower: The Greek verb used in this exhortation has the basic sense of “to go along behind, come after,” but here it means “to follow someone as a disciple.”

Levi: In the parallel account at Mt 9:9, this disciple is called Matthew. When referring to him as a former tax collector, Mark and Luke use the name Levi (Mr 2:14), but they use the name Matthew when mentioning him as one of the apostles (Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13). The Scriptures do not reveal whether Levi already had the name Matthew before becoming a disciple of Jesus.—See study note on Mr 2:14.

tax office: See study note on Mr 2:14.

Be my follower: See study note on Mr 2:14.

tax collectors: Many Jews collected taxes for the Roman authorities. People hated such Jews because they not only collaborated with a resented foreign power but also extorted more than the official tax rate. Tax collectors were generally shunned by fellow Jews, who put them on the same level as sinners and prostitutes.—Mt 11:19; 21:32.

dining: Or “reclining at the table.” To recline with someone at a table indicated close fellowship with that person. Thus, Jews in Jesus’ day would normally never have reclined at the table, or taken a meal, with non-Jews.

tax collectors: See study note on Mt 5:46.

dining: See study note on Mr 2:15.

fast: That is, abstain from food for a limited time. (See Glossary.) Jesus never commanded his disciples to fast, nor did he direct them to avoid the practice altogether. Under the Mosaic Law, rightly motivated Jews humbled themselves before Jehovah and showed repentance for sin by means of fasts.—1Sa 7:6; 2Ch 20:3.

fast: See study note on Mt 6:16.

friends of the bridegroom: See study note on Mt 9:15.

friends of the bridegroom: Lit., “sons of the bridechamber,” an idiom describing wedding guests but especially the friends of the bridegroom.

wine into . . . wineskins: It was common in Bible times to store wine in animal skins. (1Sa 16:20) Skin bottles were made of the complete hides of domestic animals, such as sheep or goats. Old leather wineskins would become stiff and lose their elasticity. New wineskins, on the other hand, could stretch and swell and thus could withstand the pressure caused by the ongoing process of fermentation of new wine.—See Glossary, “Wineskin.”

wine into . . . wineskins: See study note on Mt 9:17.

nice: Or possibly, “nicer,” according to some manuscripts.

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NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Luke 5

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NWT | According to Luke 06:1-49

NWT | According to Luke 06:1-49 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 6:1-49

6 Now on a sabbath he was passing through grainfields, and his disciples were plucking and eating the heads of grain,a rubbing them with their hands.b ² At this some of the Pharisees said: “Why are you doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?”c ³ But in reply Jesus said to them: “Have you never read what David did when he and the men with him were hungry?d ⁴ How he entered into the house of God and received the loaves of presentation and ate and gave some to the men with him, which it is not lawful for anyone to eat but for the priests only?”e ⁵ Then he said to them: “The Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.”f ⁶ On another sabbathg he entered the synagogue and began teaching. And a man was there whose right hand was withered.*h ⁷ The scribes and the Pharisees were now watching Jesus closely to see whether he would cure on the Sabbath, in order to find some way to accuse him.i ⁸ He, however, knew their reasoning,j so he said to the man with the withered* hand: “Get up and stand in the center.” And he rose and stood there. ⁹ Then Jesus said to them: “I ask you men, Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to destroy it?”k ¹⁰ After looking around at them all, he said to the man: “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was restored. ¹¹ But they flew into a senseless rage, and they began to talk over with one another what they might do to Jesus. ¹² On one of those days he went out to the mountain to pray,l and he spent the whole night in prayer to God.m ¹³ And when it became day, he called his disciples to him and chose from among them 12, whom he also named apostles:n ¹⁴ Simon, whom he also named Peter, Andrew his brother, James, John, Philip,o Bar·tholʹo·mew, ¹⁵ Matthew, Thomas,p James the son of Al·phaeʹus, Simon who is called “the zealous one,” ¹⁶ Judas the son of James, and Judas Is·carʹi·ot, who turned traitor. ¹⁷ And he came down with them and stood on a level place, and there was a large crowd of his disciples, and a great multitude of people from all Ju·deʹa and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Siʹdon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.q ¹⁸ Even those troubled with unclean spirits were cured. ¹⁹ And all the crowd were seeking to touch him,r because power was going out of hims and healing them all. ²⁰ And he looked up at his disciples and began to say: “Happy are you who are poor,t for yours is the Kingdom of God.u ²¹ “Happy are you who hunger now, for you will be filled.*v “Happy are you who weep now, for you will laugh.w ²² “Happy are you whenever men hate you,x and when they exclude youy and reproach* you and denounce* your name as wicked for the sake of the Son of man.z ²³ Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for look! your reward is great in heaven, for those are the same things their forefathers used to do to the prophets.a ²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich,b for you are having your consolation in full.c ²⁵ “Woe to you who are filled up now, for you will go hungry. “Woe, you who are laughing now, for you will mourn and weep.d ²⁶ “Woe whenever all men speak well of you,e for this is what their forefathers did to the false prophets. ²⁷ “But I say to you who are listening: Continue to love your enemies, to do good to those hating you,f ²⁸ to bless those cursing you, to pray for those who are insulting you.g ²⁹ To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also; and from him who takes away your outer garment, do not withhold the inner garment either.h ³⁰ Give to everyone asking you,i and from the one taking your things away, do not ask them back. ³¹ “Also, just as you want men to do to you, do* the same way to them.j ³² “If you love those loving you, of what credit is it to you? For even the sinners love those loving them.k ³³ And if you do good to those doing good to you, of what credit is it to you? Even the sinners do the same. ³⁴ Also, if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, of what credit is it to you?l Even sinners lend to sinners so that they may get back as much. ³⁵ On the contrary, continue to love your enemies and to do good and to lend without hoping for anything back;m and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind toward the unthankful and wicked.n ³⁶ Continue being merciful, just as your Father is merciful.o ³⁷ “Moreover, stop judging, and you will by no means be judged;p and stop condemning, and you will by no means be condemned. Keep on forgiving,* and you will be forgiven.*q ³⁸ Practice giving,r and people will give to you.s They will pour into your laps a fine measure, pressed down, shaken together, and overflowing. For with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you in return.” ³⁹ Then he also told them an illustration: “A blind man cannot guide a blind man, can he? Both will fall into a pit,* will they not?t ⁴⁰ A student* is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly instructed will be like his teacher. ⁴¹ Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye but do not notice the rafter in your own eye?u ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to remove the straw that is in your eye,’ while you yourself do not see the rafter in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the straw that is in your brother’s eye.v ⁴³ “For no fine tree produces rotten fruit, and no rotten tree produces fine fruit.w ⁴⁴ For each tree is known by its own fruit.x For example, people do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they cut grapes off a thornbush. ⁴⁵ A good man brings good out of the good treasure of his heart, but a wicked man brings what is wicked out of his wicked treasure; for out of the heart’s abundance his mouth speaks.y ⁴⁶ “Why, then, do you call me ‘Lord! Lord!’ but do not do the things I say?z ⁴⁷ Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you whom he is like:a ⁴⁸ He is like a man who in building a house dug and went down deep and laid a foundation on the rock. Consequently, when a flood came, the river dashed against that house but was not strong enough to shake it, for it was well-built.b ⁴⁹ On the other hand, whoever hears and does nothingc is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The river dashed against it, and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Luke 6

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NWT | According to Luke 07:1-50

NWT | According to Luke 07:1-50 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 7:1-50

7 When he had completed what he had to say to the people, he entered Ca·perʹna·um. ² Now an army officer’s slave, who was dear to him, was seriously ill and about to pass away.a ³ When he heard about Jesus, he sent some elders of the Jews to him to ask him to come and make his slave well. ⁴ They came up to Jesus and began to plead with him earnestly, saying: “He is worthy of your granting him this, ⁵ for he loves our nation and he himself built our synagogue.” ⁶ So Jesus went with them. But when he was not far from the house, the army officer had already sent friends to say to him: “Sir, do not bother, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.b ⁷ That is why I did not consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. ⁸ For I too am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” ⁹ When Jesus heard these things, he was amazed at him, and he turned to the crowd following him and said: “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found so great a faith.”c ¹⁰ And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.d ¹¹ Soon afterward he traveled to a city called Naʹin, and his disciples and a large crowd were traveling with him. ¹² As he got near the gate of the city, why look! there was a dead man being carried out, the only son of his mother.e Besides, she was a widow. A considerable crowd from the city was also with her. ¹³ When the Lord caught sight of her, he was moved with pity for her,f and he said to her: “Stop weeping.”g ¹⁴ With that he approached and touched the bier,* and the bearers stood still. Then he said: “Young man, I say to you, get up!”*h ¹⁵ And the dead man sat up and started to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother.i ¹⁶ Now fear seized them all, and they began to glorify God, saying: “A great prophet has been raised up among us,”j and, “God has turned his attention to his people.”k ¹⁷ And this news concerning him spread out into all Ju·deʹa and all the surrounding country. ¹⁸ Now John’s disciples reported to him all these things.l ¹⁹ So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask: “Are you the Coming One,m or are we to expect a different one?” ²⁰ When they came to him, the men said: “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the Coming One, or are we to expect another?’” ²¹ In that hour he cured many people of sicknesses,n serious diseases, and wicked spirits, and he granted many blind people the gift of sight. ²² In reply he said to them: “Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind are now seeing,o the lame are walking, the lepers are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing,p the dead are being raised up, and the poor are being told the good news.q ²³ Happy is the one who finds no cause for stumbling in me.”r ²⁴ When the messengers of John had gone away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed being tossed by the wind?s ²⁵ What, then, did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments?*t Why, those wearing splendid dress and living in luxury are in royal houses. ²⁶ Really, then, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.u ²⁷ This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Look! I am sending my messenger ahead of you,* who will prepare your way ahead of you.’v ²⁸ I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, but a lesser person in the Kingdom of God is greater than he is.”w ²⁹ (When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be righteous, for they had been baptized with the baptism of John.x ³⁰ But the Pharisees and those versed in the Law disregarded the counsel* of God to them,y since they had not been baptized by him.) ³¹ “With whom, therefore, should I compare the men of this generation, and whom are they like?z ³² They are like young children sitting in a marketplace and calling out to one another, saying: ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we wailed, but you did not weep.’ ³³ Likewise, John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine,a but you say: ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of man has come eating and drinking, but you say: ‘Look! A man who is a glutton and is given to drinking wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’b ³⁵ All the same, wisdom is proved righteous* by all its children.”c ³⁶ Now one of the Pharisees kept asking him to dine with him. So he entered the house of the Pharisee and reclined at the table.d ³⁷ And look! a woman who was known in the city to be a sinner learned that he was dining* in the house of the Pharisee, and she brought an alabaster jar of perfumed oil.e ³⁸ Taking a position behind him at his feet, she wept and began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them off with the hair of her head. Also, she tenderly kissed his feet and poured the perfumed oil on them. ³⁹ Seeing this, the Pharisee who had invited him said to himself: “If this man were really a prophet, he would know who and what kind of woman it is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”f ⁴⁰ But in reply Jesus said to him: “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He said: “Teacher, say it!” ⁴¹ “Two men were debtors to a certain lender; the one was in debt for 500 de·narʹi·i, but the other for 50. ⁴² When they did not have anything to pay him back with, he freely forgave them both. Therefore, which one of them will love him more?” ⁴³ In answer Simon said: “I suppose it is the one whom he forgave more.” He said to him: “You judged correctly.” ⁴⁴ With that he turned to the woman and said to Simon: “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet. But this woman wet my feetg with her tears and wiped them off with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but this woman, from the hour that I came in, did not stop tenderly kissing my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not pour oil on my head, but this woman poured perfumed oil on my feet. ⁴⁷ Because of this, I tell you, her sins, many* though they are, are forgiven,h because she loved much.i But the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ Then he said to her: “Your sins are forgiven.”j ⁴⁹ Those reclining at the table with him started to say among themselves: “Who is this man who even forgives sins?”k ⁵⁰ But he said to the woman: “Your faith has saved you;l go in peace.”

Luke 7

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NWT | According to Luke 08:1-56

NWT | According to Luke 08:1-56 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 8:1-56

8 Shortly afterward he traveled from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the Kingdom of God.a And the Twelve were with him, ² as were certain women who had been cured of wicked spirits and sicknesses: Mary who was called Magʹda·lene,b from whom seven demons had come out; ³ Jo·anʹnac the wife of Chuʹza, Herod’s man in charge; Su·sanʹna; and many other women, who were ministering to them from their belongings.d ⁴ Now when a large crowd had gathered together with those who went to him from city to city, he spoke by means of an illustration:e ⁵ “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some of them fell alongside the road and were trampled on, and the birds of heaven ate them up.f ⁶ Some landed on the rock, and after sprouting, they dried up because they had no moisture.g ⁷ Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns that grew up with them choked them.h ⁸ But others fell on the good soil, and after sprouting, they produced 100 times more fruit.”i As he said these things, he called out: “Let the one who has ears to listen, listen.”j ⁹ But his disciples asked him what this illustration meant.k ¹⁰ He said: “To you it is granted* to understand the sacred secrets of the Kingdom of God, but for the rest it is in illustrationsl so that, though looking, they may look in vain, and though hearing, they may not get the sense.m ¹¹ Now the illustration means this: The seed is the word of God.n ¹² Those alongside the road are the ones who have heard, and then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved.o ¹³ Those on the rock are the ones who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy, but these have no root. They believe for a while, but in a season of testing, they fall away.p ¹⁴ As for that which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, but by being carried away by anxieties, riches,q and pleasures of this life,r they are completely choked and bring nothing to maturity.s ¹⁵ As for that on the fine soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word with a fine and good heart,t retain it and bear fruit with endurance.u ¹⁶ “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a vessel or puts it underneath a bed, but he puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see the light.v ¹⁷ For there is nothing hidden that will not become manifest, nor anything carefully concealed that will never become known and not come out in the open.w ¹⁸ Therefore, pay attention to how you listen, for whoever has will be given more,x but whoever does not have, even what he imagines he has will be taken away from him.”y ¹⁹ Now his mother and brothersz came to him, but they were unable to get near him because of the crowd.a ²⁰ So it was reported to him: “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” ²¹ In reply he said to them: “My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”b ²² One day he and his disciples got into a boat, and he said to them: “Let us cross to the other side of the lake.” So they set sail.c ²³ But as they were sailing along, he fell asleep. And a violent windstorm descended on the lake, and their boat began to fill up with water and to be in danger.d ²⁴ So they went and woke him up, saying: “Instructor, Instructor, we are about to perish!” With that he got up and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they subsided, and a calm set in.e ²⁵ Then he said to them: “Where is your faith?” But they were filled with fear and were astounded, saying to one another: “Who really is this? For he orders even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”f ²⁶ And they put in to shore in the region of the Gerʹa·senes,g which is on the side opposite Galʹi·lee. ²⁷ As Jesus got out onto land, a demon-possessed man from the city met him. For a considerable time he had not worn clothing, and he was staying, not in a house, but among the tombs.*h ²⁸ At the sight of Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and with a loud voice, he said: “What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.”i ²⁹ (For Jesus had been ordering the unclean spirit to come out of the man. It had seized him on many occasions,*j and he was repeatedly bound with chains and fetters and kept under guard, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the isolated places.) ³⁰ Jesus asked him: “What is your name?” He said: “Legion,” for many demons had entered into him. ³¹ And they kept pleading with him not to order them to go away into the abyss.k ³² Now a large herd of swinel was feeding there on the mountain, so they pleaded with him to permit them to enter into the swine, and he gave them permission.m ³³ With that the demons came out of the man and went into the swine, and the herd rushed over the precipice* into the lake and drowned. ³⁴ But when the herders saw what had happened, they fled and reported it in the city and in the countryside. ³⁵ Then people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had come out, clothed and in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Jesus,n and they grew fearful. ³⁶ Those who had seen it reported to them how the demon-possessed man had been made well.* ³⁷ Then a great number from the surrounding region of the Gerʹa·senes asked Jesus to go away from them, because they were gripped by great fear. Then he went aboard the boat to depart. ³⁸ However, the man from whom the demons had gone out kept begging to continue with him, but he sent the man away, saying:o ³⁹ “Go back home, and keep on relating what God did for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city what Jesus had done for him. ⁴⁰ When Jesus returned, the crowd received him kindly, for they were all expecting him.p ⁴¹ But look! a man named Jaʹi·rus came; this man was a presiding officer of the synagogue. And he fell at the feet of Jesus and began to plead with him to come to his house,q ⁴² because his only daughter, who was about 12 years old, was dying. As Jesus was going, the crowds pressed in on him. ⁴³ Now there was a woman who had a flow of bloodr for 12 years, and she had not been able to get a cure from anyone.s ⁴⁴ She approached from behind and touched the fringe* of his outer garment,t and immediately her flow of blood stopped. ⁴⁵ So Jesus said: “Who touched me?” When they were all denying it, Peter said: “Instructor, the crowds are hemming you in and pressing against you.”u ⁴⁶ But Jesus said: “Someone touched me, for I know* that powerv went out of me.” ⁴⁷ Seeing that she had not escaped notice, the woman came trembling and fell down before him and declared before all the people why she touched him and how she was healed immediately. ⁴⁸ But he said to her: “Daughter, your faith has made you well.* Go in peace.”w ⁴⁹ While he was yet speaking, a representative of the presiding officer of the synagogue came, saying: “Your daughter has died; do not bother the Teacher any longer.”x ⁵⁰ On hearing this, Jesus answered him: “Have no fear, only have faith, and she will be saved.”y ⁵¹ When he reached the house, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, James, and the girl’s father and mother. ⁵² But people were all weeping and beating themselves in grief for her. So he said: “Stop weeping,z for she did not die but is sleeping.”a ⁵³ At this they began to laugh at him scornfully, because they knew she had died. ⁵⁴ But he took her by the hand and called to her: “Child, get up!”*b ⁵⁵ And her spiritc returned, and she rose immediately,d and he ordered that something be given her to eat. ⁵⁶ Well, her parents were beside themselves, but he instructed them to tell no one what had happened.e

Luke 8

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NWT | According to Luke 09:1-62

NWT | According to Luke 09:1-62 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 9:1-62

9 Then he called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all the demons+ and to cure diseases.+ ² And he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal, ³ and he said to them: “Carry nothing for the trip, neither staff nor food pouch nor bread nor money; neither have two garments.*+ ⁴ But wherever you enter into a home, stay there and leave from there.+ ⁵ And wherever people do not receive you, on going out of that city, shake the dust off your feet for a witness against them.”+ ⁶ Then starting out, they went through the territory from village to village, declaring the good news and performing cures everywhere.+ ⁷ Now Herod the district ruler heard about everything that was happening, and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying that John had been raised up from the dead,+ ⁸ but others were saying that E·liʹjah had appeared, and still others that one of the ancient prophets had risen.+ ⁹ Herod said: “John I beheaded.+ Who, then, is this about whom I am hearing such things?” So he was trying to see him.+ ¹⁰ When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus all they had done.+ With that he took them along and withdrew privately into a city called Beth·saʹi·da.+ ¹¹ But the crowds, getting to know it, followed him. And he received them kindly and began to speak to them about the Kingdom of God, and he healed those needing a cure.+ ¹² Then the day was coming to a close. The Twelve now came up and said to him: “Send the crowd away, so that they may go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and provisions, because out here we are in an isolated place.”+ ¹³ But he said to them: “You give them something to eat.”+ They said: “We have nothing more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we ourselves go and buy food for all these people.” ¹⁴ There were, in fact, about 5,000 men. But he said to his disciples: “Have them sit down in groups of about 50 each.” ¹⁵ And they did so and had them all sit down. ¹⁶ Taking now the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and blessed them. Then he broke them up and began giving them to the disciples to set before the crowd. ¹⁷ So they all ate and were satisfied, and they took up the leftovers, 12 baskets of fragments.+ ¹⁸ Later, while he was praying alone, the disciples came to him,* and he questioned them, saying: “Who are the crowds saying that I am?”+ ¹⁹ In reply they said: “John the Baptist, but others say E·liʹjah, and still others say that one of the ancient prophets has risen.”+ ²⁰ Then he said to them: “You, though, who do you say I am?” Peter answered: “The Christ of God.”+ ²¹ Then in a stern talk to them, he instructed them not to tell this to anybody,+ ²² but he said: “The Son of man must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed,+ and on the third day be raised up.”+ ²³ Then he went on to say to all: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself+ and pick up his torture stake day after day and keep following me.+ ²⁴ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake is the one who will save it.+ ²⁵ Really, what good will it do a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own self or suffers ruin?+ ²⁶ For whoever becomes ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of man will be ashamed of that person when he comes in his glory and that of the Father and of the holy angels.+ ²⁷ But I tell you truly, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death at all until first they see the Kingdom of God.”+ ²⁸ In fact, about eight days after saying these words, he took Peter, John, and James along and climbed up the mountain to pray.+ ²⁹ And as he was praying, the appearance of his face changed and his clothing became glitteringly white.* ³⁰ And look! two men were conversing with him; they were Moses and E·liʹjah. ³¹ These appeared with glory and began talking about his departure, which he was about to fulfill at Jerusalem.+ ³² Now Peter and those with him were weighed down with sleep, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory+ and the two men standing with him. ³³ And as these were departing from him, Peter said to Jesus: “Instructor, it is fine for us to be here. So let us erect three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for E·liʹjah.” He did not realize what he was saying. ³⁴ But as he was saying these things, a cloud formed and began to overshadow them.+ As they entered into the cloud, they became afraid. ³⁵ Then a voice+ came out of the cloud, saying: “This is my Son, the one who has been chosen.+ Listen to him.”+ ³⁶ As the voice spoke, Jesus was found alone. But they kept quiet and did not report to anyone in those days any of the things they saw.+ ³⁷ The following day when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him.+ ³⁸ And look! a man called out from the crowd, saying: “Teacher, I beg you to take a look at my son, because he is my only one.+ ³⁹ And look! a spirit seizes him, and suddenly he cries out, and it throws him into convulsions with foaming at the mouth, and only with difficulty does it leave him after bruising him.+ ⁴⁰ I begged your disciples to expel it, but they could not.” ⁴¹ In response Jesus said: “O faithless and twisted* generation,+ how long must I continue with you and put up with you? Bring your son over here.”+ ⁴² But even as he was approaching, the demon hurled him to the ground and violently threw him into a convulsion. However, Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy and gave him back to his father. ⁴³ And they were all astounded at the majestic power of God.+ While they were all astonished at all the things he was doing, he said to his disciples: ⁴⁴ “Listen carefully and remember these words, for the Son of man is going to be betrayed* into men’s hands.”+ ⁴⁵ But they did not understand what he was saying. In fact, it was concealed from them so that they might not grasp it, and they were afraid to question him about this saying. ⁴⁶ Then a dispute arose among them about which one of them was the greatest.+ ⁴⁷ Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a young child, stood him beside him, ⁴⁸ and said to them: “Whoever receives this young child on the basis of my name receives me also; and whoever receives me also receives the One who sent me.+ For the one who conducts himself as a lesser one among all of you is the one who is great.”+ ⁴⁹ In response John said: “Instructor, we saw someone expelling demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he is not following with us.”*+ ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him: “Do not try to prevent him, for whoever is not against you is for you.” ⁵¹ As the days were drawing near* for him to be taken up,+ he resolutely set his face to go to Jerusalem.+ ⁵² So he sent messengers ahead of him. And they went and entered a village of Sa·marʹi·tans to make preparations for him. ⁵³ But they did not receive him,+ because he was determined to go to Jerusalem. ⁵⁴ When the disciples James and John+ saw this, they said: “Lord,* do you want us to call fire down from heaven and annihilate them?”+ ⁵⁵ But he turned and rebuked them. ⁵⁶ So they went to a different village. ⁵⁷ Now as they were going along the road, someone said to him: “I will follow you wherever you go.”+ ⁵⁸ But Jesus said to him: “Foxes have dens and birds of heaven have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay down his head.”+ ⁵⁹ Then he said to another: “Be my follower.” The man said: “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”+ ⁶⁰ But he said to him: “Let the dead+ bury their dead, but you go and declare abroad the Kingdom of God.”+ ⁶¹ And still another said: “I will follow you, Lord, but first permit me to say good-bye to those in my household.”* ⁶² Jesus said to him: “No man who has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind+ is well-suited for the Kingdom of God.”+

Footnotes

^ Or “an extra garment.”

^ Or possibly, “joined him; were together with him.”

^ Or “as bright as a flash of lightning.”

^ Or “corrupt; perverse.”

^ Or “handed over.”

^ Or “he is not a follower along with us.”

^ Lit., “were coming to the full; were being fulfilled.”

^ Or “Master.”

^ Or “my house.”

Study Notes

sandals: Referring, it seems, to an extra pair because Jesus told them not to carry sandals. It was common to take along extra sandals on a long journey, as the soles on one pair might wear out or the laces might break. When giving similar instructions on an earlier occasion, Jesus directed his disciples “to put [or, “bind”] on” the sandals they already owned. (Mr 6:8, 9) And as recorded at Mt 10:9, 10, he instructed them not to “acquire” sandals, that is, not to get some in addition to the ones they already had on.

Carry nothing for the trip: When sending out his apostles on a preaching tour to proclaim “the Kingdom of God” (Lu 9:2), Jesus gave instructions on how to carry out this all-important work. His instructions are recorded in all three synoptic Gospels. (Mt 10:8-10; Mr 6:8, 9; Lu 9:3) Although there are some differences in wording, the instructions all convey the message that the apostles should not be distracted by acquiring extra provisions, since Jehovah would provide for them. All three accounts state that the apostles were not to “acquire [or “wear” or “have”] two garments,” that is, “an extra garment” (ftn.) in addition to what they were wearing. Carrying a traveler’s staff seems to have been the custom of the Hebrews (Ge 32:10), and Mr 6:8 says: “Carry nothing for the trip except a staff.” Therefore, the instruction here at Lu 9:3 (“carry nothing . . . , neither staff”) could be understood to mean that rather than go without a staff, they should not acquire or carry a staff in addition to the one they had. So Jesus was telling his disciples to travel light and to avoid carrying extra items as luggage that would burden them, since Jehovah would provide for them on their journey.—See study note on Lu 10:4, where Jesus gives similar instructions to the 70 disciples sent out on another occasion.

money: Lit., “silver,” that is, silver used as money.

stay there until you leave that place: Jesus was instructing his disciples that when they reached a town, they should stay in the home where hospitality was extended to them and not be “transferring from house to house.” (Lu 10:1-7) By not seeking a place where the householder could provide them with more comfort, entertainment, or material things, they would show that these things were of secondary importance when compared to their commission to preach.

stay there: See study note on Mr 6:10.

shake the dust off your feet: Pious Jews who had traveled through Gentile country would shake what was perceived to be unclean dust off their sandals before reentering Jewish territory. However, Jesus evidently had a different meaning in mind when giving these instructions to his disciples. This gesture would signify that the disciples disclaimed responsibility for the consequences that would come from God. A similar expression occurs at Mt 10:14 and Mr 6:11. Mark adds the expression “for a witness to them,” whereas Luke adds for a witness against them. Paul and Barnabas applied this instruction in Pisidian Antioch. (Ac 13:51) When Paul did something similar in Corinth by shaking out his garments, he added the explanatory words: “Let your blood be on your own heads. I am clean.”—Ac 18:6.

Herod: That is, Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great.—See Glossary.

district ruler: Lit., “tetrarch” (meaning “ruler over one fourth” of a province), a term applied to a minor district ruler or territorial prince ruling only with the approval of the Roman authorities. The tetrarchy of Herod Antipas consisted of Galilee and Perea.—Compare study note on Mr 6:14.

Herod: See study note on Mt 14:1.

district ruler: See study note on Mt 14:1.

You give them something to eat: This is the only miracle of Jesus that is recorded in all four Gospels.—Mt 14:15-21; Mr 6:35-44; Lu 9:10-17; Joh 6:1-13.

he broke them up: Bread was often made in flat loaves that were baked hard and thin. Therefore, people had the custom of breaking the loaves before eating them.—Mt 14:19; 15:36; 26:26; Mr 6:41; 8:6.

baskets: These may have been small wicker baskets with a cord handle that a traveler could use for carrying them. It is thought that they had a volume of approximately 7.5 L (2 gal).—See study notes on Mt 16:9, 10.

baskets: See study note on Mt 14:20.

he was praying alone: This occurred near Caesarea Philippi. (Mt 16:13; Mr 8:27) Only Luke reports that Jesus was praying alone.—See study note on Lu 3:21.

John: The English equivalent of the Hebrew name Jehohanan or Johanan, meaning “Jehovah Has Shown Favor; Jehovah Has Been Gracious.”

the Baptist: Or “the Immerser; the Dipper”; referred to as “the Baptizer” at Mr 1:4; 6:14, 24. Evidently used as a sort of surname, indicating that baptizing by immersing in water was distinctive of John. The Jewish historian Flavius Josephus wrote of “John, surnamed the Baptist.”

Elijah: From the Hebrew name meaning “My God Is Jehovah.”

John the Baptist: See study note on Mt 3:1.

Elijah: See study note on Mt 11:14.

Christ: This title is derived from the Greek word Khri·stosʹ and is equivalent to the title “Messiah” (from Hebrew ma·shiʹach), both meaning “Anointed One.” In Bible times, rulers were ceremonially anointed with oil.

the Christ: Here the title “Christ” is preceded by the definite article in Greek, evidently as a way of emphasizing Jesus’ office as the Messiah.

The Christ of God: Peter identifies Jesus as “the Christ of God” (Greek, ho khri·stosʹ tou The·ouʹ). “The Christ” is equivalent to “the Messiah” (from Hebrew ma·shiʹach), both titles meaning “Anointed One.” Here “Christ” is preceded by the definite article in Greek, evidently as a way of emphasizing Jesus’ appointment, or office, as the Messiah.—See study notes on Mt 1:1; 2:4.

chief priests: The Greek term is rendered “high priest” when it is singular and refers to the chief representative of the people before God. Here the plural refers to principal men of the priesthood, including former high priests and, possibly, the heads of the 24 priestly divisions.

scribes: This term originally referred to copyists of the Scriptures, but during Jesus’ time, it referred to those who were experts in the Law and teachers of it.

elders: Lit., “older men.” In the Bible, the Greek term pre·sbyʹte·ros refers primarily to those who hold a position of authority and responsibility in a community or a nation. Although the term sometimes refers to physical age (as at Lu 15:25; Ac 2:17), it is not limited to those who are elderly. Here it refers to the leaders of the Jewish nation, who are often mentioned together with chief priests and scribes. The Sanhedrin was made up of men from these three groups.—Lu 20:1; 22:52, 66; see Glossary, “Elder; Older man.”

chief priests: See study note on Mt 2:4 and Glossary, “Chief priest.”

scribes: See study note on Mt 2:4 and Glossary, “Scribe.”

let him disown himself: Or “let him give up all right to himself.” This indicates a person’s willingness to deny himself utterly or to relinquish ownership of himself to God. The Greek phrase can be rendered “he must say no to himself,” which is fitting because it may involve saying no to personal desires, ambitions, or convenience. (2Co 5:14, 15) The same Greek verb is used by Matthew when describing Peter’s denial that he knew Jesus.—Mt 26:34, 35, 75.

torture stake: Or “execution stake.” In classical Greek, the word stau·rosʹ primarily referred to an upright stake or pole. Used figuratively, this term sometimes stands for the suffering, shame, torture, and even death that a person experienced because of being a follower of Jesus.—See Glossary.

let him disown himself: Or “let him give up all right to himself.” This indicates a person’s willingness to deny himself utterly or to relinquish ownership of himself to God. The Greek phrase can be rendered “he must say no to himself,” which is fitting because it may involve saying no to personal desires, ambitions, or convenience. (2Co 5:14, 15) The same Greek verb and a related one are used by Luke when describing Peter’s denial that he knew Jesus.—Lu 22:34, 57, 61; see study note on Mt 16:24.

torture stake: See study note on Mt 16:24.

life: Or “soul.”—See Glossary, “Soul.”

world: The Greek word koʹsmos here refers to the world of mankind. In this context, the expression come into the world seems to refer primarily to Jesus’ going out among mankind at the time of his baptism rather than to his birth as a human. After his baptism, he carried out his assigned ministry, acting as a light bearer to the world of mankind.—Compare Joh 3:17, 19; 6:14; 9:39; 10:36; 11:27; 12:46; 1Jo 4:9.

the world came into existence through him: Here the Greek word koʹsmos (“world”) refers to the world of mankind, which is evident later in the verse where it says that the world did not know him. The Greek term was sometimes used in secular writings to refer to the universe and creation in general, and the apostle Paul may have used it in that sense when he was addressing a Greek audience. (Ac 17:24) However, in the Christian Greek Scriptures, the term generally refers to the world of mankind or a part of it. It is true that Jesus did share in the production of all things, including the heavens and the earth and all things in it. But the focus of this verse is his role in bringing humankind into existence.—Ge 1:26; Joh 1:3; Col 1:15-17.

the world: The Greek word koʹsmos is closely linked with mankind in secular Greek literature and particularly so in the Bible. (See study note on Joh 1:10.) In this context, koʹsmos refers to the entire world of redeemable mankind who at Joh 1:29 are described as being guilty of “sin,” that is, sin inherited from Adam.

born into the world: Here Jesus used the birth of a human as an illustration to show how tribulation and grief can be “turned into joy.” (Joh 16:20) A woman giving birth experiences the pain of childbirth, but the joy of bringing a new life into the world will overshadow the pain and make her forget it. In this context, the term “world” (Greek, koʹsmos) refers to the organized, human society, or sphere of human life and circumstances, into which the child is born. In the Bible, the term “world” sometimes has this meaning.—1Co 14:10; 1Ti 6:7; see study note on Lu 9:25.

the whole world: The basic meaning of the Greek term koʹsmos, most often rendered “world,” is “order” or “arrangement.” In secular Greek literature, it may refer to the world of mankind, and it is often used in this sense in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (See study notes on Joh 1:9, 10; 3:16.) However, the term koʹsmos is not just a synonym for mankind. In the Bible, it retains its original sense of “order” or “arrangement,” since the world of mankind reflects a certain structure, being composed of various cultures, tribes, nations, and economic systems. (1Jo 3:17; Re 7:9; 14:6) That is the meaning of the term “world” in this and some other contexts. Over the centuries, the framework of things that surround and affect human life has grown in size and complexity as mankind has grown in population.—See study note on Joh 16:21.

about eight days after saying these words: The accounts of Matthew and Mark say “six days later.” (Mt 17:1; Mr 9:2) Luke reports the number of days from a different perspective than that of Matthew and Mark, apparently including the day when Jesus made the promise (Lu 9:27) and the day when the transfiguration took place. Matthew and Mark count six whole days as the intervening time. It is noteworthy that Luke gives the period in an approximate number—“about eight days.”

his departure: The Greek word eʹxo·dos used here also occurs at 2Pe 1:15 (departure) and at Heb 11:22 (exodus). Jesus’ departure, or exodus, evidently involved both his death and his subsequent resurrection to spirit life.

a voice came out of heaven: The first of three instances in the Gospel accounts where Jehovah is reported as speaking audibly to humans.—See study notes on Lu 9:35; Joh 12:28.

a voice came out of the cloud: The second of three instances in the Gospel accounts when Jehovah is reported as speaking directly to humans.—See study notes on Lu 3:22; Joh 12:28.

an only-begotten son: The Greek word mo·no·ge·nesʹ, traditionally translated “only-begotten,” has been defined as “the only one of its kind; one and only; unique.” The Bible uses the term in describing the relation of sons and daughters to their parents. (See study notes on Lu 7:12; 8:42; 9:38.) In the apostle John’s writings, this term is used exclusively of Jesus (Joh 3:16, 18; 1Jo 4:9) but never about Jesus’ human birth or existence as a man. Instead, John uses the term to describe Jesus in his prehuman existence as the Logos, or the Word, the one who “was in the beginning with God,” even “before the world was.” (Joh 1:1, 2; 17:5, 24) Jesus is the “only-begotten son” because he was Jehovah’s Firstborn and the only one created directly by God. While other spirit creatures are likewise called “sons of the true God” or “sons of God” (Ge 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:4-7), all those sons were created by Jehovah through that firstborn Son (Col 1:15, 16). In summary, the term mo·no·ge·nesʹ refers both to Jesus’ being “one of a kind; unique; incomparable” and to his being the only son produced directly and solely by God.—1Jo 5:18; see study note on Heb 11:17.

only-begotten Son: The Greek word mo·no·ge·nesʹ, traditionally rendered “only-begotten,” has been defined as “the only one of its kind; one and only; unique.” In the apostle John’s writings, this term is exclusively used of Jesus. (Joh 1:14; 3:18; 1Jo 4:9; see study note on Joh 1:14.) Although the other spirit creatures produced by God were called sons, Jesus alone is called the “only-begotten Son.” (Ge 6:2, 4; Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:4-7) Jesus, the firstborn Son, was the sole direct creation of his Father, so he was unique, different from all other sons of God. They were created, or begotten, by Jehovah through that firstborn Son. The Greek word mo·no·ge·nesʹ is used in a similar way when Paul says that Isaac was Abraham’s “only-begotten son.” (Heb 11:17) Though Abraham fathered Ishmael by Hagar and several sons by Keturah (Ge 16:15; 25:1, 2; 1Ch 1:28, 32), Isaac was “only-begotten” in a special sense. He was Abraham’s only son by God’s promise as well as the only son of Sarah.—Ge 17:16-19.

only: The Greek word mo·no·ge·nesʹ, traditionally rendered “only-begotten,” has been defined as “the only one of its kind; one and only; the only one or member of a class or kind; unique.” The term is used when describing the relation of sons and daughters to their parents. In this context, it is used in the sense of an only child. The same Greek word is also used of the “only” son of a widow in Nain and of Jairus’ “only” daughter. (Lu 7:12; 8:41, 42) The Greek Septuagint uses mo·no·ge·nesʹ when speaking of Jephthah’s daughter, concerning whom it is written: “Now she was his one and only child. Besides her, he had neither son nor daughter.” (Jg 11:34) In the apostle John’s writings, mo·no·ge·nesʹ is used five times with reference to Jesus.—For the meaning of the term when used about Jesus, see study notes on Joh 1:14; 3:16.

majestic power of God: Or “greatness (majesty) of God.” When curing people, Jesus did not direct attention to himself as the healer. Instead, he attributed these miracles to God’s power.

for him to be taken up: The Greek term a·naʹlem·psis occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It is usually understood to refer to Jesus’ ascension to heaven. The related verb is used at Ac 1:2, 11, 22, where it is rendered “was taken up.”

he was determined to go to: Lit., “his face was going to [or “set toward”].” (Compare Lu 9:51.) Similar expressions can be found in the Hebrew Scriptures with the sense of looking toward some goal, purpose, or desire (1Ki 2:15, ftn.; 2Ki 12:17, ftn.) and carrying the thought of strong intention and determination.—2Ch 20:3, ftn.; Da 11:17, ftn.

nowhere to lay down his head: That is, no residence that he could call his own.

nowhere to lay down his head: See study note on Mt 8:20.

Lord: Some manuscripts do not include this word, but it has support in a number of early authoritative manuscripts.

bury my father: The wording likely does not mean that the man had just lost his father in death and was asking only to make funeral arrangements. Had this been the case, it is unlikely that he would have been there talking to Jesus. In the ancient Middle East, a death in the family would be followed very quickly by a funeral, generally on the same day. So the man’s father may have been ailing or elderly, not dead. And Jesus would not have told the man to abandon a sick and needy parent, so there must have been other family members who could care for such vital needs. (Mr 7:9-13) The man was saying, in effect, ‘I will follow you, but not as long as my father still lives. Wait until my father dies and I have buried him.’ In Jesus’ view, however, the man was missing an opportunity to put the interests of the Kingdom of God first in his life.—Lu 9:60, 62.

Let the dead bury their dead: As shown in the study note on Lu 9:59, the father of the man to whom Jesus is talking was likely ailing or elderly, not dead. Therefore, Jesus is evidently saying: ‘Let those who are spiritually dead bury their dead,’ that is, the man should not wait to make his decision to follow Jesus, since other relatives could apparently care for the father until his death. By following Jesus, the man put himself on the way to eternal life, not among those who were spiritually dead before God. In his reply, Jesus shows that putting the Kingdom of God first in one’s life and declaring it far and wide are essential to remaining spiritually alive.

who has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind: To emphasize the importance of wholehearted discipleship, Jesus here refers to the work of plowing. He describes a man who expresses his desire to be a disciple but stipulates the condition of being permitted first to say goodbye to his household. (Lu 9:61) If a plowman allowed himself to be distracted from the work at hand, he would make crooked furrows, or if he stopped plowing in order to look back, the work in the field would fall behind. Similarly, the person who is invited to Christian discipleship but who permits himself to be distracted from carrying out the responsibilities would become unfit for God’s Kingdom.

Media

Staff and Food Pouch

Rods or staffs were common among the ancient Hebrews and were used in a variety of ways: for support (Ex 12:11; Zec 8:4; Heb 11:21), for defense or protection (2Sa 23:21), for threshing (Isa 28:27), and for reaping olives (De 24:20; Isa 24:13), to name just a few. A food pouch was a bag, usually made of leather, carried over the shoulder by travelers, shepherds, farmers, and others. It was used to hold food, clothing, and other items. When sending out his apostles on a preaching tour, Jesus gave them instructions regarding, among other things, staffs and food pouches. The apostles were to go as they were and not be distracted by procuring anything extra; Jehovah would provide for them.—See study notes on Lu 9:3 and 10:4 for a discussion of how the details of Jesus’ instructions were to be understood.

Coin Made by Herod Antipas

These photos show both sides of a copper alloy coin that was minted about the time that Jesus was engaged in his ministry. The coin was commissioned by Herod Antipas, who was tetrarch, or district ruler, of Galilee and Perea. Jesus was likely passing through Herod’s territory of Perea on his way to Jerusalem when the Pharisees told Jesus that Herod wanted to kill him. Jesus responded by calling Herod “that fox.” (See study note on Lu 13:32.) Since most of Herod’s subjects were Jewish, the coins he made depicted such emblems as a palm branch (1) and a wreath (2), images that would not offend the Jews.

Baskets

In the Bible, a number of different words are used to describe various types of baskets. For example, the Greek word identifying the 12 vessels used to gather leftovers after Jesus miraculously fed about 5,000 men indicates that they may have been relatively small wicker handbaskets. However, a different Greek word is used to describe the seven baskets that contained the leftovers after Jesus fed about 4,000 men. (Mr 8:8, 9) This word denotes a large basket or hamper, and the same Greek word is used to describe the kind of basket in which Paul was lowered to the ground through an opening in the wall of Damascus.—Ac 9:25.

Mount Hermon

Reaching a height of 2,814 m (9,232 ft) and located near Caesarea Philippi, Mount Hermon is the highest mountain in the vicinity of Israel. Its snowcapped peaks condense water vapor, producing abundant dew that preserves vegetation during the long dry season. (Ps 133:3) Its melting snow is the main source of the Jordan River. Mount Hermon is one possible location of Jesus’ transfiguration.—Mt 17:2.

Mount Hermon As Seen From the Hula Valley Nature Reserve

Located at the northern limit of the Promised Land, Mount Hermon is made up of several distinct peaks, the tallest of which rises 2,814 m (9,232 ft) above sea level. These peaks form the southern part of the Anti-Lebanon range. It may have been on Mount Hermon that Jesus was transfigured.

Foxes’ Dens and Birds’ Nests

Jesus contrasted his own situation of not having a permanent home with foxes that have dens and birds that have nests. The type of foxes shown here (Vulpes vulpes) inhabit not only the Middle East but also Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America and have been introduced into Australia. Unless foxes use a natural crevice or the deserted or usurped burrow of another animal, they commonly dig holes in the ground to form their dens. The bird, a Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti), is one of an estimated 470 varieties that may be found in Israel at some time during the course of a year. Bird’s nests likewise are diverse, located in trees, in hollow tree trunks, and on cliffs, and are made of such materials as twigs, leaves, seaweed, wool, straw, moss, and feathers. The diverse topography of the country, ranging from cool mountain peaks to deep sweltering valleys and from arid deserts to maritime plains all lying together near the southeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea, makes it an attractive habitat for birds that either live here permanently or migrate throughout the region.

Plowing

Plowing was often done in the autumn when rains softened soil that had been baked hard by the sun during the hot summer months. (See Appendix B15.) Some plows consisted of a simple pointed piece of wood, perhaps metal-tipped, attached to a beam and pulled by one or more animals. After the soil was plowed, the seed was sown. In the Hebrew Scriptures, the familiar work of plowing was often alluded to in illustrations. (Jg 14:18; Isa 2:4; Jer 4:3; Mic 4:3) Jesus frequently used agricultural activities to illustrate important teachings. For example, he referred to the work involved in plowing to emphasize the importance of being a wholehearted disciple. (Lu 9:62) If a plowman became distracted from the work at hand, he would make crooked furrows. Similarly, a disciple of Christ who gets distracted or turns aside from carrying out his responsibilities becomes unfit for God’s Kingdom.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Luke 9

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NWT | According to Luke 10:1-42

NWT | According to Luke 10:1-42 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 10:1-42

10 After these things the Lord designated 70 others and sent them out by twosa ahead of him into every city and place where he himself was to go.b ² Then he said to them: “Yes, the harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.c ³ Go! Look! I am sending you out as lambs in among wolves.d ⁴ Do not carry a money bag or a food pouch or sandals,e and do not greet anyone along the road.f ⁵ Wherever you enter into a house, say first: ‘May this house have peace.’g ⁶ And if a friend of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if there is not, it will return to you. ⁷ So stay in that house,h eating and drinking the things they provide,i for the worker is worthy of his wages.j Do not keep transferring from house to house. ⁸ “Also, wherever you enter into a city and they receive you, eat what is set before you ⁹ and cure the sick ones in it and tell them: ‘The Kingdom of God has come near to you.’k ¹⁰ But wherever you enter into a city and they do not receive you, go out into its main streets and say: ¹¹ ‘We wipe off against you even the dust that sticks to our feet from your city.l Nevertheless, know this, that the Kingdom of God has come near.’ ¹² I tell you that it will be more endurable for Sodʹom in that day than for that city.m ¹³ “Woe to you, Cho·raʹzin! Woe to you, Beth·saʹi·da! because if the powerful works that have taken place in youn had taken place in Tyre and Siʹdon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.o ¹⁴ Consequently, it will be more endurable for Tyre and Siʹdon in the judgment than for you. ¹⁵ And you, Ca·perʹna·um,p will you perhaps be exalted to heaven? Down to the Grave you will come! ¹⁶ “Whoever listens to you listens to me.q And whoever disregards you disregards me also. Moreover, whoever disregards me disregards also Him who sent me.”r ¹⁷ Then the 70 returned with joy, saying: “Lord,* even the demons are made subject to us by the use of your name.”s ¹⁸ At that he said to them: “I see Satan already fallent like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ Look! I have given you the authority to trample underfoot serpents and scorpions,u and over all the power of the enemy,v and nothing at all will harm you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are made subject to you, but rejoice because your names have been written in the heavens.”w ²¹ In that very hour he became overjoyed in the holy spirit and said: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have carefully hidden these things from wise and intellectual onesx and have revealed them to young children. Yes, O Father, because this is the way you approved.y ²² All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Sonz and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.”a ²³ With that he turned to the disciples and told them privately: “Happy are the eyes that see the things you are seeing.b ²⁴ For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see the things you are observing but did not see them,c and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them.” ²⁵ Now look! a man versed in the Law stood up to test him and said: “Teacher, what do I need to do to inherit everlasting life?”d ²⁶ He said to him: “What is written in the Law? How do you read?” ²⁷ In answer he said: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole strength and with your whole mind’e and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’”f ²⁸ He said to him: “You answered correctly; keep doing this and you will get life.”g ²⁹ But wanting to prove himself righteous,h the man said to Jesus: “Who really is my neighbor?” ³⁰ In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jerʹi·cho and fell victim to robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went off, leaving him half-dead. ³¹ Now by coincidence a priest was going down on that road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side. ³² Likewise, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the opposite side. ³³ But a certain Sa·marʹi·tani traveling the road came upon him, and at seeing him, he was moved with pity. ³⁴ So he approached him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. Then he mounted him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two de·narʹi·i, gave them to the innkeeper, and said: ‘Take care of him, and whatever you spend besides this, I will repay you when I return.’ ³⁶ Who of these three seems to you to have made himself neighborj to the man who fell victim to the robbers?” ³⁷ He said: “The one who acted mercifully toward him.”k Jesus then said to him: “Go and do the same yourself.”l ³⁸ Now as they went on their way, he entered into a certain village. Here a woman named Martham received him as a guest in her house. ³⁹ She also had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the feet of the Lord and kept listening to what he was saying.* ⁴⁰ Martha, on the other hand, was distracted with attending to many duties. So she came to him and said: “Lord, does it not matter to you that my sister has left me alone to attend to things? Tell her to come and help me.” ⁴¹ In answer the Lord said to her: “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and disturbed about many things. ⁴² A few things, though, are needed, or just one.n For her part, Mary chose the good portion,o and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10

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NWT | According to Luke 11:1-54

NWT | According to Luke 11:1-54 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 11:1-54

11 Now he was in a certain place praying, and when he stopped, one of his disciples said to him: “Lord, teach us how to pray, just as John also taught his disciples.” ² So he said to them: “Whenever you pray, say: ‘Father, let your name be sanctified.a Let your Kingdom come.b ³ Give us each day our bread according to our daily needs.c ⁴ And forgive us our sins,d for we ourselves also forgive everyone who is in debt to us;e and do not bring us into temptation.’”f ⁵ Then he said to them: “Suppose one of you has a friend and you go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, ⁶ because one of my friends has just come to me on a journey and I have nothing to offer him.’ ⁷ But that one replies from inside: ‘Stop bothering me. The door is already locked, and my young children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything.’ ⁸ I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything because of being his friend, certainly because of his bold persistenceg he will get up and give him whatever he needs. ⁹ So I say to you, keep on asking,h and it will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you.i ¹⁰ For everyone asking receives,j and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking, it will be opened. ¹¹ Indeed, which father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent instead of a fish?k ¹² Or if he also asks for an egg, will hand him a scorpion? ¹³ Therefore, if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those asking him!”l ¹⁴ Later he expelled a speechless demon.m After the demon came out, the speechless man spoke, and the crowds were amazed.n ¹⁵ But some of them said: “He expels the demons by means of Be·elʹze·bub, the ruler of the demons.”o ¹⁶ And others, to test him, began demanding a signp out of heaven from him. ¹⁷ Knowing their thinking,q he said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself comes to ruin, and a house divided against itself falls. ¹⁸ In the same way, if Satan is also divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say I expel the demons by means of Be·elʹze·bub. ¹⁹ If I expel the demons by means of Be·elʹze·bub, by whom do your sons expel them? This is why they will be your judges. ²⁰ But if it is by means of God’s fingerr that I expel the demons, the Kingdom of God has really overtaken you.*s ²¹ When a strong, well-armed man guards his palace, his belongings remain secure. ²² But when someone stronger than he is comes against him and conquers him, that man takes away all his weapons in which he was trusting, and he divides up the things he took from him. ²³ Whoever is not on my side is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.t ²⁴ “When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through waterless places in search of a resting-place, and after finding none, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I moved.’u ²⁵ And on arriving, it finds the house swept clean and adorned. ²⁶ Then it goes and takes along seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and after getting inside, they dwell there. So the final circumstances of that man become worse than the first.”v ²⁷ Now as he was saying these things, a woman from the crowd called out to him: “Happy is the womb that carried you and the breasts that nursed you!”w ²⁸ But he said: “No, rather, happy are those hearing the word of God and keeping it!”x ²⁹ When the crowds were massing together, he began to say: “This generation is a wicked generation; it looks for a sign,* but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Joʹnah.y ³⁰ For just as Joʹnahz became a sign to the Ninʹe·vites, so will the Son of man be to this generation. ³¹ The queen of the southa will be raised up in the judgment with the men of this generation and will condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solʹo·mon. But look! something more than Solʹo·mon is here.b ³² The men of Ninʹe·veh will rise in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at what Joʹnah preached.c But look! something more than Joʹnah is here. ³³ After lighting a lamp, a person puts it, not in a hidden place nor under a basket, but on the lampstand,d so that those who come in may see the light. ³⁴ The lamp of the body is your eye. When your eye is focused, your whole body is also bright;*e but when it is envious, your body is also dark.f ³⁵ Be alert, therefore, that the light that is in you is not darkness. ³⁶ Therefore, if your whole body is bright with no part of it dark, it will all be as bright as when a lamp gives you light by its rays.” ³⁷ When he had said this, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him. So he went in and reclined at the table. ³⁸ However, the Pharisee was surprised at seeing that he did not first wash before the dinner.g ³⁹ But the Lord said to him: “Now you Pharisees, you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greediness* and wickedness.h ⁴⁰ Unreasonable ones! The one who made the outside made also the inside, did he not? ⁴¹ But give as gifts of mercy the things that are from within, and look! everything about you will be clean.*i ⁴² But woe to you Pharisees, because you give the tenth of the mint and of the rue and of every other* garden herb,*j but you disregard the justice* and the love of God! These things you were under obligation to do, but not to disregard those other things.k ⁴³ Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the front seats in the synagogues and the greetings in the marketplaces!l ⁴⁴ Woe to you, because you are as those graves* that are not clearly visible,m that men walk on and do not know it!” ⁴⁵ In reply one of those versed in the Law said to him: “Teacher, in saying these things, you insult us also.” ⁴⁶ Then he said: “Woe also to you who are versed in the Law, because you load men down with loads hard to carry, but you yourselves do not touch the loads with one of your fingers!n ⁴⁷ “Woe to you, because you build the tombs* of the prophets, but your forefathers killed them!o ⁴⁸ Certainly you are witnesses of the deeds of your forefathers, and yet you approve of them, for they killed the prophetsp but you are building their tombs. ⁴⁹ That is why the wisdom of God also said: ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, and they will kill and persecute some of them,q ⁵⁰ so that the blood of all the prophets spilled from the founding of the world may be charged against* this generation,r ⁵¹ from the blood of Abels down to the blood of Zech·a·riʹah, who was killed between the altar and the house.’t Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against* this generation. ⁵² “Woe to you who are versed in the Law, because you took away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not go in, and you hinder those going in!”u ⁵³ So when he went out from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to put extreme pressure on him and to ply him with many more questions, ⁵⁴ lying in wait for him to catch him in something he might say.v

Luke 11

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NWT | According to Luke 12:1-59

NWT | According to Luke 12:1-59 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 12:1-59

12 In the meantime, when a crowd of so many thousands had gathered together that they were stepping on one another, he started by saying first to his disciples: “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.a ² But there is nothing carefully concealed that will not be revealed, and nothing secret that will not become known.b ³ Therefore, whatever you say in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you whisper* in private rooms will be preached from the housetops. ⁴ Moreover, I say to you, my friends,c do not fear those who kill the body and after this are not able to do anything more.d ⁵ But I will show you whom to fear: Fear the One who after killing has authority to throw into Ge·henʹna.e Yes, I tell you, fear this One.f ⁶ Five sparrows sell for two coins of small value, do they not? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.*g ⁷ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.h Have no fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.i ⁸ “I say to you, everyone who acknowledges me before men,j the Son of man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.k ⁹ But whoever disowns me before men will be disowned before the angels of God.l ¹⁰ And everyone who says a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him, but whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven.m ¹¹ When they bring you in before public assemblies, government officials, and authorities, do not become anxious about how or what you will speak in defense or what you will say,n ¹² for the holy spirit will teach you in that very hour the things you should say.”o ¹³ Then someone in the crowd said to him: “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” ¹⁴ He said to him: “Man, who appointed me judge or arbitrator between you two?” ¹⁵ Then he said to them: “Keep your eyes open and guard against every sort of greed,p because even when a person has an abundance, his life does not result from the things he possesses.”q ¹⁶ With that he told them an illustration, saying: “The land of a rich man produced well. ¹⁷ So he began reasoning within himself, ‘What should I do now that I have nowhere to gather my crops?’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘I will do this:r I will tear down my storehouses and build bigger ones, and there I will gather all my grain and all my goods, ¹⁹ and I will say to myself: “You have many good things stored up for many years; take it easy, eat, drink, enjoy yourself.”’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘Unreasonable one, this night they are demanding your life from you. Who, then, is to have the things you stored up?’s ²¹ So it goes with the man who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich toward God.”t ²² Then he said to his disciples: “That is why I say to you, stop being anxious about your lives as to what you will eat or about your bodies as to what you will wear.u ²³ For the life is worth more than food and the body more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They neither sow seed nor reap; they have neither barn nor storehouse; yet God feeds them.v Are you not worth much more than birds?w ²⁵ Who of you by being anxious can add a cubit to his life span? ²⁶ If, therefore, you cannot do such a small thing, why be anxious about the remaining things?x ²⁷ Consider how the lilies grow: They neither toil nor spin; but I tell you that not even Solʹo·mon in all his glory was arrayed as one of these.y ²⁸ Now if this is how God clothes the vegetation in the field that today exists and tomorrow is cast into an oven, how much more will he clothe you, you with little faith! ²⁹ So stop seeking what you will eat and what you will drink, and stop being in anxious suspense;z ³⁰ for all these are the things the nations of the world are eagerly pursuing, but your Father knows you need these things.a ³¹ Instead, keep seeking his Kingdom, and these things will be added to you.b ³² “Have no fear, little flock,c for your Father has approved of giving you the Kingdom.d ³³ Sell your belongings and give gifts of mercy.e Make money pouches that do not wear out, a never-failing treasure in the heavens,f where no thief gets near and no moth consumes. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your hearts will be also. ³⁵ “Be dressed and readyg and have your lamps burning,h ³⁶ and you should be like men waiting for their master to return*i from the marriage,*j so when he comes and knocks, they may at once open to him. ³⁷ Happy are those slaves whom the master on coming finds watching! Truly I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table and will come alongside and minister to them. ³⁸ And if he comes in the second watch, even if in the third, and finds them ready, happy are they! ³⁹ But know this, if the householder had known at what hour the thief would come, he would not have let his house be broken into.k ⁴⁰ You also, keep ready, because at an hour that you do not think likely, the Son of man is coming.”l ⁴¹ Then Peter said: “Lord, are you telling this illustration just to us or also to everyone?” ⁴² And the Lord said: “Who really is the faithful steward, the discreet one, whom his master will appoint over his body of attendants to keep giving them their measure of food supplies at the proper time?m ⁴³ Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so! ⁴⁴ I tell you truthfully, he will appoint him over all his belongings. ⁴⁵ But if ever that slave should say in his heart, ‘My master delays coming,’n and starts to beat the male and female servants and to eat and drink and get drunk,o ⁴⁶ the master of that slave will come on a day that he is not expecting him and at an hour that he does not know, and he will punish him with the greatest severity and assign him a part with the unfaithful ones. ⁴⁷ Then that slave who understood the will of his master but did not get ready or do what he asked* will be beaten with many strokes.p ⁴⁸ But the one who did not understand and yet did things deserving of strokes will be beaten with few. Indeed, everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him, and the one who was put in charge of much will have more than usual demanded of him.q ⁴⁹ “I came to start a fire on the earth, and what more is there for me to wish if it has already been lit? ⁵⁰ Indeed, I have a baptismr with which to be baptized, and how I am distressed until it is finished!s ⁵¹ Do you think I came to give peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.t ⁵² For from now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three. ⁵³ They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”u ⁵⁴ Then he also said to the crowds: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, at once you say, ‘A storm* is coming,’ and it happens. ⁵⁵ And when you see that a south wind is blowing, you say, ‘There will be a heat wave,’ and it occurs. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites, you know how to examine the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to examine this particular time?v ⁵⁷ Why do you not judge also for yourselves what is righteous? ⁵⁸ For example, when you are going with your legal opponent to a ruler, while on the way, get to work to settle the dispute with him so that he may not summon you before the judge, and the judge deliver you to the court officer, and the court officer throw you into prison.w ⁵⁹ I tell you, you will certainly not get out of there until you pay over your last small coin.”

Luke 12

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NWT | According to Luke 13:1-35

NWT | According to Luke 13:1-35 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 13:1-35

13 At that time some who were present reported to him about the Gal·i·leʹans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² In reply he said to them: “Do you think that those Gal·i·leʹans were worse sinners than all other Gal·i·leʹans because they have suffered these things? ³ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise be destroyed.a ⁴ Or those 18 on whom the tower in Si·loʹam fell, killing them—do you think that they had greater guilt than all other men who live in Jerusalem? ⁵ No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all be destroyed, as they were.” ⁶ Then he went on to tell this illustration: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none.b ⁷ Then he said to the vinedresser, ‘Here it is three years that I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, but have found none. Cut it down! Why should it keep the ground useless?’c ⁸ In reply he said to him, ‘Master, leave it alone for one more year until I dig around it and put on manure. ⁹ If it produces fruit in the future, well and good; but if not, then cut it down.’”d ¹⁰ Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. ¹¹ And look! a woman was there who had had a spirit of weakness for 18 years; and she was bent double and was unable to straighten up at all. ¹² When he saw her, Jesus addressed her and said: “Woman, you are released from your weakness.”e ¹³ And he laid his hands on her, and instantly she straightened up and began to glorify God. ¹⁴ But in response the presiding officer of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus did the cure on the Sabbath, said to the crowd: “There are six days on which work ought to be done;f so come and be cured on those days, and not on the Sabbath day.”g ¹⁵ However, the Lord answered him: “Hypocrites,h does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his bull or his donkey from the stall and lead it away to give it something to drink?i ¹⁶ Should not this woman, who is a daughter of Abraham and whom Satan held bound for 18 years, be released from this bondage on the Sabbath day?” ¹⁷ Well, when he said these things, all his opposers began to feel shame, but the entire crowd began to rejoice at all the glorious things he did.j ¹⁸ So he went on to say: “What is the Kingdom of God like, and with what can I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard grain that a man took and planted in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of heaven nested in its branches.”k ²⁰ And again he said: “With what can I compare the Kingdom of God? ²¹ It is like leaven that a woman took and mixed with three large measures of flour until the whole mass was fermented.”l ²² And he traveled from city to city and from village to village, teaching and continuing on his journey to Jerusalem.m ²³ Now a man said to him: “Lord, are those being saved few?” He said to them: ²⁴ “Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door,n because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able. ²⁵ When the householder gets up and locks the door, you will stand outside knocking at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’o But in answer he will say to you: ‘I do not know where you are from.’p ²⁶ Then you will start saying, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our main streets.’q ²⁷ But he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness!’ ²⁸ There is where your weeping and the gnashing of your teeth will be, when you see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown outside.r ²⁹ Furthermore, people will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the Kingdom of God. ³⁰ And look! there are those last who will be first, and there are those first who will be last.”s ³¹ In that very hour some of the Pharisees came up and told him: “Get out and go away from here, because Herod wants to kill you.” ³² And he said to them: “Go and tell that fox, ‘Look! I am casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will be finished.’ ³³ Nevertheless, I must go on today, tomorrow, and the following day, because it cannot be that a prophet should be put to death outside of Jerusalem.t ³⁴ Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent to heru—how often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her brood of chicks under her wings! But you did not want it.v ³⁵ Look! Your house is abandoned to you.w I tell you, you will by no means see me until you say: ‘Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name!’”x

Luke 13

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NWT | According to Luke 14:1-35

NWT | According to Luke 14:1-35 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 14:1-35

14 On another occasion he went to eat a meal in the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees+ on the Sabbath, and they were closely watching him. ² And look! a man who had dropsy was in front of him. ³ So in response Jesus asked those versed in the Law and the Pharisees: “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath or not?”+ ⁴ But they kept silent. With that he took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away. ⁵ Then he said to them: “Who of you, if his son or bull falls into a well,+ will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day?”+ ⁶ And they were not able to reply to this. ⁷ He then told the invited men an illustration when he noticed how they were choosing the most prominent places for themselves.+ He said to them: ⁸ “When you are invited by someone to a marriage feast, do not recline in the most prominent place.+ Perhaps someone more distinguished than you may also have been invited. ⁹ Then the one who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Let this man have your place.’ Then you will proceed with shame to take the lowest place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the man who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, go on up higher.’ Then you will have honor in front of all your fellow guests.*+ ¹¹ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”+ ¹² Next he said also to the man who had invited him: “When you spread a dinner or an evening meal, do not call your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbors. Otherwise, they might also invite you in return, and it would become a repayment to you.+ ¹³ But when you spread a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;+ ¹⁴ and you will be happy, because they have nothing with which to repay you.+ For you will be repaid in the resurrection+ of the righteous ones.” ¹⁵ On hearing these things, one of the fellow guests said to him: “Happy is the one who dines in the Kingdom of God.” ¹⁶ Jesus said to him: “A man was spreading a grand evening meal,+ and he invited many. ¹⁷ He sent his slave out at the hour of the evening meal to say to the invited ones, ‘Come, because everything is now ready.’ ¹⁸ But they all alike began to make excuses.+ The first said to him, ‘I bought a field and need to go out and see it; I ask you, have me excused.’* ¹⁹ And another said, ‘I bought five yoke* of cattle and am going to examine them; I ask you, have me excused.’+ ²⁰ Still another said, ‘I just got married, and for this reason I cannot come.’ ²¹ So the slave came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out quickly to the main streets and the alleys of the city, and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ ²² In time the slave said, ‘Master, what you ordered has been done, and still there is room.’ ²³ So the master said to the slave, ‘Go out to the roads and the lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.+ ²⁴ For I say to you, none of those men who were invited will taste my evening meal.’”+ ²⁵ Now large crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and said to them: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life,+ he cannot be my disciple.+ ²⁷ Whoever does not carry his torture stake and come after me cannot be my disciple.+ ²⁸ For example, who of you wanting to build a tower does not first sit down and calculate the expense to see if he has enough to complete it? ²⁹ Otherwise, he might lay its foundation but not be able to finish it, and all the onlookers would start to ridicule him, ³⁰ saying: ‘This man started to build but was not able to finish.’ ³¹ Or what king marching out against another king in war does not first sit down and take counsel whether he is able with 10,000 troops to stand up to the one who comes against him with 20,000?+ ³² If, in fact, he cannot do so, then while that one is yet far away, he sends out a body of ambassadors and sues for peace. ³³ In the same way, you may be sure that not one of you who does not say good-bye to* all his belongings can be my disciple.+ ³⁴ “Salt, to be sure, is fine. But if the salt loses its strength, with what will it be seasoned?+ ³⁵ It is not suitable for soil or for manure. People throw it away. Let the one who has ears to listen, listen.”+

Footnotes

^ Or “all those reclining at the table with you.”

^ Or “please let me be excused.”

^ Or “pairs.”

^ Or “give up.”

Study Notes

dropsy: Or “edema,” an excess buildup of fluid in the body, evidenced by swelling. The term was used by ancient physicians from Hippocrates, a Greek physician of the fifth and fourth centuries B.C.E., onward. Dropsy, which may have been a symptom of advanced deterioration of the body’s vital organs, was dreaded because it often indicated that the person would suffer a sudden death. Some believe that the man was brought to Jesus on the Sabbath as a trap by the Pharisees, for verse 1 says: “They were closely watching him.” This is one of at least six miracles that are mentioned only in Luke’s Gospel.—See “Introduction to Luke.”

illustrations: Or “parables.” The Greek word pa·ra·bo·leʹ, which literally means “a placing beside (together),” may be in the form of a parable, a proverb, or an illustration. Jesus often explains a thing by ‘placing it beside,’ or comparing it with, another similar thing. (Mr 4:30) His illustrations were short and usually fictitious narratives from which a moral or spiritual truth could be drawn.

an illustration: Or “a parable.”—See study note on Mt 13:3.

most prominent places: At feasts or banquets in Jesus’ day, guests reclined on couches placed along three sides of a table. Servers had access to the fourth side. The number of couches may have varied, depending on the size of the table. Four or five people could occupy one couch, but usually the number was three. Each person would recline with his head near the table, resting his left elbow on a cushion, and taking food with his right hand. The customary three places on the couch indicated the high, middle, and low location of the guests.

dines: Or “is at the feast.” Lit., “eats bread.” In Bible times, bread was such an important part of the diet that in both Hebrew and Greek, the expression “to eat bread” means “to eat (a meal); to dine.” The Hebrew term for “eat bread” has often been rendered “eat” (Ge 37:25; 2Ki 4:8), “dine” (2Sa 9:7), or “eat . . . food” (Ec 9:7). Similarly, at Lu 14:1, the Greek expression rendered “eat a meal” is literally “eat bread.”

hate: In the Bible, the term “hate” has several shades of meaning. It may denote a feeling of hostility that is motivated by malice, prompting someone to harm others. Or it may refer to an intense feeling of dislike for or strong aversion to someone or something, thus causing a person to avoid having anything to do with that person or thing. Or the term may simply mean to love to a lesser degree. For example, when Jacob is said to have “hated” Leah and loved Rachel, the meaning is that he loved Leah less than he loved Rachel (Ge 29:31, ftn.; De 21:15, ftn.), and the term is used in this sense in other ancient Jewish literature. Therefore, Jesus did not mean that his followers were to feel hostility or loathing toward their families and toward themselves, as this would contradict the rest of the Scriptures. (Compare Mr 12:29-31; Eph 5:28, 29, 33.) In this context, the term “hate” could be rendered “love to a lesser degree.”

life: Or “soul.” The meaning of the Greek word psy·kheʹ, traditionally rendered “soul,” has to be determined by the context. Here it refers to a person’s life. Thus, Jesus’ words mean that a true disciple must love Jesus more than he loves his own life, even being willing to lose his life if necessary.—See Glossary, “Soul.”

torture stake: Or “execution stake.” In classical Greek, the word stau·rosʹ primarily referred to an upright stake or pole. Used figuratively in the Scriptures, this term often stands for the suffering, shame, torture, and even death that a person experienced because of being a follower of Jesus. This is the third time that Jesus said that his disciples would have to carry a torture stake; the two earlier occasions are recorded at (1) Mt 10:38; (2) Mt 16:24; Mr 8:34; Lu 9:23.—See Glossary.

salt: A mineral used for preserving and flavoring food. In this context, Jesus likely focused on the preserving quality of salt; his disciples could help others to avoid spiritual and moral decay.

Salt: A mineral used for preserving and flavoring food.—See study note on Mt 5:13.

loses its strength: See study note on Mt 5:13.

loses its strength: In Jesus’ day, salt was often obtained from the Dead Sea area and was contaminated by other minerals. If the salty portion was removed from this mixture, only a tasteless, useless residue remained.

Media

Prominent Places at Evening Meals

In the first century, a common way of dining was to recline at the table. Each person would rest his left elbow on a cushion and eat using his right hand. According to the Greco-Roman custom, a typical dining room had three couches set around a low dining table. The Romans called this kind of dining room a triclinium (Latin from a Greek word meaning “room with three couches”). Although this arrangement traditionally accommodated nine people, three to a couch, it became common to use longer couches to accommodate even more people. Each position in the dining room was traditionally viewed as having a different degree of honor. One couch was the lowest place of honor (A), one was the middle (B), and one was the highest (C). The positions on the couch differed in importance. The person dining was considered to be above the one to his right and below the one to his left. At a formal banquet, the host typically sat at the first position (1) on the lowest couch. The place of honor was the third position (2) on the middle couch. Although it is not clear to what extent the Jews adopted this custom, it appears that Jesus alluded to it when teaching his followers the need for humility.

Salt on the Shore of the Dead Sea

Today, the water in the Dead Sea (Salt Sea) is about nine times as salty as the water in the world’s oceans. (Ge 14:3) Evaporation of the Dead Sea waters produced an ample supply of salt for the Israelites, although this salt was of poor quality because it was contaminated with other minerals. The Israelites may also have acquired salt from the Phoenicians, who, it is said, obtained it from the Mediterranean by means of evaporation. The Bible mentions salt as a seasoning for food. (Job 6:6) Jesus was a master at using illustrations based on things related to the everyday lives of the people, so he used salt to illustrate important spiritual lessons. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, he told his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth,” having a preserving influence on others, preventing spiritual corruption and moral decay.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Luke 14

English

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NWT | According to Luke 15:1-32

NWT | According to Luke 15:1-32 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 15:1-32

15 Now all the tax collectors and the sinners kept gathering around him to hear him.+ ² And both the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering: “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”+ ³ Then he told them this illustration, saying: ⁴ “What man among you with 100 sheep, on losing one of them, will not leave the 99 behind in the wilderness and go after the lost one until he finds it?+ ⁵ And when he has found it, he puts it on his shoulders and rejoices. ⁶ And when he gets home, he calls his friends and his neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’+ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents+ than over 99 righteous ones who have no need of repentance.+ ⁸ “Or what woman who has ten drachma coins, if she loses one of the drachmas, does not light a lamp and sweep her house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls her friends* and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the drachma coin that I had lost.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, joy arises among the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”+ ¹¹ Then he said: “A man had two sons. ¹² And the younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that should come to me.’ So he divided his belongings between them. ¹³ A few days later, the younger son gathered all his things together and traveled to a distant country and there squandered his property by living a debauched life. ¹⁴ When he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred throughout that country, and he fell into need. ¹⁵ He even went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to herd swine.+ ¹⁶ And he longed to be filled with the carob pods that the swine were eating, but no one would give him anything. ¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, while I am dying here from hunger! ¹⁸ I will get up and travel to my father and say to him: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Make me as one of your hired men.”’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father. While he was still a long way off, his father caught sight of him and was moved with pity, and he ran and embraced him* and tenderly kissed him. ²¹ Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.+ I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quick! bring out a robe, the best one, and clothe him with it, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. ²³ Also bring the fattened calf, slaughter* it, and let us eat and celebrate, ²⁴ for this son of mine was dead but has come to life again;+ he was lost and has been found.’ And they started to enjoy themselves.+ ²⁵ “Now his older son was in the field, and as he returned and got near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants to him and asked what was happening. ²⁷ He said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father slaughtered the fattened calf because he got him back in good health.’* ²⁸ But he became angry and refused to go in. Then his father came out and began to plead with him. ²⁹ In reply he said to his father, ‘Look! These many years I have slaved for you and never once did I disobey your orders, and yet you never once gave me a young goat to enjoy with my friends. ³⁰ But as soon as this son of yours arrived who squandered your belongings with prostitutes, you slaughtered the fattened calf for him.’ ³¹ Then he said to him, ‘My son, you have always been with me, and all the things that are mine are yours. ³² But we just had to celebrate and rejoice, for your brother was dead but has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”

Footnotes

^ Or “her women friends.”

^ Lit., “fell upon his neck.”

^ Or “sacrifice.”

^ Or “safe.”

Study Notes

illustration: Or “parable.”—See study note on Mt 13:3.

ten: As shown in the study note on drachma coins in this verse, a drachma was worth almost a day’s wages. However, this lost coin may have had special value as one of a set of ten, perhaps an heirloom or part of a prized string of drachmas used for adornment. It was necessary to light a lamp to search for it because the window in a home, if there was one, was usually quite small. And houses at that time generally had clay floors, so the woman swept the floor to help her find the lost coin.

drachma coins: A drachma was a Greek silver coin. By the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the drachma probably weighed about 3.4 g (0.109 oz t). At that time, the Greeks equated the drachma with the denarius, but the Roman government officially reckoned the value of the drachma at three fourths of a denarius. The Jews paid an annual temple tax of two drachmas (a didrachma).—See study note on Mt 17:24; Glossary, “Drachma”; and App. B14.

the two drachmas tax: Lit., “the double drachmas.” (See App. B14.) Various temple services were maintained through taxation. (Ex 30:12-16) Apparently, by Jesus’ day it had become customary for each adult male Jew to contribute a fixed amount as an annual temple tax.

the drachma coin: See study note on Lu 15:8; Glossary, “Drachma”; and App. B14.

A man had two sons: Some aspects of the illustration of the prodigal son (also known as “the lost son”) are unique. It is one of the longest that Jesus gave. An outstanding feature is the family relationships he describes. In other illustrations, Jesus often referred to inanimate things, such as different kinds of seed or soil, or to the formal relationship between a master and his slaves. (Mt 13:18-30; 25:14-30; Lu 19:12-27) In this illustration, however, Jesus highlights the intimate relationship between a father and his sons. Many who hear this account may not have had such a kind, warmhearted father. This illustration portrays the deep compassion and love that our heavenly Father has for his earthly children, both those who remain with him and those who return to him after going astray.

the younger one: According to the Mosaic Law, the firstborn received a double share. (De 21:17) So in this illustration, the inheritance of the younger son would have been half that of his older brother.

squandered: The Greek word used here literally means “to scatter (in different directions).” (Lu 1:51; Ac 5:37) At Mt 25:24, 26, it is rendered “winnow.” Here it is used in the sense of being wasteful, spending foolishly.

a debauched life: Or “a wasteful (reckless; wild) life.” A related Greek word is used with a similar meaning at Eph 5:18; Tit 1:6; 1Pe 4:4. Since the Greek word may also include the idea of a spendthrift, or wasteful, lifestyle some Bible translations use the expression “with prodigal living.”

to herd swine: These animals were unclean according to the Law, so this was a degrading, despicable occupation for a Jew.—Le 11:7, 8.

carob pods: The fruit or pods of the carob have a shiny, leathery shell of a purplish-brown color and, in harmony with the literal meaning of their name in Greek (ke·raʹti·on, “small horn”), have a curved horn shape. Carob pods are widely used till this day as food for horses, cattle, and pigs. The degradation to which the young man had sunk was accentuated by his willingness even to eat the food of swine.—See study note on Lu 15:15.

to herd swine: These animals were unclean according to the Law, so this was a degrading, despicable occupation for a Jew.—Le 11:7, 8.

against you: Or “in your sight.” The Greek preposition e·noʹpi·on, literally meaning “before; in the sight of,” is used in a similar way at 1Sa 20:1 in the Septuagint. In that verse, David asks Jonathan: “How have I sinned against your father?”

hired men: When he returned home, the younger son planned to ask his father to be accepted, not as a son, but as a hired man. Such a man was not part of the estate, as were the slaves, but was an outsider who was hired, often for just a day at a time.—Mt 20:1, 2, 8.

tenderly kissed him: Or “affectionately kissed him.” The Greek term rendered “tenderly kissed” has been understood to be an intensive form of the verb phi·leʹo, sometimes rendered “to kiss” (Mt 26:48; Mr 14:44; Lu 22:47) but more often having the meaning “to have affection for” (Joh 5:20; 11:3; 16:27). By greeting him in such a warm, friendly manner, the father in the illustration shows his willingness to welcome back his repentant son.

called your son: Some manuscripts add: “Make me as one of your hired men,” but the current main text reading has support in various early, authoritative manuscripts. Some scholars consider that the extra expression was added to make the verse harmonize with Lu 15:19.

robe . . . ring . . . sandals: This robe was not merely a simple article of clothing but the best one—perhaps a richly embroidered vestment of the sort presented to an honored guest. The act of putting a ring on the hand of his son shows the favor and affection of the father as well as the dignity, honor, and status accorded this restored son. A ring and sandals were not usually seen on slaves. Thus, the father was making it clear that his son was being welcomed back as a full-fledged member of the family.

squandered: Lit., “devoured.” The Greek word is here used to give a graphic description of how the younger son wasted his father’s belongings, or means of living.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Luke 15

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NWT | According to Luke 16:1-31

NWT | According to Luke 16:1-31 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 16:1-31

16 Then he also said to the disciples: “A rich man had a stewarda who was accused of handling his goods wastefully. ² So he called him and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Hand in the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer manage the house.’ ³ Then the steward said to himself, ‘What am I to do, seeing that my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. ⁴ Ah! I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from the stewardship, people will welcome me into their homes.’ ⁵ And calling to him each one of his master’s debtors, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶ He replied, ‘A hundred measures of olive oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take back your written agreement and sit down and quickly write 50.’ ⁷ Next, he said to another one, ‘Now you, how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred large measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take back your written agreement and write 80.’ ⁸ And his master commended the steward, though unrighteous, because he acted with practical wisdom; for the sons of this system of things are wiser in a practical way toward their own generation than the sons of the lightb are. ⁹ “Also, I say to you: Make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous riches,c so that when such fail, they may receive you into the everlasting dwelling places.d ¹⁰ The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much. ¹¹ Therefore, if you have not proved yourselves faithful in connection with the unrighteous riches, who will entrust you with what is true? ¹² And if you have not proved yourselves faithful in connection with what belongs to another, who will give you something for yourselves?*e ¹³ No servant can be a slave to two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves to God and to Riches.”f ¹⁴ Now the Pharisees, who were money lovers, were listening to all these things, and they began to sneer at him.g ¹⁵ So he said to them: “You are those who declare yourselves righteous before men,h but God knows your hearts.i For what is considered exalted by men is a disgusting thing in God’s sight.j ¹⁶ “The Law and the Prophets were until John. From then on, the Kingdom of God is being declared as good news, and every sort of person is pressing forward toward it.k ¹⁷ Indeed, it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to go unfulfilled.l ¹⁸ “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.m ¹⁹ “There was a rich man who used to dress in purple and linen,n enjoying himself day after day with magnificence. ²⁰ But a beggar named Lazʹa·rus used to be put at his gate, covered with ulcers ²¹ and desiring to be filled with the things dropping from the table of the rich man. Yes, even the dogs would come and lick his ulcers. ²² Now in the course of time, the beggar died and was carried off by the angels to Abraham’s side. “Also, the rich man died and was buried. ²³ And in the Grave he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and he saw Abraham from afar and Lazʹa·rus by his side. ²⁴ So he called and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazʹa·rus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this blazing fire.’ ²⁵ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you had your fill of good things in your lifetime, but Lazʹa·rus for his part received bad things. Now, however, he is being comforted here, but you are in anguish.o ²⁶ And besides all these things, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to go over from here to you cannot, neither may people cross over from there to us.’ ²⁷ Then he said, ‘That being so, I ask you, father, to send him to the house of my father, ²⁸ for I have five brothers, in order that he may give them a thorough witness so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ ²⁹ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to these.’p ³⁰ Then he said, ‘No, indeed, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ ³¹ But he said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Mosesq and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”

Luke 16

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NWT | According to Luke 17:1-37

NWT | According to Luke 17:1-37 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 17:1-37

17 Then he said to his disciples: “It is unavoidable that causes for stumbling should come. Nevertheless, woe to the one through whom they come!a ² It would be more advantageous for him if a millstone were hung from his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to stumble one of these little ones.b ³ Pay attention to yourselves. If your brother commits a sin, rebuke him,c and if he repents, forgive him.d ⁴ Even if he sins seven times a day against you and he comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”e ⁵ Now the apostles said to the Lord: “Give us more faith.”f ⁶ Then the Lord said: “If you had faith the size of a mustard grain, you would say to this black mulberry tree,* ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea!’ and it would obey you.g ⁷ “Which one of you who has a slave plowing or shepherding would say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come here at once and dine at the table’? ⁸ Rather, will he not say to him, ‘Get something ready for me to have my evening meal, and put on an apron and serve me until I finish eating and drinking, and afterward you can eat and drink’? ⁹ He will not feel gratitude to the slave because he did what was assigned, will he? ¹⁰ Likewise, when you have done all the things assigned to you, say: ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves. What we have done is what we ought to have done.’”h ¹¹ While he was going to Jerusalem, he was passing between Sa·marʹi·a and Galʹi·lee. ¹² And as he was entering a village, ten men with leprosy met him, but they stood at a distance.i ¹³ And they raised their voices and said: “Jesus, Instructor, have mercy on us!” ¹⁴ When he saw them, he said to them: “Go and show yourselves to the priests.”j Then as they were going off, they were cleansed.k ¹⁵ One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice. ¹⁶ And he fell facedown at Jesus’ feet, thanking him. Furthermore, he was a Sa·marʹi·tan.l ¹⁷ In reply Jesus said: “All ten were cleansed, were they not? Where, then, are the other nine? ¹⁸ Did no one else turn back to give glory to God except this man of another nation?” ¹⁹ Then he said to him: “Get up and be on your way; your faith has made you well.”*m ²⁰ On being asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God was coming,n he answered them: “The Kingdom of God is not coming with striking observableness; ²¹ nor will people say, ‘See here!’ or, ‘There!’ For look! the Kingdom of God is in your midst.”o ²² Then he said to the disciples: “Days will come when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, but you will not see it.p ²³ And people will say to you, ‘See there!’ or, ‘See here!’ Do not go out or chase after them.q ²⁴ For just as lightning flashes from one part of heaven to another part of heaven, so the Son of manr will be in his day.s ²⁵ First, however, he must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by this generation.t ²⁶ Moreover, just as it occurred in the days of Noah,u so it will be in the days of the Son of man:v ²⁷ they were eating, they were drinking, men were marrying, women were being given in marriage until that day when Noah entered into the ark,w and the Flood came and destroyed them all.x ²⁸ Likewise, just as it occurred in the days of Lot:y they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building. ²⁹ But on the day that Lot went out of Sodʹom, it rained fire and sulfur from heaven and destroyed them all.z ³⁰ It will be the same on that day when the Son of man is revealed.a ³¹ “On that day let the person who is on the housetop but whose belongings are in the house not come down to pick these up, and likewise, the person out in the field must not return to the things behind.b ³² Remember the wife of Lot.c ³³ Whoever seeks to keep his life safe will lose it, but whoever loses it will preserve it alive.d ³⁴ I tell you, in that night two people will be in one bed; the one will be taken along, but the other will be abandoned.e ³⁵ There will be two women grinding at the same mill; the one will be taken along, but the other will be abandoned.” ³⁶ —— ³⁷ So in response they said to him: “Where, Lord?” He said to them: “Where the body is, there also the eagles will be gathered together.”f

Luke 17

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NWT | According to Luke 18:1-43

NWT | According to Luke 18:1-43 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 18:1-43

18 Then he went on to tell them an illustration about the need for them always to pray and not to give up,a ² saying: “In a certain city there was a judge who had no fear of God and no respect for man. ³ There was also a widow in that city who kept going to him and saying, ‘See that I get justice from my legal opponent.’ ⁴ Well, for a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Although I do not fear God or respect any man, ⁵ because this widow keeps making me trouble, I will see that she gets justice so that she will not keep coming and wearing me out with her demand.’”b ⁶ Then the Lord said: “Hear what the judge, although unrighteous, said! ⁷ Certainly, then, will not God cause justice to be done for his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night,c while he is patient toward them?d ⁸ I tell you, he will cause justice to be done to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man arrives, will he really find this faith on the earth?” ⁹ He also told this illustration to some who trusted in their own righteousnesse and who considered others as nothing: ¹⁰ “Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and began to pray these things to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like everyone else—extortioners, unrighteous, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.f ¹² I fast twice a week; I give the tenth of all things I acquire.’g ¹³ But the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing even to raise his eyes heavenward but kept beating his chest, saying, ‘O God, be gracious to me, a sinner.’h ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his home and was proved more righteous than that Pharisee.i Because everyone who exalts himself will be humiliated, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”j ¹⁵ Now people were also bringing him their infants for him to touch them, but on seeing this, the disciples began to reprimand them.k ¹⁶ However, Jesus called the infants to him, saying: “Let the young children come to me, and do not try to stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such ones.l ¹⁷ Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a young child will by no means enter into it.”m ¹⁸ And one of the rulers questioned him, saying: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit everlasting life?”n ¹⁹ Jesus said to him: “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good except one, God.o ²⁰ You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,p do not murder,q do not steal,r do not bear false witness,s honor your father and your mother.’”t ²¹ Then he said: “All of these I have kept from youth on.” ²² After hearing that, Jesus said to him, “There is still one thing lacking about you: Sell all the things you have and distribute the proceeds to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come be my follower.”u ²³ When he heard this, he became deeply grieved, for he was very rich.v ²⁴ Jesus looked at him and said: “How difficult it will be for those having money to make their way into the Kingdom of God!w ²⁵ It is easier, in fact, for a camel to get through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”x ²⁶ Those who heard this said: “Who possibly can be saved?”y ²⁷ He said: “The things impossible with men are possible with God.”z ²⁸ But Peter said: “Look! We have left what was ours and followed you.”a ²⁹ He said to them: “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the Kingdom of Godb ³⁰ who will not get many times more in this period of time,* and in the coming system of things, everlasting life.”c ³¹ Then he took the Twelve aside and said to them: “Look! We are going up to Jerusalem, and all the things written by means of the prophetsd about the Son of man will be accomplished.*e ³² For instance, he will be handed over to men of the nationsf and will be mockedg and treated insolently and spat on.h ³³ And after scourging him, they will kill him,i but on the third day he will rise.”j ³⁴ However, they did not get the meaning of any of these things, for these words were hidden from them, and they did not understand the things said.k ³⁵ Now as Jesus was getting near to Jerʹi·cho, a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.l ³⁶ Because he heard a crowd passing by, he began to inquire what was going on. ³⁷ They reported to him: “Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ is passing by!” ³⁸ At that he cried out: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ³⁹ And those who were in front began rebuking him, telling him to keep quiet, but all the more he kept shouting: “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁰ Then Jesus stopped and commanded that the man be brought to him. After he came near, Jesus asked him: ⁴¹ “What do you want me to do for you?” He said: “Lord, let me recover my sight.” ⁴² So Jesus said to him: “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”*m ⁴³ And instantly he recovered his sight, and he began to follow him,n glorifying God. Also, at seeing it, all the people gave praise to God.o

Luke 18

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NWT | According to Luke 19:1-48

NWT | According to Luke 19:1-48 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 19:1-48

19 He then entered Jerʹi·cho and was passing through. ² Now a man named Zac·chaeʹus was there; he was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. ³ Well, he was trying to see who this Jesus was, but he could not see because of the crowd, since he was short. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree* in order to see him, for he was about to pass that way. ⁵ Now when Jesus got to the place, he looked up and said to him: “Zac·chaeʹus, hurry and get down, for today I must stay in your house.” ⁶ With that he hurried down and joyfully welcomed him as a guest. ⁷ When they saw this, they were all muttering: “He went as a guest to the house of a man who is a sinner.”a ⁸ But Zac·chaeʹus stood up and said to the Lord: “Look! The half of my belongings, Lord, I am giving to the poor, and whatever I extorted from anyone, I am restoring four times over.”b ⁹ At this Jesus said to him: “Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.”c ¹¹ While they were listening to these things, he told another illustration, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God was going to appear instantly.d ¹² So he said: “A man of noble birth traveled to a distant lande to secure kingly power for himself and to return. ¹³ Calling ten of his slaves, he gave them ten miʹnas and told them, ‘Do business with these until I come.’f ¹⁴ But his citizens hated him and sent out a body of ambassadors after him to say, ‘We do not want this man to become king over us.’ ¹⁵ “When he eventually got back after having secured the kingly power, he summoned the slaves to whom he had given the money, in order to ascertain what they had gained by their business activity.g ¹⁶ So the first one came forward and said, ‘Lord, your miʹna gained ten miʹnas.’h ¹⁷ He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because in a very small matter you have proved yourself faithful, hold authority over ten cities.’i ¹⁸ Now the second came, saying, ‘Your miʹna, Lord, made five miʹnas.’j ¹⁹ He said to this one as well, ‘You too be in charge of five cities.’ ²⁰ But another one came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your miʹna that I kept hidden away in a cloth. ²¹ You see, I was in fear of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and you reap what you did not sow.’k ²² He said to him, ‘By your own words I judge you, wicked slave. You knew, did you, that I am a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?l ²³ So why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my coming, I would have collected it with interest.’ ²⁴ “With that he said to those standing by, ‘Take the miʹna from him and give it to the one who has the ten miʹnas.’m ²⁵ But they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten miʹnas!’— ²⁶ ‘I say to you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.n ²⁷ Moreover, bring these enemies of mine here who did not want me to become king over them and execute them in front of me.’” ²⁸ After he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ And when he got near to Bethʹpha·ge and Bethʹa·ny at the mountain called Mount of Olives,o he sent two of the disciples,p ³⁰ saying: “Go into the village that is within sight, and after you enter it, you will find a colt tied, on which no man has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ But if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you must say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” ³² So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had said to them.q ³³ But as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them: “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ They said: “The Lord needs it.” ³⁵ And they led it to Jesus, and they threw their outer garments on the colt and seated Jesus on it.r ³⁶ As he moved along, they were spreading their outer garments on the road.s ³⁷ As soon as he got near the road down the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God with a loud voice because of all the powerful works they had seen, ³⁸ saying: “Blessed is the one coming as the King in Jehovah’s name! Peace in heaven, and glory in the heights above!”*t ³⁹ However, some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him: “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”u ⁴⁰ But in reply he said: “I tell you, if these remained silent, the stones would cry out.” ⁴¹ And when he got nearby, he viewed the city and wept over it,v ⁴² saying: “If you, even you, had discerned on this day the things having to do with peacew—but now they have been hidden from your eyes.x ⁴³ Because the days will come upon you when your enemies will build around you a fortification of pointed stakes and will encircle you and besiege you* from every side.y ⁴⁴ They will dash you and your children within you to the ground,z and they will not leave a stone upon a stone in you,a because you did not discern the time of your being inspected.” ⁴⁵ Then he entered the temple and started to throw out those who were selling,b ⁴⁶ saying to them: “It is written, ‘My house will be a house of prayer,’c but you have made it a cave of robbers.”d ⁴⁷ He continued teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal ones of the people were seeking to kill him;e ⁴⁸ but they did not find any way to do this, for the people one and all kept hanging on to him to hear him.f

Luke 19

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NWT | According to Luke 20:1-47

NWT | According to Luke 20:1-47 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 20:1-47

20 On one of the days while he was teaching the people in the temple and declaring the good news, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came ² and said to him: “Tell us, by what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority?”+ ³ He replied to them: “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: ⁴ Was the baptism* of John from heaven or from men?”* ⁵ Then they drew conclusions among themselves, saying: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ ⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ the people one and all will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”+ ⁷ So they replied that they did not know its source. ⁸ Jesus said to them: “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.” ⁹ Then he began to tell the people this illustration: “A man planted a vineyard+ and leased it to cultivators, and he traveled abroad for a considerable time.+ ¹⁰ In due season he sent a slave to the cultivators so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. The cultivators, however, sent him away empty-handed, after beating him.+ ¹¹ But again he sent another slave. That one also they beat and humiliated* and sent away empty-handed. ¹² Yet again he sent a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. ¹³ At this the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my son, the beloved.+ They will likely respect this one.’ ¹⁴ When the cultivators caught sight of him, they reasoned with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him so that the inheritance may become ours.’ ¹⁵ So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.+ What, then, will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶ He will come and kill these cultivators and will give the vineyard to others.” On hearing this, they said: “Never may that happen!” ¹⁷ But he looked straight at them and said: “What, then, does this mean where it is written: ‘The stone that the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone’?+ ¹⁸ Everyone falling on that stone will be shattered.+ As for anyone on whom it falls, it will crush him.” ¹⁹ The scribes and the chief priests then sought to get their hands on him in that very hour, but they feared the people, for they realized that he told this illustration with them in mind.+ ²⁰ And after observing him closely, they sent men whom they had secretly hired to pretend that they were righteous in order to catch him in his speech,+ so as to turn him over to the government and to the authority of the governor. ²¹ And they questioned him, saying: “Teacher, we know you speak and teach correctly and show no partiality, but you teach the way of God in line with truth: ²² Is it lawful* for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” ²³ But he detected their cunning and said to them: ²⁴ “Show me a de·narʹi·us. Whose image and inscription does it have?” They said: “Caesar’s.” ²⁵ He said to them: “By all means, then, pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar+ but God’s things to God.”+ ²⁶ Well, they were not able to trap him in his speech before the people, but amazed at his answer, they became silent. ²⁷ However, some of the Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection,+ came and asked him:+ ²⁸ “Teacher, Moses wrote us, ‘If a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife, but he was childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up offspring for his brother.’+ ²⁹ Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife but died childless. ³⁰ So the second ³¹ and the third married her. Likewise even all seven; they died and left no children. ³² Finally the woman also died. ³³ Consequently, in the resurrection, whose wife will she become? For the seven had her as a wife.” ³⁴ Jesus said to them: “The children of this system of things marry and are given in marriage, ³⁵ but those who have been counted worthy of gaining that system of things and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.+ ³⁶ In fact, neither can they die anymore, for they are like the angels, and they are God’s children by being children of the resurrection. ³⁷ But that the dead are raised up, even Moses made known in the account about the thornbush,+ when he calls Jehovah ‘the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob.’+ ³⁸ He is a God, not of the dead, but of the living, for they are all living to him.”+ ³⁹ In response some of the scribes said: “Teacher, you spoke well.” ⁴⁰ For they no longer had the courage to ask him a single question. ⁴¹ In turn he asked them: “How is it they say that the Christ is David’s son?+ ⁴² For David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand ⁴³ until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’+ ⁴⁴ David, therefore, calls him Lord; so how is he his son?” ⁴⁵ Then, while all the people were listening, he said to his disciples: ⁴⁶ “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in robes and who love greetings in the marketplaces and front seats in the synagogues and the most prominent places at evening meals,+ ⁴⁷ and who devour the houses* of the widows and for show* make long prayers. These will receive a more severe* judgment.”

Footnotes

^ Or “of human origin.”

^ Or “immersion; dipping.”

^ Or “dishonored; treated shamefully.”

^ Or “right.”

^ Or “property.”

^ Or “for a pretext.”

^ Or “a heavier.”

Study Notes

scribes: This term originally referred to copyists of the Scriptures, but during Jesus’ time, it referred to those who were experts in the Law and teachers of it.

elders: Lit., “older men.” In the Bible, the Greek term pre·sbyʹte·ros refers primarily to those who hold a position of authority and responsibility in a community or a nation. Although the term sometimes refers to physical age (as at Lu 15:25; Ac 2:17), it is not limited to those who are elderly. Here it refers to the leaders of the Jewish nation who are often mentioned together with chief priests and scribes. The Sanhedrin was made up of men from these three groups.—Mt 21:23; 26:3, 47, 57; 27:1, 41; 28:12; see Glossary, “Elder; Older man.”

chief priests: See study note on Mt 2:4.

scribes: See study note on Mt 2:4.

elders: See study note on Mt 16:21.

leased: A common practice in first-century Israel. In this case, the owner did much preliminary work, making his expectation of a return all the more reasonable.

illustration: Or “parable.”—See study note on Mt 13:3.

leased: See study note on Mt 21:33.

for a considerable time: Only Luke adds this expression in the illustration of the murderous vineyard cultivators.—Compare the parallel accounts at Mt 21:33 and Mr 12:1.

the chief cornerstone: See study note on Mt 21:42.

the chief cornerstone: Or “the most important stone.” The Hebrew expression at Ps 118:22 and the Greek expression used here literally mean “the head of the corner.” Although it has been understood in different ways, it apparently refers to the stone that was installed atop the junction of two walls to hold them firmly together. Jesus quoted and applied this prophecy to himself as “the chief cornerstone.” Just as the topmost stone of a building is conspicuous, so Jesus Christ is the crowning stone of the Christian congregation of anointed ones, which is likened to a spiritual temple.

Caesar: See study note on Mt 22:17.

Caesar: Or “the Emperor.” The Roman emperor during Jesus’ earthly ministry was Tiberius, but the term was not restricted to the ruling emperor. “Caesar” could refer to the Roman civil authority, or the State, and its duly appointed representatives, who are called “the superior authorities” by Paul, and “the king” and his “governors” by Peter.—Ro 13:1-7; 1Pe 2:13-17; Tit 3:1; see Glossary.

denarius: This Roman silver coin with an inscription of Caesar was “the tax coin” that the Romans exacted from the Jews. (Mt 22:17, 19; Lu 20:22) In Jesus’ day, agricultural laborers commonly received a denarius for a 12-hour workday, and the Christian Greek Scriptures often use the denarius as a basis for calculating other monetary values. (Mt 20:2; Mr 6:37; 14:5; Re 6:6) A variety of copper and silver coins were used in Israel, including silver coins minted in Tyre that were used for the temple tax. Yet, for paying taxes to Rome, people evidently used the silver denarius bearing the image of Caesar.—See Glossary and App. B14.

image and inscription: See study note on Mt 22:20.

image and inscription: On the front side of a common denarius of this time, there was an image of the laurel-crowned head of Roman Emperor Tiberius, who reigned from 14 to 37 C.E., and the inscription in Latin, “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the deified Augustus.”—See also App. B14.

pay back: See study note on Mt 22:21.

Caesar’s things to Caesar: Jesus’ reply here, and in the parallel accounts at Mt 22:21 and Mr 12:17, is his only recorded reference to the Roman emperor. “Caesar’s things” include payment for services rendered by the secular government as well as the honor and relative subjection that is to be shown to such authorities.—Ro 13:1-7.

God’s things to God: See study note on Mt 22:21.

God’s things to God: This includes a person’s wholehearted worship, whole-souled love, and complete, loyal obedience.—Mt 4:10; 22:37, 38; Ac 5:29; Ro 14:8.

Pay back: Lit., “Give back.” Caesar minted the coins, so he had a right to ask for some of them back. But Caesar did not have the right to ask a person to dedicate or devote his life to him. God gave humans “life and breath and all things.” (Ac 17:25) So a person can “give back” his life and devotion only to God, the one who has the right to require exclusive devotion.

Sadducees: This is the only mention of the Sadducees in the Gospel of Luke. (See Glossary.) The name (Greek, Sad·dou·kaiʹos) is likely connected with Zadok (often spelled Sad·doukʹ in the Septuagint), who was made high priest in the days of Solomon and whose descendants evidently served as priests for centuries.—1Ki 2:35.

resurrection: The Greek word a·naʹsta·sis literally means “raising up; standing up.” It is used about 40 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures with reference to the resurrection of the dead. (Mt 22:23, 31; Lu 20:33; Ac 4:2; 24:15; 1Co 15:12, 13) In the Septuagint at Isa 26:19, the verb form of a·naʹsta·sis is used to render the Hebrew verb “to live” in the expression “Your dead will live.”—See Glossary.

the second married her: Among the ancient Hebrews, if a man died sonless, it was expected that his brother would marry the widow in order to produce offspring to continue the dead man’s family line. (Ge 38:8) The arrangement, later incorporated into the Mosaic Law, was known as brother-in-law, or levirate, marriage. (De 25:5, 6) Brother-in-law marriage was practiced in Jesus’ day, as shown by the Sadducees’ reference to it here. The Law did permit relatives to refuse to perform brother-in-law marriage, but if a man would not “build up his brother’s household,” he brought disgrace on himself.—De 25:7-10; Ru 4:7, 8.

married her: See study note on Mr 12:21.

system of things: The Greek word ai·onʹ, having the basic meaning “age,” can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. Jesus is stating that blasphemy against the holy spirit will not be forgiven in the present ungodly system of things under Satan’s rule (2Co 4:4; Eph 2:2; Tit 2:12) nor in the coming system of things under God’s rule, in which “everlasting life” is promised (Lu 18:29, 30).—See Glossary.

the coming system of things: Or “the coming age.” The Greek word ai·onʹ, having the basic meaning “age,” can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. Jesus is here referring to the coming era under God’s Kingdom rule, in which everlasting life is promised.—Lu 18:29, 30; see Glossary, “System(s) of things.”

children: Or “people.” Lit., “sons.” In this context, the Greek word for “son” is used in a broader sense than merely referring to immediate male offspring. That both men and women are included is clear from the use of the Greek word for given in marriage, a term that is used about women. In this context, the whole expression, “children of this system of things” is evidently an idiom for people whose attitudes and lifestyle reflect the characteristics of this present system of things.

this system of things: The Greek word ai·onʹ, having the basic meaning “age,” can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. In this context, it refers to the present system of things.—See study notes on Mt 12:32; Mr 10:30 and Glossary, “System(s) of things.”

that system of things: The Greek word ai·onʹ, having the basic meaning “age,” can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. Here it refers to the coming system of things under God’s rule, when the resurrection from the dead will take place.—See study notes on Mt 12:32; Mr 10:30 and Glossary, “System(s) of things.”

system of things: The Greek word ai·onʹ, having the basic meaning “age,” can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. Jesus is stating that blasphemy against the holy spirit will not be forgiven in the present ungodly system of things under Satan’s rule (2Co 4:4; Eph 2:2; Tit 2:12) nor in the coming system of things under God’s rule, in which “everlasting life” is promised (Lu 18:29, 30).—See Glossary.

children: Lit., “sons.” The Greek word for “son” occurs twice in this verse. In some contexts, it is used in a broader sense than merely referring to immediate male offspring.—See study note on Lu 20:34.

in the book of Moses: The Sadducees accepted only Moses’ writings as inspired. They objected to Jesus’ teaching about the resurrection, evidently thinking that there was no basis for such a teaching in the Pentateuch. Jesus could have quoted many scriptures, such as Isa 26:19, Dan 12:13, and Hos 13:14, to show that the dead would rise. But because Jesus knew which writings were accepted by the Sadducees, he proved his point by using words that Jehovah spoke to Moses.—Ex 3:2, 6.

even Moses made known: See study note on Mr 12:26.

when he calls Jehovah ‘the God of Abraham’: Or “when he says: ‘Jehovah the God of Abraham.’” Jesus is here explaining that Moses refers to Jehovah as still being the God of the patriarchs long after they had died. The quote in this verse is taken from Ex 3:6. The preceding verses (Ex 3:4, 5) show that “Jehovah” is the one speaking, and at Ex 3:6, Jehovah says to Moses: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At that time, Abraham had been dead for 329 years, Isaac for 224, and Jacob for 197. Yet, Jehovah did not say: ‘I was the God of.’ He said: “I am the God of.” This Hebrew Scripture background is one of the reasons why the New World Translation uses the name Jehovah in the main text.—See App. C1 and C3 introduction; Lu 20:37.

for they are all living to him: Or “for they are all living from his standpoint.” The Bible shows that those who are living but who are alienated from God are dead from his standpoint. (Eph 2:1; 1Ti 5:6) Likewise, approved servants of God who die are still living from Jehovah’s standpoint, since his purpose to resurrect them is sure of fulfillment.—Ro 4:16, 17.

Jehovah: The divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text at Ps 110:1, quoted here. However, as explained in App. A5, most Bible translations do not use God’s name in what is commonly called the New Testament, not even in quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures. Most Bibles simply use “Lord.” Yet, as shown in App. C, some Bible translations do use such renderings as Jehovah, Yahveh, Yahweh, יהוה (YHWH, or the Tetragrammaton), LORD, and ADONAI in capital letters (indicating that it is a substitute for God’s name) in the main text of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Some 17th-century editions of the King James Version have the rendering “the LORD” in capital letters here and at three other places where Ps 110:1 is quoted in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (Mt 22:44; Mr 12:36; Ac 2:34) Later editions continued this practice. Since “the LORD” is used in the Hebrew Scriptures of that translation to indicate where the original Hebrew text uses the divine name, the same way of writing “the LORD” in the Christian Greek Scriptures would indicate that the translators thought that it is Jehovah who is being referred to. It is also interesting to note that the New King James Version, first published in 1979, extends this use of “the LORD” to all occurrences of that word when it refers to the divine name in quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures.

marketplaces: See study note on Mt 23:7.

front seats: See study note on Mt 23:6.

front seats: Or “best seats.” Evidently, the presiding officers of the synagogue and distinguished guests sat near the Scripture rolls, in full view of the congregation. These seats of honor were likely reserved for such prominent individuals.

marketplaces: Or “places of assembly.” The Greek word a·go·raʹ is here used to refer to an open area that served as a center for buying and selling and as a place of public assembly in cities and towns of the ancient Near East and the Greek and Roman world.

Media

The Front Seats in the Synagogue

The reconstruction shown in this animation is partly based on the ruins of a first-century synagogue in Gamla, a city located about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of the Sea of Galilee. No synagogues from the first century have survived intact, so the exact features are uncertain. This depiction includes some of the features that were likely present in many synagogues of that time.

1. The front, or best, seats in the synagogue may have been located on or near the speaker’s platform.

2. The platform from which the Scriptures would be read. The exact location of the platform may have varied from one synagogue to the next.

3. Seating along the wall may have been occupied by people with status in the community. Others might have sat on mats on the floor. The synagogue in Gamla seems to have had four rows of seats.

4. An ark, or chest, in which sacred scrolls were kept may have been located on the back wall.

The seating arrangements in the synagogue were a constant reminder to those in attendance that some had greater status than others, a topic often debated by Jesus’ disciples.—Mt 18:1-4; 20:20, 21; Mr 9:33, 34; Lu 9:46-48.

Prominent Places at Evening Meals

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Luke 20

English

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NWT | According to Luke 21:1-38

NWT | According to Luke 21:1-38 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 21:1-38

21 Now as he looked up, he saw the rich dropping their gifts into the treasury chests.a ² Then he saw a needy widow drop in two small coins of very little value,b ³ and he said: “Truly I say to you that this poor widow put in more than they all did.c ⁴ For all of these put in gifts* out of their surplus, but she, out of her want,* put in all the means of living she had.”d ⁵ Later, when some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with fine stones and dedicated things,e ⁶ he said: “As for these things that you now see, the days will come when not a stone will be left upon a stone and not be thrown down.”f ⁷ Then they questioned him, saying: “Teacher, when will these things actually be, and what will be the sign when these things are to occur?”g ⁸ He said: “Look out that you are not misled,h for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time is near.’ Do not go after them.i ⁹ Furthermore, when you hear of wars and disturbances,* do not be terrified. For these things must take place first, but the end will not occur immediately.”j ¹⁰ Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation,k and kingdom against kingdom.l ¹¹ There will be great earthquakes, and in one place after another food shortages and pestilences;m and there will be fearful sights and from heaven great signs. ¹² “But before all these things happen, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you,n handing you over to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name.o ¹³ It will result in your giving a witness. ¹⁴ Therefore, resolve in your hearts not to rehearse beforehand how to make your defense,p ¹⁵ for I will give you words and wisdom that all your opposers together will not be able to resist or dispute.q ¹⁶ Moreover, you will be handed over* even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death,r ¹⁷ and you will be hated by all people because of my name.s ¹⁸ But not even a hair of your heads will perish.t ¹⁹ By your endurance you will preserve your lives.u ²⁰ “However, when you see Jerusalem surrounded by encamped armies,v then know that the desolating of her has drawn near.w ²¹ Then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains,x let those in the midst of her leave, and let those in the countryside not enter into her, ²² because these are days for meting out justice in order that all the things written may be fulfilled. ²³ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days!y For there will be great distress on the land* and wrath against this people. ²⁴ And they will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all the nations;z and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.a ²⁵ “Also, there will be signs in the sun and moon and stars,b and on the earth anguish of nations not knowing the way out because of the roaring of the sea and its agitation. ²⁶ People will become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.c ²⁷ And then they will see the Son of mand coming in a cloud with power and great glory.e ²⁸ But as these things start to occur, stand up straight and lift up your heads, because your deliverance is getting near.” ²⁹ With that he told them an illustration: “Notice the fig tree and all the other trees.f ³⁰ When they are budding, you see it for yourselves and know that now the summer is near. ³¹ Likewise also you, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near. ³² Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all things happen.g ³³ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.h ³⁴ “But pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinkingi and anxieties of life,*j and suddenly that day be instantly upon you ³⁵ as a snare.k For it will come upon all those dwelling on the face of the whole earth. ³⁶ Keep awake,l then, all the time making supplicationm that you may succeed in escaping all these things that must occur and in standing before the Son of man.”n ³⁷ So by day he would be teaching in the temple, but by night he would go out and lodge on the mountain called the Mount of Olives. ³⁸ And all the people would come to him early in the morning to hear him in the temple.

Luke 21

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NWT | According to Luke 22:1-71

NWT | According to Luke 22:1-71 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 22:1-71

22 Now the Festival of the Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover,a was getting near.b ² And the chief priests and the scribes were looking for an effective way to get rid of him,c because they were afraid of the people.d ³ Then Satan entered into Judas, the one called Is·carʹi·ot, who was numbered among the Twelve,e ⁴ and he went off and talked with the chief priests and temple captains about how to betray him to them.f ⁵ They were delighted at this and agreed to give him silver money.g ⁶ So he consented and began looking for a good opportunity to betray him to them without a crowd around. ⁷ The day of the Unleavened Bread now arrived, on which the Passover sacrifice must be offered;h ⁸ so Jesus sent Peter and John, saying: “Go and get the Passover ready for us to eat.”i ⁹ They said to him: “Where do you want us to get it ready?” ¹⁰ He said to them: “Look! When you enter into the city, a man carrying an earthenware water jar will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters.j ¹¹ And say to the landlord of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you: “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ ¹² And that man will show you a large, furnished upper room. Get it ready there.” ¹³ So they left and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared for the Passover. ¹⁴ So when the hour came, he reclined at the table along with the apostles.k ¹⁵ And he said to them: “I have greatly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶ for I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.” ¹⁷ And accepting a cup, he gave thanks and said: “Take this and pass it from one to the other among yourselves, ¹⁸ for I tell you, from now on, I will not drink again from the product of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes.”l ¹⁹ Also, he took a loaf,m gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “This means my body,n which is to be given in your behalf.o Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”p ²⁰ Also, he did the same with the cup after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenantq by virtue of my blood,r which is to be poured out in your behalf.s ²¹ “But look! the hand of my betrayer is with me at the table.t ²² For, indeed, the Son of man is going his way according to what has been determined;u all the same, woe to that man through whom he is betrayed!”v ²³ So they began to discuss among themselves which one of them could really be about to do this.w ²⁴ However, there also arose a heated dispute among them over which one of them was considered to be the greatest.x ²⁵ But he said to them: “The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those having authority over them are called Benefactors.y ²⁶ You, though, are not to be that way.z But let the one who is the greatest among you become as the youngest,a and the one taking the lead as the one ministering.b ²⁷ For which one is greater, the one dining* or the one serving? Is it not the one dining?* But I am among you as the one serving.c ²⁸ “However, you are the ones who have stuck with med in my trials;e ²⁹ and I make a covenant with you, just as my Father has made a covenant with me, for a kingdom,f ³⁰ so that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom,g and sit on thronesh to judge the 12 tribes of Israel.i ³¹ “Simon, Simon, look! Satan has demanded to have all of you to sift you as wheat.j ³² But I have made supplication for you that your faith may not give out;k and you, once you have returned, strengthen your brothers.”l ³³ Then he said to him: “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”m ³⁴ But he said: “I tell you, Peter, a rooster will not crow today until you have denied knowing me three times.”n ³⁵ He also said to them: “When I sent you out without a money bag and a food pouch and sandals,o you did not lack anything, did you?” They said: “No!”* ³⁶ Then he said to them: “But now let the one who has a money bag take it, likewise a food pouch, and let the one who has no sword sell his outer garment and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that what is written must be accomplished in me, namely, ‘He was counted with lawless ones.’p For this is being fulfilled concerning me.”q ³⁸ Then they said: “Lord, look! here are two swords.” He said to them: “It is enough.” ³⁹ On leaving, he went as was his custom to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples also followed him.r ⁴⁰ On arriving at the place, he said to them: “Carry on prayer so that you do not enter into temptation.”s ⁴¹ And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw away, and he bent his knees and began to pray, ⁴² saying: “Father, if you want to, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, let, not my will, but yours take place.”t ⁴³ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him.u ⁴⁴ But he was in such agony that he kept praying more earnestly;v and his sweat became as drops of blood falling to the ground. ⁴⁵ When he rose from prayer and went to the disciples, he found them slumbering, exhausted from grief. ⁴⁶ He said to them: “Why are you sleeping? Get up and keep praying, so that you do not enter into temptation.”w ⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, look! a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them, and he approached Jesus to kiss him.x ⁴⁸ But Jesus said to him: “Judas, are you betraying the Son of man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹ When those around him saw what was going to happen, they said: “Lord, should we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰ One of them even struck the slave of the high priest, taking off his right ear.y ⁵¹ But in reply Jesus said: “That is enough.” And he touched the ear and healed him. ⁵² Jesus then said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and elders who had come there for him: “Did you come out with swords and clubs as against a robber?z ⁵³ While I was with you in the temple day after day,a you did not lay your hands on me.b But this is your hour and the authority of darkness.”c ⁵⁴ Then they arrested him and led him off,d and they brought him into the house of the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance.e ⁵⁵ When they lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter was sitting among them.f ⁵⁶ But a servant girl, seeing him sitting in the light of the fire, looked closely at him and said: “This man was also with him.” ⁵⁷ But he denied it, saying: “I do not know him, woman.”g ⁵⁸ After a short time another person saw him and said: “You too are one of them.” But Peter said: “Man, I am not.”h ⁵⁹ And after about an hour had passed, another man began insisting strongly: “Certainly this man was also with him, for he is, in fact, a Gal·i·leʹan!” ⁶⁰ But Peter said: “Man, I do not know what you are saying.” And instantly, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed. ⁶¹ At this the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter, and Peter recalled the statement of the Lord when he had said to him: “Before a rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”i ⁶² And he went outside and wept bitterly. ⁶³ Now the men who held Jesus in custody began to mock him,j hitting him;k ⁶⁴ and after covering his face, they kept asking: “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” ⁶⁵ And they said many other blasphemous things against him. ⁶⁶ And when it became day, the assembly of elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together,l and they led him into their Sanʹhe·drin hall and said: ⁶⁷ “If you are the Christ, tell us.”m But he said to them: “Even if I told you, you would not believe it at all. ⁶⁸ Moreover, if I questioned you, you would not answer. ⁶⁹ However, from now on the Son of mann will be seated at the powerful right hand of God.”o ⁷⁰ At this they all said: “Are you, therefore, the Son of God?” He said to them: “You yourselves are saying that I am.” ⁷¹ They said: “Why do we need further testimony? For we ourselves have heard it out of his own mouth.”p

Luke 22

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NWT | According to Luke 23:1-56

NWT | According to Luke 23:1-56 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 23:1-56

23 So the multitude got up, one and all, and led him to Pilate.a ² Then they began to accuse him,b saying: “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding the paying of taxes to Caesar,c and saying he himself is Christ a king.”d ³ Now Pilate asked him the question: “Are you the King of the Jews?” In answer he said: “You yourself are saying it.”e ⁴ Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds: “I find no crime in this man.”f ⁵ But they insisted, saying: “He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Ju·deʹa, starting from Galʹi·lee even to here.” ⁶ On hearing that, Pilate asked whether the man was a Gal·i·leʹan. ⁷ After ascertaining that he was under the jurisdiction of Herod,g he sent him on to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days. ⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly. For a considerable time he had been wanting to see Jesus because he had heard much about him,h and he was hoping to see some sign performed by him. ⁹ So he began to question him at length, but he gave him no answer.i ¹⁰ However, the chief priests and the scribes kept standing up and vehemently accusing him. ¹¹ Then Herod together with his soldiers treated him with contempt,j and he mocked himk by clothing him with a splendid* garment and then sent him back to Pilate.l ¹² Herod and Pilate became friends with each other on that very day, for before that they had been at enmity with each other. ¹³ Pilate then called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people ¹⁴ and said to them: “You brought this man to me as one inciting the people to revolt. Now look! I examined him in front of you but found in this man no grounds for the charges you are bringing against him.m ¹⁵ In fact, neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us, and look! he has done nothing deserving of death. ¹⁶ I will therefore punish himn and release him.” ¹⁷ —— ¹⁸ But the whole crowd shouted out: “Do away with this man,* and release Bar·abʹbas to us!”o ¹⁹ (This man had been thrown into prison for sedition that had occurred in the city and for murder.) ²⁰ Again Pilate called out to them, because he wanted to release Jesus.p ²¹ Then they began to yell, saying: “To the stake with him! To the stake with him!”*q ²² The third time he said to them: “Why? What bad thing did this man do? I found in him nothing deserving of death;r I will therefore punish him and release him.” ²³ At this they became insistent, demanding with loud voices that he be executed,* and their voices prevailed.s ²⁴ So Pilate made the decision that their demand be met. ²⁵ He released the man whom they were demanding, who had been thrown into prison for sedition and murder, but he surrendered Jesus to their will. ²⁶ Now as they led him away, they seized a certain Simon of Cy·reʹne, who was coming from the countryside, and they placed the torture stake on him to carry it behind Jesus.t ²⁷ A large number of people were following him, including women who kept beating themselves in grief and wailing for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned to the women and said: “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for me. Weep instead for yourselves and for your children;u ²⁹ for look! days are coming when people will say, ‘Happy are the barren women, the wombs that did not give birth and the breasts that did not nurse!’v ³⁰ Then they will start saying to the mountains, ‘Fall over us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us over!’w ³¹ If they do these things when the tree is moist, what will occur when it is withered?” ³² Two other men, criminals, were also being led off to be executed with him.x ³³ And when they got to the place called Skull,y they nailed him to the stake there alongside the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.z ³⁴ But Jesus was saying: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”a Furthermore, they cast lots to distribute his garments.b ³⁵ And the people stood looking on. But the rulers were sneering and saying: “Others he saved; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”c ³⁶ Even the soldiers mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wined ³⁷ and saying: “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.” ³⁸ There was also an inscription over him: “This is the King of the Jews.”e ³⁹ Then one of the criminals hanging there began to speak abusively to him,f saying: “You are the Christ, are you not? Save yourself and us too!” ⁴⁰ In response the other rebuked him, saying: “Do you not fear God at all, now that you have received the same judgment? ⁴¹ And we rightly so, for we are getting back what we deserve for the things we did; but this man did nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said: “Jesus, remember me when you get into your Kingdom.”g ⁴³ And he said to him: “Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in Paradise.”h ⁴⁴ Well, by now it was about the sixth hour, and yet a darkness fell over all the land* until the ninth hour,i ⁴⁵ because the sunlight failed; then the curtain of the sanctuaryj was torn down the middle.k ⁴⁶ And Jesus called out with a loud voice and said: “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”l After he said this, he expired.m ⁴⁷ Because of seeing what occurred, the army officer began to glorify God, saying: “Truly, this man was righteous.”n ⁴⁸ And when all the crowds that were gathered together there for this spectacle saw the things that occurred, they returned home, beating their chests. ⁴⁹ And all those acquainted with him were standing at a distance. Also, women who had accompanied him from Galʹi·lee were there and saw these things.o ⁵⁰ And look! there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, who was a good and righteous man.p ⁵¹ (This man had not voted in support of their scheme and action.) He was from Ar·i·ma·theʹa, a city of the Ju·deʹans, and was waiting for the Kingdom of God. ⁵² This man went in before Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³ And he took it downq and wrapped it up in fine linen, and he laid it in a tomb carved in the rock,r where no man had yet lain. ⁵⁴ Now it was the day of Preparation,s and the Sabbatht was about to begin. ⁵⁵ But the women who had come with him from Galʹi·lee followed along and took a look at the tomb and saw how his body was laid,u ⁵⁶ and they went back to prepare spices and perfumed oils. But, of course, they rested on the Sabbathv according to the commandment.

Luke 23

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NWT | According to Luke 24:1-53

NWT | According to Luke 24:1-53 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Luke 24:1-53

24 But on the first day of the week, they came very early to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared.a ² But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,b ³ and when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.c ⁴ While they were perplexed about this, look! two men in shining garments stood by them. ⁵ The women became frightened and kept their faces turned toward the ground, so the men said to them: “Why are you looking for the living one among the dead?d ⁶ He is not here, but has been raised up. Recall how he spoke to you while he was yet in Galʹi·lee, ⁷ saying that the Son of man must be handed over to sinful men and be executed on the stake and on the third day rise.”e ⁸ Then they remembered his words,f ⁹ and they returned from the tomb* and reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest.g ¹⁰ They were Mary Magʹda·lene, Jo·anʹna, and Mary the mother of James. Also, the rest of the womenh with them were telling these things to the apostles. ¹¹ However, these sayings seemed like nonsense to them, and they would not believe the women. ¹² But Peter got up and ran to the tomb,* and stooping forward, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went off, wondering to himself what had occurred. ¹³ But look! on that very day, two of them were traveling to a village named Em·maʹus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴ and they were conversing with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵ Now as they were conversing and discussing these things, Jesus himself approached and began walking with them, ¹⁶ but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.i ¹⁷ He said to them: “What are these matters that you are debating between yourselves as you walk along?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸ In answer the one named Cleʹo·pas said to him: “Are you a stranger dwelling alone in Jerusalem and do not know* the things that have occurred there during these days?” ¹⁹ He asked them: “What things?” They said to him: “The things concerning Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ,j who proved to be a prophet powerful in deed and word before God and all the people;k ²⁰ and how our chief priests and rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death,l and they nailed him to the stake.m ²¹ But we were hoping that this man was the one who was going to deliver Israel.n Yes, and besides all these things, this is the third day since these things occurred. ²² Moreover, some women from among us also astonished us, for they went early to the tomb*o ²³ and when they did not find his body, they came saying that they had also seen a supernatural sight of angels, who said he is alive. ²⁴ Then some of those who were with us went off to the tomb,*p and they found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” ²⁵ So he said to them: “O senseless ones and slow of heart to believe all the things the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these thingsq and to enter into his glory?”r ²⁷ And starting with Moses and all the Prophets,s he interpreted to them things pertaining to himself in all the Scriptures. ²⁸ Finally they got close to the village to which they were traveling, and he made as if to travel on farther. ²⁹ But they urged him to remain, saying: “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is nearly over.” With that he went in to stay with them. ³⁰ And as he was dining* with them, he took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and began handing it to them.t ³¹ At that their eyes were fully opened and they recognized him; but he disappeared from them.u ³² And they said to each other: “Were not our hearts burning within us as he was speaking to us on the road, as he was fully opening up* the Scriptures to us?” ³³ And they got up in that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the Eleven and those assembled together with them, ³⁴ who said: “For a fact the Lord was raised up, and he appeared to Simon!”v ³⁵ Then they related the events on the road and how he became known to them by the breaking of the bread.w ³⁶ While they were speaking of these things, he himself stood in their midst and said to them: “May you have peace.”x ³⁷ But because they were terrified and frightened, they imagined that they were seeing a spirit.y ³⁸ So he said to them: “Why are you troubled, and why have doubts come up in your hearts? ³⁹ See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰ And as he said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹ But while they were still not believing for sheer joy and amazement, he said to them: “Do you have something there to eat?”z ⁴² So they handed him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it before their eyes. ⁴⁴ He then said to them: “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was yet with you,a that all the things written about me in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and Psalms must be fulfilled.”b ⁴⁵ Then he opened up their minds fully to grasp the meaning of the Scriptures,c ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “This is what is written: that the Christ would suffer and rise from among the dead on the third day,d ⁴⁷ and on the basis of his name, repentance for forgiveness of sinse would be preached in all the nationsf—starting out from Jerusalem.g ⁴⁸ You are to be witnesses of these things.h ⁴⁹ And look! I am sending upon you what my Father promised. You, though, stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”i ⁵⁰ Then he led them out as far as Bethʹa·ny, and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ As he was blessing them, he was parted from them and taken up to heaven.j ⁵² And they did obeisance to him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.k ⁵³ And they were continually in the temple, praising God.l

Luke 24

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According to Mark

According to Mark somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | According to Mark 01:1-45

NWT | According to Mark 01:1-45 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 1:1-45

1 The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ, the Son of God: ² Just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet: “(Look! I am sending my messenger ahead of you,* who will prepare your way.)a ³ A voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah! Make his roads straight.’”b ⁴ John the Baptizer was in the wilderness, preaching baptism in symbol of repentance for forgiveness of sins.c ⁵ And all the territory of Ju·deʹa and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River, openly confessing their sins.d ⁶ Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist,e and he ate locustsf and wild honey.g ⁷ And he was preaching: “Someone stronger than I am is coming after me, the lace of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.h ⁸ I baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with holy spirit.”i ⁹ In the course of those days, Jesus came from Nazʹa·reth of Galʹi·lee and was baptized in the Jordan by John.j ¹⁰ And immediately on coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens being parted and, like a dove, the spirit coming down upon him.k ¹¹ And a voice came out of the heavens: “You are my Son, the beloved; I have approved you.”l ¹² And immediately the spirit impelled him to go into the wilderness. ¹³ So he continued in the wilderness for 40 days, being tempted by Satan.m He was with the wild beasts, but the angels were ministering to him.n ¹⁴ Now after John was arrested,o Jesus went into Galʹi·lee,p preaching the good news of Godq ¹⁵ and saying: “The appointed time has been fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent,r and have faith in the good news.” ¹⁶ While walking alongside the Sea of Galʹi·lee, he saw Simon and Simon’s brother Andrews casting their nets into the sea,t for they were fishermen.u ¹⁷ So Jesus said to them: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”*v ¹⁸ And at once they abandoned their nets and followed him.w ¹⁹ After going a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebʹe·dee and his brother John, while they were in their boat mending their nets,x ²⁰ and without delay he called them. So they left their father Zebʹe·dee in the boat with the hired men and went off after him. ²¹ And they went into Ca·perʹna·um. As soon as the Sabbath began, he went into the synagogue and started to teach.y ²² And they were astounded at his way of teaching, for he was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.z ²³ Just then there was a man in their synagogue who was under the power of an unclean spirit, and he shouted: ²⁴ “What have we to do with you, Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ?a Did you come to destroy us? I know exactly who you are, the Holy One of God!”b ²⁵ But Jesus rebuked it, saying: “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, after throwing the man into a convulsion and yelling at the top of its voice, came out of him.c ²⁷ Well, the people were all so astonished that they began to discuss it among themselves, saying: “What is this? A new teaching! He authoritatively orders even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸ So the report about him spread quickly in all directions throughout the entire region of Galʹi·lee. ²⁹ At that they left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon and Andrew with James and John.d ³⁰ Now Simon’s mother-in-lawe was lying down sick with a fever, and they at once told him about her. ³¹ Going to her, he took her by the hand and raised her up. The fever left her, and she began ministering to them. ³² After evening had fallen, when the sun had set, the people began bringing to him all who were ill and demon possessed;f ³³ and the whole city was gathered right at the door. ³⁴ So he cured many who were ill with various sicknesses,g and he expelled many demons,h but he would not let the demons speak, for they knew him to be Christ.i ³⁵ Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he got up and went outside and left for an isolated place, and there he began praying.j ³⁶ However, Simon and those with him hunted him down ³⁷ and found him, and they said to him: “Everyone is looking for you.” ³⁸ But he said to them: “Let us go somewhere else, into the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also, for this is why I have come.”k ³⁹ And he went, preaching in their synagogues throughout the whole of Galʹi·lee and expelling the demons.l ⁴⁰ There also came to him a leper, pleading with him even on bended knee, saying to him: “If you just want to, you can make me clean.”m ⁴¹ At that he was moved with pity,n and he stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him: “I want to! Be made clean.”o ⁴² Immediately the leprosy vanished from him, and he became clean. ⁴³ Then he gave him strict orders and at once sent him away, ⁴⁴ saying to him: “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things Moses directed,p for a witness to them.”q ⁴⁵ But after going away, the man started to proclaim it a great deal and to spread the account widely, so that Jesus was no longer able to enter openly into a city, but he stayed outside in isolated places. Yet they kept coming to him from all sides.r

Mark 1

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NWT | According to Mark 02:1-28

NWT | According to Mark 02:1-28 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 2:1-28

2 However, after some days he again entered into Ca·perʹna·um, and the word spread that he was at home.a ² And so many gathered that there was no more room, not even around the door, and he began to speak the word to them.b ³ And they brought him a paralytic carried by four men.c ⁴ But they could not bring him right to Jesus because of the crowd, so they removed the roof above Jesus, and after digging an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying. ⁵ When Jesus saw their faith,d he said to the paralytic: “Child, your sins are forgiven.”e ⁶ Now some of the scribes were there, sitting and reasoning in their hearts:f ⁷ “Why is this man talking this way? He is blaspheming.g Who can forgive sins except one, God?”h ⁸ But immediately Jesus discerned by his spirit that they were reasoning that way among themselves, so he said to them: “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?i ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and pick up your stretcher and walk’? ¹⁰ But in order for you to know that the Son of manj has authority to forgive sins on earth—”k he said to the paralytic: ¹¹ “I say to you, Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go to your home.” ¹² At that he got up and immediately picked up his stretcher and walked out in front of them all. So they were all astonished, and they glorified God, saying: “We have never seen anything like this.”l ¹³ Again he went out alongside the sea, and all the crowd kept coming to him, and he began to teach them. ¹⁴ And as he was passing by, he caught sight of Leʹvi the son of Al·phaeʹus sitting at the tax office, and he said to him: “Be my follower.” At that he rose up and followed him.m ¹⁵ Later he was dining in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners were dining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many of them who were following him.n ¹⁶ But when the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they began saying to his disciples: “Does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹⁷ On hearing this, Jesus said to them: “Those who are strong do not need a physician, but those who are ill do. I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.”o ¹⁸ Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees practiced fasting. So they came and said to him: “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees practice fasting, but your disciples do not practice fasting?”p ¹⁹ So Jesus said to them: “While the bridegroomq is with them, the friends of the bridegroom have no reason to fast, do they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.r ²⁰ But days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them,s and then they will fast on that day. ²¹ Nobody sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old outer garment. If he does, the new piece pulls away from the old, and the tear becomes worse.t ²² Also, no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost as well as the skins. But new wine is put into new wineskins.” ²³ Now as he was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, his disciples started to pluck the heads of grain as they went.u ²⁴ So the Pharisees said to him: “Look here! Why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” ²⁵ But he said to them: “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and the men with him were hungry?v ²⁶ How, in the account about A·biʹa·tharw the chief priest, he entered into the house of God and ate the loaves of presentation, which it is not lawful for anybody to eat except the priests,x and he also gave some to the men who were with him?” ²⁷ Then he said to them: “The Sabbath came into existence for the sake of man,y and not man for the sake of the Sabbath. ²⁸ So the Son of man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”z

Mark 2

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NWT | According to Mark 03:1-35

NWT | According to Mark 03:1-35 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 3:1-35

3 Once again he entered into a synagogue, and a man with a withered* hand was there.a ² So they were watching him closely to see whether he would cure the man on the Sabbath, in order to accuse him.b ³ He said to the man with the withered* hand: “Get up and come to the center.” ⁴ Next he said to them: “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save a life or to kill?”c But they kept silent. ⁵ After looking around at them with indignation, being thoroughly grieved at the insensibility of their hearts,d he said to the man: “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ At that the Pharisees went out and immediately began holding council with the party followers of Herode against him, in order to kill him. ⁷ But Jesus departed for the sea along with his disciples, and a great multitude from Galʹi·lee and from Ju·deʹa followed him.f ⁸ Even from Jerusalem and from Id·u·meʹa and from across the Jordan and from around Tyre and Siʹdon, a great multitude came to him when they heard about the many things he was doing. ⁹ And he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so that the crowd would not press in on him. ¹⁰ Because he cured many, all those who had serious diseases were crowding around him to touch him.g ¹¹ Even the unclean spirits,h whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and cry out and say: “You are the Son of God.”i ¹² But many times he sternly ordered them not to make him known.j ¹³ He ascended a mountain and summoned those whom he wanted,k and they came to him.l ¹⁴ And he formed* a group of 12, whom he also named apostles, those who were to accompany him and whom he would send out to preachm ¹⁵ and to have authority to expel demons.n ¹⁶ And the group of 12o that he formed* were Simon, to whom he also gave the name Peter,p ¹⁷ James the son of Zebʹe·dee and John the brother of James (he also gave these the name Bo·a·nerʹges, which means “Sons of Thunder”),q ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bar·tholʹo·mew,r Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Al·phaeʹus, Thad·daeʹus, Simon the Ca·na·naeʹan, ¹⁹ and Judas Is·carʹi·ot, who later betrayed him. Then he went into a house, ²⁰ and again the crowd gathered, so that they were not able even to eat a meal.s ²¹ But when his relatives heard about it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying: “He has gone out of his mind.”t ²² Also, the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying: “He has Be·elʹze·bub, and he expels the demons by means of the ruler of the demons.”u ²³ So after calling them to him, he spoke to them with illustrations: “How can Satan expel Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom becomes divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand;v ²⁵ and if a house becomes divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶ Also, if Satan has risen up against himself and has become divided, he cannot stand but is coming to an end. ²⁷ In fact, no one who enters the house of a strong man is able to steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Only then can he plunder his house. ²⁸ Truly I say to you that all things will be forgiven the sons of men, no matter what sins they commit and what blasphemies they speak. ²⁹ But whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit has no forgiveness foreverw but is guilty of everlasting sin.”x ³⁰ He said this because they were saying: “He has an unclean spirit.”y ³¹ Now his mother and his brothersz came, and standing outside, they sent someone in to call him.a ³² As there was a crowd sitting around him, they said to him: “Look! Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you.”b ³³ But he replied to them: “Who are my mother and my brothers?”c ³⁴ Then he looked at those sitting around him in a circle and said: “See, my mother and my brothers!d ³⁵ Whoever does the will of God, this one is my brother and sister and mother.”e

Mark 3

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NWT | According to Mark 04:1-41

NWT | According to Mark 04:1-41 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 4:1-41

4 Again he began teaching beside the sea, and a very large crowd gathered near him. So he went aboard a boat and sat in it away from the shore, but the whole crowd was next to the sea, along the shore.a ² And he began to teach them many things with illustrations,b and while he was teaching, he said to them:c ³ “Listen. Look! The sower went out to sow.d ⁴ As he was sowing, some seeds fell alongside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.e ⁵ Others fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil, and they immediately sprang up because the soil was not deep.f ⁶ But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seeds fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them, and they yielded no fruit.g ⁸ But others fell on the fine soil, and growing up and increasing, they began to yield fruit, and they were bearing 30, 60, and 100 times more.”h ⁹ Then he added: “Let the one who has ears to listen, listen.”i ¹⁰ Now when he was alone, those around him with the Twelve began questioning him about the illustrations.j ¹¹ He said to them: “To you the sacred secretk of the Kingdom of God has been given, but to those outside all things are in illustrations,l ¹² so that, though looking, they may look and still not see, and though hearing, they may hear and still not get the sense of it; nor will they ever turn back and receive forgiveness.”m ¹³ Further, he said to them: “You do not know* this illustration, so how will you understand all the other illustrations? ¹⁴ “The sower sows the word.n ¹⁵ These, then, are the ones alongside the road where the word is sown; but as soon as they have heard it, Satan comeso and takes away the word that was sown in them.p ¹⁶ Likewise, these are the ones sown on rocky ground; as soon as they have heard the word, they accept it with joy.q ¹⁷ Yet they have no root in themselves, but they continue for a time; then as soon as tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, they are stumbled. ¹⁸ There are still others that are sown among the thorns. These are the ones who have heard the word,r ¹⁹ but the anxietiess of this system of things and the deceptive power of riches*t and the desiresu for everything else make inroads and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰ Finally, the ones that were sown on the fine soil are those who listen to the word and favorably receive it and bear fruit—30, 60, and 100 times more.”v ²¹ He also said to them: “A lamp is not brought out to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? Is it not brought out to be put on a lampstand?w ²² For there is nothing hidden that will not be exposed; nothing is carefully concealed that will not come out in the open.x ²³ Whoever has ears to listen, let him listen.”y ²⁴ He further said to them: “Pay attention to what you are hearing.z With the measure that you are measuring out, you will have it measured out to you, yes, you will have more added to you. ²⁵ For whoever has will have more given to him,a but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”b ²⁶ So he went on to say: “In this way the Kingdom of God is just as when a man casts seeds on the ground. ²⁷ He sleeps at night and rises up by day, and the seeds sprout and grow tall—just how, he does not know. ²⁸ On its own the ground bears fruit gradually, first the stalk, then the head, finally the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But as soon as the crop permits it, he thrusts in the sickle, because the harvesttime has come.” ³⁰ And he went on to say: “With what can we compare the Kingdom of God, or with what illustration can we explain it? ³¹ It is like a mustard grain, which at the time it was sown in the ground was the tiniest of all the seeds on the earth.c ³² But when it has been sown, it grows and becomes greater than all other vegetable plants and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven are able to find lodging under its shadow.” ³³ With many illustrationsd of that sort he spoke the word to them, to the extent that they were able to listen. ³⁴ Indeed, without an illustration he would not speak to them, but he would explain all things privately to his disciples.e ³⁵ And on that day, when evening had fallen, he said to them: “Let us cross to the other shore.”f ³⁶ So after they had dismissed the crowd, they took him in the boat, just as he was, and there were other boats with him.g ³⁷ Now a great violent windstorm broke out, and the waves kept crashing into the boat, so that the boat was close to being swamped.h ³⁸ But he was in the stern, sleeping on the pillow. So they woke him up and said to him: “Teacher, do you not care that we are about to perish?” ³⁹ With that he got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea: “Hush! Be quiet!”i And the wind abated, and a great calm set in.j ⁴⁰ So he said to them: “Why are you so afraid?* Do you not yet have any faith?” ⁴¹ But they felt an unusual fear, and they said to one another: “Who really is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him.”k

Mark 4

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NWT | According to Mark 05:1-43

NWT | According to Mark 05:1-43 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 5:1-43

5 Then they came to the other side of the sea into the region of the Gerʹa·senes.a ² And immediately after Jesus got out of the boat, a man under the power of an unclean spirit met him from among the tombs. ³ His haunt was among the tombs, and up to that time, absolutely no one was able to bind him securely, even with a chain. ⁴ He had often been bound with fetters and chains, but he snapped the chains apart and smashed the fetters; and nobody had the strength to subdue him. ⁵ And continually, night and day, he was crying out in the tombs and in the mountains and slashing himself with stones. ⁶ But on catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran and bowed down to him.b ⁷ Then he cried out with a loud voice: “What have I to do with you, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I put you under oath by God not to torment me.”c ⁸ For Jesus had been saying to it: “Come out of the man, you unclean spirit.”d ⁹ But Jesus asked him: “What is your name?” And he replied: “My name is Legion, because there are many of us.” ¹⁰ And he kept pleading with Jesus not to send the spirits out of the country.e ¹¹ Now a great herd of swinef was feeding there at the mountain.g ¹² So the spirits pleaded with him: “Send us into the swine, so that we may enter into them.” ¹³ And he gave them permission. With that the unclean spirits came out and went into the swine, and the herd rushed over the precipice* into the sea, about 2,000 of them, and were drowned in the sea. ¹⁴ But their herders fled and reported it in the city and in the countryside, and people came to see what had happened.h ¹⁵ So they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who previously had the legion, sitting clothed and in his right mind, and they grew fearful. ¹⁶ Also, those who had seen it related to them how this had happened to the demon-possessed man and the swine. ¹⁷ So they began to plead with Jesus to go away from their region.i ¹⁸ Now as he was boarding the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed pleaded to go with him.j ¹⁹ However, he did not let him but said to him: “Go home to your relatives, and report to them all the things Jehovah has done for you and the mercy he has shown you.” ²⁰ This man went away and started to proclaim in the De·capʹo·lis all the things Jesus had done for him, and all the people were amazed. ²¹ After Jesus had crossed again by boat to the opposite shore, a large crowd gathered together to him, and he was by the sea.k ²² One of the presiding officers of the synagogue, named Jaʹi·rus, now came, and on catching sight of him, he fell at his feet.l ²³ He pleaded with him many times, saying: “My little daughter is extremely ill. Please come and put your hands on herm so that she may get well and live.” ²⁴ At that Jesus went with him, and a large crowd was following him and pressing against him. ²⁵ Now there was a woman who had had a flow of bloodn for 12 years.o ²⁶ She had suffered much at the hands of many physicians and had spent all her resources, and she was no better but, rather, had become worse. ²⁷ When she heard the reports about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his outer garment,p ²⁸ for she kept saying: “If I touch just his outer garments, I will get well.”*q ²⁹ And immediately her flow of blood dried up, and she sensed in her body that she had been healed of the grievous sickness. ³⁰ Immediately Jesus realized in himself that powerr had gone out of him, and he turned around in the crowd and asked: “Who touched my outer garments?”s ³¹ But his disciples said to him: “You see the crowd pressing in on you, and you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” ³² However, he was looking around to see who had done this. ³³ The woman, frightened and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her: “Daughter, your faith has made you well.* Go in peace,t and be healed from your grievous sickness.”u ³⁵ While he was yet speaking, some men from the home of the presiding officer of the synagogue came and said: “Your daughter died! Why bother the Teacher any longer?”v ³⁶ But Jesus overheard their words and said to the presiding officer of the synagogue: “Have no fear,* only exercise faith.”w ³⁷ Now he did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.x ³⁸ So they came to the house of the presiding officer of the synagogue, and he saw the commotion and those weeping and wailing loudly.y ³⁹ After stepping in, he said to them: “Why are you weeping and causing this commotion? The child has not died but is sleeping.”z ⁴⁰ At this they began to laugh at him scornfully. But after sending them all outside, he took the child’s father and mother and those with him, and he went in where the child was. ⁴¹ Then, taking the hand of the child, he said to her: “Talʹi·tha cuʹmi,” which, when translated, means: “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”a ⁴² And immediately the girl rose and began walking. (She was 12 years old.) And at once they were beside themselves with great ecstasy. ⁴³ But he ordered them again and again* to let no one learn of this,b and he said that something should be given her to eat.

