Mark 7 Cross References - JMNT

¹ Now [one day] the Pharisees and some of the scribes (men learned in the Scriptures; Torah-teachers; theologians), upon coming from Jerusalem, are proceeding in being gathered together, facing toward Him. ² And at seeing (perceiving; noticing) that some of His disciples are in the midst of eating the loaves (bread; = their meal) with ritually unclean (defiled or contaminated from common use) – that is, unwashed – hands, they found fault (or: complained). ³ For, you see, the Pharisees and all the Jews [i.e., those who adhere to the practices of the Jewish culture] are not in the habit of eating, unless they can (or: should) ceremonially wash [their] hands up to the wrist (or, perhaps: up to the elbow with a fistful of water; [Aleph & other MSS instead read: frequently]) – continuing to keep a strong hold on the traditions of the elders (also = the men of former times). ⁴ Even when returning from a marketplace, they are not in the habit of eating unless they can (or: should; would) ritually sprinkle or dip (= wash; baptize) themselves – and there are many other similar things which they accepted and take to their sides to be constantly holding fast: immersions (baptisms; = washings; ritual sprinklings) of cups and pitchers and copper vessels (or: bronze utensils), and of couches (beds; mats). ⁵ So both the Pharisees and the scribes continued with a question to Him: "Why are your disciples not continuing to walk (= conduct themselves; order their manner of living) in accord with and corresponding to the tradition of the Elders (the older men; the men of former times), but to the contrary they continue to eat the bread (= the meal) with ritually unclean (unwashed; common) hands?" ⁶ Yet He insightfully and decidedly said to them, "Isaiah beautifully (aptly; ideally) prophesies (or: prophesied) about (or: concerning) you the overly judging and critical folks (hupokrites; or: those who put texts under close inspection to sift and separate and then give an answer, an interpretation, an opinion; or: those who live by separating things yet who under-discern; or: those who make judgments from a low view; or: those who under-estimate reality; or: perverse scholars who focus on tiny distinctions), as it has been written [D reads: and said]: 'This people continues honoring Me with [their] lips, yet their heart is habitually distant (continues holding [itself] far) from Me. ⁷ 'But they habitually venerate Me (show Me adoration and reverence in worship and pious deeds) futilely (uselessly; ineffectually; fruitlessly; in vain), repeatedly teaching the results of men's directions (or: the effects of human commands, ordinances, precepts and implanted goals) for "teaching".' [Isa. 29:13] ⁸ "Abandoning (Sending off; Divorcing; Letting go) the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive) of and from God, you folks continuously keep a strong hold on the traditions of and from men." [some MSS add: – baptisms (= ceremonial washings) of pots (pitchers, jugs) and cups, and you are constantly doing many other similar things of this sort] ⁹ Further, He went on to say to them, "You men keep on beautifully (adroitly) setting aside God's implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive and purposed destiny) so that you can keep and maintain your tradition, ¹⁰ "For instance, Moses said, 'Be habitually honoring and constantly expressing value for your father and your mother,' [Ex. 20:12] and, 'Let the one habitually saying something worthless, of bad quality, corrupt, or evil to or about father or mother progressively come to an end by (or: in) death (or: = be put to death).' [Ex. 21:17] ¹¹ "Yet you folks are yourselves constantly saying [that] a person (a man) can at any time say to father or mother, 'Whatever of mine by which you might have been helped or benefited [is] Corban (or: a korban; = an oblation, offering or sacrifice) ' – which is an approach present (a gift dedicated to God and usable for no other purpose). ¹² "You continue allowing him to no longer do a single thing (or: And so you people still continue releasing him to do nothing) for father or mother! ¹³ "This is habitually invalidating (depriving of lordship; making void of authority) the Word of God (God's Logos; God's thought and idea; God's message) by (or: in) your tradition which you folks give over (= handed down) – and you are constantly doing many such things of this kind (or: repeatedly performing many such similar [rituals] along this line)." ¹⁴ So, calling the crowd to Himself again, He began saying to them, "Everyone listen to Me (or: Hear Me – all of you folks –), and understand (or: let it flow together so as to get the meaning). ¹⁵ "There is nothing (not even one thing) from outside a person (a human) which, progressively entering into him, continues having power (is continuing able) to make him ritually defiled or unclean (or: can contaminate him or make him common). But to the contrary, the things habitually issuing forth from out of the person (human) – these things are habitually ritually defiling (contaminating; making common and unclean) the person (humanity). [comment: cf Hag. 2:4-19; here is a reverse-contagion: the Land is clean by the Spirit] ¹⁶ "If anyone continues having ears to hear, let him continue hearing (or: listening; or: = If someone can hear, let him pay attention to and obey what he is hearing)." ¹⁷ Now when He entered into a [other MSS: the] house, away from the crowd, His disciples began asking (or: inquiring of) Him about (concerning) the parable (the comparative illustration). ¹⁸ So He is then saying to them, "Do you people also thus continue being without understanding (a flowing together for perception and comprehension)? Are you folks still continuing to not use your mind and intellect (to not think or consider) so as to perceive and comprehend that nothing proceeding to enter into the person (human) continues having power or ability to ritually defile him (contaminate, pollute or make him common or unclean), ¹⁹ because it is not passing on into his heart, but rather, into the stomach and intestines (the cavity), and then proceeds to pass out into the toilet (evacuation seat; latrine)?" – [He is] proceeding in cleansing (making ritually clean) all foods! ²⁰ Further, He continued saying, "The thing normally issuing forth from out of midst of the person (human): that thing habitually contaminates the person (makes the person ritually polluted, unclean and common), ²¹ "for, from inside of the person (man; human) – from out of the midst of the heart – the worthless reasonings (base conversations; dialogues of poor quality; evil thoughts and schemes; bad ideas and designs) constantly issue forth: [for example], prostitutions, acts of sexual immorality or involvements in fornication; thefts; murders; ²² "adulteries; situations of wanting more than one's share (thoughts of greed; feelings of coveting), bad conditions which bring pain, gushes of misery, anguish or hard labor (or: acts of wickedness; malicious deeds; evil doings); bait to catch someone with deceit, treachery, guile or fraud; loose conduct (indecency); an evil eye (= a focus toward malice or mischief); villainous and light-hindering slander, harmful and abusive speech, or blasphemy; pride, arrogance and haughtiness; acting without thinking (or: imprudence; unreasonableness; inconsiderateness; lack of purpose; folly). ²³ "All these bad situations and misery-causing things are habitually issuing forth from within, and repeatedly contaminate the person (continuously make the human common, polluted and ritually unclean)." ²⁴ Now from there (or: from that place [= that house]), after rising up, He went off (or: away) into the regions (or: territories; districts) of Tyre and Sidon. Then, upon entering into a house, He was intending that no one was to know it (i.e., to learn that He was there). Even so, He continued unable to escape notice or to elude [them]. ²⁵ On the contrary, at once upon hearing about Him, a woman – whose little daughter continued having an unclean spirit (or: was still holding in impure breath-effect; was yet having a vicious and unpruned attitude; was continuing to hold a disposition which reeked of dirt, refuse and the contents of a grave) – upon entering, immediately prostrates (falls forward) toward His feet. ²⁶ Now the woman was a Greek (or: a Greek-speaking Gentile of the Hellenist culture; = a pagan) – a Syrophoenician by birth (= a native of Syro-Phoenicia) – and she kept on begging Him that He would cast out (expel) the demon (Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influence) forth from the midst of her daughter. ²⁷ Yet Jesus began saying to her, "First allow (or: Let it flow off first for) the Children to be fed until satisfied, for it is not appropriate (good form; ideal; fine; beautiful) to take the bread of (or: which belongs to; from) the Children and to throw [it] to the little house dogs (or: pet dogs; puppies)." ²⁸ Now she considered a reply, and then says to Him, "Yes, Lord (or: Sir; Master), and yet [with other MSS: O Lord, even] the little house dogs underneath the table are normally eating from the crumbs (morsels; scraps) of the little children (or: young servants)." ²⁹ At that He said to her, "Because of this idea (thought; word; saying; = that remark), go! The demon (= spiritual influence) has gone forth from out of the midst of your daughter." ³⁰ So, after going away unto her house, she found the young girl [with other MSS: her daughter] prostrate, having been laid upon the bed (couch; mat) – the demon (= inner malady) having completely gone out. ³¹ Then, again, upon coming out from the boundaries (territories) of Tyre, He went through [those of] Sidon unto the sea of the Galilee [district], on up to the midst of the regions (boundaries; territories) of Decapolis [or, with p45, A & other MSS: going out from the midst of the regions of Tyre and Sidon, He went into the sea of Galilee {district}, amidst the territories of {the} Decapolis {note: Greek cities}]. ³² Here folks proceeded bringing to Him a man with blunted hearing (= deaf) who also had some speech impediment, and they are continuing to call Him to their side, entreating Him so that He would place [His] hand upon him. ³³ So, taking him away from the crowd privately, He thrusts His fingers into his ears, and, upon spitting, He touched his tongue [with the spittle] (or: took hold of his tongue; or: brought [it] in contact with his tongue), so as to activate it. ³⁴ Then, looking up into the sky and atmosphere (or: the heaven), He groaned (or: sighs; or: took a deep breath) and is then saying to him, "Ephphatha [note: an Aramaic word]," which is, "Be thoroughly opened up!" ³⁵ And his hearing abilities were at once opened up, and the bond (fetter; thing of the binding) of his tongue was loosed (or: destroyed), and he began speaking normally (correctly; in a straight and upright way). ³⁶ And with that He Himself made full arrangements with them, cautioning them to the end that they could (or: should) be then telling no one; yet, as much as He kept on making these arrangements for them, cautioning them, they themselves much more kept on proclaiming it publicly to a greater degree. ³⁷ Indeed, they kept on being superexceedingly amazed and astonished beyond all bounds, repeatedly saying, "He has done all things beautifully (has made everything ideally and finely): even the sensory blunted (or: deaf) ones He continues making to be habitually hearing, and speechless (mute) ones to be constantly speaking!"

¹⁸ Now while proceeding in walking along Lake Galilee (or: the Sea of Galilee), He saw two brothers, Simon – the one commonly called Peter – and Andrew, his brother, repeatedly casting a purse net into the lake (or: sea). You see, they were by habit fishers (or: fishermen) [for earning a livelihood].

²⁵ Consequently many and huge crowds followed Him – from the Galilee [province] and Decapolis (the Ten Cities; a league of cities east of the Jordan) and Jerusalem and Judea, as well as [from] the other side of the Jordan [River] (or: Transjordan).

³ "The destitute folks [are] happy in spirit and attitude, because the reign of the heavens is continually belonging to, and made up of, them (or: Blessed [are] those dependent for support on the Spirit, for the kingdom from the sky and the atmosphere is continuing to pertain to them; The people who need to beg for sustenance [are made] happy by the Breath-effect because the effect of the sovereignty of the heavens is being a source in and for them; The financially poor folks [exist being] happy with an attitude that the sovereign influence and activity from the atmospheres continuously exists with reference to them)!

¹⁷ "You folks should not infer from customary presumption or from established supposition that I came to loosen-down or demolish the Law (or: Torah) or the Prophets. I did not come to loosen-down or demolish, but to the contrary, to fulfill (or: fill up; make full; bring fullness), ¹⁸ "for assuredly (or: amen; it is so), I am here saying to you people, until the heaven and the earth (or: the sky and the land) could ever go by and pass away, one iota (the smallest Greek letter) or one horn-like projection (diacritical mark, such as an accent or breathing mark, or part of a Heb. letter; a serif; = the smallest detail) can by any means pass away from the Law [= Torah] – UNTIL all things can birth themselves (or: should occur; may happen)! ¹⁹ "Whoever, then, should loosen [even] one of the least of these the implanted goals (impartations of the finished product within; inward directives) – and should teach humans (people) to that effect – he will repeatedly be called "least" (or: a least one; or: = insignificant) within the reign of the heavens (or: the kingdom which pertains to the atmosphere and [reaches] the sky). Yet, whoever may practice (or: should perform and do) as well as teach – this person will continue being called "great" within the reign of the heavens (the kingdom which pertains to the atmosphere and [reaches] the sky). ²⁰ "You see, I am here saying to you people that if your fairness and equity ([covenantal] justice, rightwisedness, and right relationships which conform to the Way pointed out) should not habitually exceed and abound more than [that] of the scribes (experts in the Law; scholars; theologians) and Pharisees, in no way can you folks enter into the reign of the heavens (or: the kingdom which is, and pertains to, the heavens; the sovereign rule of the atmospheres)!

⁴⁵ "so that (by what means) you folks can be birthed (may come to be) sons of your Father – the One within [the] atmosphere and in union with [the] heavens – because He is repeatedly making His sun to rise back up again upon bad (evil; wicked; worthless) folks as well as [upon] good (virtuous) folks, and He is habitually sending rain upon fair and equitable people (those in right relationship; those within the Way pointed out; just ones; rightwised ones) as well as [upon] unfair and inequitable people (those not in right relationship; those not in the Way pointed out; unjust folks).

⁷ "Now during praying, you folks should not babble (or: make repetitious utterances; stack up meaningless phrases; or: stutter; speak without thinking; use empty words) – even as those of the ethnic multitudes (pagans; nations). You see, they habitually imagine and continuously suppose that in their much speaking (or: using many words; or: saying the same thing many times) they will be fully heard and really listened to.