Mark 5

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NWT | According to Mark 06:1-56

NWT | According to Mark 06:1-56 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 6:1-56

6 He departed from there and came into his home territory,a and his disciples followed him. ² When it was the Sabbath, he started teaching in the synagogue, and most who heard him were astounded and said: “Where did this man get these things?b And why should this wisdom have been given to him, and such powerful works be performed through his hands?c ³ This is the carpenter,d the son of Marye and the brother of James,f Joseph, Judas, and Simon,g is it not? And his sisters are here with us, are they not?” So they began to stumble because of him. ⁴ But Jesus said to them: “A prophet is not without honor except in his home territory and among his relatives and in his own house.”h ⁵ So he was not able to do any powerful work there except to lay his hands on a few sick people and cure them. ⁶ Indeed, he was amazed at their lack of faith. And he went around in a circuit to the villages, teaching.i ⁷ He now summoned the Twelve and started sending them out two by two,j and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits.k ⁸ Also, he gave them orders to carry nothing for the trip except a staff—no bread, no food pouch, no money* in their beltsl— ⁹ but to put on sandals and not to wear two garments.* ¹⁰ Further, he said to them: “Wherever you enter into a home, stay there until you leave that place.m ¹¹ And wherever a place will not receive you or listen to you, on going out from there, shake off the dirt that is on your feet for a witness to them.”n ¹² Then they set out and preached that people should repent,o ¹³ and they expelled many demonsp and greased many sick people with oil and cured them. ¹⁴ Now King Herodq heard of this, for the name of Jesus became well-known, and people were saying: “John the Baptizer has been raised up from the dead, and that is why the powerful works* are operating in him.”r ¹⁵ But others were saying: “It is E·liʹjah.” Still others were saying: “It is a prophet like one of the prophets of old.”s ¹⁶ But when Herod heard it, he said: “The John whom I beheaded, this one has been raised up.” ¹⁷ For Herod himself had sent out and arrested John and had bound him in prison on account of He·roʹdi·as, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her.t ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod: “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.”u ¹⁹ So He·roʹdi·as was nursing a grudge against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not. ²⁰ For Herod was in fear of John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man,v and he was keeping him safe. After hearing him, he was at a great loss as to what to do, yet he continued to hear him gladly. ²¹ But a convenient day arrived when Herod spread an evening meal on his birthdayw for his high officials and the military commanders and the most prominent men of Galʹi·lee.x ²² And the daughter of He·roʹdi·as came in and danced and pleased Herod and those dining with him.* The king said to the girl: “Ask me for whatever you want, and I will give it to you.” ²³ Yes, he swore to her: “Whatever you ask me for, I will give it to you, up to half my kingdom.” ²⁴ So she went out and said to her mother: “What should I ask for?” She said: “The head of John the Baptizer.” ²⁵ She immediately rushed in to the king and made her request, saying: “I want you to give me right away on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”y ²⁶ Although this deeply grieved him, the king did not want to disregard her request, because of his oaths and his guests.* ²⁷ So the king immediately sent a bodyguard and commanded him to bring John’s head. So he went off and beheaded him in the prison ²⁸ and brought his head on a platter. He gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. ²⁹ When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. ³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all the things they had done and taught.z ³¹ And he said to them: “Come, you yourselves, privately into an isolated place and rest up a little.”a For there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure time even to eat a meal.b ³² So they set off in the boat for an isolated place to be by themselves.c ³³ But people saw them going and many got to know it, and from all the cities they ran together on foot and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ Well, on getting out, he saw a large crowd, and he was moved with pity for them,d because they were as sheep without a shepherd.e And he started to teach them many things.f ³⁵ By now the hour had grown late, and his disciples came up to him and said: “This place is isolated, and the hour is already late.g ³⁶ Send them away, so that they may go off into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”h ³⁷ He replied to them: “You give them something to eat.” At this they said to him: “Should we go off and buy 200 de·narʹi·i worth of bread and give it to the people to eat?”i ³⁸ He said to them: “How many loaves do you have? Go see!” After finding out, they said: “Five, besides two fish.”j ³⁹ And he instructed all the people to recline in groups on the green grass.k ⁴⁰ So they reclined in groups of 100 and of 50. ⁴¹ Taking now the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing.l Then he broke the loaves up and began giving them to the disciples to place them before the people, and he divided up the two fish for all. ⁴² So they all ate and were satisfied, ⁴³ and they took up 12 baskets full of fragments, aside from the fish.m ⁴⁴ Those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men. ⁴⁵ Then, without delay, he made his disciples board the boat and go on ahead to the opposite shore toward Beth·saʹi·da, while he himself sent the crowd away.n ⁴⁶ But after saying good-bye to them, he went to a mountain to pray.o ⁴⁷ When evening had fallen, the boat was in the middle of the sea, but he was alone on the land.p ⁴⁸ So when he saw them struggling to row, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night he came toward them, walking on the sea; but he was inclined to pass them by. ⁴⁹ On catching sight of him walking on the sea, they thought: “It is an apparition!”*q And they cried out. ⁵⁰ For they all saw him and were troubled. But immediately he spoke to them and said: “Take courage! It is I; do not be afraid.”r ⁵¹ Then he got up into the boat with them, and the wind abated.s At this they were utterly amazed, ⁵² for they had not grasped the meaning of the loaves, but their hearts continued dull in understanding. ⁵³ When they got across to land, they came to Gen·nesʹa·ret and anchored the boat nearby.t ⁵⁴ But as soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized him. ⁵⁵ They ran around all that region and started to bring on stretchers those who were ailing to where they heard he was. ⁵⁶ And wherever he would enter into villages or cities or the countryside, they would place the sick ones in the marketplaces, and they would plead with him that they might touch just the fringe of his outer garment.u And all those who touched it were made well.*

Mark 6

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NWT | According to Mark 07:1-37

NWT | According to Mark 07:1-37 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 7:1-37

7 Now the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem gathered around him.+ ² And they saw some of his disciples eat their meal with defiled hands, that is, unwashed ones. ³ (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands up to the elbow, clinging to the tradition of the men of former times, ⁴ and when they come from the market, they do not eat unless they wash themselves. There are many other traditions that they have received and cling to, such as baptisms of cups, pitchers, and copper vessels.)+ ⁵ So these Pharisees and scribes asked him: “Why do your disciples not observe the tradition of the men of former times, but they eat their meal with defiled hands?”+ ⁶ He said to them: “Isaiah aptly prophesied about you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from me.+ ⁷ It is in vain that they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines.’+ ⁸ You let go of the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men.”+ ⁹ Further, he said to them: “You skillfully disregard the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.+ ¹⁰ For example, Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’+ and, ‘Let the one who speaks abusively of* his father or mother be put to death.’+ ¹¹ But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or his mother: “Whatever I have that could benefit you is corban (that is, a gift dedicated to God),”’ ¹² you no longer let him do a single thing for his father or his mother.+ ¹³ Thus you make the word of God invalid by your tradition that you have handed down.+ And you do many things like this.”+ ¹⁴ So calling the crowd to him again, he said to them: “Listen to me, all of you, and understand the meaning.+ ¹⁵ Nothing from outside a man that enters into him can defile him; but the things that come out of a man are the things that defile him.”+ ¹⁶ —— ¹⁷ Now when he had entered a house away from the crowd, his disciples began to question him about the illustration.+ ¹⁸ So he said to them: “Are you also without understanding like them? Are you not aware that nothing from outside that enters into a man can defile him, ¹⁹ since it enters, not into his heart, but into his stomach, and it passes out into the sewer?”* Thus he declared all foods clean. ²⁰ Further, he said: “That which comes out of a man is what defiles him.+ ²¹ For from inside, out of the heart of men,+ come injurious reasonings: sexual immorality, thefts, murders, ²² acts of adultery, greed, acts of wickedness, deceit, brazen conduct, an envious eye, blasphemy, haughtiness, and unreasonableness. ²³ All these wicked things come from within and defile a man.”+ ²⁴ He rose up from there and went into the region of Tyre and Siʹdon.+ There he entered into a house and did not want anyone to know it, but he could not escape notice. ²⁵ Immediately, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him and came and fell down at his feet.+ ²⁶ The woman was a Greek, a Sy·ro·phoe·niʹcian by nationality;* and she kept asking him to expel the demon from her daughter. ²⁷ But he said to her: “First let the children be satisfied, for it is not right to take the bread of the children and throw it to the little dogs.”+ ²⁸ But she replied to him: “Yes, sir, and yet even the little dogs underneath the table eat of the crumbs of the little children.” ²⁹ At that he said to her: “Because you said this, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.”+ ³⁰ So she went away to her home and found the young child lying on the bed, and the demon was gone.+ ³¹ When Jesus returned from the region of Tyre, he went through Siʹdon to the Sea of Galʹi·lee, through the region of De·capʹo·lis.+ ³² Here they brought him a deaf man with a speech impediment,+ and they pleaded with him to lay his hand on him. ³³ And he took him aside privately, away from the crowd. Then he put his fingers into the man’s ears, and after spitting, he touched his tongue.+ ³⁴ And looking up into heaven, he sighed deeply and said to him: “Ephʹpha·tha,” that is, “Be opened.” ³⁵ At this his ears were opened,+ and his speech impediment was removed, and he began speaking normally. ³⁶ With that he ordered them not to tell anyone,+ but the more he would order them, the more they would proclaim it.+ ³⁷ Indeed, they were astounded beyond measure,+ and they said: “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the speechless speak.”+

Footnotes

^ Or “reviles.”

^ Or “latrine; privy.”

^ Or “by birth.”

Study Notes

with defiled hands, that is, unwashed ones: Mark’s explanation here and in verses 3 and 4 would benefit readers who were not familiar with the term “defiled hands” or the Jewish practice of handwashing. (See “Introduction to Mark.”) This practice was a ceremonial cleansing to adhere to tradition rather than a concern for hygiene. Later, the Babylonian Talmud (Sotah 4b) puts eating with unwashed hands on par with having relations with a prostitute, and it states that those who lightly esteem handwashing will be “uprooted from the world.”

wash their hands: The Mosaic Law required that the priests wash their hands and their feet before ministering at the altar or entering the tent of meeting. (Ex 30:18-21) However, as shown in the study note on Mr 7:2, the Pharisees and other Jews in Jesus’ day adhered to human tradition when they ceremonially cleansed themselves. Of the four Gospel accounts, only Mark’s account mentions that the ceremonial washing of hands reached up to the elbow.

wash themselves: Many ancient manuscripts use the Greek word ba·ptiʹzo (to dip; to immerse) here, a term that most often describes Christian baptism, but at Lu 11:38, it is used to describe a broad range of repeated ritual washings rooted in Jewish tradition. Other ancient manuscripts here use the Greek term rhan·tiʹzo, meaning “to sprinkle; to cleanse by sprinkling.” (Heb 9:13, 19, 21, 22) Regardless of which manuscript reading is preferred, the general meaning remains the same; devout Jews did not eat unless they in some way cleansed themselves ceremonially. In Jerusalem, there is archaeological evidence that the Jews used ritual baths at this time, which in this context could give support for rendering the verb ba·ptiʹzo, “immerse themselves.”

baptisms: Or “immersions into water.” The Greek word ba·pti·smosʹ is here used regarding cleansing rituals practiced by some religious Jews in Jesus’ time. They baptized, or immersed into water, the cups, pitchers, and copper vessels used at meals.

hypocrites: The Greek word hy·po·kri·tesʹ originally referred to Greek (and later Roman) stage actors who wore large masks designed to amplify the voice. The term came to be used in a metaphoric sense to apply to anyone hiding his real intentions or personality by playing false or putting on a pretense. Jesus here calls the Jewish religious leaders “hypocrites.”—Mt 6:5, 16.

hypocrites: See study note on Mt 6:2.

corban: The Greek word kor·banʹ is a loanword from the Hebrew qor·banʹ, meaning “an offering.” This Hebrew word is often used in Leviticus and Numbers and applies both to offerings containing blood and to those that are bloodless. (Le 1:2, 3; 2:1; Nu 5:15; 6:14, 21) A related word, kor·ba·nasʹ, appears at Mt 27:6, where it is rendered “sacred treasury.”—See study note on Mt 27:6.

a gift dedicated to God: The scribes and Pharisees taught that money, property, or anything that a person dedicated as a gift to God belonged to the temple. According to this tradition, a son could keep the dedicated gift and use it for his own interests, claiming that it was reserved for the temple. Some evidently evaded the responsibility of caring for their parents by dedicating their assets in this way.—Mr 7:12.

sacred treasury: This term may refer to the portion of the temple called “the treasury” at Joh 8:20, apparently located in the area called the Court of the Women, where there were 13 treasury chests. (See App. B11.) It is believed that the temple also contained a major treasury where the money from the treasury chests was brought.

Some manuscripts here include the words “If anyone has ears to listen, let him listen,” but they do not appear in important early manuscripts. Therefore, these words are evidently not part of the original text of Mark. Similar words, though, can be found at Mr 4:9, 23 as part of the inspired Scriptures. Some scholars are of the opinion that a copyist introduced these words here as a natural comment following verse 14 by drawing from the wording at Mr 4:9, 23.—See App. A3.

Thus he declared all foods clean: The Greek text allows for these words to be a continuation of what Jesus said, but they are generally understood to be Mark’s observation on the implications of what Jesus had just explained. It does not mean that Jesus was declaring that Jews could now eat certain foods that had been considered unclean according to the Mosaic Law. That Law remained in force until Jesus’ death. Mark’s comment must be understood in accord with this historical context. (Le, chap. 11; Ac 10:9-16; Col 2:13, 14) The tradition-bound religious leaders felt that even “clean” foods would make a person unclean unless he first followed elaborate cleansing rituals not required by the Law. Therefore, the meaning of Mark’s comment is evidently that Jesus declared that foods counted as “clean” according to the Mosaic Law would not defile the eater just because he had not ritualistically washed his hands according to man-made traditions. Furthermore, some have understood that Mark was also commenting on the future implications Jesus’ words would have for Christians. By the time Mark wrote his Gospel, Peter had seen the vision in which he was told, in language similar to this passage in Mark, that “God has cleansed” foods that were once considered defiled according to the Mosaic Law. (Ac 10:13-15) In either case, the words appear to be Mark’s inspired summary of the implications of Jesus’ words, not the words of Jesus himself.

sexual immorality: See study note on Mt 15:19.

sexual immorality: The plural form of the Greek word por·neiʹa is used here and could be rendered “acts (cases) of sexual immorality.”—See study note on Mt 5:32 and Glossary.

is your eye envious: The Greek word here rendered “envious” literally means “bad; wicked.” (See study note on Mt 6:23.) The term “eye” is here used figuratively of a person’s intent, disposition, or emotions.—Compare the expression “envious eye” at Mr 7:22.

acts of adultery: The plural form of the Greek word for “adultery” (moi·kheiʹa) is used here.—See Glossary, “Adultery.”

brazen conduct: Or “shameless conduct.” The Greek word a·selʹgei·a denotes conduct that is a serious violation of God’s laws and that reflects a brazen or boldly contemptuous attitude.—See Glossary.

an envious eye: The Greek word here rendered “envious” literally means “bad; wicked.” The term “eye” is here used figuratively of a person’s intent, disposition, or emotions. The expression “an envious eye” could also be rendered “envy.”—See study notes on Mt 6:23; 20:15.

envious: Lit., “bad; wicked.” A literal eye that is bad or in an unhealthy condition does not see clearly. Similarly, an envious eye cannot focus on what is truly important. (Mt 6:33) Such an eye is dissatisfied and greedy, distracted and shifty. It causes its owner to estimate things incorrectly and pursue a selfish course of life.—See study note on Mt 6:22.

a Greek: This non-Israelite woman was likely of Greek descent.

Syrophoenician: This expression, a combination of “Syrian” and “Phoenician,” probably originated because Phoenicia was part of the Roman province of Syria.—See study note on Mt 15:22, where the woman is called “Phoenician,” or “Canaanite.”

Phoenician: Or “Canaanite.” Greek, Kha·na·naiʹa. The early inhabitants of Phoenicia descended from Canaan, Noah’s grandson (Ge 9:18; 10:6), and in time, “Canaan” came to refer primarily to Phoenicia.—See study note on Mr 7:26, where the woman is called a “Syrophoenician.”

children . . . little dogs: Since dogs were unclean according to the Mosaic Law, the Scriptures often use the term in a derogatory sense. (Le 11:27; Mt 7:6; Php 3:2; Re 22:15) However, in both Matthew’s account (15:26) and Mark’s account of Jesus’ conversation, the diminutive form of the term meaning “little dog” or “house dog” is used, softening the comparison. Perhaps this indicates that Jesus used an affectionate term for household pets in non-Jewish homes. By likening Israelites to “children” and non-Jews to “little dogs,” Jesus evidently wanted to indicate an order of priority. In a household that had both children and dogs, the children would be fed first.

Decapolis: See Glossary and App. B10.

a deaf man with a speech impediment: Only Mark mentions Jesus’ healing of the deaf man who had a speech impediment.—Mr 7:31-37.

took him aside privately: This was not something Jesus usually did when healing the sick. He may have desired to avoid embarrassing the man. Jesus wanted to help him in the kindest way possible.

spitting: Some among both Jews and Gentiles considered spitting a means or sign of healing. So Jesus may have spit simply to convey to the man that he was about to be healed. Whatever the case, Jesus was not using his saliva as a natural healing agent.

sighed deeply: Mark often records Jesus’ feelings, perhaps as related to Mark by Peter, a man of deep emotion. (See “Introduction to Mark.”) This verb may describe a prayerful sigh or groan, reflecting Jesus’ sympathy for the man or even Jesus’ pain over the suffering of all humans. A related verb at Ro 8:22 describes the “groaning” of all creation.

Ephphatha: A Greek transliteration thought by some to derive from a Hebrew root word that is rendered “be unstopped” at Isa 35:5. Jesus’ use of this expression must have made an indelible impression on an eyewitness, possibly Peter, who may have related it verbatim to Mark. Like the expression “Talitha cumi” (Mr 5:41), it is one of the few times that Jesus is quoted verbatim.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Mark 7

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NWT | According to Mark 08:1-38

NWT | According to Mark 08:1-38 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 8:1-38

8 In those days, there was again a large crowd, and they had nothing to eat. So he summoned the disciples and said to them: ² “I feel pity for the crowd,a because they have already stayed with me for three days and they have nothing to eat.b ³ If I send them off to their homes hungry,* they will give out on the road, and some of them are from far away.” ⁴ But his disciples answered him: “From where will anyone get enough bread in this isolated place to satisfy these people?” ⁵ At this he asked them: “How many loaves do you have?” They said: “Seven.”c ⁶ And he instructed the crowd to recline on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, gave thanks, broke them, and began giving them to his disciples to serve, and they served them to the crowd.d ⁷ They also had a few small fish, and blessing these, he told them to serve these also. ⁸ So they ate and were satisfied, and they took up seven large baskets full of leftover fragments.e ⁹ Now there were about 4,000 men. Then he sent them away. ¹⁰ Immediately he boarded the boat with his disciples and came into the region of Dal·ma·nuʹtha.f ¹¹ Here the Pharisees came and started disputing with him, demanding from him a sign* from heaven, to put him to the test.g ¹² So he sighed deeply in his spirit and said: “Why does this generation seek a sign?h Truly I say, no sign will be given to this generation.”i ¹³ With that he left them, got aboard again, and went to the opposite shore. ¹⁴ However, they forgot to take bread along, and they had nothing with them in the boat except for one loaf.j ¹⁵ And he warned them in no uncertain terms: “Keep your eyes open; look out for the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”k ¹⁶ So they began arguing with one another over the fact that they had no bread. ¹⁷ Noting this, he said to them: “Why do you argue over your having no bread? Do you not yet perceive and understand? Are your hearts still dull in understanding? ¹⁸ ‘Though having eyes, do you not see; and though having ears, do you not hear?’ Do you not remember ¹⁹ when I broke the five loavesl for the 5,000 men, how many baskets full of fragments you collected?” They said to him: “Twelve.”m ²⁰ “When I broke the seven loaves for the 4,000 men, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?” And they said to him: “Seven.”n ²¹ With that he said to them: “Do you not yet understand?” ²² Now they put in at Beth·saʹi·da. Here people brought him a blind man, and they pleaded with him to touch him.o ²³ And he took the blind man by the hand and brought him outside the village. After spitting on his eyes,p he laid his hands on him and asked him: “Do you see anything?” ²⁴ The man looked up* and said: “I see people, but they look like trees walking about.” ²⁵ Again he laid his hands on the man’s eyes, and the man saw clearly. His sight was restored, and he could see everything distinctly. ²⁶ So he sent him home, saying: “Do not enter into the village.” ²⁷ Jesus and his disciples now left for the villages of Caes·a·reʹa Phi·lipʹpi, and on the way he began to question his disciples, saying: “Who are people saying that I am?”q ²⁸ They said to him: “John the Baptist,r but others say E·liʹjah,s and still others, one of the prophets.” ²⁹ And he put the question to them: “You, though, who do you say I am?” Peter answered him: “You are the Christ.”t ³⁰ At that he strictly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.u ³¹ Also, he began teaching them that the Son of man must undergo many sufferings and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed,v and rise three days later.w ³² Indeed, he was making that statement openly. But Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.x ³³ At this he turned, looked at his disciples, and rebuked Peter, saying: “Get behind me, Satan! because you think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.”*y ³⁴ He now called the crowd to him with his disciples and said to them: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and keep following me.z ³⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the sake of the good news will save it.a ³⁶ Really, what good will it do a man to gain the whole world and to lose his life?b ³⁷ What, really, would a man give in exchange for his life?c ³⁸ For whoever becomes ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man will also be ashamed of himd when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”e

Mark 8

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NWT | According to Mark 09:1-50

NWT | According to Mark 09:1-50 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 9:1-50

9 Furthermore, he said to them: “Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here who will not taste death at all until first they see the Kingdom of God already having come in power.”a ² Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and John along and led them up into a lofty mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them;b ³ his outer garments began to glisten, becoming far whiter than any clothes cleaner on earth could whiten them. ⁴ Also, E·liʹjah with Moses appeared to them, and they were conversing with Jesus. ⁵ Then Peter said to Jesus: “Rabbi, it is fine for us to be here. So let us erect three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for E·liʹjah.” ⁶ In fact, he did not know how to react, for they were quite fearful. ⁷ And a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voicec came out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the beloved.d Listen to him.”e ⁸ Then suddenly they looked around and saw that no one was with them any longer except Jesus. ⁹ As they were coming down from the mountain, he strictly ordered them not to relate to anybody what they had seenf until after the Son of man had risen from the dead.g ¹⁰ They took the word to heart,* but discussed among themselves what this rising from the dead meant. ¹¹ And they began to question him, saying: “Why do the scribes say that E·liʹjahh must come first?”i ¹² He said to them: “E·liʹjah does come first and restore all things;j but how is it that it is written about the Son of man that he must undergo many sufferingsk and be treated with contempt?l ¹³ But I say to you that E·liʹjah,m in fact, has come, and they did to him whatever they wanted, just as it is written about him.”n ¹⁴ When they came to the other disciples, they noticed a large crowd around them, and there were scribes arguing with them.o ¹⁵ But as soon as all the crowd caught sight of him, they were astonished, and they ran up to him to greet him. ¹⁶ So he asked them: “What are you arguing about with them?” ¹⁷ And one of the crowd answered him: “Teacher, I brought my son to you because he has a speechless spirit.p ¹⁸ Wherever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and loses his strength. I asked your disciples to expel it, but they were not able to do so.” ¹⁹ In response he said to them: “O faithless generation,q how long must I continue with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”r ²⁰ So they brought the boy to him, but at the sight of him, the spirit at once threw the child into convulsions.s After falling on the ground, he kept rolling about, foaming at the mouth. ²¹ Then Jesus asked the father: “How long has this been happening to him?” He said: “From childhood on, ²² and often it would throw him into the fire and also into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” ²³ Jesus said to him: “That expression, ‘If you can’! Why, all things are possible for the one who has faith.”t ²⁴ Immediately the child’s father cried out and said: “I have faith! Help me out where I need faith!”*u ²⁵ Jesus, now noticing that a crowd was rushing toward them, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “You speechless and deaf spirit, I order you, get out of him and do not enter into him again!”v ²⁶ After crying out and going through many convulsions, it came out, and the child seemed to be dead, so that most of the people were saying: “He is dead!” ²⁷ But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up, and he stood up. ²⁸ So after he entered into a house, his disciples asked him privately: “Why could we not expel it?”w ²⁹ He said to them: “This kind can come out only by prayer.” ³⁰ They departed from there and went through Galʹi·lee, but he did not want anyone to get to know about it. ³¹ For he was teaching his disciples and telling them: “The Son of man is going to be betrayed* into men’s hands, and they will kill him,x but despite being killed, he will rise three days later.”y ³² However, they did not understand his statement, and they were afraid to question him. ³³ And they came into Ca·perʹna·um. Now when he was inside the house, he put the question to them: “What were you arguing about on the road?”z ³⁴ They kept silent, for on the road they had been arguing among themselves about who is greater. ³⁵ So he sat down and called the Twelve and said to them: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and minister of all.”a ³⁶ Then he took a young child and stood him in their midst; and putting his arms around him, he said to them: ³⁷ “Whoever receives one of such young childrenb on the basis of my name receives me also; and whoever receives me receives not me only but also Him who sent me.”c ³⁸ John said to him: “Teacher, we saw someone expelling demons by using your name, and we tried to prevent him, because he was not following us.”d ³⁹ But Jesus said: “Do not try to prevent him, for there is no one who will do a powerful work on the basis of my name who will quickly be able to say anything bad about me. ⁴⁰ For whoever is not against us is for us.e ⁴¹ And whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ,f I tell you truly, he will by no means lose his reward.g ⁴² But whoever stumbles one of these little ones who have faith, it would be better for him if a millstone that is turned by a donkey were put around his neck and he were pitched into the sea.h ⁴³ “If ever your hand makes you stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than to go off with two hands into Ge·henʹna, into the fire that cannot be put out.i ⁴⁴ —— ⁴⁵ And if your foot makes you stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame than to be thrown with two feet into Ge·henʹna.j ⁴⁶ —— ⁴⁷ And if your eye makes you stumble, throw it away.k It is better for you to enter one-eyed into the Kingdom of God than to be thrown with two eyes into Ge·henʹna,l ⁴⁸ where the maggot does not die and the fire is not put out.m ⁴⁹ “For everyone must be salted with fire.n ⁵⁰ Salt is fine, but if the salt ever loses its saltiness, with what will you season it?o Have salt in yourselves,p and keep peace with one another.”q

Mark 9

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NWT | According to Mark 10:1-52

NWT | According to Mark 10:1-52 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 10:1-52

10 From there he got up and came to the borders* of Ju·deʹa across the Jordan, and again crowds gathered to him. As he was accustomed to do, he again began teaching them.a ² And Pharisees approached, intent on testing him, and they asked whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife.b ³ He answered them: “What did Moses command you?” ⁴ They said: “Moses allowed the writing of a certificate of dismissal and divorcing her.”c ⁵ But Jesus said to them: “Out of regard for your hard-heartedness,d he wrote this commandment for you.e ⁶ However, from the beginning of creation, ‘He made them male and female.f ⁷ For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother,g ⁸ and the two will be one flesh,’h so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. ⁹ Therefore, what God has yoked together, let no man put apart.”i ¹⁰ When they were again in the house, the disciples began to question him about this. ¹¹ He said to them: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adulteryj against her, ¹² and if ever a woman after divorcing her husband marries another, she commits adultery.”k ¹³ People now began bringing him young children for him to touch them, but the disciples reprimanded them.l ¹⁴ At seeing this, Jesus was indignant and said to them: “Let the young children come to me; do not try to stop them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such ones.m ¹⁵ Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a young child will by no means enter into it.”n ¹⁶ And he took the children into his arms and began blessing them, laying his hands on them.o ¹⁷ As he was going on his way, a man ran up and fell on his knees before him and put the question to him: “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit everlasting life?”p ¹⁸ Jesus said to him: “Why do you call me good? Nobody is good except one, God.q ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,r do not commit adultery,s do not steal,t do not bear false witness,u do not defraud,v honor your father and your mother.’”w ²⁰ The man said to him: “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth on.” ²¹ Jesus looked at him and felt love for him and said, “One thing is missing about you: Go, sell what things you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come be my follower.”x ²² But he grew sad at the answer and went away grieved, for he had many possessions. ²³ After looking around, Jesus said to his disciples: “How difficult it will be for those with money to enter into the Kingdom of God!”y ²⁴ But the disciples were surprised at his words. Jesus then responded: “Children, how difficult it is to enter into the Kingdom of God! ²⁵ It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”z ²⁶ They became still more astounded and said to him: “Who possibly can be saved?”a ²⁷ Looking straight at them, Jesus said: “With men it is impossible but not so with God, for all things are possible with God.”b ²⁸ Peter began to say to him: “Look! We have left all things and followed you.”c ²⁹ Jesus said: “Truly I say to you, no one has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for my sake and for the sake of the good newsd ³⁰ who will not get 100 times more now in this period of time*—houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields, with persecutionse—and in the coming system of things, everlasting life. ³¹ But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”f ³² Now they were going on the road up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going ahead of them, and they were astonished, but those who followed began to fear. Once again he took the Twelve aside and started to tell them these things that were about to happen to him:g ³³ “Look! We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to death and hand him over to men of the nations, ³⁴ and these will mock him and spit on himh and scourge him and kill him, but three days later he will rise.”i ³⁵ James and John, the sons of Zebʹe·dee,j approached him and said to him: “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.”k ³⁶ He said to them: “What do you want me to do for you?” ³⁷ They replied: “Grant us to sit down, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.”l ³⁸ But Jesus said to them: “You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup that I am drinking or be baptized with the baptism with which I am being baptized?”m ³⁹ They said to him: “We can.” At that Jesus said to them: “The cup I am drinking, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am being baptized, you will be baptized.n ⁴⁰ However, to sit down at my right hand or at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared.” ⁴¹ When the ten others heard about it, they became indignant at James and John.o ⁴² But Jesus called them to him and said to them: “You know that those who appear to be ruling* the nations lord it over them and their great ones wield authority over them.p ⁴³ This must not be the way among you; but whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister,q ⁴⁴ and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of all. ⁴⁵ For even the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to ministerr and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.”s ⁴⁶ They then came into Jerʹi·cho. But as he and his disciples and a considerable crowd were going out of Jerʹi·cho, Bar·ti·maeʹus (the son of Ti·maeʹus), a blind beggar, was sitting beside the road.t ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ, he started shouting and saying: “Son of David,u Jesus, have mercy on me!”v ⁴⁸ At this many began rebuking him, telling him to be silent, but all the more he kept shouting: “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁹ So Jesus stopped and said: “Call him to me.” So they called the blind man, saying to him: “Take courage! Get up; he is calling you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing off his outer garment, he leaped to his feet and went to Jesus. ⁵¹ Then Jesus said to him: “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him: “Rab·boʹni,w let me recover my sight.” ⁵² And Jesus said to him: “Go. Your faith has made you well.”*x And immediately he recovered his sight,y and he began to follow him on the road.

Mark 10

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NWT | According to Mark 11:1-33

NWT | According to Mark 11:1-33 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 11:1-33

11 Now when they were getting near to Jerusalem, to Bethʹpha·ge and Bethʹa·nya at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciplesb ² and told them: “Go into the village that is within sight, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied on which no man has sat until now. Untie it and bring it here. ³ And if anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here right away.’” ⁴ So they went away and found the colt tied at a door, outside on the side street, and they untied it.c ⁵ But some of those standing there said to them: “What are you doing untying the colt?” ⁶ They told them just what Jesus had said, and they let them go. ⁷ And they brought the coltd to Jesus, and they put their outer garments on it, and he sat on it.e ⁸ Also, many spread their outer garments on the road,f but others cut down foliage from the fields.g ⁹ And those going in front and those coming behind kept shouting: “Save, we pray!h Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name!i ¹⁰ Blessed is the coming Kingdom of our father David!j Save, we pray, in the heights above!”* ¹¹ And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple, and he looked around at everything, but since the hour was already late, he went out to Bethʹa·ny with the Twelve.k ¹² The next day when they were leaving Bethʹa·ny, he felt hungry.l ¹³ From a distance he caught sight of a fig tree that had leaves, and he went to see whether he could find something on it. But on coming to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ So he said to it: “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.”m And his disciples were listening. ¹⁵ They now came to Jerusalem. There he entered the temple and started to throw out those selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves,n ¹⁶ and he would not let anyone carry a utensil through the temple. ¹⁷ He was teaching and saying to them: “Is it not written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’?o But you have made it a cave of robbers.”p ¹⁸ And the chief priests and the scribes heard it, and they began to seek how to kill him;q for they were in fear of him, because all the crowd was astounded at his teaching.r ¹⁹ When it became late in the day, they went out of the city. ²⁰ But when they were passing by early in the morning, they saw the fig tree already withered from its roots.s ²¹ Peter, remembering it, said to him: “Rabbi, see! the fig tree that you cursed has withered.”t ²² In reply Jesus said to them: “Have faith in God. ²³ Truly I say to you that whoever tells this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but has faith that what he says is going to happen, he will have it happen.u ²⁴ This is why I tell you, all the things you pray and ask for, have faith that you have received them, and you will have them.v ²⁵ And when you stand praying, forgive whatever you have against anyone, so that your Father who is in the heavens may also forgive you your trespasses.”w ²⁶ —— ²⁷ They came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came ²⁸ and said to him: “By what authority do you do these things? Or who gave you this authority to do these things?”x ²⁹ Jesus said to them: “I will ask you one question. Answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. ³⁰ Was the baptism by Johny from heaven or from men?* Answer me.”z ³¹ So they began to reason among themselves, saying: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’ ³² But dare we say, ‘From men’?” They were in fear of the crowd, for these all held that John had really been a prophet.a ³³ So they answered Jesus: “We do not know.” Jesus said to them: “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things.”

Mark 11

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NWT | According to Mark 12:1-44

NWT | According to Mark 12:1-44 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 12:1-44

12 Then he started to speak to them with illustrations: “A man planted a vineyarda and put a fence around it and dug a vat for the winepress and erected a tower;b then he leased it to cultivators and traveled abroad.c ² In due season he sent a slave to the cultivators to collect some of the fruits of the vineyard from them. ³ But they took him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. ⁴ Again he sent another slave to them, and that one they struck on the head and dishonored.d ⁵ And he sent another, and that one they killed, and many others, some of whom they beat and some of whom they killed. ⁶ One more he had, a beloved son.e He sent him to them last, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷ But those cultivators said among themselves, ‘This is the heir.f Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ So they took him and killed him and threw him out of the vineyard.g ⁹ What will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill the cultivators and will give the vineyard to others.h ¹⁰ Did you never read this scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone.i ¹¹ This has come from Jehovah, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”j ¹² At that they wanted to seize* him, but they feared the crowd, for they knew that he spoke the illustration with them in mind. So they left him and went away.k ¹³ Next they sent to him some of the Pharisees and of the party followers of Herod in order to catch him in his speech.l ¹⁴ On arriving, these said to him: “Teacher, we know you are truthful and you do not seek anyone’s favor, for you do not look at the outward appearance of people, but you teach the way of God in line with truth. Is it lawful* to pay head tax to Caesar or not? ¹⁵ Should we pay, or should we not pay?” Detecting their hypocrisy, he said to them: “Why do you put me to the test? Bring me a de·narʹi·us to look at.” ¹⁶ They brought one, and he said to them: “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to him: “Caesar’s.”m ¹⁷ Jesus then said: “Pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar,n but God’s things to God.”o And they were amazed at him. ¹⁸ Now the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,p came and asked him:q ¹⁹ “Teacher, Moses wrote us that if someone’s brother dies and leaves a wife behind but does not leave a child, his brother should take the wife and raise up offspring for his brother.r ²⁰ There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, but when he died he left no offspring. ²¹ And the second married her but died without leaving offspring, and the third the same way. ²² And all seven left no offspring. Last of all, the woman also died. ²³ In the resurrection, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.” ²⁴ Jesus said to them: “Is not this why you are mistaken, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?s ²⁵ For when they rise from the dead, neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are as angels in the heavens.t ²⁶ But concerning the dead being raised up, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account about the thornbush, that God said to him: ‘I am the God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob’?u ²⁷ He is a God, not of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken.”v ²⁸ One of the scribes who had come up and heard them disputing, knowing that he had answered them in a fine way, asked him: “Which commandment is first* of all?”w ²⁹ Jesus answered: “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel, Jehovah our God is one Jehovah, ³⁰ and you must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind and with your whole strength.’x ³¹ The second is this, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’y There is no other commandment greater than these.” ³² The scribe said to him: “Teacher, you spoke well, in line with truth, ‘He is One, and there is no other besides him’;z ³³ and to love him with one’s whole heart, with one’s whole understanding, and with one’s whole strength and to love one’s neighbor as oneself is worth far more than all the whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”a ³⁴ At this Jesus, discerning that he had answered intelligently, said to him: “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” But no one had the courage to question him anymore.b ³⁵ However, as Jesus continued teaching in the temple, he said: “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is David’s son?c ³⁶ By the holy spirit,d David himself said, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies beneath your feet.”’e ³⁷ David himself calls him Lord, so how can it be that he is his son?”f And the large crowd was listening to him with pleasure. ³⁸ And in his teaching he went on to say: “Beware of the scribes who want to walk around in robes and want greetings in the marketplacesg ³⁹ and front seats in the synagogues and the most prominent places at evening meals.h ⁴⁰ They devour the houses* of the widows, and for show* they make long prayers. These will receive a more severe* judgment.” ⁴¹ And he sat down with the treasury chestsi in view and began observing how the crowd was dropping money into the treasury chests, and many rich people were dropping in many coins.j ⁴² Now a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins of very little value.k ⁴³ So he called his disciples to him and said to them: “Truly I say to you that this poor widow put in more than all the others who put money into the treasury chests.l ⁴⁴ For they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her want,* put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”m

Mark 12

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NWT | According to Mark 13:1-37

NWT | According to Mark 13:1-37 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 13:1-37

13 As he was going out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him: “Teacher, see! what wonderful stones and buildings!”a ² However, Jesus said to him: “Do you see these great buildings? By no means will a stone be left here upon a stone and not be thrown down.”b ³ As he was sitting on the Mount of Olives with the temple in view, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately: ⁴ “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are to come to a conclusion?”c ⁵ So Jesus began to tell them: “Look out that nobody misleads you.d ⁶ Many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and will mislead many. ⁷ Moreover, when you hear of wars and reports of wars, do not be alarmed; these things must take place, but the end is not yet.e ⁸ “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom;f there will be earthquakes in one place after another; there will also be food shortages.g These are a beginning of pangs of distress.h ⁹ “As for you, look out for yourselves. People will hand you over to local courts,i and you will be beaten in synagoguesj and be put on the stand before governors and kings for my sake, for a witness to them.k ¹⁰ Also, in all the nations, the good news has to be preached first.l ¹¹ And when they are taking you to hand you over, do not be anxious beforehand about what to say; but whatever is given you in that hour, say this, for you are not the ones speaking, but the holy spirit is.m ¹² Furthermore, brother will deliver brother over to death, and a father a child, and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.n ¹³ And you will be hated by all people on account of my name.o But the one who has enduredp to the endq will be saved.r ¹⁴ “However, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolations standing where it should not be (let the reader use discernment), then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains.t ¹⁵ Let the man on the housetop not come down nor go inside to take anything out of his house;u ¹⁶ and let the man in the field not return to the things behind to pick up his outer garment. ¹⁷ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days!v ¹⁸ Keep praying that it may not occur in wintertime; ¹⁹ for those days will be days of a tribulationw such as has not occurred from the beginning of the creation that God created until that time,* and will not occur again.x ²⁰ In fact, unless Jehovah had cut short the days, no flesh would be saved. But on account of the chosen ones whom he has chosen, he has cut short the days.y ²¹ “Then, too, if anyone says to you, ‘See! Here is the Christ,’ or, ‘See! There he is,’ do not believe it.z ²² For false Christs and false prophets will arisea and will perform signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the chosen ones. ²³ You, then, watch out.b I have told you all things beforehand. ²⁴ “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light,c ²⁵ and the stars will be falling out of heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken. ²⁶ And then they will see the Son of mand coming in the clouds with great power and glory.e ²⁷ And then he will send out the angels and will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from earth’s extremity to heaven’s extremity.f ²⁸ “Now learn this illustration from the fig tree: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near.g ²⁹ Likewise also you, when you see these things happening, know that he is near at the doors.h ³⁰ Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.i ³¹ Heaven and earth will pass away,j but my words will by no means pass away.k ³² “Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father.l ³³ Keep looking, keep awake,m for you do not know when the appointed time is.n ³⁴ It is like a man traveling abroad who left his house and gave the authority to his slaves,o to each one his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to keep on the watch.p ³⁵ Keep on the watch, therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming,q whether late in the day or at midnight or before dawn or early in the morning,r ³⁶ in order that when he comes suddenly, he does not find you sleeping.s ³⁷ But what I say to you, I say to all: Keep on the watch.”t

Mark 13

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NWT | According to Mark 14:1-72

NWT | According to Mark 14:1-72 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 14:1-72

14 Now the Passover+ and the Festival of Unleavened Bread+ was two days later.+ And the chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to seize* him by cunning* and kill him;+ ² for they were saying: “Not at the festival; perhaps there might be an uproar of the people.” ³ And while he was at Bethʹa·ny dining* in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, genuine nard, very expensive. She broke open the alabaster jar and began pouring it on his head.+ ⁴ At this some said to one another indignantly: “Why has this perfumed oil been wasted? ⁵ For this perfumed oil could have been sold for more than 300 de·narʹi·i+ and the money given to the poor!” And they were greatly annoyed with* her. ⁶ But Jesus said: “Let her alone. Why do you try to make trouble for her? She did a fine deed toward me.+ ⁷ For you always have the poor with you,+ and you can do them good whenever you want to, but you will not always have me.+ ⁸ She did what she could; she poured perfumed oil on my body beforehand, in view of the burial.+ ⁹ Truly I say to you, wherever the good news is preached in all the world,+ what this woman did will also be told in memory of her.”+ ¹⁰ And Judas Is·carʹi·ot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests in order to betray him to them.+ ¹¹ When they heard it, they were delighted and promised to give him silver money.+ So he began seeking an opportunity to betray him. ¹² Now on the first day of the Unleavened Bread,+ when they customarily offered up the Passover sacrifice,+ his disciples said to him: “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”+ ¹³ With that he sent two of his disciples and said to them: “Go into the city, and a man carrying an earthenware water jar will meet you. Follow him,+ ¹⁴ and wherever he goes inside, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says: “Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’ ¹⁵ And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Prepare it for us there.” ¹⁶ So the disciples went out, and they entered the city and found it just as he said to them, and they prepared for the Passover. ¹⁷ After evening had fallen, he came with the Twelve.+ ¹⁸ And as they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said: “Truly I say to you, one of you who is eating with me will betray me.”+ ¹⁹ They began to be grieved and to say to him one by one: “It is not I, is it?” ²⁰ He said to them: “It is one of the Twelve, the one dipping with me into the bowl.+ ²¹ For the Son of man is going away, just as it is written about him, but woe to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed!+ It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”+ ²² And as they continued eating, he took a loaf, said a blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “Take it; this means my body.”+ ²³ And taking a cup, he offered thanks and gave it to them, and they all drank out of it.+ ²⁴ And he said to them: “This means my ‘blood+ of the covenant,’+ which is to be poured out in behalf of many.+ ²⁵ Truly I say to you, I will by no means drink anymore of the product of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”+ ²⁶ Finally, after singing praises, they went out to the Mount of Olives.+ ²⁷ And Jesus said to them: “You will all be stumbled, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd,+ and the sheep will be scattered about.’+ ²⁸ But after I have been raised up, I will go ahead of you into Galʹi·lee.”+ ²⁹ But Peter said to him: “Even if all the others are stumbled, I will not be.”+ ³⁰ At that Jesus said to him: “Truly I say to you that today, yes, on this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times.”+ ³¹ But he kept insisting: “If I have to die with you, I will by no means disown you.” Also, all the others began to say the same thing.+ ³² So they came to a spot named Geth·semʹa·ne, and he said to his disciples: “Sit down here while I pray.”+ ³³ And he took Peter and James and John along with him,+ and he began to feel deeply distressed* and to be greatly troubled. ³⁴ He said to them: “I am deeply grieved,+ even to death. Stay here and keep on the watch.”+ ³⁵ And going a little way forward, he fell to the ground and began praying that, if it were possible, the hour might pass away from him. ³⁶ And he said: “Abba, Father,+ all things are possible for you; remove this cup from me. Yet, not what I want, but what you want.”+ ³⁷ He returned and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter: “Simon, are you sleeping? Did you not have the strength to keep on the watch for one hour?+ ³⁸ Keep on the watch and pray continually, so that you do not come into temptation.+ The spirit, of course, is eager,* but the flesh is weak.”+ ³⁹ And he went away again and prayed, saying the same thing.+ ⁴⁰ And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed down, so they did not know what to answer him. ⁴¹ And he returned the third time and said to them: “At such a time as this, you are sleeping and resting! It is enough! The hour has come!+ Look! The Son of man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴² Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer has drawn near.”+ ⁴³ And immediately, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived and with him a crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.+ ⁴⁴ Now his betrayer had given them an agreed sign, saying: “Whoever it is I kiss, he is the one; take him into custody, and lead him away under guard.”* ⁴⁵ And he came straight up and approached him and said, “Rabbi!” and gave him a tender kiss. ⁴⁶ So they seized him and took him into custody. ⁴⁷ However, one of those standing by drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, taking off his ear.+ ⁴⁸ But in response Jesus said to them: “Did you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs as against a robber?+ ⁴⁹ Day after day I was with you in the temple teaching,+ and yet you did not take me into custody. Nevertheless, this is to fulfill the Scriptures.”+ ⁵⁰ And they all abandoned him and fled.+ ⁵¹ However, a certain young man wearing only a fine linen garment over his naked body began to follow him nearby, and they tried to seize him, ⁵² but he left his linen garment behind and got away naked. ⁵³ They now led Jesus away to the high priest,+ and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes assembled.+ ⁵⁴ But Peter, from a good distance, followed him as far as into the courtyard of the high priest; and he was sitting together with the house attendants and warming himself before a bright fire.+ ⁵⁵ Now the chief priests and the entire Sanʹhe·drin were looking for testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they were not finding any.+ ⁵⁶ Many, indeed, were giving false witness against him,+ but their testimonies were not in agreement. ⁵⁷ Also, certain ones were standing up and bearing false witness against him, saying: ⁵⁸ “We heard him say, ‘I will throw down this temple that was made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands.’”+ ⁵⁹ But even on these grounds, their testimony was not in agreement. ⁶⁰ Then the high priest stood up in their midst and questioned Jesus, saying: “Do you say nothing in reply? What is it these men are testifying against you?”+ ⁶¹ But he kept silent and made no reply at all.+ Again the high priest began to question him and said to him: “Are you the Christ the Son of the Blessed One?” ⁶² Then Jesus said: “I am; and you will see the Son of man+ sitting at the right hand+ of power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”+ ⁶³ At this the high priest ripped his garments and said: “What further need do we have of witnesses?+ ⁶⁴ You heard the blasphemy. What is your decision?”* They all condemned him as deserving of death.+ ⁶⁵ And some started to spit on him+ and to cover his face and hit him with their fists and say to him: “Prophesy!” And slapping him in the face, the court attendants took him.+ ⁶⁶ Now while Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came.+ ⁶⁷ On seeing Peter warming himself, she looked straight at him and said: “You too were with the Naz·a·reneʹ, this Jesus.” ⁶⁸ But he denied it, saying: “Neither do I know him nor do I understand* what you are talking about,” and he went outside to the entryway. ⁶⁹ There the servant girl saw him and again began to say to those standing by: “This is one of them.”+ ⁷⁰ Again he was denying it. And after a little while, those standing by again began saying to Peter: “Certainly you are one of them, for you are, in fact, a Gal·i·leʹan.” ⁷¹ But he started to curse and swear: “I do not know this man of whom you speak!” ⁷² Immediately a rooster crowed a second time,+ and Peter recalled what Jesus had said to him: “Before a rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times.”+ And he broke down and began to weep.

Footnotes

^ Or “arrest.”

^ Or “deceit; craftiness.”

^ Or “reclining at the table.”

^ Or “they spoke angrily to; they scolded.”

^ Or “feel stunned.”

^ Or “willing.”

^ Or “securely.”

^ Or “What do you think?”; “How does it seem to you?”

^ Or “I neither know nor understand.”

Study Notes

Passover: This festival (Greek paʹskha from Hebrew peʹsach from the verb pa·sachʹ, meaning “to pass over; to pass by”) was instituted the evening preceding the Israelites’ Exodus from Egypt. It commemorates the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt and the ‘passing over’ of their firstborn when Jehovah destroyed the firstborn of Egypt.—Ex 12:14, 24-47; see Glossary.

while he was at Bethany: The events described at Mr 14:3-9 evidently took place after sunset when Nisan 9 began. That timing is indicated by the parallel account in John, where Jesus is said to arrive at Bethany “six days before the Passover.” (Joh 12:1) He must have arrived about the beginning (at sunset) of the Sabbath on Nisan 8, which was the day before the meal at Simon’s place.—Joh 12:2-11; see App. A7 and B12.

And: What is described in verses 10 and 11 happened on Nisan 12, the same day that the events described at Mr 14:1, 2 took place.—See App. A7, B12, and study notes on Mr 14:1, 3.

Now: The events described at Mr 14:1, 2 took place on Nisan 12; the verse states that the Passover (on Nisan 14; see study note on Mt 26:2) and the Festival of Unleavened Bread (on Nisan 15-21; see Glossary) was two days later.—See App. A7, B12, B15, and study notes on Mr 14:3, 10.

a leper: A person suffering from a serious skin disease. The leprosy referred to in the Bible is not restricted to the disease known by that name today. Anyone diagnosed with leprosy became an outcast from society until he was cured.—Le 13:2, ftn., 45, 46; see Glossary, “Leprosy; Leper.”

a woman: According to Joh 12:3, this woman is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.

she poured perfumed oil on my body: The woman (see study note on Mt 26:7) performed this generous act out of love and appreciation for Jesus. He explained that she was unknowingly preparing his body for burial, since such perfumed oil and ointments were often applied to dead bodies.—2Ch 16:14.

Simon the leper: This Simon is mentioned only here and in the parallel account at Mt 26:6. He may have been a former leper whom Jesus healed.—See study note on Mt 8:2 and Glossary, “Leprosy; Leper.”

a woman: See study note on Mt 26:7.

alabaster jar: See Glossary, “Alabaster.”

perfumed oil: John says that the weight was a pound. Mark’s and John’s accounts specify that it was worth “more than 300 denarii.” (Mr 14:5; Joh 12:3-5) That sum represented about a year’s wages for an ordinary laborer. The source of such perfumed oil is generally thought to be an aromatic plant (Nardostachys jatamansi) found in the Himalayas. Nard was often adulterated, even counterfeited, but both Mark and John say that this oil was genuine nard.—See Glossary, “Nard.”

a woman: According to Joh 12:3, this woman is Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.

Truly: Greek, a·menʹ, a transliteration of the Hebrew ʼa·menʹ, meaning “so be it,” or “surely.” Jesus frequently uses this expression to preface a statement, a promise, or a prophecy, thereby emphasizing its absolute truthfulness and reliability. Jesus’ use of “truly,” or amen, in this way is said to be unique in sacred literature. When repeated in succession (a·menʹ a·menʹ), as is the case throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus’ expression is translated “most truly.”—See study note on Joh 1:51.

all the nations: This expression shows the scope of the preaching work, letting the disciples know that it would extend beyond preaching to fellow Jews. In its general sense, the Greek word for “nation” (eʹthnos) refers to a group of people who are more or less related to one another by blood and who have a common language. Such a national or ethnic group often occupies a defined geographic territory.

Truly: See study note on Mt 5:18.

is preached in all the world: Similar to his prophecy at Mr 13:10, Jesus here foretells that the good news would be proclaimed in all the world and would include this woman’s act of devotion. God inspired three Gospel writers to mention what she did.—Mt 26:12, 13; Joh 12:7; see study note on Mr 13:10.

Iscariot: Possibly meaning “Man From Kerioth.” Judas’ father, Simon, is also called “Iscariot.” (Joh 6:71) This term has commonly been understood to indicate that Simon and Judas were from the Judean town of Kerioth-hezron. (Jos 15:25) If this is so, Judas was the only Judean among the 12 apostles, the rest being Galileans.

And: What is described in verses 10 and 11 happened on Nisan 12, the same day that the events described at Mr 14:1, 2 took place.—See App. A7, B12, and study notes on Mr 14:1, 3.

Iscariot: See study note on Mt 10:4.

silver money: Lit., “silver,” that is, silver used as money. According to Mt 26:15, the amount of money was “30 silver pieces.” Matthew is the only Gospel writer to mention the amount for which Jesus was betrayed. These were possibly 30 silver shekels minted in Tyre. The use of this sum appears to show the chief priests’ contempt for Jesus, since under the Law, it was the price of a slave. (Ex 21:32) Likewise, when the prophet Zechariah asked the unfaithful Israelites for his wages for his prophetic work among God’s people, they weighed out to him “30 pieces of silver,” suggesting that they considered him to be worth no more than a slave.—Zec 11:12, 13.

On the first day of the Unleavened Bread: The Festival of Unleavened Bread began on Nisan 15, the day after the Passover (Nisan 14), and lasted for seven days. (See App. B15.) In Jesus’ time, however, the Passover had become so closely connected to this festival that all eight days, including Nisan 14, sometimes were referred to as “the Festival of the Unleavened Bread.” (Lu 22:1) In this context, the phrase “On the first day of” could be rendered “On the day before.” (Compare Joh 1:15, 30, where the Greek word for “first” [proʹtos] is rendered “before” in a similar construction, namely, “he existed before [proʹtos] me.”) So the original Greek, as well as Jewish custom, allows for the disciples’ question to have been asked of Jesus on Nisan 13. During the daytime of Nisan 13, the disciples made preparations for the Passover, which was later celebrated “after evening had fallen” at the beginning of Nisan 14.—Mr 14:16, 17.

on the first day of the Unleavened Bread: The Festival of Unleavened Bread began on Nisan 15, the day after the Passover (Nisan 14), and the festival lasted for seven days. (See App. B15.) By Jesus’ time, however, the Passover had become so closely connected to this festival that all eight days, including Nisan 14, were sometimes referred to as “the Festival of the Unleavened Bread.” (Lu 22:1) The day mentioned here refers to Nisan 14 because it is said to be the day when they customarily offered up the Passover sacrifice. (Ex 12:6, 15, 17, 18; Le 23:5; De 16:1-8) What is described in verses 12-16 likely took place on the afternoon of Nisan 13 in preparation for the Passover, which was celebrated “after evening had fallen” at the beginning of Nisan 14.—Mr 14:17, 18; see App. B12 and study note on Mt 26:17.

After evening had fallen: That is, the evening marking the start of Nisan 14.—See App. A7 and B12.

dipping with me: People usually ate food with their fingers, or they used a piece of bread somewhat like a spoon. This expression could also be an idiom meaning “to share food together.” Eating with a person signified close friendship. To turn against such an intimate companion was considered the vilest form of treachery.—Ps 41:9; Joh 13:18.

bowl: The Greek word denotes a relatively deep bowl from which a meal was eaten. A few ancient manuscripts have a reading that can be rendered “the common bowl,” but the current reading has strong manuscript support.

took a loaf . . . broke it: The loaves common in the ancient Near East were thin and, if unleavened, brittle. There was no spiritual significance to Jesus’ breaking the bread; this was the normal way to divide that type of loaf.—See study note on Mt 14:19.

means: The Greek word e·stinʹ (literally meaning “is”) here has the sense of “signifies; symbolizes; stands for; represents.” This meaning was evident to the apostles, since on this occasion Jesus’ perfect body was there in front of them and so was the unleavened bread that they were about to eat. Therefore, the bread could not have been his literal body. It is worth noting that the same Greek word is used at Mt 12:7, and many Bible translations render it “means.”

took a loaf . . . broke it: See study note on Mt 26:26.

said a blessing: This expression evidently refers to a prayer offering praise and thanks to God.

means: See study note on Mt 26:26.

blood of the covenant: The new covenant, between Jehovah and anointed Christians, was made operative by Jesus’ sacrifice. (Heb 8:10) Jesus here uses the same expression Moses used when acting as mediator and inaugurating the Law covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai. (Ex 24:8; Heb 9:19-21) Just as the blood of bulls and goats validated the Law covenant between God and the nation of Israel, Jesus’ blood made valid the new covenant that Jehovah would make with spiritual Israel. That covenant went into effect at Pentecost 33 C.E.—Heb 9:14, 15.

blood of the covenant: See study note on Mt 26:28.

drink it new: That is, the vine’s new product. In the Scriptures, wine sometimes symbolizes joy.—Ps 104:15; Ec 10:19.

drink it new: See study note on Mt 26:29.

after singing praises: Or “after singing hymns (psalms).” According to one Jewish tradition, the first Hallel Psalms (113, 114) were sung, or recited, during the Passover meal; the last four (115-118) at its conclusion. The latter contain some of the prophecies that apply to the Messiah. Ps 118 begins and ends with the words: “Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good; his loyal love endures forever.” (Ps 118:1, 29) These may well have been the last words of praise that Jesus sang with his faithful apostles on the night before his death.

praises: See study note on Mt 26:30.

before dawn: Lit., “when the rooster crows.” According to the Greek and Roman division, this was the name given to the third watch of the night. It refers to the time from midnight to about 3:00 a.m. (See preceding study notes on this verse.) It was probably during this time that “a rooster crowed.” (Mr 14:72) It is generally agreed that roosters’ crowing has long been and still is a time indicator in the lands to the E of the Mediterranean.—See study notes on Mt 26:34; Mr 14:30, 72.

before a rooster crows: All four Gospels mention this, but only Mark’s account adds the detail that the rooster would crow twice. (Mt 26:34, 74, 75; Mr 14:72; Lu 22:34, 60, 61; Joh 13:38; 18:27) The Mishnah indicates that roosters were bred in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day, lending support to the Bible account. This crowing likely occurred very early in the morning.—See study note on Mr 13:35.

Gethsemane: This garden was evidently located on the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. It was probably equipped with an olive press, since its name is derived from a Hebrew or Aramaic expression (gath shema·nehʹ) meaning “oil press.” Although the exact location cannot be determined, one tradition identifies Gethsemane with a garden located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, at the fork of the road on its W slope.—See App. B12.

Gethsemane: See study note on Mt 26:36.

I am: Or “My soul is.” The Greek word psy·kheʹ, traditionally rendered “soul,” here refers to a person’s entire being. So “my soul” can be rendered “my whole being” or simply “I.”—See Glossary, “Soul.”

Keep on the watch: The Greek term has the basic meaning “stay (keep) awake,” but in many contexts it means “be on guard; be watchful.” Matthew uses this term at Mt 24:43; 25:13; 26:38, 40, 41. At Mt 24:44, he connects it with the need to be “ready.”—See study note on Mt 26:38.

Keep on the watch: Lit., “Stay awake.” This exhortation to stay awake spiritually is the basic message of the parable of the ten virgins.—See study notes on Mt 24:42; 26:38.

Keep on the watch: The Greek term has the basic meaning “stay (keep) awake,” but in many contexts it means “be on guard; be watchful.” In addition to this verse, Mark uses the term at Mr 13:34, 37; 14:34, 37, 38.—See study notes on Mt 24:42; 26:38; Mr 14:34.

I am: See study note on Mt 26:38.

keep on the watch: Lit., “stay awake.” Jesus had emphasized the need for his disciples to stay awake spiritually because of not knowing the day and hour of his coming. (See study notes on Mt 24:42; 25:13; Mr 13:35.) He repeats that exhortation here and again at Mr 14:38, where he links staying awake spiritually with persevering in prayer. Similar exhortations are found throughout the Christian Greek Scriptures, showing that spiritual alertness is vital for true Christians.—1Co 16:13; Col 4:2; 1Th 5:6; 1Pe 5:8; Re 16:15.

fell to the ground: Or “threw himself to the ground.” The parallel account at Mt 26:39 says that Jesus “fell facedown.” In the Bible, several postures for prayer are mentioned, including standing and kneeling. However, perhaps the humblest posture was when a person in fervent prayer would lie facedown with his body outstretched.

drink the cup: In the Bible, “cup” is often used figuratively of God’s will, or the “assigned portion,” for a person. (Ps 11:6; 16:5; 23:5) To “drink the cup” here means to submit to God’s will. In this case, the “cup” involved not only Jesus’ suffering and death under the false charge of blasphemy but also his being resurrected to immortal life in heaven.

Abba: A Hebrew or Aramaic word (transliterated into Greek) occurring three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (Ro 8:15; Ga 4:6) The word literally means “the father” or “O Father.” It combines some of the intimacy of the English word “papa” with the dignity of the word “father,” being informal and yet respectful. It was among the first words a child learned to speak; yet in ancient Hebrew and Aramaic writings, it was also used by a grown son when addressing his father. Therefore, it was an endearing form of address rather than a title. Jesus’ use of this expression shows the close, trusting relationship he has with his Father.

Father: All three instances of Abba are followed by the translation ho pa·terʹ in Greek, which literally means “the father” or “O Father.”

remove this cup from me: In the Bible, “cup” is often used figuratively of God’s will, or the “assigned portion,” for a person. (See study note on Mt 20:22.) Jesus no doubt felt great concern over the reproach that his death as one charged with blasphemy and sedition could bring on God, moving him to pray that this “cup” be removed from him.

spirit: Here referring to the impelling force that issues from a person’s figurative heart and causes him to say and do things in a certain way.—See Glossary.

flesh: In the Bible, the term is often used to represent man in his imperfect sinful state.

spirit: See study note on Mt 26:41.

flesh: See study note on Mt 26:41.

their eyes were weighed down: A Greek idiomatic expression that means “to be extremely sleepy.” It could also be rendered, “they could not keep their eyes open.”

Look!: The Greek word i·douʹ, here rendered “look!,” is often used to focus attention on what follows, encouraging the reader to visualize the scene or to take note of a detail in a narrative. It is also used to add emphasis or to introduce something new or surprising. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the term occurs most frequently in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke and in the book of Revelation. A corresponding expression is often used in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Look!: See study note on Mr 1:2.

gave him a tender kiss: The Greek verb rendered “to give a tender kiss” is an intensive form of the verb for “kiss,” used at Mr 14:44. By greeting Jesus in such a warm, friendly manner, Judas showed the depth of his deceitfulness and hypocrisy.

struck the slave of the high priest: This incident is recorded by all four Gospel writers, and their accounts are complementary. (Mt 26:51; Mr 14:47; Lu 22:50) Only Luke, “the beloved physician” (Col 4:14), mentions that Jesus “touched the ear and healed him.” (Lu 22:51) John is the only Gospel writer to mention that Simon Peter wielded the sword and that Malchus was the name of the slave whose ear was cut off. John was evidently the disciple “known to the high priest” as well as to his household (Joh 18:15, 16), so it is natural that his Gospel would mention the injured man by name. John’s familiarity with the high priest’s household is further shown at Joh 18:26, where John explains that the slave who accused Peter of being a disciple of Jesus was “a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off.”

one of those standing by: The parallel account at Joh 18:10 shows that it was Simon Peter who drew his sword and that the name of the slave of the high priest was Malchus. The accounts of Luke (22:50) and John (18:10) also add the detail that it was his “right ear” that was cut off.

struck the slave of the high priest: See study note on Joh 18:10.

Mark: From the Latin name Marcus. Mark was the Roman surname of the “John” mentioned at Ac 12:12. His mother was Mary, an early disciple who lived in Jerusalem. John Mark was “the cousin of Barnabas” (Col 4:10), with whom he traveled. Mark also traveled with Paul and other early Christian missionaries. (Ac 12:25; 13:5, 13; 2Ti 4:11) Although the Gospel nowhere specifies who wrote it, writers of the second and third centuries C.E. ascribe this Gospel to Mark.

a certain young man: Mark is the only one who records the incident described in verses 51 and 52. The young man may have been the writer himself. If so, Mark may have had some personal contact with Jesus.—See study note on Mr Title.

naked: Or “not sufficiently dressed.” The Greek word gy·mnosʹ can have the meaning “lightly clad; in the undergarment only.”—Jas 2:15, ftn.

naked: See study note on Mt 25:36.

the high priest: When Israel functioned as an independent nation, the high priest held his office for life. (Nu 35:25) However, during the Roman occupation of Israel, the rulers assigned by Rome had authority to appoint the high priest and to depose him. The high priest who presided at Jesus’ trial was Caiaphas (Mt 26:3, 57), a skillful diplomat who held his office longer than any of his immediate predecessors. He was appointed about 18 C.E. and remained in office until about 36 C.E.—See Glossary, “High priest,” and App. B12 for the possible location of Caiaphas’ house.

Sanhedrin: That is, the Jewish high court in Jerusalem. The Greek word rendered “Sanhedrin” (sy·neʹdri·on) literally means a “sitting down with.” Although it was a general term for an assembly or a meeting, in Israel it could refer to a religious judicial body or court.—See study note on Mt 5:22 and Glossary; see also App. B12 for the possible location of the Sanhedrin Hall.

Sanhedrin: See study note on Mt 26:59.

their testimony was not in agreement: Mark is the only Gospel writer to report that the false witnesses at Jesus’ trial were not in agreement.

the Christ: Here the title “Christ,” meaning “Anointed One,” is preceded by the definite article in Greek. This is a way of indicating that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the one who had been anointed in a special sense.—See study notes on Mt 1:1; 2:4.

the Christ: See study note on Mt 11:2.

right hand of power: To be on a ruler’s right hand meant being second in importance to the ruler himself. (Ps 110:1; Ac 7:55, 56) The Greek word for “power” in this context may be understood to refer to God himself, and it could be rendered “the Power” or “the Powerful One.” The Greek expression for “right hand of power” also occurs in the parallel account at Lu 22:69, but with the addition of the word for “God.” It is rendered “the powerful right hand of God.” The phrase “right hand of power” may also imply that Jesus would be infused with power, or authority, because of being at the right hand of the Powerful One, God.

right hand of power: See study note on Mt 26:64.

ripped his garments: Here a gesture expressing indignation. Caiaphas likely tore open the part of his garment that covered his chest to dramatize his sanctimonious outrage at Jesus’ words.

Prophesy . . . Who struck you?: Here “prophesy” does not mean to make a prediction but to identify by divine revelation who had hit him. The parallel accounts at Mr 14:65 and Lu 22:64 show that Jesus’ persecutors had covered his face, evidently explaining their taunt to identify who had hit him.

Prophesy!: Here “prophesy” does not imply making a prediction but, rather, identifying by divine revelation. The context shows that Jesus’ persecutors had covered his face, and the parallel account at Mt 26:68 reveals that the taunt they addressed to him was, in full: “Prophesy to us, you Christ. Who struck you?” They were thus challenging the blindfolded Jesus to identify who was hitting him.—See study notes on Mt 26:68; Lu 22:64.

gatehouse: Lit., “gate.” Mark’s account uses a term that can mean “entryway” or “vestibule,” indicating that this was more than a simple gate. (Mr 14:68) It was evidently a structure, perhaps a passageway or a hall, leading from the courtyard to the exterior doors that opened to the street.

entryway: Or “vestibule.”—See study note on Mt 26:71.

curse: Most likely, Peter is invoking a curse on himself, saying, in effect, that he ‘wishes to be cursed if he is lying and actually knows the man.’

swear: Or “swear with an oath.” Motivated by fear, Peter is trying to convince those around him that his denials are truthful. By swearing to the matter, he is taking an oath that his words are true and that a calamity might befall him if they are not.

curse: See study note on Mt 26:74.

swear: See study note on Mt 26:74.

a rooster crowed: All four Gospels mention this event, but only Mark’s account adds the detail that the rooster crowed a second time. (Mt 26:34, 74, 75; Mr 14:30; Lu 22:34, 60, 61; Joh 13:38; 18:27) The Mishnah indicates that roosters were bred in Jerusalem in Jesus’ day, lending support to the Bible account. This crowing likely occurred sometime before dawn.—See study note on Mr 13:35.

Media

Alabaster Jar

These small vaselike vessels for perfume were originally made of stone found near Alabastron, Egypt. The stone itself, a form of calcium carbonate, came to be known by the name Alabastron. The jar shown here was discovered in Egypt and dates from somewhere between 150 B.C.E. and 100 C.E. A less costly material, such as gypsum, was used to make similar-looking jars; these too were called alabasters, simply because of the use to which they were put. However, cases made of genuine alabaster were used for the more costly ointments and perfumes, like those with which Jesus was anointed on two occasions—once at the house of a Pharisee in Galilee and once at the house of Simon the leper in Bethany.

The Passover Meal

Essential items at the Passover meal were: roast lamb (no bones in the animal were to be broken) (1); unleavened bread (2); and bitter greens (3). (Ex 12:5, 8; Nu 9:11) The bitter greens, which according to the Mishnah might have been lettuce, chicory, pepperwort, endive, or dandelion, evidently reminded the Israelites of their bitter slavery in Egypt. Jesus used the unleavened bread as a symbol of his perfect human body. (Mt 26:26) And the apostle Paul called Jesus “our Passover lamb.” (1Co 5:7) By the first century, wine (4) was also served as part of the Passover meal. Jesus used the wine to symbolize his blood, which would be poured out as a sacrifice.—Mt 26:27, 28.

Upper Room

Some homes in Israel had an upper story. That room was accessed by means of an inside ladder or wooden staircase or an outside stone staircase or a ladder. In a large upper chamber, possibly similar to the one depicted here, Jesus celebrated the last Passover with his disciples and instituted the commemoration of the Lord’s Evening Meal. (Lu 22:12, 19, 20) On the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., about 120 disciples were apparently in an upper chamber of a house in Jerusalem when God’s spirit was poured out on them.—Ac 1:13, 15; 2:1-4.

Vine

The grapevine (Vitis vinifera) had been cultivated for thousands of years and was commonly seen throughout the area where Jesus lived. If wood was available, the workers made stakes or a trellis to support the vines. During the winter, cultivators pruned the preceding year’s growth from the vines. After shoots grew in the spring, workers pruned any new shoots lacking fruit. (Joh 15:2) This helped the vine produce more fruit of better quality. Jesus likened his Father to a cultivator, himself to a vine, and his disciples to branches. Just as branches on a literal vine receive their support and nourishment from the trunk, Jesus’ disciples receive spiritual support and nourishment if they remain in union with him, “the true vine.”—Joh 15:1, 5.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Mark 14

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | According to Mark 15:1-47

NWT | According to Mark 15:1-47 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 15:1-47

15 Immediately at dawn, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, indeed, the whole Sanʹhe·drin, consulted together,a and they bound Jesus and led him off and handed him over to Pilate.b ² So Pilate put the question to him: “Are you the King of the Jews?”c In answer he said: “You yourself say it.”d ³ But the chief priests were accusing him of many things.e ⁴ Now Pilate began questioning him again, saying: “Have you no reply to make?f See how many charges they are bringing against you.”g ⁵ But Jesus made no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.h ⁶ Well, from festival to festival,* he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested.i ⁷ At the time the man named Bar·abʹbas was in prison with the seditionists, who in their sedition had committed murder. ⁸ So the crowd came up and began to make their request according to what Pilate used to do for them. ⁹ He responded to them, saying: “Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?”j ¹⁰ For Pilate was aware that out of envy the chief priests had handed him over.k ¹¹ But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Bar·abʹbas to them instead.l ¹² Again in reply Pilate said to them: “What, then, should I do with the one you call the King of the Jews?”m ¹³ Once more they cried out: “To the stake with him!”*n ¹⁴ But Pilate went on to say to them: “Why? What bad thing did he do?” Still they cried out all the more: “To the stake with him!”*o ¹⁵ At that Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Bar·abʹbas to them; and after having Jesus whipped,p he handed him over to be executed on the stake.q ¹⁶ The soldiers now led him off into the courtyard, that is, into the governor’s residence, and they called the whole body of troops together.r ¹⁷ And they dressed him in purple and braided a crown of thorns and put it on him;s ¹⁸ and they began to call out to him: “Greetings, you King of the Jews!” ¹⁹ Also, they were hitting him on the head with a reed and spitting on him, and they got on their knees and bowed down to him. ²⁰ Finally, after they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple and put his outer garments on him. And they led him out to nail him to the stake.t ²¹ Also, they compelled into service a passerby, a certain Simon of Cy·reʹne, coming from the countryside, the father of Alexander and Ruʹfus, to carry* his torture stake.u ²² So they brought him to the place called Golʹgo·tha, which means, when translated, “Skull Place.”v ²³ Here they tried to give him wine drugged with myrrh,w but he would not take it. ²⁴ And they nailed him to the stake and distributed his outer garments by casting lots over them to decide who would take what.x ²⁵ It was now the third hour, and they nailed him to the stake. ²⁶ And the inscription of the charge against him was written: “The King of the Jews.”y ²⁷ Moreover, they put two robbers on stakes alongside him, one on his right and one on his left.z ²⁸ —— ²⁹ And those passing by spoke abusively to him, shaking their headsa and saying: “Ha! You who would throw down the temple and build it in three days,b ³⁰ save yourself by coming down off the torture stake.” ³¹ In the same way also, the chief priests with the scribes were mocking him among themselves, saying: “Others he saved; himself he cannot save!c ³² Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down off the torture stake, so that we may see and believe.”d Even those who were on stakes alongside him were reproaching him.e ³³ When it became the sixth hour, a darkness fell over all the land* until the ninth hour.f ³⁴ And at the ninth hour, Jesus called out with a loud voice: “Eʹli, Eʹli, laʹma sa·bach·thaʹni?” which means, when translated: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”g ³⁵ And some of those standing near, on hearing it, began to say: “See! He is calling E·liʹjah.” ³⁶ Then someone ran, soaked a sponge in sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink,h saying: “Let him be! Let us see whether E·liʹjah comes to take him down.” ³⁷ But Jesus let out a loud cry and expired.i ³⁸ And the curtain of the sanctuaryj was torn in two from top to bottom.k ³⁹ Now when the army officer who was standing by with him in view saw that he had expired under these circumstances, he said: “Certainly this man was God’s Son.”*l ⁴⁰ There were also women watching from a distance, among them Mary Magʹda·lene as well as Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joʹses, and Sa·loʹme,m ⁴¹ who used to accompany him and minister to himn when he was in Galʹi·lee, and many other women who had come up together with him to Jerusalem. ⁴² Now as it was already late in the afternoon, and since it was Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, ⁴³ there came Joseph of Ar·i·ma·theʹa, a reputable member of the Council, who also himself was waiting for the Kingdom of God. He took courage and went in before Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.o ⁴⁴ But Pilate wondered whether he could already be dead, and summoning the army officer, he asked him whether Jesus had already died. ⁴⁵ So after making certain from the army officer, he granted the body to Joseph. ⁴⁶ After he bought fine linen and took him down, he wrapped him in the fine linen and laid him in a tombp that was quarried out of rock; then he rolled a stone up to the entrance of the tomb.q ⁴⁷ But Mary Magʹda·lene and Mary the mother of Joʹses continued looking at where he had been laid.r

Mark 15

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NWT | According to Mark 16:1-8

NWT | According to Mark 16:1-8 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Mark 16:1-8

16 So when the Sabbath+ was over, Mary Magʹda·lene, Mary+ the mother of James, and Sa·loʹme bought spices in order to come and apply them to his body.+ ² And very early on the first day of the week when the sun had risen, they came to the tomb.+ ³ They were saying to one another: “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb for us?”+ ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was very large.+ ⁵ When they entered into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe, and they were stunned. ⁶ He said to them: “Do not be stunned.+ You are looking for Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ who was executed on the stake. He was raised up.+ He is not here. Look, here is the place where they laid him.+ ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galʹi·lee.+ You will see him there, just as he told you.’”+ ⁸ So when they came out, they fled from the tomb, trembling and overwhelmed with emotion. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were in fear.+

Footnotes

Study Notes

Mary Magdalene: Her distinguishing name Magdalene (meaning “Of, or Belonging to, Magdala”) likely stems from the town of Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee about halfway between Capernaum and Tiberias. It has been suggested that Magdala was Mary’s hometown or place of residence.—See study notes on Mt 15:39; Lu 8:2.

James the Less: One of Jesus’ apostles and the son of Alphaeus. (Mt 10:2, 3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13) The designation “the Less” may indicate that this James was either not as old or not as tall as the other apostle James, the son of Zebedee.

Salome: Probably from a Hebrew word meaning “peace.” Salome was a disciple of Jesus. A comparison of Mt 27:56 with Mr 3:17 and 15:40 may indicate that Salome was the mother of the apostles James and John; Matthew mentions “the mother of the sons of Zebedee,” and Mark calls her “Salome.” Further, a comparison with Joh 19:25 points to Salome as possibly being the fleshly sister of Mary, Jesus’ mother. If so, then James and John were first cousins of Jesus. In addition, as Mt 27:55, 56, Mr 15:41, and Lu 8:3 imply, Salome was among the women who accompanied Jesus and ministered to him from their belongings.

Sabbath: The Sabbath day (Nisan 15) ended at sunset. All four Gospel accounts contain the report of Jesus’ resurrection.—Mt 28:1-10; Mr 16:1-8; Lu 24:1-12; Joh 20:1-29.

Mary Magdalene: See study note on Mt 27:56.

James: That is, James the Less.—See study note on Mr 15:40.

Salome: See study note on Mr 15:40.

bought spices . . . apply them to his body: Jesus’ body had already been prepared for burial “according to the burial custom of the Jews.” (Joh 19:39, 40) However, since Jesus died about three hours before the start of the Sabbath and the Jews were not allowed to do such work during the Sabbath, this task was likely done hastily. Now, on this first day after the Sabbath, that is, the third day from Jesus’ execution, the women may have come to add more spices and oils, perhaps as a means of preserving the body for a longer period. (Lu 23:50–24:1) Likely, they would apply the spices and oils over the wrapped body.

tomb: Or “memorial tomb.” A vault, or chamber, cut into the soft limestone rock, rather than a natural cave. Such tombs often contained benchlike shelves or niches where bodies could be laid.—See Glossary, “Memorial tomb.”

the first day of the week: See study note on Mt 28:1.

tomb: See study note on Mt 27:60.

the first day of the week: That is, Nisan 16. For the Jews, the day immediately after the Sabbath was the first day of the week.

the stone: Apparently a circular stone, since this verse says that the women asked about who would “roll the stone away,” and verse 4 says that it “had been rolled away.” It might have weighed a ton or more. Matthew’s account calls it “a big stone.”—Mt 27:60.

tell his disciples: See study note on Mt 28:7.

and Peter: Mark is the only Gospel writer to include the detail that Peter was specifically named in the angel’s message. (Compare the parallel account at Mt 28:7.) Joh 20:2 says that Mary Magdalene brought the message “to Simon Peter and to the other disciple,” that is, John. Sometime before Jesus appeared to his disciples as a group, he apparently appeared to Peter when Peter was alone. (Lu 24:34; 1Co 15:5) This personal attention, plus the specific mention of Peter in this angelic message, no doubt reassured Peter that he had been forgiven for three times denying any association with his friend.—Mt 26:73-75.

tell his disciples that he was raised up: These women are not only the first disciples to be told of Jesus’ resurrection but also the ones instructed to inform the other disciples. (Mt 28:2, 5, 7) According to unscriptural Jewish tradition, a woman’s testimony was not permissible in a court of law. By contrast, Jehovah’s angel dignifies the women by giving them this joyful assignment.

for they were in fear: According to the earliest available manuscripts of the last part of Mark, the Gospel ends with the words found in verse 8. Some assert that such an ending is too abrupt to have been the original conclusion to the book. However, in view of Mark’s generally terse writing style, that assertion is not necessarily valid. Also, fourth-century scholars Jerome and Eusebius indicate that the authentic record closes with the words “for they were in fear.”

There are a number of Greek manuscripts and translations into other languages that add either a long or a short conclusion after verse 8. The long conclusion (consisting of 12 extra verses) is found in Codex Alexandrinus, Codex Ephraemi Syri rescriptus, and Codex Bezae Cantabrigiensis, all from the fifth century C.E. It also appears in the Latin Vulgate, the Curetonian Syriac, and the Syriac Peshitta. However, it does not appear in two earlier fourth-century Greek manuscripts, Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, or in Codex Sinaiticus Syriacus of the fourth or fifth century, or in the earliest Sahidic Coptic manuscript of Mark of the fifth century. Similarly, the oldest manuscripts of Mark in Armenian and Georgian end at verse 8.

Certain later Greek manuscripts and translations into other languages contain the short conclusion (consisting of just a couple of sentences). The Codex Regius of the eighth century C.E. has both conclusions, giving the shorter conclusion first. It prefaces each conclusion with a note saying that these passages are current in some quarters, though it evidently recognizes neither of them as authoritative.

SHORT CONCLUSION

The short conclusion after Mr 16:8 is not part of the inspired Scriptures. It reads as follows:

But all the things that had been commanded they related briefly to those around Peter. Further, after these things, Jesus himself sent out through them from the east to the west the holy and incorruptible proclamation of everlasting salvation.

LONG CONCLUSION

The long conclusion after Mr 16:8 is not part of the inspired Scriptures. It reads as follows:

⁹ After he rose early on the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magʹda·lene, from whom he had expelled seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and reported to those who had been with him, as they were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ But they, when they heard he had come to life and had been viewed by her, did not believe. ¹² Moreover, after these things he appeared in another form to two of them walking along, as they were going into the country; ¹³ and they came back and reported to the rest. Neither did they believe these. ¹⁴ But later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at the table, and he reproached their lack of faith and hardheartedness, because they did not believe those who had beheld him now raised up from the dead. ¹⁵ And he said to them: “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. ¹⁶ He that believes and is baptized will be saved, but he that does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ Furthermore, these signs will accompany those believing: By the use of my name they will expel demons, they will speak with tongues, ¹⁸ and with their hands they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly it will not hurt them at all. They will lay their hands upon sick persons, and these will become well.”

¹⁹ So, then, the Lord Jesus, after having spoken to them, was taken up to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. ²⁰ They, accordingly, went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and backed up the message through the accompanying signs.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Mark 16

English

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According to Matthew

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NWT | According to Matthew 01:1-25

NWT | According to Matthew 01:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 1:1-25

1 The book of the history* of Jesus Christ, son of David,a son of Abraham:b ² Abrahamc became father to Isaac;dIsaac became father to Jacob;eJacob became father to Judahf and his brothers;g ³ Judah became father to Peʹrez and Zeʹrahh by Taʹmar;iPeʹrez became father to Hezʹron;jHezʹron became father to Ram;k ⁴ Ram became father to Am·minʹa·dab;Am·minʹa·dab became father to Nahʹshon;lNahʹshon became father to Salʹmon; ⁵ Salʹmon became father to Boʹazm by Raʹhab;nBoʹaz became father to Oʹbedo by Ruth;pOʹbed became father to Jesʹse;q ⁶ Jesʹse became father to Davidr the king.s David became father to Solʹo·mont by the wife of U·riʹah;*u ⁷ Solʹo·mon became father to Re·ho·boʹam;vRe·ho·boʹam became father to A·biʹjah;wA·biʹjah became father to Aʹsa;x ⁸ Aʹsa became father to Je·hoshʹa·phat;yJe·hoshʹa·phat became father to Je·hoʹram;zJe·hoʹram became father to Uz·ziʹah;a ⁹ Uz·ziʹah became father to Joʹtham;bJoʹtham became father to Aʹhaz;cAʹhaz became father to Hez·e·kiʹah;d ¹⁰ Hez·e·kiʹah became father to Ma·nasʹseh;eMa·nasʹseh became father to Aʹmon;fAʹmon became father to Jo·siʹah;g ¹¹ Jo·siʹahh became father to Jec·o·niʹahi and to his brothers at the time of the deportation to Babylon.j ¹² After the deportation to Babylon, Jec·o·niʹah became father to She·alʹti·el;She·alʹti·el became father to Ze·rubʹba·bel;k ¹³ Ze·rubʹba·bel became father to A·biʹud;A·biʹud became father to E·liʹa·kim;E·liʹa·kim became father to Aʹzor; ¹⁴ Aʹzor became father to Zaʹdok;Zaʹdok became father to Aʹchim;Aʹchim became father to E·liʹud; ¹⁵ E·liʹud became father to El·e·aʹzar;El·e·aʹzar became father to Matʹthan;Matʹthan became father to Jacob; ¹⁶ Jacob became father to Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born,l who is called Christ.m ¹⁷ All the generations, then, from Abraham until David were 14 generations; from David until the deportation to Babylon,n 14 generations; from the deportation to Babylon until the Christ, 14 generations. ¹⁸ But this is how the birth of Jesus Christ took place. During the time his mother Mary was promised in marriage to Joseph,o she was found to be pregnant by holy spiritp before they were united. ¹⁹ However, because her husband Joseph was righteous and did not want to make her a public spectacle,* he intended to divorce her* secretly.q ²⁰ But after he had thought these things over, look! Jehovah’s angel appeared to him in a dream, saying: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take your wife Mary home, for what has been conceived in her is by holy spirit.r ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to name him Jesus,s for he will save his people from their sins.”t ²² All of this actually came about to fulfill what was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet, saying: ²³ “Look! The virgin will become pregnant and will give birth to a son, and they will name him Im·manʹu·el,”u which means, when translated, “With Us Is God.”v ²⁴ Then Joseph woke up from his sleep and did as the angel of Jehovah had directed him, and he took his wife home. ²⁵ But he did not have sexual relations with her until she gave birth to a son,w and he named him Jesus.x

Matthew 1

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NWT | According to Matthew 02:1-23

NWT | According to Matthew 02:1-23 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 2:1-23

2 After Jesus had been born in Bethʹle·hema of Ju·deʹa in the days of Herodb the king, look! astrologers from the East came to Jerusalem, ² saying: “Where is the one born king of the Jews?c For we saw his star when we were in the East, and we have come to do obeisance to him.” ³ At hearing this, King Herod was agitated, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ On gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. ⁵ They said to him: “In Bethʹle·hemd of Ju·deʹa, for this is how it has been written through the prophet: ⁶ ‘And you, O Bethʹle·hem of the land of Judah, are by no means the most insignificant city among the governors* of Judah, for out of you will come a governing one,* who will shepherd my people Israel.’”e ⁷ Then Herod secretly summoned the astrologers and carefully ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearing. ⁸ When sending them to Bethʹle·hem, he said: “Go make a careful search for the young child, and when you have found him, report back to me so that I too may go and do obeisance to him.” ⁹ After they had heard the king, they went their way, and look! the star they had seen when they were in the Eastf went ahead of them until it came to a stop above where the young child was. ¹⁰ On seeing the star, they rejoiced with great joy. ¹¹ And when they went into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and falling down, they did obeisance to him. They also opened their treasures and presented him with gifts—gold and frankincense and myrrh. ¹² However, because they were given divine warning in a dreamg not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way. ¹³ After they had departed, look! Jehovah’s angel appeared to Joseph in a dream,h saying: “Get up, take the young child and his mother and flee to Egypt, and stay there until I give you word, for Herod is about to search for the young child to kill him.” ¹⁴ So Joseph got up and by night took along the young child and the child’s mother and went into Egypt. ¹⁵ He stayed there until the death of Herod. This fulfilled what was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet, saying: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”i ¹⁶ Then Herod, seeing that he had been outwitted by the astrologers, flew into a great rage, and he sent out and had all the boys in Bethʹle·hem and in all its districts killed, from two years of age and under, according to the time that he had carefully ascertained from the astrologers.j ¹⁷ Then was fulfilled what was spoken through Jeremiahk the prophet, who said: ¹⁸ “A voice was heard in Raʹmah, weeping and much wailing. It was Rachell weeping for her children, and she was unwilling to take comfort, because they are no more.”m ¹⁹ When Herod had died, look! Jehovah’s angel appeared in a dreamn to Joseph in Egypt ²⁰ and said: “Get up, take the young child and his mother and go into the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the life of the young child are dead.” ²¹ So he got up and took the young child and the child’s mother and entered into the land of Israel. ²² But hearing that Ar·che·laʹus ruled Ju·deʹa instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Moreover, being given divine warning in a dream,o he withdrew into the territory of Galʹi·lee.p ²³ And he came and settled in a city named Nazʹa·reth,q in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He will be called a Naz·a·reneʹ.”r

Matthew 2

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NWT | According to Matthew 03:1-17

NWT | According to Matthew 03:1-17 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 3:1-17

3 In those days Johna the Baptist came preachingb in the wilderness of Ju·deʹa, ² saying: “Repent, for the Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.”c ³ This, in fact, is the one spoken of through Isaiahd the prophete in these words: “A voice of one calling out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of Jehovah! Make his roads straight.’”f ⁴ Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and had a leather belt around his waist.g His food was locustsh and wild honey.i ⁵ Then the people of Jerusalem and all Ju·deʹa and all the country around the Jordan were going out to him,j ⁶ and they were baptized by him in the Jordan River,k openly confessing their sins. ⁷ When he caught sight of many of the Phariseesl and Sadduceesm coming to the baptism, he said to them: “You offspring of vipers,n who has warned you to flee from the coming wrath?o ⁸ Therefore, produce fruit that befits repentance. ⁹ Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’p For I say to you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones. ¹⁰ The ax is already lying at the root of the trees. Every tree, then, that does not produce fine fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire.q ¹¹ I, for my part, baptize you with water because of your repentance,r but the one coming after mes is stronger than I am, whose sandals I am not worthy to take off.t That one will baptize you with holy spiritu and with fire.v ¹² His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean up his threshing floor completely and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with firew that cannot be put out.” ¹³ Then Jesus came from Galʹi·lee to the Jordan to John, in order to be baptized by him.x ¹⁴ But the latter tried to prevent him, saying: “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?” ¹⁵ Jesus replied to him: “Let it be this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous.” Then he quit preventing him. ¹⁶ After being baptized, Jesus immediately came up from the water; and look! the heavens were opened up,y and he saw God’s spirit descending like a dove and coming upon him.z ¹⁷ Look! Also, a voice from the heavensa said: “This is my Son,b the beloved, whom I have approved.”c

Matthew 3

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NWT | According to Matthew 04:1-25

NWT | According to Matthew 04:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 4:1-25

4 Then Jesus was led by the spirit up into the wilderness to be tempteda by the Devil.b ² After he had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, he felt hungry. ³ And the Tempterc approached and said to him: “If you are a son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” ⁴ But he answered: “It is written: ‘Man must live, not on bread alone, but on every word that comes from Jehovah’s mouth.’”d ⁵ Then the Devil took him along into the holy city,e and he stationed him on the battlement of the templef ⁶ and said to him: “If you are a son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written: ‘He will give his angels a command concerning you,’ and, ‘They will carry you on their hands, so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’”g ⁷ Jesus said to him: “Again it is written: ‘You must not put Jehovah your God to the test.’”h ⁸ Again the Devil took him along to an unusually high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory.i ⁹ And he said to him: “All these things I will give you if you fall down and do an act of worship to me.” ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to him: “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘It is Jehovah your God you must worship,j and it is to him alone you must render sacred service.’”k ¹¹ Then the Devil left him,l and look! angels came and began to minister to him.m ¹² Now when he heard that John had been arrested,n he withdrew into Galʹi·lee.o ¹³ Further, after leaving Nazʹa·reth, he came and took up residence in Ca·perʹna·ump beside the sea in the districts of Zebʹu·lun and Naphʹta·li, ¹⁴ so as to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, who said: ¹⁵ “O land of Zebʹu·lun and land of Naphʹta·li, along the road of the sea, on the other side of the Jordan, Galʹi·lee of the nations! ¹⁶ The people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and as for those sitting in a region of deathly shadow, lightq rose on them.”r ¹⁷ From that time on, Jesus began preaching and saying: “Repent, for the Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.”s ¹⁸ Walking alongside the Sea of Galʹi·lee, he saw two brothers, Simon,t who is called Peter,u and Andrewv his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.w ¹⁹ And he said to them: “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”*x ²⁰ At once they abandoned their nets and followed him.y ²¹ Going on from there, he saw two others who were brothers, James the son of Zebʹe·dee and his brother John.z They were in the boat with Zebʹe·dee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.a ²² At once they left the boat and their father and followed him. ²³ Then he went throughout the whole of Galʹi·lee,b teaching in their synagoguesc and preaching the good news of the Kingdom and curing every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity among the people.d ²⁴ And the report about him spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all those who were suffering with various diseases and torments,e those who were demon-possessedf and epilepticg and paralyzed, and he cured them. ²⁵ Consequently, large crowds followed him from Galʹi·lee and De·capʹo·lis and Jerusalem and Ju·deʹa and from the other side of the Jordan.

Matthew 4

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NWT | According to Matthew 05:1-48

NWT | According to Matthew 05:1-48 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 5:1-48

5 When he saw the crowds, he went up on the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. ² Then he opened his mouth and began teaching them, saying: ³ “Happy are those conscious of their spiritual need,a since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them. ⁴ “Happy are those who mourn, since they will be comforted.b ⁵ “Happy are the mild-tempered,c since they will inherit the earth.d ⁶ “Happy are those hungering and thirstinge for righteousness, since they will be filled.*f ⁷ “Happy are the merciful,g since they will be shown mercy. ⁸ “Happy are the pure in heart,h since they will see God.i ⁹ “Happy are the peacemakers,j since they will be called sons of God. ¹⁰ “Happy are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake,k since the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.l ¹¹ “Happy are you when people reproach* youm and persecute youn and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake.o ¹² Rejoice and be overjoyed,p since your rewardq is great in the heavens, for in that way they persecuted the prophets prior to you.r ¹³ “You are the salts of the earth, but if the salt loses its strength, how will its saltiness be restored? It is no longer usable for anything except to be thrown outsidet to be trampled on by men. ¹⁴ “You are the light of the world.u A city cannot be hid when located on a mountain. ¹⁵ People light a lamp and set it, not under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it shines on all those in the house.v ¹⁶ Likewise, let your light shine before men,w so that they may see your fine worksx and give glory to your Father who is in the heavens.y ¹⁷ “Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill.z ¹⁸ Truly I say to you that sooner would heaven and earth pass away than for one smallest letter or one stroke of a letter to pass away from the Law until all things take place.a ¹⁹ Whoever, therefore, breaks one of these least commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens. But whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in relation to the Kingdom of the heavens. ²⁰ For I say to you that if your righteousness does not surpass that of the scribes and the Pharisees,b you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens.c ²¹ “You heard that it was said to those of ancient times: ‘You must not murder,d but whoever commits a murder will be accountable to the court of justice.’e ²² However, I say to you that everyone who continues wrathfulf with his brother will be accountable to the court of justice; and whoever addresses his brother with an unspeakable word of contempt will be accountable to the Supreme Court; whereas whoever says, ‘You despicable fool!’ will be liable to the fiery Ge·henʹna.g ²³ “If, then, you are bringing your gift to the altarh and there you remember that your brother has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar, and go away. First make your peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift.i ²⁵ “Be quick to settle matters with your legal opponent, while you are with him on the way there, so that somehow the opponent may not turn you over to the judge, and the judge to the court attendant, and you get thrown into prison.j ²⁶ I say to you for a fact, you will certainly not come out of there until you have paid over your last small coin. ²⁷ “You heard that it was said: ‘You must not commit adultery.’k ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who keeps on looking at a womanl so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.m ²⁹ If, now, your right eye is making you stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you.n For it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be pitched into Ge·henʹna.o ³⁰ Also, if your right hand is making you stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you.p For it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to land in Ge·henʹna.q ³¹ “Moreover, it was said: ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’r ³² However, I say to you that everyone divorcing his wife, except on account of sexual immorality, makes her a subject for adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.s ³³ “Again you heard that it was said to those of ancient times: ‘You must not swear without performing,t but you must pay your vows to Jehovah.’u ³⁴ However, I say to you: Do not swear at all,v neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵ nor by earth, for it is the footstool of his feet;w nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.x ³⁶ Do not swear by your head, since you cannot turn one hair white or black. ³⁷ Just let your word ‘Yes’ mean yes, your ‘No,’ no,y for what goes beyond these is from the wicked one.*z ³⁸ “You heard that it was said: ‘Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.’a ³⁹ However, I say to you: Do not resist the one who is wicked, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him.b ⁴⁰ And if a person wants to take you to court and get possession of your inner garment, let him also have your outer garment;c ⁴¹ and if someone in authority compels you into service for a mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² Give to the one asking you, and do not turn away from one who wants to borrow from you.d ⁴³ “You heard that it was said: ‘You must love your neighbore and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ However, I say to you: Continue to love your enemiesf and to pray for those who persecute you,g ⁴⁵ so that you may prove yourselves sons of your Father who is in the heavens,h since he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good and makes it rain on both the righteous and the unrighteous.i ⁴⁶ For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have?j Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing? ⁴⁸ You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.k

Matthew 5

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NWT | According to Matthew 06:1-34

NWT | According to Matthew 06:1-34 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 6:1-34

6 “Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them;a otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. ² So when you make gifts of mercy,b do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men.c Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³ But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you.d ⁵ “Also, when you pray, do not act like the hypocrites,e for they like to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the main streets to be seen by men.f Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your private room and, after shutting your door, pray to your Father who is in secret.g Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you. ⁷ When praying, do not say the same things over and over again as the people of the nations do, for they imagine they will get a hearing for their use of many words. ⁸ So do not be like them, for your Father knows what you needh even before you ask him. ⁹ “You must pray, then, this way:i “‘Our Father in the heavens, let your namej be sanctified.k ¹⁰ Let your Kingdoml come. Let your willm take place, as in heaven, also on earth.n ¹¹ Give us today our bread for this day;o ¹² and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.p ¹³ And do not bring us into temptation,q but deliver* us from the wicked one.’*r ¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you;s ¹⁵ whereas if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.t ¹⁶ “When you fast,u stop becoming sad-faced like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so they may appear to men to be fasting.v Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ¹⁷ But you, when fasting, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you may not appear to be fasting to men but only to your Father who is in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you. ¹⁹ “Stop storing up for yourselves treasures on the earth,w where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,x where neither moth nor rust consumes,y and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ²² “The lamp of the body is the eye.z If, then, your eye is focused, your whole body will be bright.*a ²³ But if your eye is envious,b your whole body will be dark. If the light that is in you is really darkness, how great that darkness is! ²⁴ “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other,c or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches.d ²⁵ “On this account I say to you: Stop being anxiouse about your lives as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear.f Does not life mean more than food and the body than clothing?g ²⁶ Observe intently the birds of heaven;h they do not sow seed or reap or gather into storehouses, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth more than they are? ²⁷ Who of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his life span?i ²⁸ Also, why are you anxious about clothing? Take a lesson from the lilies of the field, how they grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin; ²⁹ but I tell you that not even Solʹo·monj in all his glory was arrayed as one of these. ³⁰ Now if this is how God clothes the vegetation of the field that is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much rather clothe you, you with little faith? ³¹ So never be anxiousk and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or, ‘What are we to drink?’ or, ‘What are we to wear?’l ³² For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. Your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³ “Keep on, then, seeking first the Kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.m ³⁴ So never be anxious about the next day,n for the next day will have its own anxieties. Each day has enough of its own troubles.

Matthew 6

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NWT | According to Matthew 07:1-29

NWT | According to Matthew 07:1-29 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 7:1-29

7 “Stop judginga that you may not be judged;b ² for with the judgment you are judging, you will be judged,c and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you.d ³ Why, then, do you look at the straw in your brother’s eye but do not notice the rafter in your own eye?e ⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Allow me to remove the straw from your eye,’ when look! a rafter is in your own eye? ⁵ Hypocrite! First remove the rafter from your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to remove the straw from your brother’s eye. ⁶ “Do not give what is holy to dogs nor throw your pearls before swine,f so that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.g ⁷ “Keep on asking, and it will be given you;h keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and it will be opened to you;i ⁸ for everyone asking receives,j and everyone seeking finds, and to everyone knocking, it will be opened. ⁹ Indeed, which one of you, if his son asks for bread, will hand him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, he will not hand him a serpent, will he? ¹¹ Therefore, if you, although being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more so will your Father who is in the heavens give good thingsk to those asking him!l ¹² “All things, therefore, that you want men to do to you, you also must do to them.m This, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean.n ¹³ “Go in through the narrow gate,o because broad is the gate and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are going in through it; ¹⁴ whereas narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are finding it.p ¹⁵ “Be on the watch for the false prophetsq who come to you in sheep’s covering,r but inside they are ravenous wolves.s ¹⁶ By their fruits you will recognize them. Never do people gather grapes from thorns or figs from thistles, do they?t ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree produces fine fruit, but every rotten tree produces worthless fruit.u ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear worthless fruit, nor can a rotten tree produce fine fruit.v ¹⁹ Every tree not producing fine fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.w ²⁰ Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men.x ²¹ “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will.y ²² Many will say to me in that day: ‘Lord, Lord,z did we not prophesy in your name, and expel demons in your name, and perform many powerful works* in your name?’a ²³ And then I will declare to them: ‘I never knew* you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’b ²⁴ “Therefore, everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does them will be like a discreet man who built his house on the rock.c ²⁵ And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and lashed against that house, but it did not cave in, for it had been founded on the rock. ²⁶ Furthermore, everyone hearing these sayings of mine and not doing them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.d ²⁷ And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and struck against that house,e and it caved in, and its collapse was great.” ²⁸ When Jesus finished these sayings, the effect was that the crowds were astounded at his way of teaching,f ²⁹ for he was teaching them as a person having authority,g and not as their scribes.

Matthew 7

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NWT | According to Matthew 08:1-34

NWT | According to Matthew 08:1-34 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 8:1-34

8 After he came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. ² And look! a leper came up and did obeisance to him, saying: “Lord, if you just want to, you can make me clean.”a ³ So stretching out his hand, he touched him, saying: “I want to! Be made clean.”b Immediately his leprosy was cleansed away.c ⁴ Then Jesus said to him: “See that you tell no one,d but go, show yourself to the priest,e and offer the gift that Moses appointed,f for a witness to them.”g ⁵ When he entered Ca·perʹna·um, an army officer came to him, pleading with himh ⁶ and saying: “Sir, my servant is laid up in the house with paralysis, and he is suffering terribly.”* ⁷ He said to him: “When I get there, I will cure him.” ⁸ The army officer replied: “Sir, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but just say the word and my servant will be healed. ⁹ For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” ¹⁰ When Jesus heard that, he was amazed and said to those following him: “I tell you the truth, with no one in Israel have I found so great a faith.i ¹¹ But I tell you that many from east and west will come and recline at the table with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of the heavens;j ¹² whereas the sons of the Kingdom will be thrown into the darkness outside. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be.”k ¹³ Then Jesus said to the army officer: “Go. Just as you have shown faith, so let it come to pass for you.”l And the servant was healed in that hour.m ¹⁴ And Jesus, on coming into Peter’s house, saw his mother-in-lawn lying down and sick with fever.o ¹⁵ So he touched her hand,p and the fever left her, and she got up and began ministering to him. ¹⁶ But after it became evening, people brought him many demon-possessed ones; and he expelled the spirits with a word, and he cured all who were suffering, ¹⁷ in order to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “He himself took our sicknesses and carried our diseases.”q ¹⁸ When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave the command to depart for the other side.r ¹⁹ And a scribe came up and said to him: “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”s ²⁰ But Jesus said to him: “Foxes have dens and birds of heaven have nests, but the Son of man has nowhere to lay down his head.”t ²¹ Then another of the disciples said to him: “Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.”u ²² Jesus said to him: “Keep following me, and let the dead bury their dead.”v ²³ And when he went aboard a boat, his disciples followed him.w ²⁴ Now look! a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but he was sleeping.x ²⁵ And they came and woke him up, saying: “Lord, save us, we are about to perish!” ²⁶ But he said to them: “Why are you so afraid,* you with little faith?”y Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and a great calm set in.z ²⁷ So the men were amazed and said: “What sort of person is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him.” ²⁸ When he came to the other side into the region of the Gad·a·renesʹ, two demon-possessed men coming out from among* the tombs met him.a They were unusually fierce, so nobody had the courage to pass by on that road. ²⁹ And look! they screamed, saying: “What have we to do with you, Son of God?b Did you come here to torment usc before the appointed time?”d ³⁰ A long way off from them, a herd of many swine was feeding.e ³¹ So the demons began to plead with him, saying: “If you expel us, send us into the herd of swine.”f ³² And he said to them: “Go!” With that they came out and went off into the swine, and look! the entire herd rushed over the precipice* into the sea and died in the waters. ³³ But the herders fled, and going into the city, they reported everything, including the account of the demon-possessed men. ³⁴ And look! all the city turned out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they urged him to depart from their region.g

Matthew 8

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NWT | According to Matthew 09:1-38

NWT | According to Matthew 09:1-38 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 9:1-38

9 So boarding the boat, he traveled across and went into his own city.+ ² And look! they were bringing him a paralyzed man lying on a stretcher. On seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic: “Take courage, child! Your sins are forgiven.”+ ³ Now certain scribes said to themselves: “This fellow is blaspheming.”+ ⁴ Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said: “Why are you thinking wicked things in your hearts?+ ⁵ For instance, which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?+ ⁶ However, in order for you to know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins—” then he said to the paralytic: “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go to your home.”+ ⁷ And he got up and went to his home. ⁸ When the crowds saw this, they were struck with fear, and they glorified God, who gave such authority to men. ⁹ Next, while moving on from there, Jesus caught sight of a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office, and he said to him: “Be my follower.” At that he rose up and followed him.+ ¹⁰ Later as he was dining* in the house, look! many tax collectors and sinners came and began dining* with Jesus and his disciples.+ ¹¹ But on seeing this, the Pharisees said to his disciples: “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”+ ¹² Hearing them, he said: “Healthy people do not need a physician, but those who are ill do.+ ¹³ Go, then, and learn what this means: ‘I want mercy, and not sacrifice.’+ For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners.” ¹⁴ Then John’s disciples came to him and asked: “Why do we and the Pharisees practice fasting but your disciples do not fast?”+ ¹⁵ At this Jesus said to them: “The friends of the bridegroom+ have no reason to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, do they? But days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them,+ and then they will fast. ¹⁶ Nobody sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old outer garment, for the new piece pulls away from the garment and the tear becomes worse.+ ¹⁷ Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins. If they do, then the wineskins burst and the wine spills out and the wineskins are ruined. But people put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” ¹⁸ While he was telling them these things, look! a certain ruler who had approached did obeisance to him, saying: “By now my daughter must be dead, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will come to life.”+ ¹⁹ Then Jesus got up and, with his disciples, followed him. ²⁰ And look! a woman suffering for 12 years from a flow of blood+ approached from behind and touched the fringe* of his outer garment,+ ²¹ for she kept saying to herself: “If I only touch his outer garment, I will get well.”*+ ²² Jesus turned around and, noticing her, said: “Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well.”*+ And from that hour the woman was made well.+ ²³ When, now, he came into the ruler’s house and caught sight of the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,+ ²⁴ Jesus said: “Leave the place, for the little girl did not die but is sleeping.”+ At this they began to laugh at him scornfully. ²⁵ As soon as the crowd had been sent outside, he went in and took hold of her hand,+ and the little girl got up.+ ²⁶ Of course, the talk about this spread into all that region. ²⁷ As Jesus moved on from there, two blind men+ followed him, shouting out: “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” ²⁸ After he had gone into the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus asked them: “Do you have faith that I can do this?”+ They answered him: “Yes, Lord.” ²⁹ Then he touched their eyes, saying: “According to your faith let it happen to you.” ³⁰ And their eyes received sight.+ Moreover, Jesus sternly warned them, saying: “See that nobody gets to know it.”+ ³¹ But after going outside, they made it public about him in all that region. ³² When they were leaving, look! people brought him a speechless man possessed of a demon;+ ³³ and after the demon had been expelled, the speechless man spoke.+ Well, the crowds were amazed and said: “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.”+ ³⁴ But the Pharisees were saying: “It is by the ruler of the demons that he expels the demons.”+ ³⁵ And Jesus set out on a tour of all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the good news of the Kingdom and curing every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity.+ ³⁶ On seeing the crowds, he felt pity for them,+ because they were skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd.+ ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples: “Yes, the harvest is great, but the workers are few.+ ³⁸ Therefore, beg the Master of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.”+

Footnotes

^ Or “reclining at the table.”

^ Or “edge; border; tassel.”

^ Or “will be saved.”

^ Or “has saved you.”

Study Notes

his own city: That is, Capernaum, Jesus’ home base in the region. (Mt 4:13; Mr 2:1) This city was not far from Nazareth, where he grew up; from Cana, where he turned water into wine; from Nain, where he resurrected the son of a widow; and from the vicinity of Bethsaida, where he miraculously fed about 5,000 men and restored sight to a blind man.

look!: The Greek word i·douʹ, here rendered “look!,” is often used to focus attention on what follows, encouraging the reader to visualize the scene or to take note of a detail in a narrative. It is also used to add emphasis or to introduce something new or surprising. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the term occurs most frequently in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke and in the book of Revelation. A corresponding expression is often used in the Hebrew Scriptures.

look!: See study note on Mt 1:20.

seeing their faith: The use of the plural pronoun “their” shows that Jesus noted how much faith the entire group had, not just the paralyzed man.

child: Used by Jesus as a term of endearment.—2Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phm 10.

which is easier: It would be easier for someone to say that he could forgive sins, since there would be no visible evidence to substantiate such a claim. But to say, Get up and walk required a miracle that would make plain for all to see that Jesus also has the authority to forgive sins. This account and Isa 33:24 link sickness to our sinful condition.

Son of man: See study note on Mt 8:20.

to forgive sins—: The dash indicates that Jesus stopped in mid-sentence and then powerfully proved his point by publicly healing the man.

Matthew: The Greek name rendered “Matthew” is probably a shortened form of the Hebrew name rendered “Mattithiah” (1Ch 15:18), meaning “Gift of Jehovah.”

Matthew: Also known as Levi.—See study notes on Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27.

Matthew: See study notes on Mt Title and 10:3.

tax office: Or “tax collection booth.” This could be a small building or a booth where the tax collector sat and gathered taxes on exports, imports, and goods taken through a country by merchants. Matthew’s tax office was located in or near Capernaum.

Be my follower: See study note on Mr 2:14.

Be my follower: The Greek verb used in this exhortation has the basic sense of “to go along behind, come after,” but here it means “to follow someone as a disciple.”

dining: See study note on Mr 2:15.

the house: Refers to Matthew’s house.—Mr 2:14, 15; Lu 5:29.

tax collectors: See study note on Mt 5:46.

sinners: The Bible shows that all humans are sinners. (Ro 3:23; 5:12) Therefore, the term is used here in a more specific way, evidently referring to those who had a reputation for practicing sin, perhaps of a moral or a criminal nature. (Lu 7:37-39; 19:7, 8) This term was also used for non-Jewish people and by the Pharisees for Jewish people who did not observe the rabbinic traditions.—Joh 9:16, 24, 25.

mercy, and not sacrifice: Jesus twice refers to these words from Ho 6:6 (here and at Mt 12:7). Matthew, a despised tax collector who became an intimate associate of Jesus, is the only Gospel writer to record this quote as well as the illustration of the unmerciful slave. (Mt 18:21-35) His Gospel highlights Jesus’ repeated insistence that mercy is required in addition to sacrifice.

practice fasting: See study note on Mt 6:16.

friends of the bridegroom: Lit., “sons of the bridechamber,” an idiom describing wedding guests but especially the friends of the bridegroom.

a certain ruler: The name of this “ruler” (Greek, arʹkhon), Jairus, is given in Mark’s and Luke’s parallel accounts, where he is called a presiding officer of the synagogue.—Mr 5:22; Lu 8:41.

did obeisance to him: Or “bowed down to him; honored him.”—See study note on Mt 8:2.

did obeisance to him: Or “bowed down to him; honored him.” People mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures also bowed down when meeting prophets, kings, or other representatives of God. (1Sa 25:23, 24; 2Sa 14:4-7; 1Ki 1:16; 2Ki 4:36, 37) This man evidently recognized that he was talking to a representative of God who had power to heal people. It was appropriate to bow down to show respect for Jehovah’s King-Designate.—Mt 9:18; for more information on the Greek word used here, see study note on Mt 2:2.

flow of blood: Likely a chronic menstrual flow. According to the Mosaic Law, this condition would render the woman ceremonially unclean. As such, she was not supposed to touch others.—Le 15:19-27.

daughter: The only recorded instance in which Jesus directly addressed a woman as “daughter,” perhaps because of the delicate situation and her “trembling.” (Lu 8:47) By using this term of endearment, a form of address that signifies nothing about the woman’s age, Jesus emphasizes his tender concern for her.

has not died but is sleeping: In the Bible, death is often likened to sleep. (Ps 13:3; Joh 11:11-14; Ac 7:60; 1Co 7:39; 15:51; 1Th 4:13) Jesus was going to bring the girl back to life, so he may have said this because he would demonstrate that just as people can be awakened from a deep sleep, they can be brought back from death. Jesus’ power to resurrect the girl came from his Father, “who makes the dead alive and calls the things that are not as though they are.”—Ro 4:17.

did not die but is sleeping: See study note on Mr 5:39.

son of David: Indicates that Jesus is the heir of the Kingdom covenant made with David that is to be fulfilled by someone in David’s line.—2Sa 7:11-16; Ps 89:3, 4.

David the king: Although several kings are mentioned in this genealogy, David is the only one identified by the title “king.” Israel’s royal dynasty was referred to as “the house of David.” (1Ki 12:19, 20) By calling Jesus “son of David” in verse 1, Matthew emphasizes the Kingdom theme and identifies Jesus as the heir of the kingship promised in the Davidic covenant.—2Sa 7:11-16.

Son of David: By calling Jesus “Son of David,” these men express their belief that Jesus is heir to the throne of David and thus is the Messiah.—See study notes on Mt 1:1, 6.

teaching . . . preaching: Teaching differs from preaching in that the teacher does more than proclaim; he instructs, explains, uses persuasive arguments, and offers proof.—See study notes on Mt 3:1; 28:20.

teaching . . . preaching: See study note on Mt 4:23.

the good news: See study note on Mt 4:23.

felt pity: The Greek verb splag·khniʹzo·mai used for this expression is related to the word for “intestines” (splagʹkhna), denoting a feeling experienced deep inside the body, an intense emotion. It is one of the strongest words in Greek for the feeling of compassion.

skinned: The Greek word originally meant “flayed,” or “stripped of the skin,” conveying an image of sheep with their skin ripped apart by wild animals or torn as they wandered among brambles and sharp rocks. The term came to be used figuratively, meaning “maltreated, harassed, wounded.”

thrown about: The image here is of sheep being thrown down, helpless and exhausted, figuratively conveying the idea of the crowd being dejected, neglected, and helpless.

Media

North Shore of the Sea of Galilee, Looking Northwest

1. Plain of Gennesaret. This was a fertile triangle of land, measuring about 5 by 2.5 km (3 by 1.5 mi). It was along the shoreline in this area that Jesus invited the fishermen Peter, Andrew, James, and John to join him in his ministry.—Mt 4:18-22.

2. Tradition locates Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount here.—Mt 5:1; Lu 6:17, 20.

3. Capernaum. Jesus took up residence in this city, and it was in or near Capernaum that he found Matthew.—Mt 4:13; 9:1, 9.

Jesus Invites Matthew to Be His Follower

After teaching a crowd in Capernaum, Jesus catches sight of the tax collector Matthew sitting at a tax office. Tax collectors were despised because many of them unjustly enriched themselves at the expense of the people. But Jesus sees something good in Matthew and invites him to be his follower. Matthew responds immediately, becoming the fifth disciple to join Jesus in his ministry. (Lu 5:1-11, 27, 28) Later, Jesus chose him to be one of the 12 apostles. (Mt 10:2-4; Mr 3:16-19) Matthew’s Gospel often reflects his background. For example, he is explicit in his mention of money, figures, and values. (Mt 17:27; 26:15; 27:3) He also highlights the mercy of God, who allowed him, a despised tax collector, to repent and become a minister of the good news.—Mt 9:9-13; 12:7; 18:21-35.

Animal Skins Used to Store Wine

Skin bottles were often made of the complete hides of sheep, goats, or cattle. A dead animal’s head and feet were cut off, and the carcass was carefully removed from the skin to avoid opening its belly. After the hide was tanned, the openings were sewed up. The neck or a leg of the animal was left unsewed to serve as the bottle’s opening, which was closed with a stopper or tied with a string. Skin bottles were used to hold not only wine but also milk, butter, cheese, oil, or water.

First-Century Synagogue

This reconstruction, which incorporates some features of the first-century synagogue found at Gamla, located about 10 km (6 mi) northeast of the Sea of Galilee, gives an idea of what an ancient synagogue may have looked like.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Matthew 9

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NWT | According to Matthew 10:1-42

NWT | According to Matthew 10:1-42 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 10:1-42

10 So he summoned his 12 disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits,+ in order to expel these and to cure every sort of disease and every sort of infirmity. ² The names of the 12 apostles are these:+ First, Simon, the one called Peter,+ and Andrew+ his brother; James the son of Zebʹe·dee and John+ his brother; ³ Philip and Bar·tholʹo·mew;+ Thomas+ and Matthew+ the tax collector; James the son of Al·phaeʹus; and Thad·daeʹus; ⁴ Simon the Ca·na·naeʹan; and Judas Is·carʹi·ot, who later betrayed him.+ ⁵ These 12 Jesus sent out, giving them these instructions:+ “Do not go off into the road of the nations, and do not enter any Sa·marʹi·tan city;+ ⁶ but instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.+ ⁷ As you go, preach, saying: ‘The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.’+ ⁸ Cure the sick,+ raise up the dead, make lepers clean, expel demons. You received free, give free.+ ⁹ Do not acquire gold or silver or copper for your money belts,+ ¹⁰ or a food pouch for the trip, or two garments,* or sandals, or a staff,+ for the worker deserves his food.+ ¹¹ “Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving, and stay there until you leave.+ ¹² When you enter the house, greet the household. ¹³ If the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it;+ but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you. ¹⁴ Wherever anyone does not receive you or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.+ ¹⁵ Truly I say to you, it will be more endurable for the land of Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah+ on Judgment Day than for that city. ¹⁶ “Look! I am sending you out as sheep among wolves;+ so prove yourselves cautious as serpents and yet innocent as doves.+ ¹⁷ Be on your guard against men, for they will hand you over to local courts+ and they will scourge you+ in their synagogues.+ ¹⁸ And you will be brought before governors and kings+ for my sake, for a witness to them and the nations.+ ¹⁹ However, when they hand you over, do not become anxious about how or what you are to speak, for what you are to speak will be given you in that hour;+ ²⁰ for the ones speaking are not just you, but it is the spirit of your Father that speaks by you.+ ²¹ Further, brother will hand brother over to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and will have them put to death.+ ²² And you will be hated by all people on account of my name,+ but the one who has endured* to the end will be saved.+ ²³ When they persecute you in one city, flee to another;+ for truly I say to you, you will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives. ²⁴ “A student is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master.+ ²⁵ It is enough for the student to become as his teacher, and the slave as his master.+ If people have called the master of the house Be·elʹze·bub,+ how much more those of his household? ²⁶ So do not fear them, for there is nothing covered over that will not become uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.+ ²⁷ What I tell you in the darkness, say in the light, and what you hear whispered,* preach from the housetops.+ ²⁸ And do not become fearful of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;+ rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Ge·henʹna.+ ²⁹ Two sparrows sell for a coin of small value, do they not? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.+ ³⁰ But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.+ ³¹ So have no fear; you are worth more than many sparrows.+ ³² “Everyone, then, who acknowledges me before men,+ I will also acknowledge him before my Father who is in the heavens.+ ³³ But whoever disowns me before men, I will also disown him before my Father who is in the heavens.+ ³⁴ Do not think I came to bring peace to the earth; I came to bring, not peace, but a sword.+ ³⁵ For I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.+ ³⁶ Indeed, a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. ³⁷ Whoever has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and whoever has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me.+ ³⁸ And whoever does not accept his torture stake and follow after me is not worthy of me.+ ³⁹ Whoever finds his soul will lose it, and whoever loses his soul for my sake will find it.+ ⁴⁰ “Whoever receives you receives me also, and whoever receives me receives also the One who sent me.+ ⁴¹ Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will get a prophet’s reward,+ and whoever receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will get a righteous man’s reward. ⁴² And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water to drink because he is a disciple, I tell you truly, he will by no means lose his reward.”+

Footnotes

^ Or “an extra garment.”

^ Or “who endures.”

^ Lit., “hear in (into) the ear.”

Study Notes

Simon, the one called Peter: Peter is named in five different ways in the Scriptures: (1) the Greek form “Symeon,” which closely reflects the Hebrew form of the name (Simeon); (2) the Greek “Simon” (both Symeon and Simon come from a Hebrew verb meaning “hear; listen”); (3) “Peter” (a Greek name that means “A Piece of Rock” and that he alone bears in the Scriptures); (4) “Cephas,” which is the Semitic equivalent of Peter (perhaps related to the Hebrew ke·phimʹ [rocks] used at Job 30:6; Jer 4:29); and (5) the combination “Simon Peter.”—Ac 15:14; Joh 1:42; Mt 16:16.

James the son of Alphaeus: Evidently the same disciple as the one called “James the Less” at Mr 15:40. It is generally thought that Alphaeus was the same person as Clopas (Joh 19:25), which would also make him the husband of “the other Mary” (Mt 27:56; 28:1; Mr 15:40; 16:1; Lu 24:10). The Alphaeus mentioned here is evidently not the same person as the Alphaeus mentioned at Mr 2:14, the father of Levi.

Bartholomew: Meaning “Son of Tolmai.” He is thought to be the Nathanael mentioned by John. (Joh 1:45, 46) A comparison of the Gospels shows that Matthew and Luke link Bartholomew and Philip in the same way that John associates Nathanael with Philip.—Mt 10:3; Lu 6:14.

Matthew: Also known as Levi.—See study notes on Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27.

the tax collector: As a former tax collector, Matthew, the writer of this Gospel, makes numerous references to numbers and money values. (Mt 17:27; 26:15; 27:3) He is also more explicit with numbers. He broke up his genealogy of Jesus into three sets of 14 generations (Mt 1:1-17) and listed seven petitions in the Lord’s prayer (Mt 6:9-13), seven illustrations in Mt 13, and seven woes at Mt 23:13-36. As for the term “tax collector,” see study note on Mt 5:46.

James the son of Alphaeus: See study note on Mr 3:18.

the Cananaean: A designation distinguishing the apostle Simon from the apostle Simon Peter. (Mr 3:18) This term is thought to be of Hebrew or Aramaic origin, meaning “Zealot; Enthusiast.” Luke referred to this Simon as “the zealous one,” using the Greek word ze·lo·tesʹ, also meaning “zealot; enthusiast.” (Lu 6:15; Ac 1:13) While it is possible that Simon once belonged to the Zealots, a Jewish party opposed to the Romans, he may have been given this designation because of his zeal and enthusiasm.

preaching: The Greek word basically means “to make proclamation as a public messenger.” It stresses the manner of the proclamation: usually an open, public declaration rather than a sermon to a group.

the Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near: This message of a new world government was the theme of Jesus’ preaching. (Mt 10:7; Mr 1:15) John the Baptist started to proclaim a similar message about six months prior to Jesus’ baptism (Mt 3:1, 2); yet Jesus could say with added meaning that the Kingdom had “drawn near,” since he was now present as the anointed King-Designate. There is no record that after Jesus’ death his disciples continued to proclaim that the Kingdom had “drawn near” or was at hand.

preach: That is, make an open, public declaration.—See study note on Mt 3:1.

The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near: See study note on Mt 4:17.

lepers: See study note on Mt 8:2 and Glossary, “Leprosy; Leper.”

stay there: See study note on Mr 6:10.

greet: A common Jewish greeting was: “May you have peace.”—Jg 19:20; Mt 10:13; Lu 10:5.

shake the dust off your feet: This gesture would signify that the disciples disclaimed responsibility for the consequences that would come from God. A similar expression occurs at Mr 6:11 and Lu 9:5. Mark and Luke add the expression “for a witness to [or, “against”] them.” Paul and Barnabas applied this instruction in Pisidian Antioch (Ac 13:51), and when Paul did something similar in Corinth by shaking out his garments, he added the explanatory words: “Let your blood be on your own heads. I am clean.” (Ac 18:6) Such gestures may already have been familiar to the disciples; pious Jews who had traveled through Gentile country would shake what they perceived to be unclean dust off their sandals before reentering Jewish territory. However, Jesus evidently had a different meaning in mind when giving these instructions to his disciples.

it will be more endurable: Evidently used as a form of hyperbole that Jesus may not have intended to be taken literally. (Compare other graphic hyperboles that Jesus used, such as those at Mt 5:18; Lu 16:17; 21:33.) When Jesus said that it would be “more endurable for Sodom in that day,” that is, on Judgment Day (Mt 10:15; 11:22, 24; Lu 10:14), he was not saying that the inhabitants of Sodom must be present on that day. (Compare Jude 7.) He could simply have been emphasizing how unresponsive and culpable most people were in such cities as Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. (Lu 10:13-15) It is worth noting that what happened to ancient Sodom had become proverbial and was often mentioned in connection with God’s anger and judgment.—De 29:23; Isa 1:9; La 4:6.

Truly: See study note on Mt 5:18.

it will be more endurable for: See study note on Lu 10:12.

like a dove: Doves had both a sacred use and a symbolic meaning. They were offered as sacrifices. (Mr 11:15; Joh 2:14-16) They symbolized innocence and purity. (Mt 10:16) A dove released by Noah brought an olive leaf back to the ark, indicating that the floodwaters were receding (Ge 8:11) and that a time of rest and peace was at hand (Ge 5:29). Thus, at Jesus’ baptism, Jehovah may have used the dove to call attention to the role of Jesus as the Messiah, the pure and sinless Son of God who would sacrifice his life for mankind and lay the basis for a period of rest and peace during his rule as King. As God’s spirit, or active force, descended upon Jesus at his baptism, it may have looked like the fluttering of a dove as it nears its perch.

Look!: See study note on Mt 1:20.

cautious as serpents: To be cautious here means to be prudent, sensible, shrewd. Zoologists note that most snakes are wary, preferring to flee rather than attack. Likewise, Jesus warns his disciples to remain cautious toward opposers and avoid possible dangers as they carry out their preaching work.

yet innocent as doves: The two parts of Jesus’ admonition (to be cautious and to be innocent) complement each other. (See study note on cautious as serpents in this verse.) The Greek word rendered “innocent” (lit., “unmixed,” that is, “unspoiled; pure”) also occurs at Ro 16:19 (“innocent as to what is evil”) and Php 2:15 (“be blameless and innocent, children of God”). Here at Mt 10:16, being “innocent” apparently includes being genuine, honest, free of deceit and having pure motives. The dove is sometimes used in Hebrew word pictures and poetry to symbolize these and related qualities. (Ca 2:14; 5:2; compare study note on Mt 3:16.) Jesus’ point was that when his sheeplike followers faced persecution as sheep among wolves, they needed to combine the characteristics of serpents and doves by being cautious, shrewd, pure of heart, blameless, and innocent.—Lu 10:3.

the Supreme Court: The full Sanhedrin—the judicial body in Jerusalem made up of the high priest and 70 elders and scribes. The Jews considered its rulings to be final.—See Glossary, “Sanhedrin.”

local courts: In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Greek word sy·neʹdri·on, here used in plural and rendered “local courts,” is most often used with reference to the Jewish high court in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin. (See Glossary, “Sanhedrin,” and study notes on Mt 5:22; 26:59.) However, it was also a general term for an assembly or a meeting, and here it refers to local courts that were attached to the synagogues and had the power to inflict the penalties of scourging and excommunication.—Mt 23:34; Mr 13:9; Lu 21:12; Joh 9:22; 12:42; 16:2.

on account of my name: In the Bible, the term “name” at times stands for the person who bears the name, his reputation, and all that he represents. (See study note on Mt 6:9.) In the case of Jesus’ name, it also stands for the authority and position that his Father has given him. (Mt 28:18; Php 2:9, 10; Heb 1:3, 4) Jesus here explains that people would hate his followers because of what his name represents, that is, his position as God’s appointed Ruler, the King of kings, the one to whom all people should bow in submission in order to gain life.—See study note on Joh 15:21.

has endured: Or “endures.” The Greek verb rendered “to endure” (hy·po·meʹno) literally means “to remain (stay) under.” It is often used in the sense of “remaining instead of fleeing; standing one’s ground; persevering; remaining steadfast.” (Mt 10:22; Ro 12:12; Heb 10:32; Jas 5:11) In this context, it refers to maintaining a course of action as Christ’s disciples despite opposition and trials.—Mt 24:9-12.

on account of my name: See study note on Mt 24:9.

has endured: Or “endures.”—See study note on Mt 24:13.

Son of man: See study note on Mt 8:20.

how much more so: Jesus often used this line of reasoning. First he presents an obvious fact or a familiar truth, and then he draws an even more convincing conclusion based on that fact, arguing from the lesser to the greater.—Mt 10:25; 12:12; Lu 11:13; 12:28.

Beelzebub: Possibly an alteration of Baal-zebub, meaning “Owner (Lord) of the Flies,” the Baal worshipped by the Philistines at Ekron. (2Ki 1:3) Some Greek manuscripts use the alternate forms Beelzeboul or Beezeboul, possibly meaning “Owner (Lord) of the Lofty Abode (Habitation)” or if a play on the non-Biblical Hebrew word zeʹvel (dung), “Owner (Lord) of the Dung.” As shown at Mt 12:24, this is a designation applied to Satan—the prince, or ruler, of the demons.

how much more: See study note on Mt 7:11.

in the light: That is, openly, publicly.

preach from the housetops: An idiom with the meaning “to proclaim publicly.” In Bible times, houses had flat roofs from which announcements could be made and certain actions could become widely known.—2Sa 16:22.

Gehenna: This term comes from the Hebrew words geh hin·nomʹ, meaning “valley of Hinnom,” which lay to the S and SW of ancient Jerusalem. (See App. B12, map “Jerusalem and Surrounding Area.”) By Jesus’ day, the valley had become a place for burning refuse, so the word “Gehenna” was a fitting symbol of complete destruction.—See Glossary.

soul: Or “life,” that is, a person’s future life by means of a resurrection. The Greek word psy·kheʹ and its corresponding Hebrew word neʹphesh (both traditionally rendered “soul”) basically refer to (1) people, (2) animals, or (3) the life that a person or an animal has. (Ge 1:20; 2:7; Nu 31:28; 1Pe 3:20; ftns.) Examples of the use of the Greek psy·kheʹ to mean “life that a person has” may be found at Mt 6:25; 10:39; 16:25, 26; Mr 8:35-37; Lu 12:20; Joh 10:11, 15; 12:25; 13:37, 38; 15:13; Ac 20:10. Bible texts like these help to show the correct understanding of Jesus’ words here.—See Glossary.

him who can destroy both soul and body: It is only God who is able to destroy a person’s “soul” (in this context, referring to his prospects for life) or who can resurrect him to enjoy everlasting life. This is one example of where the Greek word rendered “soul” is referred to as mortal and destructible. Other examples are Mr 3:4; Lu 17:33; Joh 12:25; Ac 3:23.

Gehenna: This means everlasting destruction.—See study note on Mt 5:22 and Glossary.

sparrows: The Greek word strou·thiʹon is a diminutive form meaning any small bird, but it often referred to sparrows, the cheapest of all birds sold as food.

for a coin of small value: Lit., “for an assarion,” which was the wage a man earned for 45 minutes’ work. (See App. B14.) On this occasion, during his third Galilean tour, Jesus says that two sparrows cost an assarion. On another occasion, evidently about a year later during his ministry in Judea, Jesus says that five sparrows could be obtained for double this price. (Lu 12:6) Comparing these accounts, we learn that sparrows were of such little value to the merchants that the fifth one would be included free of charge.

even the hairs of your head are all numbered: The number of hairs on the human head is said to average more than 100,000. Jehovah’s intimate knowledge of such minute details guarantees that he is keenly interested in each follower of Christ.

accept: Lit., “take (up); take hold of.” Here used figuratively in the sense of taking on oneself the responsibilities and consequences connected with becoming a disciple of Jesus.

torture stake: Or “execution stake.” This is the first occurrence of the Greek word stau·rosʹ. In classical Greek, it primarily referred to an upright stake or pole. Used figuratively, it sometimes stood for the suffering, shame, torture, and even death that a person experienced because of being a follower of Jesus.—See Glossary.

soul: Or “life.” See Glossary.

in the name of: The Greek term for “name” (oʹno·ma) can refer to more than a personal name. In this context, it involves recognition of authority and position of the Father and the Son as well as the role of the holy spirit. Such recognition results in a new relationship with God.—Compare study note on Mt 10:41.

because he is a prophet: Lit., “in the name of a prophet.” In this context, the Greek idiom “in the name of” indicates a recognition of the office and work of a prophet.—Compare study note on Mt 28:19.

a prophet’s reward: Those who accept and support true prophets from God will be richly rewarded. The account of the widow in 1Ki 17 is an example of this.

Media

Staff and Food Pouch

Wolf

The wolves of Israel are primarily nighttime predators. (Hab 1:8) Wolves are fierce, voracious, bold, and greedy, frequently killing more sheep than they can eat or drag away. In the Bible, animals and their characteristics and habits are often applied in a figurative sense, picturing both desirable and undesirable traits. For example, in Jacob’s deathbed prophecy, the tribe of Benjamin is described figuratively as a fighter like a wolf (Canis lupus). (Ge 49:27) But in most occurrences, the wolf is used to picture such undesirable qualities as ferocity, greed, viciousness, and craftiness. Those compared to wolves include false prophets (Mt 7:15), vicious opposers of the Christian ministry (Mt 10:16; Lu 10:3), and false teachers who would endanger the Christian congregation from within (Ac 20:29, 30). Shepherds were well-aware of the danger posed by wolves. Jesus spoke of “the hired man” who “sees the wolf coming and abandons the sheep and flees.” Unlike the hired man, who “does not care for the sheep,” Jesus is “the fine shepherd,” who surrendered “his life in behalf of the sheep.”—Joh 10:11-13.

Whip for Scourging

The most terrible instrument for scourging was known as a flagellum. It consisted of a handle into which several cords or leather thongs were fixed. These thongs were weighted with jagged pieces of bone or metal to make the blows more painful.

Typical Flat-Roofed Houses

The roof of a family home was a center of activity. A father might gather his household there to talk about Jehovah. During the Festival of Ingathering, for example, booths were erected on the rooftops. (Le 23:41, 42; De 16:13-15) Such chores as the drying of flax were done there. (Jos 2:6) Sometimes people slept on the roof. (1Sa 9:25, 26) Any activity on a roof would easily be seen by others. (2Sa 16:22) And an announcement made from a rooftop would quickly be heard by neighbors and those passing by on the street.

The Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna)

The Valley of Hinnom, called Gehenna in Greek, is a ravine to the south and southwest of ancient Jerusalem. In Jesus’ day, it was a place for the burning of refuse, making it a fitting symbol of complete destruction.

Sparrow

Sparrows were the cheapest of all birds sold as food. Two of them could be purchased with the amount a man earned working for 45 minutes. The Greek term could embrace a variety of small birds, including a common house sparrow (Passer domesticus biblicus) and the Spanish sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis), which are still abundant in Israel.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Matthew 10

English

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | According to Matthew 11:1-30

NWT | According to Matthew 11:1-30 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 11:1-30

11 When Jesus had finished giving instructions to his 12 disciples, he set out from there to teach and preach in their cities.+ ² But John, having heard in jail+ about the works of the Christ, sent his disciples+ ³ to ask him: “Are you the Coming One, or are we to expect a different one?”+ ⁴ In reply Jesus said to them: “Go and report to John what you are hearing and seeing:+ ⁵ The blind are now seeing+ and the lame are walking, the lepers+ are being cleansed and the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised up and the poor are being told the good news.+ ⁶ Happy is the one who finds no cause for stumbling in me.”+ ⁷ While these were on their way, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see?+ A reed being tossed by the wind?+ ⁸ What, then, did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments?* Why, those wearing soft garments are in the houses of kings. ⁹ Really, then, why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet.+ ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Look! I am sending my messenger* ahead of you,* who will prepare your way ahead of you!’+ ¹¹ Truly I say to you, among those born of women, there has not been raised up anyone greater than John the Baptist, but a lesser person in the Kingdom of the heavens is greater than he is.+ ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of the heavens is the goal toward which men press, and those pressing forward are seizing it.+ ¹³ For all, the Prophets and the Law, prophesied until John;+ ¹⁴ and if you are willing to accept it, he is ‘E·liʹjah who is to come.’+ ¹⁵ Let the one who has ears listen.+ ¹⁶ “With whom will I compare this generation?+ It is like young children sitting in the marketplaces who call out to their playmates, ¹⁷ saying: ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance; we wailed, but you did not beat yourselves in grief.’ ¹⁸ Likewise, John came neither eating nor drinking,+ but people say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of man did come eating and drinking,+ but people say, ‘Look! A man who is a glutton and is given to drinking wine, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’+ All the same, wisdom is proved righteous* by its works.”*+ ²⁰ Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his powerful works had taken place, for they did not repent:+ ²¹ “Woe to you, Cho·raʹzin! Woe to you, Beth·saʹi·da! because if the powerful works that took place in you had taken place in Tyre and Siʹdon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes.+ ²² But I say to you, it will be more endurable for Tyre and Siʹdon+ on Judgment Day than for you.+ ²³ And you, Ca·perʹna·um,+ will you perhaps be exalted to heaven? Down to the Grave you will come;+ because if the powerful works that took place in you had taken place in Sodʹom, it would have remained until this very day. ²⁴ But I say to you, it will be more endurable for the land of Sodʹom on Judgment Day than for you.”+ ²⁵ At that time Jesus said in response: “I publicly praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intellectual ones and have revealed them to young children.+ ²⁶ Yes, O Father, because this is the way you approved. ²⁷ All things have been handed over to me by my Father,+ and no one fully knows the Son except the Father;+ neither does anyone fully know the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.+ ²⁸ Come to me, all you who are toiling* and loaded down, and I will refresh you. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,* for I am mild-tempered+ and lowly in heart,+ and you will find refreshment for yourselves. ³⁰ For my yoke is kindly,* and my load is light.”

Footnotes

^ Or “fine (luxurious) clothing.”

^ Lit., “before your face.”

^ Or “angel.”

^ Or “by its results.”

^ Or “is vindicated.”

^ Or “struggling hard.” Or possibly, “weary; tired.”

^ Or “become my disciples (learners).”

^ Or “easy to bear; pleasant.”

Study Notes

teach and preach: See study note on Mt 4:23.

their cities: Evidently referring to the Jewish cities of that region (Galilee).

the Christ: Here the title “Christ” is preceded by the definite article in Greek, evidently as a way of emphasizing Jesus’ office as the Messiah.

the Coming One: That is, the Messiah.—Ps 118:26; Mt 3:11; 21:9; 23:39.

lepers: See study note on Mt 8:2 and Glossary, “Leprosy; Leper.”

Look!: See study note on Mt 1:20.

Truly: See study note on Mt 5:18.

the Baptist: Or “the Immerser; the Dipper.”—See study note on Mt 3:1.

the goal toward which men press . . . those pressing forward: Two related Greek words used here convey the basic idea of forceful action or endeavor. Some Bible translators have understood them in a negative sense (that of acting with or suffering violence), but the context and the only other Biblical occurrence of the Greek verb, at Lu 16:16, make it reasonable to understand the terms in the positive sense of “going after something with enthusiasm; seeking fervently.” These words evidently describe the forceful actions or endeavors of those who responded to the preaching of John the Baptist, which put them in line to become prospective members of the Kingdom.

the Prophets and the Law: The reversal of the usual order, “the Law and the Prophets” (Mt 5:17; 7:12; 22:40; Lu 16:16), occurs only here. The general meaning is evidently the same (see study note on Mt 5:17), although the prophetic aspect of the Scriptures seems to be given more emphasis here. Even the Law is said to have prophesied, emphasizing its prophetic character.

the Law . . . the Prophets: “The Law” refers to the Bible books of Genesis through Deuteronomy. “The Prophets” refers to the prophetic books of the Hebrew Scriptures. However, when these terms are mentioned together, the expression could be understood to include the entire Hebrew Scriptures.—Mt 7:12; 22:40; Lu 16:16.

Elijah: From the Hebrew name meaning “My God Is Jehovah.”

beat yourselves in grief: A person repeatedly beat his hands against his chest to express unusual grief or feelings of guilt and remorse.—Isa 32:12; Na 2:7; Lu 23:48.

neither eating nor drinking: This evidently refers to John’s life of self-denial, which included fasting as well as adhering to the Nazirite requirement of abstaining from alcoholic beverages.—Nu 6:2-4; Mt 9:14, 15; Lu 1:15; 7:33.

Son of man: See study note on Mt 8:20.

tax collectors: See study note on Mt 5:46.

wisdom is proved righteous by its works: Here wisdom is personified and depicted as having works. In the parallel account at Lu 7:35, wisdom is depicted as having “children.” Wisdom’s children, or works—that is, the evidence produced by John the Baptist and Jesus—prove that the accusations against these two men are false. Jesus is, in effect, saying: ‘Look at the righteous works and conduct, and you will know that the charge is false.’

Capernaum: From a Hebrew name meaning “Village of Nahum” or “Village of Comforting.” (Na 1:1, ftn.) A city of major importance in Jesus’ earthly ministry, it was located at the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee and was called “his own city” at Mt 9:1.

Capernaum: See study note on Mt 4:13.

heaven: Here used metaphorically to denote a highly favored position.

the Grave: Or “Hades,” that is, the common grave of mankind. (See Glossary, “Grave.”) Here used figuratively to represent the debasement that Capernaum would experience.

to you: Here the pronoun “you” is plural in Greek.

it will be more endurable for: See study note on Lu 10:12.

for you: Here the pronoun “you” is singular in Greek, evidently addressing the city.

to young children: Or “to childlike ones,” that is, humble, teachable individuals.

loaded down: Those whom Jesus beckons to come were “loaded down” by anxiety and toil. Their worship of Jehovah had become burdensome because of the human traditions that had been added to the Law of Moses. (Mt 23:4) Even the Sabbath, which was meant to be a source of refreshment, had become a burden.—Ex 23:12; Mr 2:23-28; Lu 6:1-11.

I will refresh you: The Greek word for “refresh” can refer both to rest (Mt 26:45; Mr 6:31) and to relief from toil in order to recover and regain strength (2Co 7:13; Phm 7). The context shows that taking on Jesus’ “yoke” (Mt 11:29) would involve service, not rest. The active Greek verb with Jesus as the subject conveys the thought of his rejuvenating and energizing weary ones so that they would desire to take up his light and kindly yoke.

mild-tempered: The inward quality of those who willingly submit to God’s will and guidance and who do not try to dominate others. The Greek term does not imply cowardice or weakness. In the Septuagint, the word was used as an equivalent for a Hebrew word that can be translated “meek” or “humble.” It was used with reference to Moses (Nu 12:3), those who are teachable (Ps 25:9), those who will possess the earth (Ps 37:11), and the Messiah (Zec 9:9; Mt 21:5). Jesus described himself as a mild-tempered, or meek, person.—Mt 11:29.

Take my yoke upon you: Jesus used “yoke” figuratively in the sense of submission to authority and direction. If he had in mind a double yoke, one that God placed upon Jesus, then he would be inviting his disciples to get under the yoke with him and he would assist them. In that case, the phrase could be rendered: “Get under my yoke with me.” If the yoke is one that Jesus himself puts on others, then the reference is to submitting oneself to Christ’s authority and direction as his disciple.—See Glossary, “Yoke.”

mild-tempered: See study note on Mt 5:5.

lowly in heart: The Greek word for “lowly” refers to the quality of being humble and unpretentious; it also occurs at Jas 4:6 and 1Pe 5:5, where it is rendered “humble ones.” The condition of a person’s figurative heart is reflected in his disposition or his attitude toward God and other people.

yourselves: Or “your souls.”—See Glossary, “Soul.”

Media

Royal Houses

When Jesus referred to those living in “royal houses” (Lu 7:25) or “houses of kings” (Mt 11:8), his listeners may have been reminded of the many luxurious palaces built by Herod the Great. Shown in the photograph are remains of just one part of a winter palace complex that he built in Jericho. This building included a colonnaded reception hall measuring 29 by 19 m (95 by 62 ft), colonnaded courtyards surrounded by many rooms, and a bathhouse that incorporated heating and cooling systems. Connected to the palace was a multitiered garden. This palace may have been burned during an uprising that occurred a few decades before John the Baptist began his ministry, and it was rebuilt by Herod’s son, Archelaus.