²³ "Yet if your eye should continue being in a bad condition (or: wicked; perhaps = diseased or cloudy; may suggest stinginess or being grudging), your whole body will continue being (will continuously exist being) dark (or: in the dark; full of darkness). If, then, the light [which is] within the midst of you is darkness (or: continually exists being dimness and lack of Light), how thick [is] the darkness (or: how great and extensive [will be] the obscurity and gloom of that area of shadows)!

³ "Now why are you constantly or repeatedly looking at the speck (splinter of shriveled wood; small piece of straw) – the one in your brother's eye (= the small thing hindering the ability of your friend or fellow believer to see)! – and yet you are not continuing to fully consider and carefully think about the rafter (beam of wood; shaft of timber) in your own eye? ⁴ "Or how will you folks proceed in declaring to your brother, 'Allow [me], I can extract the speck (splinter) from your eye' – and now consider as you look! – a rafter (log; beam) [is] within the midst of your own eye? ⁵ "O hyper-critical one [cf 6:2, above]! First extract the rafter (log; plank) from out of your own eye, and then you will proceed to be seeing clearly to extract the speck (splinter) from out of your brother's eye. ⁶ "You folks should not give the set-apart (holy; sacred) things to the dogs, neither should you throw your pearls in front of the pigs (hogs; swine), lest at some time they will step on them and trample them down with their feet – and then, upon turning around, they might break forth on you folks and rip you up (tear you in pieces).

⁴ Then Jesus continues saying to him, "See here. You may not tell [this] to even one person, but rather, proceed to depart, leading [yourself] under [this word]. [Then] show yourself to the priest and offer the gift which Moses arranged with a view to [this situation, which leads] into a witness to them and provides evidence for [everyone]."

⁹ "You see, I too am myself (or: even I, myself, am) a person (a man) being set in a continued arrangement under authority – continuing in holding (having) soldiers under me – and I normally say to this one, 'Go your way,' and he proceeds going his way; and to another one, 'Proceed coming,' and he proceeds coming, and to my slave, 'Do this,' and by habit he is doing [it]." ¹⁰ Now at hearing [that], Jesus was astounded (was amazed; marvels) and said to those following after Him, "Truly I am saying to you folks, with no one in Israel do I find so much faith [as this]! (or: I did not find such great trust and confidence at the side of even one person within the midst of Israel!). ¹¹ "Now I further say to you that many people from eastern lands, as well as western regions, will continue arriving. And they will one-after-another be made to recline [and dine] with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, within the reign and sovereign rule of the heavens (or: the kingdom of the atmospheres). ¹² "Yet the 'sons of the kingdom (or: reign; = those who were in line to inherit the kingdom; or: = those who were supposed to manifest its reign)' will be progressively thrown out into the external darkness (external obscurity of the shadows). There [= outside the banqueting building] it will continue be 'weeping and grinding of teeth' (or: The crying and the gnashing of teeth will be in that [outdoor] place, or situation)." [note: grinding/gnashing of teeth = either regret, or anger] ¹³ So Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! In the same way that you trusted, let it come to be for you (or: Just as you believe, let it be birthed and happen with you)!" And so the orderly (manservant; servant boy) was healed and made whole in that hour.

⁴ And having seen and thus perceiving (knowing) their inner emotions (the rushing of thoughts and sentiments within them), Jesus said, "To what end or purpose? You men are constantly having inward rushings of bad thoughts and unprofitable sentiments within the midst of your hearts.

²⁸ So upon His coming into the house (may = went indoors; or = arrived home), the blind men came forward to (or: approached) Him, and Jesus then says to them, "Do you men continue having faith and are you believing that I am able and continue having power to do this?" They are [both] then saying, "Yes, O Lord (or: Yes, Master; or: Yes, sir)."

³² So in the midst of their going out (leaving) – look and consider this! – people brought to Him a person affected by a demon (= spiritual influence) with the result that he was unable to speak. ³³ And then, upon the demon (Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influence) being thrown out, the "mute man" spoke! And the crowds were amazed and filled with wonder, one after another saying, "Never was it thus seen (or: was it shown in light to be made visible in this way) within Israel!"

⁵ Jesus commissioned and sent off these, the twelve, upon passing on announcements and instructions to them, continuing in saying, "You men should not go off into the roads or paths of ethnic multitudes ([the] nations; the non-Israelites; or: pagan ways), and you should not enter into a Samaritan city.

⁵ "The blind folks are habitually seeing again, and the lame and crippled folks are continually walking about. The lepers are one-after-another being cleansed, and deaf people are habitually hearing. [Isa. 35:5-6] Even dead people are one-by-one being awakened and raised up [Isa. 26:14] – and the poor folks, the destitute ones, are continually having the good news of ease and wellness announced to them. [Isa. 61:1]

¹⁵ "Let the person now having ears to continue hearing, continue listening and hearing (or: = pay attention)!

²¹ "Tragic will be your fate, Chorazin! Tragic will be your fate, Bethsaida! Because if the powers and abilities being birthed and happening within you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, long ago they would in sackcloth and ashes (= humility and regretful sorrow) have changed their minds and way of thinking, and would have turned to God.

³⁴ "Offspring ([You] effects of the births) of poisonous snakes (vipers; serpents; [comment: perhaps equating them to satan])! How are you able to habitually say good and virtuous things, being inherently good-for-nothing and useless folks (being worthless and knavish; being folks in a sorry plight and oppressed by grievous toils; existing being base and wicked; continuously being ones characterized by evil)? You see, from out of the midst of the effect of the excess from the heart's surrounding abundance, the mouth is continually speaking.

³⁴ "Offspring ([You] effects of the births) of poisonous snakes (vipers; serpents; [comment: perhaps equating them to satan])! How are you able to habitually say good and virtuous things, being inherently good-for-nothing and useless folks (being worthless and knavish; being folks in a sorry plight and oppressed by grievous toils; existing being base and wicked; continuously being ones characterized by evil)? You see, from out of the midst of the effect of the excess from the heart's surrounding abundance, the mouth is continually speaking. ³⁵ "The good and virtuous person is habitually extracting and spurting out good and virtuous things from out of the midst of the Good and Virtuous Treasure-house. And yet the good-for-nothing and useless person is continuously extracting and spurting out worthless, oppressive, knavish, base, wicked and evil things from out of the mist of the worthless treasure-house. ³⁶ "Now I continue saying to you folks that [for] every ineffective and unproductive (idle and unemployed; thus: unprofitable) effect of a gush or result of some flow (or: thing spoken; saying; declaration) which people will be speaking, they will continue giving back (rendering) an account (a word; a thought; an idea) concerning it, within a day of separating and deciding (or: judging). ³⁷ "For you see, from out of your words (or: verbal expressions; ideas and thoughts) you [individually] will be progressively brought into right relationship (rightwised and made fair) within the Way pointed out; and from out of your words (expressed thoughts and ideas) you [individually] will continue having actions brought down on you from out of the Way pointed out (or: be opposed by fairness, equity and right relationships; or: be convicted)."

¹⁰ Then, approaching, the disciples said to Him, "Why (Through what [purpose; motive]) are you continuing to speak to them in parables (here: = illustrative riddles; = Hebrew masal)?"

³⁶ At that time, after leaving the crowds, He went into the house. And then His disciples approached Him, one after another saying, "Make the parable (illustration) of the weeds (darnel) of the field thoroughly clear and distinct for (or: to) us (= explain it so that we can plainly understand it)."

¹ At that time, Pharisees and scribes (scholars and theologians of the Law) from Jerusalem progressively made an approach to Jesus, [and as a group] were saying, ² "Why (= Through what reason or situation) are your disciples habitually side-stepping (thus, deviating from) the tradition of the Elders? For example, they are not regularly washing [their] hands [to make them ritually clean] whenever they may be periodically eating bread (= a meal)."

² "Why (= Through what reason or situation) are your disciples habitually side-stepping (thus, deviating from) the tradition of the Elders? For example, they are not regularly washing [their] hands [to make them ritually clean] whenever they may be periodically eating bread (= a meal)."

² "Why (= Through what reason or situation) are your disciples habitually side-stepping (thus, deviating from) the tradition of the Elders? For example, they are not regularly washing [their] hands [to make them ritually clean] whenever they may be periodically eating bread (= a meal)." ³ So He, giving a decided reply, said to them, "Why (or: Through what situation or reasoning) are you people habitually side-stepping and deviating from God's implanted goals (impartation of the finished product within; inward directives) through your tradition?

³ So He, giving a decided reply, said to them, "Why (or: Through what situation or reasoning) are you people habitually side-stepping and deviating from God's implanted goals (impartation of the finished product within; inward directives) through your tradition? ⁴ "For God said, 'Be habitually honoring and expressing value for the father and the mother,' [Ex. 20:12] and, 'The person habitually saying a bad, ugly or worthless word or message to or concerning (= verbally abusing) father or mother, let him progressively come to fruition (or: reach his end; be finished) in (or: by) death.' [Ex. 21:17]

⁴ "For God said, 'Be habitually honoring and expressing value for the father and the mother,' [Ex. 20:12] and, 'The person habitually saying a bad, ugly or worthless word or message to or concerning (= verbally abusing) father or mother, let him progressively come to fruition (or: reach his end; be finished) in (or: by) death.' [Ex. 21:17]

⁴ "For God said, 'Be habitually honoring and expressing value for the father and the mother,' [Ex. 20:12] and, 'The person habitually saying a bad, ugly or worthless word or message to or concerning (= verbally abusing) father or mother, let him progressively come to fruition (or: reach his end; be finished) in (or: by) death.' [Ex. 21:17] ⁵ "Yet you, yourselves, are habitually maintaining, 'Whoever may at some point say to the father or the mother, "Whatever from me should have benefited or helped you [is now] a 'gift' [cf "Corban," Mark 7:11; meaning: a gift to God; i.e., it is consecrated for God's use, and can at any time be claimed for Temple use, and is thus unusable for any other purpose],

⁵ "Yet you, yourselves, are habitually maintaining, 'Whoever may at some point say to the father or the mother, "Whatever from me should have benefited or helped you [is now] a 'gift' [cf "Corban," Mark 7:11; meaning: a gift to God; i.e., it is consecrated for God's use, and can at any time be claimed for Temple use, and is thus unusable for any other purpose],

⁵ "Yet you, yourselves, are habitually maintaining, 'Whoever may at some point say to the father or the mother, "Whatever from me should have benefited or helped you [is now] a 'gift' [cf "Corban," Mark 7:11; meaning: a gift to God; i.e., it is consecrated for God's use, and can at any time be claimed for Temple use, and is thus unusable for any other purpose], ⁶ "'he shall by no means honor [a request for help from] his father (= he will be rid of the duty to honor his father; or: he will not [in this] be not honoring his father).' And thus you people at once invalidate (make void of authority; cancel and make of no effect) God's idea, word and message through you tradition!

⁶ "'he shall by no means honor [a request for help from] his father (= he will be rid of the duty to honor his father; or: he will not [in this] be not honoring his father).' And thus you people at once invalidate (make void of authority; cancel and make of no effect) God's idea, word and message through you tradition!

⁶ "'he shall by no means honor [a request for help from] his father (= he will be rid of the duty to honor his father; or: he will not [in this] be not honoring his father).' And thus you people at once invalidate (make void of authority; cancel and make of no effect) God's idea, word and message through you tradition! ⁷ " [You] perverse scholars who in micro-scrutinizing make decisions from a low position [see ch. 6:2]! Isaiah beautifully and aptly prophesies about (or: concerning) you folks, continually saying,

⁷ " [You] perverse scholars who in micro-scrutinizing make decisions from a low position [see ch. 6:2]! Isaiah beautifully and aptly prophesies about (or: concerning) you folks, continually saying, ⁸ -720 'This people habitually honor Me with [their] lips, yet it constantly holds their heart far away from Me (or: yet their heart continuously holds [itself] off, distant from Me).

⁸ -720 'This people habitually honor Me with [their] lips, yet it constantly holds their heart far away from Me (or: yet their heart continuously holds [itself] off, distant from Me). ⁹ 'So they habitually revere Me and commit acts of devotion to Me in vain (to no profit; fruitlessly), repeatedly giving instruction concerning teachings [that are] directions coming from mankind (or: constantly teaching for " [the] teachings" [the] results of inner goals and commands of humans {or: man made rules}).'" [Isa. 29:13]

⁹ 'So they habitually revere Me and commit acts of devotion to Me in vain (to no profit; fruitlessly), repeatedly giving instruction concerning teachings [that are] directions coming from mankind (or: constantly teaching for " [the] teachings" [the] results of inner goals and commands of humans {or: man made rules}).'" [Isa. 29:13]

⁹ 'So they habitually revere Me and commit acts of devotion to Me in vain (to no profit; fruitlessly), repeatedly giving instruction concerning teachings [that are] directions coming from mankind (or: constantly teaching for " [the] teachings" [the] results of inner goals and commands of humans {or: man made rules}).'" [Isa. 29:13] ¹⁰ With that, upon calling the crowd to Himself, He said to them, "Be constantly listening, so as to hear. And let things flow together, so as to understand:

¹⁰ With that, upon calling the crowd to Himself, He said to them, "Be constantly listening, so as to hear. And let things flow together, so as to understand: ¹¹ "The things normally and habitually entering into the mouth do not repeatedly make the person unclean (common; contaminated; defiled; polluted). To the contrary, [it is] the things habitually emerging and flowing forth from out of the mouth – this is constantly making the person contaminated (unclean; common)!" ¹² At that point, after approaching, the disciples proceed saying to Him, "Did You see, or are You aware, that the Pharisees were caused to trip the bait stick and stumble into [their own] trap (or: were snared and offended; perhaps: were horrified) at hearing [that] thought and idea (or: the word; the message; = that remark)?" ¹³ Yet He, giving a decided reply, said, "Every plant, which My Father – the heavenly One (or: the One Who inhabits, and can be compared to, the atmosphere) – did not plant, will be pulled out by the roots. ¹⁴ "Abandon them at once! (other choices: Divorce them; Let them flow away; Leave them; Leave them [alone]; Send them away; Let them go!) They exist being blind guides of the Path (or: blind leaders of the Way). Now if a blind person should ever lead or guide [another] blind person, both people will proceed to be falling into a pit!" ¹⁵ Now Peter, after trying to separate the elements of the discourse and to discern the meaning of what He had spoken, said to Him, "Expound the parable in distinct terms and explain the meaning to (or: for) us (or: Tell us plainly the interpretation of the illustration)."

¹⁵ Now Peter, after trying to separate the elements of the discourse and to discern the meaning of what He had spoken, said to Him, "Expound the parable in distinct terms and explain the meaning to (or: for) us (or: Tell us plainly the interpretation of the illustration)." ¹⁶ So Jesus said, "At this point in time, do you folks, as well, continue being unable to let things flow together, and are you without comprehension?

¹⁶ So Jesus said, "At this point in time, do you folks, as well, continue being unable to let things flow together, and are you without comprehension?

¹⁶ So Jesus said, "At this point in time, do you folks, as well, continue being unable to let things flow together, and are you without comprehension? ¹⁷ "Are you not habitually using your minds and your intelligence to carefully think, that everything normally and habitually flowing into the mouth is progressively moving on into the stomach and then the intestines, and later is periodically discharged (or: thrust out) into a toilet or a sewer?

¹⁷ "Are you not habitually using your minds and your intelligence to carefully think, that everything normally and habitually flowing into the mouth is progressively moving on into the stomach and then the intestines, and later is periodically discharged (or: thrust out) into a toilet or a sewer?

¹⁷ "Are you not habitually using your minds and your intelligence to carefully think, that everything normally and habitually flowing into the mouth is progressively moving on into the stomach and then the intestines, and later is periodically discharged (or: thrust out) into a toilet or a sewer? ¹⁸ "Yet the things constantly emerging and flowing forth out of the mouth are continually coming forth from out of the midst of the heart (the core of the individual; the self as a whole, at its deepest level, which is the individual's animating and driving force [note: I owe these last phrases to Marcus Borg, The Heart of Christianity]) – and those things continually make the person contaminated, defiled, ceremonially unclean and common. ¹⁹ "For example, from out of the heart (the core of our being) habitually come forth worthless reasonings (wicked designs; considerations having a bad quality; miserable and laborious dialogues and arguments), murders, adulteries, fornications and prostitutions, sexual immoralities (fornications; prostitutions), thefts, false testimonies (or: false presentations of evidence), blasphemies (malicious slanders; abusive misrepresentations).

¹⁹ "For example, from out of the heart (the core of our being) habitually come forth worthless reasonings (wicked designs; considerations having a bad quality; miserable and laborious dialogues and arguments), murders, adulteries, fornications and prostitutions, sexual immoralities (fornications; prostitutions), thefts, false testimonies (or: false presentations of evidence), blasphemies (malicious slanders; abusive misrepresentations). ²⁰ "These continue being the things that are making the person contaminated (unclean; defiled; common) – yet to eat a meal with unwashed hands does not make the person common, contaminated or unclean!" ²¹ So next, upon going out from that place, Jesus withdrew back into the parts (= districts) of Tyre and Sidon. ²² And then – look and consider! – a Canaanite (= Phoenician) woman from the boundaries of those regions, upon coming out [to Him], cried out, repeatedly saying, "O Lord (Master) – Son of David – mercy me right now (or: extend the effects of compassion to me quickly)! My daughter is being repeatedly affected in an ugly way by demons (or: is incessantly badly-demonized [Hellenistic term, concept and belief: = affected by animism])!"

²² And then – look and consider! – a Canaanite (= Phoenician) woman from the boundaries of those regions, upon coming out [to Him], cried out, repeatedly saying, "O Lord (Master) – Son of David – mercy me right now (or: extend the effects of compassion to me quickly)! My daughter is being repeatedly affected in an ugly way by demons (or: is incessantly badly-demonized [Hellenistic term, concept and belief: = affected by animism])!" ²³ But He did not give a word of decision or reply to her. Then His disciples, upon approaching, began making a request to Him, saying, "Set her free, and then dismiss her, because she keeps on crying out behind us." ²⁴ Yet He, making a discerning reply, said, "I was not commissioned and sent off as an emissary (representative) – except into the midst of those sheep having been destroyed, the ones that belong to the house of Israel (or: unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel)." ²⁵ Yet she, upon coming, continued paying Him homage by kneeling down and with obeisance kissing toward Him, even reverently kissing His feet, repeatedly saying, "O Lord (or: Master; Sir), be now running to my aid and continue to give help to me!" ²⁶ Now He, responding from discernment, said, "It is not proper or ideal (thus, it is not an act of beauty) to take the children's bread and to throw it to the little pet dogs!" ²⁷ So the [woman] said, "Yes, sir. And yet... you see... the little pet dogs and puppies habitually eat from the crumbs which are constantly falling from their owner's (or: master's) table!" ²⁸ At that point Jesus, in making a decided reply, said to her, "O woman (or: O dear lady), your trust, faith and confidence [are] great! Let it at once come to be and happen just as you continue intending and desiring." And so, from that hour, her daughter was cured and healed. ²⁹ Next, re-directing His steps from out of that place, Jesus went along the lake (or: sea) of Galilee. Then, after walking up into the mountain (or: hill country), He sat down and was continuing sitting there. ³⁰ Then many crowds came toward Him, [they] having with them, or continuing in holding, lame and crippled folks, blind people, maimed and deformed ones or those with crooked [bodies], mute folks, as well as many [people with] different [maladies], and they deposited (as it were, tossed) them near His feet – and He tended, attentively served, gave treatment to, began therapy with, prescribed ongoing treatment for, or cured and healed them, ³¹ so that the crowd marveled with rapture and amazement – consecutively seeing mute ones speaking and lame ones walking around, then blind folks now seeing – and they gave credit to the God of Israel, enhancing His reputation.

¹¹ "How [is it that] you men are not using your heads to understand that I did not speak to you about (or: concerning) loaves of bread? Now continue holding your focus and be attentive to keep away from the leaven (yeast) which belongs to, comes from and characterizes the Pharisees and Sadducees!"

¹⁵ "'Is it not allowed by law and custom for me to do that which I continue wanting and intending, in [regard] to my own things? Or does your eye continue being worthless (= is your way of viewing things knavish, base, unsound and in a poor condition, or even malicious and degenerate) because I, myself, continue being good (virtuous; = having generous and benevolent qualities)?'

¹³ "And so, tragic will be the fate for you, scribes (scholars; theologians; Law experts) and Pharisees – [you] overly critical and perverse folks who make decisions from a low point of view [see: 6:2, above]! – because you consistently shut and lock up the reign of the heavens in front of mankind (or: the sovereign rule of the atmospheres, which is in the presence of people; or: the activity and influence of the realm of the sky and heaven which is resident within, and moves toward, humans; or: the kingdom moving from within the midst and face to face with people). For you, yourselves habitually do not enter, nor yet are you by practice allowing (or: letting flow on) those repeatedly coming into [your realm of influence] to continue to go in. ¹⁴ [This vs. is omitted by Nestle-Aland, W&H, Tasker, and Panin; Griesbach makes it vs. 13, and brackets, as 14, vs. 13, above; it is absent in the early codices; it is included in the Byzantine/Majority text (TR), based only upon later MSS: "It will be a tragic fate for you, scribes and Pharisees – hupokrites (see 6:2, above)! For you constantly consume (eat down; devour; swallow up) the houses belonging to widows (or: the households of widows), and then continue praying a long [time], for a disguise (as a pretext). Because of this you will receive a more abundant effect of judgment.] ¹⁵ "It will be a tragic fate for you, scribes and Pharisees – perverse scholars who live by separation and have all the answers [see 6:2, above]! Because you habitually go around the sea and dry [land] to make one convert (proselyte), and whenever he may become (should be birthed) [one], you proceed making him a son of the valley of Hinnom (= a person having the character and qualities of a city dump, or a part of a refuse depository [Greek: Gehenna]) twice as much as yourselves.

¹⁸ "Further, [you say], 'Whoever grabs hold of the altar as a sacred object (or: Whoever may swear an oath in connection with the altar), it means nothing. Yet, whoever should lay hold of the gift (or: may swear an oath in connection with the offering) which is on top of it, he continues indebted and is owing [it].'

²³ "O the tragic fate by (or: for; with) you folks – scholars, theologians and experts in the Scriptures and [the] Pharisees – [you] under-discerning folks who live by close inspection of minor details [see 6:3, above]: [it is] that you habitually give away a tenth (or: tithe back) from the mint and the dill and the cummin, and yet you abandon and let flow away the weightier (= more important) matters of the Law [= Torah]: the justice (equity; fairly evaluated decisions), the mercy, and the trust (the faith; the faithfulness and the fidelity; the reliance and the reliability; the confidence). Now these things it continued being binding and necessary [for you] to do and perform – and not to abandon (send away; set aside) those things! ²⁴ "Blind 'guides and leaders' of the way: constantly filtering and straining [out] the gnat, yet habitually gulping (drinking; swallowing) down a camel! ²⁵ "How tragic is the fate in you people – scribes (scholars, etc.) and Pharisees: overly-critical interpreters [see 6:2, above]! For you folks are habitually cleansing the outside of the cup and of the fine side dish – yet inside they continuously contain a full load from snatching (plunder; pillage; = the fruits of forceful greed) and lack of strength (or: self-indulgence).

²⁵ "How tragic is the fate in you people – scribes (scholars, etc.) and Pharisees: overly-critical interpreters [see 6:2, above]! For you folks are habitually cleansing the outside of the cup and of the fine side dish – yet inside they continuously contain a full load from snatching (plunder; pillage; = the fruits of forceful greed) and lack of strength (or: self-indulgence).

²⁵ "How tragic is the fate in you people – scribes (scholars, etc.) and Pharisees: overly-critical interpreters [see 6:2, above]! For you folks are habitually cleansing the outside of the cup and of the fine side dish – yet inside they continuously contain a full load from snatching (plunder; pillage; = the fruits of forceful greed) and lack of strength (or: self-indulgence). ²⁶ "Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the fine side dish – so that its outside can also come to be (be birthed) clean! ²⁷ "Tragic will be the fate of you Law scholars and Pharisees – you who recite a front of your own opinions and answers (or: overly-critical folks; [see 6:2, above])! [It will be] because you continue closely resembling whitewashed (i.e., smeared or plastered with lime) tombs (sepulchers; grave sites), which indeed, from outside, continue being made to appear in the prime of beauty, for a time – yet inside they contain a full load of bones of dead folks, as well as every uncleanness. ²⁸ "In this way you, yourselves, also on the one hand are continually made to outwardly appear to people [to be] just (fair, righteous, in right relationships, and in accord with the way pointed out) – yet inside you continuously exist being men glutted and distended, full of opinionated answers (or: perverse detail-oriented scholarship; hyper-criticism and judgmentalism; well-sifted wicked interpretations) and lawlessness (= practice which is contrary to the Law [Torah]).

²⁴ Now, seeing that it continues benefiting nothing, but to the contrary, an uproar was progressively developing into a riot, Pilate, taking water, washes off his hands down in the presence of and facing the crowd, while saying, I am (or: continue being) without penalty (guiltless; immune; not liable to punishment or responsible) from this man's blood. You people will proceed seeing (or: You folks see [to it])!"

²⁷ Now everyone was startled and amazed (or: suddenly filled with fearful astonishment; or: = at once swept over with admiration), so as to keep on inquiring of one another (discussing [the incident] among themselves), repeatedly saying, "What is this? Fresh and effective teaching that is new in kind and character, corresponding to authority (or: in the sphere of privilege from within the Being)! He is even proceeding to assign a place upon (set an arrangement upon) the unclean spirits, and they are continuing to submissively hear and obey him." (or: "This is some new and novel teaching! In accord with authority, and backed up by the right to, he now gives orders to the impure motives, moods and attitudes – and in submission they proceed to obey him!")

⁴⁰ There also is progressively coming toward Him, [to be] face-to-face with Him, a leper (one who has some variety of various skin diseases), repeatedly entreating (imploring) Him to come to his side to give him aid and encouragement, and then proceeding to kneel down, is repeatedly saying to Him, "If you should will it – and would from reason continue intending – you continue able and have the power to cleanse and make me clean." ⁴¹ Now Jesus, being instantly moved with compassion in His inward being [other MSS: emotionally swelling internally from His natural disposition and movement of soul; or: filled with warm indignation], instantly stretching out His hand, touches him, even as He continues in saying to him, "I continually will it and am habitually intending to! Be at once cleansed and made clean!"

⁴⁴ and continues by saying to him, "See [the situation]. You should tell nothing to anyone [at all], but rather, begin to withdraw, then continuing to go off, show (display; exhibit) yourself to the priest, and bear forward the offering of the things which Moses set forth in order (arranged and gave forth instruction; directed) – concerning your cleansing – [directed] into a testimony for and witness to them." ⁴⁵ Yet after going out, the man started (began) to repeatedly proclaim and loudly herald a great deal in public and to spread abroad the account, with the result that [it was] no longer possible [for] Him to continue to enter openly into a town, but to the contrary He continued being outside, upon desolate (uninhabited and unfrequented) places. And yet, people kept on coming to Him from all sides (or: all parts; everywhere).