Bone Flute

In Bible times, flutes might be made of reed, cane, or even bone or ivory. The flute was one of the most popular of all musical instruments. It was played on joyous occasions, such as at banquets and weddings (1Ki 1:40; Isa 5:12; 30:29), a custom imitated by children in public places. It was also played at times of sadness. Professional mourners were often accompanied by flutists playing mournful tunes. The piece of a flute shown here was found in Jerusalem in a layer of rubble that dates to when the temple was destroyed by the Romans. It is about 15 cm (6 in.) long and is likely made from a bone that was part of the leg of a cow or an ox.

The Marketplace

Some marketplaces, like the one depicted here, were located along a road. Vendors often placed so much merchandise in the street that it blocked traffic. Local residents could buy common household goods, pottery, and expensive glassware, as well as fresh produce. Because there was no refrigeration, people needed to visit the market each day to buy supplies. Here a shopper could hear news brought in by traders or other visitors, children could play, and the unemployed could wait to be hired. In the marketplace, Jesus healed the sick and Paul preached. (Ac 17:17) By contrast, the proud scribes and Pharisees loved to be noticed and greeted in these public areas.

Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida

The panoramic image shown in this video was taken from Ofir Lookout, which is located near the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee. Chorazin (2) was only about 3 km (2 mi) from the suggested site of ancient Capernaum (1), the city that Jesus apparently used as a base of operations during his great Galilean ministry of over two years’ duration. The apostles Peter and Andrew lived in Capernaum, and Matthew’s tax office was located there or nearby. (Mr 1:21, 29; 2:1, 13, 14; 3:16; Lu 4:31, 38) Peter and Andrew, along with Philip, originally came from the nearby city of Bethsaida (3). (Joh 1:44) Jesus performed many miracles in or near these three cities.—See Appendix A7-D, Map 3B and A7-E, Map 4.

Chorazin and Bethsaida

The towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida were near Capernaum, the city that Jesus apparently used as a home base during his great ministry in Galilee of over two years’ duration. The Jewish inhabitants of those towns saw Jesus perform powerful works that would have moved the idolatrous inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon to repentance. For example, it was in the area of Bethsaida that Jesus miraculously fed more than 5,000 people and later cured a blind man.—Mt 14:13-21; Mr 8:22; Lu 9:10-17.

Yoke

One type of wooden yoke was a bar or frame fitted to a person’s shoulders, and loads were suspended from it on each side of the body. Another type of yoke was a wooden bar or frame that was placed over the necks of two draft animals when they pulled a load.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Matthew 11

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NWT | According to Matthew 12:1-50

NWT | According to Matthew 12:1-50 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 12:1-50

12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples got hungry and started to pluck heads of grain and to eat.+ ² At seeing this, the Pharisees said to him: “Look! Your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.”+ ³ He said to them: “Have you not read what David did when he and the men with him were hungry?+ ⁴ How he entered into the house of God and they ate the loaves of presentation,+ something that it was not lawful for him or those with him to eat, but for the priests only?+ ⁵ Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbaths the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and continue guiltless?+ ⁶ But I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.+ ⁷ However, if you had understood what this means, ‘I want mercy+ and not sacrifice,’+ you would not have condemned the guiltless ones. ⁸ For the Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath.”+ ⁹ After departing from that place, he went into their synagogue, ¹⁰ and look! there was a man with a withered* hand!+ So they asked him, “Is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?” so that they might accuse him.+ ¹¹ He said to them: “If you have one sheep and that sheep falls into a pit on the Sabbath, is there a man among you who will not grab hold of it and lift it out?+ ¹² How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do a fine thing on the Sabbath.” ¹³ Then he said to the man: “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored sound like the other hand. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him to kill him. ¹⁵ Having come to know this, Jesus departed from there. Many also followed him,+ and he cured them all, ¹⁶ but he sternly ordered them not to make him known,+ ¹⁷ in order to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, who said: ¹⁸ “Look! My servant+ whom I chose, my beloved, whom I have approved!+ I will put my spirit upon him,+ and what justice is he will make clear to the nations. ¹⁹ He will not quarrel+ nor cry aloud, nor will anyone hear his voice in the main streets. ²⁰ No bruised reed will he crush, and no smoldering wick will he extinguish,+ until he brings justice with success. ²¹ Indeed, in his name nations will hope.”+ ²² Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and speechless, and he cured him, so that the speechless man could speak and see. ²³ Well, all the crowds were astounded and began to say: “May this not perhaps be the Son of David?” ²⁴ At hearing this, the Pharisees said: “This fellow does not expel the demons except by means of Be·elʹze·bub, the ruler of the demons.”+ ²⁵ Knowing their thoughts, he said to them: “Every kingdom divided against itself comes to ruin, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ In the same way, if Satan expels Satan, he has become divided against himself; how, then, will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ Moreover, if I expel the demons by means of Be·elʹze·bub, by whom do your sons expel them? This is why they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if it is by means of God’s spirit that I expel the demons, the Kingdom of God has really overtaken you.*+ ²⁹ Or how can anyone invade the house of a strong man and seize his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Only then can he plunder his house. ³⁰ Whoever is not on my side is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.+ ³¹ “For this reason I say to you, every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven.+ ³² For example, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him;+ but whoever speaks against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him, no, not in this system of things nor in that to come.+ ³³ “Either you make the tree fine and its fruit fine or make the tree rotten and its fruit rotten, for by its fruit the tree is known.+ ³⁴ Offspring of vipers,+ how can you speak good things when you are wicked? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.+ ³⁵ The good man out of his good treasure sends out good things, whereas the wicked man out of his wicked treasure sends out wicked things.+ ³⁶ I tell you that men will render an account+ on Judgment Day for every unprofitable* saying that they speak; ³⁷ for by your words you will be declared righteous, and by your words you will be condemned.” ³⁸ Then as an answer to him, some of the scribes and the Pharisees said: “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”+ ³⁹ In reply he said to them: “A wicked and adulterous generation keeps on seeking a sign,* but no sign will be given it except the sign of Joʹnah the prophet.+ ⁴⁰ For just as Joʹnah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights,+ so the Son of man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.+ ⁴¹ Men of Ninʹe·veh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, because they repented at what Joʹnah preached.+ But look! something more than Joʹnah is here.+ ⁴² The queen of the south will be raised up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solʹo·mon.+ But look! something more than Solʹo·mon is here.+ ⁴³ “When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it passes through waterless places in search of a resting-place and finds none.+ ⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will go back to my house from which I moved,’ and on arriving, it finds the house unoccupied but swept clean and adorned. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and takes along with it seven different* spirits more wicked than itself, and after getting inside, they dwell there; and the final circumstances of that man become worse than the first.+ That is how it will be also with this wicked generation.” ⁴⁶ While he was yet speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers+ were standing outside, seeking to speak to him.+ ⁴⁷ So someone said to him: “Look! Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to you.” ⁴⁸ In reply he said to the one who spoke to him: “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ And extending his hand toward his disciples, he said: “Look! My mother and my brothers!+ ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, that one is my brother and sister and mother.”+

Footnotes

^ Or “paralyzed.”

^ Or “has already come to you; has caught you unawares.”

^ Or “worthless.”

^ Or “miraculous proof.”

^ Or “other.”

Study Notes

through the grainfields: Perhaps by means of footpaths that separated one tract of land from another.

Sabbath: See Glossary.

what is not lawful: Jehovah had commanded that the Israelites do no work on the Sabbath. (Ex 20:8-10) Jewish religious leaders claimed the right to define exactly what constituted work. According to them, Jesus’ disciples were guilty of harvesting (plucking) and threshing (rubbing) grain. (Lu 6:1, 2) However, such a definition overstepped Jehovah’s command.

house of God: Here referring to the tabernacle. The account Jesus refers to (1Sa 21:1-6) occurred when the tabernacle was located at Nob, a town evidently in the territory of Benjamin and close to Jerusalem.—See App. B7 (inset).

house of God: See study note on Mr 2:26.

loaves of presentation: Or “showbread.” The Hebrew expression literally means “bread of the face.” The bread was figuratively before Jehovah as a constant offering to him.—Ex 25:30; see Glossary and App. B5.

violate the Sabbath: That is, to treat the Sabbath as any other day. They did so by carrying on butchering and other work in connection with the animal sacrifices.—Nu 28:9, 10.

what this means: Lit., “what is.” Here the Greek word e·stinʹ (literally meaning “is”) has the sense of “signifies; means.”—See study note on Mt 26:26.

mercy and not sacrifice: See study note on Mt 9:13.

Son of man: See study note on Mt 8:20.

Lord of the Sabbath: Jesus applies this expression to himself (Mr 2:28; Lu 6:5), indicating that the Sabbath was at his disposal for doing the work commanded by his heavenly Father. (Compare Joh 5:19; 10:37, 38.) On the Sabbath, Jesus performed some of his most outstanding miracles, which included healing the sick. (Lu 13:10-13; Joh 5:5-9; 9:1-14) This evidently foreshadowed the kind of relief he will bring during his Kingdom rule, which will be like a sabbath rest.—Heb 10:1.

hand: The Greek word rendered “hand” is broad in meaning and can refer to a person’s arm, hand, and fingers.—See also Mt 12:13.

How much more: See study note on Mt 7:11.

not to make him known: That is, not to reveal his identity. Although the unclean spirits knew that Jesus was “the Son of God” and addressed him as such (vs. 11), Jesus would not allow demons to witness about him. They are outcasts, rebels, haters of what is holy, and enemies of God. (See study note on Mr 1:25.) Similarly, when “a demon of divination” impelled a girl to identify Paul and Silas as “slaves of the Most High God” and proclaimers of “the way of salvation,” Paul cast the spirit out of her.—Ac 16:16-18.

not to make him known: See study note on Mr 3:12.

to fulfill what was spoken by Jehovah through his prophet: This and similar expressions occur many times in Matthew’s Gospel, apparently to emphasize to the Jewish audience Jesus’ role as the promised Messiah.—Mt 2:15, 23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:9.

to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: See study note on Mt 1:22.

whom I have approved: Or “with whom I am well-pleased; in whom I take great delight.” The same expression is used at Mt 12:18, which is a quotation from Isa 42:1 regarding the promised Messiah, or Christ. The outpouring of holy spirit and God’s declaration concerning his Son were a clear identification of Jesus as the promised Messiah.—See study note on Mt 12:18.

Look!: See study note on Mt 1:20.

I have: Or “my soul has.” In this quote from Isa 42:1, the Greek word psy·kheʹ is used to render the Hebrew word neʹphesh, both traditionally rendered “soul.”—See Glossary, “Soul.”

whom I have approved: Or “with whom I am well-pleased.”—See study note on Mt 3:17.

smoldering wick: A common household lamp was a small earthenware vessel filled with olive oil. A flax wick drew the oil up to feed the flame. The Greek expression rendered “smoldering wick” may refer to a wick that gives off smoke because an ember is still present but the flame is fading or is extinguished. The prophecy of Isa 42:3 foretold Jesus’ compassion; he would never extinguish the last spark of hope in humble and downtrodden people.

with success: Or “to victory.” The Greek word niʹkos is rendered “victory” at 1Co 15:55, 57.

Beelzebub: A designation applied to Satan.—See study note on Mt 10:25.

house: That is, a household. The original-language term for “house” could refer to an individual family or an extended household, including one associated with the palaces of kings. (Ac 7:10; Php 4:22) The term was used of ruling dynasties, such as those of the Herods and the Caesars, where internal dissension was common and destructive. Here in Matthew’s account, the term “house” is used in parallel with city.

Satan: See study note on Mt 4:10.

Satan: From the Hebrew word sa·tanʹ, meaning “resister; adversary.”

sons: Here used in the sense of “followers; disciples.”

they: That is, “your sons.”

be your judges: That is, what their sons did refuted the Pharisees’ argument.

God’s finger: That is, God’s holy spirit, as shown by Matthew’s account of an earlier, similar conversation. Here in Luke’s account, Jesus refers to expelling demons “by means of God’s finger,” whereas Matthew’s account refers to Jesus’ doing it “by means of God’s spirit,” or active force.—Mt 12:28.

God’s spirit: Or “God’s active force.” In a later, similar conversation, recorded at Lu 11:20, Jesus refers to the expelling of demons “by means of God’s finger.”—See study note on Lu 11:20.

blasphemy: Refers to defamatory, injurious, or abusive speech against God or against sacred things. Since holy spirit emanates from God himself, willfully opposing or denying its operation amounted to blasphemy against God. As shown at Mt 12:24, 28, Jewish religious leaders saw God’s spirit at work in Jesus as he performed miracles; yet, they attributed this power to Satan the Devil.

system of things: The Greek word ai·onʹ, having the basic meaning “age,” can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. Jesus is stating that blasphemy against the holy spirit will not be forgiven in the present ungodly system of things under Satan’s rule (2Co 4:4; Eph 2:2; Tit 2:12) nor in the coming system of things under God’s rule, in which “everlasting life” is promised (Lu 18:29, 30).—See Glossary.

Serpents, offspring of vipers: Satan, “the original serpent” (Re 12:9), is in a spiritual sense the progenitor of opposers to true worship. Jesus, therefore, justly classified these religious leaders as “serpents, offspring of vipers.” (Joh 8:44; 1Jo 3:12) They caused deadly spiritual harm to those who were influenced by their wickedness. John the Baptist also used the expression “offspring of vipers.”—Mt 3:7.

Offspring of vipers: See study note on Mt 23:33.

adulterous: Or “unfaithful.” In a spiritual sense, adultery denotes unfaithfulness to God on the part of those who are joined to him in a covenant. The false religious practices of natural Israel were a violation of the Law covenant, making the Israelites guilty of spiritual adultery. (Jer 3:8, 9; 5:7, 8; 9:2; 13:27; 23:10; Ho 7:4) For similar reasons, Jesus denounced as adulterous the generation of Jews in his day. (Mt 12:39; 16:4) If Christians who are in the new covenant defile themselves with the present system of things, they commit spiritual adultery. In principle, this would be true of all those who are dedicated to Jehovah.—Jas 4:4.

adulterous: Refers to spiritual adultery, or unfaithfulness to God.—See study note on Mr 8:38.

sign of Jonah: Jonah compared his deliverance from the belly of the fish after about three days to being raised from the Grave. (Jon 1:17–2:2) Jesus’ resurrection from the literal grave was to be just as real as Jonah’s deliverance from the belly of the fish. However, even when Jesus was resurrected after being dead for parts of three days, his hard-hearted critics did not exercise faith in him.

three days and three nights: Other Bible accounts show that this expression can mean parts of three days and that part of one day can be considered a whole day.—Ge 42:17, 18; 1Ki 12:5, 12; Mt 27:62-66; 28:1-6.

look!: See study note on Mt 1:20.

queen of the south: That is, the queen of Sheba. Her kingdom is thought to have been located in SW Arabia.—1Ki 10:1.

brothers: The Greek word a·del·phosʹ can refer to a spiritual relationship in the Bible, but here it is used of Jesus’ half brothers, the younger sons of Joseph and Mary. Some who believe that Mary remained a virgin after the birth of Jesus claim that here a·del·phosʹ refers to cousins. However, the Christian Greek Scriptures use a distinct term for “cousin” (Greek, a·ne·psi·osʹ at Col 4:10) and a different term for “the son of Paul’s sister” (Ac 23:16). Also, Lu 21:16 uses the plural forms of the Greek words a·del·phosʹ and syg·ge·nesʹ (rendered “brothers and relatives”). These examples show that the terms denoting familial relationships are not used loosely or indiscriminately in the Christian Greek Scriptures.

brothers: That is, Jesus’ half brothers. Their names are mentioned at Mt 13:55 and Mr 6:3.—See study note on Mt 13:55 regarding the meaning of the term “brother.”

So someone . . . to you: This verse is omitted in some ancient manuscripts.

Look! My mother and my brothers!: Jesus here makes a distinction between his natural brothers, some of whom evidently lacked faith in him (Joh 7:5), and his spiritual brothers, his disciples. He shows that regardless of how precious the ties are that bind him to his relatives, his relationship with those who do “the will of [his] Father” is even more precious.—Mt 12:50.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Matthew 12

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NWT | According to Matthew 13:1-58

NWT | According to Matthew 13:1-58 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 13:1-58

13 On that day Jesus left the house and was sitting by the sea. ² And such large crowds gathered to him that he went aboard a boat and sat down, and all the crowd was standing on the beach.+ ³ Then he told them many things by illustrations,+ saying: “Look! A sower went out to sow.+ ⁴ As he was sowing, some seeds fell alongside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.+ ⁵ Others fell on rocky ground where there was not much soil, and they immediately sprang up because the soil was not deep.+ ⁶ But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.+ ⁸ Still others fell on the fine soil, and they began to yield fruit, this one 100 times more, that one 60, the other 30.+ ⁹ Let the one who has ears listen.”+ ¹⁰ So the disciples came and said to him: “Why do you speak to them by the use of illustrations?”+ ¹¹ In reply he said: “To you it is granted* to understand the sacred secrets+ of the Kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not granted. ¹² For whoever has, more will be given him, and he will be made to abound; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.+ ¹³ That is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations; for looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, nor do they get the sense of it.+ ¹⁴ And the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled in their case. It says: ‘You will indeed hear but by no means get the sense of it, and you will indeed look but by no means see.+ ¹⁵ For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive,* and with their ears they have heard without response,* and they have shut their eyes, so that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back and I heal them.’+ ¹⁶ “However, happy are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear.+ ¹⁷ For truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things you are observing but did not see them,+ and to hear the things you are hearing but did not hear them. ¹⁸ “Now listen to the illustration of the man who sowed.+ ¹⁹ Where anyone hears the word of the Kingdom but does not get the sense of it, the wicked one+ comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; this is the one sown alongside the road.+ ²⁰ As for the one sown on rocky ground, this is the one hearing the word and at once accepting it with joy.+ ²¹ Yet, he has no root in himself but continues for a time, and after tribulation or persecution has arisen on account of the word, he is at once stumbled. ²² As for the one sown among the thorns, this is the one hearing the word, but the anxiety of this system of things+ and the deceptive power of riches* choke the word, and it* becomes unfruitful.+ ²³ As for the one sown upon the fine soil, this is the one hearing the word and getting the sense of it, who really does bear fruit and produces, this one 100 times more, that one 60, the other 30.”+ ²⁴ He presented another illustration to them, saying: “The Kingdom of the heavens may be likened to a man who sowed fine seed in his field.+ ²⁵ While men were sleeping, his enemy came and oversowed weeds in among the wheat and left. ²⁶ When the stalk sprouted and produced fruit, then the weeds also appeared. ²⁷ So the slaves of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow fine seed in your field? How, then, does it have weeds?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy, a man, did this.’+ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go out and collect them?’ ²⁹ He said, ‘No, for fear that while collecting the weeds, you uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest season, I will tell the reapers: First collect the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them up; then gather the wheat into my storehouse.’”+ ³¹ He presented another illustration to them, saying: “The Kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard grain that a man took and planted in his field.+ ³² It is, in fact, the tiniest of all the seeds, but when it has grown, it is the largest of the vegetable plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and find lodging among its branches.” ³³ He told them another illustration: “The Kingdom of the heavens is like leaven that a woman took and mixed with three large measures of flour until the whole mass was fermented.”+ ³⁴ All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds by illustrations. Indeed, without an illustration he would not speak to them,+ ³⁵ in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet who said: “I will open my mouth with illustrations; I will proclaim things hidden since the founding.”+ ³⁶ Then after dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. His disciples came to him and said: “Explain to us the illustration of the weeds in the field.” ³⁷ In response he said: “The sower of the fine seed is the Son of man; ³⁸ the field is the world.+ As for the fine seed, these are the sons of the Kingdom, but the weeds are the sons of the wicked one,+ ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ Therefore, just as the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be in the conclusion of the system of things.+ ⁴¹ The Son of man will send his angels, and they will collect out from his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and people who practice lawlessness, ⁴² and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace.+ There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be. ⁴³ At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun+ in the Kingdom of their Father. Let the one who has ears listen. ⁴⁴ “The Kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure, hidden in the field, that a man found and hid; and because of his joy, he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.+ ⁴⁵ “Again the Kingdom of the heavens is like a traveling merchant seeking fine pearls. ⁴⁶ Upon finding one pearl of high value, he went away and promptly sold all the things he had and bought it.+ ⁴⁷ “Again the Kingdom of the heavens is like a dragnet let down into the sea and gathering fish of every kind. ⁴⁸ When it was full, they hauled it up onto the beach, and sitting down, they collected the fine ones+ into containers, but the unsuitable+ they threw away. ⁴⁹ That is how it will be in the conclusion of the system of things.+ The angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the righteous ⁵⁰ and will cast them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be. ⁵¹ “Did you get the sense of all these things?” They said to him: “Yes.” ⁵² Then he said to them: “That being the case, every public instructor who is taught about the Kingdom of the heavens is like a man, the master of the house, who brings out of his treasure store things both new and old.” ⁵³ When Jesus had finished these illustrations, he departed from there. ⁵⁴ After coming into his home territory,+ he began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said: “Where did this man get this wisdom and these powerful works?+ ⁵⁵ Is this not the carpenter’s son?+ Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?+ ⁵⁶ And his sisters, are they not all with us? Where, then, did he get all of this?”+ ⁵⁷ So they began to stumble because of him.+ But Jesus said to them: “A prophet is not without honor except in his home territory and in his own house.”+ ⁵⁸ And he did not perform many powerful works there on account of their lack of faith.

Footnotes

^ Or “You have been allowed (permitted).”

^ Lit., “was made thick (fat).”

^ Or “heard unwillingly.”

^ Or “the seductiveness (deceptive pleasure) of being wealthy.”

^ Or possibly, “he,” that is, “the one hearing the word.”

Study Notes

sat down: The custom among Jewish teachers.—Mt 5:1, 2.

Look!: See study note on Mt 1:20.

rocky ground: Not referring to spots where rocks were scattered in the soil but to bedrock or a shelf of rock where there was little soil. The parallel account at Lu 8:6 says that some seed fell “on the rock.” Such terrain would prevent seeds from sinking their roots deep enough to find needed moisture.

among the thorns: Jesus is evidently referring, not to full-grown thornbushes, but to weeds that had not been cleaned out of the plowed soil. These would grow and choke out the newly planted seeds.

Kingdom of the heavens: This expression occurs some 30 times and only in the Gospel of Matthew. In the Gospels of Mark and Luke, the parallel phrase “the Kingdom of God” is used, indicating that “the Kingdom of God” is based in and rules from the spiritual heavens.—Mt 21:43; Mr 1:15; Lu 4:43; Da 2:44; 2Ti 4:18.

the mystery of this lawlessness: For “mystery,” Paul uses the Greek word my·steʹri·on, which describes something secret and beyond normal understanding. It is used in a similar sense at Re 17:5, 7. (For a discussion of other occurrences of this Greek word, see study note on Mt 13:11.) In the case of “the man of lawlessness,” there was an element of mystery because the leadership among apostates had not yet established itself as an identifiable group. But that mystery was already at work because apostates were infiltrating the congregation, acting as a subversive influence toward lawlessness.—Ac 15:24; see study note on 2Th 2:3.

sacred secrets: The Greek word my·steʹri·on is rendered “sacred secret” 25 times in the New World Translation. Here used in the plural, this expression refers to aspects of God’s purpose that are withheld until God chooses to make them known. Then they are fully revealed but only to those to whom he chooses to give understanding. (Col 1:25, 26) Once revealed, the sacred secrets of God are given the widest possible proclamation. This is evident by the Bible’s use of such terms as “declaring,” “making known,” “preach,” “revealed,” and “revelation” in connection with the expression “the sacred secret.” (1Co 2:1; Eph 1:9; 3:3; Col 1:25, 26; 4:3) The primary “sacred secret of God” centers on the identification of Jesus Christ as the promised “offspring,” or Messiah. (Col 2:2; Ge 3:15) However, this sacred secret has many facets, including the role Jesus is assigned to play in God’s purpose. (Col 4:3) As Jesus showed on this occasion, “the sacred secrets” are connected with the Kingdom of the heavens, or “the Kingdom of God,” the heavenly government in which Jesus rules as King. (Mr 4:11; Lu 8:10; see study note on Mt 3:2.) The Christian Greek Scriptures use the term my·steʹri·on in a way different from that of the ancient mystery religions. Those religions, often based on fertility cults that flourished in the first century C.E., promised that devotees would receive immortality, direct revelation, and approach to the gods through mystic rites. The content of those secrets was obviously not based on truth. Those initiated into mystery religions vowed to keep the secrets to themselves and therefore shrouded in mystery, which was unlike the open proclamation of the sacred secrets of Christianity. When the Scriptures use this term in connection with false worship, it is rendered “mystery” in the New World Translation.—For the three occurrences where my·steʹri·on is rendered “mystery,” see study notes on 2Th 2:7; Re 17:5, 7.

truly: See study note on Mt 5:18.

oversowed: This hostile act was not unknown in the ancient Near East.

weeds: Generally believed to be bearded darnel (Lolium temulentum), a species of the grass family. This poisonous plant closely resembles wheat when the wheat is in its early stages of development, before it reaches maturity.

The slaves said: Although a few manuscripts read “They said,” the current reading has stronger manuscript support.

uproot the wheat with them: The roots of the weeds and wheat would have become intertwined. So even if the weeds were identified, uprooting them would result in loss of the wheat.

collect the weeds: When bearded darnel (see study note on Mt 13:25) reaches maturity, it can readily be distinguished from wheat.

mustard grain: Several kinds of mustard plants are found growing wild in Israel. Black mustard (Brassica nigra) is the variety commonly cultivated. The relatively small seed, 1-1.6 mm (0.039 to 0.063 in.) in diameter and weighing 1 mg (0.000035 oz) produces a treelike plant. Some varieties of the mustard plant attain a height of up to 4.5 m (15 ft).

the tiniest of all the seeds: The mustard seed was used in ancient Jewish writings as a figure of speech for the very smallest measure of size. Although there are smaller seeds known today, it was evidently the tiniest of seeds gathered and sown by Galilean farmers in Jesus’ day.

leaven: Or “yeast.” Often used figuratively in the Bible to denote corruption and sin, here referring to corrupt teachings.—Mt 16:12; 1Co 5:6-8; compare study note on Mt 13:33.

leaven: That is, a small piece of fermented dough held over from a previous kneading and mixed into a new batch of dough to make it rise. Jesus here refers to the normal process of baking bread. Although the Bible often uses leaven to represent sin and corruption (see study note on Mt 16:6), it does not always have a negative connotation (Le 7:11-15). Here the fermenting process evidently pictures the spread of something good.

large measures: The Greek word used here, saʹton, corresponds to the Hebrew for seah measure. A seah measure equaled 7.33 L (6.66 dry qt).—See Ge 18:6, ftn.; Glossary, “Seah,” and App. B14.

founding of the world: The Greek word for “founding” is rendered “to conceive” at Heb 11:11, where it is used with “offspring.” Here used in the expression “founding of the world,” it apparently refers to the conception and birth of children born to Adam and Eve. Jesus associates “the founding of the world” with Abel, evidently the first redeemable human of the world of mankind whose name was written in the scroll of life from “the founding of the world.”—Lu 11:50, 51; Re 17:8.

to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: This is a quote from Ps 78:2, where the psalmist (here referred to as “the prophet”) used illustrative language to recount much of the history of God’s dealings with the nation of Israel. Similarly, Jesus freely used figurative language in the many illustrations he used to teach his disciples and the crowds that followed him.—See study note on Mt 1:22.

since the founding: Or possibly, “since the founding of the world.” This longer reading is found in some ancient manuscripts that add the Greek word for “world.” (Compare study note on Mt 25:34.) Other ancient manuscripts have the shorter wording used here in the main text.

Son of man: See study note on Mt 8:20.

world: Refers to the world of mankind.

conclusion: Rendered from the Greek word syn·teʹlei·a, meaning “joint end; combination end; ending together.” (Mt 13:39, 40, 49; 28:20; Heb 9:26) This refers to a time period during which a combination of events would lead to the complete “end” mentioned at Mt 24:6, 14, where a different Greek word, teʹlos, is used.—See study notes on Mt 24:6, 14 and Glossary, “Conclusion of the system of things.”

the system of things: Or “the age.” Here the Greek word ai·onʹ refers to the current state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age.—See Glossary, “System(s) of things.”

a conclusion: The Greek word syn·teʹlei·a, rendered “conclusion,” also occurs at Mt 13:40, 49; 24:3; 28:20; Heb 9:26.—See study note on Mt 24:3 and Glossary, “Conclusion of the system of things.”

a system of things: Or “an age.”—See study notes on Mt 13:22; 24:3 and Glossary, “Conclusion of the system of things”; “System(s) of things.”

lawlessness: The Greek word rendered “lawlessness” includes the idea of violation of and contempt for laws, people acting as if there were no laws. As used in the Bible, it suggests disregard for God’s laws.—Mt 7:23; 2Co 6:14; 2Th 2:3-7; 1Jo 3:4.

lawlessness: See study note on Mt 24:12.

gnashing of their teeth: Or “grinding (clenching) their teeth.” The expression can include the idea of anguish, despair, and anger, possibly accompanied by bitter words and violent action.

gnashing of their teeth: See study note on Mt 8:12.

everything: Although one early manuscript omits the Greek word panʹta (all; everything) here, the current reading has stronger support in both early and later manuscripts.

pearl: In Bible times, fine pearls were harvested from the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean. This doubtless explains why Jesus spoke of the merchant who had to travel and expend effort to seek such a pearl.

unsuitable: May refer to fish without fins and scales, which were unclean according to the Mosaic Law and could not be eaten, or may possibly refer to any other inedible fish that were caught.—Le 11:9-12; De 14:9, 10.

a system of things: Or “an age.”—See study notes on Mt 13:22; 24:3 and Glossary, “Conclusion of the system of things”; “System(s) of things.”

conclusion of the system of things: See study notes on Mt 13:39; 24:3 and Glossary, “Conclusion of the system of things”; “System(s) of things.”

public instructor: Or “learned person.” The Greek word gram·ma·teusʹ is rendered “scribe” when referring to a group of Jewish teachers who were versed in the Law, but here the expression is used with regard to Jesus’ disciples who were trained to teach others.

his home territory: Lit., “his father’s place,” that is, his hometown, Nazareth, the area from which his immediate family came.

James: Most likely referring to Jesus’ half brother. He may have been next to Jesus in age, being the first named of Mary’s four natural-born sons: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. (Mt 13:55; Mr 6:3; Joh 7:5) James was an eyewitness at Pentecost 33 C.E. when thousands of visiting Jews from the Diaspora responded to the good news and got baptized. (Ac 1:14; 2:1, 41) Peter instructed the disciples to “report . . . to James,” indicating that James was taking the lead in the Jerusalem congregation. He is apparently also the James mentioned at Ac 15:13; 21:18; 1Co 15:7; Ga 1:19 (where he is called “the brother of the Lord”); 2:9, 12 and the one who wrote the Bible book bearing his name.—Jas 1:1; Jude 1.

carpenter’s son: The Greek word teʹkton, rendered “carpenter,” is a general term that can refer to any artisan or builder. When it refers to a woodworker, it can mean one who works in the building trade, in the construction of furniture, or in the making of other types of wooden objects. Justin Martyr, of the second century C.E., wrote that Jesus worked “as a carpenter when among men, making ploughs and yokes.” Early Bible translations in ancient languages also support the idea of a woodworker. Jesus was known both as “the carpenter’s son” and as “the carpenter.” (Mr 6:3) Evidently, Jesus learned carpentry from his adoptive father, Joseph. Such an apprenticeship would typically have begun when a boy was about 12 to 15 years of age and would stretch over many years.

James: This half brother of Jesus is evidently the James who is mentioned at Ac 12:17 (see study note) and Ga 1:19 and who wrote the Bible book by that name.—Jas 1:1.

Judas: This half brother of Jesus is evidently the Jude (Greek, I·ouʹdas) who wrote the Bible book by that name.—Jude 1.

is making you stumble: In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Greek word skan·da·liʹzo refers to stumbling in a figurative sense, which may include falling into sin or causing someone to fall into sin. In this context, the term could also be rendered “is causing you to sin; is becoming a snare to you.” As the term is used in the Bible, the sin may involve breaking one of God’s laws on morals or losing faith or accepting false teachings. The Greek word can also be used in the sense of “to take offense.”—See study notes on Mt 13:57; 18:7.

they began to stumble because of him: Or “they took offense at him.” In this context, the Greek word skan·da·liʹzo refers to stumbling in a figurative sense, meaning “to take offense.” It could also be rendered “they refused to believe in him.” In other contexts, the Greek word includes the idea of falling into sin or causing someone to fall into sin.—See study note on Mt 5:29.

was not able to do any powerful work there: Jesus was not able to perform many miracles, not because of a lack of power, but because the circumstances did not warrant it. The people of Nazareth lacked faith, and this kept Jesus from performing many powerful works there. (Mt 13:58) Divine power was not to be wasted on unreceptive skeptics.—Compare Mt 10:14; Lu 16:29-31.

he did not perform many powerful works there: Jesus did not perform many miracles in Nazareth, not because of a lack of power, but because the circumstances did not warrant it. The people of Nazareth lacked faith. (See study note on Mr 6:5.) Divine power was not to be wasted on unreceptive skeptics.—Compare Mt 10:14; Lu 16:29-31.

Media

The Sea of Galilee Near Capernaum

The water level and topography of the Sea of Galilee have changed over the centuries since Jesus’ day. But it may have been in this area that Jesus spoke from a boat to the crowds. Jesus’ voice would have been amplified as it bounced off the surface of the water.

Sowing Seed

In Bible times, various means of sowing seed were used. Sowers might carry a bag of seed tied across the shoulder and around the waist; others would form a pouch for the seed in a part of their outer garment. They would then disperse the seed by hand, using long sweeping motions. Because the fields were cut through with hard-packed footpaths, the sower had to make sure that the seed landed on good soil. Seed was covered as soon as possible so that the birds did not eat it.

Remains of Ancient Storehouses at Masada

Storehouses could be found throughout Israel and were used to hold threshed grain. Some facilities might also be used to hold oil and wine or even precious metals or stones.

Reapers

In Bible times, reapers sometimes simply pulled the stalks of grain from the ground. Typically, however, they would harvest the grain by cutting the stalks with a sickle. (De 16:9; Mr 4:29) Harvesting was usually a communal work, with groups of reapers collecting ripe grain from a field. (Ru 2:3; 2Ki 4:18) A number of Bible writers, such as King Solomon, the prophet Hosea, and the apostle Paul, used the work of reaping to illustrate important truths. (Pr 22:8; Ho 8:7; Ga 6:7-9) Jesus also used this familiar occupation to illustrate the role that the angels and his disciples would play in the disciple-making work.—Mt 13:24-30, 39; Joh 4:35-38.

Mustard Grain

Of the various types of seeds that were gathered and sown by Galilean farmers, the mustard seed was evidently the tiniest. This seed was used in ancient Jewish writings as a figure of speech for the very smallest measure of size.

Fishermen Hauling in a Dragnet

Dragnets in Jesus’ day were likely made from the fibers of the flax plant. According to some sources, a dragnet might have been up to 300 m (about 1,000 ft) long with weights attached to the bottom edge and floats attached to the top. Fishermen used a boat to drop the dragnet into the water. Sometimes they would take the long ropes attached to the ends of the net ashore, where several men on each rope gradually pulled the net onto the beach. The net gathered everything in its path.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Matthew 13

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NWT | According to Matthew 14:1-36

NWT | According to Matthew 14:1-36 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 14:1-36

14 At that time Herod, the district ruler, heard the report about Jesusa ² and said to his servants: “This is John the Baptist. He was raised up from the dead, and this is why these powerful works* are operating in him.”b ³ Herod had arrested John and had bound him and imprisoned him because of He·roʹdi·as, the wife of Philip his brother.c ⁴ For John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.”d ⁵ However, although he wanted to kill him, he feared the crowd, because they took him for a prophet.e ⁶ But when Herod’s birthdayf was being celebrated, the daughter of He·roʹdi·as danced for the occasion and pleased Herod so muchg ⁷ that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Then she, at her mother’s prompting, said: “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”h ⁹ Grieved though he was, the king, out of regard for his oaths and for those dining with him,* commanded it to be given. ¹⁰ So he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. ¹² Later his disciples came and removed his corpse and buried him; then they came and reported to Jesus. ¹³ At hearing this, Jesus departed from there by boat into an isolated place to be alone. But the crowds, getting to hear of it, followed him on foot from the cities.i ¹⁴ When he came ashore, he saw a large crowd, and he felt pity for them,j and he cured their sick ones.k ¹⁵ But when evening fell, his disciples came to him and said: “The place is isolated and the hour is already late; send the crowds away, so that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food.”l ¹⁶ However, Jesus said to them: “They do not have to leave; you give them something to eat.” ¹⁷ They said to him: “We have nothing here except five loaves and two fish.” ¹⁸ He said: “Bring them here to me.” ¹⁹ And he instructed the crowds to recline on the grass. Then he took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said a blessing,m and after breaking the loaves, he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. ²⁰ So they all ate and were satisfied, and they took up the leftover fragments, 12 baskets full.n ²¹ Now those eating were about 5,000 men, as well as women and young children.o ²² Then, without delay, he made his disciples board the boat and go ahead of him to the opposite shore, while he sent the crowds away.p ²³ After sending the crowds away, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.q When evening came, he was there alone. ²⁴ By now the boat was many hundreds of yards away from land, struggling against the waves because the wind was against them. ²⁵ But in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. ²⁶ When they caught sight of him walking on the sea, the disciples were troubled, saying: “It is an apparition!”* And they cried out in their fear. ²⁷ But at once Jesus spoke to them, saying: “Take courage! It is I; do not be afraid.”r ²⁸ Peter answered him: “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you over the waters.” ²⁹ He said: “Come!” So Peter got out of the boat and walked over the waters and went toward Jesus. ³⁰ But looking at the windstorm, he became afraid. And when he started to sink, he cried out: “Lord, save me!” ³¹ Immediately stretching out his hand, Jesus caught hold of him and said to him: “You with little faith, why did you give way to doubt?”s ³² After they got up into the boat, the windstorm abated. ³³ Then those in the boat did obeisance to him, saying: “You really are God’s Son.”t ³⁴ And they crossed over and came to land in Gen·nesʹa·ret.u ³⁵ On recognizing him, the men of that place sent word into all that surrounding country, and people brought him all those who were ill. ³⁶ And they pleaded with him that they might just touch the fringe of his outer garment,v and all those who touched it were made completely well.

Matthew 14

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NWT | According to Matthew 15:1-39

NWT | According to Matthew 15:1-39 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 15:1-39

15 Then there came to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes,a saying: ² “Why do your disciples overstep the tradition of the men of former times? For example, they do not wash their handsb when about to eat a meal.”c ³ In reply he said to them: “Why do you overstep the commandment of God because of your tradition?d ⁴ For example, God said, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’e and, ‘Let the one who speaks abusively of* his father or mother be put to death.’*f ⁵ But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother: “Whatever I have that could benefit you is a gift dedicated to God,”g ⁶ he need not honor his father at all.’ So you have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition.h ⁷ You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you when he said:i ⁸ ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far removed from me. ⁹ It is in vain that they keep worshipping me, for they teach commands of men as doctrines.’”j ¹⁰ With that he called the crowd near and said to them: “Listen and get the sense of it:k ¹¹ It is not what enters into a man’s mouth that defiles him, but it is what comes out of his mouth that defiles him.”l ¹² Then the disciples came and said to him: “Do you know that the Pharisees were stumbled at hearing what you said?”m ¹³ In reply he said: “Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant will be uprooted. ¹⁴ Let them be. Blind guides is what they are. If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”*n ¹⁵ Peter responded: “Make the illustration plain to us.”o ¹⁶ At this he said: “Are you also still without understanding?p ¹⁷ Are you not aware that whatever enters into the mouth passes through the stomach and is discharged into the sewer?* ¹⁸ However, whatever comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and those things defile a man.q ¹⁹ For example, out of the heart come wicked reasonings:r murders, adulteries, sexual immorality, thefts, false testimonies, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things that defile a man; but to take a meal with unwashed hands does not defile a man.” ²¹ Leaving there, Jesus now went into the region of Tyre and Siʹdon.s ²² And look! a Phoe·niʹcian woman from that region came and cried out: “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is cruelly demon possessed.”t ²³ But he did not say a word in answer to her. So his disciples came and began to urge him: “Send her away, because she keeps crying out after us.” ²⁴ He answered: “I was not sent to anyone except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”u ²⁵ But the woman came and did obeisance to him, saying: “Lord, help me!” ²⁶ In answer he said: “It is not right to take the bread of the children and throw it to the little dogs.” ²⁷ She said: “Yes, Lord, but really the little dogs do eat of the crumbs falling from the table of their masters.”v ²⁸ Then Jesus replied to her: “O woman, great is your faith; let it happen to you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour on. ²⁹ Departing from there, Jesus next came near the Sea of Galʹi·lee,w and after going up on the mountain, he was sitting there. ³⁰ Then large crowds approached him, bringing along people who were lame, maimed, blind, speechless, and many others, and they laid them at his feet, and he cured them.x ³¹ So the crowd felt amazement as they saw the speechless speaking and the maimed being made sound and the lame walking and the blind seeing, and they glorified the God of Israel.y ³² But Jesus called his disciples to him and said: “I feel pity for the crowd,z because they have already stayed with me for three days and they have had nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry,* for they may give out on the road.”a ³³ However, the disciples said to him: “Where in this isolated place are we going to get enough bread to satisfy a crowd of this size?”b ³⁴ At this Jesus said to them: “How many loaves do you have?” They said: “Seven, and a few small fish.” ³⁵ So after instructing the crowd to recline on the ground, ³⁶ he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after offering thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.c ³⁷ And all ate and were satisfied, and they took up seven large baskets full of leftover fragments.d ³⁸ Now those eating were 4,000 men, as well as women and young children. ³⁹ Finally, after sending the crowds away, he got into the boat and came into the region of Magʹa·dan.e

Matthew 15

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NWT | According to Matthew 16:1-28

NWT | According to Matthew 16:1-28 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 16:1-28

16 Here the Pharisees and Sadducees approached him, and to test him, they asked him to display to them a sign from heaven.a ² In reply he said to them: “When evening falls, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is fire-red,’b ³ and in the morning, ‘It will be wintry, rainy weather today, for the sky is fire-red but gloomy.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but the signs of the times you cannot interpret. ⁴ A wicked and adulterous generation keeps seeking a sign,* but no sign will be given itc except the sign of Joʹnah.”d With that he went away, leaving them behind. ⁵ Now the disciples crossed to the other side and forgot to take bread along.e ⁶ Jesus said to them: “Keep your eyes open and watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”f ⁷ So they began to reason among themselves, saying: “We did not take any loaves along.” ⁸ Knowing this, Jesus said: “Why are you discussing among yourselves that you have no loaves, you with little faith? ⁹ Do you not yet see the point, or do you not remember the five loaves in the case of the 5,000 and how many baskets you took up?g ¹⁰ Or the seven loaves in the case of the 4,000 and how many large baskets you took up?h ¹¹ How is it you do not discern that I did not speak to you about bread? But watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”i ¹² Then they grasped that he said to watch out, not for the leaven of bread, but for the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. ¹³ When he had come into the region of Caes·a·reʹa Phi·lipʹpi, Jesus asked his disciples: “Who are men saying the Son of man is?”j ¹⁴ They said: “Some say John the Baptist,k others E·liʹjah,l and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵ He said to them: “You, though, who do you say I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered: “You are the Christ,m the Son of the living God.”n ¹⁷ In response Jesus said to him: “Happy you are, Simon son of Joʹnah, because flesh and blood did not reveal it to you, but my Father in the heavens did.o ¹⁸ Also, I say to you: You are Peter,p and on this rockq I will build my congregation, and the gates of the Grave will not overpower it.r ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you may bind on earth will already be bound in the heavens, and whatever you may loosen on earth will already be loosened in the heavens.”s ²⁰ Then he sternly instructed the disciples not to tell anybody that he was the Christ.t ²¹ From that time forward, Jesus began explaining to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed, and on the third day be raised up.u ²² At this Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying: “Be kind to yourself, Lord; you will not have this happen to you at all.”v ²³ But turning his back,* he said to Peter: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, because you think, not God’s thoughts, but those of men.”*w ²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples: “If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and keep following me.x ²⁵ For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.y ²⁶ Really, what good will it do a man if he gains the whole world but loses his life?z Or what will a man give in exchange for his life?a ²⁷ For the Son of man is to come in the glory of his Father with his angels,b and then he will repay* each one according to his behavior.c ²⁸ Truly I say to you that there are some of those standing here who will not taste death at all until first they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom.”d

Matthew 16

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NWT | According to Matthew 17:1-27

NWT | According to Matthew 17:1-27 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 17:1-27

17 Six days later Jesus took Peter and James and his brother John along and led them up into a lofty mountain by themselves.a ² And he was transfigured before them; his face shone as the sun, and his outer garments became brilliant* as the light.b ³ And look! there appeared to them Moses and E·liʹjah conversing with him. ⁴ Then Peter said to Jesus: “Lord, it is fine for us to be here. If you wish, I will erect three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for E·liʹjah.” ⁵ While he was still speaking, look! a bright cloud overshadowed them, and look! a voice out of the cloudc said: “This is my Son, the beloved, whom I have approved.d Listen to him.”e ⁶ At hearing this, the disciples fell facedown and became very much afraid. ⁷ Then Jesus came near, and touching them, he said: “Get up. Have no fear.” ⁸ When they looked up, they saw no one but Jesus himself. ⁹ As they were descending from the mountain, Jesus commanded them: “Tell the vision to no one until the Son of man is raised up from the dead.”f ¹⁰ However, the disciples put the question to him: “Why, then, do the scribes say that E·liʹjah must come first?”g ¹¹ In reply he said: “E·liʹjah is indeed coming and will restore all things.h ¹² However, I say to you that E·liʹjah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did whatever they wanted with him.i In this way also, the Son of man is going to suffer at their hands.”j ¹³ Then the disciples perceived that he spoke to them about John the Baptist. ¹⁴ When they came toward the crowd,k a man approached him, knelt down to him, and said: ¹⁵ “Lord, have mercy on my son, because he is an epileptic and is ill. He falls often into the fire and often into the water.l ¹⁶ I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” ¹⁷ In reply Jesus said: “O faithless and twisted* generation,m how long must I continue with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” ¹⁸ Then Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured from that hour.n ¹⁹ Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said: “Why could we not expel it?” ²⁰ He said to them: “Because of your little faith. For truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard grain, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”o ²¹ —— ²² It was while they were gathered together in Galʹi·lee that Jesus said to them: “The Son of man is going to be betrayed into men’s hands,p ²³ and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised up.”q And they were very much grieved. ²⁴ After they arrived in Ca·perʹna·um, the men collecting the two drachmas tax approached Peter and said: “Does your teacher not pay the two drachmas tax?”r ²⁵ He said: “Yes.” However, when he entered the house, Jesus spoke to him first and said: “What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth receive duties or head tax? From their sons or from the strangers?” ²⁶ When he said: “From the strangers,” Jesus said to him: “Really, then, the sons are tax-free. ²⁷ But that we do not cause them to stumble,s go to the sea, cast a fishhook, and take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a silver coin. Take that and give it to them for me and you.”

Matthew 17

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NWT | According to Matthew 18:1-35

NWT | According to Matthew 18:1-35 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 18:1-35

18 In that hour the disciples came near to Jesus and said: “Who really is greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens?”a ² So calling a young child to him, he stood him in their midst ³ and said: “Truly I say to you, unless you turn around* and become as young children,b you will by no means enter into the Kingdom of the heavens.c ⁴ Therefore, whoever will humble himself like this young child is the one who is the greatest in the Kingdom of the heavens;d ⁵ and whoever receives one such young child on the basis of my name receives me also.e ⁶ But whoever stumbles one of these little ones who have faith in me, it would be better for him to have hung around his neck a millstone that is turned by a donkey and to be sunk in the open sea.f ⁷ “Woe to the world because of the stumbling blocks! Of course, it is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes! ⁸ If, then, your hand or your foot makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it away from you.g It is better for you to enter into life maimed or lame than to be thrown with two hands or two feet into the everlasting fire.h ⁹ Also, if your eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it away from you. It is better for you to enter one-eyed into life than to be thrown with two eyes into the fiery Ge·henʹna.i ¹⁰ See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my Father who is in heaven.j ¹¹ —— ¹² “What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep and one of them strays,k will he not leave the 99 on the mountains and set out on a search for the one that is straying?l ¹³ And if he finds it, I certainly tell you, he rejoices more over it than over the 99 that have not strayed. ¹⁴ Likewise, it is not a desirable thing to my Father who is in heaven for even one of these little ones to perish.m ¹⁵ “Moreover, if your brother commits a sin, go and reveal his fault* between you and him alone.n If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.o ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, so that on the testimony* of two or three witnesses every matter* may be established.*p ¹⁷ If he does not listen* to them, speak to the congregation. If he does not listen* even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nationsq and as a tax collector.r ¹⁸ “Truly I say to you, whatever things you may bind on earth will be things already bound in heaven, and whatever things you may loosen on earth will be things already loosened in heaven.s ¹⁹ Again I tell you truly, if two of you on earth agree concerning anything of importance that they should request, it will take place for them on account of my Father in heaven.t ²⁰ For where there are two or three gathered together in my name,u there I am in their midst.” ²¹ Then Peter came and said to him: “Lord, how many times is my brother to sin against me and am I to forgive him? Up to seven times?” ²² Jesus said to him: “I say to you, not up to seven times, but up to 77 times.v ²³ “That is why the Kingdom of the heavens may be likened to a king who wanted to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴ When he started to settle them, a man was brought in who owed him 10,000 talents. ²⁵ But because he did not have the means to pay it back, his master ordered him and his wife and his children and all the things he owned to be sold and payment to be made.w ²⁶ So the slave fell down and did obeisance to him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay back everything to you.’ ²⁷ Moved with pity at this, the master of that slave let him off and canceled his debt.x ²⁸ But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves, who owed him 100 de·narʹi·i, and grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back whatever you owe.’ ²⁹ So his fellow slave fell down and began to beg him, saying, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ ³⁰ However, he was not willing, but he went and had him thrown into prison until he could pay back what he owed. ³¹ When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they became greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all the things that had happened. ³² Then his master summoned him and said to him: ‘Wicked slave, I canceled all that debt for you when you pleaded with me. ³³ Should you not also have shown mercy to your fellow slave as I showed mercy to you?’y ³⁴ With that his master, provoked to wrath, handed him over to the jailers until he repaid all that he owed. ³⁵ My heavenly Father will also deal with you in the same wayz if each of you does not forgive your brother from your heart.”a

Matthew 18

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NWT | According to Matthew 19:1-30

NWT | According to Matthew 19:1-30 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 19:1-30

19 When Jesus had finished speaking these things, he departed from Galʹi·lee and came to the borders* of Ju·deʹa across the Jordan.a ² Also, large crowds followed him, and he cured them there. ³ And Pharisees came to him intent on testing him, and they asked: “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife on every sort of grounds?”b ⁴ In reply he said: “Have you not read that the one who created them from the beginning made them male and femalec ⁵ and said: ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh’?d ⁶ So that they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has yoked together, let no man put apart.”e ⁷ They said to him: “Why, then, did Moses direct giving a certificate of dismissal and divorcing her?”f ⁸ He said to them: “Out of regard for your hard-heartedness, Moses made the concession to you of divorcing your wives,g but that has not been the case from the beginning.h ⁹ I say to you that whoever divorces his wife, except on the grounds of sexual immorality, and marries another commits adultery.”i ¹⁰ The disciples said to him: “If that is the situation of a man with his wife, it is not advisable to marry.” ¹¹ He said to them: “Not all men make room for the saying, but only those who have the gift.j ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs on account of the Kingdom of the heavens. Let the one who can make room for it make room for it.”k ¹³ Then young children were brought to him for him to place his hands on them and offer prayer, but the disciples reprimanded them.l ¹⁴ Jesus, however, said: “Let the young children alone, and do not try to stop them from coming to me, for the Kingdom of the heavens belongs to such ones.”m ¹⁵ And he placed his hands on them and departed from there. ¹⁶ Now look! someone came up to him and said: “Teacher, what good must I do to gain everlasting life?”n ¹⁷ He said to him: “Why do you ask me about what is good? One there is who is good.o If, though, you want to enter into life, observe the commandments continually.”p ¹⁸ He said to him: “Which ones?” Jesus said: “You must not murder,q you must not commit adultery,r you must not steal,s you must not bear false witness,t ¹⁹ honor your father and your mother,u and you must love your neighbor as yourself.”v ²⁰ The young man said to him: “I have kept all of these; what am I still lacking?” ²¹ Jesus said to him: “If you want to be perfect, go sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven;w and come be my follower.”x ²² When the young man heard this, he went away grieved, for he had many possessions.y ²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Truly I say to you that it will be difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of the heavens.z ²⁴ Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to get through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”a ²⁵ When the disciples heard that, they were greatly astounded, saying: “Who really can be saved?”b ²⁶ Looking at them intently, Jesus said to them: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”c ²⁷ Then Peter said in reply: “Look! We have left all things and followed you; what, then, will there be for us?”d ²⁸ Jesus said to them: “Truly I say to you, in the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.e ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit everlasting life.f ³⁰ “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.g

Matthew 19

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NWT | According to Matthew 20:1-34

NWT | According to Matthew 20:1-34 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 20:1-34

20 “For the Kingdom of the heavens is like the master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire workers for his vineyard.a ² After he had agreed with the workers for a de·narʹi·us a day, he sent them into his vineyard. ³ Going out also about the third hour, he saw others standing unemployed in the marketplace; ⁴ and to those he said, ‘You too go into the vineyard, and I will give you whatever is fair.’ ⁵ So off they went. Again he went out about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did likewise. ⁶ Finally, about the 11th hour, he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here all day unemployed?’ ⁷ They replied, ‘Because nobody has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You too go into the vineyard.’ ⁸ “When evening came, the master of the vineyard said to his man in charge, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages,b starting with the last and ending with the first.’ ⁹ When the 11th-hour men came, they each received a de·narʹi·us. ¹⁰ So when the first came, they assumed that they would receive more, but they too were paid at the rate of a de·narʹi·us. ¹¹ On receiving it, they began to complain against the master of the house ¹² and said, ‘These last men put in one hour’s work; still you made them equal to us who bore the burden of the day and the burning heat!’ ¹³ But he said in reply to one of them, ‘Fellow, I do you no wrong. You agreed with me for a de·narʹi·us, did you not?c ¹⁴ Take what is yours and go. I want to give to this last one the same as to you. ¹⁵ Do I not have the right to do what I want with my own things? Or is your eye envious because I am good?’d ¹⁶ In this way, the last ones will be first, and the first ones last.”e ¹⁷ While going up to Jerusalem, Jesus took the 12 disciples aside privately and said to them on the road:f ¹⁸ “Look! We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes. They will condemn him to deathg ¹⁹ and hand him over to men of the nations to be mocked and scourged and executed on a stake;h and on the third day he will be raised up.”i ²⁰ Then the mother of the sons of Zebʹe·deej approached him with her sons, doing obeisance and asking for something from him.k ²¹ He said to her: “What do you want?” She replied to him: “Give the word that these two sons of mine may sit down, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your Kingdom.”l ²² Jesus answered: “You do not know what you are asking for. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?”m They said to him: “We can.” ²³ He said to them: “You will indeed drink my cup,n but to sit down at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give, but it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”o ²⁴ When the ten others heard about it, they became indignant at the two brothers.p ²⁵ But Jesus called them to him and said: “You know that the rulers of the nations lord it over them and the great men wield authority over them.q ²⁶ This must not be the way among you;r but whoever wants to become great among you must be your minister,s ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave.t ²⁸ Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to ministeru and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.”v ²⁹ As they were going out of Jerʹi·cho, a large crowd followed him. ³⁰ And look! two blind men sitting beside the road heard that Jesus was passing by and cried out: “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”w ³¹ But the crowd rebuked them, telling them to keep silent; yet they cried all the louder, saying: “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” ³² So Jesus stopped, called them, and said: “What do you want me to do for you?” ³³ They said to him: “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” ³⁴ Moved with pity,x Jesus touched their eyes,y and immediately they recovered their sight, and they followed him.

Matthew 20

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NWT | According to Matthew 21:1-46

NWT | According to Matthew 21:1-46 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 21:1-46

21 When they got close to Jerusalem and arrived at Bethʹpha·ge on the Mount of Olives,a then Jesus sent two disciples,b ² saying to them: “Go into the village that is within sight, and you will at once find a donkey tied and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If someone says anything to you, you must say, ‘The Lord needs them.’ At that he will immediately send them.” ⁴ This actually took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, who said: ⁵ “Tell the daughter of Zion: ‘Look! Your king is coming to you,c mild-temperedd and mounted on a donkey, yes, on a colt, the offspring of a beast of burden.’”e ⁶ So the disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them.f ⁷ They brought the donkey and its colt, and they put their outer garments on them, and he sat on them.g ⁸ Most of the crowd spread their outer garments on the road,h while others were cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. ⁹ Moreover, the crowds going ahead of him and those following him kept shouting: “Save, we pray, the Son of David!i Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name!j Save him, we pray, in the heights above!”*k ¹⁰ And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in an uproar, saying: “Who is this?” ¹¹ The crowds kept saying: “This is the prophet Jesus,l from Nazʹa·reth of Galʹi·lee!” ¹² Jesus entered the temple and threw out all those selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.m ¹³ And he said to them: “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’n but you are making it a cave of robbers.”o ¹⁴ Also, blind and lame people came to him in the temple, and he cured them. ¹⁵ When the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things he did and the boys who were shouting in the temple, “Save, we pray, the Son of David!”p they became indignantq ¹⁶ and said to him: “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them: “Yes. Did you never read this, ‘Out of the mouth of children and infants, you have brought forth praise’?”r ¹⁷ And leaving them behind, he went out of the city to Bethʹa·ny and spent the night there.s ¹⁸ While returning to the city early in the morning, he felt hungry.t ¹⁹ He caught sight of a fig tree by the road and went to it, but he found nothing on it except leaves,u and he said to it: “Let no fruit come from you ever again.”v And the fig tree withered instantly. ²⁰ When the disciples saw this, they were amazed and said: “How is it that the fig tree withered instantly?”w ²¹ In answer Jesus said to them: “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only will you do what I did to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen.x ²² And all the things you ask in prayer, having faith, you will receive.”y ²³ After he went into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him while he was teaching and said: “By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?”z ²⁴ In reply Jesus said to them: “I will also ask you one thing. If you tell me, then I will also tell you by what authority I do these things: ²⁵ The baptism by John, from what source was it? From heaven or from men?”* But they began to reason among themselves, saying: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why, then, did you not believe him?’a ²⁶ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we have the crowd to fear, for they all regard John as a prophet.”b ²⁷ So they answered Jesus: “We do not know.” He, in turn, said to them: “Neither am I telling you by what authority I do these things. ²⁸ “What do you think? A man had two children. Going up to the first, he said, ‘Child, go work today in the vineyard.’ ²⁹ In answer this one said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward, he felt regret and went out. ³⁰ Approaching the second, he said the same. This one replied, ‘I will, Sir,’ but did not go out. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said: “The first.” Jesus said to them: “Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going ahead of you into the Kingdom of God.c ³² For John came to you in a way of righteousness, but you did not believe him. However, the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him,d and even when you saw this, you did not feel regret afterward so as to believe him. ³³ “Hear another illustration: There was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyarde and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and erected a tower;f then he leased it to cultivators and traveled abroad.g ³⁴ When the fruit season came around, he sent his slaves to the cultivators to collect his fruit. ³⁵ However, the cultivators took his slaves, and they beat one up, another they killed, another they stoned.h ³⁶ Again he sent other slaves, more than the first group, but they did the same to these.i ³⁷ Lastly he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸ On seeing the son, the cultivators said among themselves, ‘This is the heir.j Come, let us kill him and get his inheritance!’ ³⁹ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.k ⁴⁰ Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those cultivators?” ⁴¹ They said to him: “Because they are evil, he will bring a terrible destruction on them and will lease the vineyard to other cultivators, who will give him the fruits when they become due.” ⁴² Jesus said to them: “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone that the builders rejected, this has become the chief cornerstone.l This has come from Jehovah, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?m ⁴³ This is why I say to you, the Kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits. ⁴⁴ Also, the person falling on this stone will be shattered.n As for anyone on whom it falls, it will crush him.”o ⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his illustrations, they knew that he was speaking about them.p ⁴⁶ Although they wanted to seize* him, they feared the crowds, because these regarded him as a prophet.q

Matthew 21

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NWT | According to Matthew 22:1-46

NWT | According to Matthew 22:1-46 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 22:1-46

22 Once more Jesus spoke to them with illustrations, saying: ² “The Kingdom of the heavens may be likened to a king who made a marriage feasta for his son. ³ And he sent his slaves to call those invited to the marriage feast, but they were unwilling to come.b ⁴ Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Look! I have prepared my dinner, my bulls and fattened animals are slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the marriage feast.”’ ⁵ But unconcerned they went off, one to his own field, another to his business;c ⁶ but the rest, seizing his slaves, treated them insolently and killed them. ⁷ “The king grew wrathful and sent his armies and killed those murderers and burned their city.d ⁸ Then he said to his slaves, ‘The marriage feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.e ⁹ Therefore, go to the roads leading out of the city, and invite anyone* you find to the marriage feast.’f ¹⁰ Accordingly, those slaves went out to the roads and gathered all they found, both wicked and good; and the room for the wedding ceremonies was filled with those dining.* ¹¹ “When the king came in to inspect the guests, he caught sight of a man not wearing a marriage garment. ¹² So he said to him, ‘Fellow, how did you get in here without a marriage garment?’ He was speechless. ¹³ Then the king said to his servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and throw him into the darkness outside. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.’ ¹⁴ “For there are many invited, but few chosen.” ¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and conspired together in order to trap him in his speech.g ¹⁶ So they sent their disciples to him, together with party followers of Herod,h saying: “Teacher, we know you are truthful and teach the way of God in truth, and you do not seek anyone’s favor, for you do not look at the outward appearance of people. ¹⁷ Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it lawful* to pay head tax to Caesar or not?” ¹⁸ But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said: “Why do you put me to the test, hypocrites? ¹⁹ Show me the tax coin.” They brought him a de·narʹi·us. ²⁰ He said to them: “Whose image and inscription is this?” ²¹ They said: “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them: “Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.”i ²² When they heard that, they were amazed, and they left him and went away. ²³ On that day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,j came and asked him:k ²⁴ “Teacher, Moses said: ‘If any man dies without having children, his brother must marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.’l ²⁵ Now there were seven brothers with us. The first married and died, and having no offspring, he left his wife for his brother. ²⁶ The same thing happened with the second and the third, through all seven. ²⁷ Last of all, the woman died. ²⁸ So in the resurrection, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her as a wife.” ²⁹ In reply Jesus said to them: “You are mistaken, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God;m ³⁰ for in the resurrection neither do men marry nor are women given in marriage, but they are as angels in heaven.n ³¹ Regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, who said: ³² ‘I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob’?o He is the God, not of the dead, but of the living.”p ³³ On hearing that, the crowds were astounded at his teaching.q ³⁴ After the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came together in one group. ³⁵ And one of them, versed in the Law, tested him by asking: ³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”r ³⁷ He said to him: “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’s ³⁸ This is the greatest and first commandment. ³⁹ The second, like it, is this: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’t ⁴⁰ On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets.”u ⁴¹ Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them:v ⁴² “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him: “David’s.”w ⁴³ He asked them: “How is it, then, that David under inspirationx calls him Lord, saying, ⁴⁴ ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies beneath your feet”’?y ⁴⁵ If, then, David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”z ⁴⁶ And nobody was able to say a word in reply to him, and from that day on, no one dared to question him any further.

Matthew 22

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NWT | According to Matthew 23:1-39

NWT | According to Matthew 23:1-39 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 23:1-39

23 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying: ² “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. ³ Therefore, all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but they do not practice what they say.a ⁴ They bind up heavy loads and put them on the shoulders of men,b but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger.c ⁵ All the works they do, they do to be seen by men,d for they broaden the scripture-containing cases that they wear as safeguardse and lengthen the fringes of their garments.f ⁶ They like the most prominent place at evening meals and the front seats in the synagoguesg ⁷ and the greetings in the marketplaces and to be called Rabbi by men. ⁸ But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your Teacher,h and all of you are brothers. ⁹ Moreover, do not call anyone your father on earth, for one is your Father,i the heavenly One. ¹⁰ Neither be called leaders, for your Leader is one, the Christ.j ¹¹ But the greatest one among you must be your minister.k ¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled,l and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.m ¹³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut up the Kingdom of the heavens before men; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on their way in to go in.n ¹⁴ —— ¹⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!o because you travel over sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him a subject for Ge·henʹna twice as much so as yourselves. ¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides,p who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is under obligation.’q ¹⁷ Fools and blind ones! Which, in fact, is greater, the gold or the temple that has sanctified the gold? ¹⁸ Moreover, ‘If anyone swears by the altar,r it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is under obligation.’ ¹⁹ Blind ones! Which, in fact, is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift? ²⁰ Therefore, whoever swears by the altar is swearing by it and by all the things on it; ²¹ and whoever swears by the temple is swearing by it and by the One inhabiting it;s ²² and whoever swears by heaven is swearing by the throne of God and by the One sitting on it.t ²³ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you give the tenth of the mint and the dill and the cumin,u but you have disregarded the weightier* matters of the Law, namely, justicev and mercyw and faithfulness.* These things it was necessary to do, yet not to disregard the other things.x ²⁴ Blind guides,y who strain out the gnatz but gulp down the camel!a ²⁵ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish,b but inside they are full of greediness*c and self-indulgence.d ²⁶ Blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may also become clean. ²⁷ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!e because you resemble whitewashed graves,f which outwardly indeed appear beautiful but inside are full of dead men’s bones and of every sort of uncleanness. ²⁸ In the same way, on the outside you appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.g ²⁹ “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!h because you build the graves of the prophets and decorate the tombs of the righteous ones,i ³⁰ and you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have shared with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ ³¹ Therefore, you are testifying against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.j ³² Well, then, fill up the measure of your forefathers. ³³ “Serpents, offspring of vipers,k how will you flee from the judgment of Ge·henʹna?l ³⁴ For this reason, I am sending to you prophetsm and wise men and public instructors.n Some of them you will killo and execute on stakes, and some of them you will scourgep in your synagogues and persecuteq from city to city, ³⁵ so that there may come upon you all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous Abelr to the blood of Zech·a·riʹah son of Bar·a·chiʹah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.s ³⁶ Truly I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. ³⁷ “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the killer of the prophets and stoner of those sent to hert—how often I wanted to gather your children together the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings! But you did not want it.u ³⁸ Look! Your house is abandoned to you.v ³⁹ For I say to you, you will by no means see me from now until you say, ‘Blessed is the one who comes in Jehovah’s name!’”w

Matthew 23

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NWT | According to Matthew 24:1-51

NWT | According to Matthew 24:1-51 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 24:1-51

24 Now as Jesus was departing from the temple, his disciples approached to show him the buildings of the temple. ² In response he said to them: “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, by no means will a stone be left here upon a stone and not be thrown down.”a ³ While he was sitting on the Mount of Olives,b the disciples approached him privately, saying: “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your presencec and of the conclusion of the system of things?”d ⁴ In answer Jesus said to them: “Look out that nobody misleads you,e ⁵ for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.f ⁶ You are going to hear of wars and reports of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for these things must take place, but the end is not yet.g ⁷ “For nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,h and there will be food shortagesi and earthquakes in one place after another.j ⁸ All these things are a beginning of pangs of distress. ⁹ “Then people will hand you over to tribulationk and will kill you,l and you will be hated by all the nations on account of my name.m ¹⁰ Then, too, many will be stumbled and will betray one another and will hate one another. ¹¹ Many false prophets will arise and mislead many;n ¹² and because of the increasing of lawlessness, the love of the greater number will grow cold.o ¹³ But the one who has endured to the end will be saved.p ¹⁴ And this good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations,q and then the end will come. ¹⁵ “Therefore, when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken about by Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy placer (let the reader use discernment), ¹⁶ then let those in Ju·deʹa begin fleeing to the mountains.s ¹⁷ Let the man on the housetop not come down to take the goods out of his house, ¹⁸ and let the man in the field not return to pick up his outer garment.t ¹⁹ Woe to the pregnant women and those nursing a baby in those days!u ²⁰ Keep praying that your flight may not occur in wintertime nor on the Sabbath day; ²¹ for then there will be great tribulationv such as has not occurred since the world’s beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.w ²² In fact, unless those days were cut short, no flesh would be saved; but on account of the chosen ones those days will be cut short.x ²³ “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look! Here is the Christ,’y or, ‘There!’ do not believe it.z ²⁴ For false Christs and false prophetsa will arise and will perform great signs and wonders so as to mislead,b if possible, even the chosen ones. ²⁵ Look! I have forewarned you. ²⁶ Therefore, if people say to you, ‘Look! He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out; ‘Look! He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.c ²⁷ For just as the lightning comes out of the east and shines over to the west, so the presence of the Son of man will be.d ²⁸ Wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.e ²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened,f and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.g ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief,h and they will see the Son of mani coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.*j ³¹ And he will send out his angels with a great trumpet sound, and they will gather his chosen ones together from the four winds, from one extremity of the heavens to their other extremity.k ³² “Now learn this illustration from the fig tree: Just as soon as its young branch grows tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near.l ³³ Likewise also you, when you see all these things, know that he is near at the doors.m ³⁴ Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen. ³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.n ³⁶ “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows,o neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.p ³⁷ For just as the days of Noah were,q so the presence of the Son of man will be.r ³⁸ For as they were in those days before the Flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark,s ³⁹ and they took no note until the Flood came and swept them all away,t so the presence of the Son of man will be. ⁴⁰ Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken along and the other abandoned. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the hand mill; one will be taken along and the other abandoned.u ⁴² Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.v ⁴³ “But know one thing: If the householder had known in what watch* the thief was coming,w he would have kept awake and not allowed his house to be broken into.x ⁴⁴ On this account, you too prove yourselves ready,y because the Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not think to be it. ⁴⁵ “Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?z ⁴⁶ Happy is that slave if his master on coming finds him doing so!a ⁴⁷ Truly I say to you, he will appoint him over all his belongings. ⁴⁸ “But if ever that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying,’b ⁴⁹ and he starts to beat his fellow slaves and to eat and drink with the confirmed drunkards, ⁵⁰ the master of that slave will come on a day that he does not expect and in an hour that he does not know,c ⁵¹ and he will punish him with the greatest severity and will assign him his place with the hypocrites. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.d

Matthew 24

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NWT | According to Matthew 25:1-46

NWT | According to Matthew 25:1-46 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 25:1-46

25 “Then the Kingdom of the heavens may be likened to ten virgins who took their lampsa and went out to meet the bridegroom.b ² Five of them were foolish, and five were discreet.c ³ For the foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them, ⁴ whereas the discreet took oil in their flasks along with their lamps. ⁵ While the bridegroom was delaying, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. ⁶ Right in the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Go out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins got up and put their lamps in order.d ⁸ The foolish said to the discreet, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are about to go out.’ ⁹ The discreet answered, saying: ‘Perhaps there may not be enough for both us and you. Go instead to those who sell it, and buy some for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ While they were going off to buy it, the bridegroom came. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast,e and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward, the rest of the virgins also came, saying, ‘Sir, Sir, open to us!’f ¹² In answer he said, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you.’ ¹³ “Keep on the watch,g therefore, because you know neither the day nor the hour.h ¹⁴ “For it is just like a man about to travel abroad who summoned his slaves and entrusted his belongings to them.i ¹⁵ He gave five talents to one, two to another, and one to still another, to each according to his own ability,j and he went abroad. ¹⁶ Immediately the one who received the five talents went and did business with them and gained five more. ¹⁷ Likewise, the one who received the two gained two more. ¹⁸ But the slave who received just one went off and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. ¹⁹ “After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.k ²⁰ So the one who had received the five talents came forward and brought five additional talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me; see, I gained five talents more.’l ²¹ His master said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things.m Enter into the joy of your master.’*n ²² Next the one who had received the two talents came forward and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me; see, I gained two talents more.’o ²³ His master said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things. I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ “Finally the slave who had received the one talent came forward and said: ‘Master, I knew you to be a demanding* man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not winnow.p ²⁵ So I grew afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ In reply his master said to him: ‘Wicked and sluggish* slave, you knew, did you, that I reaped where I did not sow and gathered where I did not winnow? ²⁷ Well, then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my coming I would have received it back with interest. ²⁸ “‘Therefore, take the talent away from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.q ²⁹ For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.r ³⁰ And throw the good-for-nothing slave out into the darkness outside. There is where his weeping and the gnashing of his teeth will be.’ ³¹ “When the Son of mans comes in his glory, and all the angels with him,t then he will sit down on his glorious throne. ³² All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ And he will put the sheepu on his right hand, but the goats on his left.v ³⁴ “Then the King will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who have been blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. ³⁵ For I became hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger and you received me hospitably;w ³⁶ naked and you clothed me.x I fell sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you visited me.’y ³⁷ Then the righteous ones will answer him with the words: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?z ³⁸ When did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ ⁴⁰ In reply the King will say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’a ⁴¹ “Then he will say to those on his left: ‘Go away from me,b you who have been cursed, into the everlasting firec prepared for the Devil and his angels.d ⁴² For I became hungry, but you gave me nothing to eat; and I was thirsty, but you gave me nothing to drink. ⁴³ I was a stranger, but you did not receive me hospitably; naked, but you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, but you did not look after me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they too will answer with the words: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison and did not minister to you?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, saying: ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of these least ones, you did not do it to me.’e ⁴⁶ These will depart into everlasting cutting-off,f but the righteous ones into everlasting life.”g

Matthew 25

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NWT | According to Matthew 26:1-75

NWT | According to Matthew 26:1-75 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 26:1-75

26 Now when Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples: ² “You know that two days from now the Passover takes place,a and the Son of man will be handed over to be executed on the stake.”b ³ Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the courtyard of the high priest, who was named Caʹia·phas,c ⁴ and they conspired togetherd to seize* Jesus by cunning* and to kill him. ⁵ However, they were saying: “Not at the festival, so that there may not be an uproar among the people.” ⁶ While Jesus was in Bethʹa·ny in the house of Simon the leper,e ⁷ a woman with an alabaster jar of costly perfumed oil approached him, and she began pouring it on his head as he was dining.* ⁸ On seeing this, the disciples became indignant and said: “Why this waste? ⁹ For this could have been sold for a great deal of money and given to the poor.” ¹⁰ Aware of this, Jesus said to them: “Why do you try to make trouble for the woman? She did a fine deed toward me. ¹¹ For you always have the poor with you,f but you will not always have me.g ¹² When she put this perfumed oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial.h ¹³ Truly I say to you, wherever this good news is preached in all the world, what this woman did will also be told in memory of her.”i ¹⁴ Then one of the Twelve, the one called Judas Is·carʹi·ot,j went to the chief priestsk ¹⁵ and said: “What will you give me to betray him to you?”l They stipulated to him 30 silver pieces.m ¹⁶ So from then on, he kept looking for a good opportunity to betray him. ¹⁷ On the first day of the Unleavened Bread,n the disciples came to Jesus, saying: “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?”o ¹⁸ He said: “Go into the city to So-and-so and say to him, ‘The Teacher says: “My appointed time is near; I will celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your home.”’” ¹⁹ So the disciples did as Jesus instructed them and prepared for the Passover. ²⁰ When evening came,p he was reclining at the table with the 12 disciples.q ²¹ While they were eating, he said: “Truly I say to you, one of you will betray me.”r ²² Being very much grieved at this, each and every one began to say to him: “Lord, it is not I, is it?” ²³ In reply he said: “The one who dips his hand with me into the bowl is the one who will betray me.s ²⁴ True, the Son of man is going away, just as it is written about him, but woet to that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed!u It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”v ²⁵ Judas, who was about to betray him, replied: “It is not I, is it, Rabbi?” Jesus said to him: “You yourself said it.” ²⁶ As they continued eating, Jesus took a loaf, and after saying a blessing, he broke it,w and giving it to the disciples, he said: “Take, eat. This means my body.”x ²⁷ And taking a cup, he offered thanks and gave it to them, saying: “Drink out of it, all of you,y ²⁸ for this means my ‘bloodz of the covenant,’a which is to be poured out in behalf of manyb for forgiveness of sins.c ²⁹ But I say to you: I will by no means drink again any of this product of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in the Kingdom of my Father.”d ³⁰ Finally, after singing praises, they went out to the Mount of Olives.e ³¹ Then Jesus said to them: “All of you will be stumbled in connection with me on this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered about.’f ³² But after I have been raised up, I will go ahead of you into Galʹi·lee.”g ³³ But Peter, in response, said to him: “Although all the others are stumbled in connection with you, I will never be stumbled!”h ³⁴ Jesus said to him: “Truly I say to you, on this night, before a rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”i ³⁵ Peter said to him: “Even if I should have to die with you, I will by no means disown you.”j All the other disciples also said the same thing. ³⁶ Then Jesus came with them to the spot called Geth·semʹa·ne,k and he said to the disciples: “Sit down here while I go over there and pray.”l ³⁷ And taking along Peter and the two sons of Zebʹe·dee,m he began to feel grieved and to be greatly troubled.n ³⁸ Then he said to them: “I am deeply grieved, even to death. Stay here and keep on the watch with me.”o ³⁹ And going a little way forward, he fell facedown, praying:p “My Father, if it is possible, let this cupq pass away from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will.”r ⁴⁰ He returned to the disciples and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter: “Could you not so much as keep on the watch for one hour with me?s ⁴¹ Keep on the watcht and pray continually,u so that you may not enter into temptation.v The spirit, of course, is eager,* but the flesh is weak.”w ⁴² Again, a second time, he went off and prayed: “My Father, if it is not possible for this to pass away unless I drink it, let your will take place.”x ⁴³ And he came again and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So leaving them, he again went off and prayed for a third time, saying once more the same thing. ⁴⁵ Then he returned to the disciples and said to them: “At such a time as this, you are sleeping and resting! Look! The hour has drawn near for the Son of man to be betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶ Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer has drawn near.” ⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, look! Judas, one of the Twelve, came and with him a large crowd with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.y ⁴⁸ Now his betrayer had given them a sign, saying: “Whoever it is I kiss, he is the one; take him into custody.” ⁴⁹ And going straight up to Jesus, he said: “Greetings, Rabbi!” and gave him a tender kiss. ⁵⁰ But Jesus said to him: “Fellow, for what purpose are you present?”z Then they came forward and seized Jesus and took him into custody. ⁵¹ But look! one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword and struck the slave of the high priest, taking off his ear.a ⁵² Then Jesus said to him: “Return your sword to its place,b for all those who take up the sword will perish by the sword.c ⁵³ Or do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father to supply me at this moment more than 12 legions of angels?d ⁵⁴ In that case, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must take place this way?” ⁵⁵ In that hour Jesus said to the crowds: “Did you come out to arrest me with swords and clubs as against a robber? Day after day I used to sit in the temple teaching,e and yet you did not take me into custody.f ⁵⁶ But all of this has taken place for the writings* of the prophets to be fulfilled.”g Then all the disciples abandoned him and fled.h ⁵⁷ Those who took Jesus into custody led him away to Caʹia·phasi the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together.j ⁵⁸ But Peter kept following him from a good distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and after going inside, he sat with the house attendants to see the outcome.k ⁵⁹ Now the chief priests and the entire Sanʹhe·drin were looking for false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death.l ⁶⁰ But they found none, although many false witnesses came forward.m Later two came forward ⁶¹ and said: “This man said, ‘I am able to throw down the temple of God and build it up in three days.’”n ⁶² With that the high priest stood up and said to him: “Do you say nothing in reply? What is it these men are testifying against you?”o ⁶³ But Jesus kept silent.p So the high priest said to him: “I put you under oath by the living God to tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of God!”q ⁶⁴ Jesus said to him: “You yourself said it. But I say to you: From now on you will see the Son of manr sitting at the right hand of powers and coming on the clouds of heaven.”t ⁶⁵ Then the high priest ripped his outer garments, saying: “He has blasphemed!u What further need do we have of witnesses? See! Now you have heard the blasphemy. ⁶⁶ What is your opinion?” They answered: “He deserves to die.”v ⁶⁷ Then they spat in his facew and hit him with their fists.x Others slapped him on the face,y ⁶⁸ saying: “Prophesy to us, you Christ. Who struck you?” ⁶⁹ Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him and said: “You too were with Jesus the Gal·i·leʹan!”z ⁷⁰ But he denied it before them all, saying: “I do not know what you are talking about.” ⁷¹ When he went out to the gatehouse, another girl noticed him and said to those there: “This man was with Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ.”a ⁷² Again he denied it, with an oath: “I do not know the man!” ⁷³ After a little while, those standing around came up and said to Peter: “Certainly you are also one of them, for in fact, your dialect gives you away.” ⁷⁴ Then he started to curse and swear: “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵ And Peter called to mind what Jesus had said, namely: “Before a rooster crows, you will disown me three times.”b And he went outside and wept bitterly.

Matthew 26

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NWT | According to Matthew 27:1-66

NWT | According to Matthew 27:1-66 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

According to Matthew 27:1-66

27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people consulted together against Jesus to put him to death.+ ² After binding him, they led him off and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.+ ³ Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, felt remorse and brought the 30 pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders,+ ⁴ saying: “I sinned when I betrayed innocent blood.” They said: “What is that to us? You must see to it!”* ⁵ So he threw the silver pieces into the temple and departed. Then he went off and hanged himself.+ ⁶ But the chief priests took the silver pieces and said: “It is not lawful to put them into the sacred treasury, because they are the price of blood.” ⁷ After consulting together, they used the money to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. ⁸ Therefore, that field has been called Field of Blood+ to this very day. ⁹ Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “And they took the 30 silver pieces,+ the price that was set on the man, the one on whom a price was set by some of the sons of Israel, ¹⁰ and they gave them for the potter’s field, according to what Jehovah had commanded me.”+ ¹¹ Jesus now stood before the governor, and the governor put the question to him: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus replied: “You yourself say it.”+ ¹² But while he was being accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer.+ ¹³ Then Pilate said to him: “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” ¹⁴ But he did not answer him, no, not a word, so that the governor was very surprised. ¹⁵ Now from festival to festival,* it was the custom of the governor to release a prisoner to the crowd, whomever they wanted.+ ¹⁶ Just at that time they were holding a notorious prisoner called Bar·abʹbas.+ ¹⁷ So when they were gathered together, Pilate said to them: “Which one do you want me to release to you, Bar·abʹbas or Jesus the so-called Christ?” ¹⁸ For Pilate was aware that out of envy they had handed him over. ¹⁹ Moreover, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent a message to him, saying: “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I suffered a lot today in a dream because of him.” ²⁰ But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Bar·abʹbas,+ but to have Jesus put to death.+ ²¹ In response the governor said to them: “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said: “Bar·abʹbas.” ²² Pilate said to them: “What, then, should I do with Jesus the so-called Christ?” They all said: “To the stake with him!”*+ ²³ He said: “Why? What bad thing did he do?” Still they kept shouting out all the more: “To the stake with him!”+ ²⁴ Seeing that it did no good but, rather, an uproar was arising, Pilate took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying: “I am innocent of the blood of this man.* You yourselves must see to it.”* ²⁵ At that all the people said in answer: “Let his blood come upon us and upon our children.”+ ²⁶ Then he released Bar·abʹbas to them, but he had Jesus whipped+ and handed him over to be executed on the stake.+ ²⁷ Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s residence and gathered the whole body of troops together around him.+ ²⁸ And disrobing him, they draped him with a scarlet cloak,+ ²⁹ and they braided a crown out of thorns and put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying: “Greetings, you King of the Jews!” ³⁰ And they spat on him+ and took the reed and began hitting him on his head. ³¹ Finally, after they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak and put his outer garments on him and led him off to be nailed to the stake.+ ³² As they were going out, they found a man of Cy·reʹne named Simon. This man they compelled into service to carry* his torture stake.+ ³³ And when they came to a place called Golʹgo·tha, that is, Skull Place,+ ³⁴ they gave him wine mixed with gall to drink;+ but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵ When they had nailed him to the stake, they distributed his outer garments by casting lots,+ ³⁶ and they sat there keeping watch over him. ³⁷ They also posted above his head the charge against him, in writing: “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.”+ ³⁸ Then two robbers were put on stakes alongside him, one on his right and one on his left.+ ³⁹ And those passing by spoke abusively of him,+ shaking their heads+ ⁴⁰ and saying: “You who would throw down the temple and build it in three days,+ save yourself! If you are a son of God, come down off the torture stake!”+ ⁴¹ In the same way also, the chief priests with the scribes and the elders began mocking him, saying:+ ⁴² “Others he saved; himself he cannot save! He is King of Israel;+ let him now come down off the torture stake, and we will believe in him. ⁴³ He has put his trust in God; let Him now rescue him if He wants him,+ for he said, ‘I am God’s Son.’”+ ⁴⁴ In the same way, even the robbers who were on stakes alongside him were reproaching him.+ ⁴⁵ From the sixth hour on, a darkness fell over all the land* until the ninth hour.+ ⁴⁶ About the ninth hour, Jesus called out with a loud voice, saying: “Eʹli, Eʹli, laʹma sa·bach·thaʹni?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”+ ⁴⁷ At hearing this, some of those standing there began to say: “This man is calling E·liʹjah.”+ ⁴⁸ And immediately one of them ran and took a sponge and soaked it in sour wine and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink.+ ⁴⁹ But the rest of them said: “Let him be! Let us see whether E·liʹjah comes to save him.” ⁵⁰ Again Jesus called out with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.+ ⁵¹ And look! the curtain of the sanctuary+ was torn in two,+ from top to bottom,+ and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split. ⁵² And the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the holy ones who had fallen asleep* were raised up ⁵³ (and people coming out from among the tombs after his being raised up entered into the holy city), and they became visible to many people. ⁵⁴ But when the army officer and those with him keeping watch over Jesus saw the earthquake and the things happening, they grew very much afraid and said: “Certainly this was God’s Son.”*+ ⁵⁵ And many women were there watching from a distance, who had accompanied Jesus from Galʹi·lee to minister to him;+ ⁵⁶ among them were Mary Magʹda·lene and Mary the mother of James and Joʹses and the mother of the sons of Zebʹe·dee.+ ⁵⁷ Now as it was late in the afternoon, a rich man of Ar·i·ma·theʹa came, named Joseph, who had also become a disciple of Jesus.+ ⁵⁸ This man approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.+ Then Pilate commanded that it be given to him.+ ⁵⁹ Joseph took the body, wrapped it up in clean, fine linen,+ ⁶⁰ and laid it in his new tomb,+ which he had quarried in the rock. And after rolling a big stone to the entrance of the tomb, he left. ⁶¹ But Mary Magʹda·lene and the other Mary continued there, sitting before the grave.+ ⁶² The next day, which was after the Preparation,+ the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together before Pilate, ⁶³ saying: “Sir, we recall what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I am to be raised up.’+ ⁶⁴ Therefore, command that the grave be made secure until the third day, so that his disciples may not come and steal him+ and say to the people, ‘He was raised up from the dead!’ Then this last deception will be worse than the first.” ⁶⁵ Pilate said to them: “You may have a guard. Go make it as secure as you know how.” ⁶⁶ So they went and made the grave secure by sealing the stone and posting a guard.

Footnotes

^ Or “That is your problem!”

^ Or “at each festival.”

^ Or “Execute him on the stake!”

^ Or “innocent of this blood.”

^ Or “This is your responsibility.”

^ Or “lift up.”

^ Lit., “earth.”

^ Or “had fallen asleep in death; had died.”

^ Or possibly, “a son of God; a son of a god.”

Study Notes

elders: Lit., “older men.” In the Bible, the Greek term pre·sbyʹte·ros refers primarily to those who hold a position of authority and responsibility in a community or a nation. Although the term sometimes refers to physical age (as at Lu 15:25; Ac 2:17), it is not limited to those who are elderly. Here it refers to the leaders of the Jewish nation who are often mentioned together with chief priests and scribes. The Sanhedrin was made up of men from these three groups.—Mt 21:23; 26:3, 47, 57; 27:1, 41; 28:12; see Glossary, “Elder; Older man.”

elders: See study note on Mt 16:21.

Pilate, the governor: The Roman governor (prefect) of Judea appointed by Emperor Tiberius in 26 C.E. His rule lasted about ten years. Pilate is mentioned by non-Biblical writers, including Roman historian Tacitus, who wrote that Pilate ordered the execution of Christ during the reign of Tiberius. A Latin inscription with the words “Pontius Pilate, Prefect of Judea” was found in the ancient Roman theater in Caesarea, Israel.—See App. B10 for the domain ruled by Pontius Pilate.

felt remorse: While the Greek word me·ta·meʹlo·mai used here can have positive connotations (rendered “feel regret” or “regret” at Mt 21:29, 32; 2Co 7:8), there is no indication that Judas was truly repentant. When referring to repentance before God, the Bible uses a different term, me·ta·no·eʹo (rendered “repent” at Mt 3:2; 4:17; Lu 15:7; Ac 3:19), which signifies a strong change in thinking, attitude, or purpose. Judas’ actions of returning to the very men he had conspired with and then committing suicide show that his thinking remained distorted, not changed for the better.

innocent: Some ancient manuscripts read “righteous.”—Compare Mt 23:35.

temple: The Greek word na·osʹ used here can refer to the entire complex, including its courtyards, and not only to the inner sanctuary of the temple itself.

hanged himself: Luke’s account of Judas’ death, recorded at Ac 1:18, reports that Judas fell and his body burst open. Matthew seems to deal with how he committed suicide, while Luke describes the result. Combining the two accounts, it appears that Judas hanged himself over a cliff, but at some point the rope or tree limb broke so that he plunged down and burst open on the rocks below. The topography around Jerusalem allows for such a conclusion.

price of blood: Or “blood money,” that is, money received for shedding blood.

they used the money: Matthew alone specifies that the chief priests used the 30 silver pieces to purchase a piece of property. Ac 1:18, 19 attributes the purchase to Judas, but this is evidently because the chief priests purchased the field with the money Judas provided.

potter’s field: Since the fourth century C.E., this field has been identified with a location on the S slope of the Hinnom Valley, just before it joins the Kidron Valley. This seems to have been an area where potters pursued their craft. As shown at Mt 27:8 and Ac 1:19, the field came to be known as “Field of Blood,” or Akeldama.—See App. B12.

strangers: That is, Jews visiting from other lands or Gentiles.

to this very day: This expression indicates a lapse of some time between the events considered and the time of writing. Matthew’s Gospel was probably written about 41 C.E.

what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: The quotation following these words appears to be drawn principally from Zec 11:12, 13 but is paraphrased by Matthew, who under inspiration applied it to the circumstances fulfilling it. In Matthew’s time, Jeremiah was placed first among the prophetic books, and his name may have applied to the whole collection of these books, including Zechariah.—See study note on Mt 1:22.

Jehovah: In this quote from the Hebrew Scriptures (see study note on Mt 27:9), the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text.—See App. C.

You yourself said it: A Jewish idiom here used to affirm the truth of a statement made by a questioner. Jesus was, in effect, saying: “You have said so, and what you say is true.” Jesus’ reply evidently pointed out that Judas’ own words were an admission of responsibility for Jesus’ betrayal. At some point after this, Judas must have left the room before Jesus instituted the observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal, as shown by a comparison with the account at Joh 13:21-30. Here in Matthew’s account, Judas is next mentioned at Mt 26:47, together with the crowd in the garden of Gethsemane.

You yourself said it: Jesus did not sidestep Caiaphas’ question, since he recognized the high priest’s authority to put him under oath to state the facts. (Mt 26:63) This expression was apparently a Jewish idiom affirming that a statement was true. This is supported by Mark’s parallel account, which renders Jesus’ reply “I am.”—Mr 14:62; see study notes on Mt 26:25; 27:11.

Are you the King of the Jews?: No king in the Roman Empire could rule without Caesar’s consent. So Pilate apparently concentrated his interrogation on the issue of Jesus’ kingship.

You yourself say it: This reply is evidently an affirmation of the truth of Pilate’s statement. (Compare study notes on Mt 26:25, 64.) Though Jesus confesses to Pilate that he really is a king, it is in a sense that differs from what Pilate imagines, since Jesus’ Kingdom is “no part of this world” and thus no threat to Rome.—Joh 18:33-37.

custom . . . to release a prisoner: This incident is mentioned by all four Gospel writers. (Mr 15:6-15; Lu 23:16-25; Joh 18:39, 40) There is no basis or precedent for this custom in the Hebrew Scriptures. However, it seems that by Jesus’ day, the Jews had developed this tradition. The practice would not have seemed strange to the Romans, since there is evidence that they released prisoners to please the crowds.

judgment seat: Usually a raised outdoor platform from which seated officials could address crowds and announce their judicial decisions.

a dream: Evidently of divine origin. Matthew is the only Gospel writer to include this incident in the inspired account.

washed his hands: A symbolic gesture used to claim innocence and freedom from responsibility in a matter. This Jewish custom is mentioned at De 21:6, 7 and Ps 26:6.

Let his blood come upon us and upon our children: That is, “We and our descendants take responsibility for his death.”

whipped: The Romans flogged victims using a terrible instrument known in Latin as a flagellum, from which the Greek verb used here (phra·gel·loʹo, “to whip”) is derived. This instrument consisted of a handle into which several cords or knotted leather thongs were fixed. Sometimes the thongs were weighted with jagged pieces of bone or metal to make the blows more painful. Such floggings caused deep contusions, tore the flesh to ribbons, and could even lead to death.

governor’s residence: The Greek term prai·toʹri·on (derived from the Latin praetorium) designates the official residence of the Roman governors. In Jerusalem, the residence was probably the palace built by Herod the Great, situated in the NW corner of the upper city, that is, of the southern part of Jerusalem. (See App. B12 for the location.) Pilate stayed in Jerusalem only on certain occasions, such as festivals, since there was a potential for unrest. His usual residence was in Caesarea.

scarlet cloak: The type of cloak or robe worn by kings, magistrates, or military officers. Mr 15:17 and Joh 19:2 say that it was a purple garment, but in ancient times, “purple” was used to describe any color that had a mixture of red and blue. Also, angle, light reflection, and background could have influenced the observer’s perception of the exact color. This variation in describing the color shows that the Gospel writers did not simply copy one another’s accounts.

knelt down: In the ancient Near East, kneeling was a posture that expressed respect, especially when petitioning superiors.

crown . . . reed: Along with the scarlet cloak (mentioned at Mt 27:28), Jesus was given mock attributes of royalty—thorns for a crown and a reed for a scepter.

kneeling before him: Kneeling, normally a gesture of respect toward a superior, was another way that the soldiers mocked Jesus.—See study note on Mt 17:14.

Greetings: Or “Hail.” Lit., “Be rejoicing.” They hailed him as they would have hailed Caesar, evidently to ridicule the claim that he was a king.

compels you into service: A reference to the compulsory service that the Roman authorities could demand from a citizen. They could, for example, press men or animals into service or commandeer whatever was considered necessary to expedite official business. That is what happened to Simon of Cyrene, whom Roman soldiers “compelled into service” to carry Jesus’ torture stake.—Mt 27:32.

Cyrene: A city located near the North African coast, SSW of the island of Crete.—See App. B13.

compelled into service: See study note on Mt 5:41.

torture stake: Or “execution stake.”—See Glossary, “Stake”; “Torture stake”; see also study notes on Mt 10:38 and 16:24, where the term is used in a figurative sense.

Skull Place: The Greek expression Kra·niʹou Toʹpos renders the Hebrew word Golgotha. (See study notes on Joh 19:17.) The term Calvary is used at Lu 23:33 in some English Bible translations. It comes from the Latin word for “skull,” calvaria, used in the Vulgate.

Golgotha: From a Hebrew word meaning “skull.” (See Joh 19:17; compare Jg 9:53, where the Hebrew word gul·goʹleth is rendered “skull.”) In Jesus’ day, the site was outside the city walls of Jerusalem. However, the location remains uncertain. (See App. B12.) The Bible record does not state that Golgotha was on a hill, though it does mention that some observed the execution from a distance.—Mr 15:40; Lu 23:49.

Skull Place: See study note on Mr 15:22.

gall: The Greek word kho·leʹ here refers to a bitter liquid made from plants or a bitter substance in general. Showing that this event was a fulfillment of prophecy, Matthew quotes Ps 69:21, where the Septuagint uses this Greek word to render the Hebrew word for “poison.” Apparently, women of Jerusalem had prepared the mixture of wine and gall to dull the pain of those being executed, and the Romans did not object to its use. The parallel account at Mr 15:23 says that the wine was “drugged with myrrh,” so the drink evidently contained both myrrh and bitter gall.

he refused to drink it: Jesus evidently wanted to have full possession of all his faculties during this test of his faith.

they distributed his outer garments: The account at Joh 19:23, 24 adds complementary details not mentioned by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Combining the four Gospel accounts would give the following picture: Roman soldiers apparently cast lots over both the outer garment and the inner one; the soldiers divided the outer garments “into four parts, one for each soldier”; they did not want to divide the inner garment, so they cast lots over it; and the casting of lots for the Messiah’s apparel fulfilled Ps 22:18. It was evidently customary for the executioners to keep their victims’ clothes, so criminals were stripped of their clothing and possessions before being executed, making the ordeal all the more humiliating.

by casting lots: See Glossary, “Lots.”

robbers: Or “bandits.” The Greek word lei·stesʹ may include robbing by using violence and at times could refer to revolutionaries. The same word is used of Barabbas (Joh 18:40), who according to Lu 23:19 was in prison for “sedition” and “murder.” The parallel account at Lu 23:32, 33, 39 describes the men as “criminals” from a Greek word (ka·kourʹgos), which literally means “one who engages in doing bad or evil.”

shaking their heads: Generally accompanied by words, this gesture expressed derision, contempt, or mockery. The passersby inadvertently fulfilled the prophecy recorded at Ps 22:7.

torture stake: Or “execution stake.”—See Glossary, “Stake”; “Torture stake”; see also study notes on Mt 10:38 and 16:24, where the term is used in a figurative sense.

torture stake: Or “execution stake.”—See study note on Mt 27:32 and Glossary, “Stake”; “Torture stake.”

torture stake: Or “execution stake.”—See Glossary, “Stake”; “Torture stake”; see also study notes on Mt 10:38 and 16:24, where the term is used in a figurative sense.

torture stake: Or “execution stake.”—See study note on Mt 27:32 and Glossary, “Stake”; “Torture stake.”

about the third hour: That is, about 9:00 a.m. In the first century C.E., the Jews used the count of 12 hours to the day, starting with sunrise at about 6:00 a.m. (Joh 11:9) Therefore, the third hour would be about 9:00 a.m., the sixth hour about noon, and the ninth hour about 3:00 p.m. Since people did not have precise timepieces, only the approximate time of an event was usually given.—Joh 1:39; 4:6; 19:14; Ac 10:3, 9.

a darkness: Luke’s parallel account adds the observation that “the sunlight failed.” (Lu 23:44, 45) This darkness was miraculous, caused by God. It could not have been caused by a solar eclipse. Those occur at the time of the new moon, but this was Passover season, when the moon is full. And this darkness lasted for three hours, far longer than the longest possible total eclipse, which is less than eight minutes.

the sixth hour: That is, about 12:00 noon.—See study note on Mt 20:3.

a darkness: See study note on Mr 15:33.

the ninth hour: That is, about 3:00 p.m.—See study note on Mt 20:3.

Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?: Though some consider these words to be Aramaic, they were likely contemporary Hebrew, somewhat influenced by Aramaic. The Greek transliteration of these words recorded by Matthew and Mark does not allow for a positive identification of the original language.

My God, my God: In calling out to his heavenly Father, acknowledging him as his God, Jesus fulfilled Ps 22:1. Jesus’ cry of agony may have brought to his listeners’ minds the many things prophesied about him in the rest of Ps 22—that he would be mocked, derided, and attacked in his hands and feet and that his garments would be divided by lot.—Ps 22:6-8, 16, 18.

Elijah: From the Hebrew name meaning “My God Is Jehovah.”

sour wine: Or “wine vinegar.” Likely referring to a thin, tart, or sour wine known in Latin as acetum (vinegar) or as posca when diluted with water. This was a cheap drink that poor people, including Roman soldiers, commonly drank to quench their thirst. The Greek word oʹxos is also used at Ps 69:21 in the Septuagint, where it was prophesied that Messiah would be given “vinegar” to drink.

reed: Or “stick; staff.” In John’s account, it is called “a hyssop stalk.”—Joh 19:29; see Glossary, “Hyssop.”

to save him: Some ancient manuscripts add: “Another man took a spear and pierced his side, and blood and water came out.” Other important manuscripts do not contain those words. A similar statement is found at Joh 19:34, but according to Joh 19:33, Jesus was already dead when this occurred. Most authorities, including the editors of the Nestle-Aland and United Bible Society Greek texts, believe that the words of John’s account were later added to Matthew’s account by copyists. Even Westcott and Hort, who included these words in their Greek text in double brackets, stated that the sentence “must lie under a strong presumption of having been introduced by scribes.” Considering that there are different manuscript readings for Matthew’s account and that there is no uncertainty regarding the reading in John’s Gospel, the account at Joh 19:33, 34 evidently presents the events in correct order, namely, that Jesus was already dead when the Roman soldier pierced him with the spear. Therefore, these words are omitted in this translation at Mt 27:49.

yielded up his spirit: Or “expired; ceased to breathe.” The term “spirit” (Greek, pneuʹma) may here be understood to refer to “breath” or “life force,” which is supported by the use of the Greek verb ek·pneʹo (lit., “to breathe out”) in the parallel account at Mr 15:37 (where it is rendered “expired” or, as in the study note, “breathed his last”). Some suggest that the use of the Greek term rendered “yielded up” means that Jesus voluntarily stopped struggling to stay alive, since all things had been accomplished. (Joh 19:30) He willingly “poured out his life even to death.”—Isa 53:12; Joh 10:11.

look!: See study note on Mt 1:20.

curtain: This beautifully ornamented drape separated the Most Holy from the Holy in the temple. Jewish tradition indicates that this heavy curtain was some 18 m (60 ft) long, 9 m (30 ft) wide, and 7.4 cm (2.9 in.) thick. By tearing the curtain in two, Jehovah not only manifests his wrath against his Son’s killers but also signifies that entry into heaven itself is now possible.—Heb 10:19, 20; see Glossary.

sanctuary: The Greek word na·osʹ here refers to the central edifice with its Holy and Most Holy compartments.

tombs: Or “memorial tombs.”—See Glossary, “Memorial tomb.”

were raised up: The Greek verb e·geiʹro, meaning “to raise up,” can refer to a resurrection, but it is often used in other contexts. For example, it can mean to “lift out” of a pit or to “get up” from the ground. (Mt 12:11; 17:7; Lu 1:69) Matthew does not say that “the holy ones” are “raised up.” He says that their “bodies” are. Evidently, the earthquake was so powerful that the tombs were broken open and corpses were thrown out of them.

holy city: Refers to Jerusalem, which is often called holy because it was the location of Jehovah’s temple.—Ne 11:1; Isa 52:1.

people coming out: Or “they who came out.” The Greek verb indicates a plural masculine subject referring to people, not to the bodies (neuter in Greek) mentioned in verse 52. This evidently refers to passersby, who saw the dead bodies exposed by the earthquake (vs. 51) and who entered the city and reported what they had seen.

after his being raised up: That is, Jesus’ resurrection. The information within parentheses refers to events taking place at a later time.

holy city: That is, Jerusalem.—See study note on Mt 4:5.

they became visible: Evidently referring to the dead bodies mentioned in verse 52.—See study note on Mt 27:52.

army officer: Or “centurion,” that is, one in command of about 100 soldiers in the Roman army. This officer may have been at Jesus’ trial before Pilate and may have heard the Jews say that Jesus claimed to be God’s Son.—Mt 27:27; Joh 19:7.

Magadan: While no place called Magadan is known today in the region around the Sea of Galilee, some scholars believe that Magadan is the same locality as Magdala, which is considered to be Khirbet Majdal (Migdal), about 6 km (3.5 mi) NNW of Tiberias. In the parallel account (Mr 8:10), the area is called Dalmanutha.—See App. B10.

Mary who was called Magdalene: The woman often called Mary Magdalene is first mentioned here in the account of Jesus’ second year of preaching. Her distinguishing name, Magdalene (meaning “Of, or Belonging to, Magdala”), likely stems from the town of Magdala. This town was located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, about halfway between Capernaum and Tiberias. It has been suggested that Magdala was this Mary’s hometown or place of residence. Mary Magdalene is mentioned most prominently in connection with the death and resurrection of Jesus.—Mt 27:55, 56, 61; Mr 15:40; Lu 24:10; Joh 19:25.

Zebedee: Possibly Jesus’ uncle by marriage to Salome, the sister of Jesus’ mother, Mary. If so, John and James were Jesus’ cousins.—See study note on Mr 15:40.

mother of the sons of Zebedee: That is, the mother of the apostles James and John. According to Mark’s account, James and John are the ones who approach Jesus. (Mr 10:35) They are evidently the source of the request, but they make the request through their mother, Salome, who may have been Jesus’ aunt.—Mt 27:55, 56; Mr 15:40, 41; Joh 19:25.

James: Also called “James the Less.”—Mr 15:40.

Joses: Some ancient manuscripts read “Joseph” instead of “Joses.” In the parallel account at Mr 15:40, most ancient manuscripts read “Joses.”

mother of the sons of Zebedee: That is, the mother of the apostles James and John.—See study notes on Mt 4:21; 20:20.

Arimathea: The name of this city comes from a Hebrew word meaning “height.” At Lu 23:51, it is called “a city of the Judeans.”—See App. B10.

Joseph: The individuality of the Gospel writers is evident in the varying details they provide about Joseph. Tax collector Matthew notes that he is rich; Mark, writing for the Romans, says that he was “a reputable member of the Council” who was waiting for God’s Kingdom; Luke, the sympathetic physician, says that he “was a good and righteous man” who did not vote in support of the Council’s action against Jesus; John alone reports that he was “a secret [disciple] because of his fear of the Jews.”—Mr 15:43-46; Lu 23:50-53; Joh 19:38-42.

a big stone: Apparently a circular stone, since this verse says that it was rolled into place and Mr 16:4 says that it “had been rolled away” when Jesus was resurrected. It might have weighed a ton or more.

Clopas: In the Bible, this name is mentioned only here. It is understood by many scholars that Clopas was the same person as Alphaeus mentioned at Mt 10:3; Mr 3:18; Lu 6:15; and Ac 1:13. As other examples in the Bible show, it was not uncommon for an individual to have two names that were used interchangeably.—Compare Mt 9:9; 10:2, 3; Mr 2:14.

the other Mary: That is, “Mary the mother of James and Joses,” mentioned at Mt 27:56. She is also mentioned at Mt 28:1; Mr 15:40, 47; 16:1; Lu 24:10; Joh 19:25.—See study notes on Mr 3:18; Joh 19:25.

next day: That is, Nisan 15. The day after Nisan 14 was always observed as a Sabbath, or holy day of rest, no matter what day of the week it fell on. Additionally, in 33 C.E., Nisan 15 fell on the regular weekly Sabbath, making the day a “great,” or double, Sabbath.—Joh 19:31; see App. B12.

Preparation: A name applied to the day preceding the weekly Sabbath. During this day, the Jews got ready for the Sabbath by preparing extra meals and finishing any work that could not wait until after the Sabbath. In this case, the day of Preparation fell on Nisan 14.—Mr 15:42; see Glossary.

three days: This expression can mean parts of three days. This is evident from the request that the tomb “be made secure until the third day,” and not until the fourth.—Mt 27:64; see study note on Mt 12:40.

Then this last deception will be worse than the first: Evidently meaning that this supposed “deception,” namely, Jesus’ resurrection, would be worse than the first one, his assertion that he was the Messiah. Jesus’ adversaries apparently knew that if Jesus were to be resurrected, his claim to be the Messiah would be proved true.

a guard: Pilate evidently provided a group of Roman soldiers. (Mt 28:4, 11) Had the guards been members of the Jewish temple police, the Jews would not have had to consult Pilate. Likewise, the priests promised to set matters right with the governor if he heard of the disappearance of Jesus’ body.—Mt 28:14.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Matthew 27

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NWT | According to Matthew 28:1-20

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According to Matthew 28:1-20

28 After the Sabbath, when it was growing light on the first day of the week, Mary Magʹda·lene and the other Marya came to view the grave.b ² And look! a great earthquake had taken place, for Jehovah’s angel had descended from heaven and had come and rolled away the stone, and he was sitting on it.c ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow.d ⁴ Yes, out of their fear of him, the watchmen trembled and became as dead men. ⁵ But the angel said to the women: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was executed on the stake.e ⁶ He is not here, for he was raised up, just as he said.f Come, see the place where he was lying. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he was raised up from the dead, for look! he is going ahead of you into Galʹi·lee.g You will see him there. Look! I have told you.”h ⁸ So, quickly leaving the memorial tomb, with fear and great joy, they ran to report to his disciples.i ⁹ And look! Jesus met them and said: “Good day!” They approached and took hold of his feet and did obeisance to him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them: “Have no fear! Go, report to my brothers so that they may go to Galʹi·lee, and there they will see me.” ¹¹ While they were on their way, some of the guardsj went into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. ¹² And after these had gathered with the elders and had consulted together, they gave a considerable number of silver pieces to the soldiers ¹³ and said: “Say, ‘His disciples came in the night and stole him while we were sleeping.’k ¹⁴ And if this gets to the governor’s ears, we will explain the matter to* him and you will not need to worry.” ¹⁵ So they took the silver pieces and did as they were instructed, and this story has been spread abroad among the Jews up to this very day. ¹⁶ However, the 11 disciples went to Galʹi·leel to the mountain where Jesus had arranged for them to meet.m ¹⁷ When they saw him, they did obeisance, but some doubted. ¹⁸ Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying: “All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth.n ¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations,o baptizing themp in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.q And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”r

Matthew 28

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Acts of Apostles

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 01:1-26

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Acts of Apostles 1:1-26

1 The first account, O The·ophʹi·lus, I composed about all the things Jesus started to do and to teach+ ² until the day that he was taken up,+ after he had given instructions through holy spirit to the apostles he had chosen.+ ³ After he had suffered, he showed himself alive to them by many convincing proofs.+ He was seen by them throughout 40 days, and he was speaking about the Kingdom of God.+ ⁴ While he was meeting with them, he ordered them: “Do not leave Jerusalem,+ but keep waiting for what the Father has promised,+ about which you heard from me; ⁵ for John, indeed, baptized with water, but you will be baptized with holy spirit+ not many days after this.” ⁶ So when they had assembled, they asked him: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?”+ ⁷ He said to them: “It does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction.+ ⁸ But you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you,+ and you will be witnesses+ of me in Jerusalem,+ in all Ju·deʹa and Sa·marʹi·a,+ and to the most distant part of the earth.”+ ⁹ After he had said these things, while they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from their sight.+ ¹⁰ And as they were gazing into the sky while he was on his way, suddenly two men in white* garments+ stood beside them ¹¹ and said: “Men of Galʹi·lee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus who was taken up from you into the sky will come in the same manner as you have seen him going into the sky.” ¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem+ from a mountain called the Mount of Olives, which is near Jerusalem, only a sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ When they arrived, they went up into the upper room where they were staying. There were Peter as well as John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bar·tholʹo·mew and Matthew, James the son of Al·phaeʹus, and Simon the zealous one, and Judas the son of James.+ ¹⁴ With one purpose all of these were persisting in prayer, together with some women+ and Mary the mother of Jesus and with his brothers.+ ¹⁵ During those days Peter stood up in the midst of the brothers (the number of people was altogether about 120) and said: ¹⁶ “Men, brothers, it was necessary for the scripture to be fulfilled that the holy spirit spoke prophetically through David about Judas,+ who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus.+ ¹⁷ For he had been numbered among us+ and he obtained a share in this ministry. ¹⁸ (This very man, therefore, purchased a field with the wages for unrighteousness,+ and falling headfirst,* his body burst open* and all his insides spilled out.+ ¹⁹ This became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language A·kelʹda·ma, that is, “Field of Blood.”) ²⁰ For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his dwelling become desolate, and let there be no inhabitant in it’+ and, ‘His office of oversight let someone else take.’+ ²¹ It is therefore necessary that of the men who accompanied us during all the time in which the Lord Jesus carried on his activities among us, ²² starting with his baptism by John+ until the day he was taken up from us,+ one of these men should become a witness with us of his resurrection.”+ ²³ So they proposed two, Joseph called Barʹsab·bas, who was also called Justus, and Mat·thiʹas. ²⁴ Then they prayed and said: “You, O Jehovah, who know the hearts of all,+ designate which one of these two men you have chosen ²⁵ to take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas deviated to go to his own place.”+ ²⁶ So they cast lots over them,+ and the lot fell to Mat·thiʹas, and he was counted along with the 11 apostles.

Footnotes

^ Or “bright.”

^ Or “he burst open in the middle.”

^ Or possibly, “swelling up.”

Study Notes

The first account: Luke here refers to his Gospel account of Jesus’ life. In his Gospel account, Luke focused on “all the things Jesus started to do and to teach.” In the book of Acts, Luke picks up where he left off and records what Jesus’ followers said and did. The accounts are similar in style and wording, and both are addressed to Theophilus. Whether Theophilus was a disciple of Christ is not stated explicitly. (See study note on Lu 1:3.) Luke begins the book of Acts by summarizing many of the events recorded at the end of his Gospel, clearly indicating that this second account is a continuation of the first. In this summary, however, Luke uses somewhat different wording and provides extra details.—Compare Lu 24:49 with Ac 1:1-12.

keys of the Kingdom of the heavens: In the Bible, those who were given certain keys, whether literal or figurative, were entrusted with a degree of authority. (1Ch 9:26, 27; Isa 22:20-22) So the term “key” came to symbolize authority and responsibility. Peter used these “keys” entrusted to him to open up for Jews (Ac 2:22-41), Samaritans (Ac 8:14-17), and Gentiles (Ac 10:34-38) the opportunity to receive God’s spirit with a view to their entering the heavenly Kingdom.

Acts of Apostles: The Greek title Praʹxeis A·po·stoʹlon is found in some manuscripts going back to the second century C.E., though there is no evidence that this book originally had a title. The book is a continuation of the Gospel written by Luke. (See study note on Ac 1:1.) It covers primarily the activities of Peter and Paul, not those of all the apostles. The book provides a reliable and comprehensive history of the spectacular beginning and rapid development of the Christian congregation, first among the Jews, next among the Samaritans, and then among the Gentiles. (See study note on Mt 16:19.) The book also provides a historical background for the inspired letters of the Christian Greek Scriptures.

Theophilus: Both Luke’s Gospel and Acts of Apostles are addressed to this man. At Lu 1:3, his name is preceded by the title “most excellent.”—For more information on the use of this expression and the background of Theophilus, see study note on Lu 1:3.

the Kingdom of God: The overriding theme of the entire Bible, Jehovah’s Kingdom, dominates the book of Acts. (Ac 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:31) The book emphasizes that the apostles bore “thorough witness” concerning that Kingdom and fully accomplished their ministry.—Ac 2:40; 5:42; 8:25; 10:42; 20:21, 24; 23:11; 26:22; 28:23.

The appointed time has been fulfilled: In this context “the appointed time” (Greek, kai·rosʹ) refers to the time, as foretold in the Scriptures, for Jesus’ earthly ministry to begin, giving people the opportunity to have faith in the good news. The same Greek word is used of the “time” of inspection that Jesus’ ministry brought (Lu 12:56; 19:44) and the “appointed time” of his death.—Mt 26:18.

times or seasons: Two aspects of time are mentioned here. The plural form of the Greek word khroʹnos, rendered times, may refer to an unspecified period of time, long or short. The Greek word kai·rosʹ (sometimes rendered “appointed time[s]”; the plural form is here rendered seasons) is often used with reference to future time periods within God’s arrangement or timetable, particularly in relation to Christ’s presence and his Kingdom.—Ac 3:19; 1Th 5:1; see study notes on Mr 1:15; Lu 21:24.

in his own jurisdiction: Or “under his own authority.” This expression indicates that Jehovah has reserved for himself the right to set “the times or seasons” for the fulfillment of his purposes. He is the Great Timekeeper. Before Jesus died, Jesus said that even the Son did not then know the “day and hour” when the end would come but “only the Father” knew.—Mt 24:36; Mr 13:32.

appointed times of the nations: Or “times of the Gentiles.” The Greek word kai·rosʹ (here the plural form is rendered “appointed times”) may refer to a point of time or a fixed or definite period of time or a “season” marked by certain features. (Mt 13:30; 21:34; Mr 11:13) It is used of “the appointed time” for Jesus’ ministry to begin (Mr 1:15) and the “appointed time” of his death (Mt 26:18). The term kai·rosʹ is also used with reference to future times or seasons within God’s arrangement or timetable, particularly in relation to Christ’s presence and his Kingdom. (Ac 1:7; 3:19; 1Th 5:1) In view of how the word kai·rosʹ is used in the Bible text, the expression “appointed times of the nations” evidently refers, not to a vague or indefinite time, but to a fixed period of time, one having a beginning and an end. The term “nations” or “Gentiles” translates the plural form of the Greek word eʹthnos, which was often used by the Bible writers to refer specifically to the non-Jewish nations.

people of all the nations: A literal translation reads “all nations,” but the context indicates that this term refers to individuals out of all nations, since the Greek pronoun “them” in the expression baptizing them is in the masculine gender and refers to people, not to “nations,” which is neuter in Greek. This command to reach “people of all the nations” was new. Prior to Jesus’ ministry, the Scriptures indicate that Gentiles were welcomed to Israel if they came to serve Jehovah. (1Ki 8:41-43) With this command, however, Jesus commissions his disciples to extend the preaching work to people other than natural Jews, emphasizing the worldwide scope of the Christian disciple-making work.—Mt 10:1, 5-7; Re 7:9; see study note on Mt 24:14.

the spirit impelled him to go: Or “the active force moved him to go.” The Greek word pneuʹma here refers to God’s spirit, which can act as a driving force, moving and impelling a person to do things in accord with God’s will.—Lu 4:1; see Glossary, “Spirit.”

as a witness: Or “for a witness.” The Greek noun for “witness” (mar·ty·riʹa) appears more than twice as often in John’s Gospel as in the other three Gospels combined. The related verb, rendered to bear witness (mar·ty·reʹo), appears 39 times in John’s Gospel—compared to 2 times in the other Gospel accounts. (Mt 23:31; Lu 4:22) This Greek verb is used so often in connection with John the Baptist that some have suggested that he be called “John the Witness.” (Joh 1:8, 15, 32, 34; 3:26; 5:33; see study note on Joh 1:19.) In John’s Gospel, this verb is also frequently used in connection with Jesus’ ministry. Jesus is often said to “bear witness.” (Joh 8:14, 17, 18) Particularly noteworthy are Jesus’ words to Pontius Pilate: “For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” (Joh 18:37) In the Revelation given to John, Jesus is referred to as “the Faithful Witness” and “the faithful and true witness.”—Re 1:5; 3:14.

bear witness to: As used in the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Greek words rendered “to bear witness” (mar·ty·reʹo) and “witness” (mar·ty·riʹa; marʹtys) are broad in meaning. These related terms are used in the basic sense of testifying to facts from firsthand or personal knowledge, but they may also include the idea of “declaring; confirming; speaking well of.” Not only did Jesus testify to and proclaim truths of which he was convinced but he also lived in such a way that he upheld the truth of his Father’s prophetic word and promises. (2Co 1:20) God’s purpose in connection with the Kingdom and its Messianic Ruler had been foretold in detail. Jesus’ entire earthly life course, culminating in his sacrificial death, fulfilled all prophecies about him, including the shadows, or patterns, contained in the Law covenant. (Col 2:16, 17; Heb 10:1) So by word and deed, it may be said that Jesus ‘bore witness to the truth.’

all the inhabited earth . . . all the nations: Both expressions emphasize the scope of the preaching work. In a broad sense, the Greek word for “inhabited earth” (oi·kou·meʹne) refers to the earth as the dwelling place of mankind. (Lu 4:5; Ac 17:31; Ro 10:18; Re 12:9; 16:14) In the first century, this term was also used in reference to the vast Roman Empire, where the Jews had been dispersed. (Lu 2:1; Ac 24:5) In its general sense, the Greek word for “nation” (eʹthnos) refers to a group of people who are more or less related to one another by blood and who have a common language. Such a national or ethnic group often occupies a defined geographic territory.

the holy spirit: Or “the holy active force.” In the book of Acts, the expression “holy spirit” occurs 41 times, and there are at least 15 other occurrences of the term “spirit” (Greek, pneuʹma) that refer to God’s holy spirit. (For examples, see Ac 2:4, 17, 18; 5:9; 11:28; 21:4; see also Glossary, “Spirit.”) Thus, this Bible book makes it clear again and again that the international preaching and teaching work to be performed by Jesus’ followers could be accomplished only with the aid of God’s active force.—Compare study note on Mr 1:12.

witnesses of me: As faithful Jews, Jesus’ early disciples were already witnesses of Jehovah, and they testified that Jehovah is the only true God. (Isa 43:10-12; 44:8) Now, though, the disciples were to be witnesses of both Jehovah and Jesus. They were to make known Jesus’ vital role in sanctifying Jehovah’s name by means of His Messianic Kingdom, a new feature of Jehovah’s purpose. With the exception of John’s Gospel, Acts uses the Greek terms for “witness” (marʹtys), “to bear witness” (mar·ty·reʹo), “to bear thorough witness” (di·a·mar·tyʹro·mai), and related words more times than any other Bible book. (See study note on Joh 1:7.) The idea of being a witness and bearing thorough witness about God’s purposes—including his Kingdom and Jesus’ vital role—is a theme that runs through the book of Acts. (Ac 2:32, 40; 3:15; 4:33; 5:32; 8:25; 10:39; 13:31; 18:5; 20:21, 24; 22:20; 23:11; 26:16; 28:23) Some first-century Christians bore witness to, or confirmed, historical facts about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection from their firsthand knowledge. (Ac 1:21, 22; 10:40, 41) Those who later put faith in Jesus bore witness by proclaiming the significance of his life, death, and resurrection.—Ac 22:15; see study note on Joh 18:37.

to the most distant part of the earth: Or “to the ends (extremity) of the earth.” The same Greek expression is used at Ac 13:47 in a prophecy quoted from Isa 49:6, where the Greek Septuagint also uses the term. Jesus’ statement at Ac 1:8 may echo that prophecy, which foretold that Jehovah’s servant would be “a light of nations” so that salvation would reach “the ends of the earth.” This harmonizes with Jesus’ previous statement that his followers would perform “works greater” than his. (See study note on Joh 14:12.) The statement is also in line with Jesus’ description of the worldwide scope of the Christian preaching work.—See study notes on Mt 24:14; 26:13; 28:19.

men in white garments: This is a reference to angels. (Compare Lu 24:4, 23.) In the book of Acts, the term “angel” (Greek, agʹge·los) is found 21 times, the first occurrence at Ac 5:19.

with striking observableness: The Greek expression used here occurs only once in the Christian Greek Scriptures and is derived from a verb meaning “to watch closely; to observe.” According to some scholars, medical writers used this expression when they described watching the symptoms of disease. The way the word is used here seems to convey the idea that the Kingdom of God is not coming in a way that is obvious to all.

the sky: The Greek word ou·ra·nosʹ that occurs three times in this verse can refer to the physical heavens, that is, the sky, or to the spiritual heavens.

will come in the same manner: The Greek word for “come” (erʹkho·mai) is used frequently in the Scriptures in a variety of ways. In some contexts, it refers to Jesus’ coming as Judge to pronounce and execute judgment during the great tribulation. (Mt 24:30; Mr 13:26; Lu 21:27) However, this Greek word is used regarding Jesus on other occasions. (Mt 16:28–17:2; Mt 21:5, 9; 23:39; Lu 19:38) Therefore, the context determines in what sense the term “come” is used here. The angels said that Jesus would “come,” or return, in the same “manner” (Greek, troʹpos) as he departed. The term troʹpos does not refer to the same form, shape, or body but to the same way. As the context shows, Jesus’ manner of departure was not observed by the world in general. Only the apostles were aware that Jesus left the vicinity of the earth to return to his Father in heaven. Jesus had indicated that his return as King of “the Kingdom of God” would not be in a way that was obvious to all—only his disciples would know it had taken place. (Lu 17:20; see study note.) The “coming” mentioned at Re 1:7 is different. On that occasion, “every eye will see him.” (Re 1:7) So in the context of Ac 1:11, the term “come” apparently refers to Jesus’ invisible coming in Kingdom power at the beginning of his presence.—Mt 24:3.

a sabbath day’s journey: That is, the distance an Israelite was allowed to travel on the Sabbath. The term is here connected with the distance between the Mount of Olives and the city of Jerusalem. The Law restricted travel on the Sabbath but did not specify the distance that could be covered. (Ex 16:29) Over time, rabbinic sources defined the distance a Jew could travel on that day as being about 2,000 cubits (890 m; 2,920 ft). That interpretation was based on Nu 35:5: “You should measure outside the city 2,000 cubits” and on the statement found at Jos 3:3, 4 that instructed the Israelites to keep a distance of about 2,000 cubits from “the ark of the covenant.” Rabbis reasoned that an Israelite was permitted to travel at least that far on the Sabbath to worship at the tabernacle. (Nu 28:9, 10) Possibly because of reckoning from two different starting points, Josephus gives the distance between Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives one time as five furlongs (925 m; 3,034 ft) and another time as six furlongs (1,110 m; 3,640 ft). Either way, the distance is approximately the same as the distance that the rabbis had defined as a sabbath day’s journey, and it harmonizes with Luke’s comment in this verse.

the zealous one: A designation distinguishing the apostle Simon from the apostle Simon Peter. (Lu 6:14, 15) The Greek word used here and at Lu 6:15, ze·lo·tesʹ, means “zealot; enthusiast.” The accounts at Mt 10:4 and Mr 3:18 use the designation “the Cananaean,” a term thought to be of Hebrew or Aramaic origin that likewise means “Zealot; Enthusiast.” While it is possible that Simon once belonged to the Zealots, a Jewish party opposed to the Romans, he may have been given this designation because of his zeal and enthusiasm.

his brothers: That is, Jesus’ half brothers. The four Gospels, Acts of Apostles, and two of Paul’s letters mention “the Lord’s brothers,” “the brother of the Lord,” “his brothers,” and “his sisters,” naming four of the “brothers”—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. (1Co 9:5; Ga 1:19; Mt 12:46; 13:55, 56; Mr 3:31; Lu 8:19; Joh 2:12) These siblings were all born after the miraculous birth of Jesus. Most Bible scholars accept the evidence that Jesus had at least four brothers and two sisters and that all were offspring of Joseph and Mary by natural means.—See study note on Mt 13:55.

the brothers: At times, a male Christian believer is distinguished as “a brother” and a female as “a sister.” (1Co 7:14, 15) At other times, as in this context, the Bible uses the term “brothers” to refer to both males and females. (Ac 1:13, 14) Generally, the term “brothers” was the accepted greeting to mixed groups and was not restricted to males. (Ro 1:13; 1Th 1:4) The term “brothers” is used in this sense in most of the inspired Christian letters. In the preceding verse (Ac 1:14), the plural form of the Greek word a·del·phosʹ is used with regard to Jesus’ half brothers, the younger sons of Joseph and Mary.—See study notes on Mt 13:55; Ac 1:14.

number of people: Lit., “crowd of names.” In this context, the Greek word for “name” (oʹno·ma) refers to a person. It is used in the same way at Re 3:4, ftn.

Men, brothers: Unlike the preceding verse, here the term “brothers” is used together with the Greek word for “men; males” (a·nerʹ). In the context of determining who should replace Judas Iscariot as an apostle, this combination may indicate that only male members of the congregation were being addressed.

falling headfirst, his body burst open: Matthew’s account of Judas’ death says that Judas “hanged himself,” showing how he committed suicide. (Mt 27:5) But here Luke’s account describes the result. A comparison of the two accounts indicates that Judas hanged himself near a cliff. At some point, the rope or the tree limb broke, so that he plunged down and his body burst open on the rocks below. The steep and rocky topography around Jerusalem allows for drawing such a conclusion.

His office of oversight: Or “His assignment as an overseer.” The Greek word used here, e·pi·sko·peʹ, is related to the Greek noun for “overseer,” e·piʹsko·pos, and the verb e·pi·sko·peʹo, rendered “carefully watch” at Heb 12:15. Peter quoted Ps 109:8 to support his recommendation that the place left vacant by the unfaithful apostle Judas be filled. In that passage, the Hebrew text uses the word pequd·dahʹ, which can be rendered with such terms as “office of oversight; oversight; overseers.” (Nu 4:16; Isa 60:17) At Ps 109:8 in the Septuagint (108:8, LXX), this Hebrew word is rendered by the same Greek word that Luke used here at Ac 1:20. From this inspired statement by Peter, it is clear that the apostles had an office, or assignment, as overseers. They had been directly appointed by Jesus. (Mr 3:14) So on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., the Christian congregation, which grew from about 120 members to about 3,000 in one day, started out with 12 overseers. (Ac 1:15; 2:41) Thereafter, others were appointed as overseers to help take care of the growing congregation. However, the apostles’ oversight remained special, since Jehovah apparently purposed to have the 12 apostles form the future “12 foundation stones” of New Jerusalem.—Re 21:14; see study note on Ac 20:28.

overseers: The Greek word for overseer, e·piʹsko·pos, is related to the verb e·pi·sko·peʹo, meaning “carefully watch” (Heb 12:15), and to the noun e·pi·sko·peʹ, meaning “inspection” (Lu 19:44, Kingdom Interlinear; 1Pe 2:12), “to be an overseer” (1Ti 3:1), or “office of oversight” (Ac 1:20). Therefore, the overseer was one who visited, inspected, and directed members of the congregation. Protective supervision is a basic idea inherent in the Greek term. Overseers in the Christian congregation have the responsibility to care for spiritual concerns of their fellow believers. Paul here used the term “overseers” when speaking to the “elders” from the congregation in Ephesus. (Ac 20:17) And in his letter to Titus, he uses the term “overseer” when describing the qualifications for “elders” in the Christian congregation. (Tit 1:5, 7) The terms, therefore, refer to the same position, pre·sbyʹte·ros indicating the mature qualities of the one so appointed and e·piʹsko·pos indicating the duties inherent in the appointment. This account about Paul meeting with the elders from Ephesus clearly shows that there were several overseers in that congregation. There was no set number of overseers for any one congregation, but the number serving depended on the number of those qualifying as “elders,” or spiritually mature men, in that congregation. Likewise, in writing to the Philippian Christians, Paul referred to the “overseers” there (Php 1:1), indicating that they served as a body, overseeing the affairs of that congregation.—See study note on Ac 1:20.

carried on his activities among us: Lit., “went in and went out among us,” which reflects a Semitic idiom that refers to carrying on activities of life in association with other people. It could also be rendered “lived among us.”—Compare De 28:6, 19; Ps 121:8, ftn.

Matthias: The Greek name Math·thiʹas is probably a shortened form of Mat·ta·thiʹas, derived from the Hebrew name rendered “Mattithiah” (1Ch 15:18), meaning “Gift of Jehovah.” According to Peter’s words (Ac 1:21, 22), Matthias was a follower of Christ throughout Jesus’ three-and-a-half-year ministry. He was closely associated with the apostles and was quite likely one of the 70 disciples whom Jesus sent out to preach. (Lu 10:1) After his selection, Matthias was “counted along with the 11 apostles” (Ac 1:26), and when the book of Acts immediately thereafter speaks of “the apostles” or “the Twelve,” Matthias was included.—Ac 2:37, 43; 4:33, 36; 5:12, 29; 6:2, 6; 8:1, 14.

Jehovah: Available Greek manuscripts use the term “Lord” (Greek, Kyʹri·os) here. However, as explained in App. C, there are good reasons to believe that the divine name was originally used in this verse and later replaced by the title Lord. Therefore, the name Jehovah is used in the main text.

who know the hearts of all: The Hebrew Scriptures frequently identify Jehovah God as the one with the ability to read hearts. (De 8:2; 1Sa 16:7; 1Ki 8:39; 1Ch 28:9; Ps 44:21; Jer 11:20; 17:10) It would have been natural in this context, then, for those Hebrew-speaking Jews to use the divine name when praying to God. The Greek word rendered “who know the hearts,” kar·di·o·gnoʹstes (lit., “knower of hearts”), occurs only here and at Ac 15:8, where it reads, “God, who knows the heart.”—See App. C3 introduction; Ac 1:24.

cast lots: When making decisions on a variety of issues, God’s servants in pre-Christian times cast lots to determine Jehovah’s will. (Le 16:8; Nu 33:54; 1Ch 25:8; Pr 16:33; 18:18; see Glossary, “Lots.”) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, there is only this one mention of lots being used by Jesus’ followers. Lots were cast to help the disciples decide which one of the two men proposed as candidates should replace Judas Iscariot. The disciples knew that they needed Jehovah’s direction. Each of the 12 apostles had been appointed directly by Jesus only after he spent a whole night in prayer to his Father. (Lu 6:12, 13) It is noteworthy, therefore, that before “the lot fell to Matthias,” the disciples reviewed several Scriptures and prayed specifically for Jehovah to “designate” his choice. (Ac 1:20, 23, 24) After Pentecost 33 C.E., however, there is no record in the Bible that lots were used to select overseers and their assistants or to decide matters of importance. This method was not needed once the holy spirit became active on the Christian congregation. (Ac 6:2-6; 13:2; 20:28; 2Ti 3:16, 17) Men were selected as overseers, not because they had been chosen by the casting of lots, but because they displayed the fruitage of the holy spirit in their lives. (1Ti 3:1-13; Tit 1:5-9) Other cultures also used lots. (Es 3:7; Joe 3:3; Ob 11) For example, the Roman soldiers cast lots over Jesus’ garments, as foretold at Ps 22:18. Apparently their motive was, not to fulfill Bible prophecy, but to get some personal gain.—Joh 19:24; see study note on Mt 27:35.

counted along with: Or “reckoned along with,” that is, viewed the same as the other 11 apostles. So when Pentecost arrived, there were 12 apostles to serve as the foundation of spiritual Israel. Matthias would have been one of “the Twelve” who later helped settle the problem concerning the Greek-speaking disciples.—Ac 6:1, 2.

Media

Acts of Apostles—Some Major Events

Events are listed in chronological order

1. On the Mount of Olives near Bethany, Jesus tells his disciples to witness about him “to the most distant part of the earth” (Ac 1:8)

2. At Pentecost, holy spirit is poured out on the disciples, who give a witness in different languages (Ac 2:1-6)

3. Lame man healed at the Beautiful Gate of the temple (Ac 3:1-8)

4. Apostles stand before the Sanhedrin, saying that they “must obey God as ruler rather than men” (Ac 5:27-29)

5. Stephen stoned to death outside Jerusalem (Ac 7:54-60)

6. When the disciples are scattered, Philip goes to Samaria and begins preaching there; Peter and John sent there so that those baptized can receive holy spirit (Ac 8:4, 5, 14, 17)

7. Philip preaches to an Ethiopian eunuch on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza and baptizes him.—See map “Activities of Philip the Evangelizer” (Ac 8:26-31, 36-38)

8. Jesus appears to Saul on the road to Damascus (Ac 9:1-6)

9. Jesus directs Ananias to go to the street called Straight and assist Saul; Saul gets baptized (Ac 9:10, 11, 17, 18)

10. After Dorcas dies in Joppa, the disciples urge Peter to come from nearby Lydda; when he arrives in Joppa, he resurrects her (Ac 9:36-41)

11. While staying in Joppa, Peter sees a vision of cleansed animals (Ac 9:43; 10:9-16)

12. Peter goes to Caesarea, where he preaches to Cornelius and other uncircumcised Gentiles; they believe, receive holy spirit, and get baptized (Ac 10:23, 24, 34-48)

13. Disciples first called Christians in Antioch of Syria (Ac 11:26)

14. Herod kills James and imprisons Peter; Peter freed by angel (Ac 12:2-4, 6-10)

15. Beginning of Paul’s first missionary tour with Barnabas and John Mark.—See map “Paul’s First Missionary Tour” (Ac 12:25; 13:4, 5)

16. When a dispute regarding circumcision erupts in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas take the matter to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, returning to Antioch after the meeting (Ac 15:1-4, 6, 22-31)

17. Beginning of Paul’s second missionary tour.—See map “Paul’s Second Missionary Tour”

18. Beginning of Paul’s third missionary tour.—See map “Paul’s Third Missionary Tour”

19. When Paul is in Jerusalem, a riot breaks out in the temple; Paul is arrested and speaks to the people from the steps of the Fortress of Antonia (Ac 21:27-40)

20. When a conspiracy to kill Paul is detected, Paul is escorted to Antipatris by army guards and then transferred to Caesarea (Ac 23:12-17, 23, 24, 31-35)

21. Paul’s trial before Festus; Paul appeals to Caesar (Ac 25:8-12)

22. First part of Paul’s trip to Rome.—See map “Paul’s Trip to Rome”

Video Introduction to the Book of Acts

Bethphage, the Mount of Olives, and Jerusalem

This short video follows a path approaching Jerusalem from the east, from the village of modern-day et-Tur—thought to correspond to the Biblical Bethphage—to one of the higher points on the Mount of Olives. Bethany lies east of Bethphage on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives. When in Jerusalem, Jesus and his disciples customarily spent the night at Bethany, today marked by the town of el-ʽAzariyeh (El ʽEizariya), an Arabic name meaning “The Place of Lazarus.” Jesus undoubtedly stayed at the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. (Mt 21:17; Mr 11:11; Lu 21:37; Joh 11:1) When traveling from their home to Jerusalem, Jesus may have followed a route similar to the one shown in the video. On Nisan 9, 33 C.E., when Jesus rode the colt of a donkey over the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, he may well have done so from Bethphage, following the road to Jerusalem.

1. Road from Bethany to Bethphage

2. Bethphage

3. Mount of Olives

4. Kidron Valley

5. Temple Mount

Upper Room

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Acts 1

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 02:1-47

NWT | Acts of Apostles 02:1-47 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 2:1-47

2 Now while the day of the Festival of Pentecosta was in progress, they were all together at the same place. ² Suddenly there was a noise from heaven, just like that of a rushing, stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.b ³ And tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed, and one came to rest on each one of them, ⁴ and they all became filled with holy spiritc and started to speak in different languages, just as the spirit enabled them to speak.d ⁵ At that time devout Jews from every nation under heaven were staying in Jerusalem.e ⁶ So when this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. ⁷ Indeed, they were utterly amazed and said: “See here, all these who are speaking are Gal·i·leʹans,f are they not? ⁸ How is it, then, that each one of us is hearing his own native language? ⁹ Parʹthi·ans, Medes,g and Eʹlam·ites,h the inhabitants of Mes·o·po·taʹmi·a, Ju·deʹa and Cap·pa·doʹci·a, Ponʹtus and the province of Asia,i ¹⁰ Phrygʹi·a and Pam·phylʹi·a, Egypt and the regions of Libʹy·a near Cy·reʹne, sojourners from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,j ¹¹ Creʹtans, and Arabians—we hear them speaking in our languages about the magnificent things of God.” ¹² Yes, they were all astonished and perplexed, saying to one another: “What does this mean?” ¹³ However, others mocked them and said: “They are full of sweet wine.” ¹⁴ But Peter stood up with the Elevenk and spoke to them in a loud voice: “Men of Ju·deʹa and all you inhabitants of Jerusalem, let this be known to you and listen carefully to my words. ¹⁵ These people are, in fact, not drunk, as you suppose, for it is the third hour of the day. ¹⁶ On the contrary, this is what was said through the prophet Joel: ¹⁷ ‘“And in the last days,” God says, “I will pour out some of my spirit on every sort of flesh, and your sons and your daughters will prophesy and your young men will see visions and your old men will dream dreams,l ¹⁸ and even on my male slaves and on my female slaves I will pour out some of my spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.m ¹⁹ And I will give wonders in heaven above and signs on earth below—blood and fire and clouds of smoke. ²⁰ The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and illustrious day of Jehovah comes. ²¹ And everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”’n ²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ was a man publicly shown to you by God through powerful works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst,o just as you yourselves know. ²³ This man, who was handed over by the determined will and foreknowledge of God,p you fastened to a stake by the hand of lawless men, and you did away with him.q ²⁴ But God resurrected himr by releasing him from the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held fast by it.s ²⁵ For David says about him: ‘I keep Jehovah constantly in front of me,* for he is at my right hand that I may never be shaken. ²⁶ On this account my heart became cheerful and my tongue rejoiced greatly. And I will reside in hope; ²⁷ because you will not leave me in the Grave, nor will you allow your loyal one to see corruption.t ²⁸ You have made life’s ways known to me; you will fill me with great joy in your presence.’u ²⁹ “Men, brothers, it is permissible to speak with freeness of speech to you about the family head David, that he died and was buried,v and his tomb is with us to this day. ³⁰ Because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath that he would seat one of his offspring on his throne,w ³¹ he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he forsaken in the Grave nor did his flesh see corruption.x ³² God resurrected this Jesus, and of this we are all witnesses.y ³³ Therefore, because he was exalted to* the right hand of Godz and received the promised holy spirit from the Father,a he has poured out what you see and hear. ³⁴ For David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand ³⁵ until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’b ³⁶ Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lordc and Christ, this Jesus whom you executed on a stake.”d ³⁷ Now when they heard this, they were stabbed to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles: “Men, brothers, what should we do?” ³⁸ Peter said to them: “Repent,e and let each one of you be baptizedf in the name of Jesus Christ for forgiveness of your sins,g and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit. ³⁹ For the promiseh is to you and your children, and to all those who are far away, to all those whom Jehovah our God may call to himself.”i ⁴⁰ And with many other words he gave a thorough witness and kept exhorting them, saying: “Get saved from this crooked generation.”j ⁴¹ So those who gladly accepted his word were baptized,k and on that day about 3,000 people were added.l ⁴² And they continued devoting themselves to the teaching of the apostles, to associating together, to the taking of meals,m and to prayers.n ⁴³ Indeed, fear began to fall upon everyone, and many wonders and signs began to occur through the apostles.o ⁴⁴ All those who became believers were together and had everything in common, ⁴⁵ and they were selling their possessionsp and properties and distributing the proceeds to all, according to what each one needed.q ⁴⁶ And day after day they were in constant attendance in the temple with a united purpose, and they took their meals in different homes and shared their food with great rejoicing and sincerity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and finding favor with all the people. At the same time Jehovah continued to add to them daily those being saved.r

Acts 2

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 03:1-26

NWT | Acts of Apostles 03:1-26 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 3:1-26

3 Now Peter and John were going up into the temple for the hour of prayer, the ninth hour, ² and a man who was lame from birth was being carried. Every day they would put him near the temple door that was called Beautiful, so he could ask for gifts of mercy from those entering the temple. ³ When he caught sight of Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking for gifts of mercy. ⁴ But Peter, together with John, looked straight at him and said: “Look at us.” ⁵ So he fixed his attention on them, expecting to get something from them. ⁶ However, Peter said: “Silver and gold I do not possess, but what I do have is what I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ the Naz·a·reneʹ, walk!”a ⁷ With that he took hold of him by the right hand and raised him up.b Instantly his feet and his ankles were made firm;c ⁸ and leaping to his feet,d he began walking and went with them into the temple, walking and leaping and praising God. ⁹ And all the people saw him walking and praising God. ¹⁰ And they began to recognize him, that this was the man who used to sit waiting for gifts of mercy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,e and they were completely astonished and ecstatic about what had happened to him. ¹¹ While the man was still holding on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at what was called Solʹo·mon’s Colonnade,f completely surprised. ¹² When Peter saw this, he said to the people: “Men of Israel, why are you so amazed at this, and why are you staring at us as though by personal power or godly devotion we have made him walk? ¹³ The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob,g the God of our forefathers, has glorified his Servant,h Jesus,i whom you handed overj and disowned before Pilate, even though he had decided to release him. ¹⁴ Yes, you disowned that holy and righteous one, and you asked for a man who was a murderer to be given to you,k ¹⁵ whereas you killed the Chief Agent of life.l But God raised him up from the dead, of which fact we are witnesses.m ¹⁶ And through his name, and by our faith in his name, this man whom you see and know has been made strong. The faith that is through him has made this man completely healthy in front of all of you. ¹⁷ And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance,n just as your rulers also did.o ¹⁸ But in this way God has fulfilled the things he announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer.p ¹⁹ “Repent,q therefore, and turn aroundr so as to get your sins blotted out,s so that seasons of refreshing may come from Jehovah himselft ²⁰ and he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus. ²¹ Heaven must hold this one within itself until the times of restoration of all things of which God spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets of old. ²² In fact, Moses said: ‘Jehovah your God will raise up for you from among your brothers a prophet like me.u You must listen to whatever he tells you.v ²³ Indeed, anyone who does not listen to that Prophet will be completely destroyed from among the people.’w ²⁴ And all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed him, as many as have spoken, have also plainly declared these days.x ²⁵ You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your forefathers,y saying to Abraham: ‘And by means of your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’z ²⁶ God, after raising up his Servant, sent him to you firsta to bless you by turning each one of you away from your wicked deeds.”