¹ And so, upon entering again into Capernaum after the ensuing days, it was heard (or: And again entering into Capernaum, after some days it was heard) that He is currently within [the] house (or: = at home).

¹² And so he was aroused and caused to rise up, and at once, lifting up the matted pallet, he went out – in front of everyone (all) – so that everyone (all) continued to be beside themselves (standing out of their places in amazement) and to continuously give glory to God, repeatedly saying, "We never (not at any time) saw anything like this (or: in this manner)!"

¹⁶ Now the scribes of [the sect of] (or: professors and theologians of the Law, from) the Pharisees, seeing and perceiving that He continues to eat with bad company (the outcasts: failures and sinners) and those working for the occupying government (tax farmers [i.e., government sub-contractors] and customs officials who collected money for Rome or Herod), began saying (or: repeatedly were saying) to His disciples, "Does he regularly eat [or, with other MSS: Why is it that he is now eating] with the government workers (tax men; tax farmers) and riff-raff (outcasts; sinners; = ceremonially unclean people)?" ¹⁷ And Jesus, hearing [this], then says to them that, "Those being habitually strong (= people in good health) normally have no need of a physician (healer; doctor), but rather, those continuing to have it badly (= those who are ill and in a poor condition). I did not (or: am not) come to call just ones (righteous ones; those living in accord with the Way pointed out; or: = those who are part of the establishment and do all the right things; may = people who "think" they have no faults), but to the contrary, outcasts (failures; sinners; those who fail to hit the target and make mistakes; riff-raff and ceremonially unclean folks – even criminals; also = those who did not observe the Law as defined by the scribes)!" ¹⁸ Further, the disciples of John as well as the Pharisees are habitually practicing (or: are in the process of) fasting [note: a ritual of abstaining from food from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., after which normal food could be eaten]. So these kept on coming to Him, saying, "Why (Through what [circumstance]) are the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees habitually fasting (or: currently observing a fast), yet your disciples are not habitually (or: currently) fasting?"

⁷ Then Jesus, accompanied by His disciples, withdrew back toward a place at the sea (lake) and a vast multitude [of people] from the Galilee [district], as well as from the Judean [area], followed after Him. ⁸ – In fact, folks from Jerusalem and from Idumea (= the Edom of the Old Testament) and from [the] other side of the Jordan [River] (= Transjordan, or, Perea/Peraea) and even around Tyre and Sidon (in the Roman province of Syria): an immense crowd, constantly and repeatedly hearing how much He continues to be doing, [at one time or another] came to Him –

¹² So, many times He was having to speak seriously, but respectfully, to them (or: charge them under threat of a penalty to be assessed) so that they would not make Him displayed in the light (manifest; apparent and conspicuous; clearly seen).

²² Further, the scribes (men learned in the Scriptures; = Jewish theologians) – those coming down (descending) from Jerusalem – had kept on saying that He possesses (constantly has and holds) Beelzeboul [= an unclean spirit: see vs. 30; other MSS: Beezeboul; Vulgate & Syriac: Beelzebub; in Lu. 11:15 Jews identify this title as the "prince (ruler) of the demons"; Jesus, in vs. 23, understands them to be speaking of their concept of Satan; see comment, Matt. 12:24], and that in union with the prince (ruler; chief) of the demons [Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influences] He is repeatedly throwing (casting) out the demons.

⁹ Then He continued saying, "The one continually in possession of (habitually having) ears to continue hearing, let him continue to listen and be hearing!" ¹⁰ Now when He came to be in a more private situation (in accord with ones [who are] alone [though with others]), those [sticking close] around Him – together with the twelve – began questioning Him on the parables (here: obscure illustrations).

¹³ He further says to them, "Have you not seen, so as to know and perceive, this parable (obscure illustrative comparison)? (or: You folks have not seen this parable [= Heb. masal: dark saying; riddle].) So how will you folks come to personally know (have intimate and experiential understanding of) all the parables (illustrations, or, riddles)?

²³ "If anyone continues possessing (or: proceeds in having) ears to continue hearing, let him continue listening so as to progressively hear!"

³⁴ Now apart from a parable (illustrative comparison) He was not in the habit of speaking to them. Yet privately and in accord to a person's own [ability] He was routinely loosening all things upon (or: habitually releasing all for; so: explaining and interpreting everything to) His own disciples (students; learners; apprentices).

⁴¹ And they suddenly became afraid – gripped [with] a great fear – and began saying to one another, "Who, really (or: then), is this Man, that even the wind and the sea (lake) pay attention, obey and continue obedient to Him?"

²⁰ So he went away and started (or: goes off and begins) to repeatedly herald a public proclamation within the Decapolis [a league of ten cities] how much (or: as many things as) Jesus did for (to; in) him, and everyone continued being amazed (or: all began expressing wonder and astonishment).

²² Then [other MSS add: – take note! – ] one of the presiding (ruling; = leading) officials of the synagogue – Jairus by name – is progressively coming, and seeing (perceiving) Him, he proceeds to fall toward His feet, ²³ and is repeatedly entreating Him to be his paraclete (or: begs for assistance) many times, continually saying, "My little daughter is now having [her] last [moments] (or: continues holding-on in a way that seems final; = is at the point of death)... Please! (O that!) In coming You can (or: might; would) 'place the hands' on her, to the end that she can be restored to health (be saved; be rescued) and can live! (or: will continue living)"

²³ and is repeatedly entreating Him to be his paraclete (or: begs for assistance) many times, continually saying, "My little daughter is now having [her] last [moments] (or: continues holding-on in a way that seems final; = is at the point of death)... Please! (O that!) In coming You can (or: might; would) 'place the hands' on her, to the end that she can be restored to health (be saved; be rescued) and can live! (or: will continue living)"

³³ Now the woman – being afraid and trembling – having seen and now knowing what had happened to her (what had occurred in her; what had been birthed for her), came and fell down toward Him, and told Him the entire truth (all the reality).

⁴⁰ And began laughing at Him and kept on ridiculing and scornfully mocking Him. But He, upon putting (or: casting; throwing; = forcing) everyone out, proceeds to take along the father and mother of the little girl – and those with Him (= His companions) – and continues making His way into where the little girl was reclining (lying back). ⁴¹ Then, taking a strong grip of the little girl's hand, He proceeds to say to her, "Talitha coumi (or: koum)," which is normally being translated and interpreted, "Little girl (or: Maiden; = Young lady), I am saying to you, wake up and proceed to arise (or: get up)." ⁴² And at once the little girl arose and stood up, and began walking around – for she was about twelve years old. And immediately they were [D adds: all] beside themselves in great ecstasy and amazement – being put out of their normal stance. ⁴³ Then He made a determination and fully arranged many things for them, so that no one would know this, and said something should be given to her to eat.

³¹ Now because of the many people constantly coming and going, [there was] not yet even a good opportunity or situation to eat. So He then says to them, "You men yourselves, come on, privately, into a place where we can be alone (an uninhabited, isolated, desolate place) and rest up a little (briefly soothe and refresh yourselves)." ³² And so they went away, in the boat, into an isolated and uninhabited place (or: a place in the wilderness), privately.

⁴¹ Then receiving and taking the five loaves of bread and the two fishes, He, while looking up into the heaven (or: the sky and atmosphere), He spoke words of wellness and ease (or: He blessed) and broke down the loaves (or: cakes) into pieces and began giving [them] to the [other: MSS add: His] disciples so that they could place [them] beside the people. And the two fishes He parted and divided to all (or: for and among everyone).

⁵¹ Then He stepped up toward them and climbed into the boat – and the wind at once subsided (grew weary and abated; suffered exhaustion and flagged). At this, within and among themselves, they became extremely astounded [other MSS add: from the extraordinary situation] and continued, as it were, standing outside themselves in amazement and kept on marveling with admiration.

² And at seeing (perceiving; noticing) that some of His disciples are in the midst of eating the loaves (bread; = their meal) with ritually unclean (defiled or contaminated from common use) – that is, unwashed – hands, they found fault (or: complained). ³ For, you see, the Pharisees and all the Jews [i.e., those who adhere to the practices of the Jewish culture] are not in the habit of eating, unless they can (or: should) ceremonially wash [their] hands up to the wrist (or, perhaps: up to the elbow with a fistful of water; [Aleph & other MSS instead read: frequently]) – continuing to keep a strong hold on the traditions of the elders (also = the men of former times).

³ For, you see, the Pharisees and all the Jews [i.e., those who adhere to the practices of the Jewish culture] are not in the habit of eating, unless they can (or: should) ceremonially wash [their] hands up to the wrist (or, perhaps: up to the elbow with a fistful of water; [Aleph & other MSS instead read: frequently]) – continuing to keep a strong hold on the traditions of the elders (also = the men of former times).

³ For, you see, the Pharisees and all the Jews [i.e., those who adhere to the practices of the Jewish culture] are not in the habit of eating, unless they can (or: should) ceremonially wash [their] hands up to the wrist (or, perhaps: up to the elbow with a fistful of water; [Aleph & other MSS instead read: frequently]) – continuing to keep a strong hold on the traditions of the elders (also = the men of former times). ⁴ Even when returning from a marketplace, they are not in the habit of eating unless they can (or: should; would) ritually sprinkle or dip (= wash; baptize) themselves – and there are many other similar things which they accepted and take to their sides to be constantly holding fast: immersions (baptisms; = washings; ritual sprinklings) of cups and pitchers and copper vessels (or: bronze utensils), and of couches (beds; mats). ⁵ So both the Pharisees and the scribes continued with a question to Him: "Why are your disciples not continuing to walk (= conduct themselves; order their manner of living) in accord with and corresponding to the tradition of the Elders (the older men; the men of former times), but to the contrary they continue to eat the bread (= the meal) with ritually unclean (unwashed; common) hands?"

⁷ 'But they habitually venerate Me (show Me adoration and reverence in worship and pious deeds) futilely (uselessly; ineffectually; fruitlessly; in vain), repeatedly teaching the results of men's directions (or: the effects of human commands, ordinances, precepts and implanted goals) for "teaching".' [Isa. 29:13] ⁸ "Abandoning (Sending off; Divorcing; Letting go) the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive) of and from God, you folks continuously keep a strong hold on the traditions of and from men." [some MSS add: – baptisms (= ceremonial washings) of pots (pitchers, jugs) and cups, and you are constantly doing many other similar things of this sort] ⁹ Further, He went on to say to them, "You men keep on beautifully (adroitly) setting aside God's implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive and purposed destiny) so that you can keep and maintain your tradition,

⁹ Further, He went on to say to them, "You men keep on beautifully (adroitly) setting aside God's implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive and purposed destiny) so that you can keep and maintain your tradition, ¹⁰ "For instance, Moses said, 'Be habitually honoring and constantly expressing value for your father and your mother,' [Ex. 20:12] and, 'Let the one habitually saying something worthless, of bad quality, corrupt, or evil to or about father or mother progressively come to an end by (or: in) death (or: = be put to death).' [Ex. 21:17]

¹³ "This is habitually invalidating (depriving of lordship; making void of authority) the Word of God (God's Logos; God's thought and idea; God's message) by (or: in) your tradition which you folks give over (= handed down) – and you are constantly doing many such things of this kind (or: repeatedly performing many such similar [rituals] along this line)."

¹⁵ "There is nothing (not even one thing) from outside a person (a human) which, progressively entering into him, continues having power (is continuing able) to make him ritually defiled or unclean (or: can contaminate him or make him common). But to the contrary, the things habitually issuing forth from out of the person (human) – these things are habitually ritually defiling (contaminating; making common and unclean) the person (humanity). [comment: cf Hag. 2:4-19; here is a reverse-contagion: the Land is clean by the Spirit]

¹⁸ So He is then saying to them, "Do you people also thus continue being without understanding (a flowing together for perception and comprehension)? Are you folks still continuing to not use your mind and intellect (to not think or consider) so as to perceive and comprehend that nothing proceeding to enter into the person (human) continues having power or ability to ritually defile him (contaminate, pollute or make him common or unclean),

¹⁸ So He is then saying to them, "Do you people also thus continue being without understanding (a flowing together for perception and comprehension)? Are you folks still continuing to not use your mind and intellect (to not think or consider) so as to perceive and comprehend that nothing proceeding to enter into the person (human) continues having power or ability to ritually defile him (contaminate, pollute or make him common or unclean), ¹⁹ because it is not passing on into his heart, but rather, into the stomach and intestines (the cavity), and then proceeds to pass out into the toilet (evacuation seat; latrine)?" – [He is] proceeding in cleansing (making ritually clean) all foods! ²⁰ Further, He continued saying, "The thing normally issuing forth from out of midst of the person (human): that thing habitually contaminates the person (makes the person ritually polluted, unclean and common), ²¹ "for, from inside of the person (man; human) – from out of the midst of the heart – the worthless reasonings (base conversations; dialogues of poor quality; evil thoughts and schemes; bad ideas and designs) constantly issue forth: [for example], prostitutions, acts of sexual immorality or involvements in fornication; thefts; murders; ²² "adulteries; situations of wanting more than one's share (thoughts of greed; feelings of coveting), bad conditions which bring pain, gushes of misery, anguish or hard labor (or: acts of wickedness; malicious deeds; evil doings); bait to catch someone with deceit, treachery, guile or fraud; loose conduct (indecency); an evil eye (= a focus toward malice or mischief); villainous and light-hindering slander, harmful and abusive speech, or blasphemy; pride, arrogance and haughtiness; acting without thinking (or: imprudence; unreasonableness; inconsiderateness; lack of purpose; folly). ²³ "All these bad situations and misery-causing things are habitually issuing forth from within, and repeatedly contaminate the person (continuously make the human common, polluted and ritually unclean)." ²⁴ Now from there (or: from that place [= that house]), after rising up, He went off (or: away) into the regions (or: territories; districts) of Tyre and Sidon. Then, upon entering into a house, He was intending that no one was to know it (i.e., to learn that He was there). Even so, He continued unable to escape notice or to elude [them].

¹² Then, sighing again in His spirit (or: deeply groaning, inwardly by the effect of His breath and in His mood), He continues to say, "Why is this generation continually seeking (constantly trying to find) a sign? It is true! (or: So be it; Amen; Verily; Count on it; Truly,) I am now saying, If a sign (or: Make it so, I now say, since a sign) will progressively be given to this generation–!"

²³ So then, taking a hold upon the blind man's hand, He led him forth, outside of the village. Then, upon spitting into his eyes while placing [His] hands on him, He proceeded to ask him, "What, if anything (or: Whatsoever), are you now seeing?"

²⁶ So He sent him away, unto his house, saying, "Neither should you enter into the village, nor yet may you speak to anyone in the village."

¹⁷ Then one out of the crowd decidedly answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to you. He continues having a speechless spirit (or: a breath-effect which renders him incapable of speech; or: an attitude which results in his being mute), ¹⁸ "so wheresoever it may seize him or get him down, it repeatedly dashes him [upon the ground] (or: [inwardly] tears and rips him up), and he continues frothing and foaming at the mouth, as well as grinding his teeth, and he progressively withers (either: becomes weak and limp; or: becomes rigid and stiff). So I spoke to your disciples so that they would cast it out (or: throw if forth from out of the midst; eject it), and yet they did not have the strength (or: they are not strong [enough])." ¹⁹ Now He, responding with a considered reply, is then saying to them, "O generation without faith and trust (or: faithless, disloyal and unbelieving generation)! Till when will I continue in being facing toward (or: being with) you folks? Till when am I continuing holding back with you (or: = bearing or putting up with you people)? Go ahead and bring him to Me." ²⁰ So they brought him to Him, and at having seen Him, the spirit (breath-effect; attitude; mood and internal disposition; result of a breath or of breathing) at once violently convulses him and then, falling on the ground, he began rolling and wallowing (or, as a passive: continued being rolled) while continuously frothing at the mouth. ²¹ So He asked his father, "How much time (or: How long) is it that something like this has happened to him, and continued being thus for him?" ²² And [the father] said, "From childhood on. Further, many times it also throws him into fire or into places of water, so that it might destroy him (or, possibly: that it can loose-away from him). But now, if you continue having power and ability [to do] anything, in instant out-flowing of compassion upon us, come quickly to our aid, and help us!" ²³ So Jesus said to him, "As to your 'if you continue having power and ability,' all things [are] possible to (for; by; in; with) the one habitually trusting (or: progressively believing)." [or, reading with A & other MSS: "About the 'if': you continue being able (having power) to trust (or: to believe). Everything (or: All) {is} endued with power for the one continuously trusting (or: progressively believing; constantly having confidence)!"]

²⁸ Then, upon His entering into the house, His disciples (or: students; apprentices) began asking Him privately, "Why were we, ourselves, unable (or: having no power) to throw (or: cast) it out?"

¹⁹ "You have perceived and are thus acquainted with the implanted goals (impartations of the finished product within; inward directives), 'You should not murder; you should not commit adultery; you should not steal; you should not bear false witness (give false testimony); you should not cheat or defraud. Be habitually honoring, valuing and respecting your father and mother.'" [Ex. 20:12-13]

³⁴ And at one point during the ninth hour, Jesus shouted in a loud voice, "Eloi! Eloi! Lama [other MSS: Lema] sabachthani?"– which is normally being translated and interpreted, "My God! My God! Into what do You leave Me down within?" (or: "Into what did You leave Me down to remain in union with?") [Ps. 22:1]

¹⁷ And then it occurred on one of those days – it was also as He Himself was proceeding in teaching and there were Pharisees and teachers of the Law [= Torah] continuing in sitting [there] who had been coming out of every village of the Galilee [district], as well as from Judea and Jerusalem – and [the] Lord's [= Yahweh's] power and ability was being there [leading] into the [situation for] Him to continue healing.

⁶ So Jesus journeyed on with them. But at His already being then not far distant from the house, the centurion sent friends, [to be] presently saying to Him, "O sir (or: Lord; master), do not continue being bothered (or: having to take the trouble) [with this], for I am not fit (or: qualified [= ceremonially clean]; or: [important] enough; of sufficient [social standing]) that you should enter under my roof (or: covering). ⁷ "For this reason, neither do I consider myself worthy to come to you, but rather, speak by a message (or: in a communication; with a word), and let my servant be healed. ⁸ "You see I, myself, am a person continuing being set in order under authority – continuing in holding (or: having) soldiers under me. And so I normally am saying to this one, 'Be on your way,' and he proceeds on his way; and to another one, 'Be coming now,' and he proceeds coming; and to my slave, 'Do this at once,' and he proceeds to do [it]."

¹⁴ Then, after approaching, He touched the bier (an open frame funeral couch used to carry a dead person to burial), so the folks proceeding in bearing [it] stood [still]. Next He said, "Young man, I am now saying for (or: to) you, Be at once aroused and raised up (or, used intransitively: Rise; Get up)!"

¹⁴ Later, He was proceeding in expelling (casting out) a blunt, dull, mute demon (Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influence). Now with the coming out of the demon, the [previously] mute and dull person spoke. And so the crowds marveled and wondered.

³⁸ But seeing [this], the Pharisee was surprised and amazed (or: wondered) that He was not first ceremonially washed (or: baptized; dipped; [immersing of the hands up to the elbows for ceremonial purification]) before the dinner. ³⁹ So the Lord said to him, "At this time you Pharisees are normally (or: habitually) cleansing [by washing] the outside of the cup and the dish – yet the inside of you folks continues being brimming and crammed full (so as to be replete) of plundering (acquiring booty; seizing and carrying off; rapacity) and worthlessness (badness of conditions; unsoundness and miserableness; wickedness and depravity; evil and malice; disadvantageousness; unprofitableness; that which brings toilsome labor).

³⁹ So the Lord said to him, "At this time you Pharisees are normally (or: habitually) cleansing [by washing] the outside of the cup and the dish – yet the inside of you folks continues being brimming and crammed full (so as to be replete) of plundering (acquiring booty; seizing and carrying off; rapacity) and worthlessness (badness of conditions; unsoundness and miserableness; wickedness and depravity; evil and malice; disadvantageousness; unprofitableness; that which brings toilsome labor). ⁴⁰ "Thoughtless, unreasonable and senseless people! Did not the One making (forming; constructing) the outside also make (form; create) the inside? ⁴¹ "However (or: Nonetheless; In any case), give the things being within (or: continuing being inside) [as] a gift or expression of mercy (= alms or charity), then – look, and consider! – everything is (or: all things are) clean to (or: for; among) you folks.

⁴¹ "However (or: Nonetheless; In any case), give the things being within (or: continuing being inside) [as] a gift or expression of mercy (= alms or charity), then – look, and consider! – everything is (or: all things are) clean to (or: for; among) you folks. ⁴² "But in contrast, tragic will be the fate for you Pharisees (or: among you, the Pharisees), because you consistently give away one tenth (or: habitually pay tithes) from the mint and the rue, as well as every edible plant (garden herb or vegetable), and yet you folks are consistently (or: continually) bypassing the decisions which yield the justice (or: the judging) and the love of God (or: which have their origin in, and express the character of, God). Now it was continuing binding and necessary to do these things, and not to bypass [other MSS: and yet not continue to {other MSS: not at any point} send away, or to the side,] those things. ⁴³ "Tragic will be the fate for you Pharisees (or: among you, the Pharisees), because you habitually love the front place of sitting (or: highly regard the prominent seat; = the most important place in a meeting) in the synagogues, as well as the greetings (= deferential recognitions) within the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ "Tragic will be your fate, you scholars (theologians; scribes) and Pharisees – the overly judging and critical folks (hupokrites; or: those who put texts under close inspection to sift and separate and then give an answer, an interpretation, an opinion; or: those who live by separating things yet who under-discern; or: those who make judgments from a low view; or: those who under-estimate reality; or: perverse scholars who focus on tiny distinctions), because you exist being as unseen (or: = are unmarked) memorial tombs (= graves having the characteristics of Hades), and so the people (or: mankind) habitually walking around on top [of them] have not seen and so do not know (= without realizing) [it]!" [note: contact with a grave rendered a person ceremonially unclean]

⁵³ And from there (or: Then from that time and place), upon His going out, the scribes (scholars and theologians) and the Pharisees began to fiercely keep on holding (or: hemming) [Him] in (or: started to progressively bring dreadful entanglement on [Him]) and to repeatedly get Him to speak without [His first] thinking (literally: speak from the mouth) concerning more things, ⁵⁴ repeatedly (or: constantly) lying in wait to ambush Him, constantly seeking to pounce on and catch (or: trap) something from out of His mouth (= from His own words).

¹ Under these circumstances, [with] a crowd of tens of thousands (myriads) being gathered together upon [the event] – so as to be time after time trampling (or: stepping down on) one another – He began a discourse to His disciples first: "Be constantly holding your attention toward, and continuously guarding yourselves from, the yeast permeating the Pharisees, which is to put texts under close inspection, to sift and separate, and then give an answer, an interpretation, an opinion (or: to live by separating things yet, under-discern; or: being overly critical and making judgments from a low view; or: perverse scholarship which focuses on tiny distinctions). [comment: their yeast would inflate them with pride]

⁵⁴ And now He went on saying to the crowds, also, "Whenever you people may (or: should) see a cloud progressively arising upon [other MSS: from] the west (or: on the western regions), you are immediately saying that a rainstorm is progressively (or: presently) coming – and thus it comes to be (or: it happens). ⁵⁵ "And whenever a south [wind] continues blowing you are normally saying that there will proceed being heat (or: a heat wave) – and it comes to be (or: it happens). ⁵⁶ "O you the overly judging and critical folks (hupokrites; or: those who put texts under close inspection to sift and separate and then give an answer, an interpretation, an opinion; or: those who live by separating things yet who under-discern; or: those who make judgments from a low view; or: those who under-estimate reality; or: perverse scholars who focus on tiny distinctions)! You have seen and come to know [how] to constantly examine and discern, and then to assess and interpret the face (or: outward appearance) of the land and the sky (or: the earth and the heaven), yet you have not seen, and thus do not know, how to examine, discern and interpret this present situation and season (or: fertile moment)! ⁵⁷ "So why are you people not also habitually discerning and deciding for yourselves [what is] right (just; the fair and equitable course to follow which accords with the Way pointed out)?

³⁰ "'But when this son of yours came – the one eating down (or: devouring) your livelihood with prostitutes – you slaughtered (sacrificed) the grain-fed young animal (e.g.: fat and choice calf)!' ³¹ "So now the [father] said to him, 'Child, you yourself continue being with me always – and all my things continue being yours (or: everything [that is] mine is yours). ³² "'But it continued being binding and necessary to at once be in a good and easy frame of mind (or: be given thoughts of well-being, cheer and celebration) and to rejoice, because this one – your brother – was existing being dead, and now he comes to life; and was one having been lost and destroyed – and now he is found!'"

¹⁵ Consequently He said to them, "You men are the ones constantly justifying yourselves in the sight of people (or: show yourselves as being fair and equitable to humans), but God continuously knows your hearts by intimate experience! The fact is, the thing [which is] high and lofty among humans [is] a disgusting and nauseating thing (something which is the result of filth and nastiness) in God's sight.

¹⁶ and then fell upon [his] face beside His feet, repeatedly giving thanks to Him – not only that, this same man was a Samaritan.

⁴² Then Jesus said to him, "At once see again! Your trust and faith has healed and made you whole (saved and rescued you [from that condition]) so that you are now restored to your original condition."

⁴¹ And then, as He came near, upon seeing (or: viewing and perceiving) the City, He wept (or: wailed; or: lamented; or: cried, shedding tears as an expression of grief) upon it (= over its condition and situation),

⁴⁵ Now, while all the people continued listening (or: in the hearing of all the people), He said to the disciples, ⁴⁶ "Be habitually holding your focus and attention away from the scholars and theologians (the scribes; the Torah, or, Bible experts) – those continuously wanting to be habitually walking around in religious and stately robes and being fond of deferential greetings in the marketplaces (i.e., in public, where folks often gather), and [liking] prominent (or: front) seating in the synagogues (places of corporate worship and study of the Scriptures), as well as first places of reclining (or: prominent or best couches; = the places of honor) at banquets – ⁴⁷ "folks who [in reality] are habitually devouring the houses (or: eating down the households) of the widows, and then in pretense (or: for a front which is put to make a show or an appearance for pretext) they are constantly making long prayers. These people will continue and progressively be receiving more excessive result of judgment (or: will get a more abundant effect of the separating and the decision)."

⁴¹ "... and we, indeed, rightly so (or: justly; fairly), for we are presently receiving back things that balance the scales corresponding to the things which we committed... yet this man committed nothing out of place (= improper)."

²⁵ Then He said to them, "O senseless (or: unintelligent; mindless) and slow at heart to be trusting and believing on all things which the prophets spoke!