Acts 3

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 04:1-37

NWT | Acts of Apostles 04:1-37 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 4:1-37

4 While the two were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple,a and the Sadduceesb came up to them. ² These were annoyed because the apostles were teaching the people and were openly declaring the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.*c ³ So they seized* them and took them into custodyd until the next day, for it was already evening. ⁴ However, many of those who had listened to the speech believed, and the number of the men became about 5,000.e ⁵ The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem, ⁶ along with Anʹnasf the chief priest, Caʹia·phas,g John, Alexander, and all who were relatives of the chief priest. ⁷ They stood Peter and John in their midst and began to question them: “By what power or in whose name did you do this?”h ⁸ Then Peter, filled with holy spirit,i said to them: “Rulers of the people and elders, ⁹ if we are being examined today about a good deed to a crippled man,j and you want to know who made this man well,* ¹⁰ let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that in the name of Jesus Christ the Naz·a·reneʹ,k whom you executed on a stakel but whom God raised up from the dead,m by means of him* this man stands here healthy in front of you. ¹¹ This is ‘the stone that was treated by you builders as of no account that has become the chief cornerstone.’n ¹² Furthermore, there is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other nameo under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.”p ¹³ Now when they saw the outspokenness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and ordinary men,q they were astonished. And they began to realize that they had been with Jesus.r ¹⁴ As they were looking at the man who had been cured standing with them,s they had nothing to say in answer to this.t ¹⁵ So they commanded them to go outside the Sanʹhe·drin hall, and they began consulting with one another, ¹⁶ saying: “What should we do with these men?u Because, for a fact, a noteworthy sign has occurred through them, one evident to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem,v and we cannot deny it. ¹⁷ So that this does not spread any further among the people, let us threaten them and tell them not to speak to anyone anymore on the basis of this name.”w ¹⁸ With that they called them and ordered them not to say anything at all or to teach on the basis of the name of Jesus. ¹⁹ But in reply Peter and John said to them: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, judge for yourselves.x ²⁰ But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” ²¹ So after they had threatened them further, they released them, since they did not find any grounds for punishing them and on account of the people,y because they were all glorifying God over what had happened. ²² For the man on whom this miracle of healing had been done was more than 40 years old. ²³ After being released, they went to their own people and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ On hearing this, they raised their voices with one accord to God and said: “Sovereign Lord, you are the One who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them,z ²⁵ and who said through holy spirit by the mouth of our forefather David,a your servant: ‘Why did nations become agitated and peoples meditate on empty things? ²⁶ The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers gathered together as one against Jehovah and against his anointed one.’b ²⁷ For truly both Herod and Pontius Pilatec with men of the nations and with peoples of Israel were gathered together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed,d ²⁸ to do what your hand and counsel had determined beforehand to occur.e ²⁹ And now, Jehovah, give attention to their threats, and grant to your slaves to keep speaking your word with all boldness, ³⁰ while you stretch out your hand for healing and while signs and wonders occurf through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”g ³¹ And when they had made supplication, the place where they were gathered together was shaken, and they were one and all filled with the holy spirith and were speaking the word of God with boldness.i ³² Moreover, the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and not even one of them would say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.j ³³ And with great power the apostles continued giving the witness about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus,k and undeserved kindness was upon them all in large measure. ³⁴ In fact, no one was in need among them,l for all those who owned fields or houses would sell them and bring the value of what was sold, ³⁵ and they would deposit it at the feet of the apostles.m In turn distribution would be made to each one according to his need.n ³⁶ So Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barʹna·baso (which means, when translated, “Son of Comfort”), a Levite, a native of Cyʹprus, ³⁷ owned a piece of land, and he sold it and brought the money and deposited it at the feet of the apostles.p

Acts 4

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 05:1-42

NWT | Acts of Apostles 05:1-42 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 5:1-42

5 However, a man named An·a·niʹas, together with his wife Sap·phiʹra, sold some property. ² But he secretly held back some of the price, with his wife’s knowledge, and he brought just a part of it and deposited it at the feet of the apostles.a ³ But Peter said: “An·a·niʹas, why has Satan emboldened you to lieb to the holy spiritc and secretly hold back some of the price of the field? ⁴ As long as it remained with you, did it not remain yours? And after it was sold, was it not in your control? Why have you thought up such a deed as this in your heart? You have lied, not to men, but to God.” ⁵ On hearing these words, An·a·niʹas collapsed and died. And great fear came over all those who heard about it. ⁶ Then the younger men rose, wrapped him in cloths, carried him out, and buried him. ⁷ Now after an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. ⁸ Peter said to her: “Tell me, did you two sell the field for so much?” She said: “Yes, for that amount.” ⁹ So Peter said to her: “Why did you two agree to make a test of the spirit of Jehovah? Look! The feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.” ¹⁰ Instantly she collapsed at his feet and died. When the young men came in, they found her dead and they carried her out and buried her alongside her husband. ¹¹ So great fear came over the whole congregation and over all those hearing about these things. ¹² Moreover, through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders continued to occur among the people;d and they would all meet together in Solʹo·mon’s Colonnade.e ¹³ True, none of the others had the courage to join them; nevertheless, the people were speaking highly of them. ¹⁴ More than that, believers in the Lord kept on being added, great numbers both of men and of women.f ¹⁵ They even brought the sick out into the main streets and laid them there on small beds and mats, so that as Peter would pass by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them.g ¹⁶ Also, crowds of people from the cities around Jerusalem kept coming, carrying sick people and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they were one and all cured. ¹⁷ But the high priest rose, and all those with him, who were of the sect of the Sadducees,h and they were filled with jealousy. ¹⁸ And they seized* the apostles and put them in the public jail.i ¹⁹ But during the night, Jehovah’s angel opened the doors of the prison,j brought them out, and said: ²⁰ “Go and take your stand in the temple, and keep on speaking to the people all the sayings about this life.” ²¹ After hearing this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the Sanʹhe·drin and the entire assembly of elders of the sons of Israel, and they sent out to the jail to have the apostles brought before them. ²² But when the officers got there, they did not find them in the prison. So they returned and made their report, ²³ saying: “We found the jail locked and secure, and the guards were standing at the doors, but on opening it up, we found no one inside.” ²⁴ Well, when both the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about what would come of this. ²⁵ But someone came and reported to them: “Look! The men you put in prison are in the temple, standing and teaching the people.” ²⁶ Then the captain went off with his officers and brought them in, but without violence, because they were afraid of being stoned by the people.k ²⁷ So they brought them and stood them before the Sanʹhe·drin. Then the high priest questioned them ²⁸ and said: “We strictly ordered you not to keep teaching on the basis of this name,l and yet look! you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.”m ²⁹ In answer Peter and the other apostles said: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.n ³⁰ The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom you killed, hanging him on a stake.o ³¹ God exalted this one as Chief Agentp and Saviorq to his right hand,r to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.s ³² And we are witnesses of these matters,t and so is the holy spirit,u which God has given to those obeying him as ruler.” ³³ When they heard this, they were infuriated and wanted to do away with them.v ³⁴ But a Pharisee named Ga·maʹli·elw rose in the Sanʹhe·drin; he was a Law teacher esteemed by all the people, and he gave the command to put the men outside for a little while. ³⁵ Then he said to them: “Men of Israel, be careful as to what you intend to do about these men. ³⁶ For instance, before these days Theuʹdas rose up, saying he himself was somebody, and a number of men, about 400, joined his party. But he was done away with, and all those who were following him were dispersed and came to nothing. ³⁷ After him, Judas the Gal·i·leʹan rose up in the days of the registration, and he drew followers after himself. That man also perished, and all those who were following him were scattered. ³⁸ So under the present circumstances, I say to you, do not meddle with these men, but let them alone. For if this scheme or this work is from men, it will be overthrown; ³⁹ but if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them.x Otherwise, you may even be found fighters against God himself.”y ⁴⁰ At this they took his advice, and they summoned the apostles, flogged them,z and ordered them to stop speaking on the basis of Jesus’ name, and let them go. ⁴¹ So they went out from before the Sanʹhe·drin, rejoicinga because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name. ⁴² And every day in the temple and from house to houseb they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.c

Acts 5

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 06:1-15

NWT | Acts of Apostles 06:1-15 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 6:1-15

6 Now in those days when the disciples were increasing, the Greek-speaking Jews began complaining against the Hebrew-speaking Jews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution.a ² So the Twelve called the multitude of the disciples together and said: “It is not right for us to leave the word of God to distribute food to tables.b ³ So, brothers, select for yourselves seven reputable menc from among you, full of spirit and wisdom,d that we may appoint them over this necessary matter;e ⁴ but we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”f ⁵ What they said was pleasing to the whole multitude, and they selected Stephen, a man full of faith and holy spirit,g as well as Philip,h Prochʹo·rus, Ni·caʹnor, Tiʹmon, Parʹme·nas, and Nic·o·laʹus, a proselyte of Antioch. ⁶ They brought them to the apostles, and after praying, they laid their hands on them.i ⁷ Consequently, the word of God continued to spread,j and the number of the disciples kept multiplying very muchk in Jerusalem; and a large crowd of priests began to be obedient to the faith.l ⁸ Now Stephen, full of divine favor and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. ⁹ But some men of the so-called Synagogue of the Freedmen came forward, along with some Cy·reʹni·ans and Alexandrians, and some from Ci·liʹcia and Asia, to dispute with Stephen. ¹⁰ But they could not hold their own against the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking.m ¹¹ Then they secretly persuaded men to say: “We have heard him speaking blasphemous things against Moses and God.”n ¹² And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes, and coming upon him suddenly, they forcibly seized him and led him to the Sanʹhe·drin. ¹³ And they brought forward false witnesses, who said: “This man does not stop speaking things against this holy place and against the Law.o ¹⁴ For instance, we have heard him say that this Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ will throw down this placep and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” ¹⁵ And as all those sitting in the Sanʹhe·drin stared at him, they saw that his face was like an angel’s face.

Acts 6

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 07:1-60

NWT | Acts of Apostles 07:1-60 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 7:1-60

7 But the high priest said: “Are these things so?” ² Stephen replied: “Men, brothers and fathers, listen. The God of glory appeared to our forefather Abraham while he was in Mes·o·po·taʹmi·a, before he took up residence in Haʹran,a ³ and he said to him: ‘Go out from your land and from your relatives and come into the land that I will show you.’b ⁴ Then he went out of the land of the Chal·deʹans and took up residence in Haʹran. And from there, after his father died,c God caused him to resettle in this land where you now dwell.d ⁵ And yet, he did not give him any inheritance in it, no, not even enough to put his foot on; but he promised to give it to him as a possession and after him to his offspring,e though as yet he had no child.f ⁶ Moreover, God told him that his offspring would be foreigners in a land not theirs and that the people would enslave them and afflict* them for 400 years.g ⁷ ‘And that nation for which they will slave I will judge,’h God said, ‘and after these things they will come out and will offer sacred service to me in this place.’i ⁸ “He also gave him a covenant of circumcision,j and he became the father of Isaack and circumcised him on the eighth day,l and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the 12 family heads. ⁹ And the family heads became jealous of Josephm and sold him into Egypt.n But God was with him,o ¹⁰ and he rescued him out of all his tribulationsp and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharʹaoh king of Egypt. And he appointed him to govern Egypt and his whole house.q ¹¹ But a famine came on all of Egypt and Caʹnaan, yes, a great tribulation, and our forefathers could not find anything to eat.r ¹² But Jacob heard that there were food supplies* in Egypt, and he sent our forefathers out the first time.s ¹³ During the second time, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and the family of Joseph became known to Pharʹaoh.t ¹⁴ So Joseph sent a message and called his father Jacob and all his relatives from that place,u 75 persons in all.v ¹⁵ So Jacob went down into Egypt,w and he died there,x and so did our forefathers.y ¹⁶ They were carried to Sheʹchem and were laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver money from the sons of Haʹmor in Sheʹchem.z ¹⁷ “Just as the time was approaching to fulfill the promise that God had announced to Abraham, the people grew and multiplied in Egypt, ¹⁸ until there rose a different king over Egypt, one who did not know of Joseph.a ¹⁹ This one dealt cunningly with our race* and wrongfully forced the fathers to abandon* their infants so that they would not be kept alive.b ²⁰ At that time Moses was born, and he was divinely beautiful. And he was nursed* for three months in his father’s home.c ²¹ But when he was abandoned,*d the daughter of Pharʹaoh took him and brought him up as her own son.e ²² So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. In fact, he was powerful in his words and deeds.f ²³ “Now when he reached the age of 40, it came into his heart to make a visit on* his brothers, the sons of Israel.g ²⁴ When he caught sight of one of them being unjustly treated, he defended him and avenged the one being abused by striking down the Egyptian.h ²⁵ He thought that his brothers would grasp that God was giving them salvation by his hand, but they did not grasp it. ²⁶ The next day he appeared to them as they were fighting, and he tried to reconcile them in peace, saying: ‘Men, you are brothers. Why do you mistreat each other?’i ²⁷ But the one who was mistreating his neighbor pushed him away, saying: ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? ²⁸ You do not want to do away with me the way you did away with the Egyptian yesterday, do you?’j ²⁹ On hearing this, Moses fled and lived as a foreigner in the land of Midʹi·an, where he became the father of two sons.k ³⁰ “After 40 years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Siʹnai in the flame of a burning thornbush.l ³¹ When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight. But as he was approaching to investigate, Jehovah’s voice was heard: ³² ‘I am the God of your forefathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’m Moses started trembling and did not dare to investigate further. ³³ Jehovah said to him: ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.n ³⁴ I have certainly seen the oppression of my people who are in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning,o and I have come down to rescue them. Now come, I will send you off to Egypt.’p ³⁵ This same Moses whom they had disowned, saying: ‘Who appointed you ruler and judge?’q is the very one God sentr as both ruler and deliverer by means of the angel who appeared to him in the thornbush. ³⁶ This man led them out,s performing wonders and signs in Egyptt and at the Red Seau and in the wilderness for 40 years.v ³⁷ “This is the Moses who said to the sons of Israel: ‘God will raise up for you from among your brothers a prophet like me.’w ³⁸ This is the one who came to be among the congregation in the wilderness with the angelx who spoke to himy on Mount Siʹnai and with our forefathers, and he received living sacred pronouncements to give us.z ³⁹ Our forefathers refused to obey him, but they pushed him asidea and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt,b ⁴⁰ saying to Aaron: ‘Make gods for us to go ahead of us. For we do not know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt.’c ⁴¹ So they made a calf in those days and brought a sacrifice to the idol and began to enjoy themselves in the works of their hands.d ⁴² So God turned away from them and handed them over to offer sacred service to the army of heaven,e just as it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘It was not to me that you made offerings and sacrifices for 40 years in the wilderness, was it, O house of Israel? ⁴³ But it was the tent of Moʹlochf and the star of the god Reʹphan that you took up, the images that you made to worship them. So I will deport you beyond Babylon.’g ⁴⁴ “Our forefathers had the tent of the witness in the wilderness, just as He gave orders when speaking to Moses to make it according to the pattern he had seen.h ⁴⁵ And our forefathers received possession of it and brought it in with Joshua into the land possessed by the nations,i whom God drove out from before our forefathers.j Here it remained until the days of David. ⁴⁶ He found favor in the sight of God and asked for the privilege of providing* a dwelling place for the God of Jacob.k ⁴⁷ But it was Solʹo·mon who built a house for him.l ⁴⁸ However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands,m just as the prophet says: ⁴⁹ ‘The heaven is my throne,n and the earth is my footstool.o What sort of house will you build for me? Jehovah says. Or where is my resting-place? ⁵⁰ My hand made all these things, did it not?’p ⁵¹ “Obstinate men and uncircumcised in hearts and ears,q you are always resisting the holy spirit; as your forefathers did, so you do.r ⁵² Which one of the prophets did your forefathers not persecute?s Yes, they killed those who announced in advance the coming of the righteous one,t whose betrayers and murderers you have now become,u ⁵³ you who received the Law as transmitted by angelsv but have not kept it.” ⁵⁴ Well, at hearing these things, they were infuriated in their hearts and began to grind their teeth at him.w ⁵⁵ But he, being full of holy spirit, gazed into heaven and caught sight of God’s glory and of Jesus standing at God’s right hand,x ⁵⁶ and he said: “Look! I see the heavens opened up and the Son of many standing at God’s right hand.”z ⁵⁷ At this they cried out at the top of their voices and put their hands over their ears and rushed at him all together. ⁵⁸ After throwing him outside the city, they began stoning him.a The witnessesb laid down their outer garments at the feet of a young man called Saul.c ⁵⁹ As they were stoning Stephen, he made this appeal: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ Then, kneeling down, he cried out with a strong voice: “Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.”d And after saying this, he fell asleep in death.

Acts 7

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 08:1-40

NWT | Acts of Apostles 08:1-40 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 8:1-40

8 Saul, for his part, approved of his murder.a On that day great persecution arose against the congregation that was in Jerusalem; all except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Ju·deʹa and Sa·marʹi·a.b ² But devout men carried Stephen away to bury him, and they made a great mourning over him. ³ Saul, though, began to ravage the congregation. He would invade one house after another, dragging out both men and women and turning them over to prison.c ⁴ However, those who had been scattered went through the land declaring the good news of the word.d ⁵ Now Philipe went down to the city of Sa·marʹi·af and began to preach the Christ to them. ⁶ The crowds with one accord were paying attention to what Philip said while they listened and observed the signs he was performing. ⁷ For many had unclean spirits, and these would cry out with a loud voice and come out.g Moreover, many who were paralyzed and lame were cured. ⁸ So there came to be a great deal of joy in that city. ⁹ Now in the city was a man named Simon, who prior to this had been practicing magical arts and amazing the nation of Sa·marʹi·a, claiming that he was somebody great. ¹⁰ All of them, from the least to the greatest, would pay attention to him and say: “This man is the Power of God, which is called Great.” ¹¹ So they would pay attention to him because he had amazed them for quite a while by his magical arts. ¹² But when they believed Philip, who was declaring the good news of the Kingdom of Godh and of the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were getting baptized.i ¹³ Simon himself also became a believer, and after being baptized, he continued with Philip; and he was amazed at seeing the signs and great powerful works taking place. ¹⁴ When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Sa·marʹi·a had accepted the word of God,j they sent Peter and John to them; ¹⁵ and these went down and prayed for them to get holy spirit.k ¹⁶ For it had not yet come upon any one of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.l ¹⁷ Then they laid their hands on them,m and they began to receive holy spirit. ¹⁸ Now when Simon saw that the spirit was given through the laying on of the hands of the apostles, he offered them money, ¹⁹ saying: “Give me this authority also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive holy spirit.” ²⁰ But Peter said to him: “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could acquire the free gift of God with money.n ²¹ You have neither part nor share in this matter, for your heart is not straight in the sight of God. ²² So repent of this badness of yours, and supplicate Jehovah that, if possible, the wicked intention of your heart may be forgiven you; ²³ for I see you are a bitter poison and a slave of unrighteousness.” ²⁴ In answer Simon said to them: “Make supplication for me to Jehovah that none of the things you have said may come upon me.” ²⁵ Therefore, when they had given the witness thoroughly and had spoken the word of Jehovah, they started back toward Jerusalem, and they went declaring the good news to many villages of the Sa·marʹi·tans.o ²⁶ However, Jehovah’s angelp spoke to Philip, saying: “Get up and go to the south to the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gazʹa.” (This is a desert road.) ²⁷ With that he got up and went, and look! an E·thi·oʹpi·an eunuch, a man who had authority under Can·daʹce, queen of the E·thi·oʹpi·ans, and who was in charge of all her treasure. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship,q ²⁸ and he was returning and was sitting in his chariot, reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ So the spirit said to Philip: “Go over and approach this chariot.” ³⁰ Philip ran alongside and heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet, and he said: “Do you actually know what you are reading?” ³¹ He said: “Really, how could I ever do so unless someone guided me?” So he urged Philip to get on and sit down with him. ³² Now this was the passage of Scripture that he was reading: “Like a sheep he was brought to the slaughter,r and like a lamb that is silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth.s ³³ During his humiliation, justice was taken away from him.t Who will tell the details of his generation? Because his life is taken away from the earth.”u ³⁴ The eunuch then said to Philip: “I beg you, about whom does the prophet say this? About himself or about some other man?” ³⁵ Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he declared to him the good news about Jesus. ³⁶ Now as they were going along the road, they came to a body of water, and the eunuch said: “Look! Here is water; what prevents me from getting baptized?” ³⁷ —— ³⁸ With that he commanded the chariot to halt, and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him. ³⁹ When they came up out of the water, Jehovah’s spirit quickly led Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him anymore, but he went on his way rejoicing. ⁴⁰ Philip, however, found himself in Ashʹdod, and he went through the territory and kept on declaring the good news to all the cities until he got to Caes·a·reʹa.v

Acts 8

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 09:1-43

NWT | Acts of Apostles 09:1-43 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 9:1-43

9 But Saul, still breathing threat and murder against the disciples of the Lord,a went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that he might bring bound to Jerusalem any whom he found who belonged to The Way,b both men and women. ³ Now as he was traveling and getting near Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him,c ⁴ and he fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ⁵ He asked: “Who are you, Lord?” He said: “I am Jesus,d whom you are persecuting.e ⁶ But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” ⁷ Now the men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing, indeed, the sound of a voice but seeing no one.f ⁸ Saul then got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. ⁹ And for three days he did not see anything,g and he neither ate nor drank. ¹⁰ There was a disciple named An·a·niʹash in Damascus, and the Lord said to him in a vision: “An·a·niʹas!” He said: “Here I am, Lord.” ¹¹ The Lord said to him: “Get up, go to the street called Straight, and look for a man named Saul, from Tarsus,i at the house of Judas. For look! he is praying, ¹² and in a vision he has seen a man named An·a·niʹas come in and lay his hands on him so that he may recover sight.”j ¹³ But An·a·niʹas answered: “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, about all the harm he did to your holy ones in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all those calling on your name.”k ¹⁵ But the Lord said to him: “Go! because this man is a chosen vessel* to mel to bear my name to the nationsm as well as to kingsn and the sons of Israel. ¹⁶ For I will show him plainly how many things he must suffer for my name.”o ¹⁷ So An·a·niʹas went and entered the house, and he laid his hands on him and said: “Saul, brother, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road along which you were coming, has sent me so that you may recover sight and be filled with holy spirit.”p ¹⁸ And immediately, what looked like scales fell from his eyes, and he recovered his sight. He then got up and was baptized, ¹⁹ and he ate some food and gained strength. He stayed for some days with the disciples in Damascus,q ²⁰ and immediately in the synagogues he began to preach about Jesus, that this one is the Son of God. ²¹ But all those hearing him were astonished and were saying: “Is this not the man who ravaged those in Jerusalem who call on this name?r Did he not come here for the purpose of arresting them and taking them* to the chief priests?”s ²² But Saul kept on acquiring more and more power and was confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus, as he proved logically that this is the Christ.t ²³ Now when many days had passed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him.u ²⁴ However, their plot against Saul became known to him. They were also watching the gates closely both day and night in order to do away with him. ²⁵ So his disciples took him and let him down by night through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket.v ²⁶ On arriving in Jerusalem,w he made efforts to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, because they did not believe he was a disciple. ²⁷ So Barʹna·basx came to his aid and led him to the apostles, and he told them in detail how on the road he had seen the Lord,y and that he had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had spoken boldly in the name of Jesus.z ²⁸ So he remained with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. ²⁹ He was talking and disputing with the Greek-speaking Jews, but these made attempts to do away with him.a ³⁰ When the brothers found out about this, they brought him down to Caes·a·reʹa and sent him off to Tarsus.b ³¹ Then, indeed, the congregation throughout the whole of Ju·deʹa and Galʹi·lee and Sa·marʹi·ac entered into a period of peace, being built up; and as it walked in the fear of Jehovah and in the comfort of the holy spirit,d it kept on multiplying. ³² Now as Peter was traveling through all the region, he came down also to the holy ones who lived in Lydʹda.e ³³ There he found a man named Ae·neʹas, who had been lying flat on his bed for eight years, for he was paralyzed. ³⁴ Peter said to him: “Ae·neʹas, Jesus Christ heals you.f Rise and make up your bed.”g And he got up immediately. ³⁵ When all those living in Lydʹda and the Plain of Sharʹon saw him, they turned to the Lord. ³⁶ Now there was in Jopʹpa a disciple named Tabʹi·tha, which means, when translated, “Dorʹcas.” She abounded in good deeds and gifts of mercy that she was making. ³⁷ But in those days she fell sick and died. So they bathed her and laid her in an upper room. ³⁸ Since Lydʹda was near Jopʹpa, when the disciples heard that Peter was in that city, they sent two men to him to urge him: “Please come to us without delay.”* ³⁹ At that Peter got up and went with them. And when he arrived, they led him up into the upper room; and all the widows presented themselves to him, weeping and showing many garments and robes that Dorʹcas had made while she was with them. ⁴⁰ Peter then put everyone outside,h and kneeling down, he prayed. Then turning toward the body, he said: “Tabʹi·tha, rise!” She opened her eyes, and as she caught sight of Peter, she sat up.i ⁴¹ Giving her his hand, he raised her up, and he called the holy ones and the widows and presented her alive.j ⁴² This became known throughout all Jopʹpa, and many became believers in the Lord.k ⁴³ He remained for quite a few days in Jopʹpa with a tanner named Simon.l

Acts 9

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 10:1-48

NWT | Acts of Apostles 10:1-48 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 10:1-48

10 Now there was a man in Caes·a·reʹa named Cornelius, an army officer in what was called the Italian unit. ² He was a devout man who feared God together with all his household, and he made many gifts of mercy to the people and made supplication to God continually. ³ About the ninth houra of the day, he saw plainly in a vision an angel of God come in to him and say: “Cornelius!” ⁴ Cornelius stared at him, terrified, and asked: “What is it, Lord?” He said to him: “Your prayers and gifts of mercy have ascended as a remembrance before God.b ⁵ So now send men to Jopʹpa and summon a man named Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ This man is staying as a guest with* Simon, a tanner who has a house by the sea.” ⁷ As soon as the angel who spoke to him left, he called two of his servants and a devout soldier from among those who were his attendants, ⁸ and he related everything to them and sent them to Jopʹpa. ⁹ The next day as they were continuing on their journey and were approaching the city, Peter went up to the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. ¹⁰ But he became very hungry and wanted to eat. While they were preparing the meal, he fell into a trancec ¹¹ and saw heaven opened and something* descending like a great linen sheet being let down by its four corners on the earth; ¹² and in it were all sorts of four-footed animals and reptiles* of the earth and birds of heaven. ¹³ Then a voice said to him: “Get up, Peter, slaughter* and eat!” ¹⁴ But Peter said: “Not at all, Lord, because I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.”d ¹⁵ And the voice spoke again to him, the second time: “Stop calling defiled the things God has cleansed.” ¹⁶ This happened a third time, and immediately it* was taken up into heaven. ¹⁷ While Peter was still perplexed about what the vision he had seen could mean, just then the men sent by Cornelius asked where Simon’s house was and stood there at the gate.e ¹⁸ They called out and inquired whether Simon who was called Peter was a guest there. ¹⁹ As Peter was still pondering over the vision, the spiritf said: “Look! Three men are asking for you. ²⁰ So get up, go downstairs and go with them, not doubting at all, because I have sent them.” ²¹ Then Peter went downstairs to the men and said: “Here I am, the one you are looking for. Why are you here?” ²² They said: “Cornelius,g an army officer, a righteous and God-fearing man who is well-reported-on by the whole nation of the Jews, was given divine instructions by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” ²³ So he invited them in and had them stay as his guests. The next day he got up and went off with them, and some of the brothers from Jopʹpa went with him. ²⁴ The following day he entered into Caes·a·reʹa. Cornelius, of course, was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter entered, Cornelius met him, fell down at his feet, and did obeisance to him. ²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying: “Rise; I too am just a man.”h ²⁷ As he conversed with him, he went in and found many people assembled. ²⁸ He said to them: “You well know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or approach a man of another race,i and yet God has shown me that I should call no man defiled or unclean.j ²⁹ So I came, really without objection, when I was sent for. Therefore, I ask you why you sent for me.” ³⁰ Then Cornelius said: “Four days ago counting from this hour, I was praying in my house at the ninth hour; just then a man in bright clothing stood in front of me ³¹ and said: ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been favorably heard, and your gifts of mercy have been remembered before God.k ³² Therefore, send to Jopʹpa and call for Simon who is called Peter. This man is a guest in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea.’l ³³ I then sent for you at once, and you were kind enough to come here. So now we are all present before God to hear all the things you have been commanded by Jehovah to say.” ³⁴ At this Peter began to speak, and he said: “Now I truly understand that God is not partial,m ³⁵ but in every nation the man who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.n ³⁶ He sent out the word to the sons of Israel to declare to them the good news of peaceo through Jesus Christ—this one is Lord of all.p ³⁷ You know the subject that was talked about throughout all Ju·deʹa, starting from Galʹi·leeq after the baptism that John preached:r ³⁸ about Jesus who was from Nazʹa·reth, how God anointed him with holy spirits and power, and he went through the land doing good and healing all those oppressed by the Devil,t because God was with him.u ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all the things he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; but they did away with him by hanging him on a stake.v ⁴⁰ God raised this one up on the third dayw and allowed him to become manifest,* ⁴¹ not to all the people, but to witnesses appointed beforehand by God, to us, who ate and drank with him after his rising from the dead.x ⁴² Also, he ordered us to preach to the people and to give a thorough witnessy that this is the one decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.z ⁴³ To him all the prophets bear witness,a that everyone putting faith in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”b ⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking about these matters, the holy spirit came upon all those hearing the word.c ⁴⁵ And the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the free gift of the holy spirit was being poured out also on people of the nations. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in foreign languages and magnifying God.d Then Peter responded: ⁴⁷ “Can anyone deny water to prevent these from being baptizede who have received the holy spirit just as we have?” ⁴⁸ With that he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.f Then they requested him to stay for some days.

Acts 10

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 11:1-30

NWT | Acts of Apostles 11:1-30 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 11:1-30

11 Now the apostles and the brothers who were in Ju·deʹa heard that people of the nations had also accepted the word of God. ² So when Peter came up to Jerusalem, the supporters of circumcisiona began to criticize him,* ³ saying: “You went into the house of men who were not circumcised and ate with them.” ⁴ At this Peter went on to explain the matter in detail to them, saying: ⁵ “I was in the city of Jopʹpa praying, and while in a trance I saw a vision, something* descending like a great linen sheet being let down by its four corners from heaven, and it came right down to me.b ⁶ Looking closely into it, I observed four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, reptiles,* and birds of heaven. ⁷ I also heard a voice say to me: ‘Get up, Peter, slaughter and eat!’ ⁸ But I said: ‘Certainly not, Lord, because a defiled or unclean thing has never entered my mouth.’ ⁹ The second time, the voice from heaven answered: ‘You stop calling defiled the things God has cleansed.’ ¹⁰ This happened a third time, and everything was pulled up again into heaven. ¹¹ Also just at that moment, three men were standing at the house where we were staying, having been sent to me from Caes·a·reʹa.c ¹² Then the spirit told me to go with them, not doubting at all. But these six brothers also went with me, and we entered into the house of the man. ¹³ “He reported to us how he saw the angel stand in his house and say: ‘Send men to Jopʹpa and summon Simon who is called Peter,d ¹⁴ and he will tell you things by which you and all your household may get saved.’ ¹⁵ But when I started to speak, the holy spirit fell on them just as it did also on us in the beginning.e ¹⁶ At this I recalled the saying of the Lord, how he used to say: ‘John baptized with water,f but you will be baptized with holy spirit.’g ¹⁷ If, therefore, God gave the same free gift to them that he gave to us who have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I should be able to hinder God?”*h ¹⁸ When they heard these things, they stopped objecting,* and they glorified God, saying: “So, then, God has also granted to people of the nations repentance leading to life.”i ¹⁹ Now those who had been scatteredj by the tribulation that arose over Stephen went as far as Phoe·niʹcia,k Cyʹprus, and Antioch, but they spoke the word only to the Jews.l ²⁰ However, some of the men among them from Cyʹprus and Cy·reʹne came to Antioch and began talking to the Greek-speaking people, declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus. ²¹ Furthermore, the hand of Jehovah was with them, and a great number became believers and turned to the Lord.m ²² The report about them reached the ears of the congregation in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barʹna·basn as far as Antioch. ²³ When he arrived and saw the undeserved kindness of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all to continue in the Lord with heartfelt resolve;o ²⁴ for he was a good man and full of holy spirit and faith. And a considerable crowd was added to the Lord.p ²⁵ So he went to Tarsus to make a thorough search for Saul.q ²⁶ After he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year they assembled with them in the congregation and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.r ²⁷ In those days prophetss came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. ²⁸ One of them named Agʹa·bust stood up and foretold through the spirit that a great famine was about to come on the entire inhabited earth,u which, in fact, did take place in the time of Claudius.v ²⁹ So the disciples determined, each according to what he could afford,w to send reliefx to the brothers living in Ju·deʹa; ³⁰ and this they did, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barʹna·bas and Saul.y

Acts 11

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 12:1-25

NWT | Acts of Apostles 12:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 12:1-25

12 About that time Herod the king began mistreating some of those of the congregation.a ² He put James the brother of Johnb to death by the sword.c ³ When he saw that it was pleasing to the Jews, he also went on to arrest Peter. (This was during the days of the Unleavened Bread.)d ⁴ He seized him and put him in prison,e turning him over to four shifts of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out* before the people after the Passover.f ⁵ So Peter was being kept in the prison, but the congregation was intensely praying to God for him.g ⁶ When Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping bound with two chains between two soldiers, and guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. ⁷ But look! Jehovah’s angel was standing there,h and a light shone in the prison cell. Hitting Peter on the side, he woke him, saying: “Get up quickly!” And the chains fell off his hands.i ⁸ The angel said to him: “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. Finally he said to him: “Put your outer garment on, and keep following me.” ⁹ And he went out and kept following him, but he did not know that what was happening through the angel was real. In fact, he thought he was seeing a vision. ¹⁰ Going past the first sentinel guard and the second, they reached the iron gate leading into the city, and this opened to them by itself.j After they went out, they made their way down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him. ¹¹ And Peter, realizing what was happening, said: “Now I know for sure that Jehovah sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s hand and from everything that the Jews were expecting to happen.”k ¹² After he realized this, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John who was called Mark,l where quite a few were gathered together and were praying. ¹³ When he knocked at the door of the gateway, a servant girl named Rhoda came to answer the call. ¹⁴ On recognizing the voice of Peter, she was so overjoyed that she did not open the gate, but ran inside and reported that Peter was standing at the gateway. ¹⁵ They said to her: “You are out of your mind.” But she kept insisting that it was so. They began to say: “It is his angel.” ¹⁶ But Peter remained there, knocking. When they opened the door, they saw him and were astonished. ¹⁷ But he motioned to them with his hand to be silent and told them in detail how Jehovah had brought him out of the prison, and he said: “Report these things to Jamesm and the brothers.” With that he went out and traveled to another place. ¹⁸ Now when it became day, there was quite a disturbance among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. ¹⁹ Herod made a diligent search for him, and not finding him, he interrogated the guards and commanded them to be led off to punishment;n and he went down from Ju·deʹa to Caes·a·reʹa and spent some time there. ²⁰ Now he was in an angry mood* against the people of Tyre and Siʹdon. So they came to him with one purpose,* and after persuading Blastus, the man in charge of the king’s household affairs, they sued for peace, because their country was supplied with food from the land of the king. ²¹ On a set day, Herod clothed himself with royal raiment and sat down on the judgment seat and began giving them a public address. ²² Then the people who were assembled began shouting: “A god’s voice, and not a man’s!” ²³ Instantly the angel of Jehovah struck him, because he did not give the glory to God, and he was eaten up with worms and died. ²⁴ But the word of Jehovah went on growing and spreading.o ²⁵ As for Barʹna·basp and Saul, after fully carrying out the relief work in Jerusalem,q they returned and took along with them John,r the one also called Mark.

Acts 12

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 13:1-52

NWT | Acts of Apostles 13:1-52 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 13:1-52

13 Now in Antioch there were prophets and teachers in the local congregation:a Barʹna·bas,b Symʹe·on who was called Niʹger, Lucius of Cy·reʹne, Manʹa·en who was educated with Herodc the district ruler, and Saul. ² As they were ministering to Jehovah and fasting, the holy spirit said: “Set aside for me Barʹna·bas and Sauld for the work to which I have called them.”e ³ Then after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off. ⁴ So these men, sent out by the holy spirit, went down to Se·leuʹcia, and from there they sailed away to Cyʹprus. ⁵ When they arrived in Salʹa·mis, they began proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. They also had John as an attendant.*f ⁶ When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paʹphos, they met up with a Jewish man named Bar-Jeʹsus, who was a sorcerer and a false prophet. ⁷ He was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. Calling Barʹna·bas and Saul to him, this man was eager to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elʹy·mas the sorcerer (for that is how his name is translated) began opposing them, trying to turn the proconsul away from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, also called Paul, becoming filled with holy spirit, looked at him intently ¹⁰ and said: “O man full of every sort of fraud and every sort of villainy, you son of the Devil,g you enemy of everything righteous, will you not quit distorting the right ways of Jehovah? ¹¹ Look! Jehovah’s hand is upon you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sunlight for a time.” Instantly a thick mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around trying to find someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul, on seeing what had happened, became a believer, for he was astounded at the teaching of Jehovah. ¹³ Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paʹphos and arrived at Pergah in Pam·phylʹi·a. But Johni left them and returned to Jerusalem.j ¹⁴ However, they went on from Perga and came to Antiochk in Pi·sidʹi·a. And going into the synagoguel on the Sabbath day, they took a seat. ¹⁵ After the public reading of the Law and the Prophets,m the presiding officers of the synagogue sent word to them, saying: “Men, brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, tell it.” ¹⁶ So Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand, he said: “Men, Israelites and you others who fear God, listen. ¹⁷ The God of this people Israel chose our forefathers, and he exalted the people while they lived as foreigners in the land of Egypt and brought them out of it with an uplifted arm.n ¹⁸ And for a period of about 40 years, he put up with them in the wilderness.o ¹⁹ After destroying seven nations in the land of Caʹnaan, he assigned their land as an inheritance.p ²⁰ All of that was during about 450 years. “After this he gave them judges until Samuel the prophet.q ²¹ But afterward they demanded a king,r and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin,s for 40 years. ²² After removing him, he raised up for them David as king,t about whom he bore witness and said: ‘I have found David the son of Jesʹseu a man agreeable to my heart;v he will do all the things I desire.’ ²³ According to his promise, from the offspring of this man, God has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.w ²⁴ Before the arrival of that one, John had preached publicly to all the people of Israel baptism in symbol of repentance.x ²⁵ But as John was finishing his course, he would say: ‘What do you suppose I am? I am not he.*y But look! One is coming after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’z ²⁶ “Men, brothers, you descendants of Abraham’s family and those others among you who fear God, the word of this salvation has been sent to us.a ²⁷ For the inhabitants of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize this one, but when acting as judges, they fulfilled the things spoken by the Prophets,b which are read aloud every sabbath. ²⁸ Even though they found no cause for death,c they demanded of Pilate to have him executed.d ²⁹ And when they had accomplished all the things written about him, they took him down from the stake and laid him in a tomb.e ³⁰ But God raised him up from the dead,f ³¹ and for many days he became visible to those who had gone with him from Galʹi·lee up to Jerusalem. These are now his witnesses to the people.g ³² “So we are declaring to you the good news about the promise made to the forefathers. ³³ God has completely fulfilled it to us, their children, by resurrecting Jesus;h just as it is written in the second psalm: ‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’i ³⁴ And the fact that He resurrected him from the dead never again to return to corruption, He has stated in this way: ‘I will give you the expressions of loyal love promised to David, which are faithful.’*j ³⁵ So it also says in another psalm: ‘You will not allow your loyal one to see corruption.’k ³⁶ David, on the one hand, rendered service to God in his own generation, fell asleep in death, was laid with his forefathers, and did see corruption.l ³⁷ On the other hand, the one whom God raised up did not see corruption.m ³⁸ “Let it therefore be known to you, brothers, that through this one a forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you,n ³⁹ and that from all the things from which you could not be declared guiltless by means of the Law of Moses,o everyone who believes is declared guiltless by means of this one.p ⁴⁰ Therefore, watch out that what is said in the Prophets does not come upon you: ⁴¹ ‘Look at it, you scorners, and be amazed, and perish, for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will never believe even if anyone relates it to you in detail.’”q ⁴² Now when they were going out, the people pleaded with them to speak about these matters on the following Sabbath. ⁴³ So after the synagogue assembly was dismissed, many of the Jews and the proselytes who worshipped God followed Paul and Barʹna·bas, who, as they spoke to them, urged them to remain in the undeserved kindness of God.r ⁴⁴ The next Sabbath nearly all the city gathered together to hear the word of Jehovah. ⁴⁵ When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began blasphemously contradicting the things Paul was saying.s ⁴⁶ Then Paul and Barʹna·bas boldly said to them: “It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to you.t Since you are rejecting it and do not judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life, look! we turn to the nations.u ⁴⁷ For Jehovah has commanded us in these words: ‘I have appointed you as a light of nations, for you to be a salvation to the ends of the earth.’”v ⁴⁸ When those of the nations heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah, and all those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers. ⁴⁹ Furthermore, the word of Jehovah was being spread throughout the whole country. ⁵⁰ But the Jews incited the prominent women who were God-fearing and the principal men of the city, and they stirred up persecutionw against Paul and Barʹna·bas and threw them outside their boundaries. ⁵¹ So they shook the dust off their feet against them and went to I·coʹni·um.x ⁵² And the disciples continued to be filled with joyy and holy spirit.

Acts 13

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | Acts of Apostles 14:1-28

NWT | Acts of Apostles 14:1-28 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 14:1-28

14 Now in I·coʹni·um they entered together into the synagogue of the Jews and spoke in such a manner that a great multitude of both Jews and Greeks became believers.a ² But the Jews who did not believe stirred up and wrongly influenced the people of the nations against the brothers.b ³ So they spent considerable time speaking with boldness by the authority of Jehovah, who bore witness to the word of his undeserved kindness by allowing signs and wonders to be performed through them.c ⁴ However, the multitude of the city was divided; some were for the Jews but others for the apostles. ⁵ When both the people of the nations and the Jews with their rulers made an attempt to treat them insolently and stone them,d ⁶ they were informed of it, and they fled to the cities of Lyc·a·oʹni·a, Lysʹtra and Derʹbe, and to the surrounding country.e ⁷ There they went on declaring the good news. ⁸ Now in Lysʹtra there was a man sitting down whose feet were crippled. He was lame from birth and had never walked. ⁹ This man was listening to Paul as he was speaking. Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,*f ¹⁰ said with a loud voice: “Stand up on your feet.” So the man leaped up and began walking.g ¹¹ When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they cried out in the Lyc·a·oʹni·an language: “The gods have become like humans and have come down to us!”h ¹² And they started calling Barʹna·bas Zeus, but Paul Herʹmes, since he was taking the lead in speaking. ¹³ And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance of the city,* brought bulls and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifices with the crowds. ¹⁴ However, when the apostles Barʹna·bas and Paul heard of it, they ripped their garments and leaped out into the crowd and cried out: ¹⁵ “Men, why are you doing these things? We too are humans having the same infirmities as you have.i And we are declaring the good news to you, for you to turn from these vain things to the living God,j who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them.k ¹⁶ In past generations he permitted all the nations to go on in their ways,l ¹⁷ although he did not leave himself without witnessm in that he did good, giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons,n satisfying you with food and filling your hearts with gladness.”o ¹⁸ And yet despite saying these things, they barely restrained the crowds from sacrificing to them. ¹⁹ But Jews arrived from Antioch and I·coʹni·um and persuaded the crowds,p and they stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, imagining that he was dead.q ²⁰ However, when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and entered the city. On the next day he left with Barʹna·bas for Derʹbe.r ²¹ After declaring the good news to that city and making quite a few disciples, they returned to Lysʹtra, I·coʹni·um, and Antioch. ²² There they strengthened the disciples,s encouraging them to remain in the faith and saying: “We must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.”t ²³ Moreover, they appointed elders for them in each congregation,u offering prayer with fasting,v and they entrusted them to Jehovah, in whom they had become believers. ²⁴ Then they went through Pi·sidʹi·a and came into Pam·phylʹi·a,w ²⁵ and after proclaiming the word in Perga, they went down to At·ta·liʹa. ²⁶ From there they sailed off for Antioch, where they had been entrusted to the undeserved kindness of God for the work they had now completed.x ²⁷ When they had arrived and had gathered the congregation together, they related the many things God had done by means of them, and that he had opened to the nations the door to faith.y ²⁸ So they spent considerable time with the disciples.

Acts 14

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | Acts of Apostles 15:1-41

NWT | Acts of Apostles 15:1-41 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 15:1-41

15 Now some men came down from Ju·deʹa and began to teach the brothers: “Unless you get circumcised according to the custom of Moses,a you cannot be saved.” ² But after quite a bit of dissension and disputing by Paul and Barʹna·bas with them, it was arranged for Paul, Barʹna·bas, and some of the others to go up to the apostles and elders in Jerusalemb regarding this issue. ³ So after being escorted partway by the congregation, these men continued on through both Phoe·niʹciac and Sa·marʹi·a, relating in detail the conversion of people of the nations and bringing great joy to all the brothers. ⁴ On arriving in Jerusalem, they were kindly received by the congregation and the apostles and the elders, and they related the many things God had done by means of them.d ⁵ But some of those of the sect of the Pharisees who had become believers stood up from their seats and said: “It is necessary to circumcise them and command them to observe the Law of Moses.”e ⁶ So the apostles and the elders gathered together to look into this matter. ⁷ After much intense discussion had taken place, Peter rose and said to them: “Men, brothers, you well know that from early days God made the choice among you that through my mouth people of the nations should hear the word of the good news and believe.f ⁸ And God, who knows the heart,g bore witness by giving them the holy spirit,h just as he did to us also. ⁹ And he made no distinction at all between us and them,i but purified their hearts by faith.j ¹⁰ So why are you now making a test of God by imposing on the neck of the disciples a yokek that neither our forefathers nor we were capable of bearing?l ¹¹ On the contrary, we have faith that we are saved through the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesusm in the same way that they are.”n ¹² At that the entire group became silent, and they began to listen to Barʹna·bas and Paul relate the many signs and wonders that God had done through them among the nations. ¹³ After they finished speaking, Jameso replied: “Men, brothers, hear me.p ¹⁴ Symʹe·onq has related thoroughly how God for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name.r ¹⁵ And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written: ¹⁶ ‘After these things I will return and raise up again the tent of David that is fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, ¹⁷ so that the men who remain may earnestly seek Jehovah, together with people of all the nations, people who are called by my name, says Jehovah, who is doing these things,s ¹⁸ known from of old.’t ¹⁹ Therefore, my decision is not to trouble those from the nations who are turning to God,u ²⁰ but to write them to abstain from things polluted by idols,v from sexual immorality,w from what is strangled, and from blood.x ²¹ For from ancient times* Moses has had those who preach him in city after city, because he is read aloud in the synagogues on every sabbath.”y ²² Then the apostles and the elders, together with the whole congregation, decided to send chosen men from among them to Antioch, along with Paul and Barʹna·bas; they sent Judas who was called Barʹsab·bas and Silas,z who were leading men among the brothers. ²³ They wrote this and sent it through them: “The apostles and the elders, your brothers, to those brothers in Antioch,a Syria, and Ci·liʹcia who are from the nations: Greetings! ²⁴ Since we have heard that some went out from among us and caused you trouble with what they have said,b trying to subvert you, although we did not give them any instructions, ²⁵ we have come to a unanimous decision to choose men to send to you together with our beloved Barʹna·bas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have given up their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.c ²⁷ We are therefore sending Judas and Silas, so that they also may report the same things by word of mouth.d ²⁸ For the holy spirite and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you except these necessary things: ²⁹ to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols,f from blood,g from what is strangled,h and from sexual immorality.i If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!” ³⁰ So when these men were dismissed, they went down to Antioch, and they gathered the whole group together and handed them the letter. ³¹ After reading it, they rejoiced over the encouragement. ³² And Judas and Silas, since they were also prophets, encouraged the brothers with many talks and strengthened them.j ³³ After they had spent some time there, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. ³⁴ —— ³⁵ But Paul and Barʹna·bas stayed in Antioch, teaching and declaring, along with many others, the good news of the word of Jehovah. ³⁶ After some days, Paul said to Barʹna·bas: “Let us now* return and visit the brothers in every one of the cities where we proclaimed the word of Jehovah, to see how they are.”k ³⁷ Barʹna·bas was determined to take along John, who was called Mark.l ³⁸ Paul, however, was not in favor of taking him along with them, seeing that he had departed from them in Pam·phylʹi·a and had not gone with them to the work.m ³⁹ At this there was a sharp burst of anger, so that they separated from each other; and Barʹna·basn took Mark along and sailed away to Cyʹprus. ⁴⁰ Paul selected Silas and departed after he had been entrusted by the brothers to the undeserved kindness of Jehovah.o ⁴¹ He went through Syria and Ci·liʹcia, strengthening the congregations.

Acts 15

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 16:1-40

NWT | Acts of Apostles 16:1-40 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 16:1-40

16 So he arrived at Derʹbe and also at Lysʹtra.+ And a disciple named Timothy+ was there, the son of a believing Jewish woman but of a Greek father, ² and he was well-reported-on by the brothers+ in Lysʹtra and I·coʹni·um. ³ Paul expressed the desire for Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews in those places,+ for they all knew that his father was a Greek. ⁴ As they traveled on through the cities, they would deliver to them for observance the decrees that had been decided on by the apostles and the elders who were in Jerusalem.+ ⁵ Then, indeed, the congregations continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number day by day. ⁶ Moreover, they traveled through Phrygʹi·a and the country of Ga·laʹti·a,+ because* they were forbidden by the holy spirit to speak the word in the province of Asia. ⁷ Further, when they came down to Mysʹi·a, they made efforts to go into Bi·thynʹi·a,+ but the spirit of Jesus did not permit them. ⁸ So they passed by Mysʹi·a and came down to Troʹas. ⁹ And during the night a vision appeared to Paul—a Mac·e·doʹni·an man was standing there urging him and saying: “Step over into Mac·e·doʹni·a and help us.” ¹⁰ As soon as he had seen the vision, we tried to go into Mac·e·doʹni·a, drawing the conclusion that God had summoned us to declare the good news to them. ¹¹ So we put out to sea from Troʹas and made a straight run to Samʹo·thrace, but on the following day to Ne·apʹo·lis; ¹² and from there we went to Phi·lipʹpi,+ a colony, which is the principal city of the district of Mac·e·doʹni·a. We stayed in this city for some days. ¹³ On the Sabbath day we went outside the gate beside a river, where we thought there was a place of prayer, and we sat down and began speaking to the women who had assembled. ¹⁴ And a woman named Lydʹi·a, a seller of purple from the city of Thy·a·tiʹra+ and a worshipper of God, was listening, and Jehovah opened her heart wide to pay attention to the things Paul was saying.+ ¹⁵ Now when she and her household got baptized,+ she urged us: “If you have considered me to be faithful to Jehovah, come and stay at my house.” And she just made us come. ¹⁶ Now it happened that as we were going to the place of prayer, a servant girl with a spirit, a demon of divination,+ met us. She supplied her masters with much profit by fortune-telling. ¹⁷ This girl kept following Paul and us and crying out with the words: “These men are slaves of the Most High God+ and are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” ¹⁸ She kept doing this for many days. Finally Paul got tired of it and turned and said to the spirit: “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.+ ¹⁹ Well, when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone,+ they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the rulers.+ ²⁰ Leading them up to the civil magistrates, they said: “These men are disturbing our city very much.+ They are Jews, ²¹ and they are proclaiming customs that it is not lawful for us to adopt or practice,+ seeing that we are Romans.”+ ²² And the crowd rose up together against them, and the civil magistrates, after tearing the garments off them, gave the command to beat them with rods.+ ²³ After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them into prison+ and ordered the jailer to guard them securely.+ ²⁴ Because he got such an order, he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. ²⁵ But about the middle of the night, Paul and Silas were praying and praising God with song,+ and the prisoners were listening to them. ²⁶ Suddenly a great earthquake occurred, so that the foundations of the jail were shaken. Moreover, all the doors were instantly opened, and everyone’s bonds came loose.+ ²⁷ When the jailer woke up and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, assuming that the prisoners had escaped.+ ²⁸ But Paul called out with a loud voice: “Do not hurt yourself, for we are all here!” ²⁹ So he asked for lights and rushed in, and seized with trembling, he fell down before Paul and Silas. ³⁰ He brought them outside and said: “Sirs, what must I do to get saved?” ³¹ They said: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will get saved, you and your household.”+ ³² Then they spoke the word of Jehovah to him together with all those in his house. ³³ And he took them along in that hour of the night and washed their wounds. Then he and his entire household were baptized without delay.+ ³⁴ He brought them into his house and set a table before them, and he rejoiced greatly with all his household now that he had believed in God. ³⁵ When it became day, the civil magistrates sent the constables to say: “Release those men.” ³⁶ The jailer reported their words to Paul: “The civil magistrates have sent men to have you two released. So come out now and go in peace.” ³⁷ But Paul said to them: “They flogged us publicly, uncondemned,* though we are Romans,+ and threw us into prison. Are they now throwing us out secretly? No, indeed! Let them come themselves and escort us out.” ³⁸ The constables reported these words to the civil magistrates. These grew fearful when they heard that the men were Romans.+ ³⁹ So they came and pleaded with them, and after escorting them out, they requested them to depart from the city. ⁴⁰ But they came out of the prison and went to the home of Lydʹi·a;+ and when they saw the brothers, they encouraged them+ and departed.

Footnotes

^ Or “and.”

^ Or “without a trial.”

Study Notes

Timothy: In the Bible, this is the first mention of Timothy, whose Greek name means “One Who Honors God.” It is not known precisely when Timothy embraced Christianity. However, his believing Jewish mother, Eunice, and probably also his grandmother Lois taught him from his early childhood “the holy writings” found in the Hebrew Scriptures, as the Jews understood them. (2Ti 1:5; 3:15) It is very likely that Eunice and Lois became Christians when Paul visited Lystra during his first missionary tour. Timothy’s father was called a Greek, meaning either that his ancestors were from Greece or that he was a member of another race. He was apparently not a Christian. During Paul’s second missionary tour, in late 49 or early 50 C.E., Paul came to Lystra, apparently Timothy’s hometown. At that time, Timothy was a Christian disciple who “was well-reported-on by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.” (Ac 16:2) Timothy may then have been in his late teens or early 20’s, a conclusion supported by Paul’s statement to Timothy some 10 or 15 years later when he said: “Never let anyone look down on your youth.” (1Ti 4:12, likely written between 61 and 64 C.E.) This indicates that even then, Timothy was a relatively young man.

circumcised him: Paul well knew that circumcision was not a Christian requirement. (Ac 15:6-29) Timothy, whose father was an unbeliever, had not been circumcised. Paul knew that this might stumble some of the Jews whom they would visit together on their preaching tour. Instead of allowing this obstacle to impede their work, Paul asked Timothy to submit to this painful surgery. Both men thus exemplified what Paul himself later wrote to the Corinthians: “To the Jews I became as a Jew in order to gain Jews.”—1Co 9:20.

the apostles and the elders who were in Jerusalem: As shown in the study note on Ac 15:2, some elders in the nation of Israel served in positions of responsibility on a national level. Likewise, these elders in Jerusalem together with the apostles formed a governing body for all the Christian congregations in the first century C.E. After handling the issue of circumcision, these apostles and elders made their decision known to the congregations, and it was accepted as authoritative.

elders: Lit., “older men.” Here the Greek term pre·sbyʹte·ros refers to those who held a position of responsibility in the early Christian congregation. The elders of the Jerusalem congregation are mentioned together with the apostles as the ones to whom Paul, Barnabas, and some other brothers from Syrian Antioch went in order to get the matter of circumcision settled. So just as some elders served in fleshly Israel on a national level, these elders together with the apostles formed a governing body for all the Christian congregations in the first century C.E. This indicates that the original group serving as a governing body, the 12 apostles, had now been enlarged.—Ac 1:21, 22, 26; see study notes on Mt 16:21; Ac 11:30.

the province of Asia: See Glossary, “Asia.”

the spirit of Jesus: Apparently referring to Jesus’ use of the holy spirit, or active force, which he had “received . . . from the Father.” (Ac 2:33) As head of the Christian congregation, Jesus used the spirit to direct the preaching work of the first Christians, indicating where they should concentrate their efforts. In this case, Jesus used “the holy spirit” to prevent Paul and his traveling companions from preaching in the province of Asia and the province of Bithynia. (Ac 16:6-10) These regions, however, were later reached with the good news.—Ac 18:18-21; 1Pe 1:1, 2.

passed by: Or “passed through.” The Greek verb pa·rerʹkho·mai, here rendered “passed by,” allows for the idea of traveling through the area, which is apparently what Paul and his companions did. The seaport of Troas was in the region of Mysia, located in the NW part of Asia Minor. They had to travel through Mysia to reach Troas, so they “passed by Mysia” in the sense that they traveled through the area without stopping to do extensive preaching there.

Macedonia: See Glossary.

we: Up to Ac 16:9, the book of Acts is narrated strictly in the third person, that is, the writer Luke reports only what others said and did. Here at Ac 16:10, however, there is a change in that style, and Luke includes himself in the narrative. From this point on, he uses the pronouns “we” and “us” in sections of the book where he was apparently accompanying Paul and his traveling companions. (See study note on Ac 1:1 and “Introduction to Acts.”) Luke first accompanied Paul from Troas to Philippi in about 50 C.E., but when Paul left Philippi, Luke was no longer with him.—Ac 16:10-17, 40; see study notes on Ac 20:5; 27:1.

declare the good news: See study note on Ac 5:42.

us: Luke’s use of the first person pronoun “us” indicates that he rejoined Paul at Philippi; the two men had parted company at Philippi some time earlier. (Ac 16:10-17, 40) They now traveled together from Philippi to Jerusalem, where Paul was later arrested. (Ac 20:5–21:18, 33) This is the second section of the book of Acts where Luke includes himself in the narrative.—See study notes on Ac 16:10; 27:1.

us: As mentioned in the study notes on Ac 16:10 and 20:5, the book of Acts contains sections where Luke, the writer of the book, uses first person pronouns such as “we,” “us,” and “our” (Ac 27:20) when describing what happened. This indicates that Luke accompanied Paul for portions of some of his many journeys. The section of Acts that starts here and continues to Ac 28:16 includes such references, showing that Luke traveled with Paul to Rome.

declaring the good news: The Greek verb eu·ag·ge·liʹzo·mai, used here, is related to the noun eu·ag·geʹli·on, “good news.” In the Christian Greek Scriptures, an important aspect of the good news is closely linked with God’s Kingdom, the theme of Jesus’ preaching and teaching work, and with the salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. In the book of Acts, the Greek verb eu·ag·ge·liʹzo·mai occurs numerous times, emphasizing the preaching work.—Ac 8:4, 12, 25, 35, 40; 10:36; 11:20; 13:32; 14:7, 15, 21; 15:35; 16:10; 17:18; see study notes on Mt 4:23; 24:14.

Philippi: This city was originally called Crenides (Krenides). Philip II of Macedon (father of Alexander the Great) took the city from the Thracians about the middle of the fourth century B.C.E. and named it after himself. There were rich gold mines in the area, and gold coins were issued in Philip’s name. About 168 B.C.E., the Roman consul Lucius Aemilius Paulus defeated Perseus, the last of the Macedonian kings, and took Philippi and the surrounding territory. In 146 B.C.E., all Macedonia was formed into a single Roman province. The battle in which Octavian (Octavius) and Mark Antony defeated the armies of Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus, assassins of Julius Caesar, took place on the Plain of Philippi in 42 B.C.E. Afterward, as a memorial of his great victory, Octavian made Philippi a Roman colony. Some years later, when Octavian was made Caesar Augustus by the Roman Senate, he named the town Colonia Augusta Julia Philippensis.—See App. B13.

a river: Many scholars identify the river with the Gangites, located 2.4 km (1.5 mi) W of Philippi, more than a sabbath day’s journey away. Some feel that because of Philippi’s military character, the Jews may have been forbidden to assemble for worship inside the city and had to meet far away. Others favor the Crenides (Krenides), a small stream that is closer to the city and is locally called the stream of Lydia. However, Roman tombs have been found there, and since it was an area in public view, some feel that it would have been an unlikely place for prayer. Still others suggest the area of a now-dry streambed that was outside the Neapolis Gate, where a number of churches were built in the fourth or fifth century C.E. to commemorate Paul’s visit to Philippi.

a place of prayer: Perhaps the Jews were forbidden to have a synagogue in the city because of Philippi’s military character. Or the city might have lacked ten Jewish males—the minimum number traditionally required for establishing a synagogue.

a woman named Lydia: Lydia is named only twice in the Bible, here and at Ac 16:40. There is documentary evidence to show that Lydia was used as a proper name, though some believe that Lydia was a nickname meaning “Lydian Woman.” Lydia and her household became Christians about 50 C.E. in Philippi, so they were among the first individuals in Europe to embrace Christianity as a result of Paul’s preaching. Lydia—who possibly never married or was a widow—had a generous spirit that enabled her to enjoy rewarding association with missionaries Paul, Silas, and Luke.—Ac 16:15.

a seller of purple: Lydia may have traded in purple goods of various kinds, including purple fabric, clothing, tapestries, dyes, or other items. She was originally from Thyatira, a city of western Asia Minor in the region called Lydia. An inscription found in Philippi testifies to the presence of a guild of sellers of purple in that city. The Lydians and their neighbors were famed for their skill in the dyeing of purple since the days of Homer (ninth or eighth century B.C.E.). Since Lydia’s trade required substantial capital and she had a large house capable of hosting four men—Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke—in all likelihood she was a successful and wealthy merchant. The reference to “her household” could mean that she lived with relatives, but it could also imply that she had slaves and servants. (Ac 16:15) And the fact that before leaving the city, Paul and Silas met with some brothers in this hospitable woman’s home suggests that it became a meeting place for the first Christians in Philippi.—Ac 16:40.

Jehovah opened her heart wide: Lydia is identified as a worshipper of God, an expression that indicates that she was a Jewish proselyte. (Ac 13:43) On the Sabbath, she had gathered with other women at a place of prayer at a river outside Philippi. (Ac 16:13) It may be that there were few Jews and no synagogue in Philippi. Lydia may have become acquainted with the worship of Jehovah in her home city, Thyatira, which had a large Jewish population and a Jewish meeting place. Jehovah, the God whom she worshipped, noticed that she was listening attentively.—See App. C3 introduction; Ac 16:14.

faithful to Jehovah: As shown in the study note in the preceding verse, Lydia’s background as a Jewish proselyte makes it logical that she had Jehovah in mind. She had just heard about Jesus Christ from Paul’s preaching but had not yet shown that she was faithful to Jesus. It seems logical, then, that she was referring to her faithfulness to the God whom she had already been worshipping, Jehovah.—See App. C3 introduction; Ac 16:15.

with a spirit, a demon of divination: Lit., “with a spirit of python.” Python was the name of the mythical snake or dragon that guarded the temple and oracle of Delphi, Greece. The Greek word pyʹthon came to refer to a person who could foretell the future and to the spirit that spoke through that one. Although later used to denote a ventriloquist, here in Acts it is used to describe a demon who enabled a young girl to practice the art of prediction.

by fortune-telling: Or “by practicing the art of prediction.” In the Bible, magic-practicing priests, spiritistic diviners, astrologers, and others are listed as claiming the ability to foretell the future. (Le 19:31; De 18:11) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the only mention of demons predicting the future is in connection with this event in Philippi. The demons oppose God and those who do his will, so it is not surprising that Paul and Silas suffered severe opposition as a result of casting out this demon of divination.—Ac 16:12, 17-24.

the marketplace: Located NW of the Acropolis, Athens’ marketplace (Greek, a·go·raʹ) covered 5 ha (12 ac) or so. The marketplace was much more than a location for buying and selling. It was the center of the city’s economic, political, and cultural life. Athenians enjoyed meeting at this center of public life to engage in intellectual discussions.

marketplace: Or “public square; forum.” The Greek word a·go·raʹ is here used to refer to an open area that served as a center for buying and selling and as a place of public assembly in cities and towns of the ancient Near East and the Greek and Roman world. From this account about what happened in Philippi, it appears that some judicial matters were handled in the marketplace. Excavations of the ruins of Philippi indicate that the Egnatian Way ran through the middle of the city and alongside it was a fair-sized forum, or marketplace.—See study notes on Mt 23:7; Ac 17:17.

the civil magistrates: The plural form of the Greek term stra·te·gosʹ here denotes the highest officials of the Roman colony of Philippi. These had the duties of keeping order, administering finances, trying and judging violators of the law, and ordering punishment.

we are Romans: The city of Philippi was a Roman colony, and its inhabitants were granted many privileges, possibly including a partial or secondary form of Roman citizenship. This may explain why they seem to have had a stronger attachment to Rome than would otherwise have been the case.—See study note on Ac 16:12.

the word of Jehovah: This expression has its background in the Hebrew Scriptures, where it appears as a combination of a Hebrew term for “word” and the divine name. Together with the expression “Jehovah’s word,” it occurs in some 200 verses. (Some examples are found at 2Sa 12:9; 24:11; 2Ki 7:1; 20:16; 24:2; Isa 1:10; 2:3; 28:14; 38:4; Jer 1:4; 2:4; Eze 1:3; 6:1; Ho 1:1; Mic 1:1; Zec 9:1.) When this expression occurs at Zec 9:1 in an early copy of the Septuagint found at Nahal Hever, Israel, in the Judean Desert near the Dead Sea, the Greek word loʹgos is followed by the divine name written in ancient Hebrew characters (). This parchment scroll is dated between 50 B.C.E. and 50 C.E. The reasons why the New World Translation uses the expression “the word of Jehovah” in the main text, although many Greek manuscripts of Ac 8:25 read “the word of the Lord,” are explained in App. C3 introduction; Ac 8:25.

the word of Jehovah: See study note on Ac 8:25 and App. C3 introduction; Ac 16:32.

were baptized without delay: The jailer and his household, his family, were Gentiles and were likely unfamiliar with basic Scriptural truths. After having encouraged them to “believe in the Lord Jesus,” Paul and Silas spoke “the word of Jehovah” to them, no doubt extensively. (Ac 16:31, 32) This affected them deeply, for that same night, as Ac 16:34 shows, they “believed in God,” or came to have faith in him. Therefore, it was appropriate that they were baptized without delay. When Paul and Silas left Philippi, Paul’s traveling companion Luke did not leave together with them, as indicated at Ac 16:40. (See study note on Ac 16:10.) Perhaps Luke was able to remain in Philippi for some time to give extra help to the new Christians there.

the constables: The Greek word rha·bdouʹkhos, literally meaning “rod bearer,” referred to an official attendant assigned to escort a Roman magistrate in public and to carry out his instructions. The Roman term was lictor. Some of the duties of the Roman constables were policelike in nature, but the constables were strictly attached to the magistrate, with the responsibility of being constantly at his service. They were not directly subject to the wishes of the people but only to the orders of their magistrate.

we are Romans: That is, Roman citizens. Paul and apparently also Silas were Roman citizens. Roman law stated that a citizen was always entitled to a proper trial and was never to be punished in public uncondemned. Roman citizenship entitled a person to certain rights and privileges wherever he went in the empire. A Roman citizen was subject to Roman law, not to the laws of provincial cities. When accused, he could agree to be tried according to local law; yet, he still retained the right to be heard by a Roman tribunal. In the case of a capital offense, he had the right to appeal to the emperor. The apostle Paul preached extensively throughout the Roman Empire. He made use of his rights as a Roman citizen on three recorded occasions. The first is here in Philippi when he informed the Philippian magistrates that they had infringed on his rights by beating him.—For the other two occasions, see study notes on Ac 22:25; 25:11.

I appeal to Caesar!: In the Bible record, this is the third time that Paul made use of his rights as a Roman citizen. (For the other two occasions, see study notes on Ac 16:37; 22:25.) Such an appeal to Caesar could be made either after the pronouncement of judgment or at any earlier point in the trial. Festus gave evidence of not wanting to decide the matter himself, and a trial in Jerusalem held virtually no hope of justice. So Paul made this formal petition to be judged by the highest court of the empire. It appears that in some cases the appeal could be denied, for example, in the case of a thief, a pirate, or a seditionist caught in the act. Likely for this reason, Festus conferred with “the assembly of counselors” before admitting the appeal. (Ac 25:12) The subsequent hearing with the visiting Herod Agrippa II was held in order that Festus might have clearer information to submit when transmitting Paul’s case to “the August One,” Nero. (Ac 25:12-27; 26:32; 28:19) Paul’s appeal also served the purpose of taking him to Rome, fulfilling an intention expressed earlier. (Ac 19:21) Jesus’ prophetic promise to Paul as well as the angelic message that he later received shows divine direction in the matter.—Ac 23:11; 27:23, 24.

a Roman: That is, a Roman citizen. This is the second of three recorded instances in which Paul made use of his rights as a Roman citizen. Roman authorities usually interfered little in Jewish affairs. However, the Romans got involved in Paul’s case not only because a riot erupted when he visited the temple but also because he was a Roman citizen. Citizenship afforded a person certain privileges that were recognized and honored throughout the empire. It was illegal, for example, to bind or beat an uncondemned Roman, since such treatment was considered fit for slaves only.—For the other two occasions, see study notes on Ac 16:37; 25:11.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Acts 16

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 17:1-34

NWT | Acts of Apostles 17:1-34 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 17:1-34

17 They now traveled through Am·phipʹo·lis and Ap·ol·loʹni·a and came to Thes·sa·lo·niʹca,a where there was a synagogue of the Jews. ² So according to Paul’s customb he went inside to them, and for three sabbaths he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,c ³ explaining and proving by references that it was necessary for the Christ to sufferd and to rise from the dead,e saying: “This is the Christ, this Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you.” ⁴ As a result, some of them became believers and associated themselves with Paul and Silas,f and so did a great multitude of the Greeks who worshipped God, along with quite a few of the principal women. ⁵ But the Jews, getting jealous,g gathered together some wicked men who were loitering at the marketplace and formed a mob and proceeded to throw the city into an uproar. They assaulted the house of Jaʹson and were seeking to have Paul and Silas brought out to the mob.h ⁶ When they did not find them, they dragged Jaʹson and some of the brothers to the city rulers, crying out: “These men who have overturned* the inhabited earth are present here also,i ⁷ and Jaʹson has received them as his guests. All these men act in opposition to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another king, Jesus.”j ⁸ When they heard these things, the crowd and the city rulers were alarmed; ⁹ and after taking sufficient security* from Jaʹson and the others, they let them go. ¹⁰ Immediately by night the brothers sent both Paul and Silas to Be·roeʹa. On arriving, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thes·sa·lo·niʹca, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore, many of them became believers, and so did quite a few of the reputable Greek women as well as some of the men. ¹³ But when the Jews from Thes·sa·lo·niʹca learned that the word of God was also being proclaimed by Paul in Be·roeʹa, they came there to incite and agitate the crowds.k ¹⁴ Then the brothers immediately sent Paul away to the sea,l but both Silas and Timothy remained behind there. ¹⁵ However, those accompanying Paul brought him as far as Athens, and they departed after receiving instructions that Silas and Timothym should come to Paul as quickly as possible. ¹⁶ Now while Paul was waiting for them in Athens, his spirit within him became irritated on seeing that the city was full of idols. ¹⁷ So he began to reason in the synagogue with the Jews and the other people who worshipped God and every day in the marketplace with those who happened to be on hand. ¹⁸ But some of both the Ep·i·cu·reʹan and the Stoʹic philosophers began disputing with him, and some were saying: “What is it this chatterer would like to tell?” Others: “He seems to be a proclaimer of foreign deities.” This was because he was declaring the good news of Jesus and the resurrection.n ¹⁹ So they took hold of him and led him to the Ar·e·opʹa·gus, saying: “Can we get to know what this new teaching is that you are speaking about? ²⁰ For you are introducing some things that are strange to our ears, and we want to know what these things mean.” ²¹ In fact, all Athenians and the foreigners staying there would spend their leisure time doing nothing else but telling or listening to something new. ²² Paul now stood in the midst of the Ar·e·opʹa·guso and said: “Men of Athens, I see that in all things you seem to be more given to the fear of the deities* than others are.p ²³ For instance, while passing along and carefully observing your objects of veneration,* I found even an altar on which had been inscribed ‘To an Unknown God.’ Therefore, what you are unknowingly worshipping, this I am declaring to you. ²⁴ The God who made the world and all the things in it, being, as he is, Lord of heaven and earth,q does not dwell in handmade temples;r ²⁵ nor is he served by human hands as if he needed anything,s because he himself gives to all people life and breatht and all things. ²⁶ And he made out of one manu every nation of men to dwell on the entire surface of the earth,v and he decreed the appointed times and the set limits of where men would dwell,w ²⁷ so that they would seek God, if they might grope for him and really find him,x although, in fact, he is not far off from each one of us. ²⁸ For by* him we have life and move and exist,y even as some of your own poets have said, ‘For we are also his children.’* ²⁹ “Therefore, since we are the children* of God,z we should not think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone, like something sculptured by the art and design of humans.a ³⁰ True, God has overlooked the times of such ignorance;b but now he is declaring to all people everywhere that they should repent. ³¹ Because he has set a day on which he purposes to judgec the inhabited earth in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and he has provided a guarantee to all men by resurrecting him from the dead.”d ³² Now when they heard of a resurrection of the dead, some began to scoff,e while others said: “We will hear you again about this.” ³³ So Paul left them, ³⁴ but some men joined him and became believers. Among them were Di·o·nysʹi·us, who was a judge of the court of the Ar·e·opʹa·gus, and a woman named Damʹa·ris, and others besides them.

Acts 17

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 18:1-28

NWT | Acts of Apostles 18:1-28 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 18:1-28

18 After this he departed from Athens and came to Corinth. ² And he found a Jew named Aqʹui·la,+ a native of Ponʹtus who had recently come from Italy with Pris·cilʹla his wife, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. So he went to them, ³ and because he had the same trade, he stayed at their home and worked with them,+ for they were tentmakers by trade. ⁴ He would give a talk in the synagogue+ every sabbath+ and would persuade Jews and Greeks. ⁵ When, now, both Silas+ and Timothy+ came down from Mac·e·doʹni·a, Paul began to be intensely occupied with the word, witnessing to the Jews to prove that Jesus is the Christ.+ ⁶ But after they kept on opposing him and speaking abusively, he shook out his garments+ and said to them: “Let your blood be on your own heads.+ I am clean.+ From now on I will go to people of the nations.”+ ⁷ So he transferred from there and went into the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshipper of God, whose house adjoined the synagogue. ⁸ But Crisʹpus,+ the presiding officer of the synagogue, became a believer in the Lord, along with all his household. And many of the Corinthians who heard began to believe and be baptized. ⁹ Moreover, the Lord said to Paul in a vision by night: “Do not be afraid, but keep on speaking and do not keep silent, ¹⁰ for I am with you+ and no man will assault you to harm you; for I have many people in this city.” ¹¹ So he stayed there for a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. ¹² While Galʹli·o was proconsul of A·chaʹia, the Jews made a concerted attack against Paul and led him to the judgment seat, ¹³ saying: “This man is persuading people to worship God in a way contrary to the law.”+ ¹⁴ But as Paul was about to speak, Galʹli·o said to the Jews: “If, indeed, it were some wrong or a serious crime, O Jews, it would be reasonable for me to hear you out patiently. ¹⁵ But if it is controversies over speech and names and your own law,+ you yourselves must see to it. I do not wish to be a judge of these things.” ¹⁶ With that he drove them away from the judgment seat. ¹⁷ So they all seized Sosʹthe·nes,+ the presiding officer of the synagogue, and began beating him in front of the judgment seat. But Galʹli·o would not get involved at all with these things. ¹⁸ However, after staying quite a few days longer, Paul said good-bye to the brothers and sailed away for Syria, accompanied by Pris·cilʹla and Aqʹui·la. He had his hair clipped short in Cenʹchre·ae,+ for he had made a vow. ¹⁹ So they arrived at Ephʹe·sus, and he left them there; but he entered the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews.+ ²⁰ Although they kept requesting him to stay longer, he would not consent ²¹ but said good-bye and told them: “I will return to you again, if Jehovah is willing.” And he put out to sea from Ephʹe·sus ²² and came down to Caes·a·reʹa.+ And he went up and greeted the congregation and then went down to Antioch.+ ²³ After spending some time there, he departed and went from place to place through the country of Ga·laʹti·a and Phrygʹi·a,+ strengthening all the disciples.+ ²⁴ Now a Jew named A·polʹlos,+ a native of Alexandria, arrived in Ephʹe·sus; he was an eloquent man who was well-versed in the Scriptures. ²⁵ This man had been instructed in the way of Jehovah, and aglow with the spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things about Jesus, but he was acquainted only with the baptism of John.+ ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue, and when Pris·cilʹla and Aqʹui·la+ heard him, they took him into their company and explained the way of God more accurately to him. ²⁷ Further, because he wanted to go across to A·chaʹia, the brothers wrote to the disciples, urging them to receive him kindly. So when he got there, he greatly helped those who through God’s undeserved kindness had become believers; ²⁸ for publicly and with great intensity he thoroughly proved the Jews to be wrong, showing them from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.+

Footnotes

Study Notes

Achaia: In the Christian Greek Scriptures, Achaia refers to the Roman province of southern Greece with its capital at Corinth. In 27 B.C.E., when Caesar Augustus reorganized the two provinces of Greece, Macedonia and Achaia, the name Achaia applied to all of Peloponnese and to part of continental Greece. The province of Achaia was under the administration of the Roman Senate and was ruled through a proconsul from its capital, Corinth. (2Co 1:1) Other cities of the province of Achaia mentioned in the Christian Greek Scriptures were Athens and Cenchreae. (Ac 18:1, 18; Ro 16:1) Achaia and Macedonia, its neighboring province to the N, were often mentioned together.—Ac 19:21; Ro 15:26; 1Th 1:7, 8; see App. B13.

Corinth: One of the oldest and most prominent cities of ancient Greece, located about 5 km (3 mi) SW of the modern-day city. The importance and great wealth of Corinth resulted largely from its strategic location at the isthmus, or narrow neck of land, connecting central Greece with the southern peninsula, the Peloponnese. Not only did Corinth control the flow of goods between northern and southern Greece but it also controlled maritime traffic between E and W on the Mediterranean Sea, since traveling the sea/land route via the isthmus was safer than making the trip around Greece. Achaia, as the Romans called Greece apart from Macedonia, became a Roman senatorial province during the reign of Caesar Augustus, and Corinth was made its capital. (See study note on Ac 18:12.) A large number of Jews had settled in Corinth and had established a synagogue, drawing some Greek adherents. (Ac 18:4) The presence of Jews in ancient Corinth is attested to by first-century writer Philo and by an ancient Greek inscription on a marble lintel found near the gate toward the harbor of Lechaeum. The inscription reads “[Sy·na·]go·geʹ He·br[aiʹon],” meaning “Synagogue of the Hebrews.” Some suggest that the lintel is from the time of Paul, but most favor a later date.—See App. B13.

Aquila: This faithful Christian husband and his loyal wife, Priscilla (also called Prisca), are described as being “fellow workers” with Paul. (Ro 16:3) They are referred to a total of six times in the Christian Greek Scriptures (Ac 18:18, 26; 1Co 16:19; 2Ti 4:19), and on each occasion they are mentioned together. The name Priscilla is the diminutive form of the name Prisca. The shorter form of the name is found in Paul’s writings, the longer form in Luke’s. Such a variation was common in Roman names. Banished from Rome by Emperor Claudius’ decree against the Jews sometime in the year 49 or early 50 C.E., Aquila and Priscilla took up residence in Corinth. When Paul arrived there in the autumn of 50 C.E., he worked with this couple at their common trade of tentmaking. Aquila and Priscilla doubtless aided Paul in building up the new congregation there. Aquila was a native of Pontus, a region of northern Asia Minor along the Black Sea.—See App. B13.

tentmakers: Here the Greek term ske·no·poi·osʹ is used to describe the trade of Paul, Aquila, and Priscilla. Various opinions have been offered as to the exact type of craftsman indicated by this word (whether tentmaker, tapestry weaver, or ropemaker); however, a number of scholars hold that “tentmaker” is the probable meaning. Paul was from Tarsus in Cilicia, an area famous for its goat-hair cloth named cilicium, from which tents were made. (Ac 21:39) Among the Jews of the first century C.E., it was considered honorable for a young man to learn a trade even if he was also to receive a higher education. It is possible, then, that Paul learned to make tents while he was still a youth. The work was not easy, for it is reported that the cilicium was usually stiff and rough and, consequently, difficult to cut and sew.

give a talk: Or “reason with people.” The Greek verb di·a·leʹgo·mai has been defined “to discuss; to converse.” It can describe the delivering of an instructional discourse as well as an interaction with people that includes an exchange of opinions. This same Greek word is also used at Ac 17:2, 17; 18:19; 19:8, 9; 20:7, 9.

intensely occupied with the word: Or “fully absorbed in preaching the word.” This expression indicates that Paul at this point began to devote all his time to preaching.

they shook the dust off their feet against them: Paul and Barnabas here applied Jesus’ instruction recorded at Mt 10:14; Mr 6:11; Lu 9:5. Pious Jews who had traveled through Gentile country would shake what they perceived to be unclean dust off their sandals before reentering Jewish territory. However, Jesus apparently had a different meaning in mind when giving these instructions to his disciples. This gesture signified that the disciples disclaimed responsibility for the consequences that would come from God. When Paul did something similar in Corinth by shaking out his garments, he added the explanatory words: “Let your blood be on your own heads. I am clean.”—See study note on Ac 18:6.

Let his blood come upon us and upon our children: That is, “We and our descendants take responsibility for his death.”

I am clean from the blood of all men: Paul was free of bloodguilt before God because he had not failed to preach the good news of the Kingdom. He had not withheld the lifesaving information that this message contains. (Ac 18:6; compare Eze 33:6-8) Paul conveyed “all the counsel of God” to the disciples in Ephesus because he did not want anyone to lose his life in God’s day of judgment. (Ac 20:27) Other ways in which a Christian can become bloodguilty before God are by committing murder or bloodshed, which can include actively or tacitly supporting the activities of a bloodguilty organization, such as “Babylon the Great” (Re 17:6; 18:2, 4), or other organizations that have shed innocent blood (Re 16:5, 6; compare Isa 26:20, 21). Also, eating or drinking blood in any way would incur bloodguilt.—Ac 15:20.

he shook out his garments: This gesture by Paul indicated that he was free of responsibility for the Jews in Corinth who refused to accept the lifesaving message about the Christ. Paul had fulfilled his obligation and was no longer accountable for their lives. (See study note on Let your blood be on your own heads in this verse.) This type of gesture had a precedent in the Scriptures. When Nehemiah spoke to the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem, he shook out the folds of his garment to signify that a person who did not fulfill a certain promise would be cast off by God. (Ne 5:13) Paul performed a similar gesture in Pisidian Antioch when he “shook the dust off [his] feet” against those who opposed him in that city.—See study notes on Ac 13:51; Lu 9:5.

Let your blood be on your own heads: Paul uses this expression to show that he is not accountable for the consequences that would come upon the Jews who refused to accept the message about Jesus, the Messiah. Similar statements found in the Hebrew Scriptures convey the idea that a person who pursues a course of action worthy of death is responsible for the loss of his own life. (Jos 2:19; 2Sa 1:16; 1Ki 2:37; Eze 33:2-4; see study note on Mt 27:25.) Paul adds the declaration: I am clean, that is, “I am innocent [“guiltless; clear of responsibility”].”—See study note on Ac 20:26.

transferred from there: That is, from the synagogue to the house of Titius Justus, where Paul continued preaching. The home of Aquila and Priscilla remained Paul’s residence while he was in Corinth, but the house of Justus apparently became the center from which the apostle carried out his preaching activity.—Ac 18:3.

Titius Justus: A Corinthian believer identified as a worshipper of God, an expression that indicates that he was a Jewish proselyte.—See study notes on Ac 13:43; 16:14.

who worshipped God: The Greek word seʹbo·mai, here rendered “who worshipped God,” means “to worship; to revere; to venerate.” It could also be rendered “God-fearing; devout.” (See study note on Ac 13:50.) The Syriac Peshitta renders it “who feared God.” One translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew (referred to as J¹⁸ in App. C4) uses the divine name here and the whole expression can be rendered “who feared Jehovah.”

proconsul: The title of the governor of a province administered by the Roman Senate. Some Roman provinces, such as Judea, were imperial provinces under the direct rule of the emperor, who appointed a governor. Because Cyprus became a senatorial province in 22 B.C.E., it was governed by a proconsul. A coin from Cyprus has been found with the head and title of Roman Emperor Claudius (in Latin) on one side and “Under Cominius Proclus, Proconsul of the Cyprians” (in Greek) on the other side.—See Glossary.

proconsul: A provincial governor for the Roman Senate. Here Gallio is mentioned as being proconsul of the province of Achaia. Luke is accurate in using the term “proconsul” in this case, for Achaia was a senatorial province from 27 B.C.E. to 15 C.E. and again after 44 C.E. (See study note on Ac 13:7.) An inscription from Delphi that refers to proconsul Gallio not only supports the accuracy of Luke’s account but also helps in dating Gallio’s term of office.

Cenchreae: One of Corinth’s seaports, Cenchreae lay on the Saronic Gulf side of a narrow isthmus about 11 km (7 mi) E of Corinth. Cenchreae was Corinth’s port for points E of Greece, while Lechaeum, on the opposite side of the isthmus, served as Corinth’s port for Italy and other points W of Greece. Ruins in the area today include buildings and breakwaters near the present village of Kehries (Kechriais). According to Ro 16:1, there was a Christian congregation in Cenchreae.—See App. B13.

if Jehovah wills: An expression that emphasizes the need to take God’s will into account when doing or planning to do anything. The apostle Paul kept this principle in mind. (Ac 18:21; 1Co 16:7; Heb 6:3) In addition, the disciple James encouraged his readers to say: “If Jehovah wills, we will live and do this or that.” (Jas 4:15) James did not mean that Christians must always say it audibly; nor should they use the expression superstitiously or as an empty phrase. Instead, they would try to learn God’s will and to act in harmony with it.

the will of Jehovah: The Greek term for “will” (theʹle·ma), as used in the Christian Greek Scriptures, is most often connected with God’s will. (Mt 7:21; 12:50; Mr 3:35; Ro 12:2; 1Co 1:1; Heb 10:36; 1Pe 2:15; 4:2; 1Jo 2:17) In the Septuagint, the Greek term theʹle·ma is often used to translate Hebrew expressions for God’s will, or delight, and can be found in passages where the divine name occurs. (Ps 40:8, 9 [39:9, 10, LXX]; 103:21 [102:21, LXX]; 143:9-11 [142:9-11, LXX]; Isa 44:24, 28; Jer 9:24 [9:23, LXX]; Mal 1:10) Jesus expressed a similar thought when he, according to Mt 26:42, prayed to his Father: “Let your will take place.”—See App. C3 introduction; Ac 21:14.

if Jehovah is willing: An expression that emphasizes the need to take God’s will into account when doing or planning to do anything. The apostle Paul kept this principle closely in mind. (1Co 4:19; 16:7; Heb 6:3) The disciple James also encouraged his readers to say: “If Jehovah wills, we will live and do this or that.” (Jas 4:15) Such expressions should not be empty phrases; anyone who sincerely says “if Jehovah is willing” must try to act in harmony with Jehovah’s will. The expression does not always need to be made audibly but is often made only in the heart.—See study notes on Ac 21:14; 1Co 4:19; Jas 4:15 and App. C3 introduction; Ac 18:21.

he went up: Although Jerusalem is not specifically mentioned in the Greek text, Paul was apparently heading to that city. Jerusalem is about 750 m (2,500 ft) above sea level, and the Scriptures often speak of worshippers as “going up to Jerusalem.” In fact, the Greek verb a·na·baiʹno (“to go up”) is many times used when Jerusalem is specifically mentioned as the destination. (Mt 20:17; Mr 10:32; Lu 18:31; 19:28; Joh 2:13; 5:1; 11:55; Ac 11:2; 21:12; 24:11; 25:1, 9; Ga 2:1) In addition, a verb meaning “to go down” (ka·ta·baiʹno) also appears in this verse, and this verb is sometimes used when referring to going away from Jerusalem.—Mr 3:22; Lu 10:30, 31; Ac 24:1, 22; 25:7.

Apollos: A Jewish Christian who had apparently been raised in the city of Alexandria, the capital of the Roman province of Egypt. Alexandria was a center of higher learning, renowned for its great library. It was the largest city in the Roman Empire after Rome and had a large Jewish population. It was one of the most important centers of culture and learning for both Jews and Greeks. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures known as the Septuagint was produced there. This background may help explain why Apollos is described as being well-versed [lit., “powerful”] in the Scriptures, that is, the inspired Hebrew Scriptures.

Jehovah: In this quote from Isa 40:3, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text. (See App. C.) Mark applies this prophecy to what “John the Baptizer” (Mr 1:4) did in preparing the way for Jesus.—See study notes on Mt 3:3; Joh 1:23.

Jehovah: At Isa 40:3, quoted here, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text. (See App. A5 and C.) The Gospel writers Matthew, Mark, and Luke apply this prophecy to John the Baptist, and here in John’s Gospel, John the Baptist applies this prophecy to himself. John would make the way of Jehovah straight in the sense that he would be the forerunner of Jesus, who would represent his Father and come in his Father’s name.—Joh 5:43; 8:29.

The Way: As shown in the study note on Ac 9:2, the expression “The Way” was used with reference to the early Christian congregation. True Christianity is not a matter of outward appearance or mere formal worship. It is a way of life permeated by the worship of God and guided by his spirit. (Joh 4:23, 24) The Syriac Peshitta reads: “the way of God”; the Latin Vulgate according to the Clementine recension reads: “the way of the Lord”; and some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew (referred to as J^{17, 18} in App. C4) use the divine name here and read: “Jehovah’s way.”

instructed: The Greek verb ka·te·kheʹo literally means “to sound down,” and it may include the idea of oral instruction. When the truths of God’s Word are repeatedly sounded down into the mind and heart of a learner, he becomes qualified to teach others.—Compare Ga 6:6, where the same Greek word is used twice.

the way of Jehovah: In the following verse, the synonymous expression “the way of God” is used. The Christian way of life is centered on worship of the only true God, Jehovah, and on faith in his Son, Jesus Christ. The book of Acts refers to this course of life simply as “The Way” or “this Way.” (Ac 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22; see study note on Ac 9:2.) Also, the expression “the way of Jehovah” appears four times in the Gospel accounts, where it is part of a quote from Isa 40:3. (See study notes on Mt 3:3; Mr 1:3; Lu 3:4; Joh 1:23.) At Isa 40:3, the original Hebrew text uses the Tetragrammaton. The expression “the way of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s way”) also occurs at Jg 2:22; Jer 5:4, 5.—See study note on Ac 19:23 and App. C3 introduction; Ac 18:25.

aglow with the spirit: Lit., “boiling to the spirit.” The Greek word rendered “aglow” literally means “to boil,” but here it is used metaphorically to convey the idea of overflowing with or radiating zeal and enthusiasm. In this expression, the Greek word for “spirit” (pneuʹma) apparently refers to God’s holy spirit, which can act as a driving force, moving and energizing a person to do things in accord with Jehovah’s will. (See study note on Mr 1:12.) However, the term “spirit” may also refer to the impelling force that issues from a person’s figurative heart and causes him to say and do things in a certain way. So this verse may express a combined idea of a person showing zeal and enthusiasm for what is right as he is guided by God’s spirit. However, some feel that in this context, this expression is simply an idiom for great eagerness and enthusiasm. If so, this may explain how Apollos could be “aglow with the spirit” even though he was unacquainted with baptism in the name of Jesus. In either case, Apollos’ spirit needed to be guided by God’s spirit in order for him to show enthusiasm for the right things and to be willing to accept teachings that were more accurate.—See Glossary, “Spirit.”

the baptism of John: This baptism was a public demonstration of the individual’s repentance over his sins against the Law that Jehovah gave to Moses, a Law that the Jews had agreed to follow. (Ex 24:7, 8) Undergoing the baptism of John, however, was not valid after Pentecost 33 C.E. when the Law covenant ended. (Ro 10:4; Ga 3:13; Eph 2:13-15; Col 2:13, 14) From that time on, the only baptism approved by Jehovah was the one that Jesus instructed his disciples to carry out. (Mt 28:19, 20) The events involving Apollos, described here, happened about the year 52 C.E.

The Way: A designation used in the book of Acts to refer to the Christian way of life and the early Christian congregation. It may have roots in Jesus’ statement at Joh 14:6: “I am the way.” Those who became followers of Jesus were spoken of as belonging to “The Way,” that is, they kept a way of life following Jesus’ example. (Ac 19:9) His life centered on worship of the only true God, Jehovah. For Christians, this manner of life also focused on faith in Jesus Christ. Sometime after 44 C.E., in Syrian Antioch, disciples of Jesus “were by divine providence called Christians.” (Ac 11:26) However, even after that designation was applied, Luke refers to the congregation as “The Way” or “this Way.”—Ac 19:23; 22:4; 24:22; see study notes on Ac 18:25; 19:23.

Jehovah: In this quote from Isa 40:3, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text. (See App. C.) Matthew applies this prophecy to what John the Baptist did in preparing the way for Jesus. In John’s Gospel, John the Baptist applies this prophecy to himself.—Joh 1:23.

God’s: Lit., “the.” Although the Greek text does not have the word for “God’s” here, many scholars agree that it is understood. In the book of Acts, the expression “undeserved kindness” is most often connected with “God.”—Ac 11:23; 13:43; 14:26; 20:24, 32.

Media

Synagogue in the City of Ostia

Shown here is a photograph of the remains of a synagogue in Ostia, the port city of Rome. Though the building underwent renovation and alteration, the original structure is thought to have been built as a synagogue in the latter half of the first century C.E. The presence of the synagogue indicates that Jews lived in the vicinity of Rome for a long time. Although the Jews were expelled from the city of Rome by Emperor Claudius about the year 49 or 50 C.E., it is possible that Jewish communities remained in the area. (Ac 18:1, 2) After the death of Claudius in 54 C.E., many Jews returned to the city of Rome. When Paul wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome, about the year 56 C.E., the congregation was composed of Jews as well as Gentiles. This explains why Paul addressed matters related to both groups, helping them to see how they could live together in unity.—Ro 1:15, 16.

1. Rome

2. Ostia

Corinth—A Thriving Metropolis

The apostle Paul visited Corinth more than once during his missionary tours. On his first visit, he stayed there for 18 months. (Ac 18:1, 11; 20:2, 3) At that time, the city of Corinth was a thriving commercial center, thanks in large part to its strategic location on the isthmus that connects the Peloponnesian Peninsula to the Greek mainland. This allowed the city to control the flow of goods at two nearby ports, Lechaeum and Cenchreae. Corinth was a crossroads for merchants and travelers from all over the Roman Empire, making it an ideal location to carry out the preaching work. In this video, learn about Corinth’s history, including archaeological discoveries, such as the Erastus inscription. See the city’s agora (marketplace), bema (judgment seat), and one of its theaters as it may have appeared in Paul’s day.

Emperor Claudius

The book of Acts twice refers to Roman Emperor Claudius by name. (Ac 11:28; 18:2) He succeeded his nephew Caligula (who ruled from 37 to 41 C.E. and who is not mentioned in the Scriptures) to become the fourth emperor of Rome, ruling from 41 to 54 C.E. About the year 49 or 50 C.E., Claudius ordered all Jews to leave Rome. As a result, Priscilla and Aquila moved to Corinth, where they met the apostle Paul. Claudius’ fourth wife reportedly poisoned him in 54 C.E., and he was succeeded by Emperor Nero.

Gallio Inscription

This inscription found in Delphi, Greece, dating to about the middle of the first century C.E., refers to the proconsul Gallio. (His name is highlighted.) Ac 18:12 correctly states that “Gallio was proconsul of Achaia” at the time that the Jews in Corinth led the apostle Paul to him to be judged.

Judgment Seat in Corinth

The photograph shows the remains of “the judgment seat,” or bema, in Corinth. It was a large, raised platform used for public speaking. Corinth’s judgment seat was located near the center of the city’s agora, a large public area. A magistrate would use the platform to announce the judgments he rendered. The judgment seat was made of white and blue marble and was richly decorated. People who were to approach the magistrate waited in rooms that had mosaic floors and benches and were attached to the platform. Shown here is an artist’s conception of what the Corinthian judgment seat may have looked like in the first century C.E. It is believed to be the place where the Jews brought Paul before the proconsul Gallio.

Harbor of Ancient Cenchreae

Shown here are the ruins of the harbor of ancient Cenchreae. On his second missionary tour, Paul apparently boarded a boat here and sailed to Ephesus. (Ac 18:18) Cenchreae lay about 11 km (7 mi) east of Corinth on the side of a narrow isthmus facing the Saronic Gulf. It was linked to Corinth by a chain of military fortifications. In the first century C.E., Cenchreae was Corinth’s port for points east of Greece, while Lechaeum, on the opposite side of the isthmus, served as Corinth’s port for Italy and other places west of Greece.

Caesarea

1. Roman theater

2. Palace

3. Hippodrome

4. Pagan temple

5. Harbor

This video of the ruins of Caesarea includes 3-D reconstructions, showing what some of the main buildings may have looked like. The city of Caesarea and its harbor were built by Herod the Great toward the end of the first century B.C.E. Herod named the city after Caesar Augustus. Located about 87 km (54 mi) northwest of Jerusalem on the Mediterranean Coast, Caesarea became an important maritime hub. The city included a Roman theater (1), a palace that extended into the sea (2), a hippodrome, or stadium for horse racing, that could hold an estimated 30,000 spectators (3), and a pagan temple (4). The man-made harbor (5) was an engineering marvel. An aqueduct supplied Caesarea with fresh water, and the city had its own sewer system. The apostle Paul and other Christians traveled to and from Caesarea by boat. (Ac 9:30; 18:21, 22; 21:7, 8, 16) Paul was imprisoned there for about two years. (Ac 24:27) Philip the evangelizer traveled to Caesarea at the end of a preaching tour and possibly settled there. (Ac 8:40; 21:8) Cornelius, the first uncircumcised Gentile to become a Christian, lived in that city. (Ac 10:1, 24, 34, 35, 45-48) It was probably in Caesarea that Luke wrote his Gospel.

Acts of Apostles—Paul’s Third Missionary Tour (Ac 18:23–21:17) c. 52-56 C.E.

Events are listed in chronological order

1. Paul departs from Antioch of Syria for Galatia and Phrygia and strengthens the disciples in the congregations (Ac 18:23)

2. Paul goes through the inland regions and comes to Ephesus, where some are rebaptized and receive holy spirit (Ac 19:1, 5-7)

3. Paul preaches in the synagogue in Ephesus, but some Jews refuse to believe; Paul moves to the school auditorium of Tyrannus and gives talks daily (Ac 19:8, 9)

4. Paul’s ministry in Ephesus is fruitful (Ac 19:18-20)

5. A riot breaks out in the theater in Ephesus (Ac 19:29-34)

6. Paul travels from Ephesus to Macedonia and then to Greece (Ac 20:1, 2)

7. After staying in Greece for three months, Paul goes back through Macedonia (Ac 20:3)

8. From Philippi, Paul travels to Troas; resurrects Eutychus there (Ac 20:5-11)

9. Paul’s companions arrive in Assos by boat while Paul travels overland and joins them there (Ac 20:13, 14)

10. Paul and his companions arrive in Miletus by boat, where Paul meets with the elders from Ephesus and admonishes them with many words (Ac 20:14-20)

11. Paul prays with the elders and tells them that they will not see his face anymore; the elders escort him to the ship (Ac 20:36-38)

12. From Miletus, Paul and his companions sail to Cos and then to Rhodes and Patara, where they board a ship to Syria; the ship passes the SW end of the island of Cyprus and lands at Tyre (Ac 21:1-3)

13. The disciples in Tyre, through the spirit, repeatedly warn Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem (Ac 21:4, 5)

14. Paul arrives in Caesarea; the prophet Agabus tells him that tribulation awaits him in Jerusalem (Ac 21:8-11)

15. Paul arrives in Jerusalem despite the danger there (Ac 21:12-15, 17)

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Acts 18

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 19:1-41

NWT | Acts of Apostles 19:1-41 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 19:1-41

19 In the course of events, while A·polʹlos+ was in Corinth, Paul went through the inland regions and came down to Ephʹe·sus.+ There he found some disciples ² and said to them: “Did you receive holy spirit when you became believers?”+ They replied to him: “Why, we have never heard that there is a holy spirit.” ³ So he said: “In what, then, were you baptized?” They said: “In John’s baptism.”+ ⁴ Paul said: “John baptized with the baptism in symbol of repentance,+ telling the people to believe in the one coming after him,+ that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ On hearing this, they got baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul laid his hands on them, the holy spirit came upon them,+ and they began speaking in foreign languages and prophesying.+ ⁷ There were about 12 men in all. ⁸ Entering the synagogue,+ for three months he spoke with boldness, giving talks and reasoning persuasively about the Kingdom of God.+ ⁹ But when some stubbornly refused to believe,* speaking injuriously about The Way+ before the crowd, he withdrew from them+ and separated the disciples from them, giving talks daily in the school auditorium of Ty·ranʹnus. ¹⁰ This went on for two years, so that all those living in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. ¹¹ And God kept performing extraordinary powerful works through the hands of Paul,+ ¹² so that even cloths and aprons that had touched his body were carried to the sick,+ and the diseases left them, and the wicked spirits came out.+ ¹³ But some of the Jews who traveled around casting out demons also tried to use the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had wicked spirits; they would say: “I solemnly charge you by Jesus whom Paul preaches.”+ ¹⁴ Now there were seven sons of a Jewish chief priest named Sceʹva doing this. ¹⁵ But in answer the wicked spirit said to them: “I know Jesus+ and I am acquainted with Paul;+ but who are you?” ¹⁶ At that the man with the wicked spirit leaped on them, overpowered them one after the other, and prevailed against them, so that they fled naked and wounded out of that house. ¹⁷ This became known to all, both the Jews and the Greeks who lived in Ephʹe·sus; and fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus went on being magnified. ¹⁸ And many of those who had become believers would come and confess and report their practices openly. ¹⁹ Indeed, quite a number of those who practiced magical arts brought their books together and burned them up before everybody.+ And they calculated their value and found them worth 50,000 pieces of silver. ²⁰ Thus in a mighty way, the word of Jehovah kept growing and prevailing.+ ²¹ After these things had taken place, Paul resolved in his spirit that after going through Mac·e·doʹni·a+ and A·chaʹia, he would travel to Jerusalem.+ He said: “After going there, I must also see Rome.”+ ²² So he sent to Mac·e·doʹni·a two of those who ministered to him, Timothy+ and E·rasʹtus,+ but he himself stayed on for some time in the province of Asia. ²³ At that time quite a disturbance+ arose concerning The Way.+ ²⁴ For a man named De·meʹtri·us, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Arʹte·mis, brought considerable profit to the craftsmen.+ ²⁵ He gathered them and others who worked at such things and said: “Men, you well know that from this business comes our prosperity. ²⁶ Now you see and hear how, not only in Ephʹe·sus+ but in nearly all the province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a considerable crowd and turned them to another opinion, saying that the gods made by hands are not really gods.+ ²⁷ Moreover, the danger exists not only that this business of ours will come into disrepute but also that the temple of the great goddess Arʹte·mis will be viewed as nothing, and she who is worshipped in the whole province of Asia and the inhabited earth will be deprived of her magnificence.” ²⁸ Hearing this and becoming full of anger, the men began crying out: “Great is Arʹte·mis of the E·pheʹsians!” ²⁹ So the city became filled with confusion, and all together they rushed into the theater, dragging along with them Gaʹius and Ar·is·tarʹchus,+ Mac·e·doʹni·ans, traveling companions of Paul.+ ³⁰ For his part, Paul was willing to go inside to the people, but the disciples would not permit him. ³¹ Even some of the commissioners of festivals and games who were friendly to him sent word to him, pleading with him not to risk going into the theater. ³² Some were, in fact, crying out one thing and others something else; for the assembly was in confusion and the majority of them did not know the reason why they had come together. ³³ So they brought Alexander out of the crowd, the Jews shoving him forward, and Alexander motioned with his hand and wanted to make his defense to the people. ³⁴ But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all started shouting in unison for about two hours: “Great is Arʹte·mis of the E·pheʹsians!” ³⁵ When the city recorder had finally quieted the crowd, he said: “Men of Ephʹe·sus, who really is there among men who does not know that the city of the E·pheʹsians is the temple keeper of the great Arʹte·mis and of the image that fell from heaven? ³⁶ Since these things are indisputable, you should keep calm and not act rashly. ³⁷ For you have brought these men here who are neither robbers of temples nor blasphemers of our goddess. ³⁸ So if De·meʹtri·us+ and the craftsmen with him do have a case against someone, court days are held and there are proconsuls; let them bring charges against one another. ³⁹ But if you are searching for anything beyond that, it must* be decided in a regular assembly. ⁴⁰ For we are really in danger of being charged with sedition over today’s affair, since there are no grounds we could present as a reason for this disorderly mob.” ⁴¹ And after saying this, he dismissed the assembly.

Footnotes

^ Or “some went on hardening themselves and not believing.”

^ Or “will.”

Study Notes

In John’s baptism: See study note on Ac 18:25.

The Way: See study notes on Ac 9:2; 19:23 and Glossary.

the school auditorium of Tyrannus: Or “the lecture hall of Tyrannus.” No details are provided regarding the purpose for which that school was established, but Paul was apparently welcome to use the facilities, perhaps for a number of hours each day. A few ancient manuscripts add “from the fifth hour to the tenth,” that is, from about 11:00 a.m. to about 4:00 p.m. The fact that this phrase is missing from several early manuscripts indicates that it is not part of the original text. However, some suggest that even if this addition is not original, the timing mentioned seems reasonable and may reflect Paul’s daily schedule while he was in Ephesus. It would denote that Paul took the opportunity to teach the disciples during those hot but quiet hours when many stopped their work to rest.

the province of Asia: See Glossary, “Asia.”

cloths and aprons: The cloths may have been handkerchiefs worn by Paul around the forehead to keep perspiration from running into the eyes. Aprons were worn by laborers, suggesting that Paul may have been plying his trade of tentmaking during his free hours, perhaps early in the morning.—Ac 20:34, 35.

magical arts: The Greek word for “magical arts” is pe·riʹer·ga, “curiosities.” One lexicon defines the word as “pert[aining] to undue or misdirected curiosity . . . as in the practice of magic.” (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, Third Edition, 2000) It describes the arts of those who with the aid of evil spirits pry into forbidden things. Many people practiced magic and other forms of demonism in Ephesus. When Paul wrote his inspired letter to the Ephesians, he urged them to put on the complete suit of armor from God so that they could fight against wicked spirit forces.—Eph 6:11, 12.

50,000 pieces of silver: If the drachma or the denarius is meant by the term “pieces of silver,” a laborer would have had to spend 50,000 days, or about 137 years working seven days a week, to earn that amount of money.

the word of Jehovah: See study note on Ac 8:25 and App. C3 introduction; Ac 19:20.

Artemis: Artemis of Ephesus was a fertility goddess who was worshipped in cities throughout Asia Minor. (Ac 19:27) Statues of Artemis were adorned with what have variously been identified as multiple breasts, eggs, and the testicles of sacrificed bulls. The mummylike lower half of her body was decorated with various symbols and animals. Though there was a Greek virgin goddess of hunting known as Artemis, the Artemis of Ephesus has little in common with the Greek deity of classical mythology. The Roman name for Artemis was Diana.

some of the commissioners of festivals and games: Lit., “some of the Asiarchs.” These high-ranking officials or leading men of the Roman province of Asia were apparently chosen because of their influence and wealth. They presided over and financed the public games held in the province.

proconsuls: A proconsul was the principal governor of a province administered by the Roman Senate. He had judicial and military power, and although his actions were subject to review by the Senate, he was the highest authority in the province. A province had only one proconsul, so the plural form here is apparently used in a general sense. Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of Asia, and the proconsul resided there.—See Glossary, “Asia.”

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Acts 19

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 20:1-38

NWT | Acts of Apostles 20:1-38 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 20:1-38

20 When the uproar had subsided, Paul sent for the disciples, and after he had encouraged them and said farewell, he began his journey to Mac·e·doʹni·a.a ² After going through those regions and giving many words of encouragement to the ones there, he arrived in Greece. ³ He spent three months there, but because a plot was hatched against him by the Jewsb when he was about to set sail for Syria, he made up his mind to return through Mac·e·doʹni·a. ⁴ He was accompanied by Sopʹa·ter the son of Pyrʹrhus of Be·roeʹa, Ar·is·tarʹchusc and Se·cunʹdus of the Thes·sa·loʹni·ans, Gaʹius of Derʹbe, Timothyd and, from the province of Asia, Tychʹi·cuse and Trophʹi·mus.f ⁵ These men went on ahead and were waiting for us in Troʹas;g ⁶ but we put out to sea from Phi·lipʹpi after the days of the Unleavened Bread,h and within five days we came to them in Troʹas, and there we spent seven days. ⁷ On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to have a meal, Paul began addressing them, as he was going to depart the next day; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. ⁸ So there were quite a few lamps in the upper room where we were gathered together. ⁹ Seated at the window, a young man named Euʹty·chus sank into a deep sleep while Paul kept talking, and overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was picked up dead. ¹⁰ But Paul went downstairs, threw himself on him and embraced him,i and said: “Stop making a commotion, for he is alive.”j ¹¹ He then went upstairs and began the meal and ate. He continued conversing for quite a while, until daybreak, and then he departed. ¹² So they took the boy away alive and were comforted beyond measure. ¹³ We now went ahead to the ship and set sail for Asʹsos, where we were intending to take Paul aboard, for after giving instructions to this effect, he was intending to go there on foot. ¹⁴ So when he caught up with us in Asʹsos, we took him aboard and went to Mit·y·leʹne. ¹⁵ And sailing away from there the next day, we arrived off Chiʹos, but the day after that, we touched at Saʹmos, and on the following day, we arrived at Mi·leʹtus. ¹⁶ Paul had decided to sail past Ephʹe·susk so as not to spend any time in the province of Asia, for he was hurrying to get to Jerusaleml on the day of the Festival of Pentecostm if he possibly could. ¹⁷ However, from Mi·leʹtus he sent word to Ephʹe·sus and called for the elders of the congregation. ¹⁸ When they came to him, he said to them: “You well know how I conducted myself among you from the first day I stepped into the province of Asia,n ¹⁹ slaving for the Lord with all humilityo and with tears and trials that befell me by the plots of the Jews, ²⁰ while I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable* nor from teaching you publiclyp and from house to house.q ²¹ But I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentancer toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus.s ²² And now look! bound in the spirit, I am traveling to Jerusalem,t although not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that from city to city the holy spirit repeatedly bears witness to me, saying that imprisonment and tribulations are waiting for me.u ²⁴ Nevertheless, I do not consider my own life of any importance to me,* if only I may finish my coursev and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus,w to bear thorough witness to the good news of the undeserved kindness of God. ²⁵ “And now look! I know that none of you among whom I preached the Kingdom will ever see my face again. ²⁶ So I call you to witness this very day that I am clean from the blood of all men,x ²⁷ for I have not held back from telling you all the counsel of God.y ²⁸ Pay attention to yourselvesz and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers,a to shepherd the congregation of God,b which he purchased with the blood of his own Son.c ²⁹ I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among youd and will not treat the flock with tenderness, ³⁰ and from among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.e ³¹ “Therefore keep awake, and bear in mind that for three years,f night and day, I never stopped admonishing each one of you with tears. ³² And now I entrust you to God and to the word of his undeserved kindness, which word can build you up and give you the inheritance among all the sanctified ones.g ³³ I have desired no man’s silver or gold or clothing.h ³⁴ You yourselves know that these hands have provided for my own needsi and the needs of those with me. ³⁵ I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way,j you must assist those who are weak and must keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus, when he himself said: ‘There is more happiness in givingk than there is in receiving.’” ³⁶ And when he had said these things, he knelt down with all of them and prayed. ³⁷ Indeed, quite a bit of weeping broke out among them all, and they embraced Paul and affectionately kissed him, ³⁸ for they were especially pained at the word he had spoken that they would not see his face anymore.l Then they accompanied him to the ship.

Acts 20

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 21:1-40

NWT | Acts of Apostles 21:1-40 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 21:1-40

21 After tearing ourselves away from them and putting out to sea, we ran with a straight course and came to Cos, on the next day to Rhodes, and from there to Patʹa·ra. ² When we found a ship that was crossing to Phoe·niʹcia, we went aboard and sailed away. ³ After coming in sight of the island of Cyʹprus, we left it behind on the left side and sailed on to Syria and landed at Tyre, where the ship was to unload its cargo. ⁴ We searched for and found the disciples and remained there for seven days. But through the spirit they repeatedly told Paul not to set foot in Jerusalem.a ⁵ So when our time there was over, we left and started on our way, but they all, together with the women and children, accompanied us until we were outside the city. And kneeling down on the beach, we prayed ⁶ and said good-bye to one another. Then we went aboard the ship, and they returned to their homes. ⁷ We then completed the voyage from Tyre and arrived at Ptol·e·maʹis, and we greeted the brothers and stayed one day with them. ⁸ The next day we left and came to Caes·a·reʹa, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelizer,b who was one of the seven men,c and we stayed with him. ⁹ This man had four unmarried daughters who prophesied.d ¹⁰ But after we had stayed there for quite a number of days, a prophet named Agʹa·buse came down from Ju·deʹa. ¹¹ And he came to us and took Paul’s belt and tied his own feet and hands and said: “Thus says the holy spirit, ‘The man to whom this belt belongs will be bound like this by the Jews in Jerusalem,f and they will give him into the hands of people of the nations.’”g ¹² Now when we heard this, both we and those who were there began begging him not to go up to Jerusalem. ¹³ Then Paul answered: “What are you doing by weeping and trying to weaken my resolve? Rest assured, I am ready not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”h ¹⁴ When he would not be dissuaded, we stopped objecting* and said: “Let the will of Jehovah take place.” ¹⁵ Now after these days we prepared for the journey and started on our way to Jerusalem. ¹⁶ Some of the disciples from Caes·a·reʹa also went with us, taking us to Mnaʹson of Cyʹprus, an early disciple at whose home we were to be guests. ¹⁷ When we got to Jerusalem, the brothers welcomed us gladly. ¹⁸ But on the following day Paul went in with us to James,i and all the elders were present.* ¹⁹ And he greeted them and began giving a detailed account of the things God did among the nations through his ministry. ²⁰ After hearing this, they began to glorify God, but they said to him: “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the Law.j ²¹ But they have heard it rumored about you that you have been teaching all the Jews among the nations an apostasy from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or to follow the customary practices.k ²² What, then, is to be done about it? They are certainly going to hear that you have arrived. ²³ So do what we tell you: We have four men who have put themselves under a vow. ²⁴ Take these men with you and cleanse yourself ceremonially together with them and take care of their expenses, so that they may have their heads shaved. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the rumors they were told about you, but that you are walking orderly and you are also keeping the Law.l ²⁵ As for the believers from among the nations, we have sent them our decision in writing that they should keep away from what is sacrificed to idolsm as well as from blood,n from what is strangled,o and from sexual immorality.”p ²⁶ Then Paul took the men the next day and cleansed himself ceremonially along with them,q and he went into the temple to give notice of when the days for the ceremonial cleansing would be completed and the offering should be presented for each one of them. ²⁷ Now when the seven days were about to end, the Jews from Asia, on seeing him in the temple, stirred up the whole crowd, and they seized him, ²⁸ shouting: “Men of Israel, help! This is the man who teaches everyone everywhere against our people and our Law and this place. And what is more, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.”r ²⁹ For they had previously seen Trophʹi·muss the E·pheʹsian in the city with him, and they assumed that Paul had brought him into the temple. ³⁰ The whole city was in an uproar, and the people came running together and seized Paul and dragged him outside the temple, and immediately the doors were closed. ³¹ While they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the army unit that all Jerusalem was in confusion; ³² and he immediately took soldiers and army officers and ran down to them. When they caught sight of the military commander and the soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. ³³ Then the military commander came near and took him into custody and ordered that he be bound with two chains;t then he inquired who he was and what he had done. ³⁴ But some in the crowd began shouting out one thing, and others something else. So being unable himself to learn anything for certain because of the disturbance, he commanded him to be brought to the soldiers’ quarters. ³⁵ But when he reached the stairs, he had to be carried by the soldiers because of the violence of the crowd, ³⁶ for a crowd of the people kept following, crying out: “Do away with him!”* ³⁷ As he was about to be led into the soldiers’ quarters, Paul said to the military commander: “Am I allowed to say something to you?” He said: “Can you speak Greek? ³⁸ Are you not, then, the Egyptian who some time ago stirred up a sedition and led the 4,000 dagger men out into the wilderness?” ³⁹ Then Paul said: “I am, in fact, a Jew,u of Tarsusv in Ci·liʹcia, a citizen of no obscure city. So I beg you, permit me to speak to the people.” ⁴⁰ After he gave permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned with his hand to the people. When a great silence fell, he addressed them in the Hebrew language,w saying:

Acts 21

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 22:1-30

NWT | Acts of Apostles 22:1-30 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 22:1-30

22 “Men, brothers and fathers, hear my defense to you now.”+ ² Well, when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they kept all the more silent, and he said: ³ “I am a Jew,+ born in Tarsus of Ci·liʹcia,+ but educated in this city at the feet of Ga·maʹli·el,+ instructed according to the strictness of the ancestral Law,+ and zealous for God just as all of you are this day.+ ⁴ I persecuted this Way to the point of death, binding and handing over to prisons both men and women,+ ⁵ as the high priest and all the assembly of elders can bear witness. From them I also obtained letters to the brothers in Damascus, and I was on my way to bring those who were there in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished. ⁶ “But as I was traveling and getting near to Damascus, about midday, suddenly out of heaven a great light flashed all around me,+ ⁷ and I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ ⁸ I answered: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me: ‘I am Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ, whom you are persecuting.’ ⁹ Now the men who were with me did see the light, but they did not hear the voice of the one speaking to me.+ ¹⁰ At that I said: ‘What should* I do, Lord?’ The Lord said to me: ‘Rise, go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything it is appointed for you to do.’+ ¹¹ But since I could not see anything because of the glory of that light, I arrived in Damascus led by the hand of those who were with me. ¹² “Then a man named An·a·niʹas,+ a devout man according to the Law, well-reported-on by all the Jews living there, ¹³ came to me. He stood by me and said to me: ‘Saul, brother, regain your sight!’ And that very moment I looked up and saw him.+ ¹⁴ He said: ‘The God of our forefathers has chosen you to come to know his will and to see the righteous one+ and to hear the voice of his mouth, ¹⁵ because you are to be a witness for him to all men of the things you have seen and heard.+ ¹⁶ And now why are you delaying? Rise, get baptized, and wash your sins+ away by your calling on his name.’+ ¹⁷ “But when I had returned to Jerusalem+ and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance ¹⁸ and saw him saying to me: ‘Hurry up and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your witness concerning me.’+ ¹⁹ And I said: ‘Lord, they themselves well know that I used to imprison and flog in one synagogue after another those believing in you;+ ²⁰ and when the blood of Stephen your witness was being spilled, I was standing by and approving and guarding the outer garments of those doing away with him.’+ ²¹ And yet he said to me: ‘Go, because I will send you out to nations far away.’”+ ²² Now they kept listening to him down to this word. Then they raised their voices, saying: “Take such a man away from the earth, for he is not fit to live!” ²³ Because they were crying out, throwing their outer garments about, and tossing dust into the air,+ ²⁴ the military commander ordered Paul to be brought into the soldiers’ quarters and said that he should be interrogated under scourging, so that he could learn exactly why they were shouting against Paul this way. ²⁵ But when they had stretched him out for the whipping, Paul said to the army officer standing there: “Is it lawful for you to scourge a Roman who has not been condemned?”*+ ²⁶ Well, when the army officer heard this, he went to the military commander and reported it, saying: “What are you intending to do? For this man is a Roman.” ²⁷ So the military commander approached and said to him: “Tell me, are you a Roman?” He said: “Yes.” ²⁸ The military commander responded: “I purchased these rights as a citizen for a large sum of money.” Paul said: “But I have them by birth.”+ ²⁹ Immediately, therefore, the men who were about to interrogate him under torture backed away from him; and the military commander became afraid when he realized that he was a Roman and that he had bound him in chains.+ ³⁰ So the next day, because he wanted to know for sure just why he was being accused by the Jews, he released him and commanded the chief priests and all the Sanʹhe·drin to assemble. He then brought Paul down and had him stand among them.+

Footnotes

^ Or “must.”

^ Or “who has not had a trial?”

Study Notes

Hebrew: In the Christian Greek Scriptures, inspired Bible writers used the term “Hebrew” in designating the language spoken by the Jews (Joh 19:13, 17, 20; Ac 21:40; 22:2; Re 9:11; 16:16), as well as the language in which the resurrected and glorified Jesus addressed Saul of Tarsus (Ac 26:14, 15). At Ac 6:1, “Hebrew-speaking Jews” are distinguished from “Greek-speaking Jews.” While some scholars hold that the term “Hebrew” in these references should instead be rendered “Aramaic,” there is good reason to believe that the term actually applies to the Hebrew language. When the physician Luke says that Paul spoke to the people of Jerusalem “in the Hebrew language,” Paul was addressing those whose life revolved around studying the Law of Moses in Hebrew. Also, of the great number of fragments and manuscripts comprising the Dead Sea Scrolls, the majority of Biblical and non-Biblical texts are written in Hebrew, showing that the language was in daily use. The smaller number of Aramaic fragments found shows that both languages were used. So it seems highly unlikely that when Bible writers used the word “Hebrew,” they actually meant the Aramaic or Syrian language. (Ac 21:40; 22:2; compare Ac 26:14.) The Hebrew Scriptures earlier distinguished between “Aramaic” and “the language of the Jews” (2Ki 18:26), and first-century Jewish historian Josephus, considering this passage of the Bible, speaks of “Aramaic” and “Hebrew” as distinct tongues. (Jewish Antiquities, X, 8 [i, 2]) It is true that there are some terms that are quite similar in both Aramaic and Hebrew and possibly other terms that were adopted into Hebrew from Aramaic. However, there seems to be no reason for the writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures to have said Hebrew if they meant Aramaic.

in the Hebrew language: See study note on Joh 5:2.

Gamaliel: A Law teacher mentioned twice in Acts, here and at Ac 22:3. He is thought to be Gamaliel the Elder, as he is known in non-Biblical sources. Gamaliel was the grandson, or possibly the son, of Hillel the Elder, who is credited with developing a more liberal school of thought among the Pharisees. Gamaliel was so highly esteemed among the people that he is said to be the first to be called by the honorific title “Rabban.” Therefore, he greatly influenced the Jewish society of his time by training many sons of Pharisees, such as Saul of Tarsus. (Ac 22:3; 23:6; 26:4, 5; Ga 1:13, 14) He often interpreted the Law and traditions in a way that appears to have been comparatively broad-minded. For example, he is said to have enacted laws protecting wives against unprincipled husbands and defending widows against unprincipled children. He is also said to have argued that poor non-Jews should have the same gleaning rights as poor Jews. This tolerant attitude is evident in the way Gamaliel treated Peter and the other apostles. (Ac 5:35-39) Rabbinic records show, however, that Gamaliel placed greater emphasis on rabbinic tradition than on the Holy Scriptures. Therefore, on the whole, his teachings were similar to those of most of his rabbinic forefathers and the religious leaders of his day.—Mt 15:3-9; 2Ti 3:16, 17; see Glossary, “Pharisees”; “Sanhedrin.”

Gamaliel: A Law teacher mentioned twice in Acts, here and at Ac 5:34.—See study note on Ac 5:34.

their Sanhedrin hall: Or “their Sanhedrin.” The Sanhedrin was the Jewish high court in Jerusalem. The Greek word rendered “Sanhedrin hall” or “Sanhedrin” (sy·neʹdri·on) literally means a “sitting down with.” Although it was a general term for an assembly or a meeting, in Israel it could refer to a religious judicial body or court. The Greek word can refer to the people making up the court itself or to the building or location of the court.—See study note on Mt 5:22 and Glossary, “Sanhedrin”; see also App. B12 for the possible location of the Sanhedrin Hall.

assembly of elders: Or “council (body) of elders.” The Greek word pre·sby·teʹri·on used here is related to the term pre·sbyʹte·ros (lit., “older man”), which in the Bible refers primarily to those who hold a position of authority and responsibility in a community or a nation. Although the term sometimes refers to physical age (as at Lu 15:25 and Ac 2:17), it is not limited to those who are elderly. The expression “assembly of elders” here apparently refers to the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high court in Jerusalem, which was made up of the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. These three groups are often mentioned together.—Mt 16:21; 27:41; Mr 8:31; 11:27; 14:43, 53; 15:1; Lu 9:22; 20:1; see study note on Lu 22:66.

the Nazarene: A descriptive epithet applied to Jesus and later to his followers. (Ac 24:5) Since many Jews had the name Jesus, it was common to add a further identification; the practice of associating people with the places from which they came was customary in Bible times. (2Sa 3:2, 3; 17:27; 23:25-39; Na 1:1; Ac 13:1; 21:29) Jesus lived most of his early life in the town of Nazareth in Galilee, so it was natural to use this term regarding him. Jesus was often referred to as “the Nazarene,” in different situations and by various individuals. (Mr 1:23, 24; 10:46, 47; 14:66-69; 16:5, 6; Lu 24:13-19; Joh 18:1-7) Jesus himself accepted the name and used it. (Joh 18:5-8; Ac 22:6-8) On the sign that Pilate placed on the torture stake, he wrote in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek: “Jesus the Nazarene the King of the Jews.” (Joh 19:19, 20) From Pentecost 33 C.E. onward, the apostles as well as others often spoke of Jesus as the Nazarene or as being from Nazareth.—Ac 2:22; 3:6; 4:10; 6:14; 10:38; 26:9; see also study note on Mt 2:23.

the Nazarene: See study note on Mr 10:47.

they did not hear the voice: Or “they did not understand the voice.” At Ac 9:3-9, Luke describes Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus. These two accounts taken together give the full picture of what happened. As explained in the study note on Ac 9:7, the men accompanying Paul heard “the sound of a voice” but apparently did not understand the words spoken. Thus, they did not hear the voice the way Paul did. This is in agreement with how the Greek word for “hear” is used at Ac 22:7, where Paul explains that he “heard a voice,” that is, he heard and understood the words. By contrast, those traveling with Paul did not understand the message being conveyed to Paul, perhaps because the voice was muffled or distorted in some way. It is apparently in this sense that “they did not hear the voice.”—Compare Mr 4:33; 1Co 14:2, where the same Greek word for “hear” could be rendered “to listen” or “to understand.”

hearing . . . the sound of a voice: At Ac 22:6-11, Paul himself describes his experience on the road to Damascus. That account taken together with this account gives the full picture of what happened. The Greek words used in both accounts are the same, but the grammar is different. The Greek term pho·neʹ could be rendered both “sound” and “voice.” Here it is in the genitive case and is therefore rendered “the sound of a voice.” (At Ac 22:9, the same Greek word is in the accusative case and is rendered “voice.”) So the men accompanying Paul heard the sound of a voice but apparently could not hear and understand the words spoken. So they did not hear the voice the way Paul did.—Ac 26:14; see study note on Ac 22:9.

regain your sight!: Lit., “look up!” The Greek word basically means “to direct one’s vision upward” (Mt 14:19; Lu 19:5), but it can also refer to gaining sight for the first time (Joh 9:11, 15, 18) or to having one’s sight restored (Mr 10:52; Lu 18:42; Ac 9:12).

wash your sins away by your calling on his name: A person will have his sins washed away, not by the baptismal water itself, but by calling on the name of Jesus. Doing this involves putting faith in Jesus and demonstrating that faith by Christian works.—Ac 10:43; Jas 2:14, 18; see study note on Ro 10:13.

calls on the name of Jehovah: Calling on Jehovah’s name is broad in meaning and involves more than just knowing and using God’s personal name. The expression “to call on [someone’s] name” has its background in the Hebrew Scriptures. Paul is here quoting from Joe 2:32, where the context stresses true repentance and trust in Jehovah’s forgiveness. (Joe 2:12, 13) At Pentecost 33 C.E., Peter quoted the same prophecy of Joel and exhorted his listeners to repent and take action to secure Jehovah’s approval. (Ac 2:21, 38) Other contexts show that calling on God’s name involves knowing God, trusting in him, and looking to him for help and guidance. (Ps 20:7; 99:6; 116:4; 145:18) In some contexts, calling on the name of Jehovah can mean declaring his name and qualities. (Ge 12:8; compare Ex 34:5, where the same Hebrew expression is rendered “declared the name of Jehovah.”) In the verse that follows Ro 10:13, Paul connects calling on God with putting faith in him.—Ro 10:14.

a trance: The Greek word ekʹsta·sis (from ek, meaning “out of,” and staʹsis, meaning “standing”) refers to a person’s being cast out of his normal state of mind because of amazement, astonishment, or a vision from God. The Greek word is rendered “ecstasy” (Mr 5:42), “amazement” (Lu 5:26), and “overwhelmed with emotion” (Mr 16:8). In the book of Acts, the word is connected with divine action. Apparently, the holy spirit would, at times, superimpose on a person’s mind a vision or a picture of God’s purpose while the person was in a state of deep concentration or a sleeplike condition. An individual in a trance would be oblivious of his physical surroundings and would be receptive to a vision.—See study note on Ac 22:17.

I fell into a trance: For a discussion of the Greek term ekʹsta·sis, here rendered “a trance,” see study note on Ac 10:10. Some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew (referred to as J^{14, 17, 22} in App. C4) read: “Jehovah’s hand was upon me.” Another translation (referred to as J¹⁸) reads: “Jehovah’s spirit clothed me.”

your witness: The Greek term for “witness,” marʹtys, refers to one who observes a deed or an event. From firsthand knowledge, some first-century Christians could bear witness to, or confirm, historical facts about Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. (Ac 1:21, 22; 10:40, 41) Those who later put faith in Jesus could bear witness by proclaiming the significance of his life, death, and resurrection. (Ac 22:15) Speaking to Jesus, Paul used the word in this sense when he called Stephen “your witness.” Before the Sanhedrin, Stephen had given a powerful testimony about Jesus. Stephen was also the first to bear witness that he had seen, in a special vision, Jesus returned to heaven and standing at the right hand of God, as prophesied at Ps 110:1. (Ac 7:55, 56) Christian witnessing often meant facing opposition, arrest, beatings, and even death, as in the case of Stephen, James, and others. Accordingly, the Greek term marʹtys later came to signify “one who witnesses at the cost of his life, martyr,” that is, one who suffers death rather than renounce his faith. In this sense, Stephen became the first Christian martyr, whose blood . . . was being spilled because of the testimony he gave about Christ.—See study note on Ac 1:8.

military commander: The Greek term khi·liʹar·khos (chiliarch) literally means “ruler of a thousand,” that is, soldiers. It refers to a Roman military commander called a tribune. There were six tribunes in each Roman legion. The legion, however, was not divided into six different commands; rather, each tribune commanded the whole legion for one sixth of the time. Such a military commander had great authority, including the power to nominate and assign centurions. The Greek word could also refer to high-ranking military officers in general. A Roman military commander accompanied the soldiers who arrested Jesus.

military commander: The Greek term khi·liʹar·khos (chiliarch) literally means “ruler of a thousand,” that is, soldiers. It refers to a Roman military commander called a tribune. (See study note on Joh 18:12.) In about 56 C.E., Claudius Lysias was the military commander of the Jerusalem garrison. (Ac 23:22, 26) As recounted in Acts chapters 21-24, he was the one who rescued Paul both from the street mob and from the rioting Sanhedrin and who wrote a letter of explanation to Governor Felix when Paul was secretly taken to Caesarea.

the army officer: Or “the centurion.” A centurion was in command of about 100 soldiers in the Roman army.

purchased these rights as a citizen: Or “purchased this citizenship.” As this account shows, under certain circumstances, it was possible to obtain Roman citizenship for a sum of money. Paul told Claudius Lysias that he (Paul) had the rights as a citizen by birth, which indicates that one of Paul’s male ancestors must have acquired citizenship. There were other ways to acquire Roman citizenship. An individual or even the entire free population of a city or district could receive a form of it as an award from the emperor. A slave could gain it after he bought his freedom from or was set free by a Roman citizen. A veteran of the auxiliary forces who was discharged from the Roman army would be granted it. And a person could also inherit citizenship. It is unlikely that there were many Roman citizens who lived in Judea in the first century C.E. Only in the third century C.E. were all provincial subjects given Roman citizenship.

Media

Saul and Damascus

In the first century C.E., the city of Damascus likely had a layout similar to what is shown here. It was an important center for trade, and water drawn from the nearby Barada River (the Abanah of 2Ki 5:12) made the area around the city like an oasis. Damascus had a number of synagogues. Saul came to that city intending to arrest “any whom he found who belonged to The Way,” an expression used to describe the followers of Jesus. (Ac 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:22) On the road to Damascus, however, the glorified Jesus appeared to Saul. After that, Saul stayed for a time in Damascus at the house of a man named Judas, who lived on the street called Straight. (Ac 9:11) In a vision, Jesus directed the disciple Ananias to Judas’ house to restore Saul’s sight, and Saul later got baptized. So instead of arresting the Jewish Christians, Saul became one of them. He began his career as a preacher of the good news in the synagogues of Damascus. After traveling to Arabia and then back to Damascus, Saul returned to Jerusalem, likely about the year 36 C.E.—Ac 9:1-6, 19-22; Ga 1:16, 17.

A. Damascus

1. Road to Jerusalem

2. Street called Straight

3. Agora

4. Temple of Jupiter

5. Theater

6. Musical Performance Theater (?)

B. Jerusalem

Roman Citizenship

Shown here is one of two sections from a bronze document issued in 79 C.E. This document granted Roman citizenship to a sailor who was soon to retire, his wife, and his son. The two sections were bound together and sealed. Some people acquired citizenship later in life, but others became Roman citizens at birth. (See study note on Ac 22:28.) In either case, citizenship documents were highly valued, since a person might have to prove his citizenship in order to benefit from its privileges. However, Paul wrote of a far more valuable citizenship, the kind that “exists in the heavens.”—Php 3:20.

The Sanhedrin

Seventy-one members constituted the Jewish high court called the Great Sanhedrin. It was located in Jerusalem. (See Glossary, “Sanhedrin.”) According to the Mishnah, the seating was arranged in a semicircle three rows deep, and two scribes were present to record the court’s rulings. Some of the architectural features shown here are based on a structure discovered in Jerusalem that is considered by some to be the Council Chamber from the first century.—See Appendix B12, map “Jerusalem and Surrounding Area.”

1. High priest

2. Members of the Sanhedrin

3. A defendant

4. Clerks

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Acts 22

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 23:1-35

NWT | Acts of Apostles 23:1-35 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 23:1-35

23 Looking intently at the Sanʹhe·drin, Paul said: “Men, brothers, I have behaved before God with a perfectly clear consciencea down to this day.” ² At this the high priest An·a·niʹas ordered those standing by him to strike him on the mouth.b ³ Then Paul said to him: “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall. Do you sit to judge me according to the Law and at the same time violate the Law by commanding me to be struck?” ⁴ Those standing by said: “Are you insulting the high priest of God?” ⁵ And Paul said: “Brothers, I did not know he was high priest. For it is written, ‘You must not speak injuriously of a ruler of your people.’”c ⁶ Now Paul, knowing that the one part was made up of Sadducees but the other of Pharisees, cried out in the Sanʹhe·drin: “Men, brothers, I am a Pharisee,d a son of Pharisees. Over the hope of the resurrection of the dead I am being judged.” ⁷ Because he said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was split. ⁸ For the Sadducees say that there is neither resurrection nor angel nor spirit, but the Pharisees accept* them all.e ⁹ So a great uproar broke out, and some of the scribes of the party of the Pharisees rose and began arguing fiercely, saying: “We find nothing wrong in this man, but if a spirit or an angel spoke to himf—.” ¹⁰ Now when the dissension grew great, the military commander feared that Paul would be torn apart by them, and he commanded the soldiers to go down and snatch him from their midst and bring him into the soldiers’ quarters. ¹¹ But the following night the Lord stood by him and said: “Take courage!g For just as you have been giving a thorough witness about me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome.”h ¹² When it became day, the Jews formed a conspiracyi and bound themselves with a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul. ¹³ There were more than 40 men who formed this oath-bound conspiracy. ¹⁴ These men went to the chief priests and the elders and said: “We have solemnly bound ourselves with a curse not to eat anything at all until we have killed Paul. ¹⁵ So now you together with the Sanʹhe·drin should inform the military commander that he should bring him down to you as though you want to examine his case more thoroughly. But before he gets near, we will be ready to do away with him.” ¹⁶ However, the son of Paul’s sister heard of the ambush they were planning, and he entered the soldiers’ quarters and reported it to Paul. ¹⁷ Paul then called one of the army officers to him and said: “Take this young man to the military commander, for he has something to report to him.” ¹⁸ So he brought him and led him to the military commander and said: “The prisoner Paul called me and asked me to bring this young man to you because he has something to tell you.” ¹⁹ The military commander took him by the hand and withdrew privately and asked him: “What do you have to report to me?” ²⁰ He said: “The Jews have agreed to request you to bring Paul down to the Sanʹhe·drin tomorrow, as though they intend to learn more details about his case.j ²¹ But do not let them persuade you, for more than 40 of their men are waiting to ambush him, and they have bound themselves with a curse neither to eat nor to drink until they have killed him;k and they are now ready, waiting for the promise from you.” ²² So the military commander let the young man go, after ordering him: “Do not tell anyone that you have informed me of this.” ²³ And he summoned two of the army officers and said: “Get 200 soldiers ready to march clear to Caes·a·reʹa, also 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen, at the third hour of the night. ²⁴ Also, provide horses for Paul to ride, to take him safely to Felix the governor.”l ²⁵ And he wrote a letter with this content: ²⁶ “Claudius Lysʹi·as to His Excellency, Governor Felix: Greetings! ²⁷ This man was seized by the Jews and was about to be killed by them, but I came quickly with my soldiers and rescued him,m because I learned that he is a Roman.n ²⁸ And wanting to find out the cause for which they were accusing him, I brought him down into their Sanʹhe·drin.o ²⁹ I found him to be accused about questions of their Law,p but not charged with a single thing deserving of death or prison bonds.q ³⁰ But because a plot against the man has been made known to me,r I am at once sending him to you and ordering the accusers to speak against him before you.” ³¹ So these soldiers took Pauls according to their orders and brought him by night to An·tipʹa·tris. ³² The next day they permitted the horsemen to go on with him, but they returned to the soldiers’ quarters. ³³ The horsemen entered Caes·a·reʹa and delivered the letter to the governor and also presented Paul to him. ³⁴ So he read it and asked what province he was from and learned that he was from Ci·liʹcia.t ³⁵ “I will give you a thorough hearing,” he said, “when your accusers arrive.”u And he commanded that he be kept under guard in Herod’s palace.

Acts 23

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 24:1-27

NWT | Acts of Apostles 24:1-27 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 24:1-27

24 Five days later the high priest An·a·niʹasa came down with some elders and a public speaker named Ter·tulʹlus, and they presented their case against Paul to the governor.b ² When he was called, Ter·tulʹlus started accusing him, saying: “Seeing that we enjoy great peace through you and that through your forethought reforms are taking place in this nation, ³ at all times and also in all places we acknowledge this, Your Excellency Felix, with the greatest thankfulness. ⁴ But that I may not detain you any further, I beg you to hear us briefly in your kindness. ⁵ For we have found this man to be a pest,c stirring up seditionsd among all the Jews throughout the inhabited earth, and he is a spearhead* of the sect of the Naz·a·renesʹ.e ⁶ He also tried to profane the temple, so we seized him.f ⁷ —— ⁸ When you examine him yourself, you will find out about all these things of which we are accusing him.” ⁹ With that the Jews also joined in the attack, asserting that these things were true. ¹⁰ When the governor nodded to Paul to speak, he answered: “Knowing well that this nation has had you as judge for many years, I readily speak in my own defense.g ¹¹ As you can verify for yourself, it has not been more than 12 days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem;h ¹² and they found me neither arguing with anyone in the temple nor stirring up a mob, either in the synagogues or throughout the city. ¹³ Nor can they prove to you the things they are accusing me of right now. ¹⁴ But I do admit this to you, that according to the way that they call a sect, in this manner I am rendering sacred service to the God of my forefathers,i as I believe all the things set forth in the Law and written in the Prophets.j ¹⁵ And I have hope toward God, which hope these men also look forward to, that there is going to be a resurrectionk of both the righteous and the unrighteous.l ¹⁶ Because of this I always strive to maintain a clear* conscience before God and men.m ¹⁷ Now after quite a number of years, I arrived to bring gifts of mercyn to my nation and to make offerings. ¹⁸ While I was caring for these matters, they found me ceremonially cleansed in the temple,o but not with a crowd or causing a disturbance. But there were some Jews from the province of Asiap ¹⁹ who ought to be present before you to accuse me if they actually have anything against me.q ²⁰ Or let the men here say for themselves what wrong they found as I stood before the Sanʹhe·drin, ²¹ except for this one thing that I cried out while standing among them: ‘Over the resurrection of the dead I am today being judged before you!’”r ²² However, Felix, knowing quite well the facts concerning this Way,s began to put them off and say: “Whenever Lysʹi·as the military commander comes down, I will decide these matters involving you.” ²³ And he gave orders to the army officer that the man be kept under arrest but given some freedom, and that his people be allowed to attend to his needs. ²⁴ Some days later Felix came with Dru·silʹla his wife, who was Jewish, and he sent for Paul and listened to him speak about the belief in Christ Jesus.t ²⁵ But as Paul talked about righteousness and self-control and the judgment to come,u Felix became frightened and answered: “Go away for now, but when I have an opportunity I will send for you again.” ²⁶ At the same time he was hoping that Paul would give him money. For that reason, he sent for him even more frequently and conversed with him. ²⁷ But when two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and because Felix desired to gain favor with the Jews,v he left Paul in custody.