⁶ Now there were six stone water pots (or: jars) habitually lying there – corresponding to the cleansing (or: purifying) practice pertaining to the Jewish customs (or: ritual and ceremony of washing, originating from the Jews) – having capacities for up to two or three liquid measures (= 18 or 27 gallons).

¹⁰ Jesus decisively responded and says to him, "You yourself are the teacher of Israel, and yet you continue not knowing and being intimately familiar with these things!

²⁵ There arose (came to be) from out of John’s disciples, thereupon, a discussion (an inquiry; a seeking question) with a Jew (or: a Judean) about cleansing (ceremonial purification).

⁵⁰ Jesus then says to him, "Be proceeding on your way (or: Depart and continue traveling). Your son continues living." The man trusts and believes the word (message; statement) which Jesus said to him, and began proceeding on his way. ⁵¹ Now at the time of his steadily descending, his slaves meet him, and so they report, saying that his boy continues living. ⁵² He then inquired from them the hour within which he began to better hold himself (or: started to have better health; held a turn to a more trim and improved condition), and they then said to him, "Yesterday [at the] seventh hour, the fever released from him (or: let him go away; divorced and abandoned him; emitted from him; flowed off him; [note: this verb is usually translated "forgive"])."

⁴² "but rather, I have come to know you folks by personal experience, that you people do not continuously hold (or: do not presently have) God’s love (or: the love which is God; or: love pertaining to God) within yourselves.

⁴¹ "You folks habitually do your father's works (deeds; actions)." Therefore they said to Him, "We ourselves were not born out of prostitution (or: fornication). We have one Father: God!" ⁴² Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you folks would have been, and continued, loving Me, for I Myself came forth and am arrived here (or: and here I am) from out of the midst of God. For neither have I come from Myself (= on My own initiative), but rather that One sent Me away with a mission (commissions and sends Me forth as an Emissary, [His] Representative).

⁵⁴ Jesus decidedly replies, "If I should ever glorify Myself (build a reputation for Myself), My glory is (or: My reputation exists being) nothing. My Father – of Whom you keep saying, "He is our God" [with other MSS: that He is your God] – is actually the One continuously and progressively glorifying Me (bringing a manifestation of Me which calls forth praise; building My reputation). ⁵⁵ "Now you have not intimately or experientially known Him, yet as for Myself, I have seen and thus know Him – and if ever (or: even if) I should say (or: = Suppose I say) that I have not seen nor know Him, I will be a liar, like you folks. But to the contrary, I have seen and know Him (or: am acquainted with Him), and I continuously hold in custody, protectively guard, note and observe His word (message; thought; idea).

⁶ After saying these things, He spits on the ground and makes clay mud from out of the spitted saliva, and then smears (or: anoints; rubs on; [WH following B read: applies; puts... on]) His clay mud upon the blind man's eyes, ⁷ then says to him, "Lead on under (or: Go your way; Depart) into the swimming-pool of Siloam" [note: situated south of the Temple, fed by a subterranean tunnel] – which is normally being translated and interpreted 'Being sent forth on a mission (or: Commissioned; Being made representative)' – "[and] wash yourself!" Therefore, he went off (or: away) and washed himself and came [back] seeing.

³³ Jesus, therefore, as He saw her continuously weeping (crying) – and the Jews coming with her [also] crying (mourning; audibly weeping or wailing) – inwardly snorted (as with violent displeasure) and groaned, being deeply moved in spirit (or: by [the] Spirit; with Breath-effect; to an attitude and mood), and then stirred Himself up (shook Himself; or: disturbed and troubled Himself),

³⁵ Jesus sheds tears (let tears flow; gave way to tears; or: bursts into tears).

³⁸ Jesus therefore, again continuing inwardly snorting, groaning and being deeply moved within Himself, is progressively going into the memorial tomb [area]. Now, it was a cave, and a stone was lying upon (= against) it.

⁴¹ Then they lifted up the stone and took it away. Yet Jesus lifted His eyes upward, and said, "O Father, I continually thank You that you hear and respond to Me,

⁴³ Upon saying these things, He suddenly shouted with a loud (or: in a great) voice, "Lazarus! Here! Outside!"

²⁴ "If I did not do (perform; create) the works (actions; deeds) among them or within them – which no one else (or: no other one) did – they were having no sin or error (they had not been holding a failure or a miss of the target). But now (at this time) they have both seen and hated both Me and My Father.

¹ Jesus speaks (or: spoke) these things and then, lifting up His eyes into the sky (or: the atmosphere; the heaven), says, "O Father, the hour has come and is now here: bring glory (give a good reputation; bring a manifestation which calls forth praise) to Your Son, to the end that the Son can bring glory (or: may give a good reputation; would bring a manifestation which calls forth praise) to and for You.

⁷ So they all began being put out of place (or: set out of themselves) with amazement, and continued being caused to wonder with admiration and astonishment – one after another saying, "Look, and think about it (or: See here)! All these folks who are presently speaking are Galileans, are they not? ⁸ "And so how are we ourselves now hearing – each one of us – in his own language and dialect, [the one] in which we were born? ⁹ " [There are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites [= portions of the Persian empire]; even folks presently dwelling in Mesopotamia... both Judea, as well as Cappadocia... Pontus, as well as Asia [= principally the kingdom of Pergamus, including Lydia, Mysia, Caria and Phrygia], ¹⁰ "both Phrygia and Pamphylia; Egypt and the parts of Libya which is down toward Cyrene, as well as the temporary residents from Rome (or: the repatriated Romans); both Jews and proselytes (converts to Judaism), Cretans and Arabians (or: Arabs) – ¹¹ "we continue hearing their speaking the magnificent things of God (or: God's great deeds) in our own tongues (= languages)!" ¹² So they all continued being put out of place (or: set out of themselves) with amazement and were bewildered (or: perplexed), [some] saying one to another, "What is this now purposing (or: intending; resolving) to be?"

¹⁰ Now they began to recognize him, and were fully perceiving that this man was the one customarily sitting for gifts of mercy (alms) at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple complex – and they were filled with wondered astonishment and ecstasy, being internally put out of their normal position of understanding things – upon the thing having stepped together with him (= at what had happened to him). ¹¹ [conflated with D:] So as Peter and John proceeded going out, and with his continued going out with them, clinging (firmly holding fast) to Peter and John, the entire [crowd of] people – overawed and out of their wits – ran together to them at the portico (or: porch) normally called Solomon's Colonnade [note: built on a remnant of the ancient Temple]. ¹² Now Peter, upon seeing [this], gave a decided reply to the people: "Men! Israelites! (or: Men of Israel!) Why do you folks continue amazed with wonder upon this [occurrence; or: man]? Or, why do you continue staring and gazing intently at us – as if by our own power and ability or godliness (religiousness; devout conduct; piety) [we] had been making him to be walking around? ¹³ "The God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob – the God of our fathers – brought glory (a manifestation which calls forth praise) and a good reputation to His Servant (or: Boy) Jesus, Whom indeed you folks turned over (gave aside; [D adds: unto judgment]) and renounced (or: disown; denied) before Pilate's face – [he] having decided to be releasing that One!

⁴ "Was it not by all means continuously abiding (remaining; dwelling) with you while it continued remaining [yours]? And then, upon being sold, it continued in your authority and control. Why [is it] that you put (or: fix) this worthless matter (this affair of poor quality; this bad performance-effect) within your heart? You did not play false and lie to humans (people), but rather (or: but on the contrary) to God!"

²² "So change your mind and your way of thinking – away from this worthlessness (or: ugliness; baseness; badness of quality; malice) of yours – and then at once urgently ask of the Lord [= Christ or Yahweh] if consequently (or: since in that case) the thought and purpose of your heart will be caused to flow away (or: will be divorced from [you]; will be forgiven and sent away),

³⁰ So upon running up to [it], Philip heard his reading aloud [of] Isaiah the prophet, and then he said, "Are you presently recognizing and progressively understanding [the] things which you are now reading?"

³⁴ So then Peter said to him, "Aeneas, Jesus Christ (the Anointed One) is presently healing (or: has healed) you. At once stand up (or: arise; get up) and spread (= make up) [your bed] by yourself!" And so he immediately got up (arose; stood up).

⁴⁰ But after causing everyone to be put forth outside and then kneeling down, Peter prayed (thought and focused toward well-being). Next, turning around and facing toward the body, he said, "Tabitha! Get up (or: Stand up; Arise)!" So she opened up her eyes, and, seeing Peter, she sat up.

¹⁴ But Peter said, "Not even one [of those], Sir (or: Lord; Master; or: = Yahweh?), because I never eat (or: ate) all [that is] common (= what is not set-apart as food for Israelites and is forbidden by the dietary rules of the Law) and unclean (meaning: ceremonially unclean)!"

¹⁴ But Peter said, "Not even one [of those], Sir (or: Lord; Master; or: = Yahweh?), because I never eat (or: ate) all [that is] common (= what is not set-apart as food for Israelites and is forbidden by the dietary rules of the Law) and unclean (meaning: ceremonially unclean)!" ¹⁵ Then again, a voice, forth from a second [one, saying] to him: "You are not to continue making, or considering, common [the] things which God cleansed (or: cleanses) and made (or: makes) clean!"

¹⁵ Then again, a voice, forth from a second [one, saying] to him: "You are not to continue making, or considering, common [the] things which God cleansed (or: cleanses) and made (or: makes) clean!"

¹⁵ Then again, a voice, forth from a second [one, saying] to him: "You are not to continue making, or considering, common [the] things which God cleansed (or: cleanses) and made (or: makes) clean!" ¹⁶ Now this happened on a third [time] (or: So this occurred three times), and immediately the container was taken back up again, into the sky (or: the atmosphere; heaven).

²⁵ So it happened as Peter was [about] to enter, Cornelius, upon meeting with (or: encountering; intercepting) him, in falling prostrate at [his] feet did obeisance (showed respect and offered homage) [to him]. ²⁶ Yet Peter raised him up, while saying, "Get up (or: Stand up; Rise)! I myself also am the same as you – a human!"

²⁸ Thus he affirmed to them, "You folks continue well versed [in the fact] and are well aware of how illicit and inappropriate (forbidden by [our] Law and contrary to [our] established order) it is for an adult man [who is] a Jew (or: is of the Jewish culture) to be intimately joined to, or to regularly come to (or: visit and associate with), a man from another race. And yet God pointed out and demonstrated to me not to continue saying [that] even one human [is] common (= socially or ceremonially unhallowed or defiled) or unclean.

⁸ "But I said, 'Not even one [of those], Sir (or: Lord; Master; or: = Christ or Yahweh?), because common (= what is not set-apart as food for Israelites and is forbidden by the dietary rules of the Law) and unclean (meaning: ceremonially unclean) never entered into my mouth!'

⁸ "But I said, 'Not even one [of those], Sir (or: Lord; Master; or: = Christ or Yahweh?), because common (= what is not set-apart as food for Israelites and is forbidden by the dietary rules of the Law) and unclean (meaning: ceremonially unclean) never entered into my mouth!' ⁹ "Yet a voice forth from a second one (or: = a second time; out of a second [directive]) responded decidedly from out of the heaven (or: atmosphere; sky), 'You are not to continue making, or considering, common [the] things which God cleansed (or: cleanses) and made (or: makes) clean!'

⁹ "Yet a voice forth from a second one (or: = a second time; out of a second [directive]) responded decidedly from out of the heaven (or: atmosphere; sky), 'You are not to continue making, or considering, common [the] things which God cleansed (or: cleanses) and made (or: makes) clean!' ¹⁰ "Now this occurred three times, and then everything was pulled (or: drawn) back up again into the sky (or: atmosphere; heaven).

¹⁷ "Since (or: If), therefore, God gave (or: gives) to them the equal free gift (the gratuity that is equal in quality, measure and rank) as also to us, when (or: in) believing and putting their trust upon the Lord, Jesus Christ (or: [the] Anointed Jesus) – who or what [am] I? Was I able to cut off or hinder God?!" ¹⁸ Now upon hearing these, they were quiet (silent; still), and then they gave glory to, and enhanced the reputation of, God, as a group saying, "Consequently, God also gave (or: gives) to the non-Jews (the ethnic multitudes of the nations) the change of mind (or: change in thinking) [which brings one; or, leads] into Life!"

¹¹ Besides this, upon seeing that which Paul did, the crowds lifted up (elevated) their voice in [the] Lycaonian language, repeatedly (or: one after another) saying, "The gods, being made to resemble humans, stepped down (or: descended) to us!"

²⁰ "however (or: but yet), to send word by a letter for them to be habitually holding themselves away from (constantly abstaining from) the effects of ceremonial pollution from (or: belonging and pertaining to) the idols – as well as from the prostitution ([note: may also have reference to temple idol worship]; or: sexual immorality; [p45 omits this phrase]) – and from [something that was] strangled [i.e., where the blood was not drained out], also from blood [comment: these were prohibitions from the Law, in Lev. 17 & 18; D adds: Also, whatever you would not normally want to be happening to yourselves, do not do to others]. ²¹ "For you see, Moses – from out of [the] original (beginning; = ancient) generations – continually has folks repeatedly making public proclamation of him, in city after city within the synagogues, being habitually read aloud in correspondence with every sabbath."

²¹ "Yet they have been orally instructed concerning you, that you are repeatedly (or: habitually) teaching all the Jews down through the ethnic multitudes (or: nations; non-Jews) an apostasy away (a revolt; a standing away) from Moses, constantly telling them not to be circumcising [their] children, nor even to be living their lives (continually walking about) in (by; with) the customs.

²⁴ "Taking these men along, be ritually purified together with them and pay the expenses for them to the end that they will proceed shaving [their] heads – and everyone will proceed in coming to know that what they have been orally instructed concerning you (= that the rumor about you) is nothing, but to the contrary you yourself are also habitually observing the elements and keeping in line, constantly watching, guarding and maintaining the Law!

²¹ "Then He said to me, 'Get on your way, because I Myself will be sending you off with a mission, out into the ethnic multitudes (or: nations; non-Jews) afar off.'"

²⁵ So, continuing in being out of harmony (dissonant; discordant; without symphony; = at odds and in disagreement) toward one another, they began loosing themselves away (continued dismissing themselves, one after another) with Paul's speaking one gush-effect (or: comment; declaration): "The set-apart Breath-effect (or: Holy Spirit) beautifully (finely; ideally; aptly; fittingly) speaks (or: spoke) through Isaiah the prophet – to your fathers – saying,

²⁹ Or [is He] the God of [the] Jews only? [Is He] not also of the ethnic multitudes (nations; Gentiles; non-Jews)? Yes, of the ethnic multitudes (nations) also,

³¹ Then are we habitually rendering inactive and useless (idling-down and rendering unemployed) law or custom through the faith and trust? Certainly not (May that not come to be)! But rather, we are constantly establishing law (or: a law; setting a custom in its fixed place and making a principle stand).

¹² and as well, a father of [the] Circumcision, [yet] not to (or: for) those out of circumcision only, but rather also to (for; in; by; with) those continuously advancing in line with the elements of the faith (or: walking orderly by the first principles of trust and reliant allegiance) – in the footprints of our father Abraham – within uncircumcision (or: in uncircumcision, in union with the footprints of the faith of our father Abraham).

⁵ For when we [= Adam/Israel] were existing within the flesh (or: = in the old alienated Adamic existence, with the flesh sacrifices and markers of the Law), the effects, impressions, emotions and impulses from the experiences, passions and suffering of the failures (the sins; the deviations which caused misses of the target) – the things through means of the Law [the Torah] – were continually operating (working within; energizing and effecting) within our members into the condition to produce fruit by Death (in death; to death; for Death).

⁸ Yet the Sin (or: the failure; the error; the mistake; the missing of the target; the deviation from the goal), taking (receiving in the hand and thus, getting) a starting point (a base of operation; an occasion; a means of beginning) through the implanted goal (impartation of the finished product within; inward directive; commandment [to Adam, then to Israel]), works (or: worked) down to effect and produce within me every full passion, strong impulse, over-desire and craving emotion upon things – for apart from Law (or: a custom; or: [Torah]) sin (error; failure; missing the target) [is] dead (or: [was] lifeless).

⁷ Because of that, the result of the thinking (disposition; thought processes; mind-set, outlook) of the flesh (= attention to Torah boundary-markers, custom and cultus; or: = the human condition) [is; brings] enmity, alienation and discord [streaming] into God (or: hostility unto, or active hatred with a view to, God), for it continues not being humbly aligned and supportive (habitually placed under and submitted; or, as a middle: subjecting, humbly arranging or marshaling itself) to the principle and law which is God (or: in God’s principle; by the Law from God), for neither is it able nor does it have power. ⁸ Now the folks continuously existing in the midst of (or: So people being in union with, or centered in,) flesh (= the alienated human condition; or: = the religious system involving flesh sacrifices, Torah boundary-markers/customs) have no power and are not able at any point to please God (or: to fit or adapt to God; or: to be content with God; or: to be acceptable in God).

¹² You see, there is no distinction or separation made by putting asunder in order to define or distinguish between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord (Owner; Master) of everyone (or: for the same One [being] Lord of all) is continuously being rich unto (or: is constantly abundantly furnishing [Himself] into) all the folks habitually calling upon Him.

¹ So constantly reach toward and receive in your arms (take as a companion, admit to your society and friendship, and partner with) the one continuing without strength in the faith (the person weak in trust, confidence and loyalty) – not [putting him] into separated distinctions (or: discriminations) based upon or pertaining to opinions (or: reasoned considerations; thought processes; dialogues or disputes; things being thought through; thoroughly considered and settled accounts). ² One person, indeed, is habitually trusting (is continually believing; continues to have faith) to eat everything, yet the person being constantly weak (without strength) continues (or: is normally) eating vegetables. ³ The person habitually eating the one thing must not constantly make nothing out of (= look down on) the person not eating. And the person not normally eating the one thing must not constantly make a decision about (separate away from; make a distinction between; pass judgment on) the one habitually eating, for God reaches toward him and takes him in His arms (receives him as a companion and a friend, and has taken him as a partner). ⁴ You, who are the person constantly judging (separating away; making a distinction or a decision about) another man's house-servant (domestic)! By (In; To; For; With) his own Lord (Master; Owner) he continues standing, or, he is falling. Yet he will repeatedly be made to stand, for you see, the Lord [= Yahweh or Christ] is constantly able (perpetually powerful) to make him stand. ⁵ One person, on the one hand, is habitually discriminating (deciding; separating; passing judgment; making a distinction): a day from (or: beside) a day (or: = [one] day more than, or compared with, [another] day). Yet, on the other hand, another is habitually deciding for every day (or: is constantly separating each day [as alike, or, as set-apart]). Let each one habitually be fully led within his own mind (or: Each person must constantly be carried to full measure in union with his own mind [on this matter]). ⁶ He who is habitually minding (being disposed to; being opinionated about) the day, in the Lord [= Yahweh] is continuously opinionated (or: for the Lord [= Christ] is he [thus] minding or being disposed; [some MSS add: and yet the person not minding the day, to, for or in the Lord he is not minding it]). And the one habitually eating, in the Lord [= Yahweh or Christ] is he eating, for he habitually gives thanks to God (constantly expresses gratitude by God, for God and in God). And the one not eating is not eating in God (to God; for God), and habitually expresses gratitude for God (in God; gives thanks to God). ⁷ You see, not one of us is living to himself (for himself; by himself; in himself), and not one is dying away by himself (in himself; for himself; to himself). ⁸ For it follows, both if we are (or: should be) living, in the Lord (or: for, to and by the Lord [= Yahweh or Christ]) we are (or: could and should be) living, and then, if we may (or: would) be dying, in, for, to and by the Lord we would be dying. Then, both if we are living, and if we may be dying, we are the Lord's (we constantly exist being of [Yahweh]; we continuously belong to the Lord; we are from the Owner). ⁹ For into this [situation] Christ not only died away, but also now lives, to the end that He would (or: should) be Lord (Owner; Master; Possessor) both of dead folks as well as of living people. ¹⁰ But you! Why are you constantly judging (discriminating against; separating away; making a decision about) your brother (= fellow believer; or: = fellowman)? Or why are you also habitually making light of (making nothing out of; setting at naught; treating with scorn or contempt) your brother? For you see, we will all continue standing in attendance alongside on God's elevated place (platform or stage which is ascended by steps, from which one speaks in a public assembly; or: we will all repeatedly present ourselves at the seat, dais or throne which is God [some MSS: Christ]), ¹¹ for it has been written, "I, Myself, am continuously living. The Lord [= Yahweh] is saying that in Me (by Me; to Me; for Me) every knee will repeatedly bend in worship, or, to sit down (or: I live, says the Lord, because every knee will repeatedly bend to sit down in Me), and every tongue will continue to agree, bind itself and promise to God (speak out of the same word in God; publicly acclaim/acknowledge God; openly profess by God)." [Isa. 45:23] ¹² Consequently, then, each one of us will continue giving a word (presenting a message; rendering an account) about himself to God (or: for God; by God; in God).

¹⁴ I have seen to know (or: have perceived), and I have been persuaded and now stand convinced, within [the] Lord Jesus, that nothing (not one thing) [is] common (ceremonially defiled; unclean; contaminating; = the opposite of set-apart or holy) through itself, except to (in; by; for) the person considering (or: logically accounting and reckoning) anything to be common (defiled; contaminating); to (for; in; by) that one [it is] common and unclean.

¹⁷ for you see, God's kingdom (or: the reign-and-rule which is God; the expression, influence and activity of God’s sovereignty) is not (or: does not exist being) solid food and drink, but rather, fair and equitable dealing which brings justice and right relationship in the Way pointed out (being turned in the right direction; rightwisedness; also = covenant inclusion and participation), peace (and: harmony; = shalom) and joy (or: happiness; rejoicing) within set-apart Breath-effect (or: a dedicated spirit and sacred attitude; or: in [the] Holy Spirit).

⁸ For I am saying and laying out the idea [that] Christ has been birthed to become, and remain, a Servant and Dispenser from circumcision (or: an Attendant, Helper and Minister of and pertaining to [the] Circumcision [i.e., God’s covenant people]), over [the situation of] God's reality (or: Circumcision's Dispenser of provisions for the sake of a truth from and about God, and a reality which is God), into the standing to confirm (stabilize; make good; cause to stand by stepping in place on a good footing; or: to guarantee the validity of) the promises from, which pertain to, and which belong to, the fathers (or: the patriarchal promises),

⁸ For I am saying and laying out the idea [that] Christ has been birthed to become, and remain, a Servant and Dispenser from circumcision (or: an Attendant, Helper and Minister of and pertaining to [the] Circumcision [i.e., God’s covenant people]), over [the situation of] God's reality (or: Circumcision's Dispenser of provisions for the sake of a truth from and about God, and a reality which is God), into the standing to confirm (stabilize; make good; cause to stand by stepping in place on a good footing; or: to guarantee the validity of) the promises from, which pertain to, and which belong to, the fathers (or: the patriarchal promises), ⁹ and on the other hand [to place on good footing and confirm the standing of] the ethnic multitudes (the nations; the non-Israelites; the pagans), [for them] to glorify God (to enhance the reputation of and the opinion about God) over [the situation of] mercy (for the sake of [His] mercy), just as it has been written, "Because of this I will continue openly professing and acclaiming You (speaking out of the same word for and to You; agreeing and promising) within ethnic multitudes (among nations that are pagans and Gentiles), and I will continue playing music (striking the string; making melody; singing with musical accompaniment) to, for and in Your Name." [2 Sam. 22:50; Ps. 18:50]

² I gave you folks milk to drink, not solid food, for you were continuing not as yet being able or having power. But then, neither are you yet now (at present) able (or: having power), for you are still fleshly ones (continue being focused on the natural realm and ordinary life).

¹⁷ If anyone habitually spoils, ruins, wrecks or corrupts God's Temple, God will spoil, ruin, wreck and corrupt this person; for you see, God's Temple – which you folks, yourselves, are (exist being) – is set-apart (holy; sacred; different from the common).

¹³ The foods (The things eaten) [are meant] for the stomach, and the stomach [is meant] for the things eaten, yet God will make both it and them useless and unprofitable (or: will also bring this and these down to being idle). Now the body [is] not for prostitution (or: sexual immorality; or: = idolatry), but rather for the Lord – and further, the Lord [is] in (or: for; with) the body.

²⁵ Go on habitually eating everything that is normally being sold in (or: at) a meat market, while examining nothing because of (or: sifting not one thing back through) the conscience,

¹⁴ So if Christ has not been awakened and raised up, our message which we preach [is] consequently empty and without content – and your [other MSS: our] faith and trust [is] empty and vacuous,

⁵⁸ Consequently, my beloved brothers, progressively come to be seated and settled folks – immovable and unswerving people – continuing to always be surrounded by more than enough (or: superabounding) within the midst of the Lord's work (= [Yahweh's or Christ's] deed or act), having seen and now knowing that your fatiguing labor (or: toil) does not exist without contents (is not empty) within and in union with [the] Lord [= Christ or Yahweh].

⁵ progressively tearing down and demolishing conceptions (concepts; the effects of thoughts, calculations, imaginations, reasonings and reflections) and every height (or: high position; high-effect) and lofty [attitude, purpose or obstacle] that is habitually lifting itself up against (or: elevating itself up on so as to put down) the intimate and experiential knowledge of God, and then taking captive every thought – one after another – and leading them prisoner into the hearing obedience of the Christ (or: the humble attentive listening, which comes from the Anointed One; or: the submissive paying attention, which is the Anointing),

¹⁴ And so I was progressively cutting forward and kept on advancing within Judaism (the culture and religion of the Jews) over and above many contemporaries (folks of the same age) within my race, being inherently more exceedingly zealous pertaining to the traditions of my fathers (or: for the things handed over, given alongside or delivered which originated with my ancestors).

²¹ I make it no habit to displace (shove aside; upset; thus: reject; thwart; repudiate; nullify) God's grace and favor! For if justice, equity and freedom from guilt with right relationship within the Way pointed out (= covenant inclusion) [is] through Law (= by legalism or religious works), then as a consequence Christ died as a mere gratuity (= for nothing; to no purpose).

²⁸ Within [Him; us], there is not (there does not exist) Jew nor Greek (or: Hellenist); within, there is not (does not exist) slave nor freeman; within, there is not (does not exist) male and female; for you folks all exist being one within Christ Jesus (or: are all one person in union with an Anointing from Jesus).