Acts 24

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 25:1-27

NWT | Acts of Apostles 25:1-27 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 25:1-27

25 Therefore Festus,a after arriving in the province and taking charge, went up three days later to Jerusalem from Caes·a·reʹa. ² And the chief priests and the principal men of the Jews gave him information against Paul.b So they began to beg Festus ³ as a favor* to send for Paul to come to Jerusalem. But they were planning to ambush Paul and kill him along the road.c ⁴ However, Festus answered that Paul was to be kept in Caes·a·reʹa and that he himself was about to go back there shortly. ⁵ “So let those who are in power among you,” he said, “come down with me and accuse him if, indeed, the man has done something wrong.”d ⁶ So when he had spent not more than eight or ten days among them, he went down to Caes·a·reʹa, and the next day he sat down on the judgment seat and commanded Paul to be brought in. ⁷ When he came in, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing against him many serious charges that they were unable to prove.e ⁸ But Paul said in defense: “Neither against the Law of the Jews nor against the temple nor against Caesar have I committed any sin.”f ⁹ Festus, desiring to gain favor with the Jews,g said in reply to Paul: “Do you wish to go up to Jerusalem and be judged before me there concerning these things?” ¹⁰ But Paul said: “I am standing before the judgment seat of Caesar, where I ought to be judged. I have done no wrong to the Jews, of which you are also becoming well-aware. ¹¹ If I am really a wrongdoer and have committed anything deserving of death,h I do not beg off from dying; but if there is no substance to the accusations these men have made against me, no man has the right to hand me over to them as a favor. I appeal to Caesar!”i ¹² Then Festus, after speaking with the assembly of counselors, replied: “To Caesar you have appealed; to Caesar you will go.” ¹³ After some days had passed, A·gripʹpa the king and Bernice arrived in Caes·a·reʹa for a courtesy visit to Festus. ¹⁴ Since they were spending a number of days there, Festus presented Paul’s case to the king, saying: “There is a man who was left as a prisoner by Felix,j ¹⁵ and when I was in Jerusalem the chief priests and the elders of the Jews brought information about him,k asking for a judgment of condemnation against him. ¹⁶ But I replied to them that it is not Roman procedure to hand any man over as a favor before the accused man meets his accusers face-to-face and gets a chance to speak in his defense concerning the complaint.l ¹⁷ So when they arrived here, I did not delay, but the next day I sat down on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in. ¹⁸ Taking the stand, the accusers did not charge him with any of the wicked things I had expected concerning him.m ¹⁹ They simply had certain disputes with him concerning their own worship of the deity*n and concerning a man named Jesus, who was dead but who Paul kept asserting was alive.o ²⁰ Being at a loss as to how to handle this dispute, I asked if he would like to go to Jerusalem and be judged there concerning these matters.p ²¹ But when Paul appealed to be kept in custody for the decision by the August One,q I commanded him to be held until I should send him on to Caesar.” ²² A·gripʹpa then said to Festus: “I would like to hear the man myself.”r “Tomorrow,” he said, “you will hear him.” ²³ So the next day A·gripʹpa and Bernice came with much pompous show and entered the audience chamber together with military commanders as well as the prominent men in the city; and when Festus gave the command, Paul was brought in. ²⁴ And Festus said: “King A·gripʹpa and all you who are present with us, you see this man about whom the whole Jewish populace have petitioned me both in Jerusalem and here, shouting that he ought not to live any longer.s ²⁵ But I perceived that he had done nothing deserving of death.t So when this man himself appealed to the August One, I decided to send him. ²⁶ But I have nothing certain to write about him to my Lord. So I brought him before all of you, and especially before you, King A·gripʹpa, so that after the judicial examination has taken place, I might have something to write. ²⁷ For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not also to indicate the charges against him.”

Acts 25

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 26:1-32

NWT | Acts of Apostles 26:1-32 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 26:1-32

26 A·gripʹpaa said to Paul: “You are permitted to speak in your own behalf.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and proceeded to say in his defense: ² “Concerning all the things of which I am accused by the Jews,b King A·gripʹpa, I consider myself happy that it is before you I am to make my defense this day, ³ especially because you are an expert on all the customs as well as the controversies among the Jews. Therefore, I beg you to hear me patiently. ⁴ “Indeed, the manner of life I led from youth up among my people* and in Jerusalem is well-known by all the Jewsc ⁵ who were previously acquainted with me, if they would be willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our form of worship,d I lived as a Pharisee.e ⁶ But now for the hope of the promise that was made by God to our forefathers,f I stand on trial; ⁷ this is the same promise our 12 tribes are hoping to see fulfilled by intensely rendering him sacred service night and day. Concerning this hope I am accused by Jews,g O King. ⁸ “Why is it considered* unbelievable among you that God raises up the dead? ⁹ I, for one, was convinced that I should commit many acts of opposition against the name of Jesus the Naz·a·reneʹ. ¹⁰ This is exactly what I did in Jerusalem, and I locked up many of the holy ones in prisons,h for I had received authority from the chief priests;i and when they were to be executed, I cast my vote against them. ¹¹ By punishing them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to recant; and since I was extremely furious with them, I went so far as to persecute them even in outlying cities. ¹² “While doing this as I was traveling to Damascus with authority and a commission from the chief priests, ¹³ I saw at midday on the road, O King, a light beyond the brilliance of the sun flash from heaven around me and around those traveling with me.j ¹⁴ And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice say to me in the Hebrew language: ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? To keep kicking against the goads makes it hard for you.’ ¹⁵ But I said: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said: ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶ But rise and stand on your feet. This is why I have appeared to you, to choose you as a servant and a witness both of things you have seen and things I will make you see respecting me.k ¹⁷ And I will rescue you from this people and from the nations, to whom I am sending youl ¹⁸ to open their eyes,m to turn them from darknessn to lighto and from the authority of Satanp to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sinsq and an inheritance among those sanctified by their faith in me.’ ¹⁹ “Therefore, King A·gripʹpa, I did not become disobedient to the heavenly vision, ²⁰ but to those in Damascusr first and then to those in Jerusalem,s and over all the country of Ju·deʹa, and also to the nations, I was bringing the message that they should repent and turn to God by doing works that befit repentance.t ²¹ This is why the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me.u ²² However, because I have experienced the help that is from God, I continue to this day bearing witness to both small and great, saying nothing except what the Prophets as well as Moses stated was going to take placev— ²³ that the Christ was to sufferw and that as the first to be resurrected* from the dead,x he was going to proclaim light both to this people and to the nations.”y ²⁴ Now as Paul was saying these things in his defense, Festus said in a loud voice: “You are going out of your mind, Paul! Great learning is driving you out of your mind!” ²⁵ But Paul said: “I am not going out of my mind, Your Excellency Festus, but I am speaking words of truth and of a sound mind. ²⁶ For a fact, the king to whom I am speaking so freely well knows about these things; I am convinced that not one of these things escapes his notice, for none of this has been done in a corner.z ²⁷ Do you, King A·gripʹpa, believe the Prophets? I know that you believe.” ²⁸ But A·gripʹpa said to Paul: “In a short time you would persuade me to become a Christian.” ²⁹ At this Paul said: “I wish to God that whether in a short time or in a long time, not only you but also all those who hear me today would become men such as I am, with the exception of these prison bonds.” ³⁰ Then the king rose and so did the governor and Bernice and the men seated with them. ³¹ But as they were leaving, they began saying to one another: “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or prison bonds.”a ³² A·gripʹpa then said to Festus: “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar.”b

Acts 26

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 27:1-44

NWT | Acts of Apostles 27:1-44 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 27:1-44

27 Now as it was decided for us to sail away to Italy,a they handed Paul and some other prisoners over to an army officer named Julius, of the unit of Au·gusʹtus. ² Going aboard a ship from Ad·ra·mytʹti·um that was about to sail to ports along the coast of the province of Asia, we set sail; Ar·is·tarʹchus,b a Mac·e·doʹni·an from Thes·sa·lo·niʹca, was with us. ³ The next day we landed at Siʹdon, and Julius treated Paul with kindness and permitted him to go to his friends and enjoy their care. ⁴ And putting out to sea from there, we sailed under the shelter of Cyʹprus, because the winds were against us. ⁵ Then we navigated through the open sea along Ci·liʹcia and Pam·phylʹi·a and put into port at Myʹra in Lyʹci·a. ⁶ There the army officer found a ship from Alexandria that was sailing for Italy, and he made us board it. ⁷ Then after sailing on slowly quite a number of days, we came to Cniʹdus with difficulty. Because the wind did not let us make headway, we sailed under the shelter of Crete off Sal·moʹne. ⁸ And sailing with difficulty along the coast, we came to a place called Fair Havens, which was near the city of La·seʹa. ⁹ A considerable time had passed and by now it was hazardous to navigate, because even the fast of Atonement Dayc was already over, so Paul made a recommendation ¹⁰ to them: “Men, I can see that this voyage is going to result in damage and great loss not only of the cargo and the ship but also of our lives.” ¹¹ However, the army officer listened to the pilot and the shipowner rather than to what Paul was saying. ¹² Since the harbor was unsuitable for wintering, the majority advised setting sail from there to see if they could somehow make it to spend the winter in Phoenix, a harbor of Crete that opens toward the northeast and toward the southeast. ¹³ When the south wind blew softly, they thought they had achieved their purpose, and they lifted anchor and began sailing along Crete close to the shore. ¹⁴ After a short time, however, a violent wind called Eu·ro·aqʹui·lo rushed down on it. ¹⁵ As the ship was violently seized and was not able to keep its head against the wind, we gave way to it and were driven along. ¹⁶ Then we ran under the shelter of a small island called Cauʹda, and yet we were hardly able to get the skiff at the stern of the ship under control. ¹⁷ But after hoisting it aboard, they used supports to undergird the ship, and fearing that they would run aground on the Syrʹtis, they lowered the gear and so were driven along. ¹⁸ Because we were being violently tossed by the storm, they began to lighten the shipd the following day. ¹⁹ And on the third day, they threw away the tackling of the ship with their own hands. ²⁰ When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and a violent storm was battering us, all hope of our being saved finally began to fade. ²¹ After they had gone a long time without food, Paul stood up in their midst and said: “Men, you certainly should have taken my advice and not have put out to sea from Crete and as a result suffered this damage and loss.e ²² Still, I now urge you to take courage, for not one of you will be lost, only the ship will. ²³ This night an angelf of the God to whom I belong and to whom I render sacred service stood by me ²⁴ and said: ‘Have no fear, Paul. You must stand before Caesar,g and look! God has granted to you all those sailing with you.’ ²⁵ So take courage, men, for I believe God that it will be exactly as I was told. ²⁶ However, we must be cast ashore on some island.”h ²⁷ Now when the 14th night fell and we were being tossed about on the Sea of Aʹdri·a, at midnight the sailors began to suspect that they were getting near to some land. ²⁸ They sounded the depth and found it 20 fathoms, so they proceeded a short distance and again made a sounding and found it 15 fathoms. ²⁹ And fearing that we might run aground on the rocks, they cast out four anchors from the stern and began wishing for it to become day. ³⁰ But when the sailors began trying to escape from the ship and were lowering the skiff into the sea under the pretense of intending to let down anchors from the bow, ³¹ Paul said to the army officer and the soldiers: “Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved.”i ³² Then the soldiers cut away the ropes of the skiff and let it fall off. ³³ Now close to daybreak, Paul encouraged them all to take some food, saying: “Today is the 14th day you have been waiting anxiously, and you have gone without taking any food at all. ³⁴ So I encourage you to eat some food; this is in the interests of your safety, for not a hair of the head of any one of you will perish.” ³⁵ After he said this, he took bread, gave thanks to God before them all, broke it, and started eating. ³⁶ So they all took courage and began taking some food themselves. ³⁷ In all we were 276 persons in the ship. ³⁸ When they had eaten enough food to be satisfied, they lightened the ship by throwing the wheat overboard into the sea.j ³⁹ When daylight came, they could not recognize the land,k but they saw a bay with a beach and were determined to beach the ship there if they could. ⁴⁰ So they cut away the anchors and let them fall into the sea, at the same time loosening the lashings of the rudder oars; and after hoisting the foresail to the wind, they made for the beach. ⁴¹ When they struck a shoal washed on each side by the sea, they ran the ship aground and the bow got stuck and stayed immovable, but the stern began to be violently broken to pieces by the waves.l ⁴² At this the soldiers decided to kill the prisoners so that no one might swim away and escape. ⁴³ But the army officer was determined to bring Paul safely through and prevented them from carrying out their plan. He commanded those able to swim to jump into the sea and make it to land first, ⁴⁴ and the rest were to follow, some on planks and some on pieces of the ship. So all were brought safely to land.m

Acts 27

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NWT | Acts of Apostles 28:1-31

NWT | Acts of Apostles 28:1-31 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Acts of Apostles 28:1-31

28 After we made it to safety, we learned that the island was called Malta.a ² And the foreign-speaking people showed us extraordinary kindness. They kindled a fire and received all of us kindly because of the rain that was falling and because of the cold.b ³ But when Paul collected a bundle of sticks and laid it on the fire, a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. ⁴ When the foreign-speaking people caught sight of the venomous creature hanging from his hand, they began saying to one another: “Surely this man is a murderer, and although he made it to safety from the sea, Justice did not permit him to keep on living.” ⁵ However, he shook the creature off into the fire and suffered no harm. ⁶ But they were expecting him to swell up or suddenly to drop dead. After they waited for a long time and saw that nothing bad happened to him, they changed their mind and began saying he was a god.c ⁷ Now in the neighborhood of that place were lands belonging to the principal man of the island, whose name was Pubʹli·us, and he welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. ⁸ It so happened that the father of Pubʹli·us was lying in bed sick with fever and dysentery, and Paul went in to him and prayed, laid his hands on him, and healed him.d ⁹ After this occurred, the rest of the people on the island who were sick also began to come to him and be cured.e ¹⁰ They also honored us with many gifts, and when we were setting sail, they loaded us up with whatever we needed. ¹¹ Three months later we set sail in a ship with the figurehead “Sons of Zeus.” The ship was from Alexandria and had wintered in the island. ¹² Putting into port at Syracuse, we remained there for three days; ¹³ from there we went along and arrived at Rheʹgi·um. A day later a south wind sprang up and we made it into Pu·teʹo·li on the second day. ¹⁴ Here we found brothers and were urged to remain with them for seven days, and so we went toward Rome. ¹⁵ From there the brothers, when they heard the news about us, came as far as the Marketplace of Apʹpi·us and Three Taverns to meet us. On catching sight of them, Paul thanked God and took courage.f ¹⁶ When finally we entered Rome, Paul was permitted to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him. ¹⁷ However, three days later he called together the principal men of the Jews. When they had assembled, he said to them: “Men, brothers, although I had done nothing contrary to the people or the customs of our forefathers,g I was handed over as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans.h ¹⁸ And after making an examination,i they wanted to release me, for there were no grounds for putting me to death.j ¹⁹ But when the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar,k but not because I had any accusation to make against my nation. ²⁰ So for this reason I asked to see and speak to you, for it is because of the hope of Israel that I have this chain around me.”l ²¹ They said to him: “We have not received letters about you from Ju·deʹa, nor have any of the brothers who came from there reported or spoken anything bad about you. ²² But we think it proper to hear from you what your thoughts are, for truly as regards this sect,m we know that it is spoken against everywhere.”n ²³ They now arranged for a day to meet with him, and they came in even greater numbers to him in his lodging place. And from morning to evening, he explained the matter to them by bearing thorough witness concerning the Kingdom of God, to persuade them about Jesuso from both the Law of Mosesp and the Prophets.q ²⁴ Some began to believe the things he said; others would not believe. ²⁵ So because they disagreed with one another, they began to leave, and Paul made this one comment: “The holy spirit aptly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your forefathers, ²⁶ saying, ‘Go to this people and say: “You will indeed hear but by no means understand, and you will indeed look but by no means see.r ²⁷ For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive,* and with their ears they have heard without response, and they have shut their eyes, so that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn back and I heal them.”’s ²⁸ So let it be known to you that this salvation from God has been sent out to the nations;t they will certainly listen to it.”u ²⁹ —— ³⁰ So he remained there for an entire two years in his own rented house,v and he would kindly receive all those who came to him, ³¹ preaching the Kingdom of Godw to them and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with the greatest freeness of speech,x without hindrance.

Acts 28

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Letter to the Colossians

Letter to the Colossians somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | Letter to the Colossians 01:1-29

NWT | Letter to the Colossians 01:1-29 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Letter to the Colossians 1:1-29

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through God’s will, and Timothya our brother, ² to the holy ones and faithful brothers in union with Christ at Co·losʹsae: May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father. ³ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love you have for all the holy ones ⁵ because of the hope that is being reserved for you in the heavens.b You previously heard about this hope through the message of truth of the good newsc ⁶ that has come to you. Just as the good news is bearing fruit and increasing in all the world,d so it is also doing among you from the day you heard and accurately knew the undeserved kindness of God in truth. ⁷ That is what you have learned from our beloved fellow slave Epʹa·phras,e who is a faithful minister of the Christ on our behalf. ⁸ He also made known to us your love in a spiritual way. ⁹ That is also why from the day we heard of it, we have never stopped praying for you and asking* that you may be filled with the accurate knowledgef of his will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension,g ¹⁰ so as to walk worthily of Jehovahh in order to please him fully as you go on bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the accurate knowledge of God;i ¹¹ and may you be strengthened with all power according to his glorious mightj so that you may endure fully with patience and joy,k ¹² as you thank the Father, who made you qualify to share in the inheritance of the holy onesl in the light. ¹³ He rescued us from the authority of the darknessm and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins.n ¹⁵ He is the image of the invisible God,o the firstborn of all creation;p ¹⁶ because by means of him all other things were created in the heavens and on the earth, the things visible and the things invisible,q whether they are thrones or lordships or governments or authorities. All other things have been created through himr and for him. ¹⁷ Also, he is before all other things,s and by means of him all other things were made to exist, ¹⁸ and he is the head of the body, the congregation.t He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead,u so that he might become the one who is first in all things; ¹⁹ because God was pleased to have all fullness to dwell in him,v ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all other thingsw by making peace through the bloodx he shed on the torture stake, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens. ²¹ Indeed, you who were once alienated and enemiesy because your minds were on the works that were wicked, ²² he has now reconciled by means of that one’s fleshly body through his death,z in order to present you holy and unblemished and open to no accusation before hima— ²³ provided, of course, that you continue in the faith,b established on the foundationc and steadfast,d not being shifted away from the hope of that good news that you heard and that was preached in all creation under heaven.e Of this good news I, Paul, became a minister.f ²⁴ I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake,g and I am undergoing the tribulations of the Christ that are yet lacking in my flesh in behalf of his body,h which is the congregation.i ²⁵ I became a minister of this congregation in accord with the stewardshipj from God that was given to me in your behalf to preach the word of God fully, ²⁶ the sacred secretk that was hidden from the past systems of thingsl and from the past generations. But now it has been revealed to his holy ones,m ²⁷ to whom God has been pleased to make known among the nations the glorious riches of this sacred secret,n which is Christ in union with you, the hope of his glory.o ²⁸ He is the one we are proclaiming, admonishing everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in union with Christ.p ²⁹ To this end I am indeed working hard, exerting myself with his strength that is operating powerfully within me.q

Colossians 1

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NWT | Letter to the Colossians 02:1-23

NWT | Letter to the Colossians 02:1-23 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Letter to the Colossians 2:1-23

2 For I want you to realize how great a struggle I am having in your behalf and in behalf of those at La·o·di·ceʹaa and in behalf of all those who have not personally seen me. ² This is so that their hearts may be comfortedb and that they may be harmoniously joined together in lovec and may have all the riches that result from the full assurance of their understanding, in order to gain an accurate knowledge of the sacred secret of God, namely, Christ.d ³ Carefully concealed in him are all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge.e ⁴ I am saying this so that no one may delude* you with persuasive arguments. ⁵ Though I am absent in body, I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good orderf and the firmness of your faith in Christ.g ⁶ Therefore, just as you have accepted Christ Jesus the Lord, go on walking in union with him,h ⁷ being rooted and built up in himi and being stabilized in the faith,j just as you were taught, and overflowing with thanksgiving.k ⁸ Look out that no one takes you captive by means of the philosophy and empty deceptionl according to human tradition, according to the elementary things of the worldm and not according to Christ; ⁹ because it is in him that all the fullness of the divine quality dwells bodily.n ¹⁰ So you have acquired a fullness by means of him, the one who is the head of all government and authority.o ¹¹ By your relationship with him, you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands by stripping off the fleshly body,p by the circumcision that belongs to the Christ.q ¹² For you were buried with him in his baptism,r and by your relationship with him you were also raised ups together through your faith in the powerful work of God, who raised him up from the dead.t ¹³ Furthermore, though you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcised state of your flesh, God made you alive together with him.u He kindly forgave us all our trespassesv ¹⁴ and erased the handwritten documentw that consisted of decreesx and was in opposition to us.y He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake.z ¹⁵ He has stripped the governments and the authorities bare and has publicly exhibited them as conquered,a leading them in a triumphal procession by means of it. ¹⁶ Therefore, do not let anyone judge you about what you eat and drinkb or about the observance of a festival or of the new moonc or of a sabbath.d ¹⁷ Those things are a shadow of the things to come,e but the reality* belongs to the Christ.f ¹⁸ Let no man deprive you of the prizeg who takes delight in a false humility and a form of worship of the angels, “taking his stand on” the things he has seen. He is actually puffed up without proper cause by his fleshly frame of mind, ¹⁹ and he is not holding fast to the head,h to the one through whom the whole body is supplied and harmoniously joined together by means of its joints and ligaments and made to grow with the growth that is from God.i ²⁰ If you died together with Christ with respect to the elementary things of the world,j why do you live as if still part of the world by further subjecting yourselves to the decrees:k ²¹ “Do not handle, nor taste, nor touch,” ²² referring to things that all perish with their use, according to the commands and teachings of men?l ²³ Although those things have an appearance of wisdom in a self-imposed form of worship and a false humility, a harsh treatment of the body,m they are of no value in combating the satisfying of the flesh.

Colossians 2

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NWT | Letter to the Colossians 03:1-25

NWT | Letter to the Colossians 03:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Letter to the Colossians 3:1-25

3 If, however, you were raised up with the Christ,a go on seeking the things above, where the Christ is seated at the right hand of God.b ² Keep your minds fixed on the things above,c not on the things on the earth.d ³ For you died, and your life has been hidden with the Christ in union with God. ⁴ When the Christ, our life,e is made manifest, then you also will be made manifest with him in glory.f ⁵ Deaden, therefore, your body membersg that are on the earth as respects sexual immorality, uncleanness, uncontrolled sexual passion,h hurtful desire, and greediness, which is idolatry. ⁶ On account of those things the wrath of God is coming.i ⁷ That is how you too used to conduct yourselves* in your former way of life.*j ⁸ But now you must put them all away from you: wrath, anger, badness,k abusive speech,l and obscene talkm out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another.n Strip off the old personalityo with its practices, ¹⁰ and clothe yourselves with the new personality,p which through* accurate knowledge is being made new according to the image of the One who created it,q ¹¹ where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, foreigner, Scythʹi·an, slave, or freeman; but Christ is all things and in all.r ¹² Accordingly, as God’s chosen ones,s holy and loved, clothe yourselves with the tender affections of compassion,t kindness, humility,u mildness,v and patience.w ¹³ Continue putting up with one another and forgiving one another freelyx even if anyone has a cause for complaint against another.y Just as Jehovah freely forgave you, you must also do the same.z ¹⁴ But besides all these things, clothe yourselves with love,a for it is a perfect bond of union.b ¹⁵ Also, let the peace of the Christ rule in your hearts,c for you were called to that peace in one body. And show yourselves thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of the Christ reside in you richly in all wisdom. Keep on teaching and encouraging one another with psalms,d praises to God, spiritual songs sung with gratitude,* singing in your hearts to Jehovah.e ¹⁷ Whatever it is that you do in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, thanking God the Father through him.f ¹⁸ You wives, be in subjection to your husbands,g as it is becoming in the Lord. ¹⁹ You husbands, keep on loving your wivesh and do not be bitterly angry* with them.i ²⁰ You children, be obedient to your parents in everything,j for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. ²¹ You fathers, do not be exasperating your children,k so that they do not become downhearted. ²² You slaves, be obedient in everything to those who are your human masters,l not only when they are watching, just to please men, but with sincerity of heart, with fear of Jehovah. ²³ Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as for Jehovah,m and not for men, ²⁴ for you know that it is from Jehovah you will receive the inheritance as a reward.n Slave for the Master, Christ. ²⁵ Certainly the one who does wrong will be repaid for the wrong he has done,o and there is no partiality.p

Colossians 3

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NWT | Letter to the Colossians 04:1-18

NWT | Letter to the Colossians 04:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

Letter to the Colossians 4:1-18

4 You masters, treat your slaves in a righteous and fair way, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.a ² Persevere in prayer,b remaining awake in it with thanksgiving.c ³ At the same time, pray also for us,d that God may open a door for the word so that we can declare the sacred secret about the Christ, for which I am in prison bonds,e ⁴ and that I may proclaim it as clearly as I ought to. ⁵ Go on walking in wisdom toward those on the outside, making the best use of your time.f ⁶ Let your words always be gracious, seasoned with salt,g so that you will know how you should answer each person.h ⁷ Tychʹi·cus,i my beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow slave in the Lord, will tell you all the news about me. ⁸ I am sending him to you so that you will know how we are and that he may comfort your hearts. ⁹ He is coming along with O·nesʹi·mus,j my faithful and beloved brother, who is from among you; they will tell you all the things happening here. ¹⁰ Ar·is·tarʹchus,k my fellow captive, sends you his greetings, and so does Mark,l the cousin of Barʹna·basm (concerning whom you received instructions to welcome himn if he comes to you), ¹¹ and Jesus who is called Justus, who are of those circumcised. Only these are my fellow workers for the Kingdom of God, and they have become a source of great comfort to me. ¹² Epʹa·phras,o a slave of Christ Jesus who is from among you, sends you his greetings. He is always exerting himself in your behalf in his prayers, so that you may finally stand complete and with firm conviction in all the will of God. ¹³ For I bear him witness that he makes great efforts in your behalf and in behalf of those in La·o·di·ceʹa and Hi·e·rapʹo·lis. ¹⁴ Luke,p the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and so does Deʹmas.q ¹⁵ Give my greetings to the brothers in La·o·di·ceʹa and to Nymʹpha and to the congregation at her house.r ¹⁶ And when this letter has been read among you, arrange for it also to be reads in the congregation of the La·o·di·ceʹans and for you also to read the one from La·o·di·ceʹa. ¹⁷ Also, tell Ar·chipʹpus:t “Pay attention to the ministry that you accepted in the Lord, in order to fulfill it.” ¹⁸ Here is my greeting, Paul’s, in my own hand.u Keep my prison bondsv in mind. The undeserved kindness be with you.

Colossians 4

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The First of John

The First of John somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The First of John 01:1-10

NWT | The First of John 01:1-10 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of John 1:1-10

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have observed and our hands have felt, concerning the word of life,a ² (yes, the life was made manifest, and we have seen and are bearing witnessb and reporting to you the everlasting lifec that was with the Father and was made manifest to us), ³ that which we have seen and heard we are reporting also to you,d so that you too may have fellowship* with us. And this fellowship of ours is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.e ⁴ And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. ⁵ This is the message that we heard from him and are announcing to you: God is light,f and there is no darkness at all in him.* ⁶ If we make the statement, “We are having fellowship with him,” and yet we go on walking in the darkness, we are lying and are not practicing the truth.g ⁷ However, if we are walking in the light as he himself is in the light, we do have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.h ⁸ If we make the statement, “We have no sin,” we are misleading ourselvesi and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous so as to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.j ¹⁰ If we make the statement, “We have not sinned,” we are making him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 1

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NWT | The First of John 02:1-29

NWT | The First of John 02:1-29 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of John 2:1-29

2 My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not commit a sin. And yet, if anyone does commit a sin, we have a helper* with the Father, Jesus Christ,a a righteous one.b ² And he is a propitiatory sacrifice*c for our sins,d yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s.e ³ And by this we realize that we have come to know him, namely, if we continue observing his commandments. ⁴ The one who says, “I have come to know him,” and yet does not observe his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. ⁵ But whoever does observe his word, in this person the love of God has truly been made perfect.f By this we know that we are in union with him.g ⁶ The one who says he remains in union with him is himself under obligation to go on walking just as that one walked.h ⁷ Beloved ones, I am writing you, not a new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning.i This old commandment is the word that you heard. ⁸ Again, I am writing you a new commandment, which is true in his case and in yours, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.j ⁹ The one who says that he is in the light and yet hatesk his brother is still in the darkness.l ¹⁰ The one who loves his brother remains in the light,m and in him there is no cause for stumbling. ¹¹ But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and is walking in the darkness,n and he does not know where he is going,o because the darkness has blinded his eyes. ¹² I am writing you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for the sake of his name.p ¹³ I am writing you, fathers, because you have come to know him who is from the beginning. I am writing you, young men, because you have conquered the wicked one.q I write you, young children, because you have come to know the Father.r ¹⁴ I write you, fathers, because you have come to know him who is from the beginning. I write you, young men, because you are strongs and the word of God remains in yout and you have conquered the wicked one.u ¹⁵ Do not love either the world or the things in the world.v If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him;w ¹⁶ because everything in the world—the desire of the fleshx and the desire of the eyesy and the showy display of one’s means of life*—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. ¹⁷ Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire,z but the one who does the will of God remains forever.a ¹⁸ Young children, it is the last hour, and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming,b even now many antichrists have appeared,c from which fact we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of our sort;*d for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us. But they went out so that it might be shown that not all are of our sort.e ²⁰ And you have an anointing from the holy one,f and all of you have knowledge. ²¹ I write you, not because you do not know the truth,g but because you know it, and because no lie originates with the truth.h ²² Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ?i This is the antichrist,j the one who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ Everyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either.k But whoever acknowledges the Sonl has the Father also.m ²⁴ As for you, what you have heard from the beginning must remain in you.n If what you have heard from the beginning remains in you, you will also remain in union with the Son and in union with the Father. ²⁵ Furthermore, this is what he himself promised us—the life everlasting.o ²⁶ I write you these things about those who are trying to mislead you. ²⁷ And as for you, the anointing that you received from himp remains in you, and you do not need anyone to be teaching you; but the anointing from him is teaching you about all thingsq and is true and is no lie. Just as it has taught you, remain in union with him.r ²⁸ So now, little children, remain in union with him, so that when he is made manifest we may have freeness of speechs and not shrink away from him in shame at his presence. ²⁹ If you know that he is righteous, you also know that everyone who practices righteousness has been born from him.t

1 John 2

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NWT | The First of John 03:1-24

NWT | The First of John 03:1-24 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of John 3:1-24

3 See what sort of love the Father has given us,a that we should be called children of God!b And that is what we are. That is why the world does not know us,c because it has not come to know him.d ² Beloved ones, we are now children of God,e but it has not yet been made manifest what we will be.f We do know that when he is made manifest we will be like him, because we will see him just as he is. ³ And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself,g just as that one is pure. ⁴ Everyone who practices sin is also practicing lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. ⁵ You know, too, that he was made manifest to take away our sins,h and there is no sin in him. ⁶ Everyone remaining in union with him does not practice sin;i no one who practices sin has either seen him or come to know him. ⁷ Little children, let no one mislead you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as that one is righteous. ⁸ The one who practices sin originates with the Devil, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning.*j For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, to break up* the works of the Devil.k ⁹ Everyone who has been born from God does not practice sin,l for His seed* remains in such one, and he cannot practice sin, for he has been born from God.m ¹⁰ The children of God and the children of the Devil are evident by this fact: Whoever does not practice righteousness does not originate with God, nor does the one who does not love his brother.n ¹¹ For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another;o ¹² not like Cain, who originated with the wicked one and slaughtered his brother.p And for what reason did he slaughter him? Because his own works were wicked,q but those of his brother were righteous.r ¹³ Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.s ¹⁴ We know that we have passed over from death to life,t because we love the brothers.u The one who does not love remains in death.v ¹⁵ Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,*w and you know that no murderer has everlasting life remaining in him.x ¹⁶ By this we have come to know love, because that one surrendered his life* for us,y and we are under obligation to surrender our lives* for our brothers.z ¹⁷ But whoever has the material possessions of this world and sees his brother in need and yet refuses to show him compassion, in what way does the love of God remain in him?a ¹⁸ Little children, we should love, not in word or with the tongue,b but in deedc and truth.d ¹⁹ By this we will know that we originate with the truth, and we will assure* our hearts before him ²⁰ regarding whatever our hearts may condemn us in, because God is greater than our hearts and knows all things.e ²¹ Beloved ones, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have freeness of speech toward God;f ²² and whatever we ask we receive from him,g because we are observing his commandments and doing what is pleasing in his eyes. ²³ Indeed, this is his commandment: that we have faith in the name of his Son Jesus Christh and love one another,i just as he gave us a commandment. ²⁴ Moreover, the one who observes his commandments remains in union with him, and he in union with such one.j And by the spirit that he gave us, we know that he remains in union with us.k

1 John 3

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NWT | The First of John 04:1-21

NWT | The First of John 04:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of John 4:1-21

4 Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired statement,*a but test the inspired statements* to see whether they originate with God,b for many false prophets have gone out into the world.c ² This is how you know that the inspired statement is from God: Every inspired statement that acknowledges Jesus Christ as having come in the flesh originates with God.d ³ But every inspired statement that does not acknowledge Jesus does not originate with God.e Furthermore, this is the antichrist’s inspired statement that you have heard was coming,f and now it is already in the world.g ⁴ You originate with God, little children, and you have conquered them,h because the one who is in union with youi is greater than the one who is in union with the world.j ⁵ They originate with the world;k that is why they speak what originates with the world and the world listens to them.l ⁶ We originate with God. Whoever comes to know God listens to us;m whoever does not originate with God does not listen to us.n By this we distinguish the inspired statement of truth from the inspired statement of error.o ⁷ Beloved ones, let us continue loving one another,p because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born from God and knows God.q ⁸ Whoever does not love has not come to know God, because God is love.r ⁹ By this the love of God was revealed in our case, that God sent his only-begotten Sons into the world so that we might gain life through him.t ¹⁰ The love is in this respect, not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a propitiatory sacrifice*u for our sins.v ¹¹ Beloved ones, if this is how God loved us, then we are also under obligation to love one another.w ¹² No one has seen God at any time.x If we continue loving one another, God remains in us and his love is made perfect in us.y ¹³ By this we know that we are remaining in union with him and he in union with us, because he has given his spirit to us. ¹⁴ In addition, we ourselves have seen and are bearing witness that the Father has sent his Son as savior of the world.z ¹⁵ Whoever acknowledges that Jesus is God’s Son,a God remains in union with such one and he in union with God.b ¹⁶ And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us.c God is love,d and the one who remains in love remains in union with God and God remains in union with him.e ¹⁷ In this way love has been made perfect in us, so that we may have freeness of speech*f in the day of judgment, because just as that one is, so are we ourselves in this world. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love,g but perfect love casts* fear out, because fear restrains us. Indeed, the one who is fearful has not been made perfect in love.h ¹⁹ We love, because he first loved us.i ²⁰ If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar.j For the one who does not love his brother,k whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.l ²¹ And we have this commandment from him, that whoever loves God must also love his brother.m

1 John 4

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NWT | The First of John 05:1-21

NWT | The First of John 05:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of John 5:1-21

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born from God,a and everyone who loves the one who caused to be born loves him who has been born from that one. ² By this we know that we love the children of God,b when we love God and carry out his commandments. ³ For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments;c and yet his commandments are not burdensome,d ⁴ because everyone who* has been born from God conquers the world.e And this is the conquest that has conquered the world, our faith.f ⁵ Who can conquer the world?g Is it not the one who has faith that Jesus is the Son of God?h ⁶ This is the one who came by means of water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only,i but with the water and with the blood.j And the spirit is bearing witness,k because the spirit is the truth. ⁷ For there are three witness bearers: ⁸ the spiritl and the waterm and the blood;n and the three are in agreement. ⁹ If we accept the witness of men, the witness of God is greater. Because this is the witness God gives, the witness that he has given about his Son. ¹⁰ The person putting his faith in the Son of God has the witness within himself. The person not having faith in God has made him a liar,o because he has not put his faith in the witness given by God concerning his Son. ¹¹ And this is the witness, that God gave us everlasting life,p and this life is in his Son.q ¹² The one who has the Son has this life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this life.r ¹³ I write you these things so that you may know that you have life everlasting,s you who put your faith in the name of the Son of God.t ¹⁴ And this is the confidence* that we have toward him,u that no matter what we ask according to his will, he hears us.v ¹⁵ And if we know that he hears us concerning whatever we are asking, we know that we are to have the things we ask for, since we have asked them of him.w ¹⁶ If anyone catches sight of his brother committing a sin that does not incur death, he will ask, and God will give life to him,x yes, to those not committing sin that incurs death. There is a sin that does incur death.y It is concerning that sin that I do not tell him to make request. ¹⁷ All unrighteousness is sin,z and yet there is a sin that does not incur death. ¹⁸ We know that everyone who has been born from God does not practice sin, but the one born from God* watches him, and the wicked one cannot take hold of him.*a ¹⁹ We know that we originate with God, but the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.b ²⁰ But we know that the Son of God has come,c and he has given us insight* so that we may gain the knowledge of the one who is true. And we are in union with the one who is true,d by means of his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and life everlasting.e ²¹ Little children, guard yourselves from idols.f

1 John 5

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The First of Peter

The First of Peter somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The First of Peter 01:1-25

NWT | The First of Peter 01:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of Peter 1:1-25

1 Peter, an apostlea of Jesus Christ, to the temporary residents scattered about in Ponʹtus, Ga·laʹti·a, Cap·pa·doʹci·a,b Asia, and Bi·thynʹi·a, to those chosen ² according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,c with sanctification by the spirit,d for the purpose of being obedient and sprinkled with the blood of Jesus Christ:e May undeserved kindness and peace be increased to you. ³ Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for according to his great mercy he gave us a new birthf to a living hopeg through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,h ⁴ to an incorruptible and undefiled and unfading inheritance.i It is reserved in the heavens for you,j ⁵ who are being safeguarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last period of time. ⁶ Because of this you are greatly rejoicing, though for a short time, if it must be, you have been distressed by various trials,k ⁷ in order that the tested quality of your faith,l of much greater value than gold that perishes despite its being tested* by fire, may be found a cause for praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.m ⁸ Though you never saw him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet you exercise faith in him and are greatly rejoicing with an indescribable and glorious joy, ⁹ as you attain the goal of your faith, your salvation.*n ¹⁰ Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the undeserved kindness meant for you made a diligent inquiry and a careful search.o ¹¹ They kept on investigating what particular time or what season the spirit within them was indicating concerning Christp as it testified beforehand about the sufferings meant for Christq and about the glory that would follow. ¹² It was revealed to them that they were ministering, not to themselves, but to you, regarding what has now been announced to you by those who declared the good news to you with holy spirit sent from heaven.r Into these very things, angels are desiring to peer. ¹³ So brace up your minds for activity;s keep your senses completely;t set your hope on the undeserved kindness that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ¹⁴ As obedient children, stop being molded by* the desires you formerly had in your ignorance, ¹⁵ but like the Holy One who called you, become holy yourselves in all your conduct,u ¹⁶ for it is written: “You must be holy, because I am holy.”v ¹⁷ And if you are calling on the Father who judges impartiallyw according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves with fearx during the time of your temporary residence. ¹⁸ For you know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were set free*y from your futile way of life handed down to you by your forefathers.* ¹⁹ But it was with precious blood,z like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb,a that of Christ.b ²⁰ True, he was foreknown before the founding of the world,c but he was made manifest at the end of the times for your sake.d ²¹ Through him you are believers in God,e the one who raised him up from the deadf and gave him glory,g so that your faith and hope might be in God. ²² Now that you have purified yourselves* by your obedience to the truth with unhypocritical brotherly affectionh as the result, love one another intensely from the heart.i ²³ For you have been given a new birth,j not by corruptible, but by incorruptible seed,*k through the word of the living and enduring God.l ²⁴ For “all flesh is* like grass, and all its glory is like a blossom of the field; the grass withers, and the flower falls off, ²⁵ but the saying* of Jehovah* endures forever.”m And this “saying”* is the good news that was declared to you.n

1 Peter 1

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NWT | The First of Peter 02:1-25

NWT | The First of Peter 02:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of Peter 2:1-25

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2 So rid yourselves of all badnessa and deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all backbiting. ² As newborn infants,b form a longing for the unadulterated* milk of the word, so that by means of it you may grow to salvation,c ³ provided you have tasted* that the Lord is kind. ⁴ As you come to him, a living stone rejected by mend but chosen, precious to God,e ⁵ you yourselves as living stones are being built up into a spiritual housef to be a holy priesthood, in order to offer up spiritual sacrificesg acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.h ⁶ For it says in Scripture: “Look! I am laying in Zion a chosen stone, a precious foundation cornerstone, and no one exercising faith in it will ever be disappointed.”*i ⁷ It is to you, therefore, that he is precious, because you are believers; but to those not believing, “the stone that the builders rejected,j this has become the chief cornerstone”*k ⁸ and “a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.”l They are stumbling because they are disobedient to the word. To this very end they were appointed. ⁹ But you are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,m a people for special possession,n that you should declare abroad the excellencies”*o of the One who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.p ¹⁰ For you were once not a people, but now you are God’s people;q once you had not been shown mercy, but now you have received mercy.r ¹¹ Beloved, I urge you as foreigners and temporary residentss to keep abstaining from fleshly desires,t which wage war against you.*u ¹² Maintain your conduct fine among the nations,v so that when they accuse you of being wrongdoers, they may be eyewitnesses of your fine worksw and, as a result, glorify God in the day of his inspection. ¹³ For the Lord’s sake subject yourselves to every human creation,*x whether to a kingy as being superior ¹⁴ or to governors as sent by him to punish wrongdoers but to praise those who do good.z ¹⁵ For it is the will of God that by doing good you may silence* the ignorant talk of unreasonable men.a ¹⁶ Be as free people,b using your freedom, not as a cover* for doing wrong,c but as slaves of God.d ¹⁷ Honor men of all sorts,e have love for the whole association of brothers,*f be in fear of God,g honor the king.h ¹⁸ Let servants be in subjection to their masters with all due fear,i not only to the good and reasonable but also to those hard to please. ¹⁹ For it is agreeable when someone endures hardship* and suffers unjustly because of conscience toward God.j ²⁰ For what merit is there if you are beaten for sinning and you endure it?k But if you endure suffering because of doing good, this is an agreeable thing to God.l ²¹ In fact, to this course you were called, because even Christ suffered for you,m leaving a model for you to follow his steps closely.n ²² He committed no sin,o nor was deception found in his mouth.p ²³ When he was being insulted,*q he did not insult* in return.r When he was suffering,s he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the One who judgest righteously. ²⁴ He himself bore our sinsu in his own body on the stake,*v so that we might die to* sins and live to righteousness. And “by his wounds you were healed.”w ²⁵ For you were like sheep going astray,x but now you have returned to the shepherdy and overseer of your souls.*

1 Peter 2

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NWT | The First of Peter 03:1-22

NWT | The First of Peter 03:1-22 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of Peter 3:1-22

3 In the same way, you wives, be in subjection to your husbands,a so that if any are not obedient to the word, they may be won without a word through the conduct of their wives,b ² because of having been eyewitnesses of your chaste conductc together with deep respect. ³ Do not let your adornment be external—the braiding of hair and the wearing of gold ornamentsd or fine clothing— ⁴ but let it be the secret person of the heart in the incorruptible adornment of the quiet and mild spirit,e which is of great value in the eyes of God. ⁵ For this is how the holy women of the past who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, subjecting themselves to their husbands, ⁶ just as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord.f And you have become her children, provided you continue doing good and do not give in to fear.g ⁷ You husbands, in the same way, continue dwelling with them according to knowledge.* Assign them honorh as to a weaker vessel, the feminine one, since they are also heirs with youi of the undeserved favor of life, in order for your prayers not to be hindered. ⁸ Finally, all of you have unity of mind,*j fellow feeling, brotherly affection, tender compassion,k and humility.l ⁹ Do not pay back injury for injurym or insult for insult.n Instead, repay with a blessing,o for you were called to this course, so that you might inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For “whoever would love life and see good days must guard his tongue from badp and his lips from speaking deception. ¹¹ Let him turn away from what is badq and do what is good;r let him seek peace and pursue it.s ¹² For the eyes of Jehovah* are on the righteous, and his ears listen to their supplication,t but the face of Jehovah* is against those doing bad things.”u ¹³ Indeed, who will harm you if you become zealous for what is good?v ¹⁴ But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are happy.w However, do not fear what they fear,* nor be disturbed.x ¹⁵ But sanctify the Christ as Lord in your hearts, always ready to make a defense before everyone who demands of you a reason for the hope you have, but doing so with a mild tempery and deep respect.z ¹⁶ Maintain a good conscience,a so that in whatever way you are spoken against, those who speak against you may be put to shameb because of your good conduct as followers of Christ.c ¹⁷ For it is better to suffer because you are doing good,d if it is God’s will to allow it, than because you are doing evil.e ¹⁸ For Christ died once for all time for sins,f a righteous person for unrighteous ones,g in order to lead you to God.h He was put to death in the fleshi but made alive in the spirit.j ¹⁹ And in this state he went and preached to the spirits in prison,k ²⁰ who had formerly been disobedient when God was patiently waiting* in Noah’s day,l while the ark was being constructed,m in which a few people, that is, eight souls,* were carried safely through the water.n ²¹ Baptism, which corresponds to this, is also now saving you (not by the removing of the filth of the flesh, but by the request to God for a good conscience),o through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. ²² He is at God’s right hand,p for he went to heaven, and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him.q

1 Peter 3

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NWT | The First of Peter 04:1-19

NWT | The First of Peter 04:1-19 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of Peter 4:1-19

4 Since Christ suffered in the flesh,+ you too arm yourselves with the same mental disposition;* because the person who has suffered in the flesh has desisted from sins,+ ² so that he may live the remainder of his time in the flesh, no more for the desires of men,+ but for God’s will.+ ³ For the time that has passed by is sufficient for you to have done the will of the nations+ when you carried on in acts of brazen conduct,* unbridled passions, overdrinking, wild parties,* drinking bouts, and lawless idolatries.+ ⁴ They are puzzled that you do not continue running with them in the same decadent course of debauchery, so they speak abusively of you.+ ⁵ But these people will render an account to the one who is ready to judge those living and those dead.+ ⁶ In fact, this is why the good news was declared also to the dead,+ so that although they are judged in the flesh from the standpoint of men, they might live in harmony with the spirit from God’s standpoint. ⁷ But the end of all things has drawn close. Therefore, be sound in mind,+ and be vigilant* with a view to prayers.+ ⁸ Above all things, have intense love for one another,+ because love covers a multitude of sins.+ ⁹ Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.+ ¹⁰ To the extent that each one has received a gift, use it in ministering to one another as fine stewards of God’s undeserved kindness that is expressed in various ways.+ ¹¹ If anyone speaks, let him do so as speaking pronouncements from God; if anyone ministers, let him do so as depending on the strength that God supplies;+ so that in all things God may be glorified+ through Jesus Christ. The glory and the might are his forever and ever. Amen. ¹² Beloved ones, do not be surprised about the fiery trials that you are experiencing,+ as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³ On the contrary, go on rejoicing+ over the extent to which you are sharers in the sufferings of the Christ,+ so that you may rejoice and be overjoyed also during the revelation of his glory.+ ¹⁴ If you are being reproached* for the name of Christ, you are happy,+ because the spirit of glory, yes, the spirit of God, is resting upon you. ¹⁵ However, let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or a wrongdoer or a busybody in other people’s matters.+ ¹⁶ But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed,+ but let him keep on glorifying God while bearing this name. ¹⁷ For it is the appointed time for the judgment to start with the house of God.+ Now if it starts first with us,+ what will the outcome be for those who are not obedient to the good news of God?+ ¹⁸ “And if the righteous man is being saved with difficulty, what will happen to the ungodly man and the sinner?”+ ¹⁹ So, then, let those who are suffering in harmony with the will of God keep on entrusting* themselves* to a faithful Creator while they are doing good.+

Footnotes

^ Or “resolve; determination.”

^ Or “acts of shameless conduct.” Plural of the Greek a·selʹgei·a. See Glossary.

^ Or “revelries.”

^ Or “alert; awake.”

^ Or “insulted.”

^ Or “commending.”

^ Or “their souls.”

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

1 Peter 4

English

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NWT | The First of Peter 05:1-14

NWT | The First of Peter 05:1-14 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First of Peter 5:1-14

5 Therefore, as a fellow elder, a witness of the sufferings of the Christ and a sharer of the glory that is to be revealed,a I make this appeal* to the elders among you: ² Shepherd the flock of Godb under your care, serving as overseers,* not under compulsion, but willingly before God;c not for love of dishonest gain,d but eagerly; ³ not lording it over those who are God’s inheritance,e but becoming examples to the flock.f ⁴ And when the chief shepherdg has been made manifest, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.h ⁵ In the same way, you younger men, be in subjection to the older men.*i But all of you clothe* yourselves with humility* toward one another, because God opposes the haughty ones, but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.j ⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time,k ⁷ while you throw all your anxiety* on him,l because he cares for you.m ⁸ Keep your senses, be watchful!n Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.*o ⁹ But take your stand against him,p firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by the entire association of your brothers* in the world.q ¹⁰ But after you have suffered a little while, the God of all undeserved kindness, who called you to his everlasting gloryr in union with Christ, will himself finish your training. He will make you firm,s he will make you strong,t he will firmly ground you. ¹¹ To him be the might forever. Amen. ¹² Through Sil·vaʹnus,*u whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have written you in few words in order to encourage you and to give an earnest witness that this is the true undeserved kindness of God. Stand firm in it. ¹³ She who is in Babylon, a chosen one like you, sends you her greetings, and so does Mark,v my son. ¹⁴ Greet one another with a kiss of love. May all of you who are in union with Christ have peace.

1 Peter 5

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The First to Timothy

The First to Timothy somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The First to Timothy 01:1-20

NWT | The First to Timothy 01:1-20 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to Timothy 1:1-20

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus, our hope,a ² to Timothy,b a genuine childc in the faith: May you have undeserved kindness and mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ³ Just as I encouraged you to stay in Ephʹe·sus when I was about to go to Mac·e·doʹni·a, so I do now, in order for you to command certain ones not to teach different doctrine, ⁴ nor to pay attention to false storiesd and to genealogies. Such things end up in nothing usefule but merely give rise to speculations rather than providing anything from God in connection with faith. ⁵ Really, the objective of this instruction is lovef out of a clean heartg and out of a good conscienceh and out of faithi without hypocrisy.j ⁶ By deviating from these things, some have been turned aside to meaningless talk.k ⁷ They want to be teachersl of law, but they do not understand either the things they are saying or the things they insist on so strongly. ⁸ Now we know that the Law is fine if one applies it properly, ⁹ recognizing that law is made, not for a righteous man, but for those who are lawlessm and rebellious, ungodly and sinners, disloyal* and profane, murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, manslayers, ¹⁰ sexually immoral people, men who practice homosexuality, kidnappers, liars, perjurers,* and everything else that is in opposition to the wholesome* teachingn ¹¹ according to the glorious good news of the happy God, with which I was entrusted.o ¹² I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who imparted power to me, because he considered me faithful by assigning me to a ministry,p ¹³ although formerly I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an insolent man.q Nevertheless, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and with a lack of faith. ¹⁴ But the undeserved kindness of our Lord abounded exceedingly along with faith and the love that is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.r Of these, I am foremost.s ¹⁶ Nevertheless, I was shown mercy so that by means of me as the foremost case, Christ Jesus might demonstrate all his patience, making me an example to those who are going to rest their faith on him for everlasting life.t ¹⁷ Now to the King of eternity,u incorruptible,v invisible,w the only God,x be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. ¹⁸ This instruction I entrust to you, my child Timothy, in harmony with the prophecies that were made about you, that by these you may go on waging the fine warfare,y ¹⁹ holding faith and a good conscience,z which some have thrust aside, resulting in the shipwreck of their faith. ²⁰ Hy·me·naeʹusa and Alexander are among these, and I have handed them over to Satanb so that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme.

1 Timothy 1

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NWT | The First to Timothy 02:1-15

NWT | The First to Timothy 02:1-15 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to Timothy 2:1-15

2 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made concerning all sorts of men, ² concerning kings and all those who are in high positions,a so that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with complete godly devotion and seriousness.b ³ This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God,c ⁴ whose will is that all sorts of people should be savedd and come to an accurate knowledge of truth. ⁵ For there is one God,e and one mediatorf between God and men,g a man, Christ Jesus,h ⁶ who gave himself a corresponding ransom for alli—this is what is to be witnessed to in its own due time. ⁷ For the purpose of this witnessj I was appointed a preacher and an apostlek—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—a teacher of nationsl in the matter of faith and truth. ⁸ So I desire that in every place the men carry on prayer, lifting up loyal hands,m without angern and debates.o ⁹ Likewise, the women should adorn themselves in appropriate dress, with modesty and soundness of mind, not with styles of hair braiding and gold or pearls or very expensive clothing,p ¹⁰ but in the way that is proper for women professing devotion to God,q namely, through good works. ¹¹ Let a woman learn in silence with full submissiveness.r ¹² I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man, but she is to remain silent.*s ¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve.t ¹⁴ Also, Adam was not deceived, but the woman was thoroughly deceivedu and became a transgressor. ¹⁵ However, she will be kept safe through childbearing,v provided she* continues in faith and love and holiness along with soundness of mind.w

1 Timothy 2

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NWT | The First to Timothy 03:1-16

NWT | The First to Timothy 03:1-16 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to Timothy 3:1-16

3 This statement is trustworthy: If a man is reaching out to be an overseer,a he is desirous of a fine work. ² The overseer should therefore be irreprehensible,b a husband of one wife, moderate in habits, sound in mind,c orderly, hospitable,d qualified to teach,e ³ not a drunkard,f not violent, but reasonable,g not quarrelsome,h not a lover of money,i ⁴ a man presiding over his own household in a fine manner, having his children in subjection with all seriousnessj ⁵ (for if any man does not know how to preside over* his own household, how will he care for the congregation of God?), ⁶ not a newly converted man,k for fear that he might get puffed up with pride and fall into the judgment passed on the Devil. ⁷ Moreover, he should also have a fine testimony* from outsidersl so that he does not fall into reproach* and a snare of the Devil. ⁸ Ministerial servantsm should likewise be serious, not double-tongued, not indulging in a lot of wine, not greedy of dishonest gain,n ⁹ holding the sacred secret of the faith with a clean conscience.o ¹⁰ Also, let these be tested as to fitness* first; then let them serve as ministers, as they are free from accusation.p ¹¹ Women should likewise be serious, not slanderous,q moderate in habits, faithful in all things.r ¹² Let ministerial servants be husbands of one wife, presiding in a fine manner over their children and their own households. ¹³ For the men who minister in a fine manner are acquiring for themselves a fine standing and great freeness of speech in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ I am writing you these things, though I am hoping to come to you shortly, ¹⁵ but in case I am delayed, so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in God’s household,s which is the congregation of the living God, a pillar and support of the truth. ¹⁶ Indeed, the sacred secret of this godly devotion is admittedly great: ‘He was made manifest in flesh,t was declared righteous in spirit,u appeared to angels,v was preached about among nations,w was believed upon in the world,x was received up in glory.’y

1 Timothy 3

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NWT | The First to Timothy 04:1-16

NWT | The First to Timothy 04:1-16 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to Timothy 4:1-16

4 However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired statementsa and teachings of demons, ² by means of the hypocrisy of men who speak lies,b whose conscience is seared as with a branding iron. ³ They forbid marriagec and command people to abstain from foodsd that God created to be partaken ofe with thanksgiving by those who have faithf and accurately know the truth. ⁴ For every creation of God is fine,g and nothing is to be rejectedh if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is sanctified through God’s word and prayer over it. ⁶ By giving this counsel to the brothers, you will be a fine minister of Christ Jesus, one nourished with the words of the faith and of the fine teaching that you have followed closely.i ⁷ But reject irreverent false stories,j like those told by old women. On the other hand, train yourself with godly devotion as your aim. ⁸ For physical training is beneficial for a little, but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and the life that is to come.k ⁹ That statement is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ This is why we are working hard and exerting ourselves,l because we have rested our hope on a living God, who is a Saviorm of all sorts of men,n especially of faithful ones. ¹¹ Keep on giving these commands and teaching them. ¹² Never let anyone look down on your youth. Instead, become an example to the faithful ones in speaking, in conduct, in love, in faith, in chasteness. ¹³ Until I come, continue applying yourself to public reading,o to exhortation, to teaching. ¹⁴ Do not neglect the gift in you that was given you through a prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.p ¹⁵ Ponder over these things;q be absorbed in them, so that your advancement may be plainly seen by all people. ¹⁶ Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching.r Persevere in these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you.s

1 Timothy 4

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NWT | The First to Timothy 05:1-25

NWT | The First to Timothy 05:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to Timothy 5:1-25

5 Do not severely criticize an older man.+ On the contrary, appeal to him as a father, to younger men as brothers, ² to older women as mothers, to younger women as sisters, with all chasteness. ³ Give consideration to widows who are truly widows.+ ⁴ But if any widow has children or grandchildren, let these learn first to practice godly devotion in their own household+ and to repay their parents and grandparents what is due them,+ for this is acceptable in God’s sight.+ ⁵ Now the woman who is truly a widow and left destitute has put her hope in God+ and continues in supplications and prayers night and day.+ ⁶ But the one who gives herself to sensual gratification is dead though she is living. ⁷ So keep on giving these instructions, so that they may be irreprehensible. ⁸ Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.+ ⁹ A widow is to be put on the list if she is not less than 60 years old, was the wife of one husband, ¹⁰ having a reputation for fine works,+ if she raised children,+ if she practiced hospitality,+ if she washed the feet of holy ones,+ if she assisted the afflicted,+ if she devoted herself to every good work. ¹¹ On the other hand, do not put younger widows on the list, for when their sexual desires come between them and the Christ, they want to marry. ¹² And they will incur judgment because they have abandoned their first expression of faith. ¹³ At the same time they also learn to be unoccupied, going around from one house to another; yes, not only unoccupied but also gossipers and meddlers in other people’s affairs,+ talking about things they should not. ¹⁴ Therefore, I desire the younger widows to marry,+ to bear children,+ to manage a household, to give no opportunity to the opposer to criticize. ¹⁵ In fact, some have already been turned aside to follow Satan. ¹⁶ If any believing woman has relatives who are widows, let her assist them so that the congregation is not burdened. Then it can assist those who are truly widows.+ ¹⁷ Let the elders who preside in a fine way+ be considered worthy of double honor,+ especially those who work hard in speaking and teaching.+ ¹⁸ For the scripture says, “You must not muzzle a bull when it is threshing out the grain,”+ also, “The worker is worthy of his wages.”+ ¹⁹ Do not accept an accusation against an older man except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.+ ²⁰ Reprove+ before all onlookers those who practice sin,+ as a warning to the rest. ²¹ I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the chosen angels to observe these instructions without any prejudice or partiality.+ ²² Never lay your hands hastily on any man;+ neither become a sharer in the sins of others; keep yourself chaste. ²³ Do not drink water any longer,* but take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent cases of sickness. ²⁴ The sins of some men are publicly known, leading directly to judgment, but those of other men become evident later.+ ²⁵ In the same way also, the fine works are publicly known+ and those that are otherwise cannot be kept hidden.+

Footnotes

^ Or “Stop drinking just water.”

Study Notes

the elders: Lit., “the older men.” In the Bible, the Greek term pre·sbyʹte·ros refers primarily to those who hold a position of authority and responsibility in a community or a nation, although the term sometimes refers to physically older men. (See study note on Mt 16:21.) In the ancient nation of Israel, elders shared the responsibility of leadership and administration, both on a community level (De 25:7-9; Jos 20:4; Ru 4:1-12) and on a national level (Jg 21:16; 1Sa 4:3; 8:4; 1Ki 20:7). This is the first use of the term in connection with the Christian congregation. As had been true in fleshly Israel, the elders in spiritual Israel were responsible for the direction of the congregation. In this context, the elders were the ones who received the relief contribution, and they supervised its distribution to the congregations in Judea.

Do not severely criticize an older man: The Greek verb rendered “severely criticize” literally means “to inflict with blows.” Here it is used figuratively, conveying the idea “to reprimand harshly; to chastise with words.” Paul reminds Timothy that even though the young man has a measure of authority, he should not abuse it by dealing harshly with others. (1Ti 1:3) Older men in particular deserved Timothy’s compassion and respect.—Le 19:32; see study note on appeal in this verse.

an older man: The context shows that the Greek word pre·sbyʹte·ros is here used in its literal sense, that of a man of advanced physical age in contrast with the “younger men” mentioned in the same verse. However, in other contexts the same term is used to refer to “the elders,” those who have authority and responsibility in the Christian congregation. (1Ti 5:17; Tit 1:5; see study note on Ac 11:30.) So if someone older than Timothy—especially one serving as a fellow elder—needed some correction, Timothy was to “appeal to him as a father.”

appeal: The Greek verb that Paul here uses (pa·ra·ka·leʹo) conveys the idea of showing personal concern by giving warm encouragement and exhortation. (See study note on Ro 12:8, where the same Greek verb is rendered “encourages.”) So Paul is urging Timothy to promote a loving, familylike atmosphere in the Christian congregation. (1Co 4:14; 1Th 2:7, 8) Even when giving needed counsel, Timothy was not to treat anyone harshly.

encourages: Or “exhorts.” The Greek word pa·ra·ka·leʹo literally means “to call to one’s side.” It is broad in meaning and may convey the idea “to encourage” (Ac 11:23; 14:22; 15:32; 1Th 5:11; Heb 10:25); “to comfort” (2Co 1:4; 2:7; 7:6; 2Th 2:17); and in some contexts “to urge strongly; to exhort” (Ac 2:40; Ro 15:30; 1Co 1:10; Php 4:2; 1Th 5:14; 2Ti 4:2; Tit 1:9, ftn.). The close relationship between exhortation, comfort, and encouragement would indicate that a Christian should never exhort someone in a harsh or unkind way.

chaste: Or “pure.” The Greek word used here means pure and holy not only in conduct (sexual or otherwise) but also in thought and motive.—Ps 24:3, 4; Eph 5:3; 1Ti 4:12; 5:2; Jas 3:17; 1Pe 3:2.

with all chasteness: Or “with all purity.” The Greek word rendered “chasteness” may refer to purity in conduct (sexual or otherwise), in thought, and in motive. (1Ti 4:12; see study note on Php 4:8.) Timothy was to treat younger Christian women as he would his own fleshly sisters. With them, as in all his dealings with fellow believers, he had to remain completely chaste, that is, pure or clean in thought, word, and action.—Job 31:1.

worthy of double honor: All Christians are to honor and respect one another. (Ro 12:10; Php 2:3) But Paul here points out that they are to show double, or additional, honor to hardworking elders by cooperating with their direction and imitating their good example. (Heb 13:7, 17) The next verse, 1Ti 5:18, shows that “double honor” might include rendering needed material aid. This does not mean that elders should receive a salary, for Paul, setting the example, worked secularly to support himself, as he explained to the elders of the congregation in Ephesus.—Ac 18:3; 20:17, 34; 1Co 4:16; 11:1; 1Th 2:6 and study note, 9.

Give consideration to: Lit., “Honor.” The expression might also be rendered: “Keep on honoring.” Paul here instructs Timothy that widows, who are often impoverished and defenseless, should be treated with respect and be offered kind, loving support. Lexicons say that in this context, the word Paul uses for “give consideration” (or “honor”) may include material assistance. (Compare Mt 15:5, 6; Ac 28:10; see study note on 1Ti 5:17.) Many accounts in the Bible show that God loves and honors faithful widows. Examples include Naomi, Ruth, the widow of Zarephath, and Anna the prophetess.—Ru 1:1-5; 2:10-13, 19, 20; 4:14, 15; 1Ki 17:8-24; Lu 2:36-38.

widows who are truly widows: Or “widows who are truly in need,” that is, with no one to support them.

godly devotion: The Greek term used here (eu·seʹbei·a) refers to reverence and deep respect for God. (For a discussion of the Greek expression rendered “godly devotion,” see study note on 1Ti 4:7.) The same Greek word is sometimes used in the Septuagint. For example, it occurs at Isa 11:2 and 33:6, where the Hebrew text uses “the fear of Jehovah,” an expression that likewise refers to deep respect for Jehovah God. When 1Ti 2:2 was translated into Syriac (the Peshitta) in the fifth century C.E., this Greek term was rendered “reverence for God,” explicitly including the word for “God.” Similarly, some later translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew have rendered eu·seʹbei·a “fear of Jehovah” in this verse and others where it appears. (1Ti 3:16; 4:7, 8; 6:3, 6, 11) However, the New World Bible Translation Committee decided that there was not sufficient support for using the divine name in the main text of this verse.—See App. C, where the reasons for restoring the divine name in other verses are discussed; compare study note on Ro 10:12.

godly devotion: The Greek word (eu·seʹbei·a) conveys the idea of profound reverence and awe for God that a Christian expresses by serving God loyally and obeying him fully. The word is broad in meaning; it also suggests the kind of loyal love for or personal attachment to God that moves a person to seek to do what pleases Him. One lexicon thus summarizes the overall idea as “to live as God would have us live.” Paul also shows that godly devotion is not an inborn trait. Thus, he urges Timothy to work hard, training as an athlete would, to strengthen this quality in himself. Earlier in the letter, Paul reminded Timothy that Jesus Christ set the greatest example of godly devotion.—See study note on 1Ti 3:16.

to practice godly devotion: Some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew have a reading that could be rendered “to care for (lead) their household with wisdom and fear of Jehovah.”—Compare study note on 1Ti 2:2.

to practice godly devotion in their own household: Paul mentions “godly devotion” (Greek, eu·seʹbei·a) several times in this letter to Timothy. The noun form conveys the idea of profound reverence and awe for God. (See study note on 1Ti 4:7.) Here Paul uses the corresponding Greek verb (eu·se·beʹo, rendered “to practice godly devotion”) to show that such reverence would motivate Christians to care for the needs of widowed parents and grandparents. Some Bible translations say “to respect” or “to fulfill their duty.” However, such renderings leave out the spiritual motive that impels Christians to carry out an often challenging and heartrending work with patience, joy, and love. (Ec 12:1-8) The verb that Paul uses shows that such care is primarily an act of reverence for God and obedience to His commands regarding family life.—Ex 20:12; Mt 15:3-6; 1Ti 5:8; Jas 1:27.

all the means of living she had: As shown in the study note on Lu 21:2, the coins that the widow put in the treasury chest were “two lepta,” the equivalent of 1/64 of a day’s wage. The lepton was the smallest coin used in Israel at that time. According to Mt 10:29, for an assarion coin (the equivalent of eight lepta), a person could purchase two sparrows, which were the cheapest birds used for food. So this widow had only half the amount needed to buy one sparrow, hardly enough for a single meal.

continues in supplications and prayers night and day: Paul’s words regarding a widow who has “put her hope in God” are strikingly similar to Luke’s description of Anna the prophetess. That aged widow “was never missing from the temple, rendering sacred service night and day with fasting and supplications.” (Lu 2:36, 37) Likewise, Jesus praised “a needy widow” who had only “two small coins of very little value”; yet, she trusted in Jehovah so fully that she donated both coins to the temple in Jerusalem. (Lu 21:1-4; see study note on verse 4.) Paul’s words in this verse, as well as the mention of those women in the Gospels, reflect Jehovah’s high regard for Christian widows who show strong faith.

the one who gives herself to sensual gratification: The Greek verb used here could refer to living a luxurious, self-indulgent life. It may also suggest having loose morals. Paul was likely aware of some Christian widows who viewed their unmarried state as an opportunity for luxurious living. (Compare 1Ti 2:9.) Clearly, the congregation should not give material support to any who would abuse such generosity by seeking to live in luxury or by failing to uphold Jehovah’s moral standards.—See study note on 1Ti 5:3.

dead though she is living: That is, dead in a figurative sense.—Compare Re 3:1; see study note on Eph 2:1.

dead in your trespasses and sins: In the Bible, death and life can be used in a figurative, or a spiritual, sense. Paul says that the former course of the Ephesian Christians made them “dead in [their] trespasses and sins.” One lexicon describes the figurative use of the Greek word for “dead” in this verse as a person’s “being so morally or spiritually deficient as to be in effect dead.” However, Paul shows that Jehovah could now view those spirit-anointed Christians as being alive, since they had repented of their sinful way of life on the basis of Jesus’ sacrifice.—Eph 2:5; Col 2:13; see study notes on Lu 9:60; Joh 5:24, 25.

instructions: Or “commands.”—See study note on 1Ti 1:5.

instruction: Or “mandate; order; command.” Paul is here referring to what he told Timothy earlier, namely, “to command certain ones” in the congregation “not to teach different doctrine, nor to pay attention to false stories.” (1Ti 1:3, 4) According to one lexicon, the word used here conveys the sense of “someth[ing] that must be done.” Paul uses this and related expressions several times in his letter.—1Ti 1:18; 4:11; 5:7; 6:13, 17.

provide for: That is, provide materially for. Paul shows that family heads were expected to provide for their spouse and children to the extent that circumstances allowed. Also, some widowed parents or grandparents were unable to care for their own physical needs. In that case, their adult children were to do what they could to provide for them. At times, this may have involved anticipating future needs and making arrangements for care of the older ones. (Compare Joh 19:26, 27.) Paul shows that in addition to feeling obligated, Christians have an even greater reason for applying this admonition, namely, to please God and receive his approval.—Ex 20:12; De 5:16; Mt 15:4-6.

for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household: Of these two expressions, “those who are his own” is broader in meaning, referring to close relatives. The phrase “those who are members of his household” in this context refers to the members of a person’s immediate family who live under the same roof as the householder.

he has disowned the faith: The Christian faith embodies all that Christ and his inspired disciples taught. Jesus reaffirmed God’s command to “honor your father and your mother,” and he condemned those who neglected this obligation. (Ex 20:12; De 5:16; Mr 7:9-13) So a Christian cannot live up to his faith without caring for his family, including widowed parents or grandparents. If he deliberately neglected this duty, he would be disowning the faith—in effect, turning his back on it. He would be worse than a person without faith, that is, an unbeliever who may care for his family out of natural affection.—Ro 2:14, 15.

a person without faith: Some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the wording “a person who denies (disowns) Jehovah.” However, since there is no indication that the divine name was used in the original Greek text, the New World Bible Translation Committee did not use it in the main text of this verse.—See App. C.

A widow is to be put on the list: The Greek verb rendered “to be put on the list” was often used in its technical sense to denote official registrations. Apparently, the congregation had some organized arrangement to care for needy Christians, such as impoverished widows. Paul offers a general description of the Christian widows who should receive material help from the congregation and of those who should not.

not less than 60 years old: Paul here gives a figure that was commonly recognized in those times as the beginning of old age. At the age of 60, a widow was considered less likely to remarry and she was more likely to find it challenging to support herself financially.

washed the feet of holy ones: A person who washed the feet of guests rendered a kind and helpful service, since any visitors had likely walked on dusty roads in open sandals. Because washing the feet of others was considered a menial task, some felt that it was beneath them to perform this act of hospitality. (Lu 7:44) On the other hand, if a widow’s reputation for fine works included washing the feet of others, she showed a humble attitude, a disposition to serve. As a result, her fellow Christians would feel all the more inclined to help her in her time of need.—Lu 6:38.

do not put younger widows on the list: Paul directed that the congregation should focus on assisting older widows who were exemplary in faith and faced the greatest need of material aid. In verses 11-15, he explains some reasons for showing caution in giving support to younger widows.—See study note on 1Ti 5:12.

they have abandoned their first expression of faith: Or “they have abandoned their previous promise.” This expression may suggest that some younger widows in Ephesus had expressed a desire—perhaps even made some kind of promise or commitment—to remain single and serve Jehovah with full, undistracted devotion. (Compare 1Co 7:34.) In response, the congregation may have given them material assistance. However, some apparently changed their priorities. As Paul puts it, they allowed their sexual desires to “come between them and the Christ.” (1Ti 5:11) “At the same time,” Paul adds, they were showing other fleshly tendencies, such as becoming “not only unoccupied but also gossipers and meddlers in other people’s affairs.” (1Ti 5:13) So in verse 14, Paul gives further direction about how younger widows can protect themselves from spiritual harm.—See study note on 1Ti 5:14.

I desire the younger widows to marry: Paul recommends that younger widows get married and manage a household because that would be a protection for them. If they worked hard at caring for their family, they would more likely avoid conduct that is not exemplary, such as gossiping or meddling in the affairs of others. (1Ti 5:13; see study note on 1Ti 2:15.) They would also avoid the danger Paul mentions in verse 12, that of abandoning “their first expression of faith.”—See study note on 1Ti 5:12.

gossipers: The Greek word used here is derived from a verb that means to “bubble up” and thus to “babble” or to “talk nonsense.” According to one reference work, such gossipers are “babbling out whatever might come into their minds.” Of itself, idle talk is not always bad. However, Paul speaks of harmful gossip. Some young widows were “talking about things they should not.”

she will be kept safe through childbearing: If a woman bore children, cared for them, and managed a household, she would be “kept safe” from becoming a gossiper and a meddler in other people’s affairs. (1Ti 5:11-15) Her hard work for her family, along with her “faith and love and holiness,” would keep her close to Jehovah.

have a share in the relief ministry: Paul uses the Greek noun di·a·ko·niʹa, here rendered “relief ministry.” The word is often used in the Bible to describe humble services performed out of love for others. It is significant that this Greek noun is used for the twofold ministry in which Christians share, the preaching work and the relief work. (See study note on Ac 11:29.) In this verse, Paul refers specifically to bringing relief to fellow Christians who are struck by hardship. (2Co 9:13; see study note on Ro 15:31.) The Macedonian congregations considered it a privilege to share in this relief work. Both aspects of the Christian ministry constitute “sacred service.”—Ro 12:1, 6-8.

relatives who are widows: A Christian woman had an obligation to care for widows in her own family, such as her mother and grandmother. Her family might also include other widows who were closely related to her and who had no one else to assist them.

so that the congregation is not burdened: Widows who qualify for assistance in the congregation were to be viewed as precious servants of God. (1Ti 5:5, 9, 10) However, Paul says that the congregation should not provide material support to widows who have family members who could care for them; nor should it provide support for those who are not exemplary Christians. (1Ti 5:4, 6, 7, 11-15) If the congregation were to care for such unqualified widows, its funds and energies might be strained or even diverted from the preaching work and the relief ministry.—See study note on 2Co 8:4.

those who are truly widows: Or “widows who are truly in need,” that is, with no one to support them.

elders: Lit., “older men.” In the Bible, the Greek term pre·sbyʹte·ros refers primarily to those who hold a position of authority and responsibility in a community or a nation. Spiritually older, or mature, men shared the responsibility of leadership and administration in the cities of the ancient nation of Israel. Likewise, spiritually older, or mature, men served in the different Christian congregations in the first century C.E. This account about Paul meeting with the elders from Ephesus clearly shows that there was more than one elder in that congregation. The number of elders in each congregation depended on the number who qualified as spiritually mature men. (1Ti 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-8) When Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy, who likely lived in Ephesus at the time, he mentioned “the body of elders.”—1Ti 1:3; 4:14.

Pay attention to: Or “Keep watch over.” The sheep in Jehovah’s flock are dear to him because he purchased them with the precious “blood of his own Son.” Jehovah could not have paid a higher price. Humble overseers, therefore, keep watch over the welfare of each member of the flock, bearing in mind how much Jehovah loves his sheep.—1Pe 5:1-3.

the elders: Paul already had a strong personal connection with the congregation in Ephesus. (Ac 19:1, 8-10; 20:17, 31, 37, 38) He last met with the elders a few years earlier (c. 56 C.E.), toward the end of his third missionary tour. (See study note on Ac 20:17.) On that occasion, Paul stressed how important it is for overseers to shepherd the flock of God. (See study note on Ac 20:28.) Here Paul helps the congregation to see how they should view their hardworking elders.

preside in a fine way: The Greek term rendered “preside” literally means “to stand before.” (See study note on Ro 12:8.) In a figurative sense, elders were to stand before the congregation by taking the lead in teaching, protecting the flock from spiritual danger, and helping each individual to stay close to Jehovah. Similarly, fathers are spoken of as “presiding over” their household. (1Ti 3:4) They sometimes need to make final decisions and even rules about personal matters that affect their household. However, elders do not have the same authority that family heads have. (2Co 1:24; Ga 6:5) They modestly respect Christ as head by reflecting his personality, especially his humility, in dealing with the flock.—Mt 20:24-28; Joh 13:13-16; Col 1:18.

seeking glory from men: As a humble minister endeavoring to imitate Christ, Paul may here have in mind Jesus’ similar expression: “I do not accept glory from men [or, “humans,” ftn.].” (Joh 5:41; 7:18; 1Co 11:1) Paul is not suggesting that it is wrong to show proper respect, or honor, to those in the congregation. (Compare Ro 12:10; 1Ti 5:17.) However, he refused to seek honor, prestige, fame, or praise from fellow humans.

the one who presides: Or “the one who takes the lead.” The Greek word pro·iʹste·mi literally means “to stand before (in front of)” in the sense of leading, conducting, directing, showing an interest in, and caring for others.

the scripture says to Pharaoh: In the words that follow, Paul quotes from Ex 9:16. The words are part of a message that Jehovah commanded Moses to tell Pharaoh of Egypt. (Ex 9:13-19) However, Paul personifies “the scripture,” writing as if the scripture itself spoke these words directly to Pharaoh. Paul uses a similar personification at Ro 3:19, where he says: “All the things the Law says, it addresses to those under the Law.” The use of this figure of speech in these contexts is appropriate because the Hebrew Scriptures, including the Law, were recognized as God’s word—in effect, God was speaking. In a similar way, Jesus sometimes personified God’s holy spirit, saying that it “will teach” and “will bear witness.”—Joh 14:26; 15:26.

Is it bulls that God is concerned about?: Paul asks this rhetorical question to make his point. He has just quoted the Mosaic Law where it says: “You must not muzzle a bull when it is threshing.” (De 25:4) Just as the working bull is entitled to feed on the grain it is threshing, so the Christian who shares spiritual things with others deserves material support. At 1Co 9:10, Paul says that the law at De 25:4 “was really written for our sakes.” He does not mean that Christians could disregard the divine principle of treating animals in a humane way. Rather, he means that if the principle applies with regard to animals at work, it applies with even greater force to humans at work—especially to those who are laboring in God’s service.

discernment of inspired expressions: This phrase, which literally means “discernings of spirits,” refers to a miraculous understanding of inspired expressions. This gift likely included the ability to discern whether an expression was inspired of God or it originated from some other source. This ability was surely useful in protecting the congregation against false prophets. (2Co 11:3, 4; 1Jo 4:1) It would also have helped the apostles and elders in Jerusalem to determine which parts of the Law were still to be viewed as “necessary things” applicable to Christians. (Ac 15:19, 20, 28, 29) Christians also needed guidance to discern which letters and writings should be circulated among the congregations and to discern which would become part of the Bible canon. For example, indicating that some of Paul’s writings constituted part of the inspired Scriptures, the apostle Peter wrote that “the ignorant and unstable are twisting [Paul’s letters], as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.” (2Pe 3:16) We can be sure that the process of selecting which books to include in the Bible canon was guided by God’s spirit, doubtless using brothers who had this gift.—2Ti 3:16; see Glossary, “Canon”; “Spirit.”

For the scripture says: Paul supports what he said in the preceding verse by using two quotations. (Compare Ro 9:17 and study note; 10:11.) The first is taken from De 25:4. (See also study note on 1Co 9:9.) The second may be an allusion to Le 19:13. However, it is also possible that Paul is here referring to a text in one of the Gospels. His wording is almost identical to what Jesus said as recorded at Lu 10:7. Luke wrote his Gospel about 56-58 C.E., and Paul apparently wrote this letter to Timothy sometime between 61 and 64 C.E. (Paul’s quote is also similar to the wording found at Mt 10:10, written c. 41 C.E.) Therefore, this may be an early example of a Bible writer’s quoting from a Gospel, confirming that it is inspired Scripture.—Compare 1Co 9:14, where Paul refers to what the Lord Jesus commanded; see also study note on 1Co 12:10.

an accusation: An elder in the congregation might be accused of a serious violation of Scriptural standards; if substantiated, such an accusation would mean that he is not “irreprehensible.” (1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:5) In that case, he would no longer qualify to serve as an elder. Accusations involving serious sins might even lead to his being expelled from the congregation.—1Co 5:13; 6:9, 10.

an older man: Or “an elder.” The Greek word used here, pre·sbyʹte·ros, can be understood to refer to a man of advanced physical age or to one having authority and responsibility in the Christian congregation.—See study notes on Ac 20:17; 1Ti 5:1.

on the evidence of two or three witnesses: Under inspiration, Paul applies this standard from the Mosaic Law to a specific instance—an elder is accused of a serious violation of God’s law. (De 17:6; 19:15) This standard served to protect a faithful elder from accusations made by an individual who might attempt to slander him. Such slander could rob an innocent elder of his good reputation and jeopardize his assignment to care for the congregation. However, if the accusation is substantiated by “two or three witnesses,” the body of elders would take disciplinary action.

elders: Lit., “older men.” In the Bible, the Greek term pre·sbyʹte·ros refers primarily to those who hold a position of authority and responsibility in a community or a nation. Spiritually older, or mature, men shared the responsibility of leadership and administration in the cities of the ancient nation of Israel. Likewise, spiritually older, or mature, men served in the different Christian congregations in the first century C.E. This account about Paul meeting with the elders from Ephesus clearly shows that there was more than one elder in that congregation. The number of elders in each congregation depended on the number who qualified as spiritually mature men. (1Ti 3:1-7; Tit 1:5-8) When Paul wrote his first letter to Timothy, who likely lived in Ephesus at the time, he mentioned “the body of elders.”—1Ti 1:3; 4:14.

Reprove: As used in the Bible, the Greek term rendered “reprove” often conveys the idea of convincing someone that he has erred. A reproof is given with the positive goal of moving a person to acknowledge and correct his mistake. One dictionary says that the word includes the meaning “‘to set right,’ namely, ‘to point away from sin to repentance.’” It is discipline that is intended to educate. At Joh 16:8, the same Greek word is rendered “give . . . convincing evidence.”

before all onlookers: Lit., “in the sight of all.” Paul apparently means that the reproof should be given before all who were aware of the sinful course. In some cases, that would include the entire congregation. In other cases, “all onlookers” could refer to a smaller group of people who were in some way affected by the wrongdoing or who knew of it. Some “onlookers” might be eyewitnesses to an event. For example, Lu 8:47 says that when Jesus healed a woman, she “declared before all [lit., “in the sight of all”] the people why she touched” Jesus. The wording and context indicate that she spoke in front of those who heard Jesus ask: “Who touched me?” There is no indication that she made this confession before everyone in the large crowd or in the city.—Lu 8:43-47.

those who practice sin: The Greek verb meaning “to sin” is here in a form that describes continuous action. It suggests, not just a single sin, but a course of sin that is ongoing. Some other translations similarly read “those who are sinning” or “those who persist in sin.”

as a warning to the rest: Lit., “that the rest may have fear.” These words describe the purpose of a reproof given publicly, “before all onlookers.” “The rest” to whom Paul refers are the onlookers who are thus helped to have a healthy fear of sin. The reproof helps them to see the need to avoid sin and the steps that can lead to sin.

I solemnly charge you: This weighty phrase translates a single Greek verb. One lexicon defines it as “to exhort with authority in matters of extraordinary importance.” (The same verb occurs in the Septuagint, for example at 1Sa 8:9 and 2Ch 24:19.) Paul has just commented on how cases involving elders who are accused of wrongdoing should be handled; he then emphasizes the need to reprove those who practice sin. Because these matters are so serious, he charges Timothy before God and Christ Jesus, providing a sobering reminder that what takes place even in private discussion among appointed men is plainly visible to the highest authorities of all.—Ro 2:16; Heb 4:13.

the chosen angels: Faithful angels are chosen by God to serve before him as his ministers, unlike the wicked angels that God has rejected. (Jude 6) Further, some faithful angels are chosen to protect God’s servants on earth, to oversee the preaching work, and to report to Jehovah and Jesus about what they observe.—Heb 1:14; Re 14:6; see study note on Mt 18:10.

without any prejudice or partiality: Paul warns against two types of misjudgment. Prejudice involves judging a person negatively in advance. Partiality suggests showing a person excessive or undue favor, perhaps because of personal friendship.

their angels: In both the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Greek Scriptures, God’s servants are assured of the protection of Jehovah’s ever-present, invisible army of angels. (2Ki 6:15-17; Ps 34:7; 91:11; Ac 5:19; Heb 1:14) The original-language terms rendered “angel” have the basic meaning of “messenger.” (See study note on Joh 1:51.) Jesus’ statement about these little ones (namely, his disciples) and “their angels” does not necessarily mean that each devoted Christian has a special guardian angel assigned to him. But angels are looking out for the spiritual welfare of true Christians as a whole and take an active interest in each of Christ’s disciples.—See study note on Ac 12:15.

Never lay your hands hastily on any man: Timothy had apparently been granted authority to appoint overseers by laying his hands on them. (See Glossary, “Lay hands on,” and study note on Ac 6:6.) Timothy was not to appoint any man “hastily”; he was to appoint a man only after carefully considering whether the man was truly qualified. (1Ti 3:1-7) Appointed men had considerable influence, so it was important that Timothy heed Paul’s counsel. Otherwise, Timothy could become a sharer in the sins of others, that is, bear a measure of responsibility for whatever wrongs an unqualified man might commit.

they laid their hands on them: In the Hebrew Scriptures, the laying on of hands was done either to a person or to an animal and had a variety of meanings. (Ge 48:14; Le 16:21; 24:14) In connection with humans, it was usually a gesture to indicate that the person was being recognized in a special way or designated for a special purpose. (Nu 8:10) For example, Moses laid his hand on Joshua as a way to acknowledge him as Moses’ successor. As a result, Joshua became “full of the spirit of wisdom” and was able to lead Israel properly. (De 34:9) In the account recorded here at Ac 6:6, the apostles laid their hands on the men whom they appointed to positions of responsibility. The apostles did so only after praying about the matter, showing that they wanted God’s guidance. Later, the members of a body of congregation elders appointed Timothy to a special position of service by laying their hands on him. (1Ti 4:14) Timothy too was authorized to appoint others by laying his hands on them, but only after he had carefully considered their qualifications.—1Ti 5:22.

take a little wine: In Paul’s day, wine was known as an effective medicine. For example, it was used to relieve digestive problems and to treat wounds. (See study note on Lu 10:34.) In giving this advice, Paul showed a fatherly concern for Timothy, who was willing to persevere in God’s service despite his “frequent cases of sickness.” Both ancient and modern sources confirm the medicinal value of wine. Greek physician Hippocrates of Kos (c. 460-370 B.C.E.) recommended that as part of “the most reliable medicine,” “a little wine” be given to “a man whose constitution is not strong, but weaker than the average.” Aulus Cornelius Celsus, a Roman medical writer of the first century C.E., noted: “If anyone suffers from his stomach, . . . on an empty stomach he should not drink water but hot wine.”

bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them: The physician Luke here carefully records Jesus’ illustration, describing wound treatment that was consistent with the methods of the day. Both oil and wine were commonly used as household remedies to treat wounds. Oil was sometimes used to soften wounds (compare Isa 1:6), and wine has certain medicinal value as an antiseptic and mild disinfectant. Luke also describes how the wounds were bandaged, or bound, preventing further aggravation.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

1 Timothy 5

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The First to Timothy 06:1-21

NWT | The First to Timothy 06:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to Timothy 6:1-21

6 Let those who are under the yoke of slavery keep on considering their owners worthy of full honor,+ so that the name of God and the teaching may never be spoken of injuriously.+ ² Moreover, let those having believing owners not be disrespectful to them because they are brothers. Rather, they should serve more readily, because those receiving the benefit of their good service are believers and beloved. Keep on teaching these things and giving these exhortations. ³ If any man teaches another doctrine and does not agree with the wholesome instruction,+ which is from our Lord Jesus Christ, nor with the teaching that is in harmony with godly devotion,+ ⁴ he is puffed up with pride and does not understand anything.+ He is obsessed with arguments and debates about words.+ These things give rise to envy, strife, slander, wicked suspicions, ⁵ constant disputes about minor matters by men who are corrupted in mind+ and deprived of the truth, thinking that godly devotion is a means of gain.+ ⁶ To be sure, there is great gain in godly devotion+ along with contentment. ⁷ For we have brought nothing into the world, and neither can we carry anything out.+ ⁸ So, having food* and clothing, we will be content with these things.+ ⁹ But those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare+ and many senseless and harmful desires that plunge men into destruction and ruin.+ ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things,+ and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.+ ¹¹ However, you, O man of God, flee from these things. But pursue righteousness, godly devotion, faith, love, endurance, and mildness.+ ¹² Fight the fine fight of the faith;+ get a firm hold on the everlasting life for which you were called and you offered the fine public declaration in front of many witnesses. ¹³ Before God, who preserves all things alive,* and Christ Jesus, who as a witness made the fine public declaration before Pontius Pilate,+ I give you orders ¹⁴ to observe the commandment in a spotless and irreprehensible way until the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ,+ ¹⁵ which the happy and only Potentate will show in its* own appointed times. He is the King of those who rule as kings and Lord of those who rule as lords,+ ¹⁶ the one alone having immortality,+ who dwells in unapproachable light,+ whom no man has seen or can see.+ To him be honor and eternal might. Amen. ¹⁷ Instruct those who are rich in the present system of things not to be arrogant, and to place their hope, not on uncertain riches,+ but on God, who richly provides us with all the things we enjoy.+ ¹⁸ Tell them to work at good, to be rich in fine works, to be generous, ready to share,+ ¹⁹ safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future,+ so that they may get a firm hold on the real life.+ ²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you,+ turning away from the empty speeches that violate what is holy and from the contradictions of the falsely called “knowledge.”+ ²¹ By making a show of such knowledge, some have deviated from the faith. May the undeserved kindness be with you.

Footnotes

^ Or “sustenance.”

^ Or possibly, “who brings all things to life.”

^ Or possibly, “his.”

Study Notes

My Kingdom is no part of this world: Jesus did not give a direct answer to Pilate’s question, “What did you do?” (Joh 18:35) Instead, he kept the focus on Pilate’s first question, “Are you the King of the Jews?” (Joh 18:33) In his short reply, Jesus three times mentioned the Kingdom in which he was to be installed as King. By saying that his Kingdom is “no part of this world,” Jesus made clear that the Kingdom is not from a human source. This harmonizes with earlier statements referring to “the Kingdom of the heavens” or “the Kingdom of God.” (Mt 3:2; Mr 1:15) Jesus had also said that his followers were “no part of the world,” that is, the unrighteous human society alienated from God and his servants. (Joh 17:14, 16) By his words to Peter earlier that evening, Jesus showed that his followers were not to fight to defend him as supporters of a human king would have done.—Mt 26:51, 52; Joh 18:11.

under the yoke of slavery: Lit., “slaves under a yoke.” The word “yoke” was often used figuratively to represent enslavement or servitude under the authority of an owner, or master. (Tit 2:9, 10; 1Pe 2:18; see Glossary, “Yoke.”) In the Roman Empire, there were many slaves, including some Christians. Jesus’ followers neither endorsed nor criticized the secular institution of slavery. (1Co 7:20, 21) Jesus himself did not engage in social reform, and he said that his followers would likewise be “no part of the world.” (Joh 17:14) Instead, Jesus preached about God’s Kingdom, which would eventually eliminate all forms of oppression and injustice.—See study note on Joh 18:36; see also Media Gallery, “Common Duties of a Slave.”

keep on considering their owners worthy of full honor: Paul encourages Christians who were slaves to respect their owners, or masters. A slave’s attitude could be seen in his actions, whether he was conscientious in doing his work. His not respecting his owner would imply that Christian teachings had made no real change in the slave’s life. Such a poor example would bring reproach on God’s name.—Col 3:22, 23; see study notes on Eph 6:5, 6.

not only when being watched, just to please men: Lit., “not with eye-service as men pleasers.” A slave who was also a Christian was not to try to make an impression by being obedient or working hard only when his master was present. Instead, he was to serve “whole-souled,” with fear of Jehovah.—Eph 6:5-8; Col 3:22-25.

your human masters: Paul here urges Christian slaves to be obedient to their “human [lit., “fleshly”] masters.” Christian slaves as well as their earthly masters needed to keep in mind that they had a higher Master in the heavens.—Eph 6:9.

those having believing owners: Here Paul discusses the situation in which both slave and owner were Christians. As “joint heirs with Christ,” they enjoyed an equal standing before God. (Ro 8:17) That is why Paul urges a Christian slave not to take advantage of his owner—who was also his spiritual brother—by failing to do his best. Rather, out of love for his brother, the slave should be all the more faithful and diligent in his service. At the same time, a believing owner was under obligation to deal fairly with his slave.—Eph 6:9; Col 4:1.

the wholesome instruction: Paul here refers to the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Since everything Jesus taught is in agreement with the rest of the Scriptures, the expression “wholesome [or, “healthful; beneficial”] instruction” can by extension refer to all Bible teachings.—See study note on 2Ti 1:13.

godly devotion: For a discussion of the expression “godly devotion,” see study note on 1Ti 4:7; see also study note on 1Ti 2:2.

wholesome words: The Greek expression for “wholesome words” is rendered “wholesome instruction” at 1Ti 6:3. There Paul explained that this instruction “is from our Lord Jesus Christ.” Thus, the phrase refers to true Christian teachings. (See study note on 1Ti 6:3.) What Jesus taught and did is in harmony with all other teachings found in the Bible, and that is why the expression “wholesome [or “healthful; beneficial”] words” can by extension refer to all Bible teachings.

abusive speech: Paul here uses the Greek word bla·sphe·miʹa, which is often rendered “blasphemy” when it refers to speech that is disrespectful to God. (Re 13:6) Originally, however, its meaning was not restricted to insults directed at God. The term can also denote evil or slanderous speech against fellow humans, and the context suggests that Paul uses it in that sense here. (See also Eph 4:31.) Other translations of this verse use such expressions as “slander,” “defamation,” and “insults.” One reference work says of this word: “It indicates the attempt to belittle and cause someone to fall into disrepute or to receive a bad reputation.”

He is obsessed with arguments: The Greek verb for “is obsessed” literally means “to be sick,” but here it is used in a figurative sense. The phrase might be rendered: “He has an unhealthy fascination with arguments.” It stands in contrast with “the wholesome instruction” from Christ that Paul has just mentioned.—See study note on 1Ti 6:3.

debates about words: Lit., “word battles.” Those “obsessed with arguments” often debate trivialities as a means to promote their own personal doctrines, not God’s glory. Such debates “give rise to envy, strife,” and can even lead to slander (Greek, bla·sphe·miʹa), that is, abusive speech that defames others.—See study note on Col 3:8.

self-sufficient: The Greek words rendered “self-sufficient” (2Co 9:8; Php 4:11) or “contentment” (1Ti 6:6) convey the idea of being content and satisfied with what one has or of having enough and not being dependent on others. Paul learned by experience to adapt to whatever circumstance he encountered in his travels. He was happy and content in any assignment Jehovah gave him. (Php 4:12, 13) Paul imitated Jesus, who did not try to store up great material wealth or settle down permanently. (Mt 8:20) Paul followed Jesus’ example by concentrating on doing God’s will and trusting in Jehovah to take care of basic needs.—Heb 13:5.

there is great gain in godly devotion: Paul uses the same Greek word (rendered “gain” and “means of gain”) in two consecutive sentences. In verse 5, he refers to corrupt false teachers who sought to use godly devotion as “a means of gain” to exploit the congregation. Perhaps they asked to be paid for the teaching they did, or they tried in other ways to obtain material advantages from others in the congregation. (2Ti 3:6; Tit 1:11; see study note on 2Co 2:17.) Or they may have taught that godly devotion was a way to become materially rich. In contrast, Paul speaks of a far greater “gain,” that is, the spiritual benefits that godly devotion brings to a Christian.

godly devotion: For a discussion of the expression “godly devotion,” see study note on 1Ti 4:7; see also study note on 1Ti 2:2.

along with contentment: Paul here links godly devotion with contentment, or “self-sufficiency,” a quality that stands in stark contrast with the materialistic ambitions of false teachers. (1Ti 6:8) Contentment brings joy and peace of mind to a servant of God.—See study note on Php 4:11.

for we are not peddlers of the word of God: Or “for we are not commercializing [or, “not making profit from”] God’s message.” In contrast with false teachers, Paul, the apostles, and their associates had good motives when they preached the pure message of God. The Greek verb rendered “to be a peddler” (ka·pe·leuʹo) was initially used to refer to someone engaging in retail business or an innkeeper, but it gradually included the idea of being deceptive and having greedy motives. A Greek word related to the one used here appears in the Septuagint at Isa 1:22 in the phrase “your wine merchants [“taverners”] mix the wine with water.” In the Greco-Roman world, wine was generally diluted with water before consumption. In order to make more money, some would increase the amount of water used to dilute the wine. Some scholars have therefore suggested that Paul was alluding to such dishonest wine dealers. The same metaphor was used in Greek literature to describe the activity of itinerant philosophers who peddled their teaching for money. When Paul spoke about many men who were “peddlers” of God’s word, he apparently had in mind false ministers who added human philosophies, traditions, and false religious ideas to Jehovah’s Word. As a result, they figuratively watered down God’s word, spoiling its fragrance and taste and weakening its power to impart joy.—Ps 104:15; see study note on 2Co 4:2.

neither can we carry anything out: The thought that Paul expresses in this verse was commonly repeated in various forms in the ancient Greco-Roman world. However, centuries earlier, King Solomon was inspired to write: “Just as one came from his mother’s womb, naked will he go away . . . And he cannot carry away anything for all his hard work.” (Ec 5:15; see also Job 1:21; Ps 49:17.) Jesus made a similar point in his illustration about the rich man. (Lu 12:16-21) Using this sobering truth, Paul urges Christians to avoid greed and materialism and instead seek lasting contentment by pursuing godly devotion.—1Ti 6:6, 8-10.

clothing: Or possibly, “shelter.” The Greek term literally means “covering.” In this verse, it seems to refer mainly to clothing, but it may also mean other types of covering or shelter, such as a house.

those who are determined to be rich: Paul is referring, not to those who have a passing wish to have more money, but to those who have their heart set on becoming wealthy. Their way of reasoning has become faulty, twisted by greed. Such a firm determination to acquire riches could affect anyone, rich or poor.

plunge men into destruction and ruin: Those who avidly pursue riches are likely to harm themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The Greek word for “plunge” means to drag to the bottom, or to cause to sink. It is used in a literal sense at Lu 5:7, where a huge catch of fish is described as causing two boats to begin sinking. The word suggests that a person who is “determined to be rich” will inevitably “fall into temptation and . . . harmful desires” that drag him down, ruining his life by damaging his friendship with Jehovah.

the unrighteous riches: Lit., “the mammon of the unrighteousness.” The Greek word ma·mo·nasʹ (of Semitic origin), traditionally translated “mammon,” is generally understood to denote money or riches. (See study note on Mt 6:24.) Jesus evidently viewed this type of riches as unrighteous because they are under the control of sinful humans, they normally serve selfish ends, and they are often acquired by means of unrighteous actions. The possession of or desire for material riches can also lead to lawless acts. Literal riches can lose their value, so a person having such riches should not put his trust in them. (1Ti 6:9, 10, 17-19) Rather, he should use them to make friends with Jehovah and Jesus, who can receive a person into the everlasting dwelling places.

the love of money: By calling this love “a root of all sorts of injurious things,” Paul may be alluding to a proverbial saying that was well-known in his day. He does not condemn money itself, which has practical value in this world. (Ec 7:12; 10:19) It is the love of money that is dangerous. In verse 5, Paul shows that some false teachers were driven by the love of money, so it is no wonder that he earlier specified that an overseer should not be “a lover of money.” (1Ti 3:1, 3 and study note) The Scriptures reveal other dangers of this love. It can never be satisfied. (Ec 5:10) Worse, it is a love that competes with and displaces love for God. (Mt 6:24; see study note on Lu 16:9.) Thus, the love of money is a root, or a cause, of a wide array of “injurious things”; it leads to the “pains” that Paul mentions next in this verse.

have stabbed themselves all over: Paul here uses a Greek verb that suggests piercing through completely as with repeated thrusts of a sharp weapon. His point is that Christians do themselves severe damage if they let the love of money become the driving force in their life. The result would be “many pains.”

many pains: The Greek word for “pain” can refer to strong emotional, mental, and spiritual pain and distress, perhaps related to pangs of conscience. The love of money certainly brought “many pains” to Judas Iscariot. That love dominated him, driving him to such extremes as theft and even the betrayal of Jesus Christ. (Mt 26:14-16; Joh 12:6) Judas fell from being a faithful apostle to becoming “the son of destruction.”—See study note on Joh 17:12.

the son of destruction: In this context, the expression refers to Judas Iscariot, whose deliberate betrayal of God’s Son made Judas subject to eternal destruction, one who was unworthy of a resurrection. The same expression is used at 2Th 2:3 with reference to “the man of lawlessness.” In the original Bible languages, the term “son(s) of” is sometimes used in a figurative sense about someone who pursues a certain course of conduct or who manifests a certain characteristic. Examples are such expressions as “sons of the Most High,” “sons of light and sons of day,” “sons of the Kingdom,” “sons of the wicked one,” “son of the Devil,” and “sons of disobedience.” (Lu 6:35; 1Th 5:5; Mt 13:38; Ac 13:10; Eph 2:2) In a similar way, the expression “son of” can be used to refer to the judgment or outcome that results from following a certain course or displaying a certain characteristic. At 2Sa 12:5, the expression rendered “deserves to die” is literally “is a son of death.” At Mt 23:15, the literal expression “a son of Gehenna” is used about someone who is deserving of eternal destruction, which was apparently what Jesus meant when he called Judas Iscariot “the son of destruction.”—See study note on Mt 23:15 and Glossary, “Gehenna.”

not a lover of money: A person who is focused on acquiring material possessions cannot at the same time give proper attention to shepherding “the flock of God.” (1Pe 5:2) With his sights fixed on the material things of this world, he cannot effectively help God’s people reach out for everlasting life in “the coming system of things.” (Lu 18:30) And he cannot convincingly teach others “to place their hope . . . on God” when he himself is relying on “uncertain riches.” (1Ti 6:17) Therefore, “a lover of money” would not qualify to serve as an overseer. This qualification for overseers is in agreement with inspired counsel given to all Christians.—Mt 6:24; 1Ti 6:10; Heb 13:5.

the man of God: The Greek word here translated “man” (anʹthro·pos) can include both men and women. Although Paul is addressing Timothy, who was an overseer, Paul may have had in mind any Christian man or woman who is fully dedicated to Jehovah God. Thus, some translations use such wording as “the person who belongs to God” or “the person dedicated to God.” As the preceding verse indicates, “the man of God” needs to study the inspired Scriptures regularly and live according to them.—See study note on 1Ti 6:11.

Flee from sexual immorality!: The Greek word pheuʹgo means “to flee; to run away from.” Paul uses this word figuratively when urging the Corinthian Christians to run away from sexual immorality. Some suggest that Paul was alluding to the account about Joseph, who literally and resolutely fled from Potiphar’s wife. In the Septuagint rendering of Ge 39:12-18, the Greek word used for “flee” is the same as the word used here. In the original Greek, the admonition at 1Co 6:18 is in the present tense, “be you fleeing from,” denoting a continuous and habitual fleeing.—Kingdom Interlinear.

O man of God: Paul addresses Timothy as a “man of God,” an expression used only twice in the Christian Greek Scriptures, here and at 2Ti 3:17. However, in the Hebrew Scriptures, the expression “man of God” (or “man of the true God”) occurs some 70 times. It is used with reference to God’s prophets and other special representatives of God, for example, Moses (De 33:1), Samuel (1Sa 9:6, 10), David (Ne 12:24), Elijah (1Ki 17:18, 24), and Elisha (2Ki 4:7, 9). Paul may have used this expression to show Timothy that he had a God-given assignment to contend with the false teachers in the congregation in Ephesus. (1Ti 1:3, 4; 6:2b-10) Or Paul may have used it in a general sense to apply to a man or a woman who is fully dedicated to Jehovah and whose life and conduct is influenced by his inspired Word.—See study note on 2Ti 3:17.

pursue: The Greek word rendered “pursue” means “to chase; to run after.” In a figurative sense, it involves striving to achieve or obtain something. Although he already had the qualities that Paul mentions, Timothy would need to continue to cultivate and to refine them, making this a lifelong pursuit. At the same time, Paul urges Timothy to flee, or run away from, what is bad, such as the snares associated with materialism. (1Ti 6:9, 10) Paul clearly sees materialism as harmful and godly qualities as beneficial. So he urges Timothy to flee the one and pursue the other.—Mt 6:24; 1Co 6:18 and study note; 10:14; 2Ti 2:22.

pursue righteousness: In the list of qualities that Paul urges Timothy to pursue, the apostle mentions “righteousness” first. (See also 2Ti 2:22.) Timothy was already a dedicated, anointed Christian; as such, he had been “declared righteous.” (Ro 5:1) However, he still needed to work at being righteous by doing his best to adhere to God’s standards of what is right and what is wrong.—See Glossary, “Righteousness”; see also study note on Eph 6:14.

godly devotion: For a discussion of the expression “godly devotion,” see study note on 1Ti 4:7; see also study note on 1Ti 2:2.

the breastplate of righteousness: Roman soldiers of the first century C.E. used a variety of body armors. One type of breastplate was made of overlapping iron strips attached to leather pieces by means of hooks, straps, and buckles. Such a breastplate offered protection for the vital organs, the heart in particular. In fact, Greek historian Polybius of the second century B.C.E. described this breastplate as “the heart-protector.” Paul saw that Christians have a need to protect their figurative heart. (Compare 1Th 5:8.) Just as that metal armor prevented arrows and swords from piercing the soldier’s heart, so love for God’s righteous principles and standards protects the Christian’s figurative heart. (Ps 119:97, 105; Pr 4:23) Because of sinful inclinations, an imperfect human is always in urgent need of such protection. (Jer 17:9) In the Hebrew Scriptures, Jehovah himself is described as wearing righteousness like armor.—Isa 59:15, 17.

Exert yourselves vigorously: Or “Keep on struggling.” Jesus’ admonition emphasizes the need for taking whole-souled action in order to get in through the narrow door. For this context, various reference works have suggested such renderings as “Exert maximum effort; Make every effort.” The Greek verb a·go·niʹzo·mai is related to the Greek noun a·gonʹ, which was often used to refer to athletic contests. At Heb 12:1, this noun is used figuratively for the Christian “race” for life. It is also used in the more general sense of a “struggle” (Php 1:30; Col 2:1) or a “fight” (1Ti 6:12; 2Ti 4:7). Forms of the Greek verb used at Lu 13:24 are rendered “competing in a contest” (1Co 9:25), “exerting [oneself]” (Col 1:29; 4:12; 1Ti 4:10), and “fight” (1Ti 6:12). Because the background of this expression is connected with competition in the athletic games, some have suggested that the effort Jesus encouraged may be compared to an athlete’s exerting himself vigorously with all his power to win the prize, straining every nerve, as it were.

Fight the fine fight of the faith: The Greek verb and noun here rendered “fight” were used to refer to the struggling or contending for victory by athletes in their contests. (See study notes on Lu 13:24; 1Co 9:25.) Paul thus emphasizes that Christians must fight for their faith in Jehovah God, defending Christian truth as revealed in the Bible. This fight is truly a “fine,” or noble, struggle.—See study notes on 2Ti 4:7.

the everlasting life: See study note on 1Ti 6:19.

everyone competing in a contest: Or “every athlete.” The Greek verb used here is related to a noun that was often used to refer to athletic contests. At Heb 12:1, this noun is used figuratively for the Christian “race” for life. The same noun is used in the more general sense of a “struggle” (Php 1:30; Col 2:1) or a “fight” (1Ti 6:12; 2Ti 4:7). Forms of the Greek verb used here at 1Co 9:25 are rendered “exert yourselves vigorously” (Lu 13:24), “exerting [oneself]” (Col 1:29; 4:12; 1Ti 4:10), and “fight” (1Ti 6:12).—See study note on Lu 13:24.

I have fought . . . , I have run . . . , I have observed: Using three different expressions, Paul emphatically repeats the same thought: He has faithfully completed his Christian course of life and ministry, accomplishing all that the Lord Jesus had called him to do. (Ac 20:24) Even though Paul’s life was about to end, his work would continue to bear fruit.

the fine fight: Paul compares his Christian life and ministry to a noble fight, or struggle. (See study notes on 1Co 9:25; 1Ti 6:12.) He faithfully served Jehovah in the face of many hardships. He covered long distances on land and sea during his missionary journeys. He endured all sorts of persecution, such as mob attacks, scourgings, and imprisonments. He also had to deal with opposition from “false brothers.” (2Co 11:23-28) Through it all, Jehovah and Jesus gave him the power he needed to remain faithful and to complete his ministry.—Php 4:13; 2Ti 4:17.

the real life: Paul uses wording similar to that found at 1Ti 6:12, where he urged Timothy: “Get a firm hold on the everlasting life for which you were called.” So “the real life” that Paul mentions here and “the everlasting life” apparently mean the same thing. (See study note on Joh 14:6.) Both Paul and Timothy understood that Jehovah, the Source of life, originally intended for humans to enjoy a peaceful and fulfilling life on earth forever. (Ge 1:28; 2:15-17) Compared with that, a life that is brief and full of troubles, sickness, and loss is futile and frustrating. (Job 14:1, 2; Ps 103:15, 16; Ec 1:2) These factors make both life and material possessions uncertain. Paul wanted his fellow Christians living “in the present system of things” to treasure the prospect of attaining “the real life,” eternal life full of joy and peace.—1Ti 6:17.

publicly declare: The Greek word ho·mo·lo·geʹo is rendered “confess” in some Bibles. Many lexicons define this word “to declare (acknowledge) publicly.” In verse 10, the same verb is translated “makes public declaration.” Paul explains that it is not enough for Christians to have faith in their heart; they must make a public declaration of that faith in order to gain salvation. (Ps 40:9, 10; 96:2, 3, 10; 150:6; Ro 15:9) They do not make such a public declaration just once, as at the time of their baptism, but they continue to do so when meeting together with fellow believers and when proclaiming the good news about salvation to unbelievers.—Heb 10:23-25; 13:15.

as a witness . . . before Pontius Pilate: The Gospel accounts show that Christ Jesus gave a verbal witness to Pilate. (Mt 27:11; Joh 18:33-38) However, the expression public declaration may involve more than just what Jesus told Pilate in their brief dialogue. (See study note on Ro 10:9.) It is possible that Paul here refers to Jesus’ entire course of perseverance “as a witness” throughout his trial and death. Jesus’ outstanding example “as a witness” surely motivated Timothy to fulfill his assignment in Ephesus faithfully.

the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ: The Greek term rendered “manifestation” (e·pi·phaʹnei·a) is used in the Scriptures in the sense of a discernible evidence of something or a display of authority or power. It is used to refer to Jesus’ time on earth. (2Ti 1:10 and study note) The term is also used with regard to various events during his presence in royal power. (For example, see study note on 2Th 2:8.) In this context, “the manifestation” refers to a future appointed time when Jesus’ glorious and powerful position in heaven is clearly recognizable.—Da 2:44; 7:13, 14; 1Ti 6:15; 2Ti 4:1.

the manifestation of our Savior, Christ Jesus: Here Paul explains that God’s “undeserved kindness,” mentioned in verse 9, was “made clearly evident” by means of “the manifestation of . . . Christ Jesus.” In this context, Jehovah brought about this manifestation by sending his Son to the earth to live as a man. This manifestation is also mentioned at Joh 1:14, which says that “the Word became flesh and resided among” humans. Similarly, 1Ti 3:16 (see study note) refers to Jesus’ being “made manifest in flesh.” That expression applies to his earthly life and ministry, apparently from the time of his baptism in the Jordan River. Throughout his ministry, Jesus clearly taught humans how they could be saved from their sins and gain everlasting life.—Mt 1:21; Lu 2:11; 3:6.

by the manifestation of his presence: Paul here refers, not to Christ’s entire invisible presence, but to an event that will take place near the end of that presence. Christ’s presence will then become manifest, plainly evident to all. (Lu 21:25-28; see Glossary, “Presence.”) Paul’s words here show that “the man of lawlessness,” who was already at work in the first century C.E., would still exist during the time of Christ’s presence. This indicates that Paul refers to a composite man rather than to any individual. (See study note on 2Th 2:3.) The execution of divine judgment on “the man of lawlessness” will make evident not only that Christ is present as King but also that the “great tribulation” Christ foretold will then be underway.—Mt 24:21; see Glossary, “Great tribulation.”

the happy and only Potentate: The context and the wording strongly suggest that Paul is here referring to Jesus Christ. Paul has just mentioned “the manifestation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1Ti 6:14) Here he contrasts the Lord Jesus Christ with imperfect human rulers. The Greek word rendered “Potentate” (dy·naʹstes) could refer to a king, but also to a subordinate ruler under a king’s authority, such as a prince. The word fittingly describes Jesus, who rules as King under the authority of his Father, Jehovah. Jesus is the only Ruler to whom God has directly “given rulership, honor, and a kingdom,” in fulfillment of Da 7:14. Because Jesus’ rulership is unique, he may rightly be called the “only Potentate.” He is above any earthly king or lord, including the kings who ruled in Jehovah’s name in ancient Jerusalem. Thus Jesus is King and Lord over them all.—Compare Re 17:14; 19:16.

happy: Jesus is supremely “happy,” or blessed, as the Potentate in that he enjoys the blessing and favor of Jehovah God. (Php 2:9-11) As “the image of the invisible God,” Jesus also perfectly reflects the joy of his Father, “the happy God.”—Col 1:15; 1Ti 1:11 and study note; compare Pr 8:30, 31.

the happy God: Paul here shows that happiness is a defining quality of Jehovah’s personality. God has existed for all eternity and has always been happy, even when he was alone. (Mal 3:6) His relationship with his firstborn Son brought him added happiness. (Pr 8:30) Although Satan’s rebellion and slander have caused grief and pain, Jehovah remains happy and rejoices over the faithfulness of his loyal worshippers. (Pr 27:11) When Paul met with the elders of Ephesus, he quoted Jesus’ words: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.” (Ac 20:35 and study note) These words offer one reason why Jehovah is “the happy God”; he is the foremost Giver in the universe. (Ps 145:16; Isa 42:5) As imitators of Jehovah, his worshippers can also be happy. (Eph 5:1) The one who daily reads the law of Jehovah is called “happy” at Ps 1:1, 2, where the Septuagint uses the same Greek word that Paul uses here. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus repeatedly shows that his followers could be happy, even during times of distress and persecution.—Mt 5:3-11; see study notes on Mt 5:3; Ro 4:7.

the one alone having immortality: Here Paul further explains how Jesus differs from any other potentate, king, or lord. (See study note on 1Ti 6:15.) Jehovah resurrected his Son to immortal life as a spirit. (Ro 6:9; 1Pe 3:18) No king or lord before him had ever received such a gift, so Jesus was alone in that sense, superior to all imperfect human rulers.—See study note on 1Co 15:53.

who dwells in unapproachable light: After his ascension to heaven, Jesus “sat down at the right hand of God.” (Heb 10:12) He dwells with the Source of all light and life. (Ps 36:9) And Jesus’ own glory is such that no flesh-and-blood human can see or approach it. Jesus told his disciples that they would see him again, but this would happen only after they were resurrected to heaven as spirit creatures. Then they would see him in all his God-given glory.—Joh 13:36; 14:19; 17:24.

Amen: See study note on Ro 1:25.

immortality: The Greek word for “immortality” (a·tha·na·siʹa) occurs three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, at 1Co 15:53, 54 and 1Ti 6:16. The basic meaning is “not subject to death.” It refers to the quality of life that is enjoyed, its endlessness and indestructibility. The anointed followers of Christ, who as mortal humans serve God faithfully, are resurrected as something more than spirit creatures having everlasting life. Jehovah gives them “indestructible life”—an outstanding demonstration of his confidence in them.—Heb 7:16; compare study note on 1Co 15:42.

Amen: Or “So be it.” The Greek word a·menʹ is a transliteration of a Hebrew term derived from the root word ’a·manʹ, meaning “to be faithful, to be trustworthy.” (See Glossary.) “Amen” was said in agreement to an oath, a prayer, or a statement. Writers of the Christian Greek Scriptures often used it to express agreement with some form of praise to God, as Paul does here. (Ro 16:27; Eph 3:21; 1Pe 4:11) In other cases, it is used to emphasize the writer’s wish that God extend favor toward the recipients of the letter. (Ro 15:33; Heb 13:20, 21) It is also used to indicate that the writer earnestly agrees with what is expressed.—Re 1:7; 22:20.

Instruct: Or “Command; Order.”—See study note on 1Ti 1:5.

those who are rich in the present system of things: Because Satan controls the present unrighteous system of things, people are often under pressure to become materialistic. Paul thus warns wealthy Christians to be on guard. (Ro 12:2; 2Co 4:4) Jesus taught that this system of things would be replaced by a future one under the rule of God’s Kingdom. (Mr 10:30 and study note; Lu 18:29, 30) Paul likewise taught about a system of things “to come.” (Eph 1:21; 2:7) Therefore, he encourages Christians to focus on that coming system of things by “safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future.”—1Ti 6:19.

the present system of things: Or “the present age.” Here Paul is referring to the unrighteous system of things of which Satan is the ruler.—See study notes on Mt 13:22; 2Co 4:4; Ga 1:4.

not to be arrogant: The Greek word for “arrogant” could also be rendered “haughty.” Paul encourages wealthy Christians to keep a balanced view of material riches. A person who is rich may feel that his wealth makes him superior. However, in Jehovah’s view, material assets do not make one person better than another.—Pr 22:2; Mt 8:20; Jas 2:5.

to place their hope, not on uncertain riches: A wealthy person may think that his riches offer him true security. But Paul points out that material riches are, in fact, unreliable and uncertain. They can become a temptation and a snare (1Ti 6:9); they can fail suddenly and unexpectedly (Pr 18:11; 23:4, 5).

who richly provides us with all the things we enjoy: In this verse and the following one, Paul uses a play on words. First he says that “those who are rich” should place their hope, not on “uncertain riches,” but on God. Then he reminds Christians that God is the Source of all good things and that he “richly,” or generously, provides these things for their enjoyment. Of course, it is especially what Jehovah provides for them spiritually that brings them the greatest joy, fulfillment, and security. (Mt 6:19-21, 33) Finally Paul encourages Christians “to be rich in fine works,” so that they may “get a firm hold on the real life.”—1Ti 6:18, 19.

system of things: The Greek word ai·onʹ, having the basic meaning “age,” can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. (2Ti 4:10; see Glossary, “System(s) of things.”) What Paul here calls “the present wicked system of things” apparently began sometime after the Flood. Humans started to develop an unrighteous way of life, one characterized by sin and rebellion against God and his will. While Christians in the first century C.E. lived at the same time as the prevailing “wicked system of things,” they were no part of it. They had been rescued from it by the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.—See study note on 2Co 4:4.

this system of things: The basic meaning of the Greek word ai·onʹ is “age.” It can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. (See Glossary, “System(s) of things.”) Since “this system of things” is Satan’s dominion, he has molded it and given it certain features and a distinctive spirit.—Eph 2:1, 2.

the god of this system of things: Satan is “the god” referred to here. This is clearly indicated later in the verse where it says that he “has blinded the minds of the unbelievers.” Jesus called Satan “the ruler of this world” and said that he would be “cast out.” (Joh 12:31) Jesus’ statement and the fact that Satan is called “the god of this system of things [or, “of this age”]” indicates that his position is temporary.—Compare Re 12:12.

guard what has been entrusted to you: Here Paul includes the Scriptural truths with which Timothy was entrusted. (1Th 2:4; 2Ti 1:14; compare Ro 3:2 and study note.) The term rendered “what has been entrusted” was sometimes used of valuables deposited in a bank. It could also denote objects given to someone to care for, which is how it is used in the Greek Septuagint. (Le 6:2, 4 [5:21, 23, LXX]) Timothy was to guard the sacred message, not by locking it away for safekeeping, but by passing it along carefully and accurately when teaching. (2Ti 2:2) He would thus help guard, or protect, precious truths from being changed or corrupted by promoters of “empty speeches” and “the falsely called ‘knowledge.’”

empty speeches: Lit., “empty sounds.” Here Paul uses a Greek expression that denotes “talk that has no value,” and some Bible translations have rendered it “empty chatter” and “pointless discussions.” Such speech was based on speculation rather than on solid truths from God’s Word. It was empty in that it was of no value in building faith. (1Ti 1:6; 2Ti 4:4; Tit 3:9) Even worse, such chatter or discussion would often violate what is holy, that is, it would be profane or irreverent. Those who were involved in such discussions substituted the truths of God’s Word with the mere thoughts of men. Paul warned Timothy to have nothing to do with such speech.—1Ti 4:7 and study note; 2Ti 2:16.

the falsely called “knowledge”: The “knowledge” Paul refers to is not fit to be called knowledge; he asserts that it is a mere sham. It finds no support in God’s Word. In fact, it contains contradictions, conflicting ideas or arguments and, even worse, ideas that contradict inspired writings. In this letter, Paul has repeatedly warned Timothy of the divisive, empty words of false teachers, who make a show of their learning and seek to influence the congregation. (1Ti 1:4, 7; 4:1-3, 7; 6:3-6) False ideas about “knowledge” (Greek, gnoʹsis) persisted. In the second century C.E., some groups of apostate Christians were known for calling themselves Gnostics, that is, “those possessing knowledge.”—See study note on Joh 1:14.

they were entrusted with: That is, the Jews. (See Glossary, “Jew.”) Moses wrote at De 29:29: “The things revealed belong to us [Israelites] and to our descendants forever.” At Ps 147:19, 20, God is said to declare “his word . . . to Israel,” something he had not done “with any other nation.” Jesus alluded to the Jews’ being entrusted with God’s word of salvation and true worship when he said: “Salvation begins with the Jews.” (Joh 4:22; see study note.) Paul here confirms that Jehovah had entrusted the Jews with writing the Hebrew-Aramaic portion of the inspired Scriptures. Also, the books of the Christian Greek Scriptures were composed by the Jewish disciples of Jesus. So the Jews were custodians of Scriptural knowledge, and they were responsible for composing the books of the entire Bible canon.—See study notes on Lu Title and 24:44.

irreverent false stories: The “false stories” (an expression rendered from the Greek word myʹthos) circulating in Paul’s day were “irreverent,” or profane. They violated God’s holy standards and were contrary to sacred, wholesome truths. (1Ti 6:20; 2Ti 1:13) These false stories were products of the imagination and were contrary to fact; thus, they were worthless.—See study note on 1Ti 1:4.

the Word became flesh: Jesus was entirely human from his birth until his death. Jesus explained the purpose of his becoming flesh when he said: “The bread that I will give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world.” (Joh 6:51) In addition, only because Jesus was wholly human could he experience what humans of flesh and blood experience and thus become a sympathetic High Priest. (Heb 4:15) Jesus could not have been human and divine at the same time; the Scriptures say that he “was made a little lower than angels.” (Heb 2:9; Ps 8:4, 5; see study note on flesh in this verse.) However, not all agreed that Jesus had come in the flesh. For example, the Gnostics, who believed that knowledge (Greek, gnoʹsis) could be gained in a mystical way, combined Greek philosophy and Oriental mysticism with apostate Christian teachings. They held that all physical matter is evil. For that reason, they taught that Jesus did not come in the flesh but only seemed to have a human body. An early form of gnosticism was apparently prevalent at the end of the first century C.E., so John may be making a specific point when he writes that “the Word became flesh.” In his letters, John warns against the false teaching that Jesus did not come “in the flesh.”—1Jo 4:2, 3; 2Jo 7.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

1 Timothy 6

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The First to the Corinthians

The First to the Corinthians somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 01:1-31

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 01:1-31 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 1:1-31

1 Paul, called to be an apostlea of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Sosʹthe·nes our brother, ² to the congregation of God that is in Corinth,b to you who have been sanctified in union with Christ Jesus,c called to be holy ones,d together with all those everywhere who are calling on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,e their Lord and ours: ³ May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ I always thank my God for you in view of the undeserved kindness of God given to you in Christ Jesus; ⁵ because in everything you have been enriched in him, in full ability to speak and in full knowledge,f ⁶ just as the witness* about the Christg has been made firm among you, ⁷ so that you do not lack in any gift at all, while you are eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.h ⁸ He will also make you firm to the end so that you may be open to no accusation in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.i ⁹ God is faithful,j by whom you were called into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹⁰ Now I urge you, brothers, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you should all speak in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you,k but that you may be completely united in the same mind and in the same line of thought.l ¹¹ For some from the house of Chloʹe have informed me regarding you, my brothers, that there are dissensions among you.m ¹² What I mean is this, that each one of you says: “I belong to Paul,” “But I to A·polʹlos,”n “But I to Ceʹphas,” “But I to Christ.” ¹³ Is the Christ divided? Paul was not executed on the stake for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crisʹpuso and Gaʹius,p ¹⁵ so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephʹa·nas.q As for the rest, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else. ¹⁷ For Christ sent me, not to baptize, but to declare the good news;r and not with wisdom of speech,*s so that the torture stake of the Christ should not be made useless. ¹⁸ For the speech about the torture stake is foolishness to those who are perishing,t but to us who are being saved, it is God’s power.u ¹⁹ For it is written: “I will make the wisdom of the wise men perish, and the intelligence of the intellectuals I will reject.”*v ²⁰ Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this system of things? Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not get to know Godw through its wisdom,x God was pleased through the foolishnessy of what is preached to save those believing. ²² For the Jews ask for signsz and the Greeks look for wisdom;a ²³ but we preach Christ executed on the stake, to the Jews a cause for stumblingb but to the nations foolishness.c ²⁴ However, to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.d ²⁵ Because a foolish thing of God is wiser than men, and a weak thing of God is stronger than men.e ²⁶ For you see his calling of you, brothers, that there are not many wise in a fleshly way,f not many powerful, not many of noble birth,g ²⁷ but God chose the foolish things of the world to put the wise men to shame; and God chose the weak things of the world to put the strong things to shame;h ²⁸ and God chose the insignificant things of the world and the things looked down on, the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,i ²⁹ so that no one might boast in the sight of God. ³⁰ But it is due to him that you are in union with Christ Jesus, who has become to us wisdom from God, also righteousnessj and sanctificationk and release by ransom,l ³¹ so that it may be just as it is written: “The one who boasts, let him boast in Jehovah.”m

1 Corinthians 1

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 02:1-16

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 02:1-16 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 2:1-16

2 So when I came to you, brothers, I did not come with extravagant speecha or wisdom* declaring the sacred secretb of God to you. ² For I decided not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ, and him executed on the stake.c ³ And I came to you in weakness and in fear and with much trembling; ⁴ and my speech and what I preached were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of spirit and power,d ⁵ so that your faith might be, not in men’s wisdom, but in God’s power. ⁶ Now we speak wisdom among those who are mature,*e but not the wisdom of this system of things nor that of the rulers of this system of things, who are to come to nothing.f ⁷ But we speak God’s wisdom in a sacred secret,g the hidden wisdom, which God foreordained before the systems of things for our glory. ⁸ It is this wisdom that none of the rulers of this system of things* came to know,h for if they had known it, they would not have executed the glorious Lord.i ⁹ But just as it is written: “Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, nor have there been conceived in the heart of man the things that God has prepared for those who love him.”j ¹⁰ For it is to us God has revealed themk through his spirit,l for the spirit searches into all things, even the deep things of God.m ¹¹ For who among men knows the things of a man except the man’s spirit within him? So, too, no one has come to know the things of God except the spirit of God. ¹² Now we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit that is from God,n so that we might know the things that have been kindly given us by God. ¹³ These things we also speak, not with words taught by human wisdom,o but with those taught by the spirit,p as we explain* spiritual matters with spiritual words.* ¹⁴ But a physical man does not accept* the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot get to know them, because they are examined spiritually. ¹⁵ However, the spiritual man examines all things,q but he himself is not examined by any man. ¹⁶ For “who has come to know the mind of Jehovah, so that he may instruct him?”r But we do have the mind of Christ.s

1 Corinthians 2

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 03:1-23

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 03:1-23 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 3:1-23

3 So, brothers, I was not able to speak to you as to spiritual men,a but as to fleshly men, as to infantsb in Christ. ² I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough. In fact, neither are you strong enough now,c ³ for you are still fleshly.d Since there are jealousy and strife among you,e are you not fleshlyf and are you not walking as men do? ⁴ For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” but another says, “I to A·polʹlos,”g are you not acting like mere men? ⁵ What, then, is A·polʹlos? Yes, what is Paul? Ministersh through whom you became believers, just as the Lord granted each one. ⁶ I planted,i A·polʹlos watered,j but God kept making it grow, ⁷ so that neither is the one who plants anything nor is the one who waters, but God who makes it grow.k ⁸ Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, but each person will receive his own reward according to his own work.l ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers.m You are God’s field under cultivation, God’s building.n ¹⁰ According to the undeserved kindness of God that was given to me, I laid a foundationo as a skilled master builder, but someone else is building on it. But let each one keep watching how he is building on it. ¹¹ For no one can lay any other foundation than what is laid, which is Jesus Christ.p ¹² Now if anyone builds on the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, ¹³ each one’s work will be shown for what it is,* for the day will show it up, because it will be revealed by means of fire,q and the fire itself will prove what sort of work each one has built. ¹⁴ If anyone’s work that he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward; ¹⁵ if anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved; yet, if so, it will be as through fire. ¹⁶ Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s templer and that the spirit of God dwells in you?s ¹⁷ If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.t ¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself: If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this system of things, let him become a fool, so that he may become wise.u ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own cunning.”v ²⁰ And again: “Jehovah knows that the reasonings of the wise men are futile.”w ²¹ So let no one boast in men; for all things belong to you, ²² whether Paul or A·polʹlos or Ceʹphasx or the world or life or death or things now here or things to come, all things belong to you; ²³ in turn you belong to Christ;y Christ, in turn, belongs to God.

1 Corinthians 3

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 04:1-21

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 04:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 4:1-21

4 A man should regard us as attendants of Christ and stewards of God’s sacred secrets.a ² In this regard, what is expected of stewards is that they be found faithful. ³ Now to me it is of very little importance to be examined by you or by a human tribunal. In fact, I do not even examine myself. ⁴ For I am not conscious of anything against myself. But by this I am not proved righteous; the one who examines me is Jehovah.b ⁵ Therefore, do not judgec anything before the due time, until the Lord comes. He will bring the secret things of darkness to light and make known the intentions of the hearts, and then each one will receive his praise from God.d ⁶ Now, brothers, these things I have applied to myself and A·polʹlose for your good, that through us you may learn the rule: “Do not go beyond the things that are written,” so that you may not be puffed up with pride,f favoring one against the other. ⁷ For who makes you different from another? Indeed, what do you have that you did not receive?g If, in fact, you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not receive it? ⁸ Are you already satisfied? Are you already rich? Have you begun ruling as kingsh without us? I really wish that you had begun ruling as kings, so that we also might rule with you as kings.i ⁹ For it seems to me that God has put us the apostles last on exhibition as men condemned to death,j because we have become a theatrical spectacle to the world,k and to angels and to men. ¹⁰ We are foolsl because of Christ, but you are discreet in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are held in honor, but we in dishonor. ¹¹ Down to this very hour we continue to hungerm and thirstn and to be poorly clothed and to be beaten*o and to be homeless ¹² and to toil, working with our own hands.p When insulted, we bless;q when persecuted, we patiently endure;r ¹³ when slandered, we answer mildly;*s we have become as the refuse of the world,t the offscouring of all things, until now. ¹⁴ I am writing these things, not to put you to shame, but to admonish you as my beloved children. ¹⁵ For though you may have 10,000 guardians in Christ, you certainly do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus, I have become your father through the good news.u ¹⁶ I urge you, therefore, become imitators of me.v ¹⁷ That is why I am sending Timothy to you,w because he is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord.x He will remind you of my methods in connection with Christ Jesus,y just as I am teaching everywhere in every congregation. ¹⁸ Some are puffed up with pride, as though I were not coming to you. ¹⁹ But I will come to you shortly, if Jehovah wills, and I will get to know, not the speech of those who are puffed up with pride, but their power. ²⁰ For the Kingdom of God is a matter not of speech but of power. ²¹ Which do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rodz or with love and mildness of spirit?

1 Corinthians 4

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 05:1-13

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 05:1-13 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 5:1-13

5 Actually sexual immoralitya is reported among you, and such immorality as is not even found among the nations—of a man living with* his father’s wife.b ² And are you proud of it? Should you not rather mourn,c so that the man who committed this deed should be taken away from your midst?d ³ Although absent in body, I am present in spirit, and I have already judged the man who has done this, as if I were actually with you. ⁴ When you are gathered together in the name of our Lord Jesus, and knowing that I am with you in spirit along with the power of our Lord Jesus, ⁵ you must hand such a man over to Satane for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord.f ⁶ Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven ferments the whole batch of dough?g ⁷ Clear away the old leaven so that you may be a new batch, inasmuch as you are free from ferment. For, indeed, Christ our Passover lambh has been sacrificed.i ⁸ So, then, let us keep the festival,j not with old leaven, nor with leaven of badness and wickedness, but with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. ⁹ In my letter I wrote you to stop keeping company with sexually immoral people, ¹⁰ not meaning entirely with the sexually immoral people of this worldk or the greedy people or extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, you would actually have to get out of the world.l ¹¹ But now I am writing you to stop keeping companym with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy personn or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkardo or an extortioner,p not even eating with such a man. ¹² For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do you not judge those inside,q ¹³ while God judges those outside?r “Remove the wicked person from among yourselves.”s

1 Corinthians 5

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 06:1-20

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 06:1-20 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 6:1-20

6 Does any one of you who has a dispute with anothera dare to go to court before unrighteous men, and not before the holy ones?b ² Or do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world?c And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to try very trivial matters? ³ Do you not know that we will judge angels?d Then why not matters of this life? ⁴ If, then, you do have matters of this life to be tried,e is it the men looked down on in the congregation whom you assign as judges? ⁵ I am speaking to move you to shame. Is there not one wise man among you who is able to judge between his brothers? ⁶ Instead, brother goes to court against brother, and before unbelievers at that! ⁷ Really, it is already a defeat for you when you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather let yourselves be wronged?f Why do you not rather let yourselves be defrauded? ⁸ Instead, you wrong and defraud, and your brothers at that! ⁹ Or do you not know that unrighteous people will not inherit God’s Kingdom?g Do not be misled.* Those who are sexually immoral,h idolaters,i adulterers,j men who submit to homosexual acts,k men who practice homosexuality,l ¹⁰ thieves, greedy people,m drunkards,n revilers, and extortionerso will not inherit God’s Kingdom.p ¹¹ And yet that is what some of you were.q But you have been washed clean;r you have been sanctified;s you have been declared righteoust in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and with the spirit of our God.u ¹² All things are lawful for me, but not all things are advantageous.v All things are lawful for me, but I will not let myself be controlled* by anything. ¹³ Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will bring both of them to nothing.w The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord,x and the Lord is for the body. ¹⁴ But God raised up the Lordy and will also raise us up out of deathz through his power.a ¹⁵ Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?b Should I, then, take the members of the Christ away and join them to a prostitute? By no means! ¹⁶ Do you not know that anyone who is joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For “the two,” says he, “will be one flesh.”c ¹⁷ But whoever is joined to the Lord is one with him in spirit.d ¹⁸ Flee from sexual immorality!e Every other sin that a man may commit is outside his body, but whoever practices sexual immorality is sinning against his own body.f ¹⁹ Do you not know that your body is the templeg of the holy spirit within you, which you have from God?h Also, you do not belong to yourselves,i ²⁰ for you were bought with a price.j By all means, glorify Godk in your body.l

1 Corinthians 6

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 07:1-40

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 07:1-40 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 7:1-40

7 Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is better for a man not to touch a woman; ² but because of the prevalence of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wifea and each woman have her own husband.b ³ Let the husband give to his wife her due, and let the wife also do likewise to her husband.c ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but her husband does; likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own body, but his wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent for an appointed time, so that you may devote time to prayer and may come together again, in order that Satan may not keep tempting you for your lack of self-control. ⁶ However, I say this by way of concession, not as a command. ⁷ But I wish all men were as I am. Nevertheless, each one has his own giftd from God, one in this way, another in that way. ⁸ Now I say to those who are unmarried and to the widows that it is better for them if they remain as I am.e ⁹ But if they do not have self-control, let them marry, for it is better to marry than to be inflamed with passion.f ¹⁰ To the married people I give instructions, not I but the Lord, that a wife should not separate from her husband.g ¹¹ But if she does separate, let her remain unmarried or else be reconciled with her husband; and a husband should not leave his wife.h ¹² But to the others I say, yes, I, not the Lord:i If any brother has an unbelieving wife and she is agreeable to staying with him, let him not leave her; ¹³ and if a woman has an unbelieving husband and he is agreeable to staying with her, let her not leave her husband. ¹⁴ For the unbelieving husband is sanctified in relation to his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified in relation to the brother; otherwise, your children would be unclean, but now they are holy. ¹⁵ But if the unbelieving one chooses to depart, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not bound under such circumstances, but God has called you to peace.j ¹⁶ For wife, how do you know whether you will save your husband?k Or, husband, how do you know whether you will save your wife? ¹⁷ Nevertheless, just as Jehovah has given each one a portion, let each one so walk as God has called him.l And so I give this directive in all the congregations. ¹⁸ Was any man already circumcised when he was called?m Let him not undo his circumcision. Has any man been called while uncircumcised? Let him not get circumcised.n ¹⁹ Circumcision means nothing, and uncircumcision means nothing;o what means something is the observing of God’s commandments.p ²⁰ In whatever state each one was called, let him remain in it.q ²¹ Were you called when a slave? Do not let it concern you;r but if you can become free, then seize the opportunity. ²² For anyone who was called in the Lord when a slave is the Lord’s freedman;s likewise anyone who was called when a freeman is a slave of Christ.t ²³ You were bought with a price;u stop becoming slaves of men.v ²⁴ In whatever state each one was called, brothers, let him remain in it before God. ²⁵ Now concerning virgins, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my opinionw as one who had mercy shown him by the Lord to be faithful. ²⁶ Therefore, I think that it is best for a man to continue as he is in view of the present difficulty. ²⁷ Are you bound to a wife? Stop seeking a release.x Are you freed from a wife? Stop seeking a wife. ²⁸ But even if you did marry, you would commit no sin. And if a virgin married, such a person would commit no sin. However, those who do will have tribulation in their flesh. But I am trying to spare you. ²⁹ Moreover, this I say, brothers, the time left is reduced.y From now on, let those who have wives be as though they had none, ³⁰ and those who weep as those who do not weep, and those who rejoice as those who do not rejoice, and those who buy as those who do not possess, ³¹ and those making use of the world as those not using it to the full;z for the scene of this world is changing. ³² Indeed, I want you to be free from anxiety. The unmarried man is anxious for the things of the Lord, how he may gain the Lord’s approval. ³³ But the married man is anxious for the things of the world,a how he may gain the approval of his wife, ³⁴ and he is divided. Further, the unmarried woman, as well as the virgin, is anxious for the things of the Lord,b that she may be holy both in her body and in her spirit. However, the married woman is anxious for the things of the world, how she may gain the approval of her husband. ³⁵ But I am saying this for your personal advantage, not to restrict you, but to move you to what is appropriate and to constant devotion to the Lord without distraction. ³⁶ But if anyone thinks he is behaving improperly by remaining unmarried, and if he is past the bloom of youth, then this is what should take place: Let him do what he wants; he does not sin.c Let them marry.d ³⁷ But if anyone stands settled in his heart and has no necessity, but has authority over his own will and has made the decision in his own heart to remain unmarried, he will do well.e ³⁸ So also, whoever marries does well, but whoever does not marry will do better.f ³⁹ A wife is bound as long as her husband is alive.g But if her husband should fall asleep in death, she is free to be married to whomever she wants, only in the Lord.h ⁴⁰ But in my opinion, she is happier if she remains as she is; and I certainly think I also have God’s spirit.

1 Corinthians 7

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 08:1-13

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 08:1-13 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 8:1-13

8 Now concerning food offered to idols:a We know we all have knowledge.b Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.c ² If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know it as he should know it. ³ But if anyone loves God, this one is known by him. ⁴ Now concerning the eating of food offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothingd in the world* and that there is no God but one.e ⁵ For even though there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth,f just as there are many “gods” and many “lords,” ⁶ there is actually to us one God,g the Father,h from whom all things are and we for him;i and there is one Lord,j Jesus Christ, through whom all things arek and we through him. ⁷ However, not all have this knowledge.l But some, because of their former association with the idol, eat food as something sacrificed to an idol,m and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.n ⁸ But food will not bring us nearer to God;o we are no worse off if we do not eat, nor better off if we eat.p ⁹ But keep watching that your right to choose does not somehow become a stumbling block to those who are weak.q ¹⁰ For if anyone should see you who have knowledge having a meal in an idol temple, will not the conscience of that one who is weak be emboldened to the point of eating food offered to idols? ¹¹ So by your knowledge the man who is weak is being ruined, your brother for whose sake Christ died.r ¹² When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience,s you are sinning against Christ. ¹³ That is why if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat at all, so that I will not make my brother stumble.t

1 Corinthians 8

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 09:1-27

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 09:1-27 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 9:1-27

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle?a Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?b Are you not my work in the Lord? ² Even if I am not an apostle to others, I most certainly am to you! For you are the seal confirming my apostleship in the Lord.c ³ My defense to those who examine me is as follows: ⁴ We have the right* to eat and drink, do we not? ⁵ We have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife,d as the rest of the apostles and the Lord’s brotherse and Ceʹphas,f do we not? ⁶ Or is it only Barʹna·basg and I who do not have the right to refrain from working for a living? ⁷ What soldier ever serves at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit?h Or who shepherds a flock and does not partake of some of the milk of the flock? ⁸ Am I saying these things from a human viewpoint? Or does not the Law also say these things? ⁹ For it is written in the Law of Moses: “You must not muzzle a bull when it is threshing out the grain.”i Is it bulls that God is concerned about? ¹⁰ Or is it actually for our sakes that he says it? It was really written for our sakes, because the man who plows and the man who threshes ought to do so in the hope of receiving a share. ¹¹ If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material support from you?j ¹² If other men have this rightful claim over you, do we not have it much more so? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right,*k but we are enduring all things so that we might not in any way hinder the good news about the Christ.l ¹³ Do you not know that the men performing sacred duties eat the things of the temple, and that those regularly serving at the altar receive a share from the altar?m ¹⁴ In this way, too, the Lord commanded for those proclaiming the good news to live by means of the good news.n ¹⁵ But I have not made use of a single one of these provisions.o Indeed, I have not written these things so that this would be done for me, for it would be better to die than—no man will take away my grounds for boasting!p ¹⁶ Now if I am declaring the good news, it is no reason for me to boast, for necessity is laid upon me.q Really, woe to me if I do not declare the good news!r ¹⁷ If I do this willingly, I have a reward; but even if I do it against my will, I still have a stewardship entrusted to me.s ¹⁸ What, then, is my reward? That when I declare the good news, I may offer the good news without cost, to avoid abusing my authority* in the good news. ¹⁹ For though I am free from all people, I have made myself the slave to all, so that I may gain as many people as possible. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew in order to gain Jews;t to those under law I became as under law, though I myself am not under law, in order to gain those under law.u ²¹ To those without law I became as without law,v although I am not without law toward God but under law toward Christ,w in order to gain those without law. ²² To the weak I became weak, in order to gain the weak.x I have become all things to people of all sorts, so that I might by all possible means save some. ²³ But I do all things for the sake of the good news, in order to share it with others.y ²⁴ Do you not know that the runners in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it.z ²⁵ Now everyone competing in a contest exercises self-control in all things. Of course, they do it to receive a crown that can perish,a but we, one that does not perish.b ²⁶ Therefore, the way I am running is not aimlessly;c the way I am aiming my blows is so as not to be striking the air;d ²⁷ but I pummel my bodye and lead it as a slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved* somehow.