¹⁹ Now the works (actions; deeds) of the flesh [religion] (or: = whose source and origin are the estranged human nature; or: pertaining to the flesh [system, or, nature]; or: = whose results and realm are the self in slavery to a system) [are] seen and made apparent in clear light, which are, and continue being, the works of a prostitute (or: [the] Prostitute): uncleanness (or: waste or worthless material, as of decayed flesh; a never-pruned tree; material that has not been sifted), excess (immoderation; outrageous behavior), ²⁰ idolatry (being a servant to or worshiping external forms or appearances, phantoms of the mind, unsubstantial or reflected images, or conveyed impressions) sorcery (employment of drugs and enchantments; magic rites; witchcraft), hostilities (enmities; alienations), strife (contentious disposition), jealousies (or: zealous emotions), stirring emotions (rushing passions; furies), factions, standings-apart (divisions), sects (religious denominations; parties with a particular opinion; the making of choices from preferences), ²¹ envies, murders, intoxications (times of being drunk), festal processions (or: excessive feastings), and things like to these [whether religious, or personal], which things I continue predicting (saying beforehand; or: = giving warning) to you folks, just as I said before, that those habitually practicing (or: performing) such [religious, or personal,] things will not be inheriting (receiving and enjoying a distributed allotment of) God's reign (kingdom; sovereign influence and activities).

²¹ envies, murders, intoxications (times of being drunk), festal processions (or: excessive feastings), and things like to these [whether religious, or personal], which things I continue predicting (saying beforehand; or: = giving warning) to you folks, just as I said before, that those habitually practicing (or: performing) such [religious, or personal,] things will not be inheriting (receiving and enjoying a distributed allotment of) God's reign (kingdom; sovereign influence and activities).

¹² that (or: because) you were, and continued on being for that season (or: in that appointed situation), apart from Christ ([the] Anointed One; = [the] Messiah): people having been alienated from the state of being a citizen (or: estranged from citizenship in the commonwealth) of Israel and [being] strangers pertaining to the arrangements of (or: foreigners from covenants and testamentary dispositions whose origin is) The Promise (or the assurance), continually having no expectation (or: hope), and [were] folks without God (or: godless; atheists) within the ordered System (world of culture, religion and governments).

¹² that (or: because) you were, and continued on being for that season (or: in that appointed situation), apart from Christ ([the] Anointed One; = [the] Messiah): people having been alienated from the state of being a citizen (or: estranged from citizenship in the commonwealth) of Israel and [being] strangers pertaining to the arrangements of (or: foreigners from covenants and testamentary dispositions whose origin is) The Promise (or the assurance), continually having no expectation (or: hope), and [were] folks without God (or: godless; atheists) within the ordered System (world of culture, religion and governments). ¹³ But now, within, in union with and centered in Christ Jesus, you the folks once being (continuously existing) far off (or: at a distance) came to be (were birthed; are generated; are suddenly become) near, immersed within and in union with the blood of the Christ (the Anointed One). ¹⁴ You see, He Himself is our Peace (or: continuously exists being our harmony [= Shalom]) the One making (forming; constructing) The Both [to be] one, and within His flesh (= physical being; or: = system-caused crucifixion) is instantly destroying (unbinding; unfastening; loosing; causing to collapse) the middle wall of the fenced enclosure (or: the partition or barrier wall): the enmity (cause of hate, alienation, discord and hostility; characteristics of an enemy),

⁸ To me, the one far inferior to (or: less than the least among) all of those set apart (or: the saints; the holy people), was given this grace and joyous favor: to myself address the nations (non-Jews; Gentiles; ethnic multitudes) with the good news of (or: whose source is) the untrackable (untraceable; or: not-searched-out and unexplored) riches of the Christ (or: to for myself declare and bring to the ethnic groups the message of goodness, ease and well-being of the unexploreable wealth which is the Anointed One),

⁸ Keep watching out for and beware that someone will not be the one progressively (or: repeatedly) carrying you off captive (after stripping you of arms and seizing your goods, proceed in kidnapping you as booty or a prey) through the philosophy and empty seduction (or: a deceitful trick having no content) being handed down from and being in line with the tradition of the people (or: corresponding to the thing handed along from humans), down from (or: in line with and corresponding to) the elementary principles (or: rudimentary teachings and fundamental assumptions) of the organized System (the world of culture, religion, government, secular society or economy), and not down from Christ (or: in accord with the sphere of, and in line with, Christ; corresponding to an Anointing),

¹⁶ Therefore, do not let anyone habitually pass judgment on you (or: make decisions for you) in [matters of] eating and drinking, nor in a part of a festival, or of a new moon, or of sabbaths (= concerning things that are of a religious nature),

²¹ "You should not (or: may not) touch (handle; light or kindle), nor yet should you (or: may you) taste by sipping (= partake of or enjoy), nor yet should you (or: may you) come into contact!"

²¹ "You should not (or: may not) touch (handle; light or kindle), nor yet should you (or: may you) taste by sipping (= partake of or enjoy), nor yet should you (or: may you) come into contact!" ²² – which are all things [that are proceeding] into decay and ruin (thus: corruption) by consuming and being used up or misused – down from and corresponding to the effects of commands (or: on the level of the results of purposed directives and imparted instructions), as well as teachings and trainings, of humans (whose source is mankind; from people)?

²² – which are all things [that are proceeding] into decay and ruin (thus: corruption) by consuming and being used up or misused – down from and corresponding to the effects of commands (or: on the level of the results of purposed directives and imparted instructions), as well as teachings and trainings, of humans (whose source is mankind; from people)?

²² – which are all things [that are proceeding] into decay and ruin (thus: corruption) by consuming and being used up or misused – down from and corresponding to the effects of commands (or: on the level of the results of purposed directives and imparted instructions), as well as teachings and trainings, of humans (whose source is mankind; from people)? ²³ – which things, indeed, having a message (a word; an expression; may = a promise or reputation) of wisdom in self-imposed observance of ritual or self-willed form of worship, and in humility (= self-abasement), even in asceticism (unsparing) of [the] body, [yet are] not of any value or worth [and lead] toward a filling up of the flesh to the point of satiation (= a gratification of the alienated self; = a satisfying of the estranged human nature; or: = a bringing of religious works to the full; or: [and have] no honor, facing a fullness and plenty which are flesh; or: = are worthless, with a view to having enough in the natural realm)!

¹¹ wherein (or: in which place) there is no Greek [figure of the multitudes who are non-Jews, and of those who are cultured and civilized] and Jew [figure of a covenant people of God], circumcision and uncircumcision [figure for religious in-groups and out-groups; there is no longer a covenant people versus non-covenant people], barbarian [foreigner who speaks a different language], Scythian [figure or example of wild, uncivilized groups], slave, freeman, but to the contrary, Christ [is] all, and within all (or: Christ [is] all humanity, and within all mankind; or: Christ [is] everything or all things, and within everything and all things; [note: the Greek is plural, and is either masculine, signifying “mankind,” or neuter, signifying all creation, in these phrases]).

⁴ the one continuously occupying an opposite position (or: constantly lying as the opposing counterpart) and repeatedly lifting (or: raising) himself up over all (or: upon everything) being normally called God or an effect of worship (or: reverent awe), so as to cause him to be seated – down into the midst of the temple of God (or: God's dwelling place) – continuously displaying himself, that this/it is God (or: continuously pointing out that he himself is a god)?

⁶ Now we are once again passing along this advice to you, brothers (= fellow believers; = family), in the Name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, to continuously place yourselves away from (or: avoid) every brother (= believer) [who is] continuously walking about disorderly (without order; or: behaving with irregular conduct), and not according to the transmission (thing given over and delivered alongside; the tradition) which you folks [other MSS: they] received (took to your side) from us.

¹¹ For we continually hear [that] some among you are constantly walking about disorderly (a military term: out of rank and not taking part in the battle; = living with irregular conduct), continuously working [at] nothing, but further, are constantly working in the periphery (or: circumventing work; or: = being “busybodies” and meddling).

¹ Now the Spirit (or: Breath-effect) is explicitly saying that within subsequent seasons (in fitting situations and on appropriate occasions which will be afterwards) some of the faith (or: certain folks belonging to this trust) will proceed standing off and away [from the Path, or from the Community] (or: some people will progressively withdraw from this conviction and loyalty), habitually holding toward (having a propensity to) wandering and deceptive spirits (or: straying and seducing breath-effects and attitudes) and to teachings of demons (to teachings about and pertaining to, or which are, demons [note: a Hellenistic concept and term: = animistic influences]; or: to instructions and training which come from animistic influences [= pagan religions]), [comment: this prophesied about the future institutionalization of the called-out community, and the introduction of pagan teachings, all of which later came to be called "orthodox"] ² within perverse scholarship of false words (or: in association with overly critical hairsplitting of false messages; in the midst of gradually separated interpretations of false expressions; or: in union with deceptive decisions by speakers of lies), from folks having their own consciences cauterized (seared; branded) as with a hot iron, ³ coming from people habitually forbidding (preventing; hindering) [folks] to be marrying [and to be] constantly abstaining from [certain] foods – which things God creates (or: created; reduced from a state of wildness and disorder) into something to be shared and partaken of with thanksgiving by those full of faith (by the faithful and loyal folks) and by those having experienced full, intimate knowledge and realization of the Truth (or: of Reality)!

³ coming from people habitually forbidding (preventing; hindering) [folks] to be marrying [and to be] constantly abstaining from [certain] foods – which things God creates (or: created; reduced from a state of wildness and disorder) into something to be shared and partaken of with thanksgiving by those full of faith (by the faithful and loyal folks) and by those having experienced full, intimate knowledge and realization of the Truth (or: of Reality)! ⁴ Because all God's creation (or: every creature of God) [is] beautiful (fine; ideal), and not one thing is to be thrown away – being habitually received with thanksgiving – ⁵ for it is continuously (or: progressively) being set-apart (made holy; rendered sacred) through God's Word (or: by means of a word which is God; through a message and an idea from God) and an encounter (or: a meeting and falling in with someone; or: conversation; or: hitting on target within a matter to assist; thus: intercession).

⁴ But if any widow currently has children or grandchildren (descendants), let these keep on learning to first show reverence with ease and virtuous devotion to goodness with pious care, for and in their own household, and to keep paying a due compensation to their parents and grandparents (progenitors), for this is welcomely received in God's sight. ⁵ Now the one actually being a widow, and having been left alone (= without a dowry and destitute), has placed expectation upon, and now relies on God, and constantly remains focused in requests regarding needs, and in prayers (thoughts, words and deeds aimed toward having goodness and well-being) during night and during day, ⁶ yet the woman continuously indulging herself in riotous luxury (excessive comfort; sensual gratification), continuing being alive (or: [though] living), she is dead (or: she has died). ⁷ So keep on announcing these things along the way (telling them to the one at your side), to the end that they may be folks not to be laid hold of for being reprehensible (thus: people in whom is no just cause for blame). ⁸ Now if anyone is not habitually having forethought or perceiving beforehand in order to provide for those who are his or her own (= relatives), and especially ones of the household (family or domestics) she or he has disowned (turned her or his back on; denied; renounced; refused) the Faith-loyalty and is worse than an unbeliever (or: has disregarded and declined their trust and exists being worse than one without faith).

²⁵ Similarly, the beautiful acts (the excellent deeds; the fine and ideal works) are obvious (portrayed before the public), and yet the ones habitually holding otherwise (having [acts or deeds] in a different way) are not able to be continuously hidden.

⁵ continuously holding (having) a form of reverence (virtuous conduct; pious awe) yet being folks having refused (or: turned their back on) and now denying its power and ability! And so, be habitually turning your steps in a direction away from these folks and avoid them,

¹⁴ not habitually holding to (having [a propensity] toward; heeding and clinging in the direction toward) Jewish myths (or: fictions; or, possibly: oral traditions) and to implanted goals (impartations of a finished product within; inward directives; commands) whose source and origin is people (or: human commandments) [thus] continually being twisted and turned away from the Truth (or: reality). ¹⁵ To the pure folks, everything [is] pure (or: All things [are] clean for, with and in the clean ones). Yet to (or: for; in; with) those having been stained and remaining defiled (corrupted; polluted), and to (or: for; in) faithless people (those without trust; unbelieving ones), nothing is pure or clean – but rather, their mind, as well as the conscience, has been – and now remains – stained, defiled and corrupted. ¹⁶ They are repeatedly adopting the same terms of language, and habitually making confession and avowing to have perceived and now know God, yet they are constantly denying (repudiating; disowning; refusing) [this] by the works (in the actions and things done), continuing being detestable (abominable), incompliant (stubborn; disobedient; unpersuasive) and disqualified (disapproved; rejected after trial) with a view toward every good work (excellent and virtuous activity).

³ You see, we also were, ourselves, at one time people habitually being foolish, senseless and without understanding (without perception or proper use of our minds) – noncompliant and disobedient ones, folks being constantly caused to wander and being led astray (or, as a middle: repeatedly deceiving ourselves; habitually going astray), continuously being and performing as slaves to various (a diversity of many kinds of) full-rushing passions and pleasures (enjoyments; gratifications), habitually carrying ugly worthlessness (bad quality or malice) and envy (or: jealousy) throughout (= leading a bad life): detestable ones (abhorrent folks) continuously hating one another.

⁹ Yet habitually set yourself at the periphery (or: step around) so as to avoid unintelligent (stupid; foolish) questionings (or: seekings; investigations) and genealogies (studies into births or descents), also strife [other MSS: quarrels] and fights (contentions; conflicts; battles) about Laws (or: customs; or: = things related to the Torah), for they are contrary to progress (without benefit; unprofitable; regressive) and ineffectual (futile; vain).

¹⁵ For you see, we do not have a chief priest who is unable or has no power to sympathize (to have a sense-experience with; to feel a stab of sympathy or suffer together; cf ch. 2:10) with our lack of strength, but One having been put to the proof – in accord with all things (or: down with all men; corresponding to all people) [and] in corresponding likeness – apart from failure (mistake; error; sin; failing to hit the target).

¹¹ concerning Whom the Word [has] much to say to us – and [it is] difficult to be explained (or: about whom the message [is] great and [