1 Corinthians 9

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 10:1-33

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 10:1-33 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 10:1-33

10 Now I want you to know, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the clouda and all passed through the seab ² and all got baptized into Moses by means of the cloud and of the sea, ³ and all ate the same spiritual foodc ⁴ and all drank the same spiritual drink.d For they used to drink from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock meant the Christ.e ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness.f ⁶ Now these things became examples for us, in order for us not to desire injurious things, as they desired them.g ⁷ Neither become idolaters, as some of them did; just as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink. Then they got up to have a good time.”h ⁸ Neither let us practice sexual immorality, as some of them committed sexual immorality, only to fall, 23,000 of them in one day.i ⁹ Neither let us put Jehovah to the test,j as some of them put him to the test, only to perish by the serpents.k ¹⁰ Neither be murmurers,l as some of them murmured,m only to perish by the destroyer.n ¹¹ Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for a warning to uso upon whom the ends of the systems of things have come.p ¹² So let the one who thinks he is standing beware that he does not fall.q ¹³ No temptation has come upon you except what is common to men.r But God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear,s but along with the temptation he will also make the way out so that you may be able to endure it.t ¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved ones, flee from idolatry.u ¹⁵ I speak as to men with discernment; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of the Christ?v The loaf that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of the Christ?w ¹⁷ Because there is one loaf, we, although many, are one body,x for we are all partaking of that one loaf. ¹⁸ Look at Israel in the fleshly sense: Are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers with the altar?y ¹⁹ What, then, am I saying? That what is sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?z ²⁰ No; but I say that what the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God;a and I do not want you to become sharers with the demons.b ²¹ You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of “the table of Jehovah”c and the table of demons. ²² Or ‘are we inciting Jehovah to jealousy’?d We are not stronger than he is, are we? ²³ All things are lawful, but not all things are advantageous.e All things are lawful, but not all things build up.f ²⁴ Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.g ²⁵ Eat whatever is sold in a meat market, making no inquiry because of your conscience, ²⁶ for “to Jehovah belong the earth and everything in it.”h ²⁷ If an unbeliever invites you and you want to go, eat whatever is set before you, making no inquiry on account of your conscience. ²⁸ But if anyone says to you, “This is something offered in sacrifice,” do not eat because of the one who told you and because of conscience.i ²⁹ I do not mean your own conscience, but that of the other person. For why should my freedom be judged by another person’s conscience?j ³⁰ If I am partaking with thanks, why am I to be spoken of abusively over that for which I give thanks?k ³¹ Therefore, whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything else, do all things for God’s glory.l ³² Keep from becoming causes for stumbling to Jews as well as Greeks and to the congregation of God,m ³³ just as I am trying to please all people in all things, not seeking my own advantage,n but that of the many, so that they may be saved.o

1 Corinthians 10

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 11:1-34

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 11:1-34 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 11:1-34

11 Become imitators of me, just as I am of Christ.+ ² I commend you because in all things you remember me and you are holding fast the traditions just as I handed them on to you.+ ³ But I want you to know that the head of every man is the Christ;+ in turn, the head of a woman is the man;+ in turn, the head of the Christ is God.+ ⁴ Every man who prays or prophesies with something on his head shames his head; ⁵ but every woman who prays or prophesies+ with her head uncovered shames her head, for it is one and the same as if she were a woman with a shaved head. ⁶ For if a woman does not cover herself, she should have her hair cut off; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to have her hair cut off or shaved, she should be covered. ⁷ For a man should not have his head covered, as he is God’s image+ and glory, but the woman is man’s glory. ⁸ For man did not come from woman, but woman came from man.+ ⁹ And what is more, man was not created for the sake of the woman, but woman for the sake of the man.+ ¹⁰ That is why the woman ought to have a sign of authority on her head, because of the angels.+ ¹¹ Besides, in connection with the Lord, neither is woman separate from man nor is man separate from woman. ¹² For just as the woman is from the man,+ so also the man is through the woman; but all things are from God.+ ¹³ Judge for yourselves: Is it fitting for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴ Does not nature itself teach you that long hair is a dishonor to a man, ¹⁵ but if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her? For her hair is given to her instead of a covering. ¹⁶ However, if anyone wants to argue in favor of some other custom, we have no other, nor do the congregations of God. ¹⁷ But while giving these instructions, I do not commend you, because it is, not for the better, but for the worse that you meet together. ¹⁸ For first of all, I hear* that when you come together in a congregation, divisions exist among you;+ and to an extent I believe it. ¹⁹ For there will certainly also be sects among you,+ so that those of you who are approved may also become evident.+ ²⁰ When you come together in one place, it is not really to eat the Lord’s Evening Meal.+ ²¹ For when you eat it, each one takes his own evening meal beforehand, so that one is hungry but another is intoxicated. ²² Do you not have houses for eating and drinking? Or do you despise the congregation of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed? What can I say to you? Should I commend you? In this I do not commend you. ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night+ on which he was going to be betrayed took a loaf, ²⁴ and after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body,+ which is in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”+ ²⁵ He did the same with the cup+ also, after they had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant+ by virtue of my blood.+ Keep doing this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”+ ²⁶ For whenever you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord,+ until he comes. ²⁷ Therefore, whoever eats the loaf or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will be guilty respecting the body and the blood of the Lord. ²⁸ First let a man approve himself after scrutiny,+ and only then let him eat of the loaf and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For the one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment against himself. ³⁰ That is why many among you are weak and sick, and quite a few are sleeping in death.+ ³¹ But if we would discern what we ourselves are, we would not be judged. ³² However, when we are judged, we are disciplined by Jehovah,+ so that we may not become condemned with the world.+ ³³ Consequently, my brothers, when you come together to eat it, wait for one another. ³⁴ If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you come together it is not for judgment.+ But as for the remaining matters, I will put them in order when I get there.

Footnotes

^ Or “keep on hearing.”

Study Notes

the traditions: The Greek word pa·raʹdo·sis, here rendered “traditions,” refers to something handed down, such as information, instructions, or practices that have been conveyed to others to follow. The word as used in the Christian Greek Scriptures is sometimes applied to beneficial traditions, that is, traditions that were proper or acceptable aspects of true worship. (2Th 2:15; 3:6) For example, the information that the apostle Paul received regarding the observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal could properly be passed on to the Christian congregations as acceptable Christian tradition. (1Co 11:23) The same Greek expression is often applied to traditions that were in error or that were followed or viewed in a way that made them harmful and objectionable.—Mt 15:2, 3; Mr 7:3, 5, 13; Col 2:8.

a sign of authority: In this chapter, Paul gives direction regarding the headship arrangement. (1Co 11:3) Here he discusses the head covering that a Christian woman should wear when she is praying or prophesying in the congregation. It is “a sign of authority,” that is, a visible proof even to the angels that the woman acknowledges the role of leadership that God has assigned to appointed men in the congregation. Wearing a head covering under certain circumstances shows that a woman willingly submits to congregation “authority.”—1Co 11:4-6; see study notes on 1Co 11:5, 15.

given to her instead of a covering: The Greek word rendered “covering” (pe·ri·boʹlai·on) appears only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It means something that one throws around oneself, such as a wrap that covers the head and shoulders. Among Jews and Greeks, hair length was a means of readily distinguishing a person’s gender. Slave women and possibly some women caught in adultery had their heads shaved or their hair cut short. (See study note on 1Co 11:5.) The long hair of a woman was a natural reminder of her submission to headship. (1Co 11:3) A woman who wore a form of head covering as “a sign of authority” when praying or prophesying in the Christian congregation demonstrated before others, including the angels, her recognition of the headship principle.—1Co 11:3-16; see study note on 1Co 11:10.

uncovered: Or “unveiled.” In Jewish society and in parts of the ancient Greco-Roman world, many considered it a sign of modesty for women to cover their hair, or to be veiled, in public. According to what Paul says in this chapter, first-century Christian women also covered their heads. It appears that some women, including sorceresses and priestesses of various cults, removed their veils and let their hair hang disheveled when claiming to be under a supernatural power. Such conduct in the Christian congregation would have shown disrespect for Jehovah’s arrangement of headship and subjection. This may be why Paul provided counsel on this topic to the Corinthian Christians.—1Co 11:3-10; see study notes on 1Co 11:10, 15.

a woman with a shaved head: According to what Paul states here, it was considered disgraceful for a woman to have her head shaved or to have her hair cut short. This may have been because a shaved head was common only among slaves and possibly among women who had been caught in adultery. Additionally, the Hebrew Scriptures speak of women who saw their “beautiful hairstyle” changed into “baldness,” a sign of mourning. (Isa 3:24) While the exact details are not clear, Paul compares the shame that such a woman would feel to that of a woman in the Christian congregation who prayed or prophesied without wearing a head covering. Her disgrace would be as extreme as having her hair completely shaved off and would show disrespect for God’s headship principle.—1Co 11:3-10; see study note on 1Co 11:15.

divisions: Or “splits; schisms.” Jesus prayed that his followers would be united (Joh 17:20-23), and Paul was likewise vitally interested in the unity of the Christian congregation. By the time Paul wrote his first inspired letter to the Corinthians (c. 55 C.E.), there were factions in the congregation. Some viewed Apollos as their leader, while others favored Paul or Peter or held only to Christ. (1Co 1:11, 12) Paul counseled against giving undue prominence to men, who were simply ministers serving under God and Christ. (1Co 3:4-9, 21-23; 4:6, 7) He used the Greek word skhiʹsma, here rendered “divisions,” three times in his first letter to the Corinthians.—1Co 1:10; 11:18; 12:25.

divisions: See study note on 1Co 1:10.

sects among you: As mentioned in the preceding verse, Paul had heard reports that “divisions” existed in the Corinthian congregation. He indicated that the very existence of these factions among them would reveal individuals who were approved from God’s standpoint. Those who avoided such divisive groups and humbly did what they could to promote love and unity would stand out as faithful, showing themselves to be genuine Christians with pure motives. This is how sects or divisions served to identify those who had God’s approval.—For a discussion of the term “sect,” see study note on Ac 24:5.

sect: The Greek word here rendered “sect,” haiʹre·sis (from which the English word “heresy” is derived), apparently had the original meaning “a choice.” That is how the word is used at Le 22:18 in the Septuagint, which speaks about Israelites offering gifts “according to all their choice.” As used in the Christian Greek Scriptures, this term refers to a group of people holding to distinctive views or doctrines. It is used to describe the two prominent branches of Judaism—the Pharisees and the Sadducees. (Ac 5:17; 15:5; 26:5) Non-Christians called Christianity “a sect” or “the sect of the Nazarenes,” possibly viewing it as a breakaway group from Judaism. (Ac 24:5, 14; 28:22) The Greek word haiʹre·sis was also applied to groups that developed within the Christian congregation. Jesus emphasized and prayed that unity would prevail among his followers (Joh 17:21), and the apostles sought to preserve the oneness of the Christian congregation (1Co 1:10; Jude 17-19). If the members of the congregation separated into groups or factions, this would disrupt the unity. Therefore, in describing such groups, the Greek word haiʹre·sis came to be used in the negative sense of a faction or a divisive group, a sect. Disunity in belief could give rise to fierce disputing, dissension, and even enmity. (Compare Ac 23:7-10.) So sects were to be avoided and were considered a manifestation of “the works of the flesh.”—Ga 5:19-21; 1Co 11:19; 2Pe 2:1.

the Lord’s Evening Meal: Or “the Lord’s Supper.” This expression, which occurs only once in the Christian Greek Scriptures, refers to the observance that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted before his death, on Nisan 14. The meal consists of unleavened bread and wine as symbols of Christ’s body and blood. The first observance of this evening meal and the events surrounding it were reported by two eyewitnesses and participants, Matthew and John. (Mt 26:17-30; Joh 13:1-38) Mark and Luke, though not present on the occasion, filled in some details. (Mr 14:17-26; Lu 22:7-39) In giving instructions to the Corinthian congregation, Paul provides further enlightenment on some of its features. (1Co 10:16-22; 11:20-34) According to Luke’s and Paul’s accounts, Jesus told his disciples: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Lu 22:19; 1Co 11:24, 25) Or as other translations say: “Keep on doing this in memory of me”; “Do this as a memorial of me.” Therefore, it is also appropriately called the Memorial. The purpose of the Lord’s Evening Meal is to commemorate Jesus’ death, the only event that the Scriptures command Christians to observe.

one is hungry but another is intoxicated: Paul reproves the Corinthian Christians because instead of observing this sacred occasion in a united, dignified manner, a few brought their own supper with them to eat before or during the meeting. Among these, some overindulged in wine and became intoxicated. Others had no supper, were hungry, and felt shamed in the presence of those who had much. Drowsy or distracted, such Christians were in no condition to participate in or appreciate the Lord’s Evening Meal.

I received from the Lord: Since Paul was not present with Jesus and the 11 apostles at the institution of the Lord’s Evening Meal on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., the information that Paul provides was apparently “received from the Lord” by inspired revelation or by oral reports. Although a few translations have used the divine name here, the Greek term Kyʹri·os (“Lord”) apparently refers to the Lord Jesus Christ in this context.

means: See study note on Mt 26:26.

coming: The first of eight references in Matthew chapters 24 and 25 to Jesus’ coming. (Mt 24:42, 44, 46; 25:10, 19, 27, 31) In each of these occurrences, a form of the Greek verb erʹkho·mai, “to come,” is used. The term is here used in the sense of turning one’s attention to mankind, particularly to Jesus’ coming as Judge to pronounce and execute judgment during the great tribulation.

whenever: In this context, Paul was discussing, not how often, but how the Memorial should be observed. In Greek (both in verse 25 and in this verse), he used the word ho·saʹkis, which means “as often as; whenever.” So Paul was saying to anointed Christians, ‘Every time that you do this,’ you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord. They do this until he comes, that is, until Jesus comes to receive them into heaven and to execute judgment. At that time, the Lord’s Evening Meal will no longer be observed.—See study note on Mt 24:30.

eats and drinks judgment against himself: The Lord’s Evening Meal is a communion meal, similar to the communion offering in ancient Israel. The worshipper could offer a sacrifice and then partake of a communion meal. (See Glossary, “Communion offering.”) However, the Mosaic Law forbade anyone from eating such a sacred meal while he was in an unclean state. If he did so, he would be “cut off from his people.” (Le 7:20, 21) Likewise, during the Lord’s Evening Meal, the spirit-anointed participants share with one another in faith, partaking of the bread and the wine, which represent Jesus’ body and blood. They also share with Jehovah, the Author of the arrangement. This meal is sacred, so Paul warns that the Christian should examine himself before the Lord’s Evening Meal. (1Co 11:27-29) One who partakes while still engaging in unclean, unscriptural, or hypocritical practices would be eating and drinking “judgment against himself” because he showed disrespect for the ransom.—Compare Heb 10:28-31.

are sleeping in death: Lit. “are sleeping.” In this context, apparently referring to spiritual death.

we are disciplined by Jehovah: Paul here encourages the Corinthian Christians to accept the discipline, or correction, that they received for their disrespectful conduct at the Lord’s Evening Meal. (1Co 11:27, 29) By applying the discipline, the Corinthians would avoid being condemned with the world, that is, the unrighteous world alienated from God. The Scriptures describe Jehovah as one who gives his people needed discipline as an expression of his love.—De 11:2; Pr 3:11, 12; Jer 7:28; Heb 12:5, 6.

disciplined by Jehovah: Paul’s words here may echo Pr 3:11, 12, which reads: “My son, do not reject the discipline of Jehovah . . . For those whom Jehovah loves he reproves.” At Pr 3:11, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text along with the noun for “discipline.” At Heb 12:5, 6, Paul quotes these verses from Proverbs, which is why the name Jehovah is used in the main text of the New World Translation. (See App. C1.) Since similar wording is used here at 1Co 11:32 and the Greek terms for “discipline” and “to discipline” used here and at Heb 12:5, 6 are the same as those used at Pr 3:11, 12 in the Septuagint, the divine name is used in the main text of 1Co 11:32.—See App. C3 introduction; 1Co 11:32.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

1 Corinthians 11

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 12:1-31

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 12:1-31 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 12:1-31

12 Now concerning the spiritual gifts,*a brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were people of the nations, you were influenced and led astray to those voiceless idols,b following wherever they might lead you. ³ Now I would have you know that nobody when speaking by God’s spirit says: “Jesus is accursed!” and nobody can say: “Jesus is Lord!” except by holy spirit.c ⁴ Now there are different gifts, but there is the same spirit;d ⁵ and there are different ministries,e and yet there is the same Lord; ⁶ and there are different activities,* and yet it is the same God who performs them all in everyone.f ⁷ But the manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for a beneficial purpose.g ⁸ For to one is given speech of wisdom through the spirit,h to another speech of knowledge according to the same spirit, ⁹ to another faithi by the same spirit, to another gifts of healingj by that one spirit, ¹⁰ to yet another operations of powerful works,k to another prophesying,l to another discernment of inspired expressions,m to another different tongues,n and to another interpretation of tongues.o ¹¹ But all these operations are performed by the very same spirit, distributing to each one respectively just as it wills. ¹² For just as the body is one but has many members, and all the members of that body, although many, are one body,p so too is the Christ. ¹³ For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink one spirit. ¹⁴ For, indeed, the body is made up not of one member but of many.q ¹⁵ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am no part of the body,” that does not make it no part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am no part of the body,” that does not make it no part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If it were all hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has arranged each of the body members just as he pleased. ¹⁹ If they were all the same member, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now they are many members, yet one body. ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,” or again, the head cannot say to the feet, “I do not need you.” ²² On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are necessary, ²³ and the parts of the body that we think to be less honorable we surround with greater honor,r so our unseemly parts are treated with greater modesty, ²⁴ whereas our attractive parts do not need anything. Nevertheless, God has so composed* the body, giving greater honor to the part that had a lack, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but its members should have mutual concern for one another.s ²⁶ If one member suffers, all the other members suffer with it;t or if a member is glorified, all the other members rejoice with it.u ²⁷ Now you are Christ’s body,v and each of you individually is a member.w ²⁸ And God has assigned the respective ones in the congregation: first, apostles;x second, prophets;y third, teachers;z then powerful works;a then gifts of healings;b helpful services; abilities to direct;c different tongues.d ²⁹ Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform powerful works, do they? ³⁰ Not all have gifts of healings, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they?e Not all are interpreters, are they?f ³¹ But keep striving for* the greater gifts.g And yet I will show you a surpassing way.h

1 Corinthians 12

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 13:1-13

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 13:1-13 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 13:1-13

13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. ² And if I have the gift of prophecy and understand all the sacred secrets and all knowledge,a and if I have all the faith so as to move mountains,b but do not have love, I am nothing.*c ³ And if I give all my belongings to feed others,d and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love,e I do not benefit at all. ⁴ Lovef is patientg and kind.h Love is not jealous.i It does not brag, does not get puffed up,j ⁵ does not behave indecently,k does not look for its own interests,l does not become provoked.m It does not keep account of the injury.n ⁶ It does not rejoice over unrighteousness,o but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It bears all things,p believes all things,q hopes all things,r endures all things.s ⁸ Love never fails. But if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. ⁹ For we have partial knowledget and we prophesy partially, ¹⁰ but when what is complete comes, what is partial will be done away with. ¹¹ When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, to think as a child, to reason as a child; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the traits of a child. ¹² For now we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face-to-face. At present I know partially,* but then I will know accurately,* just as I am accurately known. ¹³ Now, however, these three remain: faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love.u

1 Corinthians 13

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 14:1-40

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 14:1-40 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 14:1-40

14 Pursue love, yet keep striving for* the spiritual gifts, but preferably that you may prophesy.a ² For the one who speaks in a tongue speaks, not to men, but to God, for no one listens,b but he speaks sacred secretsc by the spirit. ³ However, the one who prophesies builds up and encourages and consoles men by his speech. ⁴ The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up a congregation. ⁵ Now I would like for all of you to speak in tongues,d but I prefer that you prophesy.e Indeed, the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the congregation may be built up. ⁶ But at this time, brothers, if I should come speaking to you in tongues, what good would I do you unless I spoke to you either with a revelationf or with knowledgeg or with a prophecy or with a teaching? ⁷ It is the same with the inanimate things that produce sound, whether a flute or a harp. Unless there is an interval to the tones, how can what is being played on the flute or on the harp be recognized? ⁸ For if the trumpet sounds an indistinct call, who will get ready for battle? ⁹ In the same way, unless you with the tongue use speech that is easily understood, how will anyone know what is being said? You will, in fact, be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ It may be that there are many kinds of speech in the world, and yet no kind is without meaning. ¹¹ For if I do not understand the sense of the speech, I will be a foreigner to the one speaking, and the one speaking will be a foreigner to me. ¹² So also with you, since you eagerly desire the gifts of the spirit, seek to abound in gifts that will build up the congregation.h ¹³ Therefore, let the one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.i ¹⁴ For if I am praying in a tongue, it is my gift of the spirit that is praying, but my mind is unproductive.j ¹⁵ What is to be done, then? I will pray with the gift of the spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing praise with the gift of the spirit, but I will also sing praise with my mind.k ¹⁶ Otherwise, if you offer praise with a gift of the spirit, how will the ordinary person in your midst say “Amen” to your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ True, you are giving thanks in a fine way, but the other man is not being built up. ¹⁸ I thank God that I speak in more tongues than all of you do. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, in a congregation I would rather speak five words with my mind, that I might also instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.l ²⁰ Brothers, do not become young children in your understanding,m but be young children as to badness;n and become full-grown in your understanding.o ²¹ In the Law it is written: “‘With the tongues of foreigners and with the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even then they will refuse to listen to me,’ says Jehovah.”p ²² Therefore, tongues are not a sign for the believers but for the unbelievers,q whereas prophecy is not for the unbelievers but for the believers. ²³ So if the whole congregation comes together to one place and they all speak in tongues, but ordinary people or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you have lost your minds? ²⁴ But if you are all prophesying and an unbeliever or an ordinary person comes in, he will be reproved and closely examined by them all. ²⁵ The secrets of his heart then become evident,r so that he will fall facedown and worship God, declaring: “God is really among you.”s ²⁶ What is to be done, then, brothers? When you come together, one has a psalm, another has a teaching, another has a revelation, another has a tongue, and another has an interpretation.t Let all things take place for building up.u ²⁷ And if someone speaks in a tongue, let it be limited to two or three at the most, and in turns, and someone must interpret.v ²⁸ But if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the congregation and speak to himself and to God. ²⁹ Let two or three prophetsw speak, and let the others discern the meaning. ³⁰ But if another one receives a revelation while sitting there, let the first speaker keep silent. ³¹ For you can all prophesy one at a time, so that all may learn and all may be encouraged.x ³² And gifts of the spirit* of the prophets are to be controlled by the prophets. ³³ For God is a God not of disorder but of peace.y As in all the congregations of the holy ones, ³⁴ let the women keep silent in the congregations, for it is not permitted for them to speak.z Rather, let them be in subjection,a as the Law also says. ³⁵ If they want to learn something, let them ask their husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the congregation. ³⁶ Was it from you that the word of God originated, or did it reach only as far as you? ³⁷ If anyone thinks he is a prophet or is gifted with the spirit, he must acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are the Lord’s commandment. ³⁸ But if anyone disregards this, he will be disregarded.* ³⁹ So, my brothers, keep striving to prophesy,b and yet do not forbid the speaking in tongues.c ⁴⁰ But let all things take place decently and by arrangement.d

1 Corinthians 14

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 15:1-58

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 15:1-58 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 15:1-58

15 Now I remind you, brothers, of the good news that I declared to you,a which you also accepted, and for which you have taken your stand. ² Through it you are also being savedb if you hold firmly to the good news I declared to you, unless you became believers for nothing. ³ For among the first things I handed on to you was what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures;c ⁴ and that he was buried,d yes, that he was raised upe on the third dayf according to the Scriptures;g ⁵ and that he appeared to Ceʹphas,h and then to the Twelve.i ⁶ After that he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time,j most of whom are still with us, though some have fallen asleep in death. ⁷ After that he appeared to James,k then to all the apostles.l ⁸ But last of all he appeared also to mem as if to one born prematurely. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles,n and I am not worthy of being called an apostle, because I persecuted the congregation of God.o ¹⁰ But by God’s undeserved kindness I am what I am.p And his undeserved kindness to me was not in vain, but I labored more than all of them; yet it was not I, but the undeserved kindness of God that is with me.q ¹¹ Whether, then, it is I or they, this is the way we preach, and this is the way you believed. ¹² Now if it is being preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,r how is it that some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?s ¹³ If, indeed, there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised up. ¹⁴ But if Christ has not been raised up, our preaching is certainly in vain, and your faith is also in vain. ¹⁵ Moreover, we are also found to be false witnesses of God,t because we have given witness against God by saying that he raised up the Christ,u whom he did not raise up if the dead are really not to be raised up. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not to be raised up, neither has Christ been raised up. ¹⁷ Further, if Christ has not been raised up, your faith is useless; you remain in your sins.v ¹⁸ Then also those who have fallen asleep in death in union with Christ have perished.w ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are to be pitied more than anyone. ²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death.x ²¹ For since death came through a man,y resurrection of the dead also comes through a man.z ²² For just as in Adam all are dying,a so also in the Christ all will be made alive.b ²³ But each one in his own proper order: Christ the firstfruits,c afterward those who belong to the Christ during his presence.d ²⁴ Next, the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has brought to nothing all government and all authority and power.e ²⁵ For he must rule as king until God has put all enemies under his feet.f ²⁶ And the last enemy, death, is to be brought to nothing.g ²⁷ For God “subjected all things under his feet.”h But when he says that ‘all things have been subjected,’i it is evident that this does not include the One who subjected all things to him.j ²⁸ But when all things will have been subjected to him, then the Son himself will also subject himself to the One who subjected all things to him,k that God may be all things to everyone.l ²⁹ Otherwise, what will they do who are being baptized for the purpose of being dead ones?m If the dead are not to be raised up at all, why are they also being baptized for the purpose of being such? ³⁰ Why are we also in danger every hour?*n ³¹ Daily I face death. This is as sure as my exultation over you, brothers, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³² If like other men,* I have fought with wild beasts at Ephʹe·sus,o of what good is it to me? If the dead are not to be raised up, “let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we are to die.”p ³³ Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits.*q ³⁴ Come to your senses in a righteous way and do not practice sin,r for some have no knowledge of God. I am speaking to move you to shame. ³⁵ Nevertheless, someone will say: “How are the dead to be raised up? Yes, with what sort of body are they coming?”s ³⁶ You unreasonable person! What you sow is not made alive unless first it dies.t ³⁷ And as for what you sow, you sow, not the body that will develop, but just a bare grain, whether of wheat or of some other kind of seed; ³⁸ but God gives it a body just as it has pleased him, and gives to each of the seeds its own body. ³⁹ Not all flesh is the same flesh, but there is one of mankind, there is another flesh of cattle, another flesh of birds, and another of fish. ⁴⁰ And there are heavenly bodiesu and earthly bodies;v but the glory of the heavenly bodies is one sort, and that of the earthly bodies is a different sort. ⁴¹ The glory of the sun is one sort, and the glory of the moon is another,w and the glory of the stars is another; in fact, one star differs from another star in glory. ⁴² So it is with the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised up in incorruption.x ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor; it is raised up in glory.y It is sown in weakness; it is raised up in power.z ⁴⁴ It is sown a physical body; it is raised up a spiritual body.a If there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual one. ⁴⁵ So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living person.”b The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.c ⁴⁶ However, what is spiritual is not first. What is physical is first, and afterward what is spiritual. ⁴⁷ The first man is from the earth and made of dust;d the second man is from heaven.e ⁴⁸ Like the one made of dust, so too are those made of dust; and like the heavenly one, so too are those who are heavenly.f ⁴⁹ And just as we have borne the image of the one made of dust,g we will bear also the image of the heavenly one.h ⁵⁰ But I tell you this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s Kingdom, nor does corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹ Look! I tell you a sacred secret: We will not all fall asleep in death, but we will all be changed,i ⁵² in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during* the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,j and the dead will be raised up incorruptible, and we will be changed.k ⁵³ For this which is corruptible must put on incorruption,l and this which is mortal must put on immortality.m ⁵⁴ But when this which is corruptible puts on incorruption and this which is mortal puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: “Death is swallowed up forever.”n ⁵⁵ “Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?”o ⁵⁶ The sting producing death is sin,p and the power for sin is the Law.q ⁵⁷ But thanks to God, for he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!r ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast,s immovable, always having plenty to dot in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain*u in connection with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15

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NWT | The First to the Corinthians 16:1-24

NWT | The First to the Corinthians 16:1-24 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Corinthians 16:1-24

16 Now concerning the collection for the holy ones,a you may follow the directions I gave to the congregations of Ga·laʹti·a.b ² On the first day of every week, each of you should set something aside according to his own means, so that collections will not take place when I arrive.c ³ But when I get there, I will send the men you approve of in your lettersd to take your kind gift to Jerusalem. ⁴ However, if it seems advisable for me to go there also, they will go there with me. ⁵ But I will come to you when I have gone through Mac·e·doʹni·a, for I will be going through Mac·e·doʹni·a;e ⁶ and perhaps I will stay or even spend the winter with you, so that you may accompany me partway to where I may be going. ⁷ For I do not want to see you now just in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you,f if Jehovah permits. ⁸ But I am remaining in Ephʹe·susg until the Festival of Pentecost, ⁹ because a large door that leads to activity has been opened to me,h but there are many opposers. ¹⁰ Now if Timothyi arrives, make sure that he has nothing to fear while among you, for he is performing the work of Jehovah,j just as I am. ¹¹ Therefore, let no one look down on him. Send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me, for I am waiting for him together with the brothers. ¹² Now concerning A·polʹlosk our brother, I strongly urged him to come to you with the brothers. It was not his intention to come now, but he will come when he has the opportunity. ¹³ Stay awake,l stand firm in the faith,m carry on in a manly way,n grow mighty.*o ¹⁴ Let everything you do be done with love.p ¹⁵ Now I urge you, brothers: You know that the household of Stephʹa·nas is the firstfruits of A·chaʹia and that they devoted themselves to ministering to the holy ones. ¹⁶ May you also keep submitting yourselves to people like that and to all those cooperating and working hard.q ¹⁷ But I rejoice over the presence of Stephʹa·nasr and For·tu·naʹtus and A·chaʹi·cus, because they have made up for your not being here. ¹⁸ For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore, give recognition to men of that sort. ¹⁹ The congregations of Asia send you their greetings. Aqʹui·la and Prisʹcas together with the congregation that is in their houset greet you heartily in the Lord. ²⁰ All the brothers greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. ²¹ Here is my greeting, Paul’s, in my own hand. ²² If anyone has no affection for the Lord, let him be accursed. O our Lord, come! ²³ May the undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus be with you. ²⁴ May my love be with all of you in union with Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 16

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The First to the Thessalonians

The First to the Thessalonians somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 01:1-10

NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 01:1-10 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Thessalonians 1:1-10

1 Paul, Sil·vaʹnus,+ and Timothy,+ to the congregation of the Thes·sa·loʹni·ans+ in union with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:+ May you have undeserved kindness and peace. ² We always thank God when we mention all of you in our prayers,+ ³ for we continually remember your faithful work, your loving labor, and your endurance because of your hope+ in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father. ⁴ For we know, brothers loved by God, his choosing of you, ⁵ because the good news we preach did not come to you with speech alone but also with power and with holy spirit and with strong conviction,+ just as you know what sort of men we became among you for your sakes. ⁶ And you became imitators of us+ and of the Lord,+ seeing that you accepted the word under much tribulation+ with joy of holy spirit, ⁷ so that you became an example to all the believers in Mac·e·doʹni·a and in A·chaʹia. ⁸ The fact is, not only has the word of Jehovah sounded out from you in Mac·e·doʹni·a and A·chaʹia but your faith in God has spread abroad in every place,+ so that we do not need to say anything. ⁹ For they themselves keep reporting about our first contact with you and how you turned to God from your idols+ to slave for a living and true God, ¹⁰ and to wait for his Son from the heavens,+ whom he raised up from the dead, namely, Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.+

Footnotes

Study Notes

The First to the Corinthians: Titles like this were apparently not part of the original text. Ancient manuscripts show that they were added later, doubtless to make it easier to identify the letters. The papyrus codex known as P⁴⁶ shows that scribes identified Bible books by titles. That codex is the earliest known collection of Paul’s letters, often dated to about the year 200 C.E. It contains nine of his letters. At the beginning of Paul’s first inspired letter to the Corinthians, this codex has a title that reads Pros Ko·rinʹthi·ous A (“Toward [or, “To”] Corinthians 1”). (See Media Gallery, “Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.”) Other early manuscripts, such as Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus of the fourth century C.E., contain the same title. In these manuscripts, the title appears both at the beginning of the letter and at the end.

The First to the Thessalonians: Titles such as this were apparently not part of the original text. Ancient manuscripts show that the titles were added later, doubtless to make it easier to identify the books.—See study note on 1Co Title.

Silvanus: This is likely a Latinized version of the Greek name Silas.—See study note on 2Co 1:19.

the congregation of the Thessalonians: Thessalonica was the principal seaport of Macedonia and a prosperous city when Paul and Silas arrived there about 50 C.E. (See Glossary, “Thessalonica.”) This visit and their ministry in Thessalonica led to the founding of a congregation that endured much persecution. (Ac 17:1-10, 13, 14; see study note on 1Th 1:6.) Paul likely revisited the city while he was passing through Macedonia during his later travels.—Ac 20:1-3; 1Ti 1:3.

Silvanus: This coworker is also mentioned by Paul at 1Th 1:1 and 2Th 1:1 and by Peter at 1Pe 5:12. In the book of Acts, he is called Silas. Luke’s account shows that he was a leading member of the first-century Christian congregation in Jerusalem, a prophet, and a companion of Paul’s on his second missionary journey. Silvanus was apparently a Roman citizen, which may explain why his Roman name is used here.—Ac 15:22, 27, 40; 16:19, 37; 17:14; 18:5.

under much tribulation: This refers to the persecution experienced by the Thessalonian congregation soon after Paul and Silas introduced the good news to them. Enraged by the spread of the good news, fanatic Jewish opposers incited a mob to storm the house where Paul was staying. Not finding Paul there, they dragged his host, Jason, and some others before the city rulers and accused them of sedition. The brothers urged Paul and Silas to leave the city under cover of night and travel to Beroea. (Ac 17:1-10) Remarkably, the holy spirit enabled those Thessalonian Christians to maintain joy despite this persecution.

your faithful work, your loving labor, and your endurance because of your hope: Paul links the qualities of faith, love, and hope with the activity of the Thessalonian Christians. In Greek, the words here rendered “faithful,” “loving,” and “hope” are actually nouns. So this passage could also be translated “your work based on faith, your earnest effort out of love, and your endurance based on hope.” These qualities stimulated the Thessalonian Christians to work hard and to persevere in God’s service. The Bible repeatedly connects zeal in God’s service with the qualities of faith, love, and hope.—1Co 13:13; Ga 5:5, 6; Col 1:4, 5; 1Th 5:8; Heb 6:10-12; 10:22-24; 1Pe 1:21, 22.

because of your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ: A Christian can endure even severe trials if he puts his hope in Jesus Christ. That hope includes faith in Christ’s coming as King of God’s Kingdom and in the fulfillment of God’s promises. (Ac 3:21) When that hope is fulfilled, any suffering that was experienced will seem insignificant. The hope will help the Christian not to give in to despair and lose faith in Jehovah. (Ro 5:4, 5; 8:18-25; 2Co 4:16-18; Re 2:10) Later in his letter, Paul compares hope to a helmet.—See study note on 1Th 5:8.

the hope of salvation as a helmet: Just as a helmet protects a soldier’s head, so the hope of salvation protects a Christian’s mind. Paul mentions this figurative helmet, as well as “the breastplate of faith and love,” when he discusses the importance of staying awake spiritually. (1Th 5:6, 7) A Christian who has this helmet on his head looks “intently toward the payment of the reward,” as Moses did. (Heb 11:26) If he keeps his hope of salvation strong, he will stay awake spiritually.—See study note on Eph 6:17.

with strong conviction: Or “with full assurance; with complete certainty.” The Christians in Thessalonica could see that Paul and his companions firmly believed what they preached. Their conviction was evident both in how they spoke and in how they lived.

Achaia: See Glossary; see also study note on Ac 18:12.

the word of Jehovah: Or “the message of Jehovah.” This expression is frequently used in the Hebrew Scriptures, where it often refers to an inspired prophetic message from Jehovah. (Some examples are Isa 1:10; Jer 1:4, 11; Eze 3:16; 6:1; 7:1; Jon 1:1.) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the term refers to the Christian message that originates with Jehovah God and that features the important role of Jesus Christ in the outworking of God’s purpose. It is often used in the book of Acts to describe the spread of Christianity.—Ac 8:25; 12:24; 13:44, 48, 49; 15:35, 36; 16:32; 19:20; for the use of the divine name in this verse, see App. C3 introduction; 1Th 1:8.

sounded out: This phrase renders the Greek word e·xe·kheʹo·mai that occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures; it suggests a sound that spreads out from its source, reverberating in all directions. Paul is clearly pleased that “the word of Jehovah” has spread into the Roman provinces of Macedonia and Achaia and beyond. In commending the Thessalonian Christians for their role in the spreading of the good news, Paul indicates that not only the apostles but all Christians must preach.

you turned to God: Paul uses a verb that means “to return; to turn back (around)” in a literal sense, but here and in other contexts, it denotes turning to God from a wrong course. (See study note on Ac 3:19.) Those Christians had rejected and abandoned their idolatrous ways and had wisely turned to worshipping “a living and true God.”

your idols: Idolatry was a prominent feature of life in Thessalonica. The city abounded with sanctuaries to such gods as Dionysus, Zeus, Artemis, and Apollos, along with some Egyptian deities and the cult of Cabirus, a patron god of Thessalonica. Additionally, refusal to participate in emperor worship could have been viewed by some as rebellion against Rome. Some of the city’s idol temples promoted promiscuity and sexual immorality, and Paul warned the Thessalonians against such practices.—1Th 4:3-8.

to slave for: Or “to serve.” The Greek verb rendered “to slave” refers to serving others, usually an individual owner. Here the term is used figuratively, referring to serving God with undivided devotion. (Ac 4:29; Ro 6:22; 12:11) Paul knew that “to slave for a living and true God” is to live a happy life, far better than one of slavery to lifeless idols, to humans, or to sin.—Ro 6:6; 1Co 7:23; see study notes on Mt 6:24; Ro 1:1.

a slave of Christ Jesus: Generally, the Greek term douʹlos, rendered “a slave,” refers to a person owned by another; often, he is a purchased slave. (Mt 8:9; 10:24, 25; 13:27) This term is also used figuratively, referring to devoted servants of God and of Jesus Christ. (Ac 2:18; 4:29; Ga 1:10; Re 19:10) Jesus bought the lives of all Christians when he gave his life as a ransom sacrifice. As a result, Christians do not belong to themselves but consider themselves to be “Christ’s slaves.” (Eph 6:6; 1Co 6:19, 20; 7:23; Ga 3:13) As an indication of their submission to Christ, their Lord and Master, writers of the inspired letters in the Christian Greek Scriptures who gave counsel to the congregations all referred to themselves as ‘slaves of Christ’ at least once in their writings.—Ro 1:1; Ga 1:10; Jas 1:1; 2Pe 1:1; Jude 1; Re 1:1.

slave: The Greek verb refers to working as a slave, that is, someone owned by only one master. Jesus was here stating that a Christian cannot give God the exclusive devotion that He deserves and at the same time be devoted to gathering material possessions.

Repent . . . and turn around: The Greek word me·ta·no·eʹo, “to repent,” literally means “to change one’s mind,” signifying a change in thinking, attitude, or purpose. In this context, repentance involved a person’s wanting to repair or restore his relationship with God. A sinner who genuinely repents deeply regrets his wrong course and is determined not to repeat his sin. (2Co 7:10, 11; see study notes on Mt 3:2, 8.) Moreover, true repentance moves a sinner to “turn around,” abandoning his wrong course and pursuing a course that is pleasing to God. Both in Hebrew and in Greek, the verbs for “to turn around” (Hebrew, shuv; Greek, streʹpho; e·pi·streʹpho) mean “to return; to turn back (around)” in a literal sense. (Ge 18:10; 50:14; Ru 1:6; Ac 15:36) When used in a positive spiritual sense, however, this may denote turning to God from a wrong way.—1Ki 8:33; Eze 33:11; see study notes on Ac 15:3; 26:20.

the wrath that is coming: Paul here refers to a future time of divine judgment, the ultimate expression of God’s righteous wrath against this unrighteous world and those who refuse to acknowledge God’s sovereignty.—Compare 2Th 1:6-9.

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1 Thessalonians 1

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NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 02:1-20

NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 02:1-20 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Thessalonians 2:1-20

2 You yourselves surely know, brothers, that our visit to you has not been without results.a ² For although we had first suffered and been insolently treated in Phi·lipʹpi,b as you know, we mustered up boldness by means of our God to tell you the good news of Godc in the face of much opposition. ³ For the exhortation we give does not spring from error or from uncleanness or with deceit, ⁴ but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the good news, so we speak to please, not men, but God, who examines our hearts.d ⁵ In fact, you know that we never used flattering speech or put on any false front with greedy motives;e God is witness! ⁶ Nor have we been seeking glory from men, either from you or from others, though we could be an expensive burden as apostles of Christ.f ⁷ On the contrary, we became gentle in your midst, as when a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. ⁸ So having tender affection for you, we were determined to impart to you, not only the good news of God but also our very selves,g because you became so beloved to us.h ⁹ Surely you remember, brothers, our labor and toil. We were working night and day, so that we would not put an expensive burden on any one of you,i when we preached the good news of God to you. ¹⁰ You are witnesses, God is also, of how loyal and righteous and blameless we behaved toward you believers. ¹¹ You well know that we kept exhorting and consoling you and bearing witness to each one of you,j just as a fatherk does his children, ¹² so that you would go on walking worthily of God,l who is calling you to his Kingdomm and glory.n ¹³ Indeed, that is why we also thank God unceasingly,o because when you received God’s word, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but, just as it truthfully is, as the word of God, which is also at work in you believers. ¹⁴ For you, brothers, became imitators of the congregations of God in union with Christ Jesus that are in Ju·deʹa, because you suffered at the hands of your own countrymenp the same things that they also are suffering at the hands of the Jews, ¹⁵ who even killed the Lord Jesusq and the prophets and persecuted us.r Furthermore, they are not pleasing God, but are against the interests of all men, ¹⁶ as they try to prevent us from speaking* to people of the nations so that these might be saved.s In this way they always fill up the measure of their sins. But his wrath has at last come upon them.*t ¹⁷ But when we were separated from you, brothers, for just a short time (in person, not in our hearts), because of our strong desire, we made every effort to see you in person.* ¹⁸ For this reason we wanted to come to you, yes I, Paul, tried not just once but twice; yet Satan cut across our path. ¹⁹ For what is our hope or joy or crown of exultation before our Lord Jesus at his presence? Is it not in fact you?u ²⁰ You certainly are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 2

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NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 03:1-13

NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 03:1-13 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Thessalonians 3:1-13

3 So when we could bear it no longer, we thought it best to stay on alone in Athens;+ ² and we sent Timothy,+ our brother and God’s minister in the good news about the Christ, to make you firm* and comfort you regarding your faith, ³ so that no one might be shaken* by these tribulations. For you yourselves know that we cannot avoid suffering such things.+ ⁴ For when we were with you, we used to tell you in advance that we would suffer tribulation, and that is what has happened, just as you know.+ ⁵ That is why, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn of your faithfulness,+ in case somehow the Tempter+ might have tempted you, and our labor might have turned out to be in vain. ⁶ But Timothy has just now come to us from you+ and has given us the good news about your faithfulness and love, that you always continue to remember us fondly and that you long to see us in the same way as we also do you. ⁷ That is why, brothers, in all our distress and tribulation, we have been comforted because of you and the faithfulness you demonstrate.+ ⁸ Because we are revitalized if you are standing firm in the Lord. ⁹ For how can we show our thanks to God concerning you in return for the great joy we feel before our God on your account? ¹⁰ Night and day we make supplications as earnestly as we can to see you in person* and to supply what is lacking in your faith.+ ¹¹ Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus make a way for us to come to you. ¹² Moreover, may the Lord cause you to increase, yes, to abound in love for one another+ and for all, just as we do for you, ¹³ so that he may make your hearts firm, blameless in holiness before our God+ and Father at the presence of our Lord Jesus+ with all his holy ones.

Footnotes

^ Or “to strengthen you.”

^ Lit., “swayed.”

^ Or “see you face-to-face.” Lit., “see your face.”

Study Notes

we: Paul may have been alone in Athens, later departing for Corinth, where Silas and Timothy rejoined him. (Ac 18:5) So he may have used “we” as applying to himself. While it cannot be ruled out that either Silas or Timothy was with Paul in Athens, it does not seem likely, since he had left them behind in Beroea.—Ac 17:13, 14.

minister: Some ancient manuscripts read “fellow worker,” using the same Greek word (sy·ner·gosʹ) that appears at 1Co 3:9 (see study note), where Paul speaks of Christians as “God’s fellow workers.”

God’s fellow workers: The Greek word for “fellow worker,” sy·ner·gosʹ, appears more than ten times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, most often in Paul’s letters. The expression is used regarding those who shared together in spreading the good news. (Ro 16:9, 21; 2Co 1:24; 8:23; Php 2:25; 4:3; Col 4:11; Phm 1, 24) Here Paul calls attention to the great privilege that Christian ministers have of being “God’s fellow workers.” (See study note on 1Co 3:6.) Paul expresses a similar thought at 2Co 6:1, where he speaks about “working together with him,” that is, with God.—2Co 5:20; see study note on Ro 16:3.

we cannot avoid suffering such things: Or “we are appointed to this.” This does not mean that Christians were individually appointed to suffer certain trials. Rather, Jehovah and his Son knew that the Christian congregation as a whole would suffer persecution as a result of the witnessing work. (Mt 10:17, 21-23; 23:34; Joh 16:33) However, persecution often served to help, not hinder, their preaching. For example, when Christians had to flee Jerusalem because of severe persecution, they spread the message in the lands to which they were scattered.—Ac 8:1-5; 11:19-21.

faithfulness: The Greek word used here (piʹstis) can be rendered by such terms as “faith” (Mt 8:10; Ro 1:17; 1Th 3:2, 10), “faithfulness” (Mt 23:23), and “trustworthiness” (Tit 2:10). In this context (1Th 3:5-7), piʹstis indicates that the Thessalonian Christians were remaining firm and sticking to their faith despite adversity. It thus highlights their “faithfulness,” or loyalty, to God when they were under trial. Their example of faithfulness encouraged Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, who were experiencing “distress and tribulation.”—1Th 3:7.

the Tempter: This designation for Satan the Devil, used twice in the Christian Greek Scriptures, is a form of the Greek verb “to tempt; to test.” (Mt 4:3) Other forms of the same verb are used to describe the activities of Satan, for example, at 1Co 7:5 and Re 2:10.

distress: Lit., “necessity.” The term used here is also rendered “times of need.” (2Co 6:4; 12:10) So Paul may be referring to situations in which he and his companions were lacking the basic necessities of life.

we are revitalized: Lit., “we live.” The Greek word meaning “to live” is here used figuratively in the sense of feeling a renewed life, of being joyful, refreshed, and freed from anxiety.

make supplications: See study note on Ac 4:31.

had made supplication: Or “had prayed earnestly (pleadingly).” The Greek verb deʹo·mai refers to the offering of earnest prayer coupled with intense feeling. The related noun deʹe·sis, rendered “supplication,” has been defined as “humble and earnest entreaty.” In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the noun is used exclusively in addressing God. Even Jesus “offered up supplications and also petitions, with strong outcries and tears, to the One who was able to save him out of death.” (Heb 5:7) The use of the plural “supplications” indicates that Jesus implored Jehovah more than once. For example, in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prayed repeatedly and fervently.—Mt 26:36-44; Lu 22:32.

at the presence of our Lord Jesus: See study note on 1Th 2:19.

presence: This is the first of six times that Paul mentions Christ’s presence in his two letters to the Thessalonians. (See Glossary, “Presence”; see also “Introduction to 1 Thessalonians.”) Paul looks forward to the presence of the Lord Jesus, and he delights in the prospect that his dear fellow believers would be rewarded during that time. Later in the letter, he prays that they be found “blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the presence of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones.”—1Th 3:13; see study note on 1Co 15:23.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

1 Thessalonians 3

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NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 04:1-18

NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 04:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Thessalonians 4:1-18

4 Finally, brothers, just as you received instruction from us on how you should walk in order to please God,+ just as you are in fact walking, we request you and appeal to you by the Lord Jesus to keep doing it more fully. ² For you know the instructions* we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, that you should be holy+ and abstain from sexual immorality.+ ⁴ Each one of you should know how to control his own body+ in holiness+ and honor, ⁵ not with greedy, uncontrolled sexual passion+ like the nations have that do not know God.+ ⁶ No one should go beyond proper limits and take advantage of his brother in this matter, because Jehovah exacts punishment for all these things, just as we told you previously and also strongly warned you. ⁷ For God has called us, not for uncleanness, but for holiness.+ ⁸ So, then, the man who disregards this is disregarding, not man, but God,+ who gives you his holy spirit.+ ⁹ However, concerning brotherly love,+ you do not need us to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.+ ¹⁰ In fact, you are doing so toward all the brothers in all of Mac·e·doʹni·a. But we urge you, brothers, to go on doing so in fuller measure. ¹¹ Make it your aim to live quietly+ and to mind your own business+ and to work with your hands,+ just as we instructed you, ¹² so that you may walk decently in the eyes of people outside+ and not need anything. ¹³ Moreover, brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant* about those who are sleeping in death,+ so that you may not sorrow as the rest do who have no hope.+ ¹⁴ For if we have faith that Jesus died and rose again,+ so too God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in death through Jesus.+ ¹⁵ For this is what we tell you by Jehovah’s word, that we the living who survive to the presence of the Lord will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep in death; ¹⁶ because the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a commanding call, with an archangel’s+ voice and with God’s trumpet, and those who are dead in union with Christ will rise first.+ ¹⁷ Afterward we the living who are surviving will, together with them, be caught away in clouds+ to meet the Lord+ in the air; and thus we will always be with the Lord.+ ¹⁸ So keep comforting one another with these words.

Footnotes

^ Or “orders.”

^ Or “uninformed.”

Study Notes

sexual immorality: The Greek word por·neiʹa is a general term for all sexual activity that is unlawful according to the Bible. It includes adultery, prostitution, sexual relations between unmarried individuals, homosexual acts, and bestiality.—See Glossary.

that you should be holy: This phrase renders a Greek expression that could also be translated “your sanctification.” Paul uses the Greek word ha·gi·a·smosʹ twice more in this context, at 1Th 4:4 and 4:7, where it is rendered “holiness.” In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the words rendered “holy” and “holiness” denote being set aside for God’s service. These terms also include the idea of purity in moral conduct. (Mr 6:20; 2Co 7:1; 1Pe 1:15, 16) In this context, holiness refers to avoiding sexual immorality, that is, all forms of unlawful sexual conduct.—See Glossary, “Holy; Holiness.”

sexual immorality: See study note on Ac 15:20.

body: Lit., “vessel.” Paul compares a person’s body to a vessel. For a person to “control his own body in holiness,” he must bring his thoughts and desires into harmony with God’s holy moral laws. The Greek term for “vessel” is used in a figurative sense also at Ac 9:15; Ro 9:22; and 2Co 4:7.

uncontrolled sexual passion: This expression renders a Greek word (paʹthos) that refers to a strong desire, or an uncontrolled passion. The same Greek word appears at Ro 1:26 and Col 3:5. In this letter to the Thessalonians, Paul combines the same word with a term (e·pi·thy·miʹa) that literally means “desire.” In this context, it denotes a covetous desire or an inordinate craving, or lust, and is therefore rendered greedy. The context makes it clear that this combined expression refers to wrong desires of a sexual nature. While sexual desires can be properly satisfied within an honorable marriage (1Co 7:3, 5; Heb 13:4), Paul shows that “Jehovah exacts punishment” for improper sexual conduct (1Th 4:3-6).

take advantage of his brother in this matter: The Greek expression rendered “take advantage of” is related to a term for “greed” and denotes a greedy, selfish view of sexual pleasure. The Greek word may also mean to “rob,” “defraud,” or “cheat.” Here it may suggest that a Christian who selfishly commits sexual sins robs a fellow Christian of a clean conscience. If either is married, the innocent mate is deprived of marital security and happiness. Such actions could also rob the individuals involved, their families, and the congregation of a clean reputation. Above all, those who commit sexual immorality show disregard for God.—1Th 4:8.

because Jehovah exacts punishment for all these things: This phrase could also be rendered “because Jehovah is the Avenger concerning all these things.” Paul is apparently alluding to Ps 94:1, where Jehovah is addressed as “O God of vengeance.” While appointed elders are responsible for expelling unrepentant wrongdoers (1Co 5:1, 13), Jehovah is the one who ultimately punishes those who sin unrepentantly by practicing sexual immorality.—For the use of the divine name in this verse, see App. C3 introduction; 1Th 4:6.

uncleanness: See study note on Eph 4:19.

every sort of uncleanness: The term “uncleanness” (Greek, a·ka·thar·siʹa) is broad in meaning. Here it is used in its figurative meaning, referring to impurity of any kind—in sexual matters, in speech, in action, and in spiritual relationships. (Compare 1Co 7:14; 2Co 6:17; 1Th 2:3.) It stresses the morally repugnant nature of the wrong conduct or condition. (See study note on Ga 5:19.) Paul notes that such conduct was carried out with greediness. The Greek word ple·o·ne·xiʹa, rendered “greediness,” denotes an insatiable desire to have more. By adding “with greediness,” Paul shows that “uncleanness” may involve various degrees of seriousness.—See study note on Ro 1:29.

brotherly love: The Greek term phi·la·del·phiʹa literally means “affection for a brother.” Paul uses it three times—at Ro 12:10, at 1Th 4:9, and at Heb 13:1. Peter uses this term three times in his letters (once at 1Pe 1:22 and twice at 2Pe 1:7), where it is rendered “brotherly affection.” The use of this term by Paul and Peter indicates that relationships among Christians should be as close, strong, and warm as in a natural family.

brotherly love: See study note on Ro 12:10.

taught by God: This phrase renders the Greek expression the·o·diʹda·ktos, which occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It is composed of the Greek word for “God” and the word for “taught.” Paul may be alluding to Isa 54:13, where the Hebrew text reads: “Your sons will be taught by Jehovah.” As recorded at Joh 6:45, Jesus quotes Isaiah’s words. Other scriptures also speak of Jehovah God as one who teaches his people. (De 6:1; Isa 48:17) At least one translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew uses the divine name here; some translations into other languages do so as well.

taught by God to love one another: God created man in his image with the ability to love. (Ge 1:27) By his own example, God teaches humans to love. (Mt 5:44, 45; Ac 14:17; 1Jo 4:9-11) His Word repeatedly highlights the importance of showing love. (Le 19:34; De 10:18, 19; 1Jo 3:16; 4:21) According to Jesus, one of the two principal commandments of God’s Law to Israel stated: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt 22:39; Le 19:18) The disciple James called this command “the royal law.” (Jas 2:8) Jesus added to this command by stating that Christians must love one another just as he had loved his disciples.—Joh 13:34.

has fallen asleep: In the Bible, death is often likened to sleep. (Ps 13:3; Mr 5:39; Ac 7:60; 1Co 7:39; 15:51; 1Th 4:13) Jesus was going to bring Lazarus back to life. Therefore, he may have said this to demonstrate that just as people can be awakened from a deep sleep, they can be brought back from death. The power to resurrect Lazarus came from Jesus’ Father, “who makes the dead alive and calls the things that are not as though they are.”—Ro 4:17; see study notes on Mr 5:39; Ac 7:60.

he fell asleep in death: The Scriptures use the expressions “sleep” and “fall asleep” to refer both to physical sleep (Mt 28:13; Lu 22:45; Joh 11:12; Ac 12:6) and to the sleep of death (Joh 11:11; Ac 7:60; 13:36; 1Co 7:39; 15:6, 51; 2Pe 3:4). When these expressions are used in contexts that refer to death, Bible translators often use such wording as “fall asleep in death” or simply “died,” which helps the reader avoid confusion. In the figurative sense, the term “asleep” is applied in the Scriptures to those who have died because of the sin and death passed on from Adam.—See study notes on Mr 5:39; Joh 11:11.

those who are sleeping in death: Lit., “the ones sleeping.” The Scriptures use the expressions “sleep” and “fall asleep” to refer both to physical sleep (Mt 28:13; Lu 22:45; Joh 11:12; Ac 12:6) and to the sleep of death (Joh 11:11; Ac 7:60; 13:36; 1Co 7:39; 15:6, 51; 2Pe 3:4). When these expressions appear in contexts that refer to death, Bible translators often use such wording as “sleeping in death” or simply “died.” The Bible’s use of this expression is fitting for at least two reasons. First, because the Scriptures show that the unconscious condition of the dead is like sleep. (Ec 9:5, 10; Joh 11:11, 13) Second, because the Scriptures give the hope that those “sleeping in death” will “wake up” to life by means of a resurrection.—Da 12:2; see study notes on Joh 11:11; Ac 7:60.

by Jehovah’s word: In a broad sense, this expression refers to a message from Jehovah.—Compare study notes on Ac 8:25; 1Th 1:8; for the use of the divine name in this verse, see App. C3 introduction; 1Th 4:15.

the presence of the Lord: That is, the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. (1Th 2:19; 3:13; 5:23) One ancient Greek manuscript reads “the presence of Jesus.”

I am the resurrection and the life: Jesus’ own death and resurrection opened the way for the dead to return to life. After Jesus was resurrected, Jehovah granted him the power not only to resurrect the dead but also to impart eternal life. (See study note on Joh 5:26.) At Re 1:18, Jesus calls himself “the living one,” who has “the keys of death and of the Grave.” Therefore, Jesus is the hope of the living and the dead. He promised to open up the tombs and give the dead life, either in the heavens as his corulers or on his new earth ruled by his heavenly government.—Joh 5:28, 29.

the Lord: That is, Jesus Christ.

will descend from heaven: The Lord Jesus will descend in a figurative way by turning his attention to the earth and extending his power to it. In the Hebrew Scriptures, such terms as “go down” and “stoops down” are used in a similar way. (Ge 11:5; 18:21; Ps 113:6) For example, Ge 11:5 says that “Jehovah went down to see the city” of Babel. He did so to survey the situation in Babel and determine what action to take.

a commanding call: Or “a shout of command.” The Greek word used here occurs only once in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It could refer to an order given to an army to attack or to a command issued by a king. The Lord Jesus figuratively descends from heaven to make this commanding call to awaken from the sleep of death those who are dead in union with Christ, that is, his spirit-anointed followers. The Scriptures show elsewhere that it is Jesus’ “voice” that the dead will hear (Joh 5:25) and that “in the Christ all will be made alive” (1Co 15:22).—See study note on 1Co 15:55.

with an archangel’s voice: The Greek term for “archangel” (ar·khagʹge·los) appears only twice in the Christian Greek Scriptures and always in the singular. The Greek prefix rendered “arch” means “chief” or “principal”; therefore, “archangel” means “chief angel,” or “principal angel.” The second occurrence of “archangel,” at Jude 9, associates the term with the name Michael. Hence, in the Scriptures, Michael is the only one called “the archangel.” He is the one whom God has designated chief, or head, of the angelic hosts. At 1Th 4:16, the Lord Jesus is said to have the “voice” of an archangel and the power to resurrect the dead. (See study note on Joh 11:25.) So the expression “an archangel’s voice” apparently focuses attention on the authoritativeness of Jesus’ voice of command.—Joh 5:26-29.

with God’s trumpet: Trumpets had various uses in the Scriptures. (See Glossary, “Trumpet.”) Here the purpose of the sounding of “God’s trumpet” is to assemble Jehovah’s people, as was done when the two silver trumpets were sounded in Moses’ day to assemble the 12 tribes of Israel. (Nu 10:1-10) At 1Co 15:52, the apostle Paul connects such a rousing assembly “trumpet” with the resurrection of spirit-anointed Christians.

Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?: Paul here quotes Ho 13:14. Hosea’s prophecy was not indicating that those disobedient Israelites would be resurrected from the dead. However, Paul’s application of Ho 13:14 shows that this prophecy was pointing to the time when the dead would be raised to life and the Grave (Sheol, or Hades) would be made powerless. Paul’s quotation is, in part, from the Septuagint, which reads: “Where is your penalty [or “punishment”], O death? O Hades, where is your sting?” By using these rhetorical questions addressed to enemy Death (1Co 15:25, 26), Paul, in effect, is saying: “Death, you will not be victorious again! Death, your sting has no effect anymore!”

be caught away in clouds to meet the Lord in the air: In this context, both “clouds” and “air” are used in a figurative sense. “Clouds” often denote invisibility.—See study notes on Mt 24:30; Ac 1:11.

meet the Lord: That is, the Lord Jesus Christ, as shown by the context.—1Th 4:15, 16.

be with the Lord: That is, the Lord Jesus Christ.—1Th 4:15, 16.

the clouds of heaven: Clouds tend to obstruct vision rather than facilitate it, but observers can “see” with eyes of understanding.—Ac 1:9.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

1 Thessalonians 4

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NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 05:1-28

NWT | The First to the Thessalonians 05:1-28 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The First to the Thessalonians 5:1-28

5 Now as for the times and the seasons, brothers, you need nothing to be written to you. ² For you yourselves know very well that Jehovah’s daya is coming exactly as a thief in the night.b ³ Whenever it is that they are saying, “Peace and security!” then sudden destruction is to be instantly on them,c just like birth pains on a pregnant woman, and they will by no means escape. ⁴ But you, brothers, you are not in darkness, so that the day should overtake you as it would thieves, ⁵ for you are all sons of light and sons of day.d We belong neither to night nor to darkness.e ⁶ So, then, let us not sleep on as the rest do,f but let us stay awakeg and keep our senses.h ⁷ For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.i ⁸ But as for us who belong to the day, let us keep our senses and put on the breastplate of faith and love and the hope of salvation as a helmetj ⁹ because God assigned us, not to wrath, but to the acquiring of salvationk through our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁰ He died for us,l so that whether we stay awake or are asleep, we should live together with him.m ¹¹ Therefore, keep encouraging one another and building one another up,n just as you are in fact doing. ¹² Now we request you, brothers, to show respect for those who are working hard among you and presiding over you in the Lord and admonishing you; ¹³ and to give them extraordinary consideration in love because of their work.o Be peaceable with one another.p ¹⁴ On the other hand, we urge you, brothers, to warn the disorderly,q speak consolingly to those who are depressed,r support the weak, be patient toward all.s ¹⁵ See that no one repays injury for injury to anyone,t but always pursue what is good toward one another and to all others.u ¹⁶ Always be rejoicing.v ¹⁷ Pray constantly.w ¹⁸ Give thanks for everything.x This is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not put out the fire of the spirit.y ²⁰ Do not treat prophecies with contempt.z ²¹ Make sure of all things;a hold fast to what is fine. ²² Abstain from every form of wickedness.b ²³ May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may the spirit and soul and body of you brothers, sound in every respect, be preserved blameless at the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ.c ²⁴ The one who is calling you is faithful, and he will surely do so. ²⁵ Brothers, keep praying for us.d ²⁶ Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. ²⁷ I am putting you under the solemn obligation by the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.e ²⁸ The undeserved kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

1 Thessalonians 5

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The Letter of James

The Letter of James somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The Letter of James 01:1-27

NWT | The Letter of James 01:1-27 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Letter of James 1:1-27

1 James,+ a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes that are scattered about: Greetings! ² Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials,+ ³ knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith produces endurance.+ ⁴ But let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything.+ ⁵ So if any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep asking God,+ for he gives generously to all and without reproaching,*+ and it will be given him.+ ⁶ But let him keep asking in faith,+ not doubting at all,+ for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. ⁷ In fact, that man should not expect to receive anything from Jehovah;* ⁸ he is an indecisive man,+ unsteady in all his ways. ⁹ But let the lowly brother rejoice* over his exaltation,+ ¹⁰ and the rich one over his humiliation,+ because like a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For just as the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the plant, and its flower falls off and its outward beauty perishes, so too the rich man will fade away in the midst of his pursuits.+ ¹² Happy is the man who keeps on enduring trial,+ because on becoming approved he will receive the crown of life,+ which Jehovah* promised to those who continue loving Him.+ ¹³ When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried, nor does he himself try anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed* by his own desire.+ ¹⁵ Then the desire, when it has become fertile,* gives birth to sin; in turn sin, when it has been carried out, brings forth death.+ ¹⁶ Do not be misled, my beloved brothers. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect present is from above,+ coming down from the Father of the celestial lights,+ who does not vary or change like the shifting shadows.*+ ¹⁸ It was his will to bring us forth by the word of truth,+ so that we would become a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.+ ¹⁹ Know this, my beloved brothers: Everyone must be quick to listen, slow to speak,+ slow to anger,+ ²⁰ for man’s anger does not bring about God’s righteousness.+ ²¹ Therefore, put away all filthiness and every trace of badness,*+ and accept with mildness the implanting of the word that is able to save you.* ²² However, become doers of the word+ and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves with false reasoning. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer,+ this one is like a man looking at his own face* in a mirror. ²⁴ For he looks at himself, and he goes away and immediately forgets what sort of person he is. ²⁵ But the one who peers into the perfect law+ that belongs to freedom and continues in it has become, not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work; and he will be happy in what he does.+ ²⁶ If any man thinks he is a worshipper of God* but does not keep a tight rein on* his tongue,+ he is deceiving his own heart, and his worship is futile. ²⁷ The form of worship* that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans+ and widows+ in their tribulation,+ and to keep oneself without spot from the world.+

Footnotes

^ Or “finding fault.”

^ See App. A5.

^ Lit., “boast.”

^ See App. A5.

^ Or “caught as by bait.”

^ Lit., “has conceived.”

^ Or “with whom there is not a variation of the turning of the shadow.”

^ Or possibly, “and the abundance of badness.”

^ Or “your souls.”

^ Or “his natural face.”

^ Or “is religious.”

^ Or “does not bridle.”

^ Or “The religion.”

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

James 1

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NWT | The Letter of James 02:1-26

NWT | The Letter of James 02:1-26 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Letter of James 2:1-26

2 My brothers, you are not holding to the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus Christ while showing favoritism, are you?a ² For if a man with gold rings on his fingers and in splendid clothing comes into your meeting, but a poor man in filthy clothing also enters, ³ do you look with favor on the one wearing the splendid clothing and say, “You take this seat here in a fine place,” and do you say to the poor one, “You keep standing” or, “Take that seat there under my footstool”?b ⁴ If so, do you not have class distinctions among yourselves,c and have you not become judges rendering wicked decisions?d ⁵ Listen, my beloved brothers. Did not God choose those who are poor from the world’s standpoint to be rich in faithe and heirs of the Kingdom, which he promised to those who love him?f ⁶ But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress youg and drag you before law courts? ⁷ Do they not blaspheme the fine name by which you were called? ⁸ If, now, you carry out the royal* law according to the scripture, “You must love your neighbor as yourself,”h you are doing quite well. ⁹ But if you continue showing favoritism,i you are committing sin, and you are convicted* by the law as transgressors.j ¹⁰ For if anyone obeys all the Law but makes a false step in one point, he has become an offender against all of it.k ¹¹ For the one who said, “You must not commit adultery,”l also said, “You must not murder.”m If, now, you do not commit adultery but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of law. ¹² Keep on speaking and behaving in such a way as those do who are going to be judged by the law of a free people.*n ¹³ For the one who does not practice mercy will have his judgment without mercy.o Mercy triumphs over judgment. ¹⁴ Of what benefit is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but he does not have works?p That faith cannot save him, can it?q ¹⁵ If any brothers or sisters are lacking clothing* and enough food for the day, ¹⁶ yet one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but you do not give them what they need for their body, of what benefit is it?r ¹⁷ So, too, faith by itself, without works, is dead.s ¹⁸ Nevertheless, someone will say: “You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God, do you? You are doing quite well. And yet the demons believe and shudder.t ²⁰ But do you care to know, O empty man, that faith without works is useless? ²¹ Was not Abraham our father declared righteous by works after he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?u ²² You see that his faith was active along with his works and his faith was perfected by his works,v ²³ and the scripture was fulfilled that says: “Abraham put faith in Jehovah,* and it was counted to him as righteousness,”w and he came to be called Jehovah’s* friend.x ²⁴ You see that a man is to be declared righteous by works and not by faith alone. ²⁵ In the same manner, was not Raʹhab the prostitute also declared righteous by works after she received the messengers hospitably and sent them out by another way?y ²⁶ Indeed, just as the body without spirit* is dead,z so also faith without works is dead.a

James 2

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NWT | The Letter of James 03:1-18

NWT | The Letter of James 03:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Letter of James 3:1-18

3 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier* judgment.a ² For we all stumble* many times.b If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able to bridle also his whole body. ³ If we put bridles in the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide also their whole body. ⁴ Look also at ships: Although they are so big and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the man at the helm is inclined to go. ⁵ So, too, the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it makes great brags. See how small a fire it takes to set a great forest ablaze! ⁶ The tongue is also a fire.c The tongue represents a world of unrighteousness among our body members, for it defiles all the bodyd and sets the whole course of life* on fire, and it is set on fire by Ge·henʹna.* ⁷ For every kind of wild animal and bird and reptile* and sea creature is to be tamed and has been tamed by humans. ⁸ But no human can tame the tongue. It is unruly and injurious, full of deadly poison.e ⁹ With it we praise Jehovah,* the Father, and yet with it we curse men who have come into existence “in the likeness of God.”f ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, it is not right for things to happen this way.g ¹¹ A spring does not cause the fresh* water and the bitter water to bubble out of the same opening, does it? ¹² My brothers, a fig tree cannot produce olives, or a grapevine figs, can it?h Neither can salt water produce fresh water. ¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him by his fine conduct demonstrate works performed with a mildness that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter jealousyi and contentiousness*j in your hearts, do not be braggingk and lying against the truth. ¹⁵ This is not the wisdom that comes down from above; it is earthly,l animalistic, demonic. ¹⁶ For wherever there are jealousy and contentiousness,* there will also be disorder and every vile thing.m ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,n then peaceable,o reasonable,p ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits,q impartial,r not hypocritical.s ¹⁸ Moreover, the fruit of righteousness is sown in peaceful conditionst for* those who are making peace.u

James 3

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NWT | The Letter of James 04:1-17

NWT | The Letter of James 04:1-17 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Letter of James 4:1-17

4 What is the source of the wars and fights among you? Do they not originate from your fleshly desires that carry on a conflict within you?*a ² You desire, and yet you do not have. You go on murdering and coveting, and yet you are not able to obtain. You go on fighting and waging war.b You do not have because of your not asking. ³ When you do ask, you do not receive because you are asking for a wrong purpose, so that you may spend it on your fleshly desires. ⁴ Adulteresses,* do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is making himself an enemy of God.c ⁵ Or do you think that for no reason the scripture says: “The spirit that has taken up residence within us keeps enviously longing”?d ⁶ However, the undeserved kindness that He gives is greater. So it says: “God opposes the haughty ones,e but he gives undeserved kindness to the humble ones.”f ⁷ Therefore, subject yourselves to God;g but oppose the Devil,h and he will flee from you.i ⁸ Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.j Cleanse your hands, you sinners,k and purify your hearts,l you indecisive ones. ⁹ Give way to misery and mourn and weep.m Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into despair. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves in the eyes of Jehovah,*n and he will exalt you.o ¹¹ Stop speaking against one another, brothers.p Whoever speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against law and judges law. Now if you judge law, you are not a doer of law but a judge. ¹² There is only one who is Lawgiver and Judge,q the one who is able to save and to destroy.r But you, who are you to be judging your neighbor?s ¹³ Come, now, you who say: “Today or tomorrow we will travel to this city and will spend a year there, and we will do business and make some profit,”t ¹⁴ whereas you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow.u For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears.v ¹⁵ Instead, you should say: “If Jehovah* wills,w we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ But now you take pride in your arrogant boasting. All such boasting is wicked. ¹⁷ Therefore, if someone knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him.x

James 4

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NWT | The Letter of James 05:1-20

NWT | The Letter of James 05:1-20 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Letter of James 5:1-20

5 Come, now, you rich men, weep and wail over the miseries that are coming upon you.a ² Your riches have rotted, and your clothing has become moth-eaten.b ³ Your gold and silver have rusted away, and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh. What you have stored up will be like a fire in the last days.c ⁴ Look! The wages you have withheld from the workers who harvested your fields keep crying out, and the cries for help of the reapers have reached the ears of Jehovah* of armies.d ⁵ You have lived in luxury and for self-gratification on the earth. You have fattened your hearts on the day of slaughter.e ⁶ You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous one. Is he not opposing you? ⁷ Be patient then, brothers, until the presence of the Lord.f Look! The farmer keeps waiting for the precious fruit of the earth, exercising patience over it until the early rain and the late rain arrive.g ⁸ You too exercise patience;h make your hearts firm, because the presence of the Lord has drawn close.i ⁹ Do not grumble* against one another, brothers, so that you do not get judged.j Look! The Judge is standing before the doors. ¹⁰ Brothers, take as a pattern of the suffering of evilk and the exercising of patiencel the prophets who spoke in the name of Jehovah.*m ¹¹ Look! We consider happy* those who have endured.n You have heard of the endurance of Jobo and have seen the outcome Jehovah* gave,p that Jehovah* is very tender in affection* and merciful.q ¹² Above all, my brothers, stop swearing, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath. But let your “Yes” mean yes and your “No,” no,r so that you do not become liable to judgment. ¹³ Is there anyone suffering hardship among you? Let him carry on prayer.s Is there anyone in good spirits? Let him sing psalms.t ¹⁴ Is there anyone sick among you? Let him call the eldersu of the congregation to him, and let them pray over him, applying oil to himv in the name of Jehovah.* ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will make the sick one* well, and Jehovah* will raise him up. Also, if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, openly confess your sinsw to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. A righteous man’s supplication has a powerful effect.*x ¹⁷ E·liʹjah was a man with feelings like ours, and yet when he prayed earnestly for it not to rain, it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.y ¹⁸ Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the land produced fruit.z ¹⁹ My brothers, if anyone among you is led astray from the truth and another turns him back, ²⁰ know that whoever turns a sinner back from the errora of his way will save him* from death and will cover a multitude of sins.b

James 5

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The Letter of Jude

The Letter of Jude somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The Letter of Jude 01:1-25

NWT | The Letter of Jude 01:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Letter of Jude 1:1-25

¹ Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, but a brother of James,a to the called onesb who are loved by God the Father and preserved for Jesus Christ:c ² May mercy and peace and love be increased to you. ³ Beloved ones, although I was making every effort to write you about the salvation we hold in common,d I found it necessary to write you to urge you to put up a hard fight for the faithe that was once for all time delivered to the holy ones. ⁴ My reason is that certain men have slipped in among you who were long ago appointed to this judgment by the Scriptures; they are ungodly men who turn the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for brazen conduct*f and who prove false to our only owner* and Lord, Jesus Christ.g ⁵ Although you are fully aware of all of this, I want to remind you that Jehovah,* having saved a people out of the land of Egypt,h afterward destroyed those not showing faith.i ⁶ And the angels who did not keep their original position but forsook their own proper dwelling place,j he has reserved with eternal bonds in dense darkness for the judgment of the great day.k ⁷ In the same manner, Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah and the cities around them also gave themselves over to gross sexual immorality* and pursued unnatural fleshly desires;l they are placed before us as a warning example by undergoing the judicial punishment of everlasting fire.m ⁸ Despite this, these men too are indulging in dreams, defiling the flesh, despising authority, and speaking abusively of glorious ones.n ⁹ But when Miʹcha·elo the archangelp had a difference with the Devil and was disputing about Moses’ body,q he did not dare to bring a judgment against him in abusive terms,r but said: “May Jehovah* rebuke you.”s ¹⁰ But these men are speaking abusively about all the things they really do not understand.t And in all the things that they do understand by instinct like unreasoning animals,u they go on corrupting themselves. ¹¹ Too bad for them, for they have followed the path of Cainv and have rushed into the erroneous course of Baʹlaamw for reward, and they have perished in the rebellious talkx of Korʹah!y ¹² These are the rocks hidden below water at your love feastsz while they feast with you, shepherds who feed themselves without fear;a waterless clouds carried here and there by the wind;b fruitless trees in late autumn, having died twice* and having been uprooted; ¹³ wild waves of the sea that cast up the foam of their own shame;c stars with no set course, for which the blackest darkness stands reserved forever.d ¹⁴ Yes, the seventh one in line from Adam, Eʹnoch,e also prophesied about them when he said: “Look! Jehovah* came with his holy myriads*f ¹⁵ to execute judgment against all,g and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way, and concerning all the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.”h ¹⁶ These men are murmurers,i complainers about their lot in life, following their own desires,j and their mouths make grandiose boasts, while they are flattering others* for their own benefit.k ¹⁷ As for you, beloved ones, call to mind the sayings that have been previously spoken* by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁸ how they used to say to you: “In the last time there will be ridiculers, following their own desires for ungodly things.”l ¹⁹ These are the ones who cause divisions,m animalistic men,* not having spirituality.* ²⁰ But you, beloved ones, build yourselves up on your most holy faith, and pray with holy spirit,n ²¹ in order to keep yourselves in God’s love,o while you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ with everlasting life in view.p ²² Also, continue showing mercyq to some who have doubts;r ²³ save thems by snatching them out of the fire. But continue showing mercy to others, doing so with fear, while you hate even the garment that has been stained by the flesh.t ²⁴ Now to the one who is able to guard you from stumbling and to make you stand unblemishedu in the sight of his glory* with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority for all past eternity and now and into all eternity. Amen.

Jude 1

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The Second of John

The Second of John somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The Second of John 01:1-13

NWT | The Second of John 01:1-13 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second of John 1:1-13

¹ The older man* to the chosen lady and to her children, whom I truly love, and not only I but also all those who have come to know the truth, ² because of the truth that remains in us and will be with us forever. ³ There will be with us undeserved kindness, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, with truth and love. ⁴ I rejoice very much because I have found some of your children walking in the truth,a just as we received commandment from the Father. ⁵ So now I request you, lady, that we love one another. (I am writing you, not a new commandment, but one that we had from the beginning.)b ⁶ And this is what love means, that we go on walking according to his commandments.c This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should go on walking in it. ⁷ For many deceivers have gone out into the world,d those not acknowledging Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh.e This is the deceiver and the antichrist.f ⁸ Look out for yourselves, so that you do not lose the things we have worked to produce, but that you may obtain a full reward.g ⁹ Everyone who pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God.h The one who does remain in this teaching is the one who has both the Father and the Son.i ¹⁰ If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your homesj or say a greeting to him. ¹¹ For the one who says a greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works. ¹² Although I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink, but I am hoping to come to you and to speak with you face-to-face, so that your joy may be in full measure. ¹³ The children of your sister, the chosen one, send you their greetings.

2 John 1

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The Second of Peter

The Second of Peter somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The Second of Peter 01:1-21

NWT | The Second of Peter 01:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second of Peter 1:1-21

1 Simon Peter, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have acquired a faith as precious as ours* through the righteousness of our God and the Savior Jesus Christ: ² May undeserved kindness and peace be increased to you by an accurate knowledge+ of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ for his divine power has granted* us all the things that contribute to life and godly devotion through the accurate knowledge of the One who called us+ by his own glory and virtue. ⁴ Through these things he has granted* us the precious and very grand promises,+ so that through these you may become sharers in divine nature,+ having escaped from the world’s corruption produced by wrong desire.* ⁵ For this very reason, put forth all earnest effort+ to supply to your faith virtue,+ to your virtue knowledge,+ ⁶ to your knowledge self-control, to your self-control+ endurance, to your endurance godly devotion,+ ⁷ to your godly devotion brotherly affection, to your brotherly affection love.+ ⁸ For if these things exist in you and overflow, they will prevent you from being either inactive or unfruitful*+ regarding the accurate knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For anyone lacking these things is blind, shutting his eyes to the light,*+ and has become forgetful of his cleansing from his sins+ of long ago. ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling+ and choosing sure for yourselves, for if you keep on doing these things, you will by no means ever fail.+ ¹¹ In fact, in this way you will be richly granted* entrance into the everlasting Kingdom+ of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.+ ¹² For this reason I intend always to remind you of these things, although you know them and are well-established in the truth that is present in you. ¹³ But I consider it right, as long as I am in this tabernacle,*+ to stir you with reminders,+ ¹⁴ knowing as I do that my tabernacle is soon to be removed, just as also our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me.+ ¹⁵ I will always do my utmost so that after my departure, you may be able to recall* these things for yourselves. ¹⁶ No, it was not by following artfully contrived false stories that we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but rather, we were eyewitnesses of his magnificence.+ ¹⁷ For he received from God the Father honor and glory when words such as these* were conveyed to him by the magnificent glory: “This is my Son, my beloved, whom I myself have approved.”+ ¹⁸ Yes, these words we heard coming from heaven while we were with him in the holy mountain. ¹⁹ So we have the prophetic word made more sure, and you are doing well in paying attention to it as to a lamp+ shining in a dark place (until day dawns and a daystar+ rises) in your hearts. ²⁰ For you know this first, that no prophecy of Scripture springs from any private interpretation. ²¹ For prophecy was at no time brought by man’s will,+ but men spoke from God as they were moved* by holy spirit.+

Footnotes

^ Or “a faith held in equal privilege with ours.”

^ Or “freely given.”

^ Or “by lust.”

^ Or “unproductive.”

^ Or possibly, “blind, shortsighted.”

^ Or “abundantly supplied with.”

^ Or “tent,” that is, his earthly body.

^ Or “mention.”

^ Lit., “such a voice.”

^ Lit., “carried along; borne along.”

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

2 Peter 1

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NWT | The Second of Peter 02:1-22

NWT | The Second of Peter 02:1-22 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second of Peter 2:1-22

2 However, there also came to be false prophets among the people, as there will also be false teachers among you.a These will quietly bring in destructive sects, and they will even disown the owner who bought them,b bringing speedy destruction upon themselves. ² Furthermore, many will follow their brazen conduct,*c and because of them the way of the truth will be spoken of abusively.d ³ Also, they will greedily exploit you with counterfeit words. But their judgment, decided long ago,e is not moving slowly, and their destruction is not sleeping.f ⁴ Certainly God did not refrain from punishing the angels who sinned,g but threw them into Tarʹta·rus,*h putting them in chains* of dense darkness to be reserved for judgment.i ⁵ And he did not refrain from punishing an ancient world,j but kept Noah, a preacher of righteousness,k safe with seven othersl when he brought a flood upon a world of ungodly people.m ⁶ And by reducing the cities of Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah to ashes, he condemned them,n setting a pattern for ungodly people of things to come.o ⁷ And he rescued righteous Lot,p who was greatly distressed by the brazen conduct* of the lawless people— ⁸ for day after day that righteous man was tormenting his righteous soul* over the lawless deeds that he saw and heard while dwelling among them. ⁹ So, then, Jehovah* knows how to rescue people of godly devotion out of trial,q but to reserve unrighteous people to be destroyed* on the day of judgment,r ¹⁰ especially those who seek to defile the flesh of otherss and who despise authority.*t Daring and self-willed, they are not afraid to speak abusively of glorious ones, ¹¹ whereas angels, although they are greater in strength and power, do not bring against them an accusation in abusive terms, out of respect for* Jehovah.*u ¹² But these men, like unreasoning animals that act on instinct and are born* to be caught and destroyed, speak abusively about things of which they are ignorant.v They will suffer destruction brought on by their own destructive course, ¹³ suffering harm as their reward for their own harmful course. They consider it pleasurable to indulge in luxurious living,w even in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes who revel* in their deceptive teachings while feasting together with you.x ¹⁴ Their eyes are full of adulteryy and are unable to desist from sin, and they entice unstable ones.* They have a heart trained in greed. They are accursed children. ¹⁵ Abandoning the straight path, they have been led astray. They have followed the path of Baʹlaamz the son of Beʹor, who loved the reward of wrongdoing,a ¹⁶ but was reproved for his own violation of what was right.b A voiceless beast of burden speaking with a human voice hindered the prophet’s mad course.c ¹⁷ These are waterless springs and mists driven by a violent storm, and the blackest darkness has been reserved for them.d ¹⁸ They make high-sounding statements that are empty. By appealing to the desires of the fleshe and with acts of brazen conduct,* they entice people who have just escaped from those who live in error.f ¹⁹ While they are promising them freedom, they themselves are slaves of corruption;g for if anyone is overcome by someone, he is his slave.*h ²⁰ Certainly if after escaping from the defilements of the worldi by an accurate knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they get involved again with these very things and are overcome, their final state has become worse for them than the first.j ²¹ It would have been better for them not to have accurately known the path of righteousness than after knowing it to turn away from the holy commandment they had received.k ²² What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog has returned to its own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire.”l

2 Peter 2

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NWT | The Second of Peter 03:1-18

NWT | The Second of Peter 03:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second of Peter 3:1-18

3 Beloved ones, this is now the second letter I am writing you in which, as in my first one, I am stirring up your clear thinking faculties by way of a reminder,a ² that you should remember the sayings previously spoken* by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. ³ First of all know this, that in the last days ridiculers will come with their ridicule, proceeding according to their own desiresb ⁴ and saying: “Where is this promised presence of his?c Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as they were from creation’s beginning.”d ⁵ For they deliberately ignore this fact, that long ago there were heavens and an earth standing firmly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God;e ⁶ and that by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was flooded with water.f ⁷ But by the same word the heavens and the earth that now exist are reserved for fire and are being kept until the day of judgment and of destruction of the ungodly people.g ⁸ However, do not let this escape your notice, beloved ones, that one day is with Jehovah* as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.h ⁹ Jehovah* is not slow concerning his promise,i as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance.j ¹⁰ But Jehovah’s* dayk will come as a thief,l in which the heavens will pass awaym with a roar,* but the elements being intensely hot will be dissolved, and earth and the works in it will be exposed.n ¹¹ Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, consider what sort of people you ought to be in holy acts of conduct and deeds of godly devotion, ¹² as you await and keep close in mind* the presence of the day of Jehovah,*o through which the heavens will be destroyedp in flames and the elements will melt in the intense heat! ¹³ But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise,q and in these righteousness is to dwell.r ¹⁴ Therefore, beloved ones, since you are awaiting these things, do your utmost to be found finally by him spotless and unblemished and in peace.s ¹⁵ Furthermore, consider the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote you according to the wisdom given him,t ¹⁶ speaking about these things as he does in all his letters. However, some things in them are hard to understand, and these things the ignorant* and unstable are twisting, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. ¹⁷ You, therefore, beloved ones, having this advance knowledge, be on your guard so that you may not be led astray with them by the error of the lawless people and fall from your own steadfastness.*u ¹⁸ No, but go on growing in the undeserved kindness and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

2 Peter 3

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The Second to Timothy

The Second to Timothy somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The Second to Timothy 01:1-18

NWT | The Second to Timothy 01:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to Timothy 1:1-18

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will according to the promise of the life that is through Christ Jesus,a ² to Timothy, a beloved child:b May you have undeserved kindness, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. ³ I am grateful to God, to whom I am rendering sacred service as my forefathers did, and with a clean conscience,c never ceasing to remember you in my supplications night and day. ⁴ As I remember your tears, I am longing to see you, so that I may get filled with joy. ⁵ For I recall your unhypocritical faith,d which dwelled first in your grandmother Loʹis and your mother Euʹnice, but which I am confident is also in you. ⁶ For this reason I remind you to stir up like a fire the gift of God that is in you through the laying of my hands on you.e ⁷ For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice,f but one of powerg and of love and of soundness of mind. ⁸ So do not become ashamed either of the witness about our Lordh or of me, a prisoner for his sake, but take your part in suffering adversityi for the good news by relying on the power of God.j ⁹ He saved us and called us with a holy calling,k not because of our works,l but because of his own purpose and undeserved kindness.m This was given to us in connection with Christ Jesus before times long ago,n ¹⁰ but now it has been made clearly evident through the manifestation of our Savior, Christ Jesus,o who has abolished deathp and has shed light on lifeq and incorruptionr through the good news,s ¹¹ for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.t ¹² This is why I am also suffering these things,u but I am not ashamed.v For I know the One whom I have believed, and I am confident that he is able to guard what I have laid up in trust with him until that day.w ¹³ Keep holding to the standard of wholesome wordsx that you heard from me with the faith and love that result from union with Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard this fine trust by means of the holy spirit, which is dwelling in us.y ¹⁵ You know this, that all the men in the province of Asiaz have turned away from me, including Phy·gelʹus and Her·mogʹe·nes. ¹⁶ May the Lord grant mercy to the household of On·e·siphʹo·rus,a for he often refreshed me, and he did not become ashamed of my prison chains. ¹⁷ On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he diligently looked for me and found me. ¹⁸ May the Lord grant him to find mercy from Jehovah in that day. And you well know all the services he rendered in Ephʹe·sus.

2 Timothy 1

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NWT | The Second to Timothy 02:1-26

NWT | The Second to Timothy 02:1-26 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to Timothy 2:1-26

2 You, therefore, my child,a keep on acquiring power in the undeserved kindness that is in Christ Jesus; ² and the things you heard from me that were supported by many witnesses,b these things entrust to faithful men, who, in turn, will be adequately qualified to teach others. ³ As a fine soldierc of Christ Jesus, take your part in suffering adversity.d ⁴ No man serving as a soldier involves himself in the commercial businesses of life, in order to gain the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier. ⁵ And even in the games, anyone who competes is not crowned unless he has competed according to the rules.e ⁶ The hardworking farmer must be the first to partake of the fruits. ⁷ Give constant thought to what I am saying; the Lord will give you understanding in all things. ⁸ Remember that Jesus Christ was raised up from the deadf and was David’s offspring,g according to the good news I preach,h ⁹ for which I am suffering and being imprisoned as a criminal.i Nevertheless, the word of God is not bound.j ¹⁰ For this reason I go on enduring all things for the sake of the chosen ones,k so that they too may obtain the salvation that is through Christ Jesus, along with everlasting glory. ¹¹ This saying is trustworthy: Certainly if we died together, we will also live together;l ¹² if we go on enduring, we will also rule together as kings;m if we deny, he will also deny us;n ¹³ if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. ¹⁴ Keep reminding them of these things, instructing them before God not to fight about words, something of no usefulness at all because it harms those listening. ¹⁵ Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright.o ¹⁶ But reject empty speeches that violate what is holy,p for they will lead to more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their word will spread like gangrene. Hy·me·naeʹus and Phi·leʹtus are among them.q ¹⁸ These men have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred,r and they are subverting the faith of some. ¹⁹ Despite that, the solid foundation of God remains standing, having this seal, “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,”s and, “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovaht renounce unrighteousness.” ²⁰ Now in a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and earthenware, and some for an honorable use but others for a use lacking honor. ²¹ So if anyone keeps clear of the latter ones,u he will be an instrument for an honorable use, sanctified, useful to his owner, prepared for every good work. ²² So flee from youthful desires, but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a clean heart.v ²³ Further, reject foolish and ignorant debates,w knowing that they produce fights. ²⁴ For a slave of the Lord does not need to fight, but needs to be gentle toward all,x qualified to teach, showing restraint when wronged,y ²⁵ instructing with mildness those not favorably disposed.z Perhaps God may give them repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth,a ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the Devil, seeing that they have been caught alive by him to do his will.b

2 Timothy 2

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NWT | The Second to Timothy 03:1-17

NWT | The Second to Timothy 03:1-17 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to Timothy 3:1-17

3 But know this, that in the last daysa critical times hard to deal with will be here. ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, disloyal, ³ having no natural affection, not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, ⁴ betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride, lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having an appearance of godliness but proving false to its power;b and from these turn away. ⁶ From among these arise men who slyly work their way into households and captivate weak women loaded down with sins, led by various desires, ⁷ always learning and yet never able to come to an accurate knowledge of truth. ⁸ Now in the way that Janʹnes and Jamʹbres opposed Moses, so these also go on opposing the truth. Such men are completely corrupted in mind, disapproved as regards the faith. ⁹ Nevertheless, they will make no further progress, for their folly will be very plain to all, as it was with those two men.c ¹⁰ But you have closely followed my teaching, my course of life,d my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my endurance, ¹¹ the persecutions and sufferings such as I experienced in Antioch,e in I·coʹni·um,f in Lysʹtra.g I endured these persecutions, and the Lord rescued me from them all.h ¹² In fact, all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted.i ¹³ But wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled.j ¹⁴ You, however, continue in the things that you learned and were persuaded to believe,k knowing from whom you learned them ¹⁵ and that from infancyl you have known the holy writings,m which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.n ¹⁶ All Scripture is inspired of Godo and beneficial for teaching,p for reproving, for setting things straight,q for disciplining in righteousness,r ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3

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NWT | The Second to Timothy 04:1-22

NWT | The Second to Timothy 04:1-22 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to Timothy 4:1-22

4 I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is to judge+ the living and the dead,+ and by his manifestation+ and his Kingdom:+ ² Preach the word;+ be at it urgently in favorable times and difficult times; reprove,+ reprimand, exhort, with all patience and art of teaching.+ ³ For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching,+ but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled.+ ⁴ They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories.+ ⁵ You, though, keep your senses in all things,+ endure hardship,+ do the work of an evangelizer, fully accomplish your ministry.+ ⁶ For I am already being poured out like a drink offering,+ and the time for my releasing+ is imminent. ⁷ I have fought the fine fight,+ I have run the race to the finish,+ I have observed the faith.* ⁸ From this time on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness,+ which the Lord, the righteous judge,+ will give me as a reward in that day,+ yet not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his manifestation. ⁹ Do your utmost to come to me shortly. ¹⁰ For Deʹmas+ has forsaken me because he loved the present system of things, and he has gone to Thes·sa·lo·niʹca, Cresʹcens to Ga·laʹti·a, Titus to Dal·maʹtia. ¹¹ Only Luke is with me. Bring Mark along with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry.+ ¹² But I have sent Tychʹi·cus+ off to Ephʹe·sus. ¹³ When you come, bring the cloak I left at Troʹas with Carpus, and the scrolls, especially the parchments. ¹⁴ Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm. Jehovah will repay him according to his deeds.+ ¹⁵ You too should be on guard against him, for he opposed our message to an excessive degree. ¹⁶ In my first defense no one came to my side, but they all forsook me—may they not be held accountable. ¹⁷ But the Lord stood near me and infused power into me,+ so that through me the preaching might be fully accomplished and all the nations might hear it;+ and I was rescued from the lion’s mouth.+ ¹⁸ The Lord will rescue me from every wicked work and will save me for his heavenly Kingdom.+ To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. ¹⁹ Give my greetings to Prisʹca and Aqʹui·la+ and the household of On·e·siphʹo·rus.+ ²⁰ E·rasʹtus+ stayed in Corinth, but I left Trophʹi·mus+ sick at Mi·leʹtus. ²¹ Do your utmost to arrive before winter. Eu·buʹlus sends you his greetings, and so do Puʹdens and Liʹnus and Clauʹdi·a and all the brothers. ²² The Lord be with the spirit you show. His undeserved kindness be with you.

Footnotes

^ Or “I have maintained faithfulness.”

Study Notes

the judgment seat of the Christ: At Ro 14:10, Paul referred to “the judgment seat of God.” However, Jehovah judges by means of his Son (Joh 5:22, 27), so it is here called “the judgment seat of the Christ.” In early Christian times, a judgment seat (Greek, beʹma) was usually a raised outdoor platform, accessed by steps. Seated officials could address the crowds and announce their decisions from this platform. (Mt 27:19; Joh 19:13; Ac 12:21; 18:12; 25:6, 10) Paul’s use of the term here might have reminded the Corinthians of the formidable judgment seat in Corinth.—See Glossary, “Judgment seat,” and Media Gallery, “Judgment Seat in Corinth.”

I solemnly charge you: With this expression, Paul seeks to impress on Timothy the seriousness of what the apostle is about to say. (See study note on 1Ti 5:21, where Paul uses the same expression.) Paul and Timothy had been doing much to strengthen the congregations and protect them from the influence of false teachers. Paul knows that his death is near (2Ti 4:6-8), so he wants Timothy to remain vigilant in carrying out the direction that follows (2Ti 4:2-5).

Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead: In the Hebrew Scriptures, Jehovah God is identified as “the Judge of all the earth.” (Ge 18:25) Similarly, in the Christian Greek Scriptures, Jehovah is called “the Judge of all.” (Heb 12:23) However, the Hebrew Scriptures prophesied that the Messiah would also serve as a judge. (Isa 11:3-5) In harmony with such prophecies, Jesus revealed that his Father had “entrusted all the judging to the Son.” (Joh 5:22, 27) Further, the Bible speaks of Jesus as “decreed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.”—Ac 10:42; 17:31; 1Pe 4:5; see also study note on 2Co 5:10.

his manifestation: In this context, “manifestation” points to a future set time when Christ’s glorious position in heaven will be clearly recognizable. At that time, he will execute God’s judgments on mankind.—Da 2:44; 7:13, 14; see also study note on 1Ti 6:14.

handling the word of the truth aright: Paul here uses a Greek verb that literally means “to cut straight.” Various suggestions have been made about what Paul was alluding to. For example, as a tentmaker, he might have had in mind cutting a precise, straight line through cloth. Or he may have been alluding to how the term is used at Pr 3:6 and 11:5 in the Septuagint, where the verb describes making one’s figurative path, or road, straight. The verb could also be used in other ways, such as to describe a farmer’s plowing a straight furrow in the soil. In any case, Paul was basically telling Timothy to hold to a straight course when teaching from God’s Word—to handle it properly, explain it accurately, and avoid turning aside by engaging in debates about personal viewpoints, words, or other trivial matters.—2Ti 2:14, 16.

do the work of an evangelizer: Or “keep preaching the good news.” Jesus commissioned all Christians to do the work of evangelizing, or proclaiming the good news of salvation from God. (Mt 24:14; 28:19, 20; Ac 5:42; 8:4; Ro 10:9, 10) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the terms for evangelizing usually refer to preaching to unbelievers. As a Christian overseer, Timothy had many teaching responsibilities within the congregation, as described at 2Ti 4:1, 2. However, he and all other overseers were also to share in preaching the good news outside the congregation.

exhortation: Or “encouragement.” While exhortation involves stirring others to action, the Greek word used here also includes the idea of giving encouragement and comfort. Just as Timothy needed to prepare carefully for public reading and teaching, he needed to devote thought and effort to consoling and encouraging his brothers.—See study notes on Ro 12:8; Php 2:1.

be patient toward all: The Greek words referring to “patience” denote calm endurance and slowness to anger, qualities that Jehovah and Jesus constantly show in their dealings with humans. (Ro 2:4; 9:22; 1Ti 1:16; 1Pe 3:20; 2Pe 3:9, 15; see study note on Ga 5:22.) As imitators of Jehovah and Jesus, Christians are to be patient. (1Co 11:1; Eph 5:1) The Greek verb for “to be patient” is used twice in Jesus’ illustration about two slaves, each of whom pleaded: “Be patient with me.” (Mt 18:26, 29) The unforgiving “wicked slave” refused to be patient and merciful, in contrast with the master, whom Jesus uses to picture his heavenly Father. (Mt 18:30-35) Jesus’ illustration and the use of the same verb at 2Pe 3:9 suggest that being patient with others includes being forgiving and merciful.

his way of teaching: This expression refers to how Jesus taught, his teaching methods, which included what he taught, the whole body of instruction in the Sermon on the Mount.

teaching them: The Greek word rendered “to teach” involves instruction, explanation, showing things by argument, and offering proofs. (See study notes on Mt 3:1; 4:23.) Teaching them to observe all the things that Jesus had commanded would be an ongoing process, which would include teaching what he taught, applying his teaching, and following his example.—Joh 13:17; Eph 4:21; 1Pe 2:21.

qualified to teach: An overseer should be a skillful teacher, able to convey Scriptural truths and moral principles to his fellow believers. In his letter to Titus, Paul says that an overseer needs to hold “firmly to the faithful word as respects his art of teaching” in order to encourage, exhort, and reprove. (Tit 1:5, 7, 9 and study notes) Paul also uses the expression “qualified to teach” in his second letter to Timothy. There he says that “a slave of the Lord” needs to show self-control and instruct “with mildness those not favorably disposed.” (2Ti 2:24, 25) So an overseer should be able to reason convincingly from the Scriptures, to give sound counsel, and to reach the hearts of his listeners. (See study note on Mt 28:20.) He needs to be a diligent student of God’s Word in order to teach others who themselves are students of the Bible.

Preach the word: The context suggests that Paul here refers primarily to preaching in the congregation. (2Ti 4:3, 4) Timothy, as an overseer, was to preach the word of God effectively in order to strengthen the faith of his listeners and to help them resist apostate ideas. False teachers stirred up debates about words and relied on personal opinions and false stories. In contrast, overseers were to preach only “the word,” the inspired Word of God. (See study note on 2Ti 2:15; see also 2Ti 3:6-9, 14, 16.) In a broader sense, this counsel may also apply to preaching outside the congregation; Paul goes on to urge Timothy to “do the work of an evangelizer.”—2Ti 4:5 and study note.

be at it urgently: Paul here uses a Greek verb that literally means “to stand upon,” but the verb is broad in meaning; it often means “to stand by or near, to be ready.” The term was sometimes used in a military setting to refer to a soldier or a guard at his post who was always ready for action. But the word could also refer to giving immediate attention to something. The idea of being zealous and persistent is included. Paul wants Timothy to stand at the ready for any opportunity to “preach the word.”—See study note on Preach the word in this verse.

in favorable times and difficult times: Or “in season, out of season.” Paul urges Timothy to keep on defending the truths of God’s Word in all circumstances. He should do so during times of relative peace, but he must persist even when facing such obstacles as opposition from false teachers and their attempts to divide the congregation.

reprove: See study note on 1Ti 5:20.

reprimand: The Greek verb here rendered “reprimand” means “to rebuke, to warn strongly, or to instruct sternly.” It could refer to a warning intended to prevent a person from taking an action or to stop him from continuing to act in a certain way.—Mt 16:20; Mr 8:33; Lu 17:3.

exhort: See study notes on Ro 12:8; 1Ti 4:13.

with all patience: Timothy had learned much about patience from Paul. (2Ti 3:10) As an overseer, Timothy would need to exercise great patience because some in the congregation had been influenced by false teachings. When reproving, reprimanding, and exhorting his fellow Christians, he would always need to show restraint, patiently appealing to their desire to do what was right. If he were to give in to annoyance or frustration, he might alienate or even stumble some.—1Pe 5:2, 3; see study note on 1Th 5:14.

with all . . . art of teaching: The Greek word here rendered “art of teaching” can refer both to the manner of teaching and to the content of the teaching. (See study note on Mt 7:28, where the same word is rendered “way of teaching.”) In this context, the focus is on the manner of teaching, and that is why the word is rendered “art of teaching.” Because Paul uses the Greek word for “all” in this phrase, some translations use such expressions as “every kind of instruction,” “all your teaching skills,” or “careful instruction.” Commenting on this verse, one scholar stated that Timothy “must always show himself a sound and resourceful teacher of Christian truth.”—1Ti 4:15, 16; see study notes on Mt 28:20; 1Ti 3:2.

some will fall away from the faith: Paul foretells that some professing to be Christians will abandon the divine teachings contained in the Scriptures and will leave the true worship of God. The Greek verb here rendered “fall away from” literally means “to stand away from” and can also be rendered “to withdraw; to renounce; to draw away.” (Ac 19:9; 2Ti 2:19; Heb 3:12) It is related to a noun rendered “apostasy.”—See study note on 2Th 2:3.

wholesome: Or “healthful; beneficial.”—See study note on 1Ti 6:3.

to have their ears tickled: Or “to tell them what they want to hear.” In this vivid metaphor, Paul uses a Greek verb that can mean “to tickle; to scratch” but also “to feel an itching.” It occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. The word picture apparently conveys the idea of people who feel a yearning—which some translations liken to an itch—to hear what satisfies their selfish desires rather than what would help them to stay healthy in the faith. So they select teachers who tickle their ears, so to speak, by telling them what they want to hear. Because of the foretold apostasy, there would be an abundance of such self-serving disciples and false teachers; so Timothy’s work is urgent.—See study note on 1Ti 4:1.

false stories: At 2Ti 4:4, Paul contrasts “false stories” with “the truth.” One lexicon defines the Greek word myʹthos, here rendered “false stories,” as “legend, fable . . . fiction, myth.” In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the word is always used in the negative sense. Paul may have had in mind fanciful legends that promoted religious lies or some sensational rumors. (Tit 1:14; 2Pe 1:16; see study note on 1Ti 4:7.) He instructs Christians not to pay attention to, or occupy themselves with, such false stories. These offered no real benefit and could turn the minds of the Christians away from the truth found in God’s Word.—2Ti 1:13.

false stories: See study note on 1Ti 1:4.

keep our senses: Lit., “may we be sober.” The Greek word used here also appears at 1Th 5:8; 2Ti 4:5; 1Pe 1:13; 4:7 (“be vigilant”); 5:8.

declare the good news: The Greek verb used here, eu·ag·ge·liʹzo·mai (“to declare good news”), appears 54 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It is frequently found in Luke’s writings. (Lu 1:19; 2:10; 3:18; 4:18; 8:1; 9:6; 20:1; Ac 5:42; 8:4; 10:36; 11:20; 13:32; 14:15, 21; 15:35; 16:10; 17:18) There is a difference between the term ke·rysʹso, “to preach; to proclaim” (Mt 3:1; 4:17; 24:14; Lu 4:18, 19; 8:1, 39; 9:2; 24:47; Ac 8:5; 28:31; Re 5:2), and eu·ag·ge·liʹzo·mai, “to declare good news.” The former stresses the manner of the proclamation, that it is a public, authorized pronouncement. The latter stresses the content thereof, the declaring or bringing of “the good news.” The related noun eu·ag·geʹli·on (“good news”) appears 76 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures.—See study notes on Mt 4:23; 24:14 and Glossary, “Good news, the.”

evangelizer: The basic meaning of the Greek term eu·ag·ge·li·stesʹ, rendered “evangelizer,” is “a proclaimer of good news.” (See study note on Mt 4:23.) While all Christians are commissioned to proclaim the good news (Mt 24:14; 28:19, 20; Ac 5:42; 8:4; Ro 10:9, 10), the context of the three scriptures where this Greek term occurs shows that “evangelizer” can be used in a special sense (Ac 21:8; Eph 4:11; ftn.; 2Ti 4:5; ftn.). For example, when it is used of a person opening up new fields where the good news had never been preached, the Greek term could also be rendered “missionary.” After Pentecost, Philip pioneered the work in the city of Samaria with great success. He was also directed by an angel to preach the good news about Christ to the Ethiopian eunuch, whom he baptized. Then Philip was led away by the spirit to preach in Ashdod and all the cities on the way to Caesarea. (Ac 8:5, 12, 14, 26-40) Some 20 years later, when the events recorded at Ac 21:8 occurred, Philip is still referred to as “the evangelizer.”

evangelizers: The Greek word that Paul uses here basically means “those who proclaim, or publish, good news.” The word is related to the Greek term for “gospel,” or “good news,” and it occurs only here and in two other verses in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (2Ti 4:5; see study note on Ac 21:8.) All Christians are commissioned to proclaim the good news. (Mt 24:14; 28:19, 20) However, Paul likely uses the term “evangelizers” here in a special sense, meaning “missionaries.” For example, Paul, Timothy, Barnabas, and Silas traveled far to open up the preaching work in places where the good news had not yet been preached.—Ac 13:2-4; 15:40, 41; 16:3, 4.

glorify: Or “magnify.” The Greek verb do·xaʹzo (to glorify; to give glory to), related to the word doʹxa (glory; honor), is often used in connection with glorifying God. (Mt 5:16; 9:8; Mr 2:12; Lu 2:20; 5:25, 26; Ac 4:21; 11:18; Ro 15:6, 9) In this context, the verb may convey such shades of meaning as “take pride in; take seriously; make the most of.” Paul shows that he highly esteems his “ministry,” regarding it as an honor of the highest order.

my ministry: When Jesus was on earth, he commissioned his followers to make disciples of people of all the nations. (Mt 28:19, 20) Paul called this work “the ministry of the reconciliation.” In Paul’s words, “we beg” a world alienated from God to “become reconciled to God.” (2Co 5:18-20) Paul made the most of his Christian ministry to the nations, but at the same time, his earnest desire was that some Jews would also be moved to take the necessary steps to gain salvation. (Ro 11:14) The basic meaning of the Greek word di·a·ko·niʹa is “service” and the related verb is sometimes used in the Bible with regard to personal services, such as waiting on tables. (Lu 4:39; 17:8; Joh 2:5) Here it refers to the Christian ministry. This is an elevated form of service, that of ministering to the spiritual needs of others.

this ministry: That is, the ministry performed by the “ministers of a new covenant” mentioned at 2Co 3:6. (See study note.) By means of this ministry, which Paul calls a “treasure,” the truth is made manifest.—2Co 4:2, 7.

I am grateful to Christ Jesus: Paul viewed his assignment “to a ministry” as proof of Christ Jesus’ mercy, love, and trust in him. Previously, he had been “a persecutor and an insolent man,” even approving of the murder of Stephen. (1Ti 1:13; Ac 6:8; 7:58; 8:1, 3; 9:1, 2) To show his gratefulness, Paul was eager to minister to the spiritual needs of others. For example, he enthusiastically preached the good news.—See study note on Ro 11:13.

keep your senses: The Greek verb here used literally means “to be sober.” (1Pe 1:13; 5:8; see study note on 1Th 5:6.) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the verb is used figuratively to convey the idea of being “well-balanced, self-controlled.” Paul would not be on the scene much longer. (2Ti 4:6-8) Timothy thus needed to continue doing his part as an overseer to build up the congregation and fortify it against the apostasy to come. (1Ti 3:15; 2Ti 4:3, 4) He had to remain balanced, vigilant, and watchful in all aspects of his ministry.

an evangelizer: Or “a proclaimer of the good news.” (See study note on Mt 4:23.) The related Greek verb often rendered “to declare the good news” appears many times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It frequently describes the way Jesus and all his followers proclaimed the good news of God’s Kingdom. (Lu 4:43 and study note; Ac 5:42 and study note; 8:4; 15:35) However, the specific term that Paul here uses appears only three times; in each case, the context shows that “evangelizer” may also be used in the special sense of “a missionary.” (See study notes on Ac 21:8; Eph 4:11.) As a missionary, Timothy had traveled with Paul to open up the preaching work in places where the good news had not yet reached, and the apostle had also given him other special assignments. (Ac 16:3, 4; 1Ti 1:3) Now Paul encourages him to continue to fulfill any such important assignment.

fully accomplish your ministry: In order to follow this direction, Timothy could look to Paul’s example. Paul highly valued the privilege of ministering to the spiritual needs of others, both inside and outside the congregation. (See study notes on Ro 11:13; 2Co 4:1; 1Ti 1:12.) In fact, all true Christians were entrusted with a ministry. (2Co 4:1) In what may have been his parting exhortation to Timothy, Paul here encourages him to devote himself completely to his ministry and to fulfill all aspects of it.

I am being poured out like a drink offering: The Israelites presented drink offerings of wine along with most other offerings, pouring out the cup of wine on the altar. (Le 23:18, 37; Nu 15:2, 5, 10; 28:7) Here Paul refers to himself as a figurative drink offering. He expressed his willingness to drain himself both physically and emotionally to support the Philippians and other fellow Christians as they presented their spiritual sacrifices and performed their “holy service” to God. (Compare 2Co 12:15.) Shortly before his death, he wrote to Timothy: “I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my releasing is imminent.”—2Ti 4:6.

in that day: Paul here refers, not to the day of his death, but to the much later time when Christ is ruling as King of God’s Kingdom. Paul and all other anointed ones in the grave would be raised to immortal life in heaven.—1Th 4:14-16; 2Ti 1:12.

the releasing: Paul is apparently referring to his death. In his second letter to Timothy, written about 65 C.E., he uses a related Greek word when he says regarding his death: “The time for my releasing is imminent.” (2Ti 4:6) The expressions “the releasing and the being with Christ” are apparently parallel to what Paul says at 2Co 5:8: “We . . . would prefer to be absent from the body and to make our home with the Lord.” He viewed his death as a faithful anointed servant of God as a “releasing,” paving the way for him to be resurrected later to life in Christ’s “heavenly Kingdom.” (2Ti 4:18) As Paul explained at 1Co 15:23, “those who belong to the Christ” would be resurrected to heavenly life “during [Christ’s future] presence.” So Paul is here expressing his desire to finish his earthly course faithfully so that he could later be resurrected to heavenly life. Paul’s usage of the term “releasing” is not unique. Other Greek writers used the term as a euphemism for dying.

being poured out like a drink offering: According to the Mosaic Law, a drink offering was presented along with the burnt offering and the grain offering. (Le 23:18, 37; Nu 15:2, 5, 10; 28:7) One reference work states regarding drink offerings: “As with the burnt offering, all was expended and nothing was given to the priest; the entire libation was poured out.” When writing to the Philippians, Paul alluded to such an offering to show that he was happy to expend himself completely, both physically and emotionally, for his fellow Christians. (Php 2:17 and study note) He uses the same expression here, this time referring to his approaching death.

my releasing: Paul viewed his death as a faithful anointed servant of God as a “releasing,” since it would pave the way for his future resurrection to life in Christ’s “heavenly Kingdom.” (2Ti 4:18; see also study note on 2Ti 4:8.) Similarly, Paul earlier wrote to the Philippians: “I do desire the releasing and the being with Christ.” (Php 1:23 and study note) Timothy likely remembered the expression because he was with Paul in Rome when the apostle wrote that letter.—Php 1:1; 2:19.

the runners in a race: Athletic competitions were an integral part of Greek culture, so Paul made good use of these events as illustrations. (1Co 9:24-27; Php 3:14; 2Ti 2:5; 4:7, 8; Heb 12:1, 2) The Corinthian Christians were acquainted with the athletic contests at the Isthmian Games held near Corinth. These games were held every two years. Paul would have been in Corinth during the games of 51 C.E. They were second in importance only to the Olympic Games held at Olympia in Greece. The runners at such Greek games ran races of varying lengths. By using runners and boxers in his illustrations, Paul taught the value of self-control, efficiency, and endurance.—1Co 9:26.

a race: The word “race” renders the Greek term staʹdi·on, or stadium. That Greek term may refer to the structure used for footraces and other events, to a distance, or to the footraces themselves. In this context, Paul is referring to a footrace. The length of a Greek staʹdi·on varied from place to place. In Corinth, it was about 165 m (540 ft). The approximate length of the Roman stadium was 185 m, or 606.95 ft.—See App. B14.

stretching forward to the things ahead: Paul’s wording suggests that he is likening himself to a runner, perhaps indirectly referring to athletes in the Greek games. (See study notes on 1Co 9:24.) This imagery was familiar to the Greco-Roman world, and runners were often represented in statues or portrayed on vases. A runner in a footrace would not focus on what was behind him; doing so would only slow him down. Second-century Greek writer Lucian used similar imagery, saying: “A good runner from the moment that the [starting] barrier falls thinks only of getting forward, sets his mind on the finish and counts on his legs to win for him.” The runner would strenuously put forth every effort to reach his goal, the finish line. Paul remained focused, not on the worldly goals he had left behind, but on the reward ahead of him.—See study note on Php 3:14.

I have run the race to the finish: Paul compares himself to a runner in a footrace to illustrate his Christian course of life. Now toward the end of his earthly life, he is confident that he has finished his figurative race. A number of times in his letters, Paul has used athletes in the Greek games as an illustration.—Heb 12:1; see study notes on 1Co 9:24; Php 3:13.

his seal: In Bible times, a seal was used as a signature to prove ownership, authenticity, or agreement. In the case of spirit-anointed Christians, God has figuratively sealed them by his holy spirit to indicate that they are his possession and that they are in line for heavenly life.—Eph 1:13, 14.

the token of what is to come: Or “the down payment; the guarantee (pledge) of what is to come.” The three occurrences of the Greek word ar·ra·bonʹ in the Christian Greek Scriptures all deal with God’s anointing of Christians with the spirit, that is, God’s holy spirit, or active force. (2Co 5:5; Eph 1:13, 14) This special operation of holy spirit becomes like a down payment of what is to come. Spirit-anointed Christians are convinced of their hope because of this token that they receive. Their full payment, or reward, includes their putting on an incorruptible heavenly body. (2Co 5:1-5) It also includes receiving the gift of immortality.—1Co 15:48-54.

From this time on, there is reserved for me: Paul understood that his heavenly reward was now reserved for him; it was set aside, or certain. Paul had earlier received the initial part of his sealing as an anointed son of God. (See study notes on 2Co 1:22.) However, anointed Christians receive their final sealing only when they faithfully endure “to the end.” (Mt 10:22; 2Ti 2:12; Jas 1:12; Re 2:10; 7:1-4; 17:14) Now with death so close, Paul knew that he had fully demonstrated his loyalty. By means of holy spirit, Jehovah made Paul aware that his final sealing was assured, complete. For the remainder of his earthly life, his heavenly hope was guaranteed.

the crown of righteousness: Paul used the Greek word rendered “crown” elsewhere. For instance, at 1Co 9:25, 26, he used it to refer to the literal crown, or wreath, that was awarded to victorious athletes. In that same passage, he wrote that he hoped to receive a far better reward—“a crown . . . that does not perish.” Paul here refers to that same reward as “the crown of righteousness.” When anointed Christians keep living by righteous standards until death, the Lord Jesus Christ, referred to here as “the righteous judge,” is delighted to grant them this crown—the reward of immortal life in heaven.

all those who have loved his manifestation: During his presence in royal power, Christ would turn his attention to spirit-anointed Christians who had been sleeping in death. (1Th 4:15, 16) He would reward them by resurrecting them to immortal life in heaven, fulfilling his promise to receive them home to himself. (Joh 14:3; Re 14:13; see study note on the crown of righteousness in this verse.) In this way, Christ would be powerfully manifested to them. Seeing their beloved Master in his heavenly glory is an event they “have loved,” or have longed for. Faithful Christians who hope to live on earth under the rule of God’s heavenly Kingdom are also eagerly looking forward to Christ’s manifestation when all will clearly recognize Jesus in his glorious and powerful position in heaven.—Da 2:44; see also study note on 1Ti 6:14.

Demas: Paul mentions this fellow worker in his letter to Philemon as well. (Phm 24) Only a few years later, however, Paul was imprisoned in Rome for the second time. From there, he wrote: “Demas has forsaken me because he loved the present system of things”; Demas had returned to Thessalonica, perhaps his hometown.—2Ti 4:10.

in a circuit as far as Illyricum: Illyricum was a Roman province and region named for the Illyrian tribes living there. It was located in the NW part of the Balkan Peninsula along the coast of the Adriatic Sea. (See App. B13.) The borders and divisions of the province varied greatly throughout the Roman rule. It is uncertain whether the original Greek term rendered “as far as” means that Paul actually preached in Illyricum or merely up to it.

Demas has forsaken me: The Greek word rendered “forsaken” can refer to deserting a person who faces danger. Demas had been one of Paul’s close companions. In letters that Paul wrote during his first imprisonment in Rome, he indicated that Demas was with him. (Phm 24; see study note on Col 4:14.) However, this time Paul’s situation was worse. A number of fellow Christians had already turned away from him. (2Ti 1:15) Paul does not imply that Demas became an opposer or apostate. Still, Demas lost out on the remarkable privilege of comforting this faithful apostle in his hour of need.

he loved the present system of things: Or “he loved the present age.” (See Glossary, “System(s) of things.”) Perhaps Demas’ love for material things and worldly pleasures became stronger than his love for spiritual things. Or his fear of persecution and martyrdom may have caused him to seek a safer place. One reference work suggests that here “the present system of things” refers to “life in this world free from the danger and sacrifice of attending on the apostle.” It may be that Demas went to Thessalonica because it was his hometown. Any of these factors may help explain why he allowed his love for “the present system of things” to outweigh his love for his special privilege of serving at Paul’s side.

Dalmatia: An area on the Balkan Peninsula, E of the Adriatic Sea. The name was used to describe the southern part of the Roman province of Illyricum. However, when Paul wrote this letter, Dalmatia was a separate province. (See App. B13.) Paul may have passed through Dalmatia, since he had preached “as far as Illyricum.” (Ro 15:19 and study note) He asked Titus to come from Crete to Nicopolis, likely the Nicopolis on the northwestern coast of modern-day Greece. (Tit 3:12) Thus, it seems possible that Titus was with Paul in Nicopolis and then moved to a new assignment in Dalmatia. There Titus may have served as a missionary and helped to keep the congregations organized, much as he had done in Crete.—Tit 1:5.

the house of Mary: The congregation in Jerusalem apparently met in a private home, that of Mary the mother of John Mark. The house was spacious enough to accommodate “quite a few” worshippers, and a servant girl worked there. So Mary may have been a relatively wealthy woman. (Ac 12:13) Further, the residence is referred to as “the house of Mary,” without any mention of a husband, so it is possible that she was a widow.

John who was called Mark: One of Jesus’ disciples, “the cousin of Barnabas” (Col 4:10), and the writer of the Gospel of Mark. (See study note on Mr Title.) The English name John is the equivalent of the Hebrew name Jehohanan or Johanan, which means “Jehovah Has Shown Favor; Jehovah Has Been Gracious.” At Ac 13:5, 13, this disciple is simply called John. However, here and at Ac 12:25; 15:37, his Roman surname, Mark, is also given. Elsewhere in the Christian Greek Scriptures, he is referred to simply as Mark.—Col 4:10; 2Ti 4:11; Phm 24; 1Pe 5:13.

Mark: Also called John at Ac 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13. (See study note on Mr Title; Ac 12:12.) A disagreement about bringing Mark on Paul’s second missionary tour (c. 49-52 C.E.) led to “a sharp burst of anger” between Paul and Barnabas, who then went their separate ways. (Ac 15:37-39) However, Paul mentions Barnabas in a positive light at 1Co 9:6, which suggests that the two men had already reconciled by the time Paul wrote to the Colossians. That Mark was with Paul in Rome during this first imprisonment helps to show Paul’s increased regard for him. Paul even calls Mark “a source of great comfort to me.” (See study note on Col 4:11.) Perhaps while visiting Paul in Rome, Mark wrote the Gospel account that bears his name.—See also “Introduction to Mark.”

Only Luke is with me: It seems that Luke was the only one of the apostle’s fellow travelers who was able to remain in close contact with Paul during his final imprisonment. (Col 4:14; see “Introduction to Acts.”) But they apparently had some support. At 2Ti 4:21, the apostle mentions at least four others who sent greetings to Timothy and to the Ephesians. They may have been Christians from the local congregation who were able to visit Paul.

Bring Mark along with you: Paul refers to John Mark, one of Jesus’ disciples and the writer of the Gospel of Mark. (See study notes on Ac 12:12.) Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on Paul’s first missionary tour but left them and returned to Jerusalem. (Ac 12:25; 13:5, 13) For this reason, Paul refused to take Mark along on the next tour. (Ac 15:36-41) However, some ten years later, Mark was with Paul in Rome. At that time, Paul spoke highly of him, showing that they had mended the breach between them and that Paul now considered Mark to be trustworthy. (Phm 23, 24; see study note on Col 4:10.) Now showing confidence in this faithful Christian minister, Paul tells Timothy: “Bring Mark along with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry.”

Tychicus: A Christian minister from the province of Asia, whose service Paul greatly valued. (Ac 20:2-4) Paul entrusted Tychicus with delivering letters to the Colossians, to Philemon of the Colossian congregation, and to the Ephesians. Tychicus was more than a courier. His assignment included relating to the congregations “all the news about” Paul himself, likely including details about Paul’s imprisonment, his condition, and his needs. Paul knew that this “beloved brother and faithful minister” would do so in a way that would comfort the hearts of his hearers and would reinforce the vital teachings in Paul’s inspired message. (Col 4:8, 9; see also Eph 6:21, 22.) After Paul was released from prison, he contemplated sending Tychicus to Crete. (Tit 3:12) And when Paul was imprisoned in Rome for the second time, he sent Tychicus to Ephesus.—2Ti 4:12.

I have sent Tychicus off to Ephesus: Paul chose Tychicus, a beloved and faithful companion, to visit the congregation in Ephesus, likely to serve in Timothy’s place. (See study note on Col 4:7.) Knowing that Tychicus would soon arrive and that the congregation would be in good hands, Timothy may have felt free to leave in order to visit Paul in Rome for the last time. (2Ti 4:9) This verse contains Paul’s last written mention of the congregation in Ephesus. However, some 30 years later, the same congregation was among those Jesus addressed in his revelation to the apostle John.—Re 2:1.

the scrolls: The scrolls that Paul asked for apparently contained parts of the inspired Hebrew Scriptures. The Greek term used here (bi·bliʹon) is related to a word (biʹblos) that originally referred to the soft pith of the papyrus plants. (See Glossary, “Scroll”; “Papyrus.”) Papyrus was used to make writing material, so both Greek terms came to refer to a scroll or a book. (Mr 12:26; Lu 3:4; Ac 1:20; Re 1:11) In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the word Paul here uses can refer to a brief written document (Mt 19:7; Mr 10:4); however, it is more often used of writings of the Hebrew Scriptures (Lu 4:17, 20; Ga 3:10; Heb 9:19; 10:7). The term “Bible” is derived from the Greek word used here.

especially the parchments: Parchment refers to the skin of a sheep, goat, or calf, which has been prepared for use as writing material. (See Glossary, “Parchment.”) Paul does not specifically reveal what he meant by this expression. He may have been referring to leather scrolls of the Hebrew Scriptures. Or these parchments may have contained his own notes or writings. According to some scholars, the Greek word for “parchments” can also refer to parchment notebooks. When Paul wrote this letter, he was confident that he had fought the fine fight to the finish. (2Ti 4:6-8) Even so, he asked Timothy to “bring . . . the scrolls, especially the parchments.” He apparently wanted to continue to strengthen himself and others by means of God’s inspired Word.

Hymenaeus and Alexander are among these: These men had experienced “shipwreck of their faith” (1Ti 1:19) and were apparently promoting false doctrine. At 2Ti 2:16-18, for example, Paul says that Hymenaeus along with Philetus claimed that the resurrection had already occurred. These men were “subverting the faith of some.” (See study notes on 2Ti 2:18.) Alexander may have been the coppersmith mentioned at 2Ti 4:14, 15 who did Paul “a great deal of harm” and who opposed “to an excessive degree” the message that Paul and his companions were proclaiming. (See study note on 2Ti 4:14.) The expression “are among these” implies that there were already a number of individuals who had not stuck to the faith and who were having a negative effect on some in the Christian congregation.

I have handed them over to Satan: This expression apparently refers to expelling, or disfellowshipping, them from the congregation. Such action was necessary because the men Paul mentioned were unrepentantly pursuing a willful course of sin.—See study note on 1Co 5:5.

Alexander the coppersmith: Paul warns Timothy of a certain Alexander who “to an excessive degree” opposed the message that Paul and his companions were proclaiming. (2Ti 4:15) Paul calls him “the coppersmith,” using a Greek term that in the first century C.E. could refer to any kind of metalworker. It is possible that he is the same Alexander, mentioned at 1Ti 1:20, who had apparently been expelled from the congregation. (See study notes.) Paul does not specify here what kind of harm this man did to him. Some have suggested that Alexander might have been involved in Paul’s arrest and might even have given false testimony against him.

Jehovah will repay him: Paul here expresses confidence that God will repay Alexander the coppersmith according to his deeds. The apostle thus echoes several verses in the Hebrew Scriptures that refer to Jehovah God as the one who repays humans for their actions, whether good or bad. One example is Ps 62:12, where the psalmist says: “O Jehovah, . . . you repay each one according to his deeds.” (See also Ps 28:1, 4; Pr 24:12; La 3:64.) Paul makes a similar point at Ro 2:6, where he says about God: “He will pay back to each one according to his works.” And quoting Jehovah’s words at De 32:35, Paul says at Ro 12:19: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.”—For the use of the divine name in this verse, see App. C3 introduction; 2Ti 4:14.

It does not keep account of the injury: The Greek verb lo·giʹzo·mai, here rendered “keep account of,” was regularly used in ancient times for accounting and numerical calculations. It was also used in the sense of “think about” or “dwell on.” (See Php 4:8, where this Greek verb is rendered “continue considering.”) A loving person does not keep a record of, or dwell on, “the injury [or “wrongs”],” such as hurtful words or deeds, as if writing them in a ledger so as not to forget them. The same Greek verb is used at 2Co 5:19, where it says that in Jehovah’s dealings with his people, he is “not counting their offenses against them.”

In my first defense: In Roman legal procedure, an accused person might be asked to defend himself during various stages of a trial. Paul is likely referring to an initial defense that he made during his current, second imprisonment in Rome, about 65 C.E. Some have suggested that Paul is referring to a defense that he made during his earlier imprisonment in Rome, about 61 C.E. (Ac 28:16, 30) That conclusion, however, seems unlikely; it raises a question as to why Paul would write to Timothy about events that were already familiar to him.—Col 1:1, 2; 4:3.

may they not be held accountable: Paul is apparently referring to the spiritual brothers who failed to support him during his “first defense,” which he describes as a harrowing experience. (2Ti 4:17) However, Paul had learned from Christ how to show forgiveness. Jesus was abandoned by his closest friends when he was arrested. (Mr 14:50) Like Jesus, Paul refused to harbor resentment or ill will against his brothers.—See study note on 1Co 13:5.

keep on acquiring power: Paul encourages Timothy to tap into the unfailing Source of power, Jehovah God. The apostle uses the Greek verb en·dy·na·moʹo, related to the noun dyʹna·mis (power; strength), which is used at 2Ti 1:8 in the expression “the power of God.” One reference work notes that the verb form Paul uses here “indicates Timothy’s need for continual dependence on God, i.e., ‘keep on being strengthened.’” Paul used the same verb at Eph 6:10, where he encouraged the Ephesian Christians to “go on acquiring power in the Lord [Jehovah God] and in the mightiness of his strength.”

I have fought with wild beasts at Ephesus: The Romans often threw criminals to wild beasts in the arenas. While scholars have suggested that this punishment did not apply to Roman citizens like Paul, there is historical evidence that some Roman citizens were thrown to beasts or made to fight with them. What Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians could describe an encounter with literal wild beasts in an arena. (2Co 1:8-10) If Paul was thrown to literal beasts, then his rescue was likely by divine intervention. (Compare Da 6:22.) This experience may thus have been one of the several “near-deaths” that Paul experienced in his ministry. (2Co 11:23) Other scholars feel that Paul is here referring to wild beasts in a figurative sense, describing the opposition of beastlike opposers in Ephesus.—Ac 19:23-41.

the Lord stood near me: Apparently, Paul here refers to Jesus Christ as “the Lord” who “infused power into” him. (See also 1Ti 1:12.) Of course, the ultimate Source of power is Jehovah God; he gives strength to his servants by means of Jesus Christ.—Isa 40:26, 29; Php 4:13; 2Ti 1:7, 8; see also study note on 2Ti 2:1.

I was rescued from the lion’s mouth: It is uncertain whether this expression is to be understood literally or figuratively. (Compare study note on 1Co 15:32.) If Paul was referring to literal lions, his rescue would likely have been similar to the occasion when Jehovah rescued Daniel. (Da 6:16, 20-22) On the other hand, a number of scholars feel that Paul’s Roman citizenship would have protected him from being thrown to the lions. The expression “the lion’s mouth” can be a metaphor for extreme danger. (Compare Ps 7:2; 35:17.) Paul’s words may echo David’s plea at Ps 22:21.

The Lord: As in the preceding verse, Paul is apparently referring to the Lord Jesus Christ.—See also 2Ti 4:8 and study note.

will rescue me from every wicked work: Because of his faith, Paul had endured many extremely dangerous situations, including vicious persecution; he had also faced attacks from apostates. But the Lord Jesus had always stood near him, infused power into him, and rescued him. (2Ti 3:11; 4:14-17) At this point, Paul was not expecting to avoid death. (2Ti 4:6-8) However, his past experiences reassured him that Jesus would continue to rescue him from anything that might destroy his faith or disqualify him from entering into Christ’s “heavenly Kingdom.”

Prisca and Aquila: This faithful couple had been banished from Rome by Emperor Claudius’ decree against the Jews sometime in the year 49 or early 50 C.E. Claudius died in 54 C.E., and by the time Paul wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome, about 56 C.E., Prisca and Aquila had returned there. (See study note on Ac 18:2.) Paul describes them as his fellow workers. The Greek word for “fellow worker,” sy·ner·gosʹ, appears 12 times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, most often in the letters of Paul. (Ro 16:9, 21; Php 2:25; 4:3; Col 4:11; Phm 1, 24) Notably, at 1Co 3:9, Paul says: “We are God’s fellow workers.”

Onesiphorus: This faithful Christian was outstanding in the way he loyally and selflessly supported Paul, who praises him for “all the services” he rendered earlier in Ephesus. It seems likely that Timothy knew him. The phrase “when he [Onesiphorus] was in Rome” implies that Onesiphorus had traveled there, but the account does not say whether he did so in order to see Paul or for another reason. (2Ti 1:17, 18) Paul here asks for God’s blessing on the household of Onesiphorus; later, as the apostle closes this letter, he sends them his greetings.—2Ti 4:19.

Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila: Paul had known this hospitable couple for about 15 years. Prisca and Aquila had worked hard to build up the congregations in several locations. They first met Paul in Corinth after they were forced to leave Rome. (Ac 18:1-3; 1Co 16:19) Then they moved to Ephesus (Ac 18:18, 19, 24-26); back to Rome for a while (Ro 16:3, 4); and back to Ephesus, where Timothy was now serving.—See study notes on Ac 18:2; Ro 16:3.

the household of Onesiphorus: See study note on 2Ti 1:16.

Do your utmost to arrive before winter: Paul wants Timothy to travel to Rome before winter, likely because the harsh winter months could make such a journey too hazardous. In the ancient Mediterranean world, travel by sea was restricted during late autumn, winter, and early spring. Storms were more frequent and dangerous. (Ac 27:9-44; see also Media Gallery, “Acts of Apostles—Paul’s Trip to Rome and His First Imprisonment There.”) Furthermore, increased cloud cover—along with rain, snow, and fog—reduced visibility and made navigation difficult. Mariners had no compass to guide them, so they had to rely heavily on landmarks or on the positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Moreover, if Timothy were to arrive before winter and bring with him the cloak Paul had left in Troas, the apostle would have something to keep him warm during his imprisonment in the frigid winter months.—2Ti 4:13; see also Media Gallery, “Bring the Cloak.”

with the spirit you show: Lit., “with your spirit.” The term “spirit” in this context refers to the impelling inner force or dominant mental inclination that causes a person to say or do things in a certain way. For example, the Scriptures speak of “the quiet and mild spirit” (1Pe 3:4) and “a spirit of mildness” (Ga 6:1). At 2Ti 1:7, Paul mentions a spirit “of power and of love and of soundness of mind” in contrast with “a spirit of cowardice.” He then concludes the letter to Timothy by saying: “The Lord be with the spirit you show.” (2Ti 4:22) Just as an individual can show a certain spirit, so can a group of people. Here in his concluding words to the Galatians, as well as in his letter to the Philippians, Paul uses the Greek plural pronoun (“you; your”) to express his desire that all in these congregations show a spirit that is in harmony with God’s will and the example set by Christ.—Php 4:23.

the spirit you show: In his conclusion, Paul uses the Greek plural pronoun for “you,” likely directing his words to all those addressed in verses 1 and 2, including “the congregation that is in [Philemon’s] house.” (Phm 2 and study note) Paul expresses his hope that the undeserved kindness of Jesus Christ will be with their “spirit.” Here that word refers to the impelling inner force, or dominant mental inclination, that moves them to speak and act as they do. (See Glossary, “Spirit.”) With Christ’s blessing, they would be able to continue to speak and act in harmony with God’s will and Christ’s example.—Ga 6:18 and study note; Php 4:23.

The Lord: Apparently referring to the Lord Jesus Christ.—Compare Ga 6:18; Php 4:23; 1Th 5:28; Phm 25.

with the spirit you show: Lit., “with your spirit,” that is, with your dominant mental attitude. (See Glossary, “Spirit.”) Paul concludes this letter by expressing his hope that Timothy’s positive spirit, or attitude, would be blessed.—See study notes on Ga 6:18; Phm 25.

with you: When addressing Timothy, Paul had just used the Greek singular pronoun for “you.” Now he changes to the plural pronoun for “you.” So Paul likely intended that this personal letter be read to others, including the congregation in Ephesus, where Timothy apparently served at the time.

Media

“Bring the Cloak”

While a prisoner in Rome, Paul wrote to Timothy: “Bring the cloak I left at Troas.” (2Ti 4:13) The Greek word for “cloak” likely meant a traveling cloak, similar to the ones shown here. Such a cloak was an indispensable item of clothing in the first century C.E. It protected the wearer against cold or wet weather. These cloaks were often made from a piece of wool, linen, or leather to which a hood was attached. They could also serve as blankets, protecting the owner against the cold during the night. At the time Paul wrote his letter, winter was approaching, which may explain why he asked for his cloak.—2Ti 4:21.

Parchment—Notebook and Scroll

Parchment was a writing material prepared from the skin of an animal, such as a sheep, goat, or calf. As writing material, parchment was more durable than papyrus. (See Glossary, “Papyrus.”) The photo (1) shows what is left of an ancient parchment notebook dated from the second century C.E. Originally, this notebook would have contained individual sheets of parchment bound together along one edge, much like a book today. Scrolls (2) could also be made of parchment. Individual parchment sheets were joined together to form one long roll. When asking Timothy to bring “the parchments” (2Ti 4:13), Paul may have been referring to leather scrolls of the Hebrew Scriptures. Or he may have wanted his personal study notes; according to some scholars, the Greek word for “parchments” can also refer to parchment notebooks for private notes or drafts.

Paul’s Visits to Miletus

Highlighted on the map is the ancient city of Miletus on the west coast of Asia Minor (in modern-day Turkey). The Bible record indicates that Paul visited this city at least twice. The first visit took place toward the end of his third missionary tour (about 56 C.E.). On his way to Jerusalem, he arrived at Miletus by ship and called the elders in the Ephesus congregation to an important meeting. To reach Miletus from Ephesus, the elders traveled by land and also likely by ferry, making a journey of about 70 km (44 mi). After an emotional farewell, Paul was escorted to the ship to continue his journey. (Ac 20:17-38) It seems that Paul again visited Miletus after being released from his first imprisonment in Rome. He wrote that he “left Trophimus sick at Miletus.”—2Ti 4:20; see the map “Paul’s Journeys After c. 61 C.E.”

1. Part of one of the ancient harbors. As a result of silting, the ruins of Miletus are now located about 8 km (5 mi) inland.

2. The ancient theater was originally built in the third century B.C.E. but was renovated several times.

3. The map shows the ancient coastline.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

2 Timothy 4

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The Second to the Corinthians

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 01:1-24

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The Second to the Corinthians 1:1-24

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through God’s will, and Timothya our brother, to the congregation of God that is in Corinth, including all the holy ones who are in all A·chaʹia:b ² May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,c the Father of tender merciesd and the God of all comfort,e ⁴ who comforts us in all our trialsf so that we may be able to comfort othersg in any sort of trial with the comfort that we receive from God.h ⁵ For just as the sufferings for the Christ abound in us,i so the comfort we receive through the Christ also abounds. ⁶ Now if we face trials, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are being comforted, it is for your comfort, which acts to help you to endure the same sufferings that we also suffer.j ⁷ And our hope for you is unwavering, knowing as we do that just as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.k ⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the tribulation we experienced in the province of Asia.l We were under extreme pressure beyond our own strength, so that we were very uncertain even of our lives.m ⁹ In fact, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. This was so that we would trust, not in ourselves, but in the Godn who raises up the dead. ¹⁰ From such a great risk of death he did rescue us and will rescue us, and our hope is in him that he will also continue to rescue us.o ¹¹ You also can help us by your supplication for us,p in order that many may give thanks in our behalf for the favor we receive in answer to the prayers of many.q ¹² For the thing we boast of is this, our conscience bears witness that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you, with holiness and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom,r but with God’s undeserved kindness. ¹³ For we are really not writing you about anything except what you can read and understand, and I hope you will continue to understand these things fully, ¹⁴ just as you have also understood to an extent that we are a cause for you to boast, just as you will also be for us in the day of our Lord Jesus.s ¹⁵ So with this confidence, I was intending to come first to you,t so that you might have a second occasion for joy; ¹⁶ for I intended to visit you on my way to Mac·e·doʹni·a, to return to you from Mac·e·doʹni·a, and then to have you send me off to Ju·deʹa.u ¹⁷ Well, when I had such an intention, I did not view the matter lightly, did I? Or do I purpose things in a fleshly way, so that I am saying “Yes, yes” and then “No, no”? ¹⁸ But God can be relied on that what we say to you is not “yes” and yet “no.” ¹⁹ For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you through us, that is, through me and Sil·vaʹnus and Timothy,v did not become “yes” and yet “no,” but “yes” has become “yes” in his case. ²⁰ For no matter how many the promises of God are, they have become “yes” by means of him.w Therefore, also through him is the “Amen” said to God,x which brings him glory through us. ²¹ But the one who guarantees that you and we belong to Christ and the one who anointed us is God.y ²² He has also put his seal on usz and has given us the token of what is to come, that is, the spirit,a in our hearts. ²³ Now I call on God as a witness against me that it is to spare you that I have not yet come to Corinth. ²⁴ Not that we are the masters over your faith,b but we are fellow workers for your joy, for it is by your faith that you are standing.

2 Corinthians 1

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The Second to the Corinthians 2:1-17

2 For I have made up my mind not to come to you again in sadness. ² For if I make you sad, who will be there to cheer me up except the one I saddened? ³ I wrote what I did, so that when I come I may not be saddened by those over whom I ought to rejoice,a because I have confidence that what brings me joy brings all of you the same joy. ⁴ For out of much tribulation and anguish of heart I wrote you with many tears, not to sadden you,b but to let you know the depth of love I have for you. ⁵ Now if anyone has caused sadness,c he has saddened, not me, but all of you to an extent—not to be too harsh in what I say. ⁶ This rebuke given by the majority is sufficient for such a man;d ⁷ now you should instead kindly forgive and comfort him,e so that he may not be overwhelmed by excessive sadness.f ⁸ I therefore exhort you to confirm your love for him.g ⁹ For this is also why I wrote to you: to determine whether you would give proof of your obedience in all things. ¹⁰ If you forgive anyone for anything, I do also. In fact, whatever I have forgiven (if I have forgiven anything) has been for your sake in Christ’s sight, ¹¹ so that we may not be overreached by Satan,h for we are not ignorant of his designs.i ¹² Now when I arrived in Troʹasj to declare the good news about the Christ and a door was opened to me in the Lord, ¹³ my spirit felt no relief because of not finding Titusk my brother. So I said good-bye to them and departed for Mac·e·doʹni·a.l ¹⁴ But thanks be to God, who always leads us in a triumphal procession in company with the Christ and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him in every place! ¹⁵ For to God we are a sweet fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; ¹⁶ to the latter ones an odor of death leading to death,m to the former ones a fragrance of life leading to life. And who is adequately qualified for these things? ¹⁷ We are, for we are not peddlers of the word of Godn as many men are, but we speak in all sincerity as sent from God, yes, in the sight of God and in company with Christ.

2 Corinthians 2

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 03:1-18

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 03:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 3:1-18

3 Are we starting to recommend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some men, letters of recommendation to you or from you?+ ² You yourselves are our letter,+ inscribed on our hearts and known and being read by all mankind. ³ For you are shown to be a letter of Christ written by us as ministers,+ inscribed not with ink but with the spirit of a living God, not on stone tablets+ but on fleshly tablets, on hearts.+ ⁴ We have this sort of confidence toward God through the Christ. ⁵ Not that we of ourselves are adequately qualified to consider that anything comes from us, but our being adequately qualified comes from God,+ ⁶ who has indeed adequately qualified us to be ministers of a new covenant,+ not of a written code,+ but of spirit; for the written code condemns to death,+ but the spirit makes alive.+ ⁷ Now if the code that administers death+ and that was engraved in letters on stones+ came with such glory that the sons of Israel could not gaze at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face,+ a glory that was to be done away with, ⁸ why should the administering of the spirit+ not be with even greater glory?+ ⁹ For if the code administering condemnation+ was glorious,+ how much more glorious would be the administering of righteousness!+ ¹⁰ In fact, even what had once been made glorious has been stripped of glory because of the glory that excels it.+ ¹¹ For if what was to be done away with was brought in with glory,+ how much greater would be the glory of what remains!+ ¹² Since we have such a hope,+ we are using great freeness of speech, ¹³ and not doing what Moses did when he would put a veil over his face+ so that the sons of Israel might not gaze intently at the end of what was to be done away with. ¹⁴ But their minds were dulled.+ For to this present day, the same veil remains unlifted when the old covenant is read,+ because it is taken away only by means of Christ.+ ¹⁵ In fact, to this day whenever Moses is read,+ a veil lies upon their hearts.+ ¹⁶ But when one turns to Jehovah, the veil is taken away.+ ¹⁷ Now Jehovah is the Spirit,+ and where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom.+ ¹⁸ And all of us, while we with unveiled faces reflect like mirrors the glory of Jehovah, are transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, exactly as it is done by Jehovah the Spirit.+

Footnotes

Study Notes

I am introducing: Or “I recommend.” Paul is apparently introducing Phoebe to the Christians in Rome for the purpose of encouraging them to accept her and to adopt the same attitude toward her that Paul had. (Ro 16:2) The Greek word used here is related to the Greek term Paul used at 2Co 3:1 in the expression “letters of recommendation.” In Bible times, such letters of recommendation were a common way of introducing people to strangers. Phoebe, who served as a minister in the Cenchreae congregation, may have carried Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome.

letters of recommendation: In the first century C.E., people relied on letters from a credible source to introduce a stranger and to authenticate his or her identity or authority. (Ac 18:27; see study note on Ro 16:1.) Letters of this kind were common, and standard formulas for compiling them could be found in guides to letter writing. (Ac 28:21) At 2Co 3:1, Paul’s point is that he did not need such letters to or from the Corinthians to prove that he was a minister. He had helped them to become Christians and could therefore say: “You yourselves are our letter.”—2Co 3:2.

You yourselves are our letter: This is Paul’s answer to the question he raises in the preceding verse. The implied answer is, “No, we do not need any written certificate authorizing us to be God’s ministers. You are our living letter of recommendation.” The Christian congregation in Corinth was evidence that Paul was a minister of God.

inscribed on our hearts: Paul carried the members of the congregation along with him in his affections. He had trained them to be public witnesses of God and Christ, so they were a letter on open display, known and being read by all mankind.

a letter of Christ written by us as ministers: Jesus Christ selected Paul to be “a chosen vessel” and “to bear [Christ’s] name to the [non-Jewish] nations” (Ac 9:15), and he used Paul as his minister in writing such a letter of recommendation. Every Sabbath, Paul preached in Corinth to win over both Jews and Greeks. (Ac 18:4-11) Paul could not have written such a letter on his own initiative, for Jesus had told his disciples: “Apart from me you can do nothing at all.”—Joh 15:5.

on fleshly tablets, on hearts: Or “on tablets, on hearts of flesh” or “on tablets of human hearts.” The Law of Moses was written on stone tablets. (Ex 31:18; 34:1) In this context, the Law covenant is contrasted with the new covenant that was promised in Jeremiah’s prophecy, where Jehovah declares: “I will put my law within them, and in their heart I will write it.” (Jer 31:31-33) Ezekiel prophesied about the releasing of God’s people from Babylonian captivity, describing how Jehovah would remove “the heart of stone,” that is, the unresponsive heart, and give them “a heart of flesh,” that is, a soft, pliable, obedient heart, one sensitive to God’s guidance.—Eze 11:19; 36:26.

our being adequately qualified comes from God: In this context, the Greek words rendered “adequately qualified” have the basic meaning “enough; sufficient; fit.” When used with reference to people, these terms may mean “competent; able; worthy.” (Lu 22:38; Ac 17:9; 2Co 2:16; 3:6) The whole phrase could be rendered: “It is God who causes us to be able to do this work.” One of these Greek terms is found at Ex 4:10 in the Septuagint, which relates how Moses felt inadequate to appear before Pharaoh. According to the Hebrew text, Moses said: “I have never been a fluent speaker [lit., “a man of words”].” However, the Septuagint translates this phrase “I am not adequately qualified.” Nevertheless, Jehovah qualified Moses for the commission. (Ex 4:11, 12) In a similar manner, Christian ministers are qualified by means of “the spirit of a living God.”—2Co 3:3.

ministers: Or “servants.” The Bible often uses the Greek word di·aʹko·nos to refer to one who does not let up in humbly rendering service in behalf of others. (See study note on Mt 20:26.) Here Paul speaks of himself, Timothy, and all spirit-anointed Christians as “ministers of a new covenant.” (2Co 1:1) This means that among other things, they were serving its interests by preaching and teaching the good news in order to help others to come into the new covenant or to receive its benefits.—See study note on Ro 11:13.

a new covenant: Through the prophet Jeremiah, Jehovah foretold “a new covenant” that would be different from the Law covenant. (Jer 31:31-34) The Law covenant was between Jehovah and natural Israel; the new covenant is between Jehovah and spiritual Israel. Moses was the mediator of the Law covenant; Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant. (Ro 2:28, 29; Ga 6:15, 16; Heb 8:6, 10; 12:22-24) The Law covenant was validated by animal blood; the new covenant was validated by the shed blood of Jesus, as Jesus pointed out when he mentioned “the new covenant” on the night before his death, Nisan 14, 33 C.E.—Lu 22:20 and study note; 1Co 11:25.

not of a written code: Spirit-anointed Christians are not ministers of the Law covenant, some of which was written on tablets and later copied on scrolls. Rather, the new covenant is one of spirit, that is, God’s spirit. The written code condemned the Israelites to death, but ministers of the new covenant are led by God’s spirit to everlasting life. That spirit enables them to keep integrity and to cultivate the qualities needed to gain their eternal reward.—2Co 1:21, 22; Eph 1:13, 14; Tit 3:4-7.

new covenant by virtue of my blood: Luke is the only Gospel writer to record that Jesus on this occasion referred to a “new covenant,” an allusion to Jer 31:31. The new covenant, between Jehovah and anointed Christians, was made operative by Jesus’ sacrifice. (Heb 8:10) Jesus here uses the terms “covenant” and “blood” in a way similar to the way Moses used the terms when acting as mediator and inaugurating the Law covenant with Israel at Mount Sinai. (Ex 24:8; Heb 9:19-21) Just as the blood of bulls and goats validated the Law covenant between God and the nation of Israel, Jesus’ blood made valid the new covenant that Jehovah would make with spiritual Israel. That covenant went into effect at Pentecost 33 C.E.—Heb 9:14, 15.

the code that administers death: This expression refers to the Mosaic Law. The Law made transgression, or sin, manifest. (Ga 3:19) Therefore, it could be said that it “condemns to death.” (2Co 3:6; Ga 3:10) The Law covenant foreshadowed the new covenant that was foretold by Jeremiah (Jer 31:31-33) and that Paul calls “the administering of the spirit” (2Co 3:8). The new covenant is superior to the Law covenant because those who are in the new covenant are followers of the Chief Agent of life, Jesus Christ. So the new covenant brings, not death, but life.—Ac 3:15.

with such glory: In this passage (2Co 3:7-18), Paul discusses the superior glory of the new covenant compared with the glory of the old covenant. This is the theme of this part of his discussion, as is evident by the fact that in these verses, he uses Greek words that refer to “glory” or “to be glorious” 13 times. The Greek noun rendered “glory” originally meant “opinion; reputation,” but in the Christian Greek Scriptures, it came to mean “glory; splendor; grandeur.”

the code administering condemnation: Here again Paul refers to the Mosaic Law, which “condemns to death.” (2Co 3:6; see study note on 2Co 3:7.) Paul refers to the new covenant as the administering of righteousness. Spirit-anointed Christians who are in the new covenant shine with a spiritual glory that is far greater than the literal glory that accompanied the giving of the Mosaic Law. They do this by reflecting God’s qualities. The new covenant provides “forgiveness of sins” and “a royal priesthood” for the blessing of all mankind, so its benefits far exceed those of the Law covenant, which could not bring righteousness.—Mt 26:28; Ac 5:31; 1Pe 2:9.

he would put a veil over his face: Paul explains that Moses wore a veil because of the fleshly thinking and the bad heart condition of the Israelites. (2Co 3:7, 14) The Israelites were God’s chosen people, and Jehovah wanted them to draw close to him. (Ex 19:4-6) Yet, unlike Moses, who spoke with Jehovah “face-to-face” (Ex 33:11), they were reluctant to gaze intently on what was merely a reflection of God’s glory. Instead of turning their hearts and minds toward Jehovah in loving devotion, they figuratively turned away from him.

sons of Israel: Or “the people of Israel; the Israelites.”—See Glossary, “Israel.”

the public reading of the Law and the Prophets: In the first century C.E., this public reading was done “on every Sabbath.” (Ac 15:21) One feature of synagogue worship was the reciting of the Shema, or what amounted to the Jewish confession of faith. (De 6:4-9; 11:13-21) The Shema received its name from the first word of the first scripture used, “Listen [Shemaʽʹ], O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.” (De 6:4) The most important part of the service was the reading of the Torah, or Pentateuch. In many synagogues, the entire Law was scheduled to be read in the course of one year; in others, the program took three years. Portions of the Prophets were also read and explained. At the conclusion of the public reading, a discourse was given. It was after the public reading in the synagogue in Pisidian Antioch that Paul was invited to speak words of encouragement to those assembled.—See study note on Lu 4:16.

Moses: James referred to the writings of Moses, which included not only the Law code but also a record of God’s dealings with His people and the indications of His will that predated the Law. For example, God’s view on the consumption of blood, on adultery, and on idolatry can be plainly seen in the book of Genesis. (Ge 9:3, 4; 20:2-9; 35:2, 4) Jehovah thus revealed principles that are binding on all of mankind, whether Jew or Gentile. The decision recorded at Ac 15:19, 20 would not “trouble,” or make things difficult for, Gentile Christians by imposing on them the many requirements of the Mosaic Law. It would also show respect for the conscientious views held by Jewish Christians, who over the years had heard Moses . . . read aloud in the synagogues on every sabbath. (See study notes on Lu 4:16; Ac 13:15.) The recommended course would strengthen the bond between Jewish and Gentile Christians.

their minds were dulled: Because the Israelites at Mount Sinai did not have their hearts fully turned to Jehovah, “their minds,” or mental powers, “were dulled,” or lit., “were hardened.” The same was true of the Jews who continued to observe the Law after God, through Jesus, abolished it. They did not see that the Law pointed to Jesus. (Col 2:17) Paul uses the term veil figuratively in the sense of something that prevents people from seeing, or understanding. It was only by means of Christ, that is, only by recognizing him as the Messiah and exercising faith in him, that this veil could be taken away so that they could get a clear understanding of God’s purposes.—Lu 2:32.

when the old covenant is read: Paul is speaking of the Law covenant recorded in the books of Exodus through Deuteronomy, which make up only part of the Hebrew Scriptures. He calls it “the old covenant” because it was replaced by “a new covenant” and was canceled on the basis of Jesus’ death on the torture stake.—Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:13; Col 2:14; see study notes on Ac 13:15; 15:21.

a veil lies upon their hearts: The Jews rejected the good news that Jesus preached. As a result, when the Law was read, they did not perceive that it was leading them to Christ. Even though they read the inspired Scriptures, they had neither a proper heart attitude nor a spirit of faith and humility. The only way for them to have “the veil . . . taken away” would be to turn to Jehovah in humility and sincerity, in wholehearted submission and devotion, recognizing that a new covenant had been made operative.—2Co 3:16.

when one turns to Jehovah: In this passage (2Co 3:7-18), Paul is discussing the excelling glory of the new covenant as compared with the Law covenant made with Israel through Moses as mediator. Paul is alluding to what is described at Ex 34:34. The Greek verb at 2Co 3:16 rendered “turns” means “to return; to turn back (around)” in a literal sense. (Ac 15:36) When used in a spiritual sense, it may denote turning or returning to God from a wrong way. (Ac 3:19; 14:15; 15:19; 26:18, 20) In this context, turning to Jehovah involves turning to him in humility and sincerity, in wholehearted submission and devotion, recognizing that a new covenant is in force. Since 2Co 3:14 shows that the symbolic veil is taken away “only by means of Christ,” turning to Jehovah would also include recognizing the role of Jesus Christ as Mediator of the new covenant.—See App. C3 introduction; 2Co 3:16.

God is a Spirit: The Greek word pneuʹma is used here in the sense of a spirit person, or being. (See Glossary, “Spirit.”) The Scriptures show that God, the glorified Jesus, and the angels are spirits. (1Co 15:45; 2Co 3:17; Heb 1:14) A spirit has a form of life that differs greatly from that of humans, and it is invisible to human eyes. Spirit beings have a body, “a spiritual one,” that is far superior to “a physical body.” (1Co 15:44; Joh 1:18) Although Bible writers speak of God as having a face, eyes, ears, hands, and so forth, such descriptions are figures of speech to help humans understand what God is like. The Scriptures clearly show that God has a personality. He also exists in a location beyond the physical realm; so Christ could speak of “going to the Father.” (Joh 16:28) At Heb 9:24, Christ is said to enter “into heaven itself, so that he . . . appears before God on our behalf.”

the spirit of Jehovah: The expression “the spirit of Jehovah” (or, “Jehovah’s spirit”) occurs several times in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Some examples are found at Jg 3:10; 6:34; 11:29; 13:25; 14:6; 15:14; 1Sa 10:6; 16:13; 2Sa 23:2; 1Ki 18:12; 2Ki 2:16; 2Ch 20:14; Isa 11:2; 40:13; 63:14; Eze 11:5; Mic 2:7; 3:8.) The expression “Jehovah’s spirit” is found at Lu 4:18 as part of a quote from Isa 61:1. There and in other Hebrew Scripture occurrences, the original Hebrew text uses the Tetragrammaton together with the word for “spirit.” The reasons why the New World Translation uses the expression “the spirit of Jehovah” in the main text, although available Greek manuscripts of Ac 5:9 read “the spirit of Lord,” are explained in App. C1 and C3 introduction; Ac 5:9.

Jehovah is the Spirit: This statement is similar to what Jesus said, as recorded at Joh 4:24: “God is a Spirit.” The Greek word pneuʹma is used here in the sense of a spirit person, or being.—See Glossary, “Spirit”; and study note on Joh 4:24; see also App. C3 introduction; 2Co 3:17.

where the spirit of Jehovah is, there is freedom: Paul here directs his fellow believers to the Source of true freedom, the Creator of all things, the only One who enjoys absolute and unlimited freedom. To enjoy true freedom, a person “turns to Jehovah,” that is, comes into a personal relationship with him. (2Co 3:16) The freedom that is associated with “the spirit of Jehovah” is more than liberation from physical slavery. “The spirit of Jehovah” brings liberation from enslavement to sin and death, as well as from slavery to false worship and its practices. (Ro 6:23; 8:2) God’s holy spirit also promotes true freedom by producing within Christians the qualities that are essential to freedom.—Ga 5:22, 23.

the spirit of Jehovah: That is, Jehovah’s active force. (See study note on Ac 5:9.) The reasons why the New World Translation uses the divine name in the main text are explained in App. C1 and C3 introduction; 2Co 3:17.

reflect like mirrors: Ancient hand mirrors were made of such metals as bronze or copper, and many were highly polished so as to have good reflecting surfaces. Like mirrors, spirit-anointed Christians reflect God’s glory that shines on them from Jesus Christ. They are “transformed into the same image” conveyed by Jehovah’s Son. (2Co 4:6; Eph 5:1) Through holy spirit and the Scriptures, God creates in them “the new personality,” a reflection of his own qualities.—Eph 4:24; Col 3:10.

the glory of Jehovah: The Greek word here rendered “glory” (doʹxa) originally meant “opinion; reputation,” but as used in the Christian Greek Scriptures, it came to mean “glory; splendor; grandeur.” The corresponding Hebrew term (ka·vohdhʹ) has the basic sense of “heaviness” and may refer to anything that makes a person or a thing seem weighty, or impressive. So God’s glory may refer to an impressive evidence of his almighty power. In the Bible, the Hebrew term for “glory” occurs along with the Tetragrammaton more than 30 times. Some examples are found at Ex 16:7; Le 9:6; Nu 14:10; 1Ki 8:11; 2Ch 5:14; Ps 104:31; Isa 35:2; Eze 1:28; Hab 2:14.—See App. C3 introduction; 2Co 3:18.

from one degree of glory to another: Lit., “from glory to glory.” Spirit-anointed Christians reflect more and more of Jehovah’s glory as they make spiritual progress. They are transformed into God’s image that is reflected by his Son, “the Christ, who is the image of God.” (2Co 4:4) It is worth noting that the Greek verb rendered “transformed” (me·ta·mor·phoʹo) is also used by Paul in his letter to the Romans.—See study note on Ro 12:2.

by Jehovah the Spirit: This rendering is in agreement with the first part of 2Co 3:17, where it says that “Jehovah is the Spirit.” (See study note.) However, it is also possible to render this phrase “by the spirit of Jehovah.” Grammatically, either rendering is correct.—See App. C3 introduction; 2Co 3:18.

be transformed by making your mind over: The Greek verb for “be transformed” is me·ta·mor·phoʹo. (Many languages have the term “metamorphosis,” which is derived from this Greek word.) The Greek word for “mind” used here basically denotes the capacity to think, but it can also refer to a person’s way of thinking or his attitude. The expression “making [the] mind over” indicates that a person changes his mental inclinations, innermost attitudes, and feelings. The extent of this change is illustrated by the use of the verb here rendered “be transformed.” The same verb is used at Mt 17:2 and Mr 9:2, where it says that Jesus “was transfigured.” (See study note on Mt 17:2.) This transfiguration was not a superficial change. Rather, it was a complete change in Jesus to the extent that he, the then future King of “the Kingdom of God,” could be described as “already having come in power.” (Mr 9:1, 2) This Greek word is also used at 2Co 3:18 regarding the spiritual transformation of anointed Christians. So when urging Christians to make their minds over, Paul was highlighting a continual inner transformation that would result in a completely new way of thinking that would be in harmony with God’s thoughts.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

2 Corinthians 3

English

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 04:1-18

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 04:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 4:1-18

4 Therefore, since we have this ministrya through the mercy that was shown us, we do not give up. ² But we have renounced the shameful, underhanded things, not walking with cunning or adulterating the word of God;b but by making the truth manifest, we recommend ourselves to every human conscience in the sight of God.c ³ If, in fact, the good news we declare is veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, ⁴ among whom the god of this system of thingsd has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,e so that the illumination* of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God,f might not shine through.g ⁵ For we are preaching, not about ourselves, but about Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God is the one who said: “Let the light shine out of darkness,”h and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate themi with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ.j ⁷ However, we have this treasurek in earthen vessels,l so that the power beyond what is normal may be God’s and not from us.m ⁸ We are hard-pressed in every way,n but not cramped beyond movement; we are perplexed, but not absolutely with no way out;*o ⁹ we are persecuted, but not abandoned;p we are knocked down, but not destroyed.q ¹⁰ Always we endure in our body the death-dealing treatment that Jesus suffered,r that the life of Jesus may also be made manifest in our body. ¹¹ For we who live are ever being brought face-to-face with deaths for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be made manifest in our mortal flesh. ¹² So death is at work in us, but life in you. ¹³ Now because we have the same spirit of faith as that of which it is written: “I exercised faith, therefore I spoke”;t we too exercise faith and therefore we speak, ¹⁴ knowing that the One who raised Jesus up will raise us up also with Jesus and will present us together with you.u ¹⁵ For all these things are for your sake, so that the increase of the undeserved kindness should abound even more because many more are offering thanksgiving to the glory of God.v ¹⁶ Therefore, we do not give up, but even if the man we are outside is wasting away, certainly the man we are insidew is being renewed from day to day.x ¹⁷ For though the tribulation is momentary and light, it works out for us a glory that is of more and more surpassing greatness* and is everlasting;y ¹⁸ while we keep our eyes, not on the things seen, but on the things unseen.z For the things seen are temporary, but the things unseen are everlasting.

2 Corinthians 4

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 05:1-21

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 05:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 5:1-21

5 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, should be torn down,+ we are to have a building from God, a house not made with hands,+ everlasting in the heavens. ² For in this house we do indeed groan, earnestly desiring to put on the one for us from heaven,+ ³ so that when we do put it on, we will not be found naked. ⁴ In fact, we who are in this tent groan, being weighed down, because we do not want to put this one off, but we want to put the other on,+ so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.+ ⁵ Now the one who prepared us for this very thing is God,+ who gave us the spirit as a token of what is to come.+ ⁶ So we are always of good courage and know that while we have our home in the body, we are absent from the Lord,+ ⁷ for we are walking by faith,+ not by sight.+ ⁸ But we are of good courage and would prefer to be absent from the body and to make our home with the Lord.+ ⁹ So whether at home with him or absent from him, we make it our aim to be acceptable to him. ¹⁰ For we must all appear* before the judgment seat of the Christ, so that each one may be repaid according to the things he has practiced while in the body, whether good or bad.+ ¹¹ Therefore, since we know the fear of the Lord, we keep persuading men, but we are well-known to God. However, I hope that we are well-known also to your consciences. ¹² We are not recommending ourselves to you again but giving you an incentive to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast over the outward appearance+ but not over what is in the heart. ¹³ For if we were out of our mind,+ it was for God; if we are sound in mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For the love the Christ has compels us,+ because this is what we have concluded, that one man died for all;+ so, then, all had died. ¹⁵ And he died for all so that those who live should live no longer for themselves,+ but for him who died for them and was raised up. ¹⁶ So from now on we know no man from a fleshly viewpoint.+ Even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, we certainly no longer know him in that way.+ ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation;+ the old things passed away; look! new things have come into existence. ¹⁸ But all things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ+ and gave us the ministry of the reconciliation,+ ¹⁹ namely, that God was by means of Christ reconciling a world to himself,+ not counting their offenses against them,+ and he entrusted to us the message of the reconciliation.+ ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors+ substituting for Christ,+ as though God were making an appeal through us. As substitutes for Christ, we beg: “Become reconciled to God.” ²¹ The one who did not know sin,+ he made to be sin for us, so that by means of him we might become God’s righteousness.+

Footnotes

^ Or “be made manifest.”

Study Notes

we want to put the other on: Paul and other anointed Christians were “earnestly desiring” to be resurrected to heaven as immortal spirit creatures. (2Co 5:2) They had a strong God-given hope of heavenly life, but that did not mean that they wanted to die. Speaking of their earthly body as a tent, Paul said that they did not want to put this one off. (See study note on 2Co 5:1.) That is, they were not eager to die just to avoid earthly infirmities as well as the responsibilities and hardships that were associated with their ministry. (See study note on 2Co 5:3.) Paul’s words “we want to put the other on” express the desire that anointed Christians have for life in heaven. They are eager, along with Christ Jesus, to serve Jehovah forever.—1Co 15:42-44, 53, 54; Php 1:20-24; 2Pe 1:4; 1Jo 3:2, 3; Re 20:6.

our earthly house, this tent: Here Paul uses a man-made tent as a metaphor for the human body of a spirit-anointed Christian. Like a collapsible tent that is temporary and relatively fragile, the earthly bodies of anointed Christians are mortal, corruptible, and temporary. However, they look forward to “a building from God,” that is, a spiritual body that is everlasting and incorruptible.—1Co 15:50-53; compare 2Pe 1:13, 14; see study note on 2Co 5:4.

torn down: Or “dissolved.” In connection with Paul’s illustration of the human body as a man-made tent, the Greek term ka·ta·lyʹo can also be rendered “dismantled; taken down.”

house: Or “dwelling.” The Greek word oi·ke·teʹri·on occurs only here and at Jude 6, where it is rendered “dwelling place.”

the one for us from heaven: Or “our dwelling that is from heaven; our heavenly dwelling.”—See study note on 2Co 5:1.

we will not be found naked: Paul knew that he and other anointed Christians who died prior to Christ’s presence would, for a time, be “naked,” or unclothed, in death. They would live neither a life in the flesh nor a life in the spirit but would be asleep in the Grave. However, if they had been faithful when they lived on earth, they would not remain “naked” in death. Rather, they were guaranteed a future resurrection; they would “put on” a spiritual body to make their “home with the Lord.”—2Co 5:1-8; see study note on 2Co 5:4.

a token of what is to come: Or “a down payment; a guarantee (pledge) of what is to come.”—See study note on 2Co 1:22.

walking by faith, not by sight: In the Bible, “to walk” is often used figuratively, meaning “to live; to act; to follow a certain life course.” So “walking by faith” refers to pursuing a life course that is governed by faith and trust in God and in what he has revealed. It is here contrasted with “walking . . . by sight,” that is, pursuing a life course guided by what can be seen or by outward appearance. In this context, Paul had in mind spirit-anointed Christians. They could not see their heavenly reward with the physical eyes, but their faith was well-founded. All Christians should let their life course be guided by faith.

bad: Or “vile.” The Greek word here rendered “bad,” or “vile,” is phauʹlos. In some contexts, it may convey the idea of “being evil in the sense of moral baseness.” Paul shows that the choice put before humans is to practice either what is good or what is bad, that is, to live by God’s standards or to ignore them.

the fear of the Lord: In this context, “the Lord” apparently refers to Jesus Christ. In the preceding verse, Paul mentions that “we must all appear before the judgment seat of the Christ.” (See study note on 2Co 5:10.) Isaiah prophesied about Jesus’ role as Judge. (Isa 11:3, 4) “The fear of the Lord” stems from deep love and profound respect for Jehovah, who appointed Jesus as Judge.—Joh 5:22, 27.

are well-known: Or “have been made manifest.” Paul was convinced that God knew what kind of people he and his associates were. Here Paul hopes that the Corinthians also recognized the motives and conduct of these brothers as being acceptable, or good.

those who boast over the outward appearance: The Greek verb for “to boast” (kau·khaʹo·mai) is often used in the sense of selfish pride. It is used several times in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. The Bible shows that no man has grounds for boasting in himself or in his accomplishments. (Jer 9:23, 24) The apostle Paul gives strong counsel to the congregation, showing that there is no room for boasting in anyone but Jehovah God and what he has done for them.—1Co 1:28, 29, 31; 4:6, 7; 2Co 10:17.

For if we were out of our mind, it was for God: Paul here uses a Greek verb that literally means “to stand out of oneself; to be beside oneself.” Paul may simply have been referring to the boasts he made later in this letter in order to defend his qualifications as an apostle, which his critics had questioned. (2Co 11:16-18, 23) Although Paul was completely qualified, he felt uncomfortable boasting. He did not boast because of pride. Rather, “it was for God,” in order to defend the truth and protect the congregation from dangerous influences. In truth, Paul was sound in mind, with a balanced view of himself. (Compare Ac 26:24, 25; Ro 12:3.) His soundness of mind greatly benefited those whom he taught, so he could rightly say, it is for you.

the love the Christ has: Or “the love of the Christ.” The Greek phrase could be understood to mean either “the love Christ shows us” or “the love we show Christ.” Some have suggested that both meanings are possible. The context, though, shows that the emphasis is on the love Christ has shown.—2Co 5:15.

compels us: This Greek verb literally means “to hold together” and may convey the meaning “to exercise continuous control over someone or something”; “to urge”; “to impel strongly.” The love Christ showed in laying down his life in our behalf is so outstanding that as a Christian’s appreciation grows, his heart is deeply moved. In this manner, Christ’s love controlled Paul. It moved him to reject selfish pursuits and to confine his objectives to serving God and his fellow man inside and outside the congregation.—Compare study note on 1Co 9:16.

necessity: Or “obligation.” Paul received an assignment to preach, and he felt obligated to do this work. (Ac 9:15-17; Ga 1:15, 16) The Greek word for “necessity” is also rendered “compelling reason.” (Ro 13:5) Paul continues, woe to me if I do not declare the good news! He uses the Greek word rendered “woe” to express the distress he would feel if he did not fulfill his obligation. His very life depended on his being loyal. (Compare Eze 33:7-9, 18; Ac 20:26.) Paul may have had in mind the words of Jeremiah and Amos. (Jer 20:9; Am 3:8) However, his motive for preaching is love, not mere duty.—2Co 5:14, 20; Php 1:16.

from a fleshly viewpoint: Or “from a human point of view.” Lit., “according to the flesh.” In this context, the term “flesh” (Greek, sarx) refers broadly to things connected with the limitations of humans, including the way they reason and the things they achieve. (See study notes on Ro 3:20; 8:4.) Paul’s point was that Christians would not evaluate one another on the basis of position, wealth, race, national origin, or other such factors. Since Christ died for all, those fleshly distinctions were irrelevant. It was the spiritual relationship between fellow believers that mattered.—Mt 12:47-50.

we certainly no longer know him in that way: Any Christian who initially viewed Jesus from a fleshly, or human, perspective—hoping that he had come to restore the Jews’ earthly kingdom—abandoned such a viewpoint. (Joh 6:15, 26) Instead, Christians realized that Jesus had given his fleshly body as a ransom and that he was now a life-giving spirit.—1Co 15:45; 2Co 5:15.

the flesh: The Bible uses the term “flesh” in different ways. It may refer to humans of flesh and blood with no reference to sin or imperfection. (Joh 1:14; 3:6; 17:2) However, it often refers to humans in their imperfect sinful state, as in this context. In the preceding chapters, Paul links “living according to the flesh” with “the sinful passions” that were “at work in [their] bodies.” (Ro 6:19; 7:5, 18, 25) In the following verses (Ro 8:5-13), Paul contrasts the sinful flesh with the spirit, that is, God’s holy spirit.—For other meanings of the term “flesh,” see study note on Ro 1:3; Ro 2:28.

one: Lit., “flesh.” The Greek word sarx is here used in the sense of a human, a being of flesh and blood.—See study notes on Joh 3:6; 17:2.

in union with Christ: Lit., “in Christ.” Each spirit-anointed Christian enjoys a oneness with Jesus Christ. (Joh 17:21; 1Co 12:27) This special relationship comes into existence when Jehovah draws the individual to his Son and begets that individual with holy spirit.—Joh 3:3-8; 6:44.

he is a new creation: Each anointed Christian is a new creation—a spirit-begotten son of God with the prospect of sharing with Christ in the heavenly Kingdom. (Ga 4:6, 7) Though new material things have not been created since the end of the sixth creative day (Ge 2:2, 3), new spiritual things have been created.

new things have come into existence: Jesus became God’s initial “new creation” upon being anointed at his baptism as a spirit-begotten son of God with heavenly prospects. Additionally, Jesus and his anointed corulers collectively make up the Christian congregation, which is also a new spiritual creation.—1Pe 2:9.

God, who reconciled us to himself: All humans need to be reconciled to God because the first man, Adam, was disobedient, and he passed sin and imperfection on to all his descendants. (Ro 5:12) As a result, they are in a state of alienation from God; they are at enmity with God, whose standards do not allow for condoning wrongdoing. (Ro 8:7, 8) The Greek words for “to reconcile” and “reconciliation” basically convey the meaning “change; exchange,” and in this context they refer to changing from a hostile relationship to a friendly, harmonious relationship with God. Paul here shows that God first reconciled “us” (Paul, his associates, and all spirit-anointed Christians) to Himself through Christ, that is, by means of Christ’s ransom sacrifice. Then Paul says that God “gave us the ministry of the reconciliation.”—See study note on Ro 5:10.

the ministry of the reconciliation: That is, the ministry of helping people to become “reconciled to God through the death of his Son.” (Ro 5:10) This ministry involves an urgent message to help those alienated from God to come into a peaceful relationship with him, to become his friend.—2Co 5:18-20; for a discussion of the term “ministry” (Greek, di·a·ko·niʹa), see study notes on Ac 11:29; Ro 11:13.

relief: Or “a relief ministration.” This is the first recorded instance of Christians sending relief aid to fellow Christians living in another part of the world. The Greek word di·a·ko·niʹa, often rendered “ministry,” is also used in the sense of “relief work” at Ac 12:25 and “relief ministry” at 2Co 8:4. The use of the Greek word di·a·ko·niʹa in the Christian Greek Scriptures shows that Christians have a twofold ministry. One aspect is “the ministry [form of di·a·ko·niʹa] of the reconciliation,” that is, the preaching and teaching work. (2Co 5:18-20; 1Ti 2:3-6) The other aspect involves their ministry in behalf of fellow believers, as mentioned here. Paul stated: “There are different ministries [plural of di·a·ko·niʹa], and yet there is the same Lord.” (1Co 12:4-6, 11) He showed that these different aspects of the Christian ministry all constitute “sacred service.”—Ro 12:1, 6-8.

reconciled to God: The Greek verb ka·tal·lasʹso, used twice in this verse and twice in the passage at 2Co 5:18, 19, has the basic meaning “to change; to exchange.” It came to mean “to change from hostility to a friendly relationship.” As used of man’s relationship with God, it means to bring back into harmony or to cause to be friendly again. Paul used this verb when speaking of a woman’s being “reconciled with her husband” from whom she was separated. (1Co 7:11) The related verb di·al·lasʹso·mai appears at Mt 5:24 in Jesus’ instructions to “make . . . peace with your brother” before presenting an offering on the altar. (See study note on Mt 5:24.) Mankind needs to be reconciled to God because the first man, Adam, was disobedient, and he passed sin and imperfection on to all his descendants. As a result, mankind is in a state of alienation from God; they are at enmity with God, whose standards do not allow for his condoning wrongdoing.—Ro 5:12; 8:7, 8.

God was by means of Christ reconciling: Some Bible translations render this phrase “God was in Christ, reconciling.” However, the Greek preposition en, literally meaning “in,” is very broad and must be understood according to context. The preceding verse (2Co 5:18) clearly states that “God . . . reconciled us to himself through [Greek, di·aʹ] Christ.” In harmony with this, en is here properly translated “by means of.”

reconciling a world to himself: The world of mankind needs to be reconciled to God because the first man, Adam, was disobedient, and he passed sin and imperfection on to all his descendants. (See study note on 2Co 5:18.) God is accomplishing this reconciliation by means of Christ, that is, through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. (Ro 5:10; 2Co 5:21; Col 1:21, 22) Jehovah has appointed those who are in union with Christ to be “ambassadors” to a hostile world and has given them “the ministry of the reconciliation.”—2Co 5:18, 20.

the message of the reconciliation: Or “the word of the reconciliation.” God’s word, or message, to mankind is described in a number of ways that show the breadth, meaning, and various aspects of its content. Here it is described as “the message of the reconciliation.” It is also referred to as “the word [or “message”] of the Kingdom” (Mt 13:19), “the word of this salvation” (Ac 13:26), “the word of truth” (Eph 1:13), and “the word of righteousness” (Heb 5:13). Here Paul shows gratitude for the privilege of conveying this message of reconciliation, saying that God “entrusted [the message] to us,” that is, to Paul and all spirit-anointed Christians.

we are ambassadors: Paul is here speaking of himself and his fellow workers as “ambassadors substituting for Christ.” In Bible times, ambassadors and other messengers could be dispatched for several reasons. For example, during periods of hostility, ambassadors were dispatched to see if warfare could be averted or to arrange terms for peace where a state of war prevailed. (Isa 30:1-4; 33:7) In Paul’s day, peoples, cities, or provinces of the Roman Empire would send ambassadors to Rome to reinforce friendship, to receive assistance, or to plead for some cause. The Greek verb for “to be (act as) an ambassador” (pre·sbeuʹo) appears twice in the Christian Greek Scriptures, here and at Eph 6:19, 20, where Paul speaks of himself as an ambassador for the good news. At Lu 14:32 and 19:14, the related noun pre·sbeiʹa is rendered “body of ambassadors.” Both of these words are related to the word pre·sbyʹte·ros, meaning “older man; elder.”—Mt 16:21; Ac 11:30.

substituting for Christ: Or “instead of Christ; in the name of Christ.” After Christ was resurrected to heaven, his faithful followers were appointed to act in his place, as “ambassadors substituting for Christ.” They were first sent to the Jews and then to people of the nations, all of whom were alienated from the Supreme Sovereign, Jehovah. These anointed Christians serve as ambassadors to a world not at peace with God. (Joh 14:30; 15:18, 19; Jas 4:4) In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, written during his first imprisonment in Rome (c. 59-61 C.E.), he described himself as “an ambassador in chains.”—Eph 6:20.

The one who did not know sin: That is, Jesus, who never sinned. However, Jehovah made him to be sin for us, that is, for our sake. Jehovah arranged for Jesus to die as a sin offering to pay the penalty for mankind’s sin. (Compare Le 16:21; Isa 53:12; Ga 3:13; Heb 9:28.) The phrase “made to be sin for us” could also be rendered “made to be a sin offering for us.” Regarding Jesus, the apostle John says: “He is a propitiatory sacrifice [or, “an atoning sacrifice; a means of appeasement”] for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s.” (1Jo 2:2) While the Israelites had a limited means of approach to God through their animal sacrifices, Christians have a superior basis for approaching God, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.—Joh 14:6; 1Pe 3:18.

so that by means of him we might become God’s righteousness: That is, by means of Jesus, we may attain a righteous, or approved, standing before God. Paul may have had in mind Isaiah’s prophecy regarding Jehovah’s Messianic servant, who is said to “bring a righteous standing to many people.”—Isa 53:11.

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2 Corinthians 5

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 06:1-18

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 06:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 6:1-18

6 Working together with him,+ we also urge you not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose.+ ² For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you.”+ Look! Now is the especially acceptable time.+ Look! Now is the day of salvation. ³ In no way are we giving any cause for stumbling, so that no fault may be found with our ministry;+ ⁴ but in every way we recommend ourselves as God’s ministers,+ by the endurance of much, by tribulations, by times of need, by difficulties,+ ⁵ by beatings,+ by imprisonments,+ by riots, by hard work, by sleepless nights, by times without food;+ ⁶ by purity, by knowledge, by patience,+ by kindness,+ by holy spirit, by love free from hypocrisy,+ ⁷ by truthful speech, by God’s power;+ through the weapons of righteousness+ in the right hand and in the left, ⁸ through glory and dishonor, through bad report and good report. We are regarded as deceivers and yet we are truthful, ⁹ as unknown and yet we are recognized, as dying and yet look! we live,+ as punished* and yet not handed over to death,+ ¹⁰ as sorrowing but ever rejoicing, as poor but making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.+ ¹¹ We have opened our mouth to speak to you, Corinthians, and we have opened wide our heart. ¹² We are not restricted in our affections for you,+ but you are restricted in your own tender affections for us. ¹³ So in response—I speak as to my children—you too open your hearts wide.+ ¹⁴ Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers.+ For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have?+ Or what sharing does light have with darkness?+ ¹⁵ Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Beʹli·al?+ Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever?+ ¹⁶ And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols?+ For we are a temple of a living God;+ just as God said: “I will reside among them+ and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”+ ¹⁷ “‘Therefore, get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing’”;+ “‘and I will take you in.’”+ ¹⁸ “‘And I will become a father to you,+ and you will become sons and daughters to me,’+ says Jehovah, the Almighty.”

Footnotes

^ Or “disciplined.”

Study Notes

Working together with him: That is, with God, as shown by the context of 2Co 5:20, where Paul’s work is described “as though God were making an appeal through us.” The Greek verb rendered “making an appeal” (pa·ra·ka·leʹo) in that verse is used in the context of humans working with God. The same verb appears here at 2Co 6:1 in the phrase “we . . . urge [or, “appeal to; entreat”] you.” This further supports the idea that God is a fellow worker of true Christian ministers, including Paul and his companions.—See study note on 1Co 3:9.

undeserved kindness: See Glossary.

and miss its purpose: The Greek expression rendered “and miss its purpose” includes a word that literally means “empty.” That word has also been rendered “in vain; for nothing.” The context shows that anointed Christians received God’s undeserved kindness and were privileged to carry out “the ministry of the reconciliation,” serving as “ambassadors substituting for Christ.” (2Co 5:18-20) If those Christians failed to fulfill that ministry and to keep seeking God’s favor during the “acceptable time” and “the day of salvation,” they would miss the purpose of God’s undeserved kindness.—2Co 6:2.

Jehovah’s acceptable year: Or “the year of Jehovah’s favor.” Here Jesus quotes from Isa 61:1, 2. Luke’s Greek text uses “acceptable year,” which follows the Septuagint rendering of the Hebrew expression “year of . . . goodwill [or, “favor,” ftn.].” Jesus applied this verse to himself, indicating that his ministry of salvation marked the beginning of this “year” that was “acceptable” to Jehovah for showing his goodwill and accepting people. Jesus’ reading stopped short of Isaiah’s next words concerning God’s relatively short “day of vengeance,” apparently to keep the focus on that longer “acceptable year,” during which God would show favor to those turning to him for salvation.—Lu 19:9, 10; Joh 12:47.

For he says: “In an acceptable time I heard you”: Paul is quoting from the prophecy at Isa 49:8. This statement was apparently made to Isaiah, who represented the nation of Israel and personified that nation as a “servant.” (Isa 49:3) This was a restoration prophecy that had its first fulfillment when Israel was liberated from Babylon. However, Isaiah says that this “servant” of Jehovah would be given as “a covenant for the people” (Isa 49:8) and as “a light of nations, so that [God’s] salvation may reach the ends of the earth” (Isa 49:6). This marks the prophecy as Messianic, applying also to Christ Jesus as God’s “servant.” (Compare Isa 42:1-4, 6, 7 with Mt 12:18-21.) The “time of favor” was when Jehovah would answer and help his servant. Accordingly, during Jesus’ earthly life, he “offered up supplications and also petitions . . . to the One who was able to save him out of death, and he was favorably heard for his godly fear.” (Heb 5:7-9; compare Lu 22:41-44; 23:46; Joh 12:27, 28; 17:1-5.) It was, therefore, “a day of salvation” and “an acceptable time [or, “a time of favor”]” for God’s own Son, the foretold “servant.”—Compare study note on Lu 4:19.

Look! Now is the especially acceptable time. Look! Now is the day of salvation: The prophecy at Isa 49:8 that Paul quotes is both a restoration prophecy and a Messianic prophecy. While the fulfillment of this prophecy involved Jesus Christ, Paul quoted from this prophecy to indicate that it also applied to Christians. Paul urged them “not to accept the undeserved kindness of God and miss its purpose.” (2Co 6:1) Those Christians had become the spiritual “Israel of God” from Pentecost 33 C.E. onward. (Ga 6:16) However, they needed to prove worthy of God’s undeserved kindness so that the “acceptable time,” or time of favor, might be “the day of salvation” for them.

Ministers: Or “Servants.” The Bible often uses the Greek word di·aʹko·nos to refer to one who does not let up in humbly rendering service in behalf of others. (See study note on Mt 20:26.) At Ro 15:8, the term is used to describe Jesus. (See study note.) In this verse (1Co 3:5), Paul describes himself and Apollos as ministers, or servants, who helped the Corinthians to become believers. Their ministry, like the ministry of all baptized Christians, involved filling the spiritual needs of other humans.—Lu 4:16-21.

we recommend ourselves as God’s ministers: In his letters to the Christians in Corinth, Paul has already referred to himself and his fellow workers as “ministers.” (See study notes on 1Co 3:5; 2Co 3:6.) In this context, the Greek verb rendered “we recommend ourselves” conveys the idea “we prove (show) ourselves to be.” Some men associated with the congregation in Corinth were not proving worthy of God’s undeserved kindness. (2Co 6:1, 3) So Paul and his associates recommended, or defended, themselves as God’s ministers “in every way.”

in the right hand and in the left: It seems likely that Paul here employs imagery based on the way that a soldier used his weapons. A soldier usually held his sword, a weapon of offense, in his right hand and carried his shield, for his defense, in his left. Paul used these weapons of righteousness, including God’s word, to advance the cause of truth and to defend pure worship from attack. (2Co 10:4, 5; Eph 6:16, 17; Heb 4:12) Unlike his enemies, Paul did not resort to abuse of power, deception, slander, or trickery to further his aims. (2Co 1:24; 10:9; 11:3, 13-15; 12:16, 17) Rather, he endeavored to use only means that were righteous, or just, in God’s eyes. (See Glossary, “Righteousness.”) Paul wanted all Christian ministers to be fully equipped for their vital work.

dying: Or “considered worthy of death.” During their ministry, Paul and his coworkers faced many trials that constantly brought them close to death. (Ac 14:19; 1Co 15:30, 31; 2Co 1:8; 4:11; 11:23-27) Still, they could exclaim yet look! we live. Despite all the tribulations and persecution they experienced, they were preserved alive.

We have opened our mouth to speak to you: Or “we have spoken openly to you.” The Greek phrase “our mouth has been open to you” is an idiom meaning “to speak frankly.”

We are not restricted in our affections for you: Or “You are not cramped for room within us.” The Greek word ste·no·kho·reʹo·mai, used twice in this verse, literally means “to put in a narrow place.” One lexicon explains the meaning of this phrase regarding the Corinthian Christians: “They are not boxed off in a narrow area of Paul’s affection.” Paul is, in effect, saying that there are no limits to the affection that he feels for the Corinthian Christians.

tender affections: The Greek term used here, splagkhʹnon, refers in a literal sense to the inward parts of the body. At Ac 1:18, it is rendered “insides [intestines].” In this context (2Co 6:12), the word refers to deeply felt, intense emotions. It is one of the strongest words in Greek for the feeling of compassion.

you too open your hearts wide: Or “you too widen out.” The Greek verb used here literally means “to make broad; to enlarge.” (Mt 23:5) Paul is using the word figuratively with regard to showing warm affection. One reference work comments that the expression describes showing “generous, expansive affection.”

Do not become unevenly yoked: This illustration is based on a principle of agricultural life. A farmer does not yoke together, or join together, two animals that are very different in size or strength to work in the fields. If he did, the weaker animal would have to struggle to keep up the pace, and the stronger animal would have a greater burden to bear. Paul likely had in mind De 22:10, where the Mosaic Law forbade the Israelites to plow with a bull and a donkey yoked together. He used this principle of farming to illustrate how spiritually detrimental it would be for Christians to form alliances with individuals who were no part of the Christian congregation. For example, if a Christian married an unbeliever, the two would be unevenly yoked. In spiritual matters, they would not be united in thought and action.

unevenly yoked: The Greek word rendered “unevenly yoked” (he·te·ro·zy·geʹo), used only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures, literally means “to be differently yoked (joined together).” The related verb syn·zeuʹgny·mi is used at Mt 19:6 and Mr 10:9 in the phrase “what God has yoked [or, “joined”] together.” Both these verbs are related to the Greek word for “yoke,” zy·gosʹ.

harmony: Or “agreement.” The Greek word used here, sym·phoʹne·sis, literally means “a sounding together.” In a literal sense, it may have reference to the harmony produced by musical instruments. One lexicon defines this word as “a state of shared interests.” The intended answer to the first rhetorical question posed in this verse is: “There is, of course, absolutely no harmony, or agreement, between Christ and Satan.”

Belial: This term, found only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures, is used as a designation for Satan. Greek manuscripts use the spelling Be·liʹar, which is reflected in some translations. However, the Greek term corresponds to a Hebrew term, beli·yaʹʽal, which means “good-for-nothing; worthless.” It is applied to ideas, words, and counsel (De 15:9, where the expression is rendered “evil”; Ps 101:3; Na 1:11) and to “dreadful” circumstances (Ps 41:8). It is most frequently applied to worthless men of the lowest sort—for example, those who would induce Jehovah’s people to worship other gods. (De 13:13) This expression is also used in a number of other verses to describe wicked men. (Jg 19:22-27; 20:13; 1Sa 25:17, 25; 2Sa 20:1; 22:5; 1Ki 21:10, 13) In the first century C.E., Belial was used as a descriptive name for Satan. The Syriac Peshitta reads “Satan” here at 2Co 6:15. Paul usually calls the adversary of God by the name Satan (Ro 16:20; 2Co 2:11) but also uses the designations “the Devil” (Eph 6:11; 1Ti 3:6), “the wicked one” (2Th 3:3), and “the god of this system of things” (2Co 4:4).

what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever?: Or “what share does a believer have with an unbeliever?” The Greek word me·risʹ, meaning “share; portion,” is used in a similar sense at Ac 8:21, where it is rendered “part.”

a believer: Or “a faithful person.” The Greek word pi·stosʹ can describe someone who shows trust, or faith, in someone or something, that is, a believing person. On the other hand, the same word can also describe a person whom others find to be trustworthy, faithful, dependable. In some cases, as in this verse, both meanings are possible.

just as God said: By quoting from or alluding to several texts in the Hebrew Scriptures, Paul shows that God’s attitude toward spiritual cleanness has always been the same. Here in verse 16, Paul is referring to Le 26:11, 12 and Eze 37:27.

Therefore, get out from among them: In this context (2Co 6:14–7:1), Paul admonishes the Corinthian Christians not to become unevenly yoked with unbelievers and to remain clean. Here in verse 17, he quotes Isa 52:11, a prophetic command to the Jews who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon in 537 B.C.E. Those Jews were carrying with them the sacred utensils that King Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem. Not only did they have to keep themselves clean in an outward ceremonial way but they also had to have clean hearts and rid themselves of all false worship. Likewise, the Corinthian Christians had to avoid the unclean temples of false religion and separate themselves from all unclean acts of idolatry. They had to “cleanse [themselves] of every defilement of flesh and spirit.”—2Co 7:1.

says Jehovah: In this verse, Paul quotes several phrases from Isa 52:11, where the context makes it clear that Jehovah God is the Source of the message. (Isa 52:4, 5) Paul links the quotes together by using a phrase that occurs hundreds of times in the Septuagint to translate Hebrew phrases for “declares Jehovah,” “says Jehovah,” and “this is what Jehovah says.” Some examples can be found at Isa 1:11; 48:17; 49:18 (quoted at Ro 14:11); 52:4, 5.—See App. C3 introduction; 2Co 6:17.

and I will take you in: Or “and I will receive [welcome] you.” This phrase is apparently a quote based on the Septuagint wording of Eze 20:36, 41.

says Jehovah, the Almighty: The statements Paul quotes in this verse are apparently taken from 2Sa 7:14 and Isa 43:6. The phrase “says Jehovah, the Almighty,” seems to be quoted from the Septuagint version of 2Sa 7:8, where the original Hebrew text reads: “This is what Jehovah of armies says.” With quotes from the Hebrew Scriptures, Paul urges Christians to avoid false worship and the use of lifeless, powerless idols. By doing so, they can qualify as “sons and daughters” of “Jehovah, the Almighty.”—See App. C1 and C2.

the Almighty: The Greek word Pan·to·kraʹtor, here rendered “the Almighty,” could also be translated “the Ruler Over All; the One Who Has All Power.” In this context, Paul urges Christians to avoid false worship and the use of lifeless, powerless idols (2Co 6:16) in order to qualify as children of “the Almighty.” In the Christian Greek Scriptures, this is the first of ten occurrences of the term rendered “the Almighty.” The other nine are found in the book of Revelation.—Re 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22.

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2 Corinthians 6

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 07:1-16

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 07:1-16 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 7:1-16

7 Therefore, since we have these promises,a beloved ones, let us cleanse ourselves of every defilement of flesh and spirit,b perfecting holiness in the fear of God.c ² Make room for us in your hearts.d We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one.e ³ I do not say this to condemn you. For I have said before that you are in our hearts to die together and to live together. ⁴ I have great freeness of speech toward you. I have great boasting in regard to you. I am filled with comfort; I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction.f ⁵ In fact, when we arrived in Mac·e·doʹni·a,g our bodies got no relief, but we continued to be afflicted in every way—there were fights on the outside, fears within. ⁶ But God, who comforts those who are downhearted,h comforted us by the presence of Titus; ⁷ and not only by his presence but also by the comfort he received because of you, as he reported back to us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, and your earnest concern for me; so I rejoiced even more. ⁸ For even if I saddened you by my letter,i I do not regret it. Even if I did at first regret it (seeing that the letter saddened you, though only for a little while),* ⁹ now I rejoice, not because you were just saddened, but because you were saddened into repenting. For you were saddened in a godly way, so that you suffered no harm because of us. ¹⁰ For sadness in a godly way produces repentance leading to salvation, leaving no regret;j but the sadness of the world produces death. ¹¹ For see what a great earnestness your being saddened in a godly way produced in you, yes, clearing of yourselves, yes, indignation, yes, fear, yes, earnest desire, yes, zeal, yes, righting of the wrong!k In every respect you demonstrated yourselves to be pure in this matter. ¹² Although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the one who did the wrong,l nor for the one who was wronged, but so that your earnestness for us might be made evident among you in the sight of God. ¹³ That is why we have been comforted. But in addition to our comfort, we rejoiced even more over the joy of Titus, because all of you refreshed his spirit. ¹⁴ For if I have boasted to him about you, I have not been put to shame; but just as all the things we told you were true, so also our boasting to Titus has proved true. ¹⁵ Also, his tender affections toward you are greater as he remembers the obedience of all of you,m how you received him with fear and trembling. ¹⁶ I rejoice that in every way I may have confidence in you.

2 Corinthians 7

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 08:1-24

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 08:1-24 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 8:1-24

8 Now we want you to know, brothers, about the undeserved kindness of God that has been granted to the congregations of Mac·e·doʹni·a.+ ² During a great test under affliction, their abundance of joy and their deep poverty made the riches of their generosity abound. ³ For it was according to their means,+ yes, I testify, it was even beyond their means,+ ⁴ while they on their own initiative kept earnestly begging us for the privilege of kindly giving, to have a share in the relief ministry for the holy ones.+ ⁵ And not merely as we had hoped, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us through God’s will. ⁶ So we encouraged Titus that, just as he had initiated this work among you,+ he should also complete this same kind giving on your part. ⁷ Nevertheless, just as you abound in everything, in faith and word and knowledge and all earnestness and in our love for you, may you also abound in this kind giving.+ ⁸ I am saying this, not to command you, but to make you aware of the earnestness of others and to test the genuineness of your love. ⁹ For you know the undeserved kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sake,+ so that you might become rich through his poverty. ¹⁰ And in this I give my opinion:+ This is for your benefit, seeing that already a year ago you not only initiated the action but also showed your desire to do it.+ ¹¹ So now, also complete what you started to do, so that your readiness to act may be completed according to the means you have available. ¹² For if the readiness is there first, it is especially acceptable according to what a person has,+ not according to what a person does not have. ¹³ For I do not want to make it easy for others, but difficult for you; ¹⁴ but that by means of an equalizing, your surplus at the present time might offset their need, so that their surplus might also offset your deficiency, that there may be an equalizing. ¹⁵ Just as it is written: “The person with much did not have too much, and the person with little did not have too little.”+ ¹⁶ Now thanks be to God for putting the same earnest concern for you in the heart of Titus,+ ¹⁷ because he has indeed responded to the encouragement, but being very eager, he is coming to you on his own initiative. ¹⁸ But we are sending along with him the brother whose praise in connection with the good news has spread through all the congregations. ¹⁹ Not only that, but he was also appointed by the congregations to be our traveling companion as we administer this kind gift for the glory of the Lord and in proof of our readiness to assist. ²⁰ Thus we are avoiding having any man find fault with us in connection with this liberal contribution that we are administering.+ ²¹ For we ‘care for everything honestly, not only in the sight of Jehovah but also in the sight of men.’+ ²² Moreover, we are sending with them our brother whom we have often tested and found to be diligent in many matters, but now much more diligent on account of his great confidence in you. ²³ If, though, there is any question about Titus, he is my companion* and a fellow worker for your interests; or if there are questions about our brothers, they are apostles of congregations and a glory of Christ. ²⁴ So demonstrate the proof of your love to them,+ and show the congregations why we boasted about you.

Footnotes

^ Lit., “sharer.”

Study Notes

made the riches of their generosity abound: Or “made . . . overflow.” Paul seeks to motivate the Christians in Corinth to complete the relief ministry for the needy Christians in Judea. So he tells them about “the congregations of Macedonia,” such as those in Philippi and Thessalonica, that were outstanding examples of generous giving. (Ro 15:26; 2Co 8:1-4; 9:1-7; Php 4:14-16) Their cheerful generosity was all the more remarkable, since they themselves were in “deep poverty” and were experiencing a great test under affliction. It is possible that those Christians in Macedonia were being accused of practicing customs considered unlawful for Romans, as happened to Paul himself in Philippi. (Ac 16:20, 21) Some suggest that the test was connected with their poverty. Such tests, or trials, might explain why the Macedonians felt empathy for their Judean brothers, who were suffering similar hardships. (Ac 17:5-9; 1Th 2:14) Therefore, the Macedonian Christians wanted to help them and joyfully gave “beyond their means.”—2Co 8:3.

my ministry: The Greek word di·a·ko·niʹa, often rendered “ministry,” is here used in the sense of “relief work (or, ministry),” as at Ac 11:29; 12:25; 2Co 8:4; 9:13. The congregations in Macedonia and Achaia had shared in a “relief ministry,” gathering together a contribution for Paul to take to the needy brothers in Judea. (2Co 8:1-4; 9:1, 2, 11-13) Instead of di·a·ko·niʹa, a few ancient manuscripts use the word do·ro·pho·riʹa (bringing of a gift) here. Some suggest that this was the result of a scribe’s attempt to explain what kind of “ministry” Paul was referring to.—See study note on Ac 11:29.

that although he was rich, he became poor for your sake: To motivate the Corinthians to help those in need, Paul has them contemplate Jesus’ example of self-sacrifice and generosity. Before Jesus came to earth as a man, he was rich in a special sense; he was especially favored and blessed by his Father. (Joh 1:14; Eph 3:8) Yet, he willingly relinquished his favored position. (Joh 1:18; Php 2:5-8) He left his heavenly home to live among imperfect humans who coped daily with poverty, sickness, and death. Additionally, Jesus was born to the wife of a poor carpenter. (See study note on Lu 2:24.) As a man, Jesus led a simple life. (Mt 8:20) Yet, he redeemed the human race. Because of Jesus’ generosity, the Christians in Corinth had become rich in spiritual blessings, including the prospect of a heavenly inheritance. Paul thus urges them to imitate Jesus’ spirit of giving.

a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons: The Law allowed for women of little means to offer birds instead of a sheep, which would have been far costlier. (Le 12:6, 8) Clearly, Joseph and Mary were poor at this time, which shows that the astrologers came, not when Jesus was a newborn, but when he was older. (Mt 2:9-11) If Joseph and Mary had already received the costly gifts that those men brought, the couple could readily have afforded a sheep for sacrifice when they went to the temple.

an equalizing: In this context, Paul gives instructions regarding a collection for the needy “holy ones” in Jerusalem and Judea. (2Co 8:4; 9:1) He highlights that the Christians in Corinth, who were better off financially, could contribute from their surplus to offset the material need of their brothers in Judea. Such generosity would result in “an equalizing,” or balancing out, of resources. No one was pressured to give more than he could afford.—2Co 8:12, 13; 9:7; see the study note on 2Co 8:15.

Just as it is written: As a Scriptural basis for the principle of “equalizing,” Paul quotes from Ex 16:18, referring to Jehovah’s loving arrangement of providing manna for the Israelites during their wilderness journey. (2Co 8:14; see Glossary, “Manna.”) An Israelite family head either gathered or supervised the gathering of manna for the entire household. Since the manna melted when the sun got hot, he doubtless quickly gathered the approximate supply needed for the household and measured it afterward. He gathered little or much according to the size of the household; yet, the amount collected always proved to be one omer measure (2.2 L; 2 dry qt) per person. (Ex 16:16-18) Paul alluded to this when encouraging the Christians in Corinth to use their material surplus to offset the material need of their brothers in Judea.—See study note on 2Co 8:14.

the brother: Paul refers to this unnamed brother by a Greek word rendered “traveling companion.” (2Co 8:19) This word is used in only one other place in the Christian Greek Scriptures, at Ac 19:29, where it occurs in the plural form. There, Aristarchus is named as one of the traveling companions. Aristarchus became Paul’s close associate. Some scholars thus feel that “the brother” mentioned here might be Aristarchus, but there are also other possibilities, such as Tychicus.—Ac 20:2-4; 27:2; Col 4:7, 10.

we ‘care for everything honestly’: Paul glorified his ministry by watching closely every feature of his life and conduct. (2Co 6:3) Paul knew that some who associated with the congregation in Corinth criticized and slandered him in order to belittle his authority as an apostle. Paul realized how dangerous such faultfinding could become if money was involved, so he assured the congregation that he was sending Titus and two other trustworthy brothers to handle the contributions. (2Co 8:20, 22) Paul wanted to act honestly not only in the sight of Jehovah but also in the sight of men. Paul here alludes to Pr 3:4 as the Scriptural basis for making such arrangements so that the contributed funds were handled in a way that was above suspicion. He uses wording that according to copies of the Septuagint available today reads: “Provide things honest in the sight of the Lord, and of men [or, people].”—For the use of the divine name in this verse, see App. C3 introduction; 2Co 8:21.

our brother: To ensure that the contributed funds were handled in a way that was above suspicion, two reputable, duly appointed brothers were assigned to help Titus in completing the collection. (2Co 8:20, 21; 9:5) Paul did not name either of these brothers. (See study note on 2Co 8:18.) So it is not known who this unnamed brother was, though some have suggested Trophimus and Tychicus as possibilities.—Ac 20:4.

apostles of congregations: Paul uses the Greek word for “apostle” (a·poʹsto·los) in its general sense, which can mean “sent one” or “envoy.” (See study note on Joh 13:16.) The brothers he mentions were sent out as representatives of their respective congregations. Similarly, Paul used the Greek word a·poʹsto·los when speaking about Epaphroditus as an “envoy.” (Php 2:25) Such faithful men were not apostles in the sense of being appointed to serve as one of the Twelve, as Matthias was; nor were they apostles in the sense of being chosen by Christ to serve as apostles to the nations, as Paul was.—See study note on Ac 1:26; see also Ac 9:15; Ro 11:13.

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2 Corinthians 8

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 09:1-15

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 09:1-15 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 9:1-15

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9 Now concerning the ministry that is for the holy ones,a it is not really necessary for me to write you, ² for I know your willingness about which I am boasting to the Mac·e·doʹni·ans, that A·chaʹia has been ready now for a year, and your zeal has stirred up the majority of them. ³ But I am sending the brothers, so that our boasting about you might not prove empty in this respect and that you may really be ready, just as I said you would be. ⁴ Otherwise, if the Mac·e·doʹni·ans should come with me and find you not ready, we—not to mention you—should be put to shame by our confidence in you. ⁵ So I thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to come to you ahead of time and to get your promised bountiful gift ready in advance, so that this might be ready as a generous gift, and not as something extorted. ⁶ But as to this, whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.b ⁷ Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion,c for God loves a cheerful giver.d ⁸ Moreover, God is able to cause all his undeserved kindness to abound toward you so that you are always completely self-sufficient in everything, as well as having plenty for every good work.e ⁹ (Just as it is written: “He has distributed widely; he has given to the poor. His righteousness continues forever.”f ¹⁰ Now the One who abundantly supplies seed to the sower and bread for eating will supply and multiply the seed for you to sow and will increase the harvest of your righteousness.) ¹¹ In everything you are being enriched for every sort of generosity, which produces through us an expression of thanks to God; ¹² because the ministry of this public service is not only to provide well for the needs of the holy onesg but also to be rich in many expressions of thanks to God. ¹³ Through the proof that this relief ministry gives, they glorify God because you are submissive to the good news about the Christ, as you publicly declared, and because you are generous in your contribution to them and to all.h ¹⁴ And with supplication for you, they express affection for you because of the surpassing undeserved kindness of God upon you. ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable free gift.

2 Corinthians 9

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 10:1-18

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 10:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 10:1-18

10 Now I myself, Paul, appeal to you by the mildness and kindness of the Christ,+ lowly though I am when among you face-to-face,+ but bold toward you when absent.+ ² I beg that when present, I may not have to be bold and take the strong measures that I expect against some who view us as if we walked in a fleshly manner.+ ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage warfare according to what we are in the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly,+ but powerful by God+ for overturning strongly entrenched things. ⁵ For we are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God,+ and we are bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ; ⁶ and we are prepared to inflict punishment for every disobedience,+ as soon as your own obedience is complete. ⁷ You look at things according to their face value. If anyone is confident in himself that he belongs to Christ, let him reflect again on this fact: Just as he belongs to Christ, so do we also. ⁸ For even if I should boast a bit too much about the authority that the Lord gave us to build you up and not to tear you down,+ I would not be put to shame. ⁹ For I do not want to seem as though I were trying to terrify you by my letters. ¹⁰ For they say: “His letters are weighty and forceful, but his presence in person is weak and his speech contemptible.” ¹¹ Let such a man consider that what we say* by letters when absent, this we will also do* when present.+ ¹² For we do not dare to class ourselves or compare ourselves with some who recommend themselves.+ But when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.+ ¹³ However, we will not boast outside our assigned boundaries, but within the boundary of the territory that God measured out to us,* making it reach even as far as you.+ ¹⁴ Really, we are not overextending ourselves as if we did not reach you, for we were the first to reach as far as you with the good news about the Christ.+ ¹⁵ No, we are not boasting outside our assigned boundaries about the labors of someone else, but we hope that as your faith continues to increase, what we have done may be made to increase, within our territory. Then we will abound still more, ¹⁶ so that we may declare the good news to the countries beyond you, so as not to boast in what has already been done in someone else’s territory. ¹⁷ “But the one who boasts, let him boast in Jehovah.”+ ¹⁸ For it is not the one who recommends himself who is approved,+ but the one whom Jehovah recommends.+

Footnotes

^ Lit., “also be in action.”

^ Lit., “what we are in word.”

^ Or “apportioned by measure to us.”

Study Notes

kindness of the Christ: Paul was not harsh when writing to the Christians in Corinth about some of their shortcomings. Instead, he appealed to them in a mild, kind, Christlike manner. The Greek word here translated “kindness” literally means “yieldingness,” and it could also be translated “reasonableness.” This quality is an outstanding characteristic of Christ Jesus. When here on earth, Jesus perfectly reflected his Father’s supreme example of reasonableness. (Joh 14:9) Similarly, although the Corinthians needed strong counsel, Paul tried to appeal to them kindly rather than simply issue commands.

some who view us as if we walked in a fleshly manner: It seems that some members of the congregation in Corinth had lost their spiritual viewpoint and held a critical view of Paul and his associates. They may have judged Paul and the others by their appearance, natural abilities, personalities, and so forth, instead of regarding them as spiritual men. The critics failed to recognize that God’s spirit was operating in the congregation and that men like Paul and Apollos accomplished what they did by means of God’s spirit and for His glory.

though we walk in the flesh: In one sense, Paul and his fellow workers, such as Apollos and Cephas (Peter), lived their lives like every other human, subject to the limitations common to imperfect humans. (1Co 1:11, 12; 3:4, 5) However, they did not carry out their Christian warfare according to what [they were] in the flesh, that is, guided by fleshly inclinations, motives, and imperfect human reasoning.

we do not wage warfare: Lit., “we are not doing military service.” As at 2Co 10:3-6, Paul often used military terminology to describe the spiritual warfare that he and his fellow believers needed to wage to protect the congregation from destructive, false reasonings and teachings.—1Co 9:7; Eph 6:11-18; 2Ti 2:4; see study notes on 2Co 10:4, 5.

overturning strongly entrenched things: The Greek verb here rendered “overturning” is rendered “tear down” at 2Co 10:8; 13:10. In the Septuagint, this Greek verb is used to translate a Hebrew word rendered “demolish.” (Ex 23:24) For “strongly entrenched things,” Paul uses a Greek word (o·khyʹro·ma) that occurs nowhere else in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Although Paul uses the term figuratively, it generally denotes a fortress or a fortified city. The Septuagint uses it at Pr 21:22, and some scholars say that Paul alludes to that verse here. The Septuagint also uses the term in reference to the famed fortified city of Tyre and other fortresses. (Jos 19:29; La 2:5; Mic 5:11; Zec 9:3) So the word picture brought to mind is that of “overturning” or “tearing down” a massive fortress, as when conquering a fortified city.

we are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing: In waging spiritual warfare inside the congregation, Christians need to overturn, or destroy, any wrong reasonings or false teachings. These and other obstacles stand like imposing walls in the way of those who seek to gain accurate knowledge of God. Even within the Christian congregation, “injurious reasonings” might hinder a person from having a relationship with God. (Mr 7:21) Literal swords and spears are useless against such reasonings, so “the weapons of our warfare” include “the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word.” (2Co 10:4; Eph 6:17) By using this sword, Christians are able to expose false doctrines, harmful practices, and philosophies that reflect human thinking.—1Co 2:6-8; Eph 6:11-13.

For they say: Paul here introduces a quote that appears to come from some of his critics in Corinth, perhaps the “superfine apostles” or those under their influence. (See study note on 2Co 11:5.) They claim that Paul’s “presence in person is weak and his speech contemptible.” However, in Lystra, the Lycaonian people mistook Paul for Hermes, a mythical Greek god of skillful speech. (See study note on Ac 14:12.) And Paul’s speeches recorded in the book of Acts show his outstanding speaking ability. (Ac 13:15-43; 17:22-34; 26:1-29) So the criticism coming from Paul’s opponents in Corinth may have been as unfounded as it was unkind and disrespectful.

his presence in person: Paul contrasted “his presence [Greek, pa·rou·siʹa] in person” with his being “absent.” (2Co 10:11) He used pa·rou·siʹa here in the sense of being present with the brothers rather than in reference to his approach or arrival. The Greek word is used in a similar sense five other times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (1Co 16:17; 2Co 7:6, 7; Php 1:26; 2:12) The same Greek word is also used in connection with the invisible presence of Jesus Christ. (Mt 24:3; 1Co 15:23) Although many translations render it “arrival” or “coming” when referring to Jesus’ presence, the rendering “presence” is supported by the way Paul uses the Greek word.—See study notes on 1Co 15:23; 16:17.

territory: Here the word “territory” is translated from the Greek word ka·nonʹ. The word is derived from the Hebrew word for “a reed” (qa·nehʹ), which served as a rule or a measuring device. (Eze 40:3-8; 41:8; 42:16-19; see Glossary, “Canon [Bible canon].”) At 2Co 10:13, 15, 16, Paul applied the word to the assignment that God measured out. Paul would boast only about what he could accomplish within the boundary of the territory, the sphere of his activity within his God-given assignment.

let him boast in Jehovah: In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Greek verb rendered “boast” (kau·khaʹo·mai) could also be translated “take pride; rejoice; exult.” It is used in both a negative and a positive sense. Paul says, for example, that we may “rejoice [or, “boast”], based on hope of the glory of God.” (Ro 5:2) To “boast in Jehovah” means to take pride in Jehovah as our God, rejoicing over his good name and reputation.—Jer 9:23, 24.

Jehovah: In this quote from Jer 9:24, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text. Paul quotes the same scripture at 1Co 1:31.—See App. C1 and C2.

but the one whom Jehovah recommends: Paul’s words here are connected with the preceding verse, where he refers to the words of Jer 9:23, 24. There Jeremiah showed that it is not proper for a person to boast about his own wisdom, mightiness, or riches. The only thing a person should boast about is that he “has insight and knowledge of me, . . . declares Jehovah.” Paul here expands on the quote by saying that God approves, or recognizes, not those who are recommending themselves and boasting about themselves (Pr 27:2), but those whom Jehovah “recommends.” Since the divine name occurs in the original Hebrew text of Jer 9:24, it is used both in the preceding verse (2Co 10:17) and here.—For the use of the divine name in this verse, see App. C3 introduction; 2Co 10:18.

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2 Corinthians 10

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 11:1-33

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 11:1-33 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 11:1-33

11 I wish you would put up with me in a little unreasonableness. But, in fact, you are putting up with me! ² For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy, for I personally promised you in marriage to one husband that I might present you as a chaste virgin to the Christ.a ³ But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent seduced Eve by its cunning,b your minds might be corrupted away from the sincerity and the chastity* that are due the Christ.c ⁴ For as it is, if someone comes and preaches a Jesus other than the one we preached, or you receive a spirit other than what you received, or good news other than what you accepted,d you easily put up with him. ⁵ For I consider that I have not proved inferior to your superfine apostles in a single thing.e ⁶ But even if I am unskilled in speech,f I certainly am not in knowledge;g indeed we made it clear to you in every way and in everything. ⁷ Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I gladly declared the good news of God to you without cost?h ⁸ Other congregations I deprived by accepting provisions in order to minister to you.i ⁹ Yet, when I was present with you and I fell into need, I did not become a burden on anyone, for the brothers who came from Mac·e·doʹni·a abundantly supplied my needs.j Yes, in every way I kept myself from becoming a burden to you and will continue to do so.k ¹⁰ As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, I will not stop this boastingl in the regions of A·chaʹia. ¹¹ For what reason? Because I do not love you? God knows I do.m ¹² But what I am doing I will continue to do,n in order to eliminate the pretext of those who are wanting a basis for being found equal to us in the things about which they boast. ¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.o ¹⁴ And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps disguising himself as an angel of light.p ¹⁵ It is therefore nothing extraordinary if his ministers also keep disguising themselves as ministers of righteousness. But their end will be according to their works.q ¹⁶ I say again: Let no one think I am unreasonable. But even if you do, then accept me as an unreasonable person, so that I too may boast a little.r ¹⁷ What I now say is, not as following the Lord’s example, but as an unreasonable person would, with boastful self-confidence. ¹⁸ Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast. ¹⁹ Since you are so “reasonable,” you gladly put up with the unreasonable ones. ²⁰ In fact, you put up with whoever enslaves you, whoever devours your possessions, whoever grabs what you have, whoever exalts himself over you, and whoever strikes you in the face. ²¹ I say this to our dishonor, since it may seem that we have acted in weakness. But if others act boldly—I am talking unreasonably—I too act boldly.s ²² Are they Hebrews? I am one also.t Are they Israelites? I am one also. Are they Abraham’s offspring? I am also.u ²³ Are they ministers of Christ? I reply like a madman, I am more outstandingly one: I have done more work,v been imprisoned more often,w suffered countless beatings, and experienced many near-deaths.x ²⁴ Five times I received 40 strokes less one from the Jews,y ²⁵ three times I was beaten with rods,z once I was stoned,a three times I experienced shipwreck,b a night and a day I have spent in the open sea; ²⁶ in journeys often, in dangers from rivers, in dangers from robbers, in dangers from my own people,c in dangers from the nations,d in dangers in the city,e in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers at sea, in dangers among false brothers, ²⁷ in labor and toil, in sleepless nights often,f in hunger and thirst,g frequently without food,h in cold and lacking clothing. ²⁸ Besides those things of an external kind, there is what rushes in on me from day to day:* the anxiety for all the congregations.i ²⁹ Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is stumbled, and I am not incensed? ³⁰ If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. ³¹ The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, the One who is to be praised forever, knows I am not lying. ³² In Damascus the governor under A·reʹtas the king was guarding the city of the Dam·a·scenesʹ to seize me, ³³ but I was lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall,j and I escaped his hands.

2 Corinthians 11

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 12:1-21

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 12:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 12:1-21

12 I have to boast. It is not beneficial, but I will move on to supernatural visions+ and revelations of the Lord.+ ² I know a man in union with Christ who, 14 years ago—whether in the body or out of the body, I do not know; God knows—was caught away to the third heaven. ³ Yes, I know such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body, I do not know; God knows— ⁴ who was caught away into paradise and heard words that cannot be spoken and that are not lawful for a man to say. ⁵ I will boast about such a man, but I will not boast about myself except of my weaknesses.+ ⁶ For even if I want to boast, I will not be unreasonable, for I would say the truth. But I refrain from doing so, in order that no one should give me more credit than what he sees in me or hears from me, ⁷ just because of receiving such extraordinary revelations. To keep me from becoming overly exalted, I was given a thorn in the flesh,+ an angel of Satan, to keep slapping me, so that I might not be overly exalted. ⁸ Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. ⁹ But he said to me: “My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you, for my power is being made perfect in weakness.”+ Most gladly, then, I will boast about my weaknesses, in order that the power of the Christ may remain over me like a tent. ¹⁰ So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in insults, in times of need, in persecutions and difficulties, for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful.+ ¹¹ I have become unreasonable. You compelled me to, for I ought to have been recommended by you.+ For I did not prove to be inferior to your superfine apostles in a single thing, even if I am nothing.+ ¹² Indeed, the signs of an apostle were produced among you with great endurance,+ and by signs and wonders and powerful works.*+ ¹³ For how were you less favored than the rest of the congregations, except that I myself did not become a burden to you?+ Kindly forgive me for this wrong. ¹⁴ Look! This is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not become a burden. For I am seeking, not your possessions,+ but you; for the children+ are not expected to save up for their parents, but the parents for their children.+ ¹⁵ For my part, I will most gladly spend and be completely spent for you.+ If I love you so much more, am I to be loved the less?+ ¹⁶ But be that as it may, I did not burden you.+ Nevertheless, you say I was “crafty” and I caught you “by trickery.” ¹⁷ I did not take advantage of you through any of those whom I sent to you, did I? ¹⁸ I urged Titus and I sent the brother with him. Titus did not take advantage of you at all, did he?+ We walked in the same spirit, did we not? In the same footsteps, did we not? ¹⁹ Have you been thinking all along that we have been making our defense to you? It is before God that we are speaking in union with Christ. But, beloved ones, all that we do is to build you up. ²⁰ For I am afraid that somehow when I arrive, I may not find you as I wish and I may not be as you wish,+ but instead, there may be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, dissension, backbiting, whispering, being puffed up with pride, and disorder. ²¹ Perhaps when I come again, my God might humiliate me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who previously sinned but have not repented of their uncleanness and sexual immorality and brazen conduct that they have practiced.

Footnotes

^ Or “and miracles.”

Study Notes

a man: Paul does not name the man who received this supernatural vision, but the context strongly suggests that Paul is referring to himself. In defending his qualifications as an apostle against the attacks of such opposers as the “superfine apostles” (2Co 11:5, 23), Paul cites as evidence the “supernatural visions and revelations of the Lord” that he has received (2Co 12:1). Since the Bible does not speak of any other person who had such an experience, Paul is logically the man here described.

the third heaven: In the Scriptures, “heaven” may refer to the physical heavens or to the spiritual heavens, the place where Jehovah and his angels live. (Ge 11:4; Isa 63:15) However, the word may also refer to a government, whether ruled by man or by God. (Isa 14:12; Da 4:25, 26) Here Paul is apparently describing a revelation of something in the future, a revelation that he received through a vision. (2Co 12:1) At times, the Scriptures repeat things three times to add intensity or strength. (Isa 6:3; Eze 21:27; Re 4:8) It seems, then, that “the third heaven” that Paul saw was the ultimate government, God’s Messianic Kingdom, the heavenly government made up of Jesus Christ and his 144,000 corulers.—Isa 65:17; 66:22; 2Pe 3:13; Re 14:1-5.

paradise: The Greek word pa·raʹdei·sos occurs three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (Lu 23:43, see study note; 2Co 12:4; Re 2:7) Similar words can be found in both Hebrew (par·desʹ at Ne 2:8; Ec 2:5; Ca 4:13) and Persian (pairidaeza). All three words convey the basic idea of a beautiful park or parklike garden. The word “paradise” can mean various things in this context. (See study note on 2Co 12:2.) Paul may have been referring to (1) the literal earthly Paradise that is ahead, (2) the spiritual condition that God’s people will enjoy in the new world, or (3) the conditions in heaven. It was not lawful to speak of such things in Paul’s day because God’s time had not yet come to reveal the details regarding the outworking of God’s purpose.

Paradise: The English word “paradise” comes from the Greek word pa·raʹdei·sos, and similar words can be found in both Hebrew (par·desʹ, at Ne 2:8; Ec 2:5; Ca 4:13) and Persian (pairidaeza). All three words convey the basic idea of a beautiful park or parklike garden. The translators of the Septuagint used the Greek term pa·raʹdei·sos to render the Hebrew word for “garden” (gan) in the expression “garden in Eden” at Ge 2:8. Some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew (referred to as J^{17, 18, 22} in App. C) render Lu 23:43: “You will be with me in the garden of Eden.” This promise made to the criminal hanging next to Jesus was not the promise to be in “the paradise of God” mentioned at Re 2:7, since that promise was made to “the one who conquers,” that is, Christ’s corulers in the heavenly Kingdom. (Lu 22:28-30) This criminal was not a conqueror of the world with Jesus Christ; nor had he been “born from water and spirit.” (Joh 3:5; 16:33) He will evidently be one of “the unrighteous” who are resurrected as earthly subjects of the Kingdom when Christ rules over the Paradise earth for a thousand years.—Ac 24:15; Re 20:4, 6.

such a man: Or possibly, “such a thing,” that is, such an experience.—See study note on 2Co 12:2.

superfine apostles: Paul here uses an expression that may also be rendered “super-apostles” or “superlative apostles.” He uses this somewhat sarcastic designation to describe those arrogant men who apparently saw themselves as superior to the apostles whom Jesus himself had appointed. Paul calls them “false apostles” because they were actually ministers of Satan. (2Co 11:13-15) They taught their own version of the good news about Christ. (2Co 11:3, 4) They also belittled and slandered Paul, challenging his God-given authority as an apostle.

extraordinary: Paul uses the Greek word hy·per·bo·leʹ to describe the “extraordinary,” or surpassing, character of the revelations he received. (See study note on 2Co 12:2.) This Greek word occurs eight times in the Christian Greek Scriptures, all of them in the writings of Paul. It is translated in various ways, according to context. For example, at 2Co 4:7, the word describes “power beyond what is normal,” and at 2Co 1:8, the “extreme pressure” that weighed on Paul and his companions.—See Glossary, “Hyperbole.”

a thorn in the flesh: Paul here uses a metaphor to describe an ongoing affliction. A thorn embedded in the body would be a source of persistent pain. (The Greek word rendered “thorn” means “anything pointed,” such as a pointed stake, a splinter, or a thorn.) Paul does not specify whether the pain represented by this thorn was physical or emotional in nature. Some statements in Paul’s writings raise the possibility that Paul suffered from problems with his eyesight, something that would have made it difficult for him to travel, to write letters, and to carry out his ministry. (Ga 4:15; 6:11; see also Ac 23:1-5.) In this context, Paul was discussing the persistent attacks of his arrogant opposers, so he might be referring to the stress and anxiety those false teachers caused him. (See study note on 2Co 11:5.) Whatever the source of his pain, Paul calls it an angel of Satan, suggesting that Satan seeks to use any affliction, whether physical or emotional, to discourage a servant of God. Paul maintains a positive view of this trial, considering the “thorn” as a way to help him keep from becoming overly exalted, that is, a way to help him remain humble so that he can please God.—Mt 23:12.

slapping: Or “beating.” The Greek verb Paul uses here may refer to being literally struck with the hand, knuckles, or fist. It is used that way at Mt 26:67, where Roman soldiers are said to have struck Jesus “with their fists.” At 1Co 4:11, the word is used in a more general sense, expressing the idea of treating roughly.

the Lord: Paul here uses the Greek expression ton Kyʹri·on (the Lord), which in some instances is used to refer to Jehovah and in others, to Jesus. In this case, it is logical to conclude that Paul speaks of making three heartfelt requests to the Lord Jehovah, the “Hearer of prayer.” (Ps 65:2) He is the One to whom all prayers are properly addressed. (Ps 145:18; Php 4:6) In answering Paul, Jehovah referred to the “undeserved kindness” along with the “power” that Jehovah generously gives to his servants. (2Co 12:9; Isa 40:26; Lu 24:49) Some have pointed out that in verse 9, Paul also speaks of “the power of the Christ.” However, Paul’s use of that phrase does not mean that he addressed his three requests to Christ. Jesus has power, but it comes to him from the Source of all godly power, Jehovah.—Lu 5:17.

unreasonable: See study note on 2Co 11:1.

in a little unreasonableness: Paul understood that his boasting might make him seem to be unreasonable. (2Co 11:16) But he felt compelled to make a defense of his apostleship throughout the latter part of 2 Corinthians. (In fact, in 2Co 11 and 12, Paul used the Greek words aʹphron and a·phro·syʹne, rendered “unreasonable [person],” “unreasonably,” and “unreasonableness” eight times: 2Co 11:1, 16, 17, 19, 21; 12:6, 11.) The “superfine apostles” were causing much harm to the congregation by undermining respect for Paul and his teaching. Such false teachers had compelled him to boast in order to emphasize his God-given authority. (2Co 10:10; 11:5, 16; see study note on 2Co 11:5.) Under these circumstances, his boasting was by no means unreasonable.

wonders: Or “portents.”—See study note on Ac 2:19.

wonders: Or “portents.” In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Greek word teʹras is consistently used in combination with se·meiʹon (“sign”), both terms being used in the plural form. (Mt 24:24; Joh 4:48; Ac 7:36; 14:3; 15:12; 2Co 12:12) Basically, teʹras refers to anything that causes awe or wonderment. When the term clearly refers to something portending what will happen in the future, the alternate rendering “portent” is used in a study note.

the third time: Paul here cites, not three actual visits to Corinth, but three occasions on which he was ready to visit. He was willing to visit but needed the right circumstances. His first visit took place when he founded the congregation at Corinth and stayed for a year and a half. (Ac 18:9-11) In the second instance, Paul intended to visit them but that visit never happened. (2Co 1:15, 16, 23) Evidence suggests that there was little time between the writing of the two inspired letters to the Corinthians, not enough for such a visit to have taken place. Also, only one visit is mentioned in the book of Acts. (Ac 18:1) However, the third intended visit, which Paul mentions here and at 2Co 13:1, 2, did happen; Paul visited Corinth about 56 C.E., writing the book of Romans from there.—Ac 20:2, 3; Ro 16:1, 23; 1Co 1:14.

spent for you: Or “spent for your souls.” Here “you” is rendered from the Greek “the souls of you [plural].” In this context, the Greek word psy·kheʹ, traditionally rendered “soul,” refers to the people, so the expression is rendered by the pronoun “you.”—See Glossary, “Soul.”

whispering: Or “gossip.” The Greek word conveys the idea of secret gossip, spreading negative information or rumors in a confidential or secretive manner. This is the only occurrence of the Greek word in the Christian Greek Scriptures, but a related word, rendered “whisperers,” occurs in a list of bad practices found at Ro 1:29 (see study note). Also, the corresponding Greek verb for “to whisper” is used negatively in the Septuagint at 2Sa 12:19 and Ps 41:7 (40:8, LXX).

whisperers: Or “gossipers.” The Greek word apparently denotes one who habitually engages in harmful gossip, perhaps spreading malicious rumors.—See study note on 2Co 12:20.

uncleanness: Of the three terms listed in this verse (“uncleanness,” “sexual immorality,” and “brazen conduct”), “uncleanness” (Greek, a·ka·thar·siʹa) is the broadest. Literally, the word refers to something unclean, or filthy. (Mt 23:27) In its figurative meaning, it embraces impurity of any kind—in sexual matters, in speech, in action, or in spiritual relationships. (Compare 1Co 7:14; 2Co 6:17; 1Th 2:3.) “Uncleanness” can refer to different types of wrongdoing and may vary in degree of seriousness. (Eph 4:19) It stresses the morally repugnant nature of the wrong conduct or condition.—See Glossary, “Unclean,” and study note on Ga 5:19.

sexual immorality: The Greek word por·neiʹa is a general term for all sexual intercourse that is unlawful according to the Bible, including adultery, sexual relations between unmarried individuals, homosexual acts, and other sexual sins.—See Glossary and study note on Ga 5:19.

brazen conduct: Or “shameless conduct; wantonness.” As used in the Bible, the Greek word a·selʹgei·a denotes conduct that constitutes a serious violation of God’s laws and that stems from a brazen, disrespectful, or boldly contemptuous attitude. This term appears ten times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (Mr 7:22; Ro 13:13; 2Co 12:21; Ga 5:19; Eph 4:19; 1Pe 4:3; 2Pe 2:2, 7, 18; Jude 4) One lexicon defines the word as “debauchery, licentiousness, lewdness, i.e., [to] be unrestrained in moral attitudes and behaviors.” Jewish historian Josephus used this Greek term when describing that pagan Queen Jezebel erected a shrine to Baal in Jerusalem. This act was an outrage, one that brazenly flouted public opinion and decency.—Jewish Antiquities, Book 8, chap. 13, par. 1 (Loeb 8.318); see Glossary.

sexual immorality: The Bible uses the Greek word por·neiʹa as a general term to refer to all sexual activity that is unlawful according to God’s standards. One lexicon defines por·neiʹa as “prostitution, unchastity, fornication” and adds that this word is used when speaking “of every kind of unlawful sexual intercourse.” Such unlawful activity would include not only prostitution, adultery, and sexual relations between unmarried individuals but also homosexual acts and bestiality, all of which are condemned in the Scriptures. (Le 18:6, 22, 23; 20:15, 16; 1Co 6:9; see Glossary.) Jesus showed that sexual immorality is wicked by classing it with murder, thievery, and blasphemy.—Mt 15:19, 20; Mr 7:21-23.

uncleanness: Or “filthiness; depravity; lewdness.” Of the first three “works of the flesh” mentioned in this verse, “uncleanness” (Greek, a·ka·thar·siʹa) is the broadest in meaning. This word appears ten times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Literally, the word refers to something physically unclean or filthy. (Mt 23:27) The figurative meaning encompasses impurity of any kind—in sexual matters, in speech, in action, and in spiritual relationships, such as the worship of false gods. (Ro 1:24; 6:19; 2Co 6:17; 12:21; Eph 4:19; 5:3; Col 3:5; 1Th 2:3; 4:7) “Uncleanness” can therefore refer to various types of wrongdoing of varying degrees of seriousness. (See study note on Eph 4:19.) It stresses the morally repugnant nature of the wrong conduct or condition.—See Glossary, “Unclean.”

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2 Corinthians 12

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NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 13:1-14

NWT | The Second to the Corinthians 13:1-14 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Corinthians 13:1-14

13 This is the third time I am coming to you. “On the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter must be established.”+ ² Although I am absent now, it is as if I were present for the second time, and I give my warning in advance to those who sinned previously and to all the rest, that if ever I come again* I will not spare them,+ ³ since you are seeking proof that Christ, who is not weak toward you but strong among you, is really speaking through me. ⁴ For, indeed, he was executed on the stake because of weakness, but he is alive because of God’s power.+ True, we also are weak with him, but we will live together with him+ because of God’s power toward you.+ ⁵ Keep testing whether you are in the faith; keep proving what you yourselves are.+ Or do you not recognize that Jesus Christ is in union with you? Unless you are disapproved. ⁶ I truly hope you will recognize that we are not disapproved. ⁷ Now we pray to God that you may do nothing wrong, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do what is fine, even if we may appear disapproved. ⁸ For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth. ⁹ We certainly rejoice whenever we are weak but you are powerful. And this is what we are praying for, your being readjusted.+ ¹⁰ That is why I write these things while absent, so that when I am present, I may not have to be severe in using the authority that the Lord gave me,+ to build up and not to tear down. ¹¹ Finally, brothers, continue to rejoice, to be readjusted, to be comforted,+ to think in agreement,+ to live peaceably;+ and the God of love and of peace+ will be with you. ¹² Greet one another with a holy kiss. ¹³ All the holy ones send you their greetings. ¹⁴ The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the sharing in the holy spirit be with all of you.

Footnotes

^ Or “come back.”

Study Notes

the third time: See study note on 2Co 12:14.

On the testimony of two or three witnesses: Under the Mosaic Law, the rule governing evidence in a case was that “on the testimony” (lit., “at the mouth”) of two witnesses, or even three, a matter was established before the judges. (De 17:6; 19:15) Jesus agreed with that standard. (Mt 18:16; Joh 8:17, 18) The word “mouth” was used as a figure of speech (a metonymy) for what the witnesses said, or their testimony. When discussing his visits to Corinth, Paul quoted De 19:15 and indicated that this principle was followed in the Christian congregation.—1Ti 5:19.

was executed on the stake: Or “was fastened on a stake (pole).”—See study note on Mt 20:19 and Glossary, “Stake”; “Torture stake.”

executed on a stake: Or “to be fastened on a stake (pole).” This is the first of over 40 occurrences of the Greek verb stau·roʹo in the Christian Greek Scriptures. This is the verb for the Greek noun stau·rosʹ, rendered “torture stake.” (See study notes on Mt 10:38; 16:24; 27:32 and Glossary, “Stake”; “Torture stake.”) The verb form is used in the Septuagint at Es 7:9, where the order was given to hang Haman on a stake that was over 20 m (65 ft) tall. In classical Greek, it meant “to fence with pales, to form a stockade, or palisade.”

Keep testing: Some in Corinth had been challenging Paul, seeking proof that he really represented Christ. (2Co 13:3) Paul points out that they needed to “keep testing” themselves. One lexicon states that the word Paul here uses for “testing” means “to endeavor to discover the nature or character of someth[ing].” They could discover the nature of their own spiritual standing by comparing their daily conduct, attitudes, and decisions with the sacred truths they were taught. Doing such testing would help them to keep proving that they were true Christians. For “proving,” Paul uses a word that could refer to testing whether something is genuine, as one might test metals.

in the faith: As Paul uses it here, the expression “the faith” refers to the body of Christian teachings and beliefs. (Ac 6:7; Ga 6:10; Eph 4:5; Jude 3) It is synonymous with “the truth,” as used at Ga 5:7, 2Pe 2:2, and 2Jo 1. Paul here stresses that it is not enough to know the truths and principles that Jesus taught; a Christian needs to be “in the faith,” that is, to live by those truths.—2Co 12:20, 21.

being readjusted: Or “brought into proper alignment.” The Greek term ka·tarʹti·sis, rendered “being readjusted,” appears only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. This and related terms are used to describe the restoring of something to a proper condition. For instance, at Mt 4:21, the verb ka·tar·tiʹzo is used to describe “mending” nets. At Ga 6:1, the same verb is used of the need to readjust spiritually a fellow believer who has taken a false step. The related noun ka·tar·ti·smosʹ, rendered “readjustment” at Eph 4:12, was a term sometimes used in medical texts to describe the setting of a bone, a limb, or a joint.

continue . . . to be readjusted: See study note on 2Co 13:9.

with a holy kiss: See study note on Ro 16:16.

with a holy kiss: In four of his letters (here and at 1Co 16:20; 2Co 13:12; 1Th 5:26), Paul encourages his fellow Christians to greet one another “with a holy kiss.” The apostle Peter used a similar expression: “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” (1Pe 5:14) In Bible times, people would give a kiss as a token of affection, respect, or peace. It was also common to kiss when greeting someone or saying goodbye. (Ru 1:14; Lu 7:45) This practice was customary between male and female relatives (Ge 29:11; 31:28), between male relatives, and between close friends (Ge 27:26, 27; 45:15; Ex 18:7; 1Sa 20:41, 42; 2Sa 14:33; 19:39; see study note on Ac 20:37). Among Christians, such expressions of affection reflected the brotherhood and spiritual oneness of those united by true worship. They were not given as a mere formalism or ritual nor with any romantic or erotic overtones.—Joh 13:34, 35.

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2 Corinthians 13

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The Second to the Thessalonians

The Second to the Thessalonians somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The Second to the Thessalonians 01:1-12

NWT | The Second to the Thessalonians 01:1-12 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Thessalonians 1:1-12

1 Paul, Sil·vaʹnus, and Timothy,a to the congregation of the Thes·sa·loʹni·ans in union with God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: ² May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ We are obligated always to give thanks to God for you, brothers. This is fitting, because your faith is growing exceedingly and the love of each and every one of you is increasing toward one another.b ⁴ As a result we ourselves take pride in youc among the congregations of God because of your endurance and faith in all your persecutions and the hardships that you are suffering.*d ⁵ This is a proof of the righteous judgment of God, leading to your being counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you are indeed suffering.e ⁶ This takes into account that it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you.f ⁷ But you who suffer tribulation will be given relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesusg from heaven with his powerful angelsh ⁸ in a flaming fire, as he brings vengeance on those who do not know Godi and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.j ⁹ These very ones will undergo the judicial punishment of everlasting destructionk from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, ¹⁰ at the time when he comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder among all those who exercised faith, because the witness we gave met with faith among you.l ¹¹ To that very end we always pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his callingm and with his power perform completely all the good that he pleases and every work of faith. ¹² This is so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you and you in union with him, according to the undeserved kindness of our God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Thessalonians 1

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NWT | The Second to the Thessalonians 02:1-17

NWT | The Second to the Thessalonians 02:1-17 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Thessalonians 2:1-17

2 However, brothers, concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christa and our being gathered together to him,b we ask you ² not to be quickly shaken from your reason nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statementc or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovahd is here. ³ Let no one lead you astray* in any way, because it will not come unless the apostasye comes first and the man of lawlessnessf gets revealed, the son of destruction.g ⁴ He stands in opposition and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he sits down in the temple of God, publicly showing himself to be a god. ⁵ Do you not remember that when I was still with you, I used to tell you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is acting as a restraint, so that he will be revealed in his own due time. ⁷ True, the mystery of this lawlessness is already at work,h but only until the one who is right now acting as a restraint is out of the way. ⁸ Then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouthi and bring to nothing by the manifestationj of his presence. ⁹ But the lawless one’s presence is by the operation of Satank with every powerful work and lying signs and wondersl ¹⁰ and every unrighteous deceptionm for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth in order that they might be saved. ¹¹ That is why God lets a deceptive influence mislead them so that they may come to believe the lie,n ¹² in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness. ¹³ However, we are obligated always to thank God for you, brothers loved by Jehovah, because from the beginning God selected youo for salvation by sanctifying youp with his spirit and by your faith in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to this through the good news we declare, so that you may acquire the gloryq of our Lord Jesus Christ.r ¹⁵ So, then, brothers, stand firms and maintain your hold on the traditions that you were taught,t whether it was by a spoken message or by a letter from us. ¹⁶ Moreover, may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved usu and gave everlasting comfort and good hopev by means of undeserved kindness, ¹⁷ comfort your hearts and make you firm*w in every good deed and word.

2 Thessalonians 2

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NWT | The Second to the Thessalonians 03:1-18

NWT | The Second to the Thessalonians 03:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Second to the Thessalonians 3:1-18

3 Finally, brothers, carry on prayer for us,a that the word of Jehovah may keep spreading rapidlyb and being glorified, just as it is with you, ² and that we may be rescued from harmful and wicked men,c for faith is not a possession of all people.d ³ But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the wicked one.e ⁴ Moreover, we have confidence in the Lord regarding you, that you are carrying out and will go on carrying out our instructions. ⁵ May the Lord continue to guide your hearts successfully to the love of Godf and to the enduranceg for the Christ. ⁶ Now we are giving you instructions, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to withdraw from every brother who is walking disorderlyh and not according to the tradition that you* received from us.i ⁷ For you yourselves know how you should imitate us,j because we did not behave in a disorderly way among you, ⁸ nor did we eat anyone’s food free.k On the contrary, by labor and toil we were working night and day so as not to impose an expensive burden on any one of you.l ⁹ Not that we do not have authority,m but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate.n ¹⁰ In fact, when we were with you, we used to give you this order: “If anyone does not want to work, neither let him eat.”o ¹¹ For we hear that some are walking disorderly among you,p not working at all, but meddling with what does not concern them.q ¹² To such people we give the order and exhortation in the Lord Jesus Christ that they should work quietly and eat food they themselves earn.r ¹³ For your part, brothers, do not give up in doing good.s ¹⁴ But if anyone is not obedient to our word through this letter, keep this one marked and stop associating with him,t so that he may become ashamed. ¹⁵ And yet do not consider him an enemy, but continue admonishing himu as a brother. ¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace constantly in every way.v May the Lord be with all of you. ¹⁷ Here is my greeting, Paul’s, in my own hand,w which is a sign in every letter; this is the way I write. ¹⁸ The undeserved kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.

2 Thessalonians 3

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The Third of John

The Third of John somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | The Third of John 01:1-14

NWT | The Third of John 01:1-14 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

The Third of John 1:1-14

¹ The older man* to Gaʹius, the beloved, whom I truly love. ² Beloved one, I pray that in all things you continue to prosper and enjoy good health, just as you are* now prospering. ³ For I rejoiced very much when brothers came and bore witness about the truth you hold, as you go on walking in the truth.a ⁴ No greater joy* do I have than this: that I should hear that my children go on walking in the truth.b ⁵ Beloved one, you show your faithfulness in what you do for the brothers, even though they are strangers to you.c ⁶ They have given a witness about your love before the congregation. Please send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.d ⁷ For it was in behalf of his name that they went out, not taking anythinge from the people of the nations. ⁸ So we are under obligation to show hospitality to such ones,f so that we may become fellow workers in the truth.g ⁹ I wrote something to the congregation, but Di·otʹre·phes, who likes to have the first place among them,h does not accept anything from us with respect.i ¹⁰ That is why if I come, I will call attention to the works he is doing in spreading malicious talk about us.*j Not being content with this, he refuses to welcome the brothersk with respect; and those who want to welcome them, he tries to hinder and to throw out of the congregation. ¹¹ Beloved one, do not imitate what is bad, but imitate what is good.l The one who does good originates with God.m The one who does bad has not seen God.n ¹² De·meʹtri·us has been well-reported-on by them all and by the truth itself. In fact, we too are bearing witness about him, and you know that the witness we give is true. ¹³ I had many things to write you, but I do not wish to go on writing you with pen and ink. ¹⁴ However, I am hoping to see you soon, and we will speak face-to-face. May you have peace. The friends send you their greetings. Give my greetings to the friends by name.

3 John 1

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To Philemon

To Philemon somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To Philemon 01:1-25

NWT | To Philemon 01:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To Philemon 1:1-25

¹ Paul, a prisonera for the sake of Christ Jesus, and Timothyb our brother, to Phi·leʹmon our beloved fellow worker, ² and to Apʹphi·a our sister, and to Ar·chipʹpusc our fellow soldier, and to the congregation that is in your house:d ³ May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers,e ⁵ as I keep hearing of your faith and the love that you have for the Lord Jesus and for all the holy ones. ⁶ I pray that your sharing in the faith may move you to acknowledge every good thing that we have through Christ. ⁷ For I received much joy and comfort on hearing of your love, because the hearts of the holy ones have been refreshed through you, brother. ⁸ For this very reason, though I have great freeness of speech in connection with Christ to order you to do what is proper, ⁹ I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love,f seeing that I am Paul an older man, yes, now also a prisoner for the sake of Christ Jesus. ¹⁰ I am appealing to you for my child, whose father I becameg while in prison,* O·nesʹi·mus.h ¹¹ He was formerly useless to you, but now he is useful to you and to me. ¹² I am sending him back to you, yes him, my very own heart. ¹³ I would like to keep him here for myself so that he might take your place in ministering to me during my imprisonment for the sake of the good news.i ¹⁴ But I do not want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed may be done, not under compulsion, but of your own free will.j ¹⁵ Perhaps this is really why he broke away for a short while, so that you may have him back forever, ¹⁶ no longer as a slave,k but as more than a slave, as a brother who is beloved,l especially so to me, but how much more so to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord. ¹⁷ So if you consider me a friend, receive him kindly the same way you would me. ¹⁸ Moreover, if he did you any wrong or owes you anything, charge it to my account. ¹⁹ I, Paul, am writing with my own hand: I will pay it back—not to mention that you owe me even your own self. ²⁰ Yes, brother, may I receive this assistance from you in connection with the Lord; refresh my heart in connection with Christ. ²¹ I am confident that you will comply, so I am writing you, knowing that you will do even more than what I say.m ²² But along with that, also prepare a place for me to stay, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be given back to you.n ²³ Sending you greetings is Epʹa·phras,o my fellow captive in union with Christ Jesus, ²⁴ also Mark,p Ar·is·tarʹchus,q Deʹmas, and Luke,r my fellow workers.s ²⁵ The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you show.

Philemon 1

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To Titus

To Titus somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To Titus 01:1-16

NWT | To Titus 01:1-16 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To Titus 1:1-16

1 Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the faith of God’s chosen ones and the accurate knowledge of the truth that is according to godly devotion ² and is based on a hope of the everlasting lifea that God, who cannot lie,b promised long ago; ³ but in his own due time, he made his word known through the preaching entrusted to mec according to the command of our Savior, God; ⁴ to Titus,d a genuine child according to the faith we share: May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. ⁵ I left you in Cretee so that you would correct the things that were defective and make appointments of elders in city after city, as I instructed you: ⁶ if there is any man free from accusation,f a husband of one wife, having believing children who are not accused of debauchery or rebelliousness.g ⁷ For as God’s steward, an overseer must be free from accusation, not self-willed,h not quick-tempered,i not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy of dishonest gain,j ⁸ but hospitable,k a lover of goodness, sound in mind,l righteous, loyal,m self-controlled,n ⁹ holding firmly to the faithful word as respects his art of teaching,o so that he may be able both to encourage by the teaching that is wholesome*p and to reproveq those who contradict. ¹⁰ For there are many rebellious men, profitless talkers, and deceivers, especially those who adhere to the circumcision.r ¹¹ It is necessary to shut their mouths, because these very men keep on subverting entire households by teaching things they should not for the sake of dishonest gain.s ¹² A certain one of them, their own prophet, said: “Creʹtans are always liars, injurious wild beasts, idle gluttons.” ¹³ This witness is true. For this very reason, keep on reprovingt them with severity so that they may be healthy in the faith, ¹⁴ paying no attention to Jewish fablesu and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. ¹⁵ All things are clean to clean people;v but to those who are defiled and faithless, nothing is clean, for both their minds and their consciences are defiled.w ¹⁶ They publicly declare that they know God, but they disown him by their works,x because they are detestable and disobedient and not approved for good work of any sort.

Titus 1

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NWT | To Titus 02:1-15

NWT | To Titus 02:1-15 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To Titus 2:1-15

2 You, however, keep on speaking what is consistent with wholesome teaching.a ² Let the older men be moderate in habits, serious, sound in mind, healthy in faith, in love, in endurance. ³ Likewise, let the older women be reverent in behavior,b not slanderous, not enslaved to a lot of wine, teachers of what is good, ⁴ so that they may advise the younger women to love their husbands, to love their children, ⁵ to be sound in mind, chaste, working at home,c good, subjecting themselves to their own husbands,d so that the word of God may not be spoken of abusively. ⁶ Likewise, keep on urging the younger men to be sound in mind,e ⁷ showing yourself to be an example of fine works in every way. Teach what is pure* with all seriousness,f ⁸ using wholesome speech that cannot be criticized,g so that those who oppose may be put to shame, having nothing negative* to say about us.h ⁹ Let slaves be in subjection to their owners in all things,i trying to please them, not talking back, ¹⁰ not stealing from them,j but showing complete trustworthiness, so that in every way they may adorn the teaching of our Savior, God.k ¹¹ For the undeserved kindness of God has been manifested, bringing salvation to all sorts of people.l ¹² It trains us to reject ungodliness and worldly desiresm and to live with soundness of mind and righteousness and godly devotion amid this present system of things,n ¹³ while we wait for the happy hopeo and glorious manifestation of the great God and of our Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴ who gave himself for usp to set us freeq from every sort of lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people who are his own special possession,r zealous for fine works.s ¹⁵ Keep on speaking these things and exhorting* and reproving with full authority.t Do not let anyone look down on you.

Titus 2

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NWT | To Titus 03:1-15

NWT | To Titus 03:1-15 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To Titus 3:1-15

3 Continue reminding them to be in subjection and to be obedient to governments and authorities,a to be ready for every good work, ² to speak injuriously of no one,b not to be quarrelsome, but to be reasonable,c displaying all mildness toward all men.d ³ For we too were once senseless, disobedient, led astray, being slaves to various desires and pleasures, carrying on in badness and envy, detestable, hating one another. ⁴ However, when the kindness of our Savior, God,e and his love for mankind were manifested ⁵ (not because of any righteous works we had done,f but because of his own mercy),g he saved us by means of the bath that brought us to lifeh and by making us new by holy spirit.i ⁶ He poured this spirit out richly* on us through Jesus Christ our Savior,j ⁷ so that after being declared righteous through the undeserved kindness of that one,k we might become heirsl according to a hope of everlasting life.m ⁸ These words are trustworthy, and I want you to keep stressing these matters, so that those who have believed God may keep their minds focused on maintaining fine works. These things are fine and beneficial to men. ⁹ But have nothing to do with foolish argumentsn and genealogies and disputes and fights over the Law, for they are unprofitable and futile.o ¹⁰ As for a man who promotes a sect,p reject himq after a first and a second admonition,r ¹¹ knowing that such a man has deviated from the way and is sinning and is self-condemned. ¹² When I send Arʹte·mas or Tychʹi·cuss to you, do your utmost to come to me at Ni·copʹo·lis, for that is where I have decided to spend the winter. ¹³ Carefully supply Zeʹnas, who is versed in the Law, and A·polʹlost so that they may lack nothing for their trip.u ¹⁴ But let our people also learn to maintain fine works so as to help in cases of urgent need,v so that they may not be unproductive.*w ¹⁵ All those with me send you their greetings. Give my greetings to those who have affection for us in the faith. May the undeserved kindness be with all of you.

Titus 3

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To the Ephesians

To the Ephesians somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To the Ephesians 01:1-23

NWT | To the Ephesians 01:1-23 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Ephesians 1:1-23

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through God’s will, to the holy ones who are in Ephʹe·susa and are faithful in union with Christ Jesus: ² May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ Praised be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in union with Christ,b ⁴ as he chose us to be in union with him before the founding of the world, that we should be holy and unblemishedc before him in love. ⁵ For he foreordained usd to be adopted as his own sonse through Jesus Christ, according to his good pleasure and will,f ⁶ in praise of his glorious undeserved kindnessg that he kindly bestowed on us by means of his beloved one.h ⁷ By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one,i yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses,j according to the riches of his undeserved kindness. ⁸ This undeserved kindness he caused to abound toward us in all wisdom and understanding* ⁹ by making known to us the sacred secretk of his will. It is according to his good pleasure that he himself purposed ¹⁰ for an administration at the full limit of the appointed times, to gather all things together in the Christ, the things in the heavens and the things on the earth.l Yes, in him ¹¹ with whom we are in union and were assigned as heirs,m having been foreordained according to the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things as he decides according to his will,n ¹² so that we who have been first to hope* in the Christ should serve for the praise of his glory. ¹³ But you also hoped in him after you heard the word of truth, the good news about your salvation. After you believed, you were sealedo by means of him with the promised holy spirit, ¹⁴ which is a token in advance of our inheritance,p for the purpose of releasing God’s own possessionq by a ransom,r to his glorious praise. ¹⁵ That is why I also, since I have heard of the faith that you have in the Lord Jesus and the love that you demonstrate toward all the holy ones, ¹⁶ never stop giving thanks for you. I continue mentioning you in my prayers,s ¹⁷ that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the accurate knowledge of him.t ¹⁸ He has enlightened the eyes of your heart, so that you may know to what hope he called you, what glorious riches he holds as an inheritance for the holy ones,u ¹⁹ and how surpassing the greatness of his power is toward us believers.v It is according to the operation of the mightiness of his strength, ²⁰ which he exercised toward Christ when he raised him up from the dead and seated him at his right handw in the heavenly places, ²¹ far above every government and authority and power and lordshipx and every name that is named,y not only in this system of things but also in that to come. ²² He also subjected all things under his feetz and made him head over all things with regard to the congregation,a ²³ which is his body,b the fullness of him who fills up all things in all.

Ephesians 1

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NWT | To the Ephesians 02:1-22

NWT | To the Ephesians 02:1-22 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Ephesians 2:1-22

2 Furthermore, God made you alive, though you were dead in your trespasses and sins,a ² in which you at one time walked according to the system of things* of this world,b according to the ruler of the authority of the air,c the spiritd that is now at work in the sons of disobedience. ³ Yes, among them we all at one time conducted ourselves in harmony with the desires of our flesh,e carrying out the will of the flesh and of our thoughts,f and we were naturally children of wrathg just as the rest. ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy,h because of his great love with which he loved us,i ⁵ made us alive together with the Christ, even when we were dead in trespassesj—by undeserved kindness you have been saved. ⁶ Moreover, he raised us up together and seated us together in the heavenly places in union with Christ Jesus,k ⁷ so that in the coming systems of things he might demonstrate the surpassing riches of his undeserved kindness in his graciousness toward us in union with Christ Jesus. ⁸ By this undeserved kindness you have been saved through faith,l and this is not of your own doing; rather, it is God’s gift.m ⁹ No, it is not a result of works,n so that no one should have grounds for boasting. ¹⁰ We are God’s handiwork and were createdo in union with Christ Jesusp for good works, which God determined in advance for us to walk in them. ¹¹ Therefore, remember that at one time you, people of the nations by fleshly descent, were the ones called “uncircumcision” by those called “circumcision,” which is made in the flesh by human hands. ¹² At that time you were without Christ, alienated from the state of Israel, strangers to the covenants of the promise;q you had no hope and were without God in the world.r ¹³ But now in union with Christ Jesus, you who were once far off have come to be near by the blood of the Christ. ¹⁴ For he is our peace,s the one who made the two groups onet and destroyed the wall in between that fenced them off.u ¹⁵ By means of his flesh he abolished the enmity, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees, in order to make the two groups in union with himself into one new manv and to make peace, ¹⁶ and to reconcile fully both peoples in one body to God through the torture stake,w because he had killed off the enmityx by means of himself. ¹⁷ And he came and declared the good news of peacey to you who were far off, and peace to those near, ¹⁸ because through him we, both peoples, have free access to the Father by one spirit.z ¹⁹ So you are no longer strangers and foreigners,a but you are fellow citizensb of the holy ones and are members of the household of God,c ²⁰ and you have been built up on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,d while Christ Jesus himself is the foundation cornerstone.e ²¹ In union with him the whole building, being harmoniously joined together,f is growing into a holy temple for Jehovah.g ²² In union with him you too are being built up together into a place for God to inhabit by spirit.h

Ephesians 2

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NWT | To the Ephesians 03:1-21

NWT | To the Ephesians 03:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Ephesians 3:1-21

3 For this reason I, Paul, the prisonera of Christ Jesus in behalf of you, the people of the nationsb— ² if, really, you have heard about the stewardshipc of God’s undeserved kindness that was given to me for your sakes, ³ that by way of a revelation the sacred secret was made known to me, just as I wrote previously in brief. ⁴ So when you read this, you can realize my comprehension of the sacred secretd of the Christ. ⁵ In other generations this secret was not made known to the sons of men as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by spirit,e ⁶ namely, that people of the nations should, in union with Christ Jesus and through the good news, be joint heirs and fellow members of the bodyf and partakers with us of the promise.g ⁷ I became a minister of this according to the free gift of God’s undeserved kindness that was given me through the operation of his power.h ⁸ To me, a man less than the least of all holy ones,i this undeserved kindness was given,j so that I should declare to the nations the good news about the unfathomable riches of the Christ ⁹ and should make everyone see* the administration of the sacred secretk that has been hidden through the ages in God, who created all things. ¹⁰ This was so that now, through the congregation,l there might be made known to the governments and the authorities in the heavenly places the greatly diversified wisdom of God.m ¹¹ This is according to the eternal purpose that he formed in connection with the Christ,n Jesus our Lord, ¹² by means of whom we have this freeness of speech and free accesso with confidence through our faith in him. ¹³ So I ask you not to give up on account of my tribulations in your behalf, for these mean glory for you.p ¹⁴ For this reason I bend my knees to the Father, ¹⁵ to whom every family in heaven and on earth owes its name. ¹⁶ I pray that he may grant you through the abundance* of his glory to be made mighty in the man you are inside,q with power through his spirit, ¹⁷ and that through your faith you may have the Christ dwell in your hearts with love.r May you be rooteds and established on the foundation,t ¹⁸ in order that with all the holy ones you may be thoroughly able to comprehend fully what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of the Christ,u which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all* the fullness that God gives. ²⁰ Now to the one who can, according to his power that is operating in us,v do more than superabundantly beyond all the things we ask or conceive,w ²¹ to him be the glory by means of the congregation and by means of Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3

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NWT | To the Ephesians 04:1-32

NWT | To the Ephesians 04:1-32 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Ephesians 4:1-32

4 Therefore I, the prisonera in the Lord, appeal to you to walk worthilyb of the calling with which you were called, ² with all humilityc and mildness,d with patience,e putting up with one another in love,f ³ earnestly endeavoring to maintain the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.g ⁴ One body there is,h and one spirit,i just as you were called to the one hopej of your calling; ⁵ one Lord,k one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ Now undeserved kindness was given to each one of us according to how the Christ measured out the free gift.l ⁸ For it says:* “When he ascended on high he carried away captives; he gave gifts in men.”m ⁹ Now what does the expression “he ascended” mean but that he also descended into the lower regions, that is, the earth? ¹⁰ The very one who descended is also the one who ascendedn far above all the heavens,o so that he might give fullness to all things.* ¹¹ And he gave some as apostles,p some as prophets,q some as evangelizers,r some as shepherds and teachers,s ¹² with a view to the readjustment of the holy ones, for ministerial work, to build up the body of the Christ,t ¹³ until we all attain to the oneness of the faith and of the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to being a full-grown man,u attaining the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ.v ¹⁴ So we should no longer be children, tossed about as by waves and carried here and there by every wind of teachingw by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in deceptive schemes. ¹⁵ But speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ.x ¹⁶ From him all the bodyy is harmoniously joined together and made to cooperate through every joint that gives what is needed. When each respective member functions properly, this contributes to the growth of the body as it builds itself up in love.z ¹⁷ So this is what I say and bear witness to in the Lord, that you should no longer go on walking just as the nations also walk,a in the futility of their minds.b ¹⁸ They are in darkness mentally and alienated from the life that belongs to God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the insensitivity of their hearts. ¹⁹ Having gone past all moral sense, they gave themselves over to brazen conductc to practice every sort of uncleanness with greediness.d ²⁰ But you did not learn the Christ to be like this, ²¹ if, indeed, you heard him and were taught by means of him, just as truth is in Jesus. ²² You were taught to put away the old personalitye that conforms to your former course of conduct and that is being corrupted according to its deceptive desires.f ²³ And you should continue to be made new in your dominant mental attitude,g ²⁴ and should put on the new personalityh that was created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty. ²⁵ Therefore, now that you have put away deceit, each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,i because we are members belonging to one another.j ²⁶ Be wrathful, but do not sin;k do not let the sun set while you are still angry;l ²⁷ do not give the Devil an opportunity.m ²⁸ Let the one who steals steal no more;n rather, let him do hard work, doing good work with his hands,o so that he may have something to share with someone in need.p ²⁹ Let a rotten word not come out of your mouth,q but only what is good for building up as the need may be, to impart what is beneficial to the hearers.r ³⁰ Also, do not be grieving God’s holy spirit,s with which you have been sealedt for a day of releasing by ransom.u ³¹ Put away from yourselves every kind of malicious bitterness,v anger, wrath, screaming, and abusive speech,w as well as everything injurious.x ³² But become kind to one another, tenderly compassionate,y freely forgiving one another just as God also by Christ freely forgave you.z

Ephesians 4

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NWT | To the Ephesians 05:1-33

NWT | To the Ephesians 05:1-33 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Ephesians 5:1-33

5 Therefore, become imitators of God,a as beloved children, ² and go on walking in love,b just as the Christ also loved usc and gave himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice,d a sweet fragrance to God.e ³ Let sexual immorality and every sort of uncleanness or greediness not even be mentioned among you,f just as is proper for holy people;g ⁴ neither shameful conduct nor foolish talking nor obscene jestingh—things that are not befitting—but rather the giving of thanks.i ⁵ For you know this, recognizing it for yourselves, that no sexually immoral personj or unclean person or greedy person,k which means being an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of the Christ and of God.l ⁶ Let no man deceive you with empty words, for because of such things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷ Therefore, do not be sharers with them; ⁸ for you were once darkness, but you are now lightm in connection with the Lord.n Go on walking as children of light, ⁹ for the fruitage of the light consists of every sort of goodness and righteousness and truth.o ¹⁰ Keep on making sure of what is acceptablep to the Lord; ¹¹ and stop sharing in the unfruitful works that belong to the darkness;q rather, expose them for what they are. ¹² For the things they do in secret are shameful even to mention. ¹³ Now all the things that are being exposed* are made evident by the light, for everything that is being made evident is light.r ¹⁴ Therefore, it is said:* “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead,s and the Christ will shine upon you.”t ¹⁵ So keep strict watch that how you walk is not as unwise but as wise persons, ¹⁶ making the best use of your time,u because the days are wicked. ¹⁷ On this account stop being unreasonable, but keep perceiving what the will of Jehovah is.v ¹⁸ Also, do not get drunk with wine,w in which there is debauchery, but keep getting filled with spirit. ¹⁹ Speak to one another* with psalms, praises to God, and spiritual songs, singingx and accompanying yourselves with musicy in your hearts to Jehovah,z ²⁰ always giving thanksa to our* God and Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.b ²¹ Be in subjection to one anotherc in fear of Christ. ²² Let wives be in subjection to their husbandsd as to the Lord, ²³ because a husband is head of his wifee just as the Christ is head of the congregation,f he being a savior of this body. ²⁴ In fact, as the congregation is in subjection to the Christ, wives should also be to their husbands in everything. ²⁵ Husbands, continue loving your wives,g just as the Christ also loved the congregation and gave himself up for it,h ²⁶ in order that he might sanctify it, cleansing it with the bath of water by means of the word,i ²⁷ so that he might present the congregation to himself in its splendor, without a spot or a wrinkle or any of such things,j but holy and without blemish.k ²⁸ In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself, ²⁹ for no man ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cherishes it, just as the Christ does the congregation, ³⁰ because we are members of his body.l ³¹ “For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and he will stick to his wife, and the two will be one flesh.”m ³² This sacred secretn is great. Now I am speaking about Christ and the congregation.o ³³ Nevertheless, each one of you must love his wifep as he does himself; on the other hand, the wife should have deep respect for her husband.q

Ephesians 5

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NWT | To the Ephesians 06:1-24

NWT | To the Ephesians 06:1-24 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Ephesians 6:1-24

6 Children, be obedient to your parentsa in union with the Lord, for this is righteous. ² “Honor your father and your mother”b is the first command with a promise: ³ “That it may go well with you* and you may remain a long time on the earth.” ⁴ And fathers, do not be irritating your children,c but go on bringing them up in the disciplined and admonition of Jehovah.e ⁵ Slaves, be obedient to your human masters,f with fear and trembling in the sincerity of your hearts, as to the Christ, ⁶ not only when being watched, just to please men,g but as Christ’s slaves doing the will of God whole-souled.h ⁷ Slave with a good attitude, as to Jehovahi and not to men, ⁸ for you know that whatever good each one does, he will receive this back from Jehovah,j whether he is a slave or a freeman. ⁹ Also, you masters, keep treating them in the same way, not threatening,k for you know that both their Master* and yours is in the heavens,l and there is no partiality with him. ¹⁰ Finally, go on acquiring powerm in the Lord and in the mightiness of his strength. ¹¹ Put on the complete suit of armorn from God so that you may be able to stand firm against the crafty acts of the Devil;o ¹² because we have a struggle,p not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forcesq in the heavenly places.r ¹³ For this reason take up the complete suit of armor from God,s so that you may be able to resist* in the wicked day and, after you have accomplished everything, to stand firm. ¹⁴ Stand firm, therefore, with the belt of truth fastened around your waist,t wearing the breastplate of righteousness,u ¹⁵ and having your feet shod in readiness to declare the good news of peace.v ¹⁶ Besides all of this, take up the large shield of faith,w with which you will be able to extinguish all the wicked one’s burning arrows.x ¹⁷ Also, accept the helmet of salvation,y and the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word,z ¹⁸ while with every form of prayera and supplication you carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit.b And to that end stay awake, constantly making supplication in behalf of all the holy ones. ¹⁹ Pray also for me, that the words may be given to me when I open my mouth, so that I may be able to speak boldly in making known the sacred secret of the good news,c ²⁰ for which I am acting as an ambassadord in chains,e and that I may speak about it with boldness, as I ought to speak. ²¹ Now so that you may also know about me and how I am doing, Tychʹi·cus,f a beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you.g ²² I am sending him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know how we are and that he may comfort your hearts. ²³ May the brothers have peace and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ May the undeserved kindness be with all those loving our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruptness.

Ephesians 6

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To the Galatians

To the Galatians somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To the Galatians 01:1-24

NWT | To the Galatians 01:1-24 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Galatians 1:1-24

1 Paul, an apostle, neither from men nor through a man, but through Jesus Christa and God the Father,b who raised him up from the dead, ² and all the brothers with me, to the congregations of Ga·laʹti·a:c ³ May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁴ He gave himself for our sinsd so that he might rescue us from the present wicked system of thingse according to the will of our God and Father,f ⁵ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. ⁶ I am amazed that you are so quickly turning away from the One who called you with Christ’s undeserved kindness to another sort of good news.g ⁷ Not that there is another good news; but there are certain ones who are causing you troubleh and wanting to distort the good news about the Christ. ⁸ However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond the good news we declared to you, let him be accursed.i ⁹ As we have said before, I now say again, Whoever is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted, let him be accursed. ¹⁰ Is it, in fact, men I am now trying to persuade or God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I would not be Christ’s slave. ¹¹ For I want you to know, brothers, that the good news I declared to you is not of human origin;j ¹² for neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it was through a revelation by Jesus Christ. ¹³ Of course, you heard about my conduct formerly in Juʹda·ism,k that I kept intensely persecuting the congregation of God and devastating it;l ¹⁴ and I was making greater progress in Juʹda·ism than many of my own age in my nation, as I was far more zealous for the traditions of my fathers.m ¹⁵ But when God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through his undeserved kindness,n thought good ¹⁶ to reveal his Son through me so that I might declare the good news about him to the nations,o I did not immediately consult with any human; ¹⁷ nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before I was, but I went to Arabia, and then I returned to Damascus.p ¹⁸ Then three years later I went up to Jerusalemq to visit Ceʹphas,r and I stayed with him for 15 days. ¹⁹ But I did not see any of the other apostles, only Jamess the brother of the Lord. ²⁰ Now regarding the things I am writing you, I assure you before God that I am not lying. ²¹ After that I went into the regions of Syria and Ci·liʹcia.t ²² But I was personally unknown to the congregations of Ju·deʹa that were in union with Christ. ²³ They only used to hear: “The man who formerly persecuted usu is now declaring the good news about the faith that he formerly devastated.”v ²⁴ So they began glorifying God because of me.

Galatians 1

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NWT | To the Galatians 02:1-21

NWT | To the Galatians 02:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Galatians 2:1-21

2 Then after 14 years I again went up to Jerusalem with Barʹna·bas,a also taking Titus along with me.b ² I went up as a result of a revelation, and I presented to them the good news that I am preaching among the nations. This was done privately, however, before the men who were highly regarded, to make sure that I was not running or had not run in vain. ³ Nevertheless, not even Titus,c who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised,d although he was a Greek. ⁴ But that matter came up because of the false brothers brought in quietly,e who slipped in to spy on the freedomf we enjoy in union with Christ Jesus, so that they might completely enslave us;g ⁵ we did not yield in submission to them,h no, not for a moment,* so that the truth of the good news might continue with you. ⁶ But regarding those who seemed to be importanti—whatever they were makes no difference to me, for God does not go by a man’s outward appearance—those highly regarded men imparted nothing new to me. ⁷ On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the good news for those who are uncircumcised,j just as Peter had been for those who are circumcised— ⁸ for the one who empowered Peter for an apostleship to those who are circumcised also empowered me for those who are of the nationsk— ⁹ and when they recognized the undeserved kindness that was given me,l Jamesm and Ceʹphas and John, the ones who seemed to be pillars, gave Barʹna·bas and men the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the nations but they to those who are circumcised. ¹⁰ They asked only that we keep the poor in mind, and this I have also earnestly endeavored to do.o ¹¹ However, when Ceʹphasp came to Antioch,q I resisted him face-to-face, because he was clearly in the wrong.* ¹² For before certain men from Jamesr arrived, he used to eat with people of the nations;s but when they arrived, he stopped doing this and separated himself, fearing those of the circumcised class.t ¹³ The rest of the Jews also joined him in putting on this pretense, so that even Barʹna·bas was led along with them in their pretense. ¹⁴ But when I saw that they were not walking in step with the truth of the good news,u I said to Ceʹphas before them all: “If you, though you are a Jew, live as the nations do and not as Jews do, how can you compel people of the nations to live according to Jewish practice?”v ¹⁵ We who are Jews by birth, and not sinners from the nations, ¹⁶ recognize that a man is declared righteous, not by works of law, but only through faithw in Jesus Christ.x So we have put our faith in Christ Jesus, so that we may be declared righteous by faith in Christ and not by works of law, for no one will be declared righteous by works of law.y ¹⁷ Now if we have also been found sinners while seeking to be declared righteous by means of Christ, is Christ then sin’s minister? Certainly not! ¹⁸ If the very things that I once tore down I build up again, I demonstrate that I am a transgressor.z ¹⁹ For through law I died toward law,a so that I might become alive toward God. ²⁰ I am nailed to the stake along with Christ.b It is no longer I who live,c but it is Christ who is living in union with me. Indeed, the life that I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God,d who loved me and handed himself over for me.e ²¹ I do not reject* the undeserved kindness of God,f for if righteousness is through law, Christ actually died for nothing.g

Galatians 2

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NWT | To the Galatians 03:1-29

NWT | To the Galatians 03:1-29 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Galatians 3:1-29

3 O senseless Ga·laʹtians! Who has brought you under this evil influence,a you who had Jesus Christ openly portrayed before you as nailed to the stake?b ² This one thing I want to ask* you: Did you receive the spirit through works of law or because of faith in what you heard?c ³ Are you so senseless? After starting on a spiritual course, are you finishing on a fleshly course?d ⁴ Did you undergo so many sufferings for nothing? If it really was for nothing. ⁵ Therefore, does the one who supplies you the spirit and performs powerful works*e among you do it because of your works of law or because of your faith in what you heard? ⁶ Just as Abraham “put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”f ⁷ Surely you know that it is those who adhere to faith who are sons of Abraham.g ⁸ Now the scripture, foreseeing that God would declare people of the nations righteous through faith,h declared the good news beforehand to Abraham, namely: “By means of you all the nations will be blessed.”i ⁹ So those who adhere to faith are being blessed together with Abraham, who had faith.j ¹⁰ All those who depend on works of law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not remain in all the things written in the scroll of the Law by doing them.”k ¹¹ Moreover, it is evident that by law no one is declared righteous with God,l because “the righteous one will live by reason of faith.”m ¹² Now the Law is not based on faith. Rather, “anyone who does these things will live by means of them.”n ¹³ Christ purchased us,o releasing usp from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse instead of us,q because it is written: “Accursed is every man hung upon a stake.”r ¹⁴ This was so that the blessing of Abraham would come to the nations by means of Christ Jesus,s so that we might receive the promised spiritt through our faith. ¹⁵ Brothers, I speak using a human illustration: Once a covenant is validated, even if only by a man, no one annuls it or attaches additions to it. ¹⁶ Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring.u It does not say, “and to your descendants,” in the sense of many. Rather, it says, “and to your offspring,” in the sense of one, who is Christ.v ¹⁷ Further, I say this: The Law, which came into being 430 years later,w does not invalidate the covenant previously made by God, so as to abolish the promise.x ¹⁸ For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has kindly given it to Abraham through a promise.y ¹⁹ Why, then, the Law? It was added to make transgressions manifest,z until the offspring should arrivea to whom the promise had been made; and it was transmitted through angelsb by the hand of a mediator.c ²⁰ Now there is no mediator when just one person is involved, but God is only one. ²¹ Is the Law, therefore, against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, righteousness would actually have been by means of law. ²² But the Scripture handed all things over to the custody of sin, so that the promise resulting from faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those exercising faith. ²³ However, before the faith arrived, we were being guarded under law, being handed over into custody, looking to the faith that was about to be revealed.d ²⁴ So the Law became our guardian leading to Christ,e so that we might be declared righteous through faith.f ²⁵ But now that the faith has arrived,g we are no longer under a guardian.h ²⁶ You are all, in fact, sons of Godi through your faith in Christ Jesus.j ²⁷ For all of you who were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.k ²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek,l there is neither slave nor freeman,m there is neither male nor female,n for you are all one in union with Christ Jesus.o ²⁹ Moreover, if you belong to Christ, you are really Abraham’s offspring,p heirsq with reference to a promise.r

Galatians 3

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NWT | To the Galatians 04:1-31

NWT | To the Galatians 04:1-31 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Galatians 4:1-31

4 Now I say that as long as the heir is a young child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the lord of all things, ² but he is under supervisors and stewards until the day set ahead of time by his father. ³ Likewise, we too, when we were children, were enslaved by the elementary things of the world.a ⁴ But when the full limit of the time arrived, God sent his Son, who was born of a womanb and who was under law,c ⁵ that he might release by purchase those under law,d so that we might receive the adoption as sons.e ⁶ Now because you are sons, God has sent the spiritf of his Son into our hearts,g and it cries out: “Abba, Father!”h ⁷ So you are no longer a slave but a son; and if a son, then you are also an heir through God.i ⁸ Nevertheless, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those who are not really gods. ⁹ But now that you have come to know God or, rather, have come to be known by God, how is it that you are turning back again to the weakj and beggarly elementary things and want to slave for them over again?k ¹⁰ You are scrupulously observing days and monthsl and seasons and years. ¹¹ I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. ¹² Brothers, I beg you, become as I am, because I also used to be as you are.m You did me no wrong. ¹³ But you know that it was because of a physical illness that I had my first opportunity to declare the good news to you. ¹⁴ And though my physical condition was a trial* for you, you did not treat me with contempt or disgust;* but you received me like an angel of God, like Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Where is that happiness you had? For I bear you witness that, if it had been possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me.n ¹⁶ So, then, have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth? ¹⁷ They are zealous to win you over, but not for a good purpose; they want to alienate you from me, so that you may be eager to follow them. ¹⁸ However, it is always fine for someone to seek zealously after you for a good purpose and not just when I am present with you, ¹⁹ my little children,o for whom I am again experiencing birth pains until Christ is formed* in you. ²⁰ I wish I could be present with you just now and speak in a different way,* because I am perplexed over you. ²¹ Tell me, you who want to be under law,p Do you not hear the Law? ²² For example, it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant girlq and one by the free woman;r ²³ but the one by the servant girl was actually born through natural descents and the other by the free woman through a promise.t ²⁴ These things may be taken as a symbolic drama; for these women mean two covenants, the one from Mount Siʹnai,u which bears children for slavery and which is Haʹgar. ²⁵ Now Haʹgar means Siʹnai,v a mountain in Arabia, and she corresponds with the Jerusalem today, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written: “Be glad, you barren woman who does not give birth; break into joyful shouting, you woman who does not have birth pains; for the children of the desolate woman are more numerous than those of her who has the husband.”w ²⁸ Now you, brothers, are children of the promise the same as Isaac was.x ²⁹ But just as then the one born through natural descent began persecuting the one born through spirit,y so also now.z ³⁰ Nevertheless, what does the scripture say? “Drive out the servant girl and her son, for the son of the servant girl will by no means be an heir with the son of the free woman.”a ³¹ So, brothers, we are children, not of a servant girl, but of the free woman.

Galatians 4

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NWT | To the Galatians 05:1-26

NWT | To the Galatians 05:1-26 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Galatians 5:1-26

5 For such freedom Christ set us free. Therefore, stand firm,a and do not let yourselves be confined again in a yoke of slavery.b ² See! I, Paul, am telling you that if you become circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you.c ³ Again I bear witness to every man who gets circumcised that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law.d ⁴ You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be declared righteous by means of law;e you have fallen away from his undeserved kindness. ⁵ For our part, we are by spirit eagerly waiting for the hoped-for righteousness* resulting from faith. ⁶ For in union with Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any value,f but faith operating through love is. ⁷ You were running well.g Who hindered you from continuing to obey the truth? ⁸ This sort of persuasion does not come from the One calling you. ⁹ A little leaven ferments the whole batch of dough.h ¹⁰ I am confident that you who are in union with the Lordi will not come to think otherwise; but the one who is causing you trouble,j whoever he may be, will receive the judgment he deserves. ¹¹ As for me, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the torture stakek has been eliminated. ¹² I wish the men who are trying to unsettle you would emasculate themselves. ¹³ You were called to freedom, brothers; only do not use this freedom as an opportunity to pursue fleshly desires,l but through love slave for one another.m ¹⁴ For the entire Law has been fulfilled in one commandment, namely: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”n ¹⁵ If, though, you keep on biting and devouring one another,o look out that you do not get annihilated by one another.p ¹⁶ But I say, Keep walking by spiritq and you will carry out no fleshly desire at all.r ¹⁷ For the flesh is against the spirit in its desire, and the spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you do not do the very things you want to do.s ¹⁸ Furthermore, if you are being led by spirit, you are not under law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are plainly seen, and they are sexual immorality,t uncleanness, brazen conduct,u ²⁰ idolatry, spiritism,v hostility, strife,w jealousy,x fits of anger, dissensions, divisions, sects,y ²¹ envy, drunkenness,z wild parties, and things like these.a I am forewarning you about these things, the same way I already warned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom.b ²² On the other hand, the fruitagec of the spirit is love, joy,d peace,e patience, kindness, goodness,f faith, ²³ mildness, self-control.g Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed to the stake the flesh together with its passions and desires.h ²⁵ If we are living by spirit, let us also go on walking orderly by spirit.i ²⁶ Let us not become egotistical,j stirring up competition with one another,k envying one another.

Galatians 5

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NWT | To the Galatians 06:1-18

NWT | To the Galatians 06:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Galatians 6:1-18

6 Brothers, even if a man takes a false step before he is aware of it, you who have spiritual qualifications try to readjust such a man in a spirit of mildness.a But keep an eye on yourself,b for fear you too may be tempted.c ² Go on carrying the burdens of one another,d and in this way you will fulfill the law of the Christ.e ³ For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing,f he is deceiving himself. ⁴ But let each one examine his own actions,g and then he will have cause for rejoicing in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person.h ⁵ For each one will carry his own load.i ⁶ Moreover, let anyone who is being taught the word share in all good things with the one who gives such teaching.j ⁷ Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a person is sowing, this he will also reap;k ⁸ because the one sowing with a view to his flesh will reap corruption from his flesh,l but the one sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit.m ⁹ So let us not give up in doing what is fine,n for in due time we will reap if we do not tire out.o ¹⁰ So, then, as long as we have the opportunity, let us work what is good toward all, but especially toward those related to us in the faith. ¹¹ See with what large letters* I have written you with my own hand. ¹² All those who want to make a good impression in the flesh are the ones who try to compel you to get circumcised,p doing so only to avoid being persecuted for the torture stake of the Christ. ¹³ For even those who are getting circumcised do not keep the Law themselves,q but they want you to be circumcised so that they may have cause for boasting about your flesh. ¹⁴ But may I never boast, except in the torture stake of our Lord Jesus Christ,r through whom the world has been put to death with regard to me and I with regard to the world. ¹⁵ For neither is circumcision anything nor is uncircumcision,s but a new creation is.t ¹⁶ As for all those who walk orderly by this rule of conduct, peace and mercy be upon them, yes, upon the Israel of God.u ¹⁷ From now on* let no one make trouble for me, for I am bearing on my body the brand marks of a slave of Jesus.v ¹⁸ The undeserved kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you show, brothers. Amen.

Galatians 6

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To the Hebrews

To the Hebrews somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To the Hebrews 01:1-14

NWT | To the Hebrews 01:1-14 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 1:1-14

1 Long ago God spoke to our forefathers by means of the prophets on many occasions and in many ways.a ² Now at the end of these days he has spoken to us by means of a Son,b whom he appointed heir of all things,c and through whom he made the systems of things.d ³ He is the reflection of God’s glorye and the exact representation of his very being,f and he sustains all things by the word of his power. And after he had made a purification for our sins,g he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.h ⁴ So he has become better than the angelsi to the extent that he has inherited a name more excellent than theirs.j ⁵ For example, to which one of the angels did God ever say: “You are my son; today I have become your father”?k And again: “I will become his father, and he will become my son”?l ⁶ But when he again brings his Firstbornm into the inhabited earth, he says: “And let all of God’s angels do obeisance to him.” ⁷ Also, he says about the angels: “He makes his angels spirits, and his ministersn a flame of fire.”o ⁸ But about the Son, he says: “God is your thronep forever and ever, and the scepter of your Kingdomq is the scepter of uprightness. ⁹ You loved righteousness, and you hated lawlessness. That is why God, your God, anointed your with the oil of exultation more than your companions.”s ¹⁰ And: “At the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the works of your hands. ¹¹ They will perish, but you will remain; and just like a garment, they will all wear out, ¹² and you will wrap them up just as a cloak, as a garment, and they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will never come to an end.”t ¹³ But about which of the angels has he ever said: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet”?u ¹⁴ Are they not all spirits for holy service,v sent out to minister for those who are going to inherit salvation?

Hebrews 1

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NWT | To the Hebrews 02:1-18

NWT | To the Hebrews 02:1-18 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 2:1-18

2 That is why it is necessary for us to pay more than the usual attention to the things we have heard,a so that we never drift away.b ² For if the word spoken through angelsc proved to be sure, and every transgression and disobedient act received a punishment in harmony with justice,d ³ how will we escape if we have neglected so great a salvation?e For it began to be spoken through our Lordf and was verified for us by those who heard him, ⁴ while God joined in bearing witness with signs and wonders and various powerful worksg and with the holy spirit distributed according to his will.h ⁵ For it is not to angels that he has subjected the inhabited earth to come,i about which we are speaking. ⁶ But in one place a certain witness said: “What is man that you keep him in mind, or a son of man that you take care of him?j ⁷ You made him a little lower than angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, and appointed him over the works of your hands. ⁸ All things you subjected under his feet.”k By subjecting all things to him,l God left nothing that is not subject to him.m Now, though, we do not yet see all things in subjection to him.n ⁹ But we do see Jesus, who was made a little lower than angels,o now crowned with glory and honor for having suffered death,p so that by God’s undeserved kindness he might taste death for everyone.q ¹⁰ For it was fitting that the one for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory,r should make the Chief Agent of their salvations perfect through sufferings.t ¹¹ For both the one who is sanctifying and those who are being sanctifiedu all stem from one,v and for this reason he is not ashamed to call them brothers,w ¹² as he says: “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you with song.”x ¹³ And again: “I will put my trust in him.”y And again: “Look! I and the young children, whom Jehovah gave me.”z ¹⁴ Therefore, since the “young children” are sharers of blood and flesh, he also similarly shared in the same things,a so that through his death he might bring to nothing the one having the means to cause death,b that is, the Devil,c ¹⁵ and that he might set free all those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.d ¹⁶ For it is not really angels he is assisting, but he is assisting Abraham’s offspring.e ¹⁷ Consequently, he had to become like his “brothers” in all respects,f so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God,g in order to offer a propitiatory sacrificeh for the sins of the people.i ¹⁸ Since he himself has suffered when being put to the test,j he is able to come to the aid of those who are being put to the test.k

Hebrews 2

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NWT | To the Hebrews 03:1-19

NWT | To the Hebrews 03:1-19 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 3:1-19

3 Consequently, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling,a consider the apostleb and high priest whom we acknowledge—Jesus.c ² He was faithful to the One who appointed him,d just as Moses also was in all the house of that One.e ³ For he is counted worthy of more gloryf than Moses, since the one who constructs a house has more honor than the house itself.g ⁴ Of course, every house is constructed by someone, but the one who constructed all things is God. ⁵ Now Moses was faithful as an attendant in all the house of that One as a testimony* of the things that were to be spoken afterward, ⁶ but Christ was faithful as a sonh over God’s house. We are His housei if, indeed, we hold on firmly to our freeness of speech and the hope of which we boast down to the end. ⁷ Therefore, just as the holy spirit says,j “Today if you listen to his voice, ⁸ do not harden your hearts as on the occasion of provoking to bitter anger, as in the day of testing in the wilderness,k ⁹ where your forefathers put me to the test and tried me, despite seeing my works for 40 years.l ¹⁰ This is why I became disgusted with this generation and said: ‘They always go astray in their hearts, and they have not come to know my ways.’ ¹¹ So I swore in my anger: ‘They will not enter into my rest.’”m ¹² Beware, brothers, for fear there should ever develop in any one of you a wicked heart lacking faith by drawing away from the living God;n ¹³ but keep on encouraging one another each day, as long as it is called “Today,”o so that none of you should become hardened by the deceptive power of sin. ¹⁴ For we actually become partakers of the Christ only if we hold firmly down to the end the confidence we had at the beginning.p ¹⁵ As it is said, “Today if you listen to his voice, do not harden your hearts as on the occasion of provoking to bitter anger.”q ¹⁶ For who heard and yet provoked him to bitter anger? Was it not, in fact, all those who went out of Egypt under Moses?r ¹⁷ Moreover, with whom did God become disgusted for 40 years?s Was it not with those who sinned, whose dead bodies fell in the wilderness?t ¹⁸ And to whom did he swear that they would not enter into his rest?u Was it not to those who acted disobediently?v ¹⁹ So we see that they could not enter in because of lack of faith.w

Hebrews 3

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NWT | To the Hebrews 04:1-16

NWT | To the Hebrews 04:1-16 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 4:1-16

4 Therefore, since a promise of entering into his rest remains, let us be on guard for fear someone among you seems to fall short of it.a ² For we have also had the good news declared to us,b just as they had; but the word that they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. ³ For we who have exercised faith do enter into the rest, just as he has said: “So I swore in my anger, ‘They will not enter into my rest,’”c although his works were finished from the founding of the world.d ⁴ For in one place he has said of the seventh day as follows: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works,”e ⁵ and here again he says: “They will not enter into my rest.”f ⁶ Therefore, since it remains for some to enter into it, and those to whom the good news was first declared did not enter in because of disobedience,g ⁷ he again marks off a certain day by saying long afterward in David’s psalm, “Today”; just as it has been said above, “Today if you listen to his voice, do not harden your hearts.”h ⁸ For if Joshuai had led them into a place of rest, God would not afterward have spoken of another day. ⁹ So there remains a sabbath-rest for the people of God.j ¹⁰ For the man who has entered into God’s rest has also rested from his own works, just as God did from his own.k ¹¹ Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall into the same pattern of disobedience.l ¹² For the word of God is alive and exerts powerm and is sharper than any two-edged swordn and pierces even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of joints from the marrow, and is able to discern thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³ And there is not a creation that is hidden from his sight,o but all things are naked and openly exposed to the eyes of the one to whom we must give an account.p ¹⁴ Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,q let us hold on to our public declaration of him.r ¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,s but we have one who has been tested in all respects as we have,t but without sin.u ¹⁶ Let us, then, approach the throne of undeserved kindness with freeness of speech,v so that we may receive mercy and find undeserved kindness to help us at the right time.

Hebrews 4

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NWT | To the Hebrews 05:1-14

NWT | To the Hebrews 05:1-14 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 5:1-14

5 For every high priest taken from among men is appointed in their behalf over the things relating to God,a so that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.b ² He is able to deal compassionately with the ignorant and erring ones, since he too is confronted with his own weakness, ³ and because of that he must make offerings for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.c ⁴ A man does not take this honor of his own accord, but he receives it only when he is called by God, just as Aaron was.d ⁵ So, too, the Christ did not glorify himselfe by becoming a high priest, but was glorified by the One who said to him: “You are my son; today I have become your father.”f ⁶ As he also says in another place, “You are a priest forever in the manner of Mel·chizʹe·dek.”g ⁷ During his life on earth,* Christ offered up supplications and also petitions, with strong outcries and tears,h to the One who was able to save him out of death, and he was favorably heard for his godly fear. ⁸ Although he was a son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.i ⁹ And after he had been made perfect,j he became responsible for everlasting salvation to all those obeying him,k ¹⁰ because he has been designated by God a high priest in the manner of Mel·chizʹe·dek.l ¹¹ We have much to say about him, and it is difficult to explain, because you have become dull in your hearing. ¹² For although by now you should be teachers, you again need someone to teach you from the beginning the elementary thingsm of the sacred pronouncements of God, and you have gone back to needing milk, not solid food.n ¹³ For everyone who continues to feed on milk is unacquainted with the word of righteousness, for he is a young child.o ¹⁴ But solid food belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their powers of discernment trained to distinguish both right and wrong.

Hebrews 5

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NWT | To the Hebrews 06:1-20

NWT | To the Hebrews 06:1-20 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 6:1-20

6 Therefore, now that we have moved beyond the primary doctrinea about the Christ, let us press on to maturity,b not laying a foundation again, namely, repentance from dead works and faith in God, ² the teaching on baptisms and the laying on of the hands,c the resurrection of the deadd and everlasting judgment. ³ And this we will do, if God indeed permits. ⁴ For as regards those who were once enlightenede and who have tasted the heavenly free gift and who have become partakers of holy spirit ⁵ and who have tasted the fine word of God and powers of the coming system of things, ⁶ but have fallen away,f it is impossible to revive them again to repentance,g because they nail the Son of God to the stake again for themselves and expose him to public shame.h ⁷ For the ground receives a blessing from God when it drinks in the rain that frequently falls on it and then produces vegetation useful to those for whom it is cultivated. ⁸ But if it produces thorns and thistles, it is rejected and is near to being cursed, and in the end it will be burned. ⁹ But in your case, beloved ones, we are convinced of better things, things related to salvation, even though we are speaking in this way. ¹⁰ For God is not unrighteous so as to forget your work and the love you showed for his namei by ministering and continuing to minister to the holy ones. ¹¹ But we desire each one of you to show the same industriousness so as to have the full assurance of the hopej down to the end,k ¹² so that you may not become sluggish,l but be imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. ¹³ For when God made his promise to Abraham, since he could not swear by anyone greater, he swore by himself,m ¹⁴ saying: “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”n ¹⁵ So after Abraham had shown patience, he obtained this promise. ¹⁶ For men swear by someone greater, and their oath is the end of every dispute, since it is a legal guarantee to them.o ¹⁷ In this same way, when God decided to demonstrate more clearly to the heirs of the promisep the unchangeableness of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, ¹⁸ in order that through two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,q we who have fled to the refuge may have strong encouragement to take firm hold of the hope set before us. ¹⁹ We have this hoper as an anchor for the soul, both sure and firm, and it enters in within the curtain,s ²⁰ where a forerunner has entered in our behalf, Jesus,t who has become a high priest in the manner of Mel·chizʹe·dek forever.u

Hebrews 6

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NWT | To the Hebrews 07:1-28

NWT | To the Hebrews 07:1-28 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 7:1-28

7 For this Mel·chizʹe·dek, king of Saʹlem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,a ² and Abraham gave* him a tenth of everything. First, his name is translated “King of Righteousness,” and then also king of Saʹlem, that is, “King of Peace.” ³ In being fatherless, motherless, without genealogy, having neither a beginning of days nor an end of life, but being made like the Son of God, he remains a priest for all time.b ⁴ See how great this man was to whom Abraham, the family head, gave a tenth out of the best spoils.c ⁵ True, according to the Law, those of the sons of Leʹvid who receive their priestly office have a commandment to collect tithes from the people,e that is, from their brothers, even though these are descendants of Abraham. ⁶ But this man who did not trace his genealogy from them took tithes from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises.f ⁷ Now it is undeniable that the lesser one is blessed by the greater. ⁸ And in the one case, it is men who are dying who receive tithes, but in the other case, it is someone of whom witness is given that he lives.g ⁹ And it could be said that even Leʹvi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes through Abraham, ¹⁰ for he was still a future descendant of his forefather when Mel·chizʹe·dek met him.h ¹¹ If, then, perfection was attainable through the Levitical priesthoodi (for it was a feature of the Law that was given to the people), what further need would there be for another priest to arise who is said to be in the manner of Mel·chizʹe·dekj and not in the manner of Aaron? ¹² For since the priesthood is being changed, it becomes necessary to change the Law as well.k ¹³ For the man about whom these things are said came from another tribe,l from which no one has officiated at the altar.m ¹⁴ For it is clear that our Lord has descended from Judah,n yet Moses said nothing about priests coming from that tribe. ¹⁵ And this becomes even clearer when another priesto arises who is like Mel·chizʹe·dek,p ¹⁶ who has become such, not by the legal requirement that depends on fleshly descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.q ¹⁷ For it is said in witness of him: “You are a priest forever in the manner of Mel·chizʹe·dek.”r ¹⁸ So, then, the former commandment is set aside because it is weak and ineffective.s ¹⁹ For the Law made nothing perfect,t but the introduction of a better hopeu did, through which we are drawing near to God.v ²⁰ Also, inasmuch as this was not done without an oath being sworn ²¹ (for, indeed, there are men who have become priests without a sworn oath, but this one has become so through an oath sworn respecting him by the One who said: “Jehovah has sworn, and he will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever’”),w ²² Jesus has accordingly become the guarantee of a better covenant.x ²³ Furthermore, many had to become priests in successiony because death prevented them from continuing as such, ²⁴ but because he continues alive forever,z his priesthood has no successors. ²⁵ So he is able also to save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead for them.a ²⁶ For it is fitting for us to have such a high priest who is loyal, innocent, undefiled,b separated from the sinners, and exalted above the heavens.c ²⁷ Unlike those high priests, he does not need to offer up sacrifices daily,d first for his own sins and then for those of the people,e because he did this once for all time when he offered himself up.f ²⁸ For the Law appoints as high priests men who have weaknesses,g but the word of the oathh sworn after the Law appoints a Son, who has been made perfecti forever.

Hebrews 7

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NWT | To the Hebrews 08:1-13

NWT | To the Hebrews 08:1-13 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 8:1-13

8 Now this is the main point of what we are saying: We have such a high priest as this,a and he has sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,b ² a minister* of the holy placec and of the true tent, which Jehovah* set up, and not man. ³ For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer.d ⁴ If he were on earth, he would not be a priest,e since there are already men who offer the gifts according to the Law. ⁵ These men are offering sacred service in a typical representation and a shadowf of the heavenly things;g just as Moses, when about to construct the tent, was given the divine command: For He says: “See that you make all things after their pattern that was shown to you in the mountain.”h ⁶ But now Jesus has obtained a more excellent ministry* because he is also the mediatori of a correspondingly better covenant,j which has been legally established on better promises.k ⁷ If that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second.l ⁸ For he does find fault with the people when he says: “‘Look! The days are coming,’ says Jehovah,* ‘when I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant. ⁹ It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers on the day I took hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt,m because they did not remain in my covenant, so I stopped caring for them,’ says Jehovah.* ¹⁰ “‘For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,’ says Jehovah.* ‘I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I will write them.n And I will become their God, and they will become my people.o ¹¹ “‘And they will no longer teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: “Know Jehovah!”* For they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them. ¹² For I will be merciful toward their unrighteous deeds, and I will no longer call their sins to mind.’”p ¹³ In his saying “a new covenant,” he has made the former one obsolete.q Now what is obsolete and growing old is near to vanishing away.r

Hebrews 8

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NWT | To the Hebrews 09:1-28

NWT | To the Hebrews 09:1-28 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 9:1-28

9 For its part, the former covenant used to have legal requirements for sacred service and its holy place+ on earth. ² For a first tent compartment was constructed, in which were the lampstand+ and the table and the display of the loaves of presentation;*+ and it is called the Holy Place.+ ³ But behind the second curtain+ was the tent compartment called the Most Holy.+ ⁴ This had a golden censer+ and the ark of the covenant+ completely overlaid with gold,+ in which were the golden jar containing the manna+ and Aaron’s rod that budded+ and the tablets+ of the covenant; ⁵ and above it were the glorious cherubs overshadowing the propitiatory cover.*+ But now is not the time to speak of these things in detail. ⁶ After these things were constructed this way, the priests enter the first tent compartment regularly to perform the sacred services;+ ⁷ but the high priest enters alone into the second compartment once a year,+ not without blood,+ which he offers for himself+ and for the sins that the people+ committed in ignorance. ⁸ Thus the holy spirit makes it clear that the way into the holy place had not yet been revealed while the first tent was standing.+ ⁹ This tent is an illustration for the present time,+ and according to this arrangement, both gifts and sacrifices are offered.+ However, these are not able to make the conscience of the man doing sacred service perfect.+ ¹⁰ They have to do only with foods and drinks and various ceremonial washings.*+ They were legal requirements concerning the body+ and were imposed until the appointed time to set things straight. ¹¹ However, when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have already taken place, he passed through the greater and more perfect tent not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. ¹² He entered into the holy place, not with the blood of goats and of young bulls, but with his own blood,+ once for all time, and obtained an everlasting deliverance* for us.+ ¹³ For if the blood of goats and of bulls+ and the ashes of a heifer* sprinkled on those who have been defiled sanctifies for the cleansing of the flesh,+ ¹⁴ how much more will the blood of the Christ,+ who through an everlasting spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works+ so that we may render sacred service to the living God?+ ¹⁵ That is why he is a mediator of a new covenant,+ in order that because a death has occurred for their release by ransom+ from the transgressions under the former covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance.+ ¹⁶ For where there is a covenant, the death of the human covenanter needs to be established, ¹⁷ because a covenant is valid at death, since it is not in force as long as the human covenanter is living. ¹⁸ Consequently, neither was the former covenant put into effect* without blood. ¹⁹ For when Moses had spoken every commandment of the Law to all the people, he took the blood of the young bulls and of the goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled the book* and all the people, ²⁰ saying: “This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.”+ ²¹ He likewise sprinkled the tent and all the vessels of the holy service* with the blood.+ ²² Yes, according to the Law nearly all things are cleansed with blood,+ and unless blood is poured out no forgiveness takes place.+ ²³ Therefore, it was necessary for the typical representations+ of the things in the heavens to be cleansed by these means,+ but the heavenly things require far better sacrifices. ²⁴ For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with hands,+ which is a copy of the reality,+ but into heaven itself,+ so that he now appears before* God on our behalf.+ ²⁵ This was not done to offer himself often, as when the high priest enters into the holy place from year to year+ with blood that is not his own. ²⁶ Otherwise, he would have to suffer often from the founding of the world. But now he has manifested himself once for all time at the conclusion of the systems of things* to do away with sin through the sacrifice of himself.+ ²⁷ And just as it is reserved for men to die once for all time, but after this to receive a judgment, ²⁸ so also the Christ was offered once for all time to bear the sins of many;+ and the second time that he appears it will be apart from sin,* and he will be seen by those earnestly looking for him for their salvation.+

Footnotes

^ Or “the showbread.”

^ Or “the place of atonement.”

^ Lit., “various baptisms.”

^ Lit., “ransoming; redemption.”

^ Or “young cow.”

^ Lit., “inaugurated.”

^ Or “scroll.”

^ Or “the public service.”

^ Lit., “before the face of.”

^ Or “the ages.” See Glossary.

^ Or “it will not be to deal with sin.”

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“A Lampstand of Pure Gold”

In the first compartment of the tabernacle, called the Holy, there was “a lampstand of pure gold” with seven lamps. By means of a vision on Mount Sinai, Jehovah gave Moses detailed instructions on how to make this lampstand. (Ex 25:31-40; Nu 8:4) In part, Moses was told: “Its base, its stem, its branches, its cups, its knobs, and its blossoms will be one piece.” Together with its lamps and utensils, the lampstand was to weigh one talent, which would equal 34.2 kg (1,101 oz t). Every morning, a priest had to maintain, or take care of, the lamps—for example, he would replace the wicks and replenish the oil. Every evening, he lit the lamps to provide light for the Holy. (Ex 27:20, 21; 30:7, 8) Paul mentions the lampstand when comparing the old covenant and the tabernacle with the superior new covenant and the heavenly realities of “the true tent.”—Heb 8:2, 5.

The Table of Showbread

In the first compartment of the tabernacle, called the Holy, there was a table made of acacia wood and overlaid with pure gold. “The showbread,” or according to the Christian Greek Scriptures “the loaves of presentation,” was placed on that table. (Ex 25:30; Heb 9:2) On Mount Sinai, Jehovah gave Moses a vision that included detailed instructions on how to make this table. (Ex 25:9, 23-29; Nu 8:4) It was to be two cubits long, a cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. (See App. B14.) The Hebrew expression rendered “showbread” literally means “bread of the face.” The word for “face” sometimes denotes “presence.” (2Ki 13:23) The showbread was constantly in front of Jehovah’s face as an offering. Every Sabbath, a priest had to place 12 fresh loaves on the table. The loaves were placed in two stacks of six each. (Le 24:4-8) Paul mentions the table of showbread when discussing the old covenant and the tabernacle, comparing such physical things with greater heavenly realities.—Heb 8:5.

The Stone Tablets of the Law Covenant

“The ark of the covenant,” mentioned at Heb 9:4, contained two tablets of stone on which the Ten Commandments were written. These commandments were the ten laws that served as the foundation of the Law covenant between God and the nation of Israel. Jehovah himself wrote the Ten Commandments on the front and back of the tablets before he gave them to Moses on Mount Sinai. (Ex 31:18; 32:15) When Moses returned to the camp of Israel and saw the people practicing calf worship, he angrily threw the two original tablets to the ground, shattering them. (Ex 32:19) So God instructed Moses to carve two new tablets, on which Jehovah again wrote the Ten Commandments. (De 10:1, 2) The Ten Commandments as well as the rest of the Law covenant were replaced in 33 C.E. by the new covenant between Jehovah and the nation of spiritual Israel. Jehovah writes his laws figuratively on the hearts of those in the new covenant. (Heb 8:10, 13) But the principles underlying the Ten Commandments still apply to Jehovah’s people.—Ro 13:8-10.

The Tent

The arrangement for worship at the sacred tent, or tabernacle, in ancient Israel “is an illustration.” (Heb 9:9) By means of this arrangement, Jehovah revealed that he would forgive the sins of mankind on the basis of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. For example, at the tabernacle on the Day of Atonement, the high priest performed a ceremony that had great symbolic meaning. (Heb 9:6, 7) From this video, learn how some of the features of that ceremony pointed to activities that Jesus would perform as “a great high priest.”—Heb 4:14.

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Hebrews 9

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NWT | To the Hebrews 10:1-39

NWT | To the Hebrews 10:1-39 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 10:1-39

10 For since the Law has a shadow+ of the good things to come,+ but not the very substance of the things, it* can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make those who approach perfect.+ ² Otherwise, would not the sacrifices have stopped being offered, because those rendering sacred service once cleansed would have no consciousness of sins anymore? ³ On the contrary, these sacrifices are a reminder of sins year after year,+ ⁴ for it is not possible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take sins away. ⁵ So when he comes into the world, he says: “‘Sacrifice and offering you did not want, but you prepared a body for me. ⁶ You did not approve of whole burnt offerings and sin offerings.’+ ⁷ Then I said: ‘Look! I have come (in the scroll* it is written about me) to do your will, O God.’”+ ⁸ After first saying: “You did not want nor did you approve of sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sin offerings”—sacrifices that are offered according to the Law— ⁹ then he says: “Look! I have come to do your will.”+ He does away with what is first in order to establish what is second. ¹⁰ By this “will”+ we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.+ ¹¹ Also, every priest takes his station day after day to offer holy service*+ and to make the same sacrifices often,+ which can never take sins away completely.+ ¹² But this man offered one sacrifice for sins for all time and sat down at the right hand of God,+ ¹³ from then on waiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.+ ¹⁴ For it is by one sacrificial offering that he has made those who are being sanctified perfect+ for all time. ¹⁵ Moreover, the holy spirit also bears witness to us, for after it has said: ¹⁶ “‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days,’ says Jehovah.* ‘I will put my laws in their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.’”+ ¹⁷ Then it says: “And I will no longer call their sins and their lawless deeds to mind.”+ ¹⁸ Now where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer an offering for sin. ¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have boldness* for the way of entry into the holy place+ by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ which he opened up* for us as a new and living way through the curtain,+ that is, his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God,+ ²² let us approach with sincere hearts and complete faith, having had our hearts sprinkled clean from a wicked conscience+ and our bodies bathed with clean water.+ ²³ Let us hold firmly the public declaration of our hope without wavering,+ for the one who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider* one another so as to incite* to love and fine works,+ ²⁵ not forsaking our meeting together,+ as some have the custom, but encouraging one another,+ and all the more so as you see the day drawing near.+ ²⁶ For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth,+ there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left,+ ²⁷ but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a burning indignation that is going to consume those in opposition.+ ²⁸ Anyone who has disregarded the Law of Moses dies without compassion on the testimony of two or three.+ ²⁹ How much greater punishment do you think a person will deserve who has trampled on the Son of God and who has regarded as of ordinary value the blood of the covenant+ by which he was sanctified, and who has outraged the spirit of undeserved kindness with contempt?+ ³⁰ For we know the One who said: “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again: “Jehovah* will judge his people.”+ ³¹ It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. ³² However, keep remembering the former days in which, after you were enlightened,+ you endured a great struggle along with sufferings. ³³ At times you were publicly exposed* both to reproaches and to tribulations, and at times you shared* with those who were having such an experience. ³⁴ For you expressed sympathy for those in prison and you accepted joyfully the plundering of your belongings,+ knowing that you yourselves have a better and an enduring possession.+ ³⁵ Therefore, do not throw away your boldness,* which will be richly rewarded.+ ³⁶ For you need endurance,+ so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the fulfillment of the promise. ³⁷ For yet “a very little while,”+ and “the one who is coming will arrive and will not delay.”+ ³⁸ “But my righteous one will live by reason of faith,”+ and “if he shrinks back, I have* no pleasure in him.”+ ³⁹ Now we are not the sort who shrink back to destruction,+ but the sort who have faith for the preserving of our lives.*

Footnotes

^ Or possibly, “men.”

^ Lit., “in the scroll of the book.”

^ Or “to perform public service.”

^ See App. A5.

^ Or “confidence.”

^ Lit., “inaugurated.”

^ Or “be concerned about; pay attention to.”

^ Or “motivate; stir up.”

^ See App. A5.

^ Lit., “were exposed as in a theater.”

^ Or “stood side by side.”

^ Lit., “freeness of speech.”

^ Or “my soul has.”

^ Or “souls.”

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Hebrews 10

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NWT | To the Hebrews 11:1-40

NWT | To the Hebrews 11:1-40 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 11:1-40

11 Faith is the assured expectation of what is hoped for,+ the evident demonstration* of realities that are not seen. ² For by means of it, the men of ancient times* had witness borne to them. ³ By faith we perceive that the systems of things* were put in order by God’s word, so that what is seen has come into existence from things that are not visible. ⁴ By faith Abel offered God a sacrifice of greater worth than that of Cain,+ and through that faith he received the witness that he was righteous, for God approved* his gifts,+ and although he died, he still speaks+ through his faith. ⁵ By faith Eʹnoch+ was transferred so as not to see death, and he was nowhere to be found because God had transferred him;+ for before he was transferred he received the witness that he had pleased God well. ⁶ Moreover, without faith it is impossible to please God well, for whoever approaches God must believe that he is* and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.+ ⁷ By faith Noah,+ after receiving divine warning of things not yet seen,+ showed godly fear and constructed an ark+ for the saving of his household; and through this faith he condemned the world,+ and he became an heir of the righteousness that results from faith. ⁸ By faith Abraham,+ when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, although not knowing where he was going.+ ⁹ By faith he lived as a foreigner in the land of the promise as in a foreign land,+ living in tents+ with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the very same promise.+ ¹⁰ For he was awaiting the city having real foundations, whose designer* and builder is God.+ ¹¹ By faith also Sarah received power to conceive offspring,* even when she was past the age,+ since she considered Him faithful* who made the promise. ¹² For this reason, from one man who was as good as dead,+ there were born children,+ as many as the stars of heaven in number and as innumerable as the sands by the seaside.+ ¹³ In faith all of these died, although they did not receive the fulfillment of the promises;+ but they saw them from a distance+ and welcomed them and publicly declared that they were strangers and temporary residents in the land. ¹⁴ For those who speak in such a way make it evident that they are earnestly seeking a place of their own. ¹⁵ And yet, if they had kept remembering the place from which they had departed,+ they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ But now they are reaching out for a better place, that is, one belonging to heaven. Therefore, God is not ashamed of them, to be called on as their God,+ for he has prepared a city for them.+ ¹⁷ By faith Abraham, when he was tested,+ as good as offered up Isaac—the man who had gladly received the promises attempted to offer up his only-begotten son+— ¹⁸ although it had been said to him: “What will be called your offspring* will be through Isaac.”+ ¹⁹ But he reasoned that God was able to raise him up even from the dead, and he did receive him from there in an illustrative way.+ ²⁰ By faith also Isaac blessed Jacob+ and Eʹsau+ concerning things to come. ²¹ By faith Jacob, when about to die,+ blessed each of the sons of Joseph+ and worshipped while leaning on the top of his staff.+ ²² By faith Joseph, nearing his end, spoke of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and he gave instructions* concerning his bones.*+ ²³ By faith Moses was hid by his parents for three months after his birth,+ because they saw that the young child was beautiful+ and they did not fear the order of the king.+ ²⁴ By faith Moses, when grown up,+ refused to be called the son of Pharʹaoh’s daughter,+ ²⁵ choosing to be mistreated with the people of God rather than to have the temporary enjoyment of sin, ²⁶ because he considered the reproach of the Christ to be riches greater than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked intently toward the payment of the reward. ²⁷ By faith he left Egypt,+ but not fearing the anger of the king,+ for he continued steadfast as seeing the One who is invisible.+ ²⁸ By faith he observed the Passover and the splashing of the blood, so that the destroyer might not harm* their firstborn.+ ²⁹ By faith they passed through the Red Sea as on dry land,+ but when the Egyptians attempted it, they were swallowed up.+ ³⁰ By faith the walls of Jerʹi·cho fell down after the people had marched around them for seven days.+ ³¹ By faith Raʹhab the prostitute did not perish with those who acted disobediently, because she received the spies in a peaceable way.+ ³² And what more will I say? For time will fail me if I go on to relate about Gidʹe·on,+ Baʹrak,+ Samson,+ Jephʹthah,+ David,+ as well as Samuel+ and the other prophets. ³³ Through faith they defeated kingdoms,+ brought about righteousness, obtained promises,+ stopped the mouths of lions,+ ³⁴ quenched the force of fire,+ escaped the edge of the sword,+ from a weak state were made powerful,+ became mighty in war,+ routed invading armies.+ ³⁵ Women received their dead by resurrection,+ but other men were tortured because they would not accept release by some ransom, in order that they might attain a better resurrection. ³⁶ Yes, others received their trial by mockings and scourgings, indeed, more than that, by chains+ and prisons.+ ³⁷ They were stoned,+ they were tried, they were sawn in two,* they were slaughtered by the sword,+ they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins,+ while they were in need, in tribulation,+ mistreated;+ ³⁸ and the world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and mountains and caves+ and dens of the earth. ³⁹ And yet all of these, although they received a favorable witness because of their faith, did not obtain the fulfillment of the promise, ⁴⁰ because God had foreseen something better for us,+ so that they might not be made perfect apart from us.

Footnotes

^ Or “convincing evidence.”

^ Or “our ancestors.”

^ Or “the ages.” See Glossary.

^ Or “bore witness by acknowledging.”

^ Or “exists.”

^ Or “architect.”

^ Lit., “seed.”

^ Or “trustworthy.”

^ Lit., “seed.”

^ Or “burial.”

^ Or “a command.”

^ Lit., “touch.”

^ Or “sawn apart.”

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Hebrews 11

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NWT | To the Hebrews 12:1-29

NWT | To the Hebrews 12:1-29 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 12:1-29

12 So, then, because we have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also throw off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us,+ and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,+ ² as we look intently at the Chief Agent and Perfecter of our faith, Jesus.+ For the joy that was set before him he endured a torture stake,* despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.+ ³ Indeed, consider closely the one who has endured such hostile speech from sinners+ against their own interests, so that you may not get tired and give up.*+ ⁴ In your struggle against that sin, you have never yet resisted to the point of having your blood shed. ⁵ And you have entirely forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not belittle the discipline from Jehovah,* nor give up when you are corrected by him; ⁶ for those whom Jehovah* loves he disciplines, in fact, he scourges* everyone whom he receives as a son.”+ ⁷ You need to endure as part of your discipline.* God is treating you as sons.+ For what son is not disciplined by his father?+ ⁸ But if you have not all shared in receiving this discipline, you are really illegitimate children, and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, our human fathers* used to discipline us, and we gave them respect. Should we not more readily submit ourselves to the Father of our spiritual life and live?+ ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time according to what seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit so that we may partake of his holiness.+ ¹¹ True, no discipline seems for the present to be joyous, but it is painful;* yet afterward, it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. ¹² Therefore, strengthen the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,+ ¹³ and keep making straight paths for your feet,+ so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but, rather, may be healed. ¹⁴ Pursue peace with all people+ and the sanctification*+ without which no man will see the Lord. ¹⁵ Carefully watch that no one fails to obtain the undeserved kindness of God, so that no poisonous root springs up to cause trouble and many are defiled by it;+ ¹⁶ and watch that among you there is no one who is sexually immoral* nor anyone who does not appreciate sacred things, like Eʹsau, who gave up his rights as firstborn in exchange for one meal.+ ¹⁷ For you know that afterward when he wanted to inherit the blessing, he was rejected; for although he earnestly tried to bring about a change of mind* with tears,+ it was to no avail.* ¹⁸ For you have not approached something that can be felt+ and that has been set aflame with fire,+ and a dark cloud and thick darkness and a storm,+ ¹⁹ and the blast of a trumpet+ and the voice speaking words,+ which on hearing, the people begged that nothing further should be spoken to them.+ ²⁰ For they could not bear the command: “If even a beast touches the mountain, it must be stoned.”+ ²¹ Also, the display was so terrifying that Moses said: “I am afraid and trembling.”+ ²² But you have approached a Mount Zion+ and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem,+ and myriads* of angels ²³ in general assembly,+ and the congregation of the firstborn who have been enrolled in the heavens, and God the Judge of all,+ and the spiritual lives+ of righteous ones who have been made perfect,+ ²⁴ and Jesus the mediator+ of a new covenant,+ and the sprinkled blood, which speaks in a better way than Abel’s blood.+ ²⁵ See that you do not refuse to listen to* the one who is speaking. For if those who refused to listen to the one giving divine warning on earth did not escape, how much more will we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from the heavens!+ ²⁶ At that time his voice shook the earth,+ but now he has promised: “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven.”+ ²⁷ Now the expression “yet once more” indicates the removal of the things that are shaken, things that have been made, in order that the things not shaken may remain. ²⁸ Therefore, seeing that we are to receive a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us continue to receive undeserved kindness, through which we may acceptably offer God sacred service with godly fear and awe. ²⁹ For our God is a consuming fire.+

Footnotes

^ See Glossary.

^ Or “give out in your souls.”

^ See App. A5.

^ Or “punishes.”

^ Or “training.”

^ Lit., “the fathers of our flesh.”

^ Or “grievous.”

^ Or “holiness.”

^ See Glossary, “Sexual immorality.”

^ That is, of his father’s mind.

^ Lit., “he found no place for it.”

^ Or “tens of thousands.”

^ Or “do not make excuses to; do not ignore.”

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Hebrews 12

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NWT | To the Hebrews 13:1-25

NWT | To the Hebrews 13:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Hebrews 13:1-25

13 Let your brotherly love continue.+ ² Do not forget hospitality,*+ for through it some unknowingly entertained angels.+ ³ Keep in mind those in prison,*+ as though you were imprisoned with them,+ and those being mistreated, since you yourselves also are in the body.* ⁴ Let marriage be honorable among all, and let the marriage bed be without defilement,+ for God will judge sexually immoral people* and adulterers.+ ⁵ Let your way of life be free of the love of money,+ while you are content with the present things.+ For he has said: “I will never leave you, and I will never abandon you.”+ ⁶ So that we may be of good courage and say: “Jehovah* is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”+ ⁷ Remember those who are taking the lead among you,+ who have spoken the word of God to you, and as you contemplate how their conduct turns out, imitate their faith.+ ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever. ⁹ Do not be led astray by various and strange teachings, for it is better for the heart to be strengthened by undeserved kindness than by foods,* which do not benefit those occupied with them.+ ¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who offer sacred service at the tent have no authority to eat.+ ¹¹ For the bodies of those animals whose blood is taken into the holy place as a sin offering by the high priest are burned up outside the camp.+ ¹² Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the city gate+ in order to sanctify the people with his own blood.+ ¹³ Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach he bore,+ ¹⁴ for we do not have here a city that remains, but we are earnestly seeking the one to come.+ ¹⁵ Through him let us always offer to God a sacrifice of praise,+ that is, the fruit of our lips+ that make public declaration to his name.+ ¹⁶ Moreover, do not forget to do good and to share what you have with others,+ for God is well-pleased with such sacrifices.+ ¹⁷ Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you+ and be submissive,+ for they are keeping watch over you* as those who will render an account,+ so that they may do this with joy and not with sighing, for this would be damaging to you. ¹⁸ Keep praying for us, for we trust we have an honest* conscience, as we wish to conduct ourselves honestly in all things.+ ¹⁹ But I especially urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you the sooner. ²⁰ Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great shepherd+ of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, with the blood of an everlasting covenant, ²¹ equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in us through Jesus Christ what is well-pleasing in his sight, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. ²² Now I urge you, brothers, to listen patiently to this word of encouragement, for I have written you a short letter. ²³ I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon, I will be with him when I see you. ²⁴ Give my greetings to all those who are taking the lead among you and to all the holy ones. Those in Italy+ send you their greetings. ²⁵ The undeserved kindness be with all of you.

Footnotes

^ Or “kindness to strangers.”

^ Lit., “the bound ones; those in bonds.”

^ Or possibly, “as if you were suffering with them.”

^ See Glossary, “Sexual immorality.”

^ See App. A5.

^ That is, rules about food.

^ Or “your souls.”

^ Lit., “good.”

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Hebrews 13

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To the Philippians

To the Philippians somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To the Philippians 01:1-30

NWT | To the Philippians 01:1-30 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Philippians 1:1-30

1 Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus, to all the holy ones in union with Christ Jesus who are in Phi·lipʹpi,a along with overseers and ministerial servants:b ² May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ I thank my God always when I remember you ⁴ in every supplication of mine for all of you. I offer each supplication with joy,c ⁵ because of the contribution you have made to the good news from the first day until this moment. ⁶ For I am confident of this very thing, that the one who started a good work in you will bring it to completiond until the day of Christ Jesus.e ⁷ It is only right for me to think this regarding all of you, since I have you in my heart, you who are sharers with me in the undeserved kindness both in my prison bondsf and in the defending and legally establishing of the good news.g ⁸ For God is my witness of how I am longing for all of you with such tender affection as Christ Jesus has. ⁹ And this is what I continue praying, that your love may abound still more and moreh with accurate knowledgei and full discernment;j ¹⁰ that you may make sure of the more important things,k so that you may be flawless and not stumbling othersl up to the day of Christ; ¹¹ and that you may be filled with righteous fruit, which is through Jesus Christ,m to God’s glory and praise. ¹² Now I want you to know, brothers, that my situation has actually turned out for the advancement of the good news, ¹³ so that my prison bondsn for the sake of Christ have become public knowledgeo among all the Prae·toʹri·an Guard and all the rest. ¹⁴ Now most of the brothers in the Lord have gained confidence because of my prison bonds, and they are showing all the more courage to speak the word of God fearlessly.p ¹⁵ True, some are preaching the Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. ¹⁶ The latter are proclaiming the Christ out of love, for they know that I have been appointed to defend the good news;q ¹⁷ but the former do it out of contentiousness, not with a pure motive, for they are intending to create trouble for me in my prison bonds. ¹⁸ With what result? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and I rejoice over this. In fact, I will also keep on rejoicing, ¹⁹ for I know that this will result in my salvation through your supplicationr and with the support of the spirit of Jesus Christ.s ²⁰ This is in harmony with my eager expectation and hope that I will not be ashamed in any respect, but that with all freeness of speech Christ will now, as always before, be magnified by means of my body, whether through life or through death.t ²¹ For in my case, to live is Christu and to die is gain.v ²² Now if I am to live on in the flesh, this is a fruitage of my work; yet what I would choose, I do not make known.* ²³ I am torn between these two things, for I do desire the releasing and the being with Christ,w which is, to be sure, far better.x ²⁴ However, it is more necessary for me to remain in the flesh for your sakes. ²⁵ So, being confident of this, I know I will remain and continue with all of you for your advancement and your joy in the faith,y ²⁶ so that your exultation may overflow in Christ Jesus because of me when I am again present with you. ²⁷ Only behave in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ,z so that whether I come and see you or I am absent, I may hear about you and learn that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one soul,a striving side by side for the faith of the good news, ²⁸ and in no way being frightened by your opponents. This very thing is a proof of destructionb for them, but of salvation for you;c and this is from God. ²⁹ For you have been given the privilege in behalf of Christ, not only to put your faith in him but also to suffer in his behalf.d ³⁰ For you are facing the same struggle that you saw me face,e which you now hear that I am still facing.

Philippians 1

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NWT | To the Philippians 02:1-30

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To the Philippians 2:1-30

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2 If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any spiritual fellowship, if any tender affection and compassion,a ² make my joy full by being of the same mind and having the same love, being completely united, having the one thought in mind.b ³ Do nothing out of contentiousnessc or out of egotism,d but with humility consider others superior to you,e ⁴ as you look out not only for your own interests,f but also for the interests of others.g ⁵ Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus,h ⁶ who, although he was existing in God’s form,i did not even consider the idea of trying to be equal to God.j ⁷ No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s formk and became human.*l ⁸ More than that, when he came as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death,m yes, death on a torture stake.n ⁹ For this very reason, God exalted him to a superior positiono and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name,p ¹⁰ so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend—of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the groundq— ¹¹ and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lordr to the glory of God the Father. ¹² Consequently, my beloved ones, just as you have always obeyed, not only during my presence but now much more readily during my absence, keep working out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ¹³ For God is the one who for the sake of his good pleasure energizes you, giving you both the desire and the power to act.s ¹⁴ Keep doing all things free from murmuringt and arguments,u ¹⁵ so that you may come to be blameless and innocent, children of Godv without a blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,w among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world,x ¹⁶ keeping a tight grip on the word of life.y Then I may have reason for rejoicing in Christ’s day,z knowing that I did not run in vain or work hard in vain. ¹⁷ However, even if I am being poured out like a drink offeringa on the sacrificeb and the holy service to which your faith has led you, I am glad and I rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸ In the same way, you also should be glad and rejoice with me. ¹⁹ Now I am hoping in the Lord Jesus to send Timothyc to you shortly, so that I may be encouraged when I receive news about you. ²⁰ For I have no one else of a disposition like his who will genuinely care for your concerns.d ²¹ For all the others are seeking their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. ²² But you know the proof he gave of himself, that like a childe with a father he slaved with me to advance the good news. ²³ Therefore, he is the one I am hoping to send just as soon as I see how things turn out for me. ²⁴ Indeed, I am confident* in the Lord that I myself will also come soon.f ²⁵ But for now I consider it necessary to send to you E·paph·ro·diʹtus, my brother and fellow worker and fellow soldier, and your envoy and personal servant for my need,g ²⁶ since he is longing to see all of you and is depressed because you heard he had fallen sick. ²⁷ Indeed, he did fall sick nearly to the point of death; but God had mercy on him, in fact, not only on him but also on me, so that I should not have one grief after another. ²⁸ Therefore, I am sending him with the greatest urgency, so that when you see him you may again rejoice and I may also be less anxious. ²⁹ So give him the customary welcome in the Lord with all joy, and keep holding men of that sort dear,h ³⁰ because he nearly died on account of the work of Christ, risking his life in order to make up for your not being here to render personal service to me.i

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NWT | To the Philippians 03:1-21

NWT | To the Philippians 03:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Philippians 3:1-21

3 Finally, my brothers, continue rejoicing in the Lord.+ It is not troublesome for me to write the same things to you, and it is for your safety. ² Look out for the dogs; look out for those who cause injury; look out for those who mutilate the flesh.+ ³ For we are those with the real circumcision,+ we who are rendering sacred service by God’s spirit and boasting in Christ Jesus+ and who do not base our confidence in the flesh, ⁴ though I, if anyone, do have grounds for confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinks he has grounds for confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised the eighth day,+ of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews;+ regarding law, a Pharisee;+ ⁶ regarding zeal, persecuting the congregation;+ regarding righteousness based on law, one who proved himself blameless. ⁷ Yet, the things that were gains to me, I have considered loss* on account of the Christ.+ ⁸ What is more, I do indeed also consider all things to be loss on account of the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have taken the loss of all things and I consider them as a lot of refuse, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in union with him, not because of my own righteousness from following the Law, but because of the righteousness that is through faith+ in Christ,+ the righteousness from God based on faith.+ ¹⁰ My aim is to know him and the power of his resurrection+ and to share in his sufferings,+ submitting myself to a death like his,+ ¹¹ to see if at all possible I may attain to the earlier resurrection from the dead.+ ¹² Not that I have already received it or am already made perfect, but I am pressing on+ to see if I may also lay hold on that for which Christ Jesus selected me.*+ ¹³ Brothers, I do not yet consider myself as having taken hold of it; but one thing is certain: Forgetting the things behind+ and stretching forward to the things ahead,+ ¹⁴ I am pressing on toward the goal for the prize+ of the upward call+ of God by means of Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Therefore, let those of us who are mature+ be of this mental attitude, and if you are mentally inclined otherwise in any respect, God will reveal the above attitude to you. ¹⁶ At any rate, to the extent we have made progress, let us go on walking orderly in this same course. ¹⁷ Unitedly become imitators of me,+ brothers, and keep your eye on those who are walking in a way that is in harmony with the example we set for you. ¹⁸ For there are many—I used to mention them often but now I mention them also with weeping—who are walking as enemies of the torture stake of the Christ. ¹⁹ Their end is destruction, and their god is their belly,+ and their glory is really their shame, and they have their minds on earthly things.+ ²⁰ But our citizenship+ exists in the heavens,+ and we are eagerly waiting for a savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,+ ²¹ who will transform our humble body to be like his glorious body+ by his great power that enables him to subject all things to himself.+

Footnotes

^ Or possibly, “have willingly abandoned.”

^ Lit., “laid hold on me.”

Study Notes

Always rejoice in the Lord: Paul again encourages the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord.” (See study note on Php 3:1.) While the title “Lord” could refer either to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ in this context, Paul is apparently echoing admonitions that are found in the Hebrew Scriptures and that refer to Jehovah.—Ps 32:11; 97:12.

continue rejoicing in the Lord: In his letter to the Philippians, Paul several times expresses his own joy and encourages his fellow believers to rejoice. (Php 1:18; 2:17, 18, 28, 29; 4:1, 4, 10) Paul’s emphasis on joy is striking, since he apparently wrote this letter while under house arrest. The expression “in the Lord” may convey such meanings as “in connection with [or “in union with”] the Lord” or “because of the Lord.” While the title “Lord” in this context could refer either to Jehovah God or to Jesus Christ, Paul may be echoing similar admonitions that are found in the Hebrew Scriptures and that refer to Jehovah.—Ps 32:11; 97:12; see “Introduction to Philippians” and study note on Php 4:4.

we are those with the real circumcision: This phrase may literally be rendered “we are the circumcision.” Paul here refers to Christians as the group who have the only circumcision that is now required and approved by God, the circumcision of the heart. (See study note on Ro 2:29.) Paul may here be completing a play on words that began in the preceding verse.—See study note on Php 3:2.

Look out for: In this verse, Paul repeats the Greek verb rendered “look out for” three times. Each time, it is followed by words beginning with the same Greek consonant. (See Kingdom Interlinear.) This literary technique added emphasis and urgency to his words. Also, the threefold description of the group who endangered the faith of the Philippians contrasts with the threefold description of the faithful ones in the following verse.

the dogs: Paul here uses the word “dogs” in a figurative sense to warn the Philippians against false teachers, many of whom were Judaizers. Dogs were unclean according to the Mosaic Law, and the Scriptures often use the term in a derogatory sense. (Le 11:27; see study note on Mt 7:6.) In the cities, dogs often subsisted on what they could scavenge, so they were known to consume food that was repulsive, particularly to those trained to respect the precepts of the Mosaic Law. (Ex 22:31; 1Ki 14:11; 21:19; Pr 26:11) In the Hebrew Scriptures, enemies of faithful servants of Jehovah are sometimes likened to dogs. (Ps 22:16; 59:5, 6) By describing the false teachers as dogs, Paul intended to expose those men as unclean and unfit to dispense Christian teachings.

those who mutilate the flesh: Referring to supporters of circumcision, Paul uses the expression “those who mutilate the flesh” (lit., “the cutting down”) perhaps as a play on words with the expression “those with the real circumcision” (lit., “the cutting around”) in the next verse.—See study note on Php 3:3.

give what is holy to dogs . . . throw your pearls before swine: According to the Mosaic Law, pigs and dogs were unclean. (Le 11:7, 27) It was permissible to throw to dogs the flesh of an animal killed by a wild beast. (Ex 22:31) But Jewish tradition forbade giving to dogs “holy flesh,” that is, meat of animal sacrifices. At Mt 7:6, the expressions “dogs” and “swine” are used figuratively of people who do not value spiritual treasures. Just as swine have no appreciation of the value of pearls, individuals who do not value spiritual treasures may abuse the one sharing them.

circumcision . . . of the heart: “Circumcision” is used figuratively in both the Hebrew and the Christian Greek Scriptures. (See Glossary, “Circumcision.”) “Circumcision . . . of the heart” was a divine requirement even for the Israelites who were already circumcised in the flesh. According to a literal translation of De 10:16 and 30:6 (see ftns.), Moses told Israel: “You must circumcise the foreskin of your hearts,” and “Jehovah your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring.” In his day, Jeremiah reminded the wayward nation that they should do the same. (Jer 4:4) To “circumcise [the] heart” means to “cleanse” it by getting rid of anything in one’s thinking, affections, or motives that is displeasing and unclean in Jehovah’s eyes and that makes the heart unresponsive. Similarly, ears that are not sensitive or responsive to Jehovah’s guidance are spoken of as being “uncircumcised.”—Jer 6:10, ftn; see study note on Ac 7:51.

are rendering sacred service: Or “are serving (worshipping).” The Greek verb la·treuʹo basically describes the act of serving. As used in the Scriptures, it refers to serving God or performing an action in connection with the worship of God.—Mt 4:10; Lu 2:37; Ac 7:7; Ro 1:9; 2Ti 1:3; Heb 9:14; Re 22:3.

I . . . do have grounds for confidence in the flesh: In using the expression “flesh,” Paul refers to things that would have given him advantages from a human, or physical, point of view, such as those he lists at Php 3:5, 6.

Hebrews . . . Israelites . . . Abraham’s offspring: Paul explains his own family background, possibly because some of his critics in Corinth boasted about their Jewish heritage and identity. First, he mentions that he is a Hebrew, perhaps to emphasize his family connection with the Jewish forefathers, including Abraham and Moses. (Ge 14:13; Ex 2:11; Php 3:4, 5) Paul’s mention of being a Hebrew might also refer to his ability to speak the Hebrew language. (Ac 21:40–22:2; 26:14, 15) Second, Paul says that he is an Israelite, a term sometimes used to refer to Jews. (Ac 13:16; Ro 9:3, 4) Third, Paul specifically states that he descended from Abraham. He emphasized that he was among those who were to be heirs of God’s promises to Abraham. (Ge 22:17, 18) However, Paul did not place undue emphasis on physical factors.—Php 3:7, 8.

gains . . . loss: Paul uses the common business terms for “gains” and “loss” in this reference to his perceived advantages in life. Paul was brought up a Jewish Pharisee. (Php 3:5, 6) He was born into all the advantages and rights of a Roman citizen. (Ac 22:28) As a student of Gamaliel, he was highly educated and was fluent in both Greek and Hebrew; he might have become very prominent in Judaism. (Ac 21:37, 40; 22:3) However, Paul turned his back on such advantages and prospects, counting them now as loss in order to become a devoted follower of Christ. Paul’s course was in harmony with the counsel Jesus gave his disciples, namely, that they should carefully evaluate their priorities regarding gains and losses.—Mt 16:26.

of the tribe of Benjamin: In this verse and at Ro 11:1, Paul reveals that he is of the tribe of Benjamin. Here he does so in order to emphasize an aspect of his Jewish heritage. Benjamin was an honored tribe. Regarding the descendants of Benjamin, the patriarch Jacob had prophesied on his deathbed: “Benjamin will keep on tearing like a wolf. In the morning he will eat the prey, and in the evening he will divide spoil.” (Ge 49:27) That tribe did indeed produce many fearless and able warriors who fought like wolves to defend Jehovah’s people. Some Benjaminites fulfilled that prophecy “in the morning,” or at the dawn of the kingship that Jehovah established in Israel; others did so “in the evening,” or after the sun had set on that kingship. (1Sa 9:15-17; 1Ch 12:2; Es 2:5-7) Paul too proved to be a fierce fighter; he engaged in spiritual warfare against false doctrine and practice. He was also instrumental in teaching countless Christians how to wage such warfare.—Eph 6:11-17.

a Hebrew born from Hebrews: Here Paul makes a point similar to the one he makes at 2Co 11:22, emphasizing his Jewish heritage. (See study note.) Paul is saying, in effect, that he is a genuine Hebrew, not of any non-Jewish stock. This statement may have been prompted by false teachers who questioned Paul’s Jewish background and boasted of their own. However, Paul stresses that such physical factors mean little to him.—See study notes on Php 3:7, 8.

regarding law, a Pharisee: Paul writes here of his background in Judaism. He likely means that he was raised by parents who adhered to the Pharisaic branch of Judaism. (See study note on Ac 23:6.) There were also other Christians who had formerly been Pharisees. At Ac 15:5 (see study note), they are referred to as “those of the sect of the Pharisees.”

those of the sect of the Pharisees: Apparently, these Christians were still identified in some sense with their Pharisaic background.—Compare study note on Ac 23:6.

I am a Pharisee: Some of those in the audience knew Paul. (Ac 22:5) They would have understood that by calling himself a son of Pharisees, he was acknowledging his common heritage with them. They understood that Paul was not misrepresenting himself, since the Pharisees of the Sanhedrin knew that he had become a zealous Christian. But in this context, Paul’s statement about being a Pharisee could be understood in a relative sense; Paul was identifying himself with the Pharisees rather than the Sadducees because he shared the Pharisees’ belief in the resurrection. In so doing, he established a common ground with the Pharisees who were present. He apparently hoped that raising this controversial issue would cause some members of the Sanhedrin to sympathize with his argument, and the strategy worked. (Ac 23:7-9) Paul’s statement here at Ac 23:6 also harmonizes with how he described himself when he later defended himself before King Agrippa. (Ac 26:5) And when writing from Rome to fellow Christians in Philippi, Paul again made reference to his heritage as a Pharisee. (Php 3:5) It is also worth noting how other Christians who were former Pharisees are described at Ac 15:5.—See study note on Ac 15:5.

a lot of refuse: The word rendered “a lot of refuse,” which occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures, may also be translated “garbage,” “rubbish,” or even “dung.” Paul thus vividly expresses the relative value he now places on the prospects and achievements that he valued so highly before becoming a Christian. (See study note on Php 3:5.) He expresses determination never to look back with regret on his choice to give up such advantages. Rather, all those things that were once so important to him, he now views as mere rubbish when compared to “the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.”

the righteousness that is through faith in Christ: See study note on Ga 2:16.

is declared righteous: In the Christian Greek Scriptures, the verb di·kai·oʹo and the related nouns di·kaiʹo·ma and di·kaiʹo·sis, traditionally rendered “to justify” and “justification,” carry the basic idea of a person being cleared of any charge, held as guiltless, and therefore pronounced righteous and treated as such. (See study note on Ro 3:24.) Some in the Galatian congregations were being influenced by Judaizers, who were attempting to establish their own righteousness by works of the law of Moses. (Ga 5:4; see study note on Ga 1:6.) However, Paul stressed that only through faith in Jesus Christ would it be possible to gain a righteous standing with God. Jesus sacrificed his perfect life, providing the basis for God to declare righteous those exercising faith in Christ.—Ro 3:19-24; 10:3, 4; Ga 3:10-12, 24.

baptized into his death: Or “immersed into his death.” Paul here uses the Greek term ba·ptiʹzo (to dip; to immerse). After his baptism in water in 29 C.E., Jesus began to undergo another baptism, the sacrificial course that is described at Mr 10:38. (See study note.) This baptism continued throughout his ministry. It was completed when he was executed on Nisan 14, 33 C.E., and raised up from the dead three days later. When mentioning this baptism, Jesus also indicated that his followers would be baptized “with the baptism with which [he was] being baptized.” (Mr 10:39) Spirit-anointed members of Christ’s body are “baptized into [Jesus’] death” in that they, like Jesus, enter a life of sacrifice, which includes giving up any hope of everlasting life on earth. This baptism continues throughout their life course of integrity under test. It is completed when they die and are raised to life as spirit creatures.—Ro 6:4, 5.

submitting myself to a death like his: Spirit-anointed Christians submit themselves to a death like that of Jesus in that they enter into a life of sacrifice, which includes giving up any hope of everlasting life on earth. Throughout their life, they keep their integrity under test; they share in Christ’s sufferings, and some of them even face death daily. This course of life will lead to their death as integrity-keepers, a death like that of Christ. Afterward, they are raised to life as spirit creatures.—Mr 10:38, 39; Ro 6:4, 5; see study note on Ro 6:3.

the earlier resurrection: Many translations simply use the word “resurrection.” However, Paul does not use the usual Greek word for resurrection (a·naʹsta·sis), but he uses a closely related word (e·xa·naʹsta·sis; lit., “out-resurrection,” Kingdom Interlinear) that occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. For this reason, a number of scholars comment that this expression refers to a special resurrection. The term was used in classical Greek literature to refer to getting up early in the morning. Paul’s use of this specialized word suggests that he has in mind a resurrection that comes early in the stream of time (1Co 15:23; 1Th 4:16), before the general resurrection of the dead to life on earth (Joh 5:28, 29; Ac 24:15). This early resurrection is also called “the first resurrection,” and it involves the raising of Christ’s spirit-anointed followers to life in heaven.—Re 20:4-6.

Christ Jesus: Although some manuscripts omit “Jesus,” the longer reading has strong manuscript support.

forgetting the things behind: The Greek word for “forgetting” that Paul here uses can mean “to be unconcerned about.” Obviously, “the things behind” had not been erased from Paul’s memory, for he had just listed some of them. (See study note on Php 3:5.) Rather, on becoming a Christian, Paul focused on what lay ahead of him, much as a runner focuses on the part of the racecourse that lies before him. (See study note on stretching forward to the things ahead in this verse.) Paul’s choice of focus helped him to forget, or to be unconcerned about, “the things behind,” namely, the advantages and prospects that he had once enjoyed as a staunch proponent of Judaism. He refused to dwell on them because they no longer mattered to him.—See study note on Php 3:8.

the prize of the upward call: Paul understood that his hope, like that of his fellow anointed Christians, was to rule with Christ in heaven as part of the Messianic Kingdom. (2Ti 2:12; Re 20:6) “The upward call” [or “calling”] is, in effect, an invitation to be part of that heavenly Kingdom. However, the “partakers of the heavenly calling [or “invitation,” ftn.]” (Heb 3:1, 2) need to make their “calling and choosing sure” (2Pe 1:10) by proving “faithful” to that calling (Re 17:14). Only then can they receive “the prize” associated with that invitation.—See study note on Php 3:20.

our citizenship: The city of Philippi was a Roman colony, and its inhabitants were granted many privileges. (See study notes on Ac 16:12, 21.) Some members of the congregation in Philippi may have had a form of Roman citizenship, which was highly prized. The distinction between citizens and noncitizens was an important issue. However, Paul here refers to citizenship in heaven, which was far superior. (Eph 2:19) He urges anointed Christians to focus, not on earthly things (Php 3:19), but on their future life as “citizens” of heaven.—See study note on Php 1:27.

let us go on walking orderly in this same course: The Greek verb here rendered “walking orderly in the same course” has the basic meaning “to be in a row or line.” It was used in a military sense to describe the orderly and unified marching of the front line of soldiers in ancient armies. It came to be used figuratively in the sense of “to follow; to be in line with; to hold to” a certain course or standard. Paul apparently had in mind a set course of forward movement. The Philippian Christians needed to continue in their Christian course of life, to hold on to the truths and standards of conduct they had learned. The expressions “walk orderly” and “walking orderly” are also used to render the other occurrences of the Greek verb in the Christian Greek Scriptures.—Ac 21:24; Ro 4:12; Ga 5:25; 6:16.

enemies of the torture stake of the Christ: The expression refers to those who had once embraced Christianity but who had afterward abandoned it and turned to a sinful, selfish way of life. This made them, in effect, enemies of true worship. (Php 3:19) Here the term “torture stake” (Greek, stau·rosʹ) is used to represent Jesus’ sacrificial death on the stake. (See Glossary, “Stake”; “Torture stake.”) Jesus died in this way so that mankind would no longer be enslaved to sin but could become reconciled to God and enjoy a good relationship with Him. However, the actions of those “enemies of the torture stake” demonstrated that they had no appreciation for the benefits resulting from Jesus’ death.—Heb 10:29.

end: Or “final end; complete end.” That is, the final outcome for the “enemies of the torture stake of the Christ” is “destruction.”—Php 3:18.

their god is their belly: In a literal sense, the Greek word koi·liʹa, rendered “belly,” refers to a person’s “stomach” or inward parts. Here it is used figuratively to denote a person’s fleshly appetite, or desire. (See study note on Ro 16:18.) In Paul’s day, some Greek theater plays referred to a “belly god,” and characters in such plays said that their belly was “the greatest of divinities.” Latin philosopher Seneca, a contemporary of Paul, reproached a person who was “a slave to his belly.” It appears that for those whom Paul refers to at Php 3:18, indulging in fleshly desires was more important than serving Jehovah. Some may have overindulged in food or drink to the point of gluttony or drunkenness. (Pr 23:20, 21; compare De 21:18-21.) Others may have chosen to put the pursuing of opportunities available in the first-century world ahead of serving Jehovah. Some scholars suggest that Paul may here be referring to those who were scrupulously observing Jewish dietary laws. They were so concerned about observing such laws that what they ate became all important to them, became their god.

appetites: Or “bellies.” In a literal sense, the Greek word koi·liʹa refers to a person’s “stomach” or inward parts. Here and at Php 3:19, it is used figuratively to denote fleshly appetite, or desire. Paul explains that if individuals become slaves of their “own appetites,” they cannot be slaves “of our Lord Christ.” Php 3:19 describes people who have “their belly,” that is, their fleshly desires, as their god.

behave: Or “carry on as citizens.” The Greek verb that Paul uses here is related to the Greek words for “citizenship” (Php 3:20) and “citizen” (Ac 21:39). Roman citizens generally took an active part in the affairs of the State because Roman citizenship was highly prized and it carried with it responsibilities and privileges. (Ac 22:25-30) Thus, when Paul uses a form of this verb in connection with behaving in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ, he conveys the idea of participating in Christian activity, especially in the declaring of this good news. Since the inhabitants of Philippi had been given a form of citizenship by Rome, they would have been familiar with this aspect of active participation.—See study notes on Ac 23:1; Php 3:20.

will transform our humble body to be like his glorious body: Paul here refers to the transformation that anointed Christians must undergo in order to live in the spirit realm as joint heirs with the Lord Jesus Christ. They must first die as humans. Then God, at his appointed time, will bring them back to life in entirely new bodies. (2Co 5:1, 2) They will receive spirit bodies that are incorruptible, having immortality. (1Co 15:42-44, 53; see study note on 1Co 15:38.) In that way, their humble, imperfect human body will be replaced with one that is “like” (lit., “conformed to”) Christ’s glorious spirit body.—Ro 8:14-18; 1Jo 3:2.

God gives it a body: Paul here continues to compare the resurrection of a spirit-anointed Christian to the germinating of a seed. (See study note on 1Co 15:36.) He uses the example of a tiny seed of wheat that bears no resemblance to the plant that will grow from it. It “dies” as a seed and becomes an emerging plant. (1Co 15:36, 37) Similarly, anointed Christians first die as humans. Then at his appointed time, God brings them back to life in entirely new bodies. (2Co 5:1, 2; Php 3:20, 21) They are resurrected in spirit bodies to live in the spirit realm.—1Co 15:44; 1Jo 3:2.

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Philippians 3

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NWT | To the Philippians 04:1-23

NWT | To the Philippians 04:1-23 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Philippians 4:1-23

4 Consequently, my brothers whom I love and long for, my joy and crown,a stand firmb in this way in the Lord, my beloved ones. ² I urge Eu·oʹdi·a and I urge Synʹty·che to be of the same mind in the Lord.c ³ Yes, I request you also, as a true fellow worker, to keep assisting these women who have striven side by side with me for the good news, along with Clement as well as the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.d ⁴ Always rejoice in the Lord. Again I will say, Rejoice!e ⁵ Let your reasonablenessf become known to all men. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious over anything,g but in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God;h ⁷ and the peacei of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your heartsj and your mental powers by means of Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brothers, whatever things* are true, whatever things are of serious concern, whatever things are righteous, whatever things are chaste,k whatever things are lovable, whatever things are well-spoken-of, whatever things are virtuous, and whatever things are praiseworthy, continue considering these things.l ⁹ The things that you learned as well as accepted and heard and saw in connection with me, practice these,m and the God of peace will be with you. ¹⁰ I rejoice greatly in the Lord that now at last you have renewed your concern for me.n Though you were concerned about me, you lacked opportunity to show it. ¹¹ Not that I am saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be self-sufficient regardless of my circumstances.o ¹² I know how to be low on provisionsp and how to have an abundance. In everything and in all circumstances I have learned the secret of both how to be full and how to hunger, both how to have an abundance and how to do without. ¹³ For all things I have the strength through the one who gives me power.q ¹⁴ Nevertheless, you did well to share with me in my tribulation. ¹⁵ In fact, you Phi·lipʹpi·ans also know that after you first learned the good news, when I departed from Mac·e·doʹni·a, not a congregation shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you alone;r ¹⁶ for while I was in Thes·sa·lo·niʹca, you sent something to me for my need not just once but twice. ¹⁷ Not that I am looking for a gift, but I want the fruitage that brings more credit to your account. ¹⁸ However, I have everything I need and even more. I am fully supplied, now that I have received from E·paph·ro·diʹtuss what you sent, a sweet fragrance,t an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. ¹⁹ In turn my God will fully supply all your needu according to his riches in glory by means of Christ Jesus. ²⁰ Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen. ²¹ Give my greetings to every holy one in union with Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings. ²² All the holy ones, but especially those of the household of Caesar,v send you their greetings. ²³ The undeserved kindness of the Lord Jesus Christ be with the spirit you show.

Philippians 4

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To the Romans

To the Romans somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To the Romans 01:1-32

NWT | To the Romans 01:1-32 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 1:1-32

1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus and called to be an apostle, set apart for God’s good news,a ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,b ³ concerning his Son, who came to be from the offspring of Davidc according to the flesh,d ⁴ but who with power was declared God’s Sone according to the spirit of holiness by means of resurrection from the deadf—yes, Jesus Christ our Lord. ⁵ Through him we received undeserved kindness and an apostleshipg with a view to obedience by faith among all the nationsh respecting his name, ⁶ among which nations you also have been called to belong to Jesus Christ— ⁷ to all those who are in Rome as God’s beloved ones, called to be holy ones:i May you have undeserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ First of all, I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ concerning all of you, because your faith is talked about throughout the whole world. ⁹ For God, to whom I render sacred service with my spirit in connection with the good news about his Son, is my witness of how without ceasing I always mention you in my prayers,j ¹⁰ begging that if at all possible I may now at last succeed in coming to you by God’s will. ¹¹ For I am longing to see you, that I may impart some spiritual gift to you for you to be made firm; ¹² or, rather, that we may have an interchange of encouragementk by one another’s faith, both yours and mine. ¹³ But I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that many times I have intended to come to you—but I have been prevented until now—in order that I might acquire some fruitage also among you just as among the rest of the nations. ¹⁴ Both to Greeks and to foreigners, both to wise and to senseless ones, I am a debtor;l ¹⁵ so I am eager to declare the good news also to you there in Rome.m ¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the good news;n it is, in fact, God’s power for salvation to everyone having faith,o to the Jew firstp and also to the Greek.q ¹⁷ For in it God’s righteousness is being revealed by faith and for faith,r just as it is written: “But the righteous one will live by reason of faith.”s ¹⁸ For God’s wratht is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who are suppressing the truthu in an unrighteous way, ¹⁹ because what may be known about God is clearly evident among them, for God made it clear to them.v ²⁰ For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made,w even his eternal powerx and Godship,y so that they are inexcusable.z ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God nor did they thank him, but they became empty-headed in their reasonings and their senseless hearts became darkened.a ²² Although claiming they were wise, they became foolish ²³ and turned the glory of the incorruptible God into something like the image of corruptible man and birds and four-footed creatures and reptiles.*b ²⁴ Therefore, God, in keeping with the desires of their hearts, gave them up to uncleanness, so that their bodies might be dishonored among them. ²⁵ They exchanged the truth of God for the lie and venerated* and rendered sacred service to the creation rather than the Creator, who is praised forever. Amen. ²⁶ That is why God gave them over to disgraceful sexual passion,c for their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature;d ²⁷ likewise also the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males,e working what is obscene and receiving in themselves the full penalty, which was due for their error.f ²⁸ Just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God,* God gave them over to a disapproved mental state, to do the things not fitting.g ²⁹ And they were filled with all unrighteousness,h wickedness, greed,i and badness, being full of envy,j murder,k strife, deceit,l and malice,m being whisperers, ³⁰ backbiters,n haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, schemers of what is harmful,* disobedient to parents,o ³¹ without understanding,p false to agreements, having no natural affection, and merciless. ³² Although these know full well the righteous decree of God—that those practicing such things are deserving of deathq—they not only keep on doing them but also approve of those practicing them.

Romans 1

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NWT | To the Romans 02:1-29

NWT | To the Romans 02:1-29 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 2:1-29

2 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are,a if you judge; for when you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.b ² Now we know that God’s judgment is in harmony with truth, against those who practice such things. ³ But do you suppose, O man, that while you judge those who practice such things and yet you do them, you will escape the judgment of God? ⁴ Or do you despise the riches of his kindnessc and forbearanced and patience,e because you do not know that God in his kindness is trying to lead you to repentance?f ⁵ But according to your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and of the revealing of God’s righteous judgment.g ⁶ And he will pay back to each one according to his works:h ⁷ everlasting life to those who are seeking glory and honor and incorruptiblenessi by endurance in work that is good; ⁸ however, for those who are contentious and who disobey the truth but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and anger.j ⁹ There will be tribulation and distress on every person who works what is harmful, on the Jew first and also on the Greek; ¹⁰ but glory and honor and peace for everyone who works what is good, for the Jew firstk and also for the Greek.l ¹¹ For there is no partiality with God.m ¹² For all those who sinned without law will also perish without law;n but all those who sinned under law will be judged by law.o ¹³ For the hearers of law are not the ones righteous before God, but the doers of law will be declared righteous.p ¹⁴ For when people of the nations, who do not have law,q do by nature the things of the law, these people, although not having law, are a law to themselves. ¹⁵ They are the very ones who demonstrate the matter of the law to be written in their hearts, while their conscience is bearing witness with them, and by* their own thoughts they are being accused or even excused. ¹⁶ This will take place in the day when God through Christ Jesus judges the secret things of mankind,r according to the good news I declare. ¹⁷ If, now, you are a Jew in names and rely on law and take pride in God, ¹⁸ and you know his will and approve of things that are excellent* because you are instructed out of the Law,t ¹⁹ and you are convinced that you are a guide of the blind, a light for those in darkness, ²⁰ a corrector of the unreasonable ones, a teacher of young children, and having the framework of the knowledge and of the truth in the Law— ²¹ do you, however, the one teaching someone else, not teach yourself?u You, the one preaching, “Do not steal,”v do you steal? ²² You, the one saying, “Do not commit adultery,”w do you commit adultery? You, the one abhorring idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who take pride in law, do you dishonor God by your transgressing of the Law? ²⁴ For “the name of God is being blasphemed among the nations because of you,” just as it is written.x ²⁵ Circumcisiony is, in fact, of benefit only if you practice law;z but if you are a transgressor of law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. ²⁶ If, therefore, an uncircumcised persona keeps the righteous requirements of the Law, his uncircumcision will be counted as circumcision, will it not?b ²⁷ And the physically uncircumcised person will, by carrying out the Law, judge you who are a transgressor of law despite having its written code and circumcision. ²⁸ For he is not a Jew who is one on the outside,c nor is circumcision something on the outside, on the flesh.d ²⁹ But he is a Jew who is one on the inside,e and his circumcision is that of the heartf by spirit and not by a written code.g That person’s praise comes from God, not from people.h

Romans 2

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NWT | To the Romans 03:1-31

NWT | To the Romans 03:1-31 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 3:1-31

3 What, then, is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the benefit of circumcision? ² A great deal in every way. First of all, that they were entrusted with the sacred pronouncements of God.a ³ What, then, is the case? If some lacked faith, will their lack of faith invalidate the faithfulness of God? ⁴ Certainly not! But let God be found true,b even if every man be found a liar,c just as it is written: “That you might be proved righteous in your words and might win when you are being judged.”d ⁵ However, if our unrighteousness highlights God’s righteousness, what are we to say? God is not unjust when he expresses his wrath, is he? (I am speaking in human terms.)e ⁶ By no means! How, otherwise, will God judge the world?f ⁷ But if by my lie the truth of God has been made more prominent to his glory, why am I also being judged as a sinner? ⁸ And why not say, just as some men falsely claim that we say, “Let us do bad things that good things may come”? The judgment against those men is in harmony with justice.g ⁹ What then? Are we in a better position? Not at all! For above we have made the charge that Jews as well as Greeks are all under sin;h ¹⁰ just as it is written: “There is not a righteous man, not even one;i ¹¹ there is no one who has any insight; there is no one who searches for God. ¹² All men have turned aside, all of them have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, not so much as one.”j ¹³ “Their throat is an open grave; they have deceived with their tongues.”k “Venom of asps is behind their lips.”l ¹⁴ “And their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”m ¹⁵ “Their feet are swift to shed blood.”n ¹⁶ “Ruin and misery are in their ways, ¹⁷ and they have not known the way of peace.”o ¹⁸ “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”p ¹⁹ Now we know that all the things the Law says, it addresses to those under the Law, so that every mouth may be silenced and all the world may become accountable to God for punishment.q ²⁰ Therefore, no one will be declared righteous before him by works of law,r for by law comes the accurate knowledge of sin.s ²¹ But now apart from law God’s righteousness has been revealed,t as the Law and the Prophets bear witness,u ²² yes, God’s righteousness through the faith in Jesus Christ, for all those having faith.v For there is no distinction.w ²³ For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,x ²⁴ and it is as a free gifty that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindnessz through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus.a ²⁵ God presented him as an offering for propitiationb through faith in his blood.c This was to demonstrate his own righteousness, because God in his forbearance was forgiving the sins that occurred in the past. ²⁶ This was to demonstrate his own righteousnessd in this present season, so that he might be righteous even when declaring righteous the man who has faith in Jesus.e ²⁷ Where, then, is the boasting? There is no place for it. Through what law? That of works?f No indeed, but through the law of faith. ²⁸ For we consider that a man is declared righteous by faith apart from works of law.g ²⁹ Or is he the God of the Jews only?h Is he not also the God of people of the nations?i Yes, also of people of the nations.j ³⁰ Since God is one,k he will declare circumcised people righteousl as a result of faith and uncircumcised people righteousm by means of their faith. ³¹ Do we, then, abolish law by means of our faith? Not at all! On the contrary, we uphold law.n

Romans 3

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NWT | To the Romans 04:1-25

NWT | To the Romans 04:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 4:1-25

4 That being so, what will we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? ² For instance, if Abraham was declared righteous as a result of works, he would have reason to boast, but not with God. ³ For what does the scripture say? “Abraham put faith in Jehovah, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”a ⁴ Now to the man who works, his pay is not counted as an undeserved kindness but as something owed to him. ⁵ On the other hand, to the man who does not work but puts faith in the One who declares the ungodly one righteous, his faith is counted as righteousness.b ⁶ Just as David also speaks of the happiness of the man to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: ⁷ “Happy are those whose lawless deeds have been pardoned and whose sins have been covered; ⁸ happy is the man whose sin Jehovah will by no means take into account.”c ⁹ Does this happiness, then, only come to circumcised people or also to uncircumcised people?d For we say: “Abraham’s faith was counted to him as righteousness.”e ¹⁰ Under what circumstances, then, was it counted as righteousness? When he was circumcised or uncircumcised? He was not yet circumcised but was uncircumcised. ¹¹ And he received a signf—namely, circumcision—as a seal of the righteousness by the faith he had while in his uncircumcised state, so that he might be the father of all those having faithg while uncircumcised, in order for righteousness to be counted to them; ¹² and so that he might be a father to circumcised offspring, not only to those who adhere to circumcision but also to those who walk orderly in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abrahamh had while in the uncircumcised state. ¹³ For it was not through law that Abraham or his offspring had the promise that he should be heir of a world,i but it was through righteousness by faith.j ¹⁴ For if those who adhere to law are heirs, faith becomes useless and the promise has been abolished. ¹⁵ In reality the Law produces wrath,k but where there is no law, neither is there any transgression.l ¹⁶ That is why it is through faith, so that it might be according to undeserved kindness,m in order for the promise to be sure to all his offspring,n not only to those who adhere to the Law but also to those who adhere to the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.o ¹⁷ (This is just as it is written: “I have appointed you a father of many nations.”)p This was in the sight of God, in whom he had faith, who makes the dead aliveq and calls* the things that are not as though they are. ¹⁸ Although beyond hope, yet based on hope, he had faith that he would become the father of many nations according to what had been said: “So your offspring will be.”r ¹⁹ And although he did not grow weak in faith, he considered his own body, now as good as dead (since he was about 100 years old),s as well as the deadness of the womb of Sarah.t ²⁰ But because of the promise of God, he did not waver in a lack of faith; but he became powerful by his faith, giving God glory ²¹ and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to do.u ²² Therefore, “it was counted to him as righteousness.”v ²³ However, the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake only,w ²⁴ but also for our sake, to whom it will be counted, because we believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord up from the dead.x ²⁵ He was handed over for the sake of our trespassesy and was raised up for the sake of declaring us righteous.z

Romans 4

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NWT | To the Romans 05:1-21

NWT | To the Romans 05:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 5:1-21

5 Therefore, now that we have been declared righteous as a result of faith,a let us enjoy peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,b ² through whom we also have obtained access by faith into this undeserved kindness in which we now stand;c and let us rejoice, based on hope of the glory of God.d ³ Not only that, but let us rejoice while in tribulations,e since we know that tribulation produces endurance;f ⁴ endurance, in turn, an approved condition;g the approved condition, in turn, hope,h ⁵ and the hope does not lead to disappointment;i because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit, which was given to us.j ⁶ For, indeed, while we were still weak,k Christ died for ungodly men at the appointed time. ⁷ For hardly would anyone die for a righteous man; though perhaps for a good man someone may dare to die. ⁸ But God recommends his own love to us* in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.l ⁹ Much more, then, since we have now been declared righteous by his blood,m will we be saved through him from wrath.n ¹⁰ For if when we were enemies we became reconciled to God through the death of his Son,o how much more we will be saved by his life, now that we have become reconciled. ¹¹ Not only that, but we are also rejoicing in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.p ¹² That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin,q and so death spread to all men because they had all sinnedr—. ¹³ For sin was in the world before the Law, but sin is not charged against anyone when there is no law.s ¹⁴ Nevertheless, death ruled as king from Adam down to Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the same way that Adam transgressed, who bears a resemblance to the one who was to come.t ¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if by one man’s trespass many died, how much more did the undeserved kindness of God and his free gift by the undeserved kindness of the one man,u Jesus Christ, abound* to many!v ¹⁶ Also, it is not the same with the free gift as with the way things worked through the one man who sinned.w For the judgment after one trespass was condemnation,x but the gift after many trespasses was a declaration of righteousness.y ¹⁷ For if by the trespass of the one man death ruled as king through that one,z how much more will those who receive the abundance of the undeserved kindness and of the free gift of righteousnessa rule as kingsb in life through the one person, Jesus Christ!c ¹⁸ So, then, as through one trespass the result to men of all sorts was condemnation,d so too through one act of justification the result to men of all sortse is their being declared righteous for life.f ¹⁹ For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were made sinners,g so also through the obedience of the one person many will be made righteous.h ²⁰ Now the Law came on the scene so that trespassing might increase.i But where sin abounded, undeserved kindness abounded still more. ²¹ To what end? So that just as sin ruled as king with death,j so also undeserved kindness might rule as king through righteousness leading to everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord.k

Romans 5

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NWT | To the Romans 06:1-23

NWT | To the Romans 06:1-23 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 6:1-23

6 What are we to say then? Should we continue in sin so that undeserved kindness may increase? ² Certainly not! Seeing that we died with reference to sin,a how can we keep living any longer in it?b ³ Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesusc were baptized into his death?d ⁴ So we were buried with him through our baptism into his death,e in order that just as Christ was raised up from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in a newness of life.f ⁵ If we have become united with him in the likeness of his death,g we will certainly also be united with him in the likeness of his resurrection.h ⁶ For we know that our old personality was nailed to the stake along with himi in order for our sinful body* to be made powerless,j so that we should no longer go on being slaves to sin.k ⁷ For the one who has died has been acquitted from his sin. ⁸ Moreover, if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that Christ, now that he has been raised up from the dead,l dies no more;m death is no longer master over him. ¹⁰ For the death that he died, he died with reference to sin once for all time,n but the life that he lives, he lives with reference to God. ¹¹ Likewise you, consider yourselves to be dead with reference to sin but living with reference to God by Christ Jesus.o ¹² Therefore, do not let sin continue to rule as king in your mortal bodiesp so that you should obey their desires. ¹³ Neither go on presenting your bodies to sin as weapons of unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, also your bodies to God as weapons of righteousness.q ¹⁴ For sin must* not be master over you, seeing that you are not under lawr but under undeserved kindness.s ¹⁵ What follows? Are we to commit a sin because we are not under law but under undeserved kindness?t Certainly not! ¹⁶ Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey,u either of sinv leading to deathw or of obedience leading to righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks to God that although you were once the slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over. ¹⁸ Yes, since you were set free from sin,x you became slaves to righteousness.y ¹⁹ I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh; for just as you presented your members as slaves to uncleanness and lawlessness leading to lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to holiness.z ²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free as to righteousness. ²¹ What, then, was the fruit that you used to produce at that time? Things of which you are now ashamed. For the end of those things is death.a ²² However, now that you were set free from sin and became slaves to God, you are producing your fruit in the way of holiness,b and the end is everlasting life.c ²³ For the wages sin pays is death,d but the gift God gives is everlasting lifee by Christ Jesus our Lord.f

Romans 6

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NWT | To the Romans 07:1-25

NWT | To the Romans 07:1-25 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 7:1-25

7 Can it be that you do not know, brothers, (for I am speaking to those who know law) that the Law is master over a man as long as he lives? ² For instance, a married woman* is bound by law to her husband while he is alive; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband.a ³ So, then, while her husband is living, she would be called an adulteress if she became another man’s.b But if her husband dies, she is free from his law, so that she is not an adulteress if she becomes another man’s.c ⁴ So, my brothers, you also were made dead to the Law through the body of the Christ, that you might become another’s,d the one who was raised up from the dead,e so that we should bear fruit to God.f ⁵ For when we were living according to the flesh, the sinful passions that were awakened by the Law were at work in our bodies to produce fruit for death.g ⁶ But now we have been released from the Law,h because we have died to that which restrained us, in order that we might be slaves in a new sense by the spiriti and not in the old sense by the written code.j ⁷ What, then, are we to say? Is the Law sin? Certainly not! Really, I would not have come to know sin had it not been for the Law.k For example, I would not have known covetousness if the Law had not said: “You must not covet.”l ⁸ But sin, finding the opportunity afforded by the commandment, worked out in me covetousness of every sort, for apart from law sin was dead.m ⁹ In fact, I was once alive apart from law. But when the commandment arrived, sin came to life again, but I died.n ¹⁰ And the commandment that was to lead to life,o this I found led to death. ¹¹ For sin, finding the opportunity afforded by the commandment, seduced me and killed me through it. ¹² So the Law in itself is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.p ¹³ Therefore, did what is good result in my death? Certainly not! But sin did, that it might be shown to be sin working out death in me through what is good,q so that through the commandment sin might become far more sinful.r ¹⁴ For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.s ¹⁵ For I do not understand what I am doing. For I do not practice what I wish,* but I do what I hate. ¹⁶ However, if I do what I do not wish, I agree that the Law is fine. ¹⁷ But now I am no longer the one doing it, but it is the sin that resides in me.t ¹⁸ For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwells nothing good; for I have the desire to do what is fine but not the ability to carry it out.u ¹⁹ For I do not do the good that I wish, but the bad that I do not wish is what I practice. ²⁰ If, then, I do what I do not wish, I am no longer the one carrying it out, but it is the sin dwelling in me. ²¹ I find, then, this law in my case: When I wish to do what is right, what is bad is present with me.v ²² I really delight in the law of God according to the man I am within,w ²³ but I see in my body another law warring against the law of my mindx and leading me captive to sin’s lawy that is in my body. ²⁴ Miserable man that I am! Who will rescue me from the body undergoing this death? ²⁵ Thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So, then, with my mind I myself am a slave to God’s law, but with my flesh to sin’s law.z

Romans 7

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NWT | To the Romans 08:1-39

NWT | To the Romans 08:1-39 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 8:1-39

8 Therefore, those in union with Christ Jesus have no condemnation.a ² For the law of the spirit that gives life in union with Christ Jesus has set you freeb from the law of sin and of death. ³ What the Law was incapable of doingc because it was weakd through the flesh, God did by sending his own Sone in the likeness of sinful fleshf and concerning sin, condemning sin in the flesh, ⁴ so that the righteous requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in usg who walk, not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.h ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh,i but those who live according to the spirit, on the things of the spirit.j ⁶ For setting the mind on the flesh means death,k but setting the mind on the spirit means life and peace;l ⁷ because setting the mind on the flesh means enmity with God,m for it is not in subjection to the law of God, nor, in fact, can it be. ⁸ So those who are in harmony with the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ However, you are in harmony, not with the flesh, but with the spirit,n if God’s spirit truly dwells in you. But if anyone does not have Christ’s spirit, this person does not belong to him. ¹⁰ But if Christ is in union with you,o the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness. ¹¹ If, now, the spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised up Christ Jesus from the deadp will also make your mortal bodies aliveq through his spirit that resides in you. ¹² So, then, brothers, we are under obligation, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh;r ¹³ for if you live according to the flesh, you are sure to die; but if you put the practices of the body to deaths by the spirit, you will live.t ¹⁴ For all who are led by God’s spirit are indeed God’s sons.u ¹⁵ For you did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: “Abba, Father!”v ¹⁶ The spirit itself bears witness with our spiritw that we are God’s children.x ¹⁷ If, then, we are children, we are also heirs—heirs indeed of God, but joint heirsy with Christ—provided we suffer togetherz so that we may also be glorified together.a ¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of the present time do not amount to anything in comparison with the glory that is going to be revealed in us.b ¹⁹ For the creation is waiting with eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God.c ²⁰ For the creation was subjected to futility,d not by its own will, but through the one who subjected it, on the basis of hopee ²¹ that* the creation itself will also be set freef from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God. ²² For we know that all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now. ²³ Not only that, but we ourselves also who have the firstfruits, namely, the spirit,g yes, we ourselves groan within ourselvesh while we are earnestly waiting for adoption as sons,i the release from our bodies by ransom.j ²⁴ For we were saved in this hope; but hope that is seen is not hope, for when a man sees a thing, does he hope for it? ²⁵ But if we hopek for what we do not see,l we keep eagerly waiting for it with endurance.m ²⁶ In like manner, the spirit also joins in with help for our weakness;n for the problem is that we do not know what we should pray for as we need to, but the spirit itself pleads for us with unuttered* groanings. ²⁷ But the one who searches the heartso knows what the meaning of the spirit is, because it is pleading in harmony with God for the holy ones. ²⁸ We know that God makes all his works cooperate together for the good of those who love God, those who are the ones called according to his purpose;p ²⁹ because those whom he gave his first recognition he also foreordained to be patterned after the image of his Son,q so that he might be the firstbornr among many brothers.s ³⁰ Moreover, those whom he foreordainedt are the ones he also called;u and those whom he called are the ones he also declared to be righteous.v Finally those whom he declared righteous are the ones he also glorified.w ³¹ What, then, are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who will be* against us?x ³² Since he did not even spare his own Son but handed him over for us all,y will he not also, along with him, kindly give us all other things? ³³ Who will file accusation against God’s chosen ones?z God is the One who declares them righteous.a ³⁴ Who will condemn them? Christ Jesus is the one who died, yes, more than that, the one who was raised up, who is at the right hand of Godb and who also pleads for us.c ³⁵ Who will separate us from the love of the Christ?d Will tribulation or distress or persecution or hunger or nakedness or danger or sword?e ³⁶ Just as it is written: “For your sake we are being put to death all day long; we have been accounted as sheep for slaughtering.”f ³⁷ On the contrary, in all these things we are coming off completely victoriousg through the one who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor governments nor things now here nor things to come nor powersh ³⁹ nor height nor depth nor any other creation will be able to separate us from God’s love that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8

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NWT | To the Romans 09:1-33

NWT | To the Romans 09:1-33 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 9:1-33

9 I am telling the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as my conscience bears witness with me in holy spirit, ² that I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart. ³ For I could wish that I myself were separated from the Christ as the cursed one for the sake of my brothers, my relatives according to the flesh, ⁴ who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption as sonsa and the glory and the covenantsb and the giving of the Lawc and the sacred serviced and the promises.e ⁵ To them the forefathers belong,f and from them the Christ descended according to the flesh.g God, who is over all, be praised forever. Amen. ⁶ However, it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who descend from Israel are really “Israel.”h ⁷ Neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s offspring;i rather, “What will be called your offspring will be through Isaac.”j ⁸ That is, the children in the flesh are not really the children of God,k but the children by the promisel are counted as the offspring. ⁹ For the word of promise was as follows: “At this time I will come and Sarah will have a son.”m ¹⁰ Not only then but also when Re·bekʹah conceived twins from the one man, Isaac our forefather;n ¹¹ for when they had not yet been born and had not practiced anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose respecting the choosing might continue dependent, not on works, but on the One who calls, ¹² it was said to her: “The older will be the slave of the younger.”o ¹³ Just as it is written: “I loved Jacob, but Eʹsau I hated.”p ¹⁴ What are we to say, then? Is there injustice with God? Certainly not!q ¹⁵ For he says to Moses: “I will show mercy to whomever I will show mercy, and I will show compassion to whomever I will show compassion.”r ¹⁶ So, then, it depends, not on a person’s desire or on his effort, but on God, who has mercy.s ¹⁷ For the scripture says to Pharʹaoh: “For this very reason I have let you remain: to show my power in connection with you and to have my name declared in all the earth.”t ¹⁸ So, then, he has mercy on whomever he wishes, but he lets whomever he wishes become obstinate.u ¹⁹ You will therefore say to me: “Why does he still find fault? For who has withstood his will?” ²⁰ But who are you, O man, to be answering back to God?v Does the thing molded say to its molder: “Why did you make me this way?”w ²¹ What? Does not the potter have authority over the clayx to make from the same lump one vessel for an honorable use, another for a dishonorable use? ²² What, then, if God had the will to demonstrate his wrath and to make his power known, and he tolerated with much patience vessels of wrath made fit for destruction? ²³ And if this was done to make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy,y which he prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴ namely, us, whom he called not only from among Jews but also from among nations,z what of it? ²⁵ It is as he says also in Ho·seʹa: “Those not my peoplea I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not loved, ‘beloved’;b ²⁶ and in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”c ²⁷ Moreover, Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Although the number of the sons of Israel may be as the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved.d ²⁸ For Jehovah will make an accounting on the earth, concluding it and cutting it short.”e ²⁹ Also, just as Isaiah foretold: “Unless Jehovah of armies had left an offspring to us, we should have become just like Sodʹom, and we should have resembled Go·morʹrah.”f ³⁰ What are we to say, then? That people of the nations, although not pursuing righteousness, attained righteousness,g the righteousness that results from faith;h ³¹ but Israel, although pursuing a law of righteousness, did not attain to that law. ³² For what reason? Because they pursued it, not by faith, but as by works. They stumbled over the “stone of stumbling”;i ³³ as it is written: “Look! I am laying in Zion a stonej of stumbling and a rock of offense, but the one who rests his faith on it will not be disappointed.”k

Romans 9

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NWT | To the Romans 10:1-21

NWT | To the Romans 10:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 10:1-21

10 Brothers, the goodwill of my heart and my supplication to God for them are indeed for their salvation.a ² For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God,b but not according to accurate knowledge. ³ For because of not knowing the righteousness of Godc but seeking to establish their own,d they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.e ⁴ For Christ is the end of the Law,f so that everyone exercising faith may have righteousness.g ⁵ For Moses writes about the righteousness that is by the Law: “The man who does these things will live by means of them.”h ⁶ But the righteousness resulting from faith says: “Do not say in your heart,i ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’j that is, to bring Christ down, ⁷ or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’k that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.” ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your own mouth and in your own heart”;l that is, “the word” of faith, which we are preaching. ⁹ For if you publicly declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord,m and exercise faith in your heart that God raised him up from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declarationn for salvation. ¹¹ For the scripture says: “No one who rests his faith on him will be disappointed.”o ¹² For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek.p There is the same Lord over all, who is rich toward* all those calling on him. ¹³ For “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”q ¹⁴ However, how will they call on him if they have not put faith in him? How, in turn, will they put faith in him about whom they have not heard? How, in turn, will they hear without someone to preach? ¹⁵ How, in turn, will they preach unless they have been sent out?r Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!”s ¹⁶ Nevertheless, they did not all obey the good news. For Isaiah says: “Jehovah, who has put faith in the thing heard from us?”*t ¹⁷ So faith follows the thing heard.u In turn, what is heard is through the word about Christ. ¹⁸ But I ask, They did not fail to hear, did they? Why, in fact, “into all the earth their sound went out, and to the ends of the inhabited earth their message.”v ¹⁹ But I ask, Israel did not fail to know, did they?w First Moses says: “I will incite you to jealousy through that which is not a nation; I will incite you to violent anger through a foolish nation.”x ²⁰ But Isaiah becomes very bold and says: “I was found by those who were not seeking me;y I became known to those who were not asking for me.”z ²¹ But he says regarding Israel: “All day long I have spread out my hands toward a disobedient and obstinate people.”a

Romans 10

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NWT | To the Romans 11:1-36

NWT | To the Romans 11:1-36 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 11:1-36

11 I ask, then, God did not reject his people, did he?+ By no means! For I too am an Israelite, of the offspring of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.+ ² God did not reject his people, whom he first recognized.*+ Do you not know what the scripture says in connection with E·liʹjah, as he pleads with God against Israel? ³ “Jehovah, they have killed your prophets, they have dug up your altars, and I alone am left, and now they are trying to take my life.”+ ⁴ Yet, what does the divine pronouncement say to him? “I have left for myself 7,000 men who have not bent the knee to Baʹal.”+ ⁵ So in the same way, at the present time also, there is a remnant+ according to a choosing through undeserved kindness. ⁶ Now if it is by undeserved kindness,+ it is no longer through works;+ otherwise, the undeserved kindness would no longer be undeserved kindness. ⁷ What, then? The very thing Israel is earnestly seeking he did not obtain, but the ones chosen obtained it.+ The rest had their senses dulled,+ ⁸ just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of deep sleep,+ eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear, down to this very day.”+ ⁹ Also, David says: “Let their table become a snare and a trap and a stumbling block and a retribution for them. ¹⁰ Let their eyes become darkened so that they cannot see, and always make them bend their backs.”+ ¹¹ So I ask, They did not stumble and fall completely, did they? Certainly not! But by their false step, there is salvation to people of the nations, to incite them to jealousy.+ ¹² Now if their false step means riches to the world and their decrease means riches to people of the nations,+ how much more will their full number* mean! ¹³ Now I speak to you who are people of the nations. Seeing that I am an apostle to the nations,+ I glorify my ministry+ ¹⁴ to see if I may in some way incite my own people to jealousy and save some from among them. ¹⁵ For if their being cast away+ means reconciliation for the world, what will the acceptance of them mean but life from the dead? ¹⁶ Further, if the part of the dough taken as firstfruits is holy, the entire batch is also holy; and if the root is holy, the branches are also. ¹⁷ However, if some of the branches were broken off and you, although being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and became a sharer of the richness of the olive’s root, ¹⁸ do not be arrogant toward* the branches. If, though, you are arrogant toward* them,+ remember that you do not bear the root, but the root bears you. ¹⁹ You will say, then: “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”+ ²⁰ That is true! For their lack of faith, they were broken off,+ but you are standing by faith.+ Do not be haughty, but be in fear. ²¹ For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. ²² Consider, therefore, God’s kindness+ and severity. There is severity toward those who fell,+ but toward you there is God’s kindness, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise, you too will be lopped off. ²³ And they also, if they do not remain in their lack of faith, will be grafted in,+ for God is able to graft them back in. ²⁴ For if you were cut out of the olive tree that is wild by nature and were grafted contrary to nature into the garden olive tree, how much more will these who are natural branches be grafted back into their own olive tree! ²⁵ For I do not want you to be unaware of this sacred secret,+ brothers, so that you do not become wise in your own eyes: A partial dulling of senses has come upon Israel+ until the full number* of people of the nations has come in, ²⁶ and in this manner all Israel+ will be saved. Just as it is written: “The deliverer will come out of Zion+ and turn away ungodly practices from Jacob. ²⁷ And this is my covenant with them,+ when I take their sins away.”+ ²⁸ True, with respect to the good news, they are enemies for your sakes; but with respect to God’s choosing, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.+ ²⁹ For the gifts and the calling of God are not things he will regret. ³⁰ For just as you were once disobedient to God+ but have now been shown mercy+ because of their disobedience,+ ³¹ so also these now have been disobedient with mercy resulting to you, so that they themselves may also now be shown mercy. ³² For God has confined all of them together in disobedience+ so that he might show all of them mercy.+ ³³ O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How unsearchable his judgments are and beyond tracing out his ways are!+ ³⁴ For “who has come to know Jehovah’s mind, or who has become his adviser?”+ ³⁵ Or, “who has first given to him, so that it must be repaid to him?”+ ³⁶ Because from him and by him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Footnotes

^ Or possibly, “he foreknew.”

^ Or “their fullness.”

^ Or “you boast against.”

^ Or “do not boast against.”

^ Or “the fullness.”

Study Notes

offspring: Or “descendants.” Lit., “seed.”—See App. A2.

Jehovah: Paul is here quoting from 1Ki 19:10, 14, where the prophet Elijah addresses Jehovah God. In the original Hebrew text, the divine name is represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH). Paul abbreviates the quote and changes the order of some sentences. He also adds a direct personal address at the beginning of the quote, showing that these words were directed to God. Available Greek manuscripts use a form of the word Kyʹri·os (Lord), but “Jehovah” is here used in the main text because in the context of the words that Paul is quoting, as well as in other contexts, Elijah consistently addresses Jehovah, using His personal name. (1Ki 17:20, 21; 18:36, 37; 19:4) So the Hebrew Scripture background of this quote supports the view that Kyʹri·os was substituted for the divine name. Also, a number of translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here.—See App. C3 introduction; Ro 11:3.

my life: Here the Greek word psy·kheʹ, rendered “soul” in some Bible translations, refers to a person’s life. The expression trying to take my life (lit., “seeking my soul”) can also be rendered “trying [wanting] to kill me.” This expression reflects wording used in the Hebrew Scriptures, such as at 1Ki 19:10, 14, from which Paul quotes.—Ex 4:19, ftn.; 1Sa 20:1, ftn.; see Glossary, “Soul.”

were by divine providence called: Most Bible translations simply read “were called.” However, the Greek words commonly rendered “called” are not used here. (Mt 1:16; 2:23; Mr 11:17; Lu 1:32, 60; Ac 1:12, 19) The word that appears in this verse is khre·ma·tiʹzo, and in most of the nine places where it occurs in the Christian Greek Scriptures, it clearly refers to things that come from God, that have a divine origin. (Mt 2:12, 22; Lu 2:26; Ac 10:22; 11:26; Ro 7:3; Heb 8:5; 11:7; 12:25) For example, at Ac 10:22, this word is used together with the expression “by a holy angel,” and at Mt 2:12, 22, it is used in connection with divinely inspired dreams. The related noun khre·ma·ti·smosʹ appears at Ro 11:4, and most lexicons and Bible translations use such renderings as “divine pronouncement; divine response; God’s reply; the answer of God.” It is possible that Jehovah directed Saul and Barnabas to use the name Christians. Some have suggested that the Gentile population in Antioch may have used the nickname Christians out of jest or scorn, but the usage of the Greek term khre·ma·tiʹzo clearly indicates that God was responsible for the designation “Christians.” And it would have been most unlikely that the Jews would label Jesus’ followers “Christians” (from Greek) or “Messianists” (from Hebrew). They had rejected Jesus as the Messiah, or Christ, so they would not have tacitly recognized him as the Anointed One, or Christ, by identifying his followers with the designation “Christians.”

the divine pronouncement: The Greek noun khre·ma·ti·smosʹ denotes a statement of divine origin. Here it describes what God said to his prophet Elijah at 1Ki 19:18. Most lexicons and Bible translations use such renderings as “divine pronouncement; divine response; God’s reply; the answer of God.” This term is related to the verb khre·ma·tiʹzo, used several times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. For example, Ac 11:26 states that Jesus’ followers “were by divine providence called Christians.”—See study notes on Ac 10:22; 11:26.

Baal: A Canaanite god regarded by some of its worshippers as the owner of the sky and the giver of rain and fertility. This is the only reference to Baal in the Christian Greek Scriptures. Paul is here quoting from 1Ki 19:18. In the Hebrew Scriptures, this god is designated by the Hebrew term hab·Baʹʽal, literally, “the Baal.” (Jg 2:13; 1Ki 16:31; 18:25) The Hebrew term is also found in the plural form (the Baals), apparently referring to the various local deities thought of as owning or having influence over particular places. (Jg 2:11; 8:33; 10:6) The Hebrew word baʹʽal (without the definite article) means “owner; master.”—Ex 21:28; 22:8.

was given divine instructions: The Greek verb khre·ma·tiʹzo appears nine times in the Christian Greek Scriptures. (Mt 2:12, 22; Lu 2:26; Ac 10:22; 11:26; Ro 7:3; Heb 8:5; 11:7; 12:25) In most occurrences, the word has a clear connection with things having divine origin. For example, the verb is here used together with the expression “by a holy angel.” At Mt 2:12, 22, it is used in connection with divinely inspired dreams. The related noun khre·ma·ti·smosʹ appears at Ro 11:4, and most lexicons and translations use such renderings as “divine pronouncement; divine response; God’s reply; the answer of God.” Here at Ac 10:22, one translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew (referred to as J¹⁸ in App. C4) reads “was given a command of Jehovah.”—See study note on Ac 11:26.

God: In this quote from De 18:15, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text, which reads “Jehovah your God.” Stephen’s quote is slightly abbreviated; he uses only the word for “God.” Peter quotes the same verse at Ac 3:22, using the whole expression “Jehovah your God.” (See study note on Ac 3:22.) Some translations of the Christian Greek Scriptures into Hebrew use the divine name here and read “Jehovah your God” (J^{7, 8, 10-17}) or “Jehovah God” (J²⁸). (See App. C4.) A few Greek manuscripts also have readings that can be rendered “the Lord God” or, for the same reasons as presented in App. C, “Jehovah God.” However, the vast majority of Greek manuscripts and ancient translations into other languages simply read “God.”

God: In this verse, Paul quotes wording from De 29:4 and Isa 29:10. The Hebrew text of these verses does not use “God,” but Paul may have quoted from the Septuagint, which according to most manuscripts reads at De 29:4 (29:3, LXX): “The Lord God has not given . . . ” For reasons stated in App. C1, copies of the Septuagint existing in Paul’s day likely read: “Jehovah God has not given . . . ” In fact, there is evidence that a fragment containing De 29:4 in the papyrus collection Fouad Inv. 266 uses the Tetragrammaton in the Greek text, followed by the Greek term for “God.” So Paul may have made a slightly abbreviated quote from the Septuagint, using only “God,” which is the reading found in available Greek manuscripts of Ro 11:8. (Compare a similarly abbreviated quote at Ac 7:37; see study note.) The Hebrew texts of both De 29:4 and Isa 29:10 use the divine name, and this is reflected in some translations of Ro 11:8 into Hebrew (referred to as J^{7, 8, 10, 14, 15, 20} in App. C4) that use the Tetragrammaton here.

table: Possibly an allusion to a table for sacrifices or to a feast. Paul is here quoting from Ps 69:22, where “table” is parallel to “prosperity” and apparently denotes blessings. Paul applies this psalm to the Jews, the majority of whom would reject Jesus and be stumbled. This stumbling was due, in part, to their insistence that their fleshly relationship with Abraham was sufficient for them to receive ongoing blessings from God. (Mt 3:9; Joh 8:39) This erroneous view would ultimately lead to “retribution” for them.

the world: In this context, Paul uses the Greek word koʹsmos as an equivalent to people of the nations, that is, non-Jews, or Gentiles. Here “the world” is distinguished from the people of Israel with whom God had concluded a covenant. Also, Christian Bible writers frequently used koʹsmos to denote the world of mankind separate from the true followers of Christ. This use of the Greek term rendered “world” is unique to the Scriptures.—See study note on Joh 15:19.

an apostle to the nations: That is, to the non-Jews, or Gentiles. When Paul was converted to Christianity, probably about 34 C.E., the resurrected Jesus declared: “This man is a chosen vessel to me to bear my name to the nations as well as to kings and the sons of Israel.” (Ac 9:15) Thus Paul was chosen by the Lord Jesus Christ to be “an apostle [meaning “someone sent out”] to the nations.” (Ac 26:14-18; Ro 1:5; Ga 1:15, 16; 1Ti 2:7) While Paul had strong conviction and proofs of his apostleship, nowhere does the Bible suggest that he replaced one of “the Twelve”; nor did he ever refer to himself as one of “the Twelve.”—1Co 15:5-8; compare study note on Ac 1:23.

my own people: Lit., “my flesh.” Paul here refers to his fellow countrymen, the Israelites.—Compare Ge 37:27.

the root . . . the branches: Here Paul compares the fulfillment of God’s purpose regarding the Abrahamic covenant to an olive tree. Jehovah, the root of the tree, gives life to spiritual Israel. (Isa 10:20) Jesus, the trunk of the tree, is the primary part of Abraham’s offspring. (Ga 3:16) Paul says that the branches collectively are “the full number” of those included in the secondary part of Abraham’s offspring.—Ro 11:25; Ga 3:29.

grafted contrary to nature into the garden olive tree: Normally, farmers grafted branches from a cultivated, or garden, olive tree into a wild olive tree. As a result, the wild olive tree would produce better fruit, comparable to fruit from the tree from which the branch had been cut. The reverse—grafting wild branches into a cultivated tree—would be quite contrary to the regular procedure and would usually not be expected to yield good results. However, grafting a branch from a wild olive tree into a cultivated one was what some farmers occasionally did in the first century. (See Media Gallery, “Grafting an Olive Branch.”) By alluding to just such a procedure that would seem unusual—even unnatural, or contrary to nature—Paul heightens the force of his illustration. Paul uses the cultivated olive tree to illustrate how God’s purpose with regard to the Abrahamic covenant was fulfilled. He likens those who become part of Abraham’s offspring to branches on this symbolic olive tree. (Ro 11:21) The Gentile Christians are likened to branches from a wild olive tree because they had previously been alienated from God’s people, Israel, who were Abraham’s natural offspring and heirs of the covenant made with Abraham. (Eph 2:12) But when some Jews, likened to the natural branches, showed a lack of faith, they were rejected by God and “broken off.” (Ro 11:20) Jehovah arranged for these Gentiles to be grafted in to replace the unproductive branches. (Ga 3:28, 29) Just as branches from a wild olive tree would thrive when grafted into a cultivated olive tree, the Gentile Christians benefit greatly as they receive “the richness [lit., “fatness”]” of the garden olive tree’s root. This arrangement highlighted God’s undeserved kindness toward the Gentile Christians and removed any basis for boasting on their part.—Ro 11:17; compare Mt 3:10; Joh 15:1-10.

some of the branches were broken off: That is, the natural Jews who rejected Jesus were themselves rejected.

you, although being a wild olive, were grafted in: Paul is still addressing Christians of non-Jewish background. (Ro 11:13) He continues with the illustration of a cultivated olive tree to show how God’s purpose with regard to the Abrahamic covenant was being fulfilled. (See study note on Ro 11:16.) Initially, only Jews had the opportunity to be part of that covenant. Non-Jews, or Gentiles, were likened to branches from a different tree, that is, a wild olive tree. Jehovah opened the way for Gentiles to become part of Abraham’s offspring as spiritual Jews, figuratively grafting them into the cultivated olive tree. The Rome congregation consisted of faithful Christians from both Jewish and Gentile backgrounds, and all were expected to produce spiritual fruitage.—Ro 2:28, 29.

grafted in: Grafting is the process of joining a branch or a twig from a tree producing good fruit with a tree bearing inferior fruit. After the union becomes permanent, the grafted-in branches produce quality fruit, similar to that of the tree from which they were taken. Paul discusses the grafting of branches from an inferior tree into a cultivated tree “contrary to nature,” apparently practiced by some cultivators in the first century. (See study note on Ro 11:24.) The Greek word for “to graft” is used only in Romans chapter 11.

the garden olive tree: In the Greek term kal·li·eʹlai·os used here, the word for “olive tree” has a prefix that comes from the word ka·losʹ. It means “good; fine; excellent,” implying well-suited for its purpose—like an olive tree that is cultivated in order to be fruitful and productive. Here the garden, or cultivated, olive tree is contrasted with the olive tree that is wild (a·gri·eʹlai·os; lit., “field olive tree”) and uncultivated.

and in this manner all Israel will be saved: That is, all spiritual Israel, “the Israel of God.” (Ga 6:16; Ro 2:29) God’s purpose is to have 144,000 spiritual Israelites in a saved condition and ruling with His Son in heaven. That purpose will be fulfilled “in this manner,” namely, by figuratively grafting in branches from the “wild olive” to fulfill God’s purpose to have his “garden olive tree” full of productive branches. (Ro 11:17-25; Re 7:4; 14:1, 3) This involved admitting Gentile Christians to be part of spiritual Israel. Some favor rendering the Greek expression at the beginning of the verse “and then” or “and in the end,” but the rendering “and in this manner” is supported by many lexicons and other Bible translations.

deliverer: Or “savior.” Paul here quotes from the Septuagint reading of Isa 59:20, and he applies the prophecy to Christians who are members of “the Israel of God.” (Ga 6:16) He indicates that the prophecy will be completely fulfilled when the full number of spiritual Israel is made up.

Jehovah’s: In this quote from Isa 40:13, the divine name, represented by four Hebrew consonants (transliterated YHWH), occurs in the original Hebrew text. The Greek expressions rendered “come to know . . . mind” and “become his adviser” follow the wording of Isa 40:13 in the Septuagint.

Amen: See study note on Ro 1:25.

Media

Grafting an Olive Branch

The practice of grafting was common in Bible times. It normally involved joining a shoot or a twig of a tree known to produce good fruit with the stock of a tree bearing inferior fruit in order to improve the quality of the fruit produced by that tree. The apostle Paul alluded to the practice of grafting in the illustration he gave regarding an olive tree. (Ro 11:17-24) He compared spirit-anointed Gentile Christians to wild olive branches grafted into a “garden olive tree.” (Ro 11:24) A first-century C.E. Roman soldier and farmer named Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella, who wrote about a variety of agricultural subjects, specifically mentioned such a technique. For healthy olive trees that failed to produce fruit, he recommended: “It is a good plan to bore them with a Gallic auger and to put tightly into the hole a green slip taken from a wild olive-tree; the result is that the tree, being as it were impregnated with fruitful offspring, becomes more productive.” Paul’s illustration was a vivid reminder that all spirit-anointed Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, should be united. (Ro 2:28, 29; 11:17, 18) Shown here are different grafting methods that may have been used in the first century C.E.

1. A hole is bored in the side of a branch, and a slip from another tree is inserted

2. Slits are cut into the end of a branch, and multiple slips are inserted and bound in place

3. A patch is cut out of a branch, and a slip attached to a piece of bark is bound into the opening

Grafting a Wild Olive Shoot Into the Garden Olive Tree

This farmer grafts a shoot from a wild olive tree into a cultivated, or garden, olive tree. Paul likens the cultivated olive branches to Jews and the wild olive branches to Gentiles. Many natural Jews did not put faith in Jesus, so Gentiles were grafted in to take their place as members of spiritual Israel. (Ro 11:13, 17) Paul reminds the congregation in Rome that both Jews and Gentiles must maintain their faith in Christ and appreciate God’s kindness. (Ro 10:4; 11:22) He uses the illustration of an olive tree to emphasize part of the theme of his letter to the Romans: God is impartial and holds out the possibility of salvation to “everyone having faith,” whether Jew or Gentile. Therefore, Christians must remain united, regardless of their background—Ro 1:16, 17; 2:11; 10:12.

Olive Tree

The olive tree (Olea europaea) was widely cultivated throughout the lands where first-century Christians lived. It can flourish even in poor or rocky soil. (De 8:8) It has an immense root system that gathers water in the dry climate. Olive trees grow slowly and can live for over one thousand years. The olives turn from green to purple or black as they ripen, and then harvesters beat the branches to shake off the mature olives. In Bible times, olive trees were highly valued as the main source of edible oil. Olive oil was also used for skin care, medicine, and fuel for lamps.—Le 24:2; Lu 10:34.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Romans 11

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To the Romans 12:1-21

NWT | To the Romans 12:1-21 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 12:1-21

12 Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies+ as a living sacrifice, holy+ and acceptable to God,+ a sacred service with your power of reason.+ ² And stop being molded by this system of things,+ but be transformed by making your mind over,+ so that you may prove to yourselves+ the good and acceptable and perfect will of God. ³ For through the undeserved kindness given to me, I tell everyone there among you not to think more of himself than it is necessary to think,+ but to think so as to have a sound mind,+ each one as God has given* to him a measure of faith.+ ⁴ For just as we have in one body many members,+ but the members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so we, although many, are one body in union with Christ, but individually we are members belonging to one another.+ ⁶ Since, then, we have gifts that differ according to the undeserved kindness given to us,+ if it is of prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; ⁷ or if it is a ministry, let us be at this ministry; or the one who teaches, let him be at his teaching;+ ⁸ or the one who encourages, let him give encouragement;+ the one who distributes, let him do it liberally;+ the one who presides, let him do it diligently;*+ the one who shows mercy, let him do it cheerfully.+ ⁹ Let your love be without hypocrisy.+ Abhor what is wicked;+ cling to what is good.+ ¹⁰ In brotherly love have tender affection for one another.+ In showing honor to one another, take the lead.+ ¹¹ Be industrious, not lazy.*+ Be aglow with the spirit.+ Slave for Jehovah.+ ¹² Rejoice in the hope. Endure under tribulation.+ Persevere in prayer.+ ¹³ Share with the holy ones according to their needs.+ Follow the course of hospitality.+ ¹⁴ Keep on blessing those who persecute;+ bless and do not curse.+ ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. ¹⁶ Have the same attitude toward others as toward yourselves; do not set your mind on lofty things,* but be led along with the lowly things.+ Do not become wise in your own eyes.+ ¹⁷ Return evil for evil to no one.+ Take into consideration what is fine from the viewpoint of all men. ¹⁸ If possible, as far as it depends on you, be peaceable with all men.+ ¹⁹ Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath;+ for it is written: “‘Vengeance is mine; I will repay,’ says Jehovah.”+ ²⁰ But “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by doing this you will heap fiery coals on his head.”+ ²¹ Do not let yourself be conquered by the evil, but keep conquering the evil with the good.+

Footnotes

^ Or “apportioned; distributed.”

^ Or “earnestly.”

^ Or “Do not loiter at your business.”

^ Or “do not cultivate lofty ideas; do not be haughty.”

Study Notes

brothers: In some contexts, a male Christian believer is called “a brother” and a female, “a sister.” (1Co 7:14, 15) In this and other contexts, however, the Bible uses the term “brothers” to refer to both males and females. The term “brothers” was an accepted way of greeting groups that included both genders. (Ac 1:15; 1Th 1:4) The term “brothers” is used in this sense in most of the inspired Christian letters. In his letter to the Romans, Paul uses the term “brothers” several times when addressing fellow Christians in general.—Ro 7:1, 4; 8:12; 10:1; 11:25; 12:1; 15:14, 30; 16:17.

Therefore: Paul apparently uses this expression to link what he discussed in the preceding part of his letter with what he is about to say. In effect, he is saying: “In view of what I just explained to you, I appeal to you to do what I will tell you next.” Paul had discussed the opportunity open to both Jews and Gentiles to be declared righteous before God by faith, not by works, and to be corulers with Christ. (Ro 1:16; 3:20-24; 11:13-36) Beginning in chapter 12, Paul urges Christians to be thankful and to demonstrate their faith and gratitude by obeying God and by living a life of self-sacrifice.

brothers: See study note on Ro 1:13.

present your bodies: Under the Mosaic Law, the Israelites slaughtered animals and presented these dead animals as sacrifices. Such sacrifices could be offered only once. In contrast, a Christian continually presents his body, his whole being, as a living sacrifice. This “sacrifice” includes the person’s mind, heart, and strength—all his faculties. It is an act of total dedication involving every aspect of his life. Paul adds that a Christian’s sacrifice of himself must be holy and acceptable to God. This may allude to the fact that Israelites were never to offer unacceptable animal sacrifices, such as lame or deformed animals. (Le 22:19, 20; De 15:21; Mal 1:8, 13) Likewise, Christians must live a clean life in harmony with what God approves in order for their sacrifices to be acceptable.

a sacred service: Or “a worship.” The Greek word used here is la·treiʹa and refers to acts of worship. In the Christian Greek Scriptures, this noun is sometimes used in connection with the Jewish system of worship based on the Mosaic Law. (Ro 9:4; Heb 9:1, 6) However, here Paul uses it in connection with Christian worship. The related Greek verb la·treuʹo (“to render sacred service”) is used both with regard to worship according to the Mosaic Law (Lu 2:37; Heb 8:5; 9:9) and Christian worship (Php 3:3; 2Ti 1:3; Heb 9:14; Re 7:15). At Ro 1:9, Paul showed that an important feature of his sacred service was “in connection with the good news about [God’s] Son,” that is, the preaching of this good news.

with your power of reason: The expression “power of reason” is translated from the Greek word lo·gi·kosʹ. In this context, it conveys the idea of sacred service rendered in a “logical,” “rational,” or “intelligent,” manner. One lexicon defines it as “pert[aining] to being carefully thought through, thoughtful.” Christians are often called on to weigh Bible principles carefully. They need to understand how Bible principles relate to one another and to decisions under consideration. They can use their God-given power of reason, or thinking abilities, to make balanced decisions that will have Jehovah’s approval and blessing. This way of worship was a change for many Jews who had become Christians. They had previously lived their life following the many rules dictated by tradition.

stop being molded: The Greek word used here denotes “to form or shape according to a pattern or mold.” Paul addresses his fellow anointed Christians using a Greek verb tense that suggests stopping an action already in progress. The wording implies that some in the Rome congregation were still being influenced by that system of things. (Ro 1:7) For the Christians in Rome at that time, about 56 C.E., the system of things involved the standards, customs, manners, and styles that characterized the Roman world.—See study note on this system of things in this verse.

this system of things: The Greek word ai·onʹ, having the basic meaning “age,” can refer to a state of affairs or to features that distinguish a certain period of time, epoch, or age. In this context, it refers to the standards, practices, manners, customs, ways, outlook, styles, and other features characterizing any given time period.—See Glossary, “System(s) of things.”

prove to yourselves: The Greek term used here, do·ki·maʹzo, carries the sense of “proving by testing,” often with a positive outcome. In fact, the term is rendered “approve” in some contexts. (Ro 2:18; 1Co 11:28) Some translations render it “verify; discern.” So Paul was not advising blind faith or skepticism. Rather, he was encouraging Christians to test, in a positive way, God’s requirements in order to understand them, to apply them, and to experience their goodness. The Christian thus proves to himself that doing the “will of God” is the good and perfect way.

he was transfigured: Or “he was transformed; his appearance was changed.” The same Greek verb (me·ta·mor·phoʹo) occurs at Ro 12:2.

encouragement: Or “exhortation.” The Greek noun pa·raʹkle·sis, literally “a calling to one’s side,” often conveys the meaning “encouragement” (Ac 13:15; Php 2:1) or “comfort” (Ro 15:4; 2Co 1:3, 4; 2Th 2:16). As the alternative rendering indicates, this term and the related verb pa·ra·ka·leʹo, used in this verse, can also convey the idea of “exhortation,” and it is in some contexts rendered that way in the main text. (1Th 2:3; 1Ti 4:13; Heb 12:5) The fact that these Greek terms can convey all three meanings—exhortation, comfort, and encouragement—would indicate that a Christian should never exhort someone in a harsh or unkind way.

distributes: Or “contributes.” The Greek verb used here has also been rendered “impart” (Ro 1:11; 1Th 2:8) and “share” (Lu 3:11; Eph 4:28).

Abhor: The Greek term a·po·sty·geʹo occurs only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It is the intensive form of a Greek verb meaning “to hate” and thus means “to hate intensely (strongly).” This term expresses a strong feeling of horror and repulsion.

cling to: The Greek verb literally meaning “to glue” is here used figuratively. A Christian who has genuine love is so firmly glued, or attached, to what is good that it becomes an inseparable part of his personality. The same Greek word is used to describe the strong bond that is to unite a husband and wife.—See study note on Mt 19:5.

stick to: The Greek verb used here literally means “to glue; to join (bind) closely together; to cling to.” Here it is used figuratively to describe the bond that is to unite man and wife as if with glue.

have tender affection: The Greek word used here, phi·loʹstor·gos, is a compound word composed of two terms that denote love and affection. The root word sterʹgo denotes a natural affection, as between family members. The second term is related to phiʹlos, a close friend. (Joh 15:13-15) The combination of these terms denotes a strong affection as shown in a family. In fact, both words used in this context (phi·la·del·phiʹa, rendered “brotherly love,” and phi·loʹstor·gos, rendered “tender affection”) refer to affection that should naturally be shown among family members. Such is the level of love and affection that Paul is urging fellow Christians to show toward one another.—See study note on brotherly love in this verse.

take the lead: Or “take the initiative.” The Greek word pro·e·geʹo·mai appears only here in the Christian Greek Scriptures. It literally means “to go before,” and in this context, it denotes an eagerness to show honor to others. In first-century Greek, Jewish, and Roman society, people made every effort to gain honor for themselves. (Lu 20:46) Here Paul expresses a contrary view, namely, that Christians should make every effort to show honor and respect for others. In fact, some suggest that this expression implies trying to outdo one another in showing honor to others.

Be industrious: Or “Be diligent.” The Greek spou·deʹ used here literally means “swiftness of movement or action; haste; speed.” (Lu 1:39) However, in many contexts, it denotes an “earnest commitment in discharging an obligation; eagerness; earnestness; willingness; zeal.” This Greek word appears at Ro 12:8 in the expression “let him do it diligently.” It is rendered “industriousness” at Heb 6:11 and “earnest effort” at 2Pe 1:5. The related verb spou·daʹzo has been rendered “be . . . diligent” (2Pe 1:10) and “do your utmost” (2Ti 2:15; 4:9, 21; 2Pe 3:14).

Be aglow with the spirit: The Greek word rendered “aglow” literally means “to boil.” Here it is used metaphorically to convey the idea of one overflowing with or radiating zeal and enthusiasm as a result of the influence of God’s “spirit” (Greek, pneuʹma), or active force. This spirit can motivate and energize a person to do things in accord with Jehovah’s will. (See study note on Mr 1:12.) Being “aglow” with God’s holy spirit would also affect the impelling force that issues from a person’s figurative heart, filling him with zeal and enthusiasm for what is right. While some feel that this Greek expression is simply an idiom for great eagerness and enthusiasm, the rendering in the main text favors the idea that “the spirit” here is God’s holy spirit.—For a discussion of some principles of Bible translation exemplified by the rendering of the Greek phrase discussed here, see App. A1.

Slave for: Or “Serve.” The Greek verb (dou·leuʹo) used here refers to working as a slave, that is, someone owned by and taking orders from a master. The same Greek verb appears at Mt 6:24 (see study note), where Jesus explains that a Christian cannot slave for both God and Riches. In the Septuagint, this verb is sometimes used to render similar Hebrew exhortations to “serve Jehovah,” where the Tetragrammaton appears in the original Hebrew text.—1Sa 12:20; Ps 2:11; 100:2 (99:2, LXX); 102:22 (101:23, LXX).

Jehovah: Available Greek manuscripts read “for the Lord” (toi Ky·riʹoi) here, but as explained in App. C, there are good reasons to believe that the divine name was originally used in this verse and later replaced by the title Lord. Therefore, the name Jehovah is used in the main text.—See App. C3 introduction; Ro 12:11.

Follow the course of hospitality: The Greek term for “to follow the course of” could literally be rendered “to hasten; to run.” Paul here uses the term to encourage Christians to do more than show hospitality when called on to do so. Rather, he urges them to pursue hospitality, to take the initiative to show this quality regularly. The Greek word for “hospitality,” phi·lo·xe·niʹa, literally means “love of (fondness for) strangers.” This would indicate that hospitality should be extended beyond one’s circle of close friends. Paul also uses this term at Heb 13:2, apparently alluding to accounts in Genesis chapters 18 and 19 about Abraham and Lot. When these men showed hospitality toward strangers, it resulted in their unknowingly entertaining angels. At Ge 18:1-8, Abraham is described as running and hurrying to take care of his guests. The related adjective phi·loʹxe·nos occurs three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures in other contexts where showing hospitality is encouraged.—1Ti 3:2; Tit 1:8; 1Pe 4:9.

from the viewpoint of all men: Or “in the sight (eyes) of all people.” Here the Greek word anʹthro·pos (man; human) refers to both men and women.

yield place to the wrath: That is, to God’s wrath, according to the context. Paul goes on to quote God’s words in Deuteronomy: “Vengeance is mine, and retribution.” (De 32:19-35) Although the Greek text at Ro 12:19 does not include the expression “of God,” many Bible translators insert it in order to convey the correct idea. So the sense of the verse seems to be: ‘Leave wrath to God. Let him determine when and on whom vengeance is to be brought.’ This admonition agrees with Scriptural warnings to avoid giving vent to anger. (Ps 37:8; Ec 7:9; Mt 5:22; Ga 5:19, 20; Eph 4:31; Jas 1:19) The need to control one’s anger is repeatedly emphasized in the book of Proverbs.—Pr 12:16; 14:17, 29; 15:1; 16:32; 17:14; 19:11, 19; 22:24; 25:28; 29:22.

says Jehovah: Paul is quoting from De 32:35, and the context makes it clear that the words Paul quotes were spoken by Jehovah.—De 31:16, 19, 22, 30; 32:19-34; compare study note on Mt 1:22; see App. C1 and C3 introduction; Ro 12:19.

Jehovah: The quotation that immediately follows in verse 23 is taken from Isa 7:14, where Jehovah is said to be the one giving the sign. (See App. C3 introduction; Mt 1:22.) This is Matthew’s first quote from the Hebrew Scriptures.

if your enemy is hungry: Paul here continues his discussion by quoting from Pr 25:21, 22.

heap fiery coals on his head: This expression is part of wording that Paul draws from Pr 25:21, 22. The proverb that Paul points to as well as his application of it apparently refers to an ancient method used for smelting metal ores. Ore was heated on a bed of coals, and some coals were also heaped on top of the ore. This process melted the ore and caused the pure metal to separate from any impurities. Likewise, showing kindness even toward hostile individuals will tend to soften their attitude and bring out the good in them. This counsel to do good to one’s enemies finds many parallels in the Scriptures. (Ex 23:4, 5; Mt 5:44, 45; Lu 6:27; Ro 12:14) This understanding is further supported by the context of the proverb Paul quoted from, which adds that “Jehovah will reward” the one acting in this way. (Pr 25:22; ftn.) Scholars have different views on the meaning of this metaphor. However, considering the context of Romans, Paul clearly did not mean that the illustrative coals were to inflict punishment on or shame an opposer.

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Romans 12

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NWT | To the Romans 13:1-14

NWT | To the Romans 13:1-14 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 13:1-14

13 Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities,+ for there is no authority except by God;+ the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God.+ ² Therefore, whoever opposes* the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will bring judgment against themselves. ³ For those rulers are an object of fear, not to the good deed, but to the bad.+ Do you want to be free of fear of the authority? Keep doing good,+ and you will have praise from it; ⁴ for it is God’s minister* to you for your good. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear, for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword. It is God’s minister, an avenger to express wrath against the one practicing what is bad. ⁵ There is therefore compelling reason for you to be in subjection, not only on account of that wrath but also on account of your conscience.+ ⁶ That is why you are also paying taxes; for they are God’s public servants constantly serving this very purpose. ⁷ Render to all their dues: to the one who calls for the tax, the tax;+ to the one who calls for the tribute, the tribute; to the one who calls for fear, such fear;+ to the one who calls for honor, such honor.+ ⁸ Do not owe anything to anyone except to love one another;+ for whoever loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law.+ ⁹ For the law code, “You must not commit adultery,+ you must not murder,+ you must not steal,+ you must not covet,”+ and whatever other commandment there is, is summed up in this saying: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”+ ¹⁰ Love does not work evil to one’s neighbor;+ therefore, love is the law’s fulfillment.+ ¹¹ And do this because you know the season, that it is already the hour for you to awake from sleep,+ for now our salvation is nearer than at the time when we became believers. ¹² The night is well along; the day has drawn near. Let us therefore throw off the works belonging to darkness+ and let us put on the weapons of the light.+ ¹³ Let us walk decently+ as in the daytime, not in wild parties and drunkenness, not in immoral intercourse and brazen conduct,+ not in strife and jealousy.+ ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ,+ and do not be planning ahead for the desires of the flesh.+

Footnotes

^ Or “resists.”

^ Lit., “servant.”

Study Notes

person: Or “living person.” Here the Greek word psy·kheʹ, rendered “soul” in some Bible translations, refers to a person.—See Glossary, “Soul.”

the superior authorities: That is, the secular governing authorities. The term here rendered “authorities” is the plural form of the Greek word e·xou·siʹa. Readers of the Greek Septuagint may have been familiar with the way this word was applied to rulerships or dominion. (See Da 7:6, 14, 27; 11:5, where e·xou·siʹa is used to render Hebrew and Aramaic words meaning “authority to rule; rulership; ruling power.”) At Lu 12:11, it is used in the expression “government officials, and authorities.” The Greek term rendered “superior” is related to a word used at 1Ti 2:2 in the expression “kings and all those who are in high positions [or “in positions of authority,” ftn.].” In some contexts, it refers to being in a controlling position, having power or authority over others, but it does not imply being “supreme.” This is shown by the usage at Php 2:3, where Christians are urged to consider others “superior” to themselves, not supreme.

stand placed in their relative positions by God: Lit., “having been set in order they are by God.” That is, by God’s permission. The Greek word tasʹso used here is defined in various lexicons as “to bring about an order of things by arranging; to put in place; to draw up in order; to set in a certain order; to appoint.” The term is rendered “arranged” in some contexts. (Mt 28:16; Ac 15:2; 28:23) At Lu 7:8, Luke uses the same Greek word when rendering an army officer’s words: “I too am a man placed [form of tasʹso] under authority [form of e·xou·siʹa, the same word rendered “authority; authorities” at Ro 13:1-3], having soldiers under me.” This army officer had someone placed over him, and he had “soldiers under” him; so his “authority” was relative in relation to others. This indicates that the Greek word tasʹso does not always simply mean “to put in place.” It can also refer to a certain order in which someone is placed in relation to others. Many translations of Ro 13:1 use such expressions as “ordained of God” or “instituted (established; appointed) by God,” which might give the impression that God is ultimately responsible for installing secular rulers. However, based on the meaning of the Greek word, the immediate context, and what the Bible teaches elsewhere (Pr 21:1; Ec 5:8; Da 4:32; Joh 19:11), the New World Translation uses the expression “stand placed in their relative positions by God.” God allows the secular governments to have “relative” positions of authority, greater or lesser in relation to one another, but always inferior to his own supreme authority as Sovereign of the universe.

the arrangement of God: “The superior authorities” are part of a temporary arrangement permitted by God. (Ro 13:1) The Greek expression used here denotes what God has ordered or directed. These secular authorities are God’s temporary means of maintaining order in human society. But there would be no human authority if God did not permit it. (Joh 19:11) In that sense, the superior authorities have a relative position within God’s purpose. When Paul wrote this letter, the superior authorities affecting Christians were primarily the government of Rome under Emperor Nero, who ruled from 54 to 68 C.E. Paul clearly recognized the need for and the superiority of God’s way of governing. (Ac 28:31; 1Co 15:24) He was simply saying that as long as Jehovah allows human rulership to exist, Christians should respect and accept it as “the arrangement of God.”

it: That is, “the authority.”

were ministering to them: Or “were supporting (providing for) them.” The Greek word di·a·ko·neʹo can refer to caring for the physical needs of others by obtaining, cooking, and serving food, and so forth. It is used in a similar sense at Lu 10:40 (“attend to things”), Lu 12:37 (“minister”), Lu 17:8 (“serve”), and Ac 6:2 (“distribute food”), but it can also refer to all other services of a similar personal nature. Here it describes how the women mentioned in verses 2 and 3 supported Jesus and his disciples, helping them to complete their God-given assignment. By doing so, these women glorified God, who showed his appreciation by preserving in the Bible a record of their merciful generosity for all future generations to read. (Pr 19:17; Heb 6:10) The same Greek term is used about women at Mt 27:55; Mr 15:41.—See study note on Lu 22:26, where the related noun di·aʹko·nos is discussed.

it is God’s minister: This refers to “the authority” mentioned at Ro 13:1-3. This human authority is God’s “minister,” or servant (Greek, di·aʹko·nos), in a particular sense. The Bible sometimes uses this Greek word to refer to “servants; those serving” others. (Mt 22:13; Joh 2:5, 9) The related verb di·a·ko·neʹo (to serve; to attend to; to minister) is also used to describe people performing various personal services for others. (See study note on Lu 8:3.) It is in this sense that the secular authorities can be called a “minister,” or servant. They are God’s minister because he allows them to continue for a time. They render certain services for the good of the people, providing a measure of order and protection against lawlessness. Additionally, the Bible shows that secular authorities have sometimes served as God’s minister in other ways. For example: King Cyrus of Persia called on the Jews to go out of Babylon and rebuild God’s house in Jerusalem. (Ezr 1:1-4; Isa 44:28) Persian King Artaxerxes sent Ezra with a contribution for the rebuilding of that house and later commissioned Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. (Ezr 7:11-26; 8:25-30; Ne 2:1-8) The Roman authority delivered Paul from the mob in Jerusalem, protected him after he was shipwrecked, and allowed him to stay in a rented house while a prisoner until his case could be heard by Caesar.—Ac 21:31, 32; 28:7-10, 30, 31.

the sword: Here referring to the right or power of secular authorities to inflict punishment on those practicing what is bad. When authorities use this power properly, it can be a strong deterrent to crime, contributing to order in society. However, they are responsible to God for how they use this authority. For example, King Herod Antipas had John the Baptist beheaded, abusing this symbolic sword. (Mt 14:1-12) Likewise, King Herod Agrippa I misused his authority by putting “James the brother of John to death by the sword.” (Ac 12:1, 2) If secular rulers try to make Christians act in violation of the Scriptures, they would not be acting as God’s minister.

to express wrath: When a person violates a human law that does not contradict God’s laws, the punishment meted out by the “rulers” is an indirect expression of God’s wrath against the one practicing what is bad. (Ro 13:3) In this context, the Greek expression for “to express wrath” could also be rendered “to bring punishment.”

There is . . . compelling reason: Or “It is . . . necessary.” The Greek word a·nagʹke used here literally means “necessity.” This verse shows that the compelling reason for Christians to obey Caesar’s laws and to pay taxes should be the Christian conscience rather than fear of Caesar’s “sword” of punishment. (See study notes on Ro 13:4.) Therefore, a Christian submits to human governments when a command does not contradict God’s laws.

were ministering: Or “were publicly ministering.” The Greek word lei·tour·geʹo used here and the related words lei·tour·giʹa (public service, or ministry) and lei·tour·gosʹ (public servant, or worker) were used by the ancient Greeks to refer to work or service performed for the State or for civil authorities and to the benefit of the people. For example, at Ro 13:6, the secular authorities are called God’s “public servants” (plural form of lei·tour·gosʹ) in the sense that they provide beneficial services for the people. At Lu 1:23 (see study note), the term lei·tour·giʹa is rendered “holy service” (or, “public service”) regarding the ministry of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. In that verse, the use of the word lei·tour·giʹa reflects how it and related terms are used in the Septuagint in connection with the service performed by priests and Levites at the tabernacle (Ex 28:35; Nu 1:50; 3:31; 8:22) and at the temple (2Ch 31:2; 35:3; Joe 1:9, 13; 2:17). Such service included the idea of a ministry for the benefit of the people. However, the idea of holiness was included in some contexts because the Levitical priests taught God’s Law (2Ch 15:3; Mal 2:7) and offered sacrifices that covered the sins of the people (Le 1:3-5; De 18:1-5). At Ac 13:2, the Greek word lei·tour·geʹo is used in a more general sense, describing the ministering by Christian prophets and teachers in the congregation in Antioch of Syria. The word refers to the different expressions of devotion and service to God, including such aspects of the Christian ministry as prayer, preaching, and teaching. The ministry performed by these prophets and teachers no doubt included preaching to the public.—Ac 13:3.

public servants: The Greek word lei·tour·gosʹ (public servant, or worker) used here and the related words lei·tour·geʹo (to render public service) and lei·tour·giʹa (public service) were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to refer to work or service for the State or for civil authorities that was done for the benefit of the people. (The above-mentioned Greek words are derived from la·osʹ, “people,” and erʹgon, “work.”) Here the secular authorities are called God’s “public servants” (plural form of lei·tour·gosʹ) in the sense that they provide beneficial services for the people. However, in the Christian Greek Scriptures, these Greek terms are frequently used in connection with the temple service and the Christian ministry. For this usage, see study notes on Lu 1:23; Ac 13:2; Ro 15:16.

constantly serving this very purpose: Or “devoting themselves to this very thing.” The secular authorities fulfill their duties as described in the preceding verses, and as “God’s public servants,” they provide beneficial services for the people.

a public servant: The Greek word lei·tour·gosʹ is derived from the words la·osʹ, “people,” and erʹgon, “work.” The word was originally used by the ancient Greeks to refer to a person performing work or service under the civil authorities, usually at personal expense, for the benefit of the people. There was a similar arrangement under the Romans. As used in the Bible, the term usually refers to one who is serving in sacred office. The related term lei·tour·giʹa is frequently used in the Septuagint to refer to “duties” (Nu 7:5) and “service” (Nu 4:28; 1Ch 6:32 [6:17, LXX]) carried out by the priests at the tabernacle and at Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem. Here Paul uses the term lei·tour·gosʹ with regard to himself, “an apostle to the [Gentile] nations” who proclaimed the good news of God. (Ro 11:13) This preaching would be of great benefit to the public, particularly to people of the nations.

Render: Lit., “Give back.” The same Greek verb (a·po·diʹdo·mi) is used at Mt 22:21; Mr 12:17; and Lu 20:25 in the expression “Pay back . . . Caesar’s things to Caesar.”—See study note on Mt 22:21.

commit adultery: That is, commit marital sexual unfaithfulness. In the Bible, adultery refers to voluntary acts of “sexual immorality” between a married person and someone who is not his or her mate.—Compare study note on Mt 5:32, where the term “sexual immorality,” rendered from the Greek word por·neiʹa, is discussed, and study note on Mr 10:11.

commit adultery: See study note on Ro 2:22.

wild parties: Or “revelries.” The Greek word koʹmos occurs three times in the Christian Greek Scriptures and always in an unfavorable sense. (Ga 5:21; 1Pe 4:3) It has been defined as “drinking parties involving unrestrained indulgence in alcoholic beverages and accompanying immoral behavior.” In ancient Greek writings, the word was used in connection with riotous festal street processions that honored pagan gods, such as Dionysus (or Bacchus), the god of wine, with singing until late at night. Such processions and licentious conduct were common in Greek cities of the apostles’ time, including cities of Asia Minor. (1Pe 1:1) Peter addressed his letter to Christians there who had “carried on in acts of . . . unbridled passions, overdrinking, wild parties, drinking bouts, and lawless idolatries” before becoming Christians. (1Pe 4:3, 4) Paul included “wild parties” among “the works of the flesh,” adding that those who indulged in such behavior would “not inherit God’s Kingdom.” (Ga 5:19-21) In verses where the expression “wild parties” occurs, Paul and Peter also list such behavior as drunkenness, immoral intercourse, sexual immorality, uncleanness, brazen conduct, and unbridled passions.

brazen conduct: Or “acts of shameless conduct.” Here the plural form of the Greek word a·selʹgei·a is used. This Greek word denotes conduct that is a serious violation of God’s laws and that reflects a brazen or boldly contemptuous attitude.—See Glossary.

put on the Lord: Or “imitate the qualities (manners) of the Lord.” The Greek word for “put on” literally means “to clothe (dress) oneself.” (Lu 15:22; Ac 12:21) It is here used figuratively in the sense of taking on the characteristics of someone. The same Greek word is used at Col 3:10, 12 in the expression “clothe yourselves with.” Paul’s admonition at Ro 13:14 means that Christians should follow Jesus closely, figuratively clothing themselves with his example and his disposition, striving to be Christlike.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE HOLY SCRIPTURES (STUDY EDITION)

Romans 13

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NWT | To the Romans 14:1-23

NWT | To the Romans 14:1-23 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 14:1-23

14 Welcome the man having weaknesses in his faith,a but do not pass judgment on differing opinions. ² One man has faith to eat everything, but the man who is weak eats only vegetables. ³ Let the one eating not look down on the one not eating, and let the one not eating not judge the one eating,b for God has welcomed him. ⁴ Who are you to judge the servant of another?c To his own master he stands or falls.d Indeed, he will be made to stand, for Jehovah can make him stand. ⁵ One man judges one day as above another;e another judges one day the same as all others;f let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ The one who observes the day observes it to Jehovah. Also, the one who eats, eats to Jehovah, for he gives thanks to God;g and the one who does not eat does not eat to Jehovah, and yet gives thanks to God.h ⁷ Not one of us, in fact, lives with regard to himself only,i and no one dies with regard to himself only. ⁸ For if we live, we live to Jehovah,j and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah.k ⁹ For to this end Christ died and came to life again, so that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.l ¹⁰ But why do you judge your brother?m Or why do you also look down on your brother?n For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.o ¹¹ For it is written: “‘As surely as I live,’p says Jehovah, ‘to me every knee will bend, and every tongue will make open acknowledgment to God.’”q ¹² So, then, each of us will render an account for himself to God.r ¹³ Therefore, let us not judge one another any longers but, rather, be determined not to put a stumbling block or an obstacle before a brother.t ¹⁴ I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself;u only where a man considers something to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁵ For if your brother is being offended because of food, you are no longer walking according to love.v Do not by your food ruin* that one for whom Christ died.w ¹⁶ Therefore, do not let the good you do be spoken of as bad. ¹⁷ For the Kingdom of God does not mean* eating and drinking,x but means* righteousness and peace and joy with holy spirit. ¹⁸ For whoever slaves for Christ in this way is acceptable to God and has approval with men. ¹⁹ So, then, let us pursue the things making for peacey and the things that build one another up.z ²⁰ Stop tearing down the work of God just for the sake of food.a True, all things are clean, but it is detrimental for* a man to eat when it will cause stumbling.b ²¹ It is best not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything over which your brother stumbles.c ²² The faith that you have, keep it to yourself before God. Happy is the man who does not judge himself by what he approves. ²³ But if he has doubts, he is already condemned if he eats, because he does not eat based on faith. Indeed, everything that is not based on faith is sin.

Romans 14

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NWT | To the Romans 15:1-33

NWT | To the Romans 15:1-33 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 15:1-33

15 We, though, who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those not strong,a and not to be pleasing ourselves.b ² Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.c ³ For even the Christ did not please himself,d but just as it is written: “The reproaches of those reproaching you have fallen upon me.”e ⁴ For all the things that were written beforehand were written for our instruction,f so that through our enduranceg and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope.h ⁵ Now may the God who supplies endurance and comfort grant you to have among yourselves the same mental attitude that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that unitedlyi you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁷ So welcome one another,j just as the Christ also welcomed you,k with glory to God in view. ⁸ For I tell you that Christ became a minister of those who are circumcisedl in behalf of God’s truthfulness, so as to verify the promises He made to their forefathers,m ⁹ and that the nations might glorify God for his mercy.n Just as it is written: “That is why I will openly acknowledge you among the nations, and to your name I will sing praises.”o ¹⁰ And again he says: “Be glad, you nations, with his people.”p ¹¹ And again: “Praise Jehovah, all you nations, and let all the peoples praise him.”q ¹² And again Isaiah says: “There will be the root of Jesʹse,r the one arising to rule nations;s on him nations will rest their hope.”t ¹³ May the God who gives hope fill you with all joy and peace by your trusting in him, so that you may abound* in hope with power of holy spirit.u ¹⁴ Now I myself am convinced about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are also full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and that you are able to admonish* one another. ¹⁵ However, I have written to you more outspokenly on some points, so as to give you another reminder, because of the undeserved kindness given to me from God ¹⁶ for me to be a public servant of Christ Jesus to the nations.v I am engaging in the holy work of the good news of God,w so that these nations might be an acceptable offering, sanctified with holy spirit. ¹⁷ So I have reason to exult in Christ Jesus over the things pertaining to God. ¹⁸ For I will not presume to speak about anything except what Christ has done through me in order for the nations to be obedient, by my word and deed, ¹⁹ with the power of signs and wonders,x with the power of God’s spirit, so that from Jerusalem and in a circuit as far as Il·lyrʹi·cum I have thoroughly preached the good news about the Christ.y ²⁰ In this way, indeed, I made it my aim not to declare the good news where the name of Christ had already been made known, so as not to build on another man’s foundation; ²¹ but just as it is written: “Those who received no report about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”z ²² This is also why I was many times hindered from coming to you. ²³ But now I no longer have untouched territory in these regions, and for many* years I have longed to come to you.a ²⁴ Therefore, when I journey to Spain, I hope that I will see you and be accompanied partway there by you after I have first enjoyed your company for a time. ²⁵ But now I am about to travel to Jerusalem to minister to the holy ones.b ²⁶ For those in Mac·e·doʹni·a and A·chaʹia have been pleased to share their things by a contribution to the poor among the holy ones in Jerusalem.c ²⁷ True, they have been pleased to do so, and indeed they were debtors to them; for if the nations have shared in their spiritual things, they also owe it to minister to them with their material things.d ²⁸ So after I have finished with this and have delivered this contribution securely to them, I will depart by way of you for Spain. ²⁹ Moreover, I know that when I do come to you, I will come with a full measure of blessing from Christ.e ³⁰ Now I urge you, brothers, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the spirit, that you exert yourselves with me in prayers to God for me,f ³¹ that I may be rescuedg from the unbelievers in Ju·deʹa and that my ministry in behalf of Jerusalem may prove to be acceptable to the holy ones,h ³² so that by God’s will I will come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you. ³³ May the God who gives peace be with all of you.i Amen.

Romans 15

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures

NWT | To the Romans 16:1-27

NWT | To the Romans 16:1-27 somebody Wed, 09/11/2024 - 11:30 pm

To the Romans 16:1-27

16 I am introducing to you Phoeʹbe, our sister, who is a minister of the congregation that is in Cenʹchre·ae,a ² so that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the holy ones and give her whatever help she may need,b for she herself also proved to be a defender of many, including me. ³ Give my greetings to Prisʹca and Aqʹui·la,c my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, ⁴ who have risked their own necks for med and to whom not only I but also all the congregations of the nations give thanks. ⁵ Also greet the congregation that is in their house.e Greet my beloved E·paeʹne·tus, who is a firstfruits of Asia for Christ. ⁶ Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. ⁷ Greet An·dronʹi·cus and Juʹni·as, my relativesf and fellow prisoners, who are men well-known to the apostles and who have been in union with Christ longer than I have. ⁸ Give my greetings to Am·pli·aʹtus, my beloved in the Lord. ⁹ Greet Ur·baʹnus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Staʹchys. ¹⁰ Greet A·pelʹles, the approved one in Christ. Greet those from the household of A·ris·tobʹu·lus. ¹¹ Greet He·roʹdi·on, my relative. Greet those from the household of Nar·cisʹsus who are in the Lord. ¹² Greet Try·phaeʹna and Try·phoʹsa, women who are working hard in the Lord. Greet Perʹsis, our beloved one, for she has worked hard in the Lord. ¹³ Greet Ruʹfus, the chosen one in the Lord, and his mother and mine. ¹⁴ Greet A·synʹcri·tus, Phleʹgon, Herʹmes, Patʹro·bas, Herʹmas, and the brothers with them. ¹⁵ Greet Phi·lolʹo·gus and Julia, Neʹreus and his sister, and O·lymʹpas, and all the holy ones with them. ¹⁶ Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the congregations of the Christ greet you. ¹⁷ Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who create divisions and causes for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.g ¹⁸ For men of that sort are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattering speech they seduce the hearts of unsuspecting ones.h ¹⁹ Your obedience has come to the notice of all, and so I rejoice over you.i But I want you to be wise as to what is good, but innocent as to what is evil.j ²⁰ For his part, the God who gives peace will crush Satank under your feet shortly. May the undeserved kindness of our Lord Jesus be with you. ²¹ Timothy,l my fellow worker, greets you, and so do Lucius, Jaʹson, and So·sipʹa·ter, my relatives.m ²² I, Terʹtius, who have done the writing of this letter, greet you in the Lord. ²³ Gaʹius,n host to me and to all the congregation, greets you. E·rasʹtus, the city treasurer, greets you, and so does Quarʹtus, his brother. ²⁴ —— ²⁵ Now to Him who can make you firm according to the good news I declare and* the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the sacred secreto that has been kept in silence for long-lasting times ²⁶ but has now been made manifest* and has been made known through the prophetic Scriptures among all the nations according to the command of the everlasting God to promote obedience by faith; ²⁷ to God, who alone is wise,p be the glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.

Romans 16

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New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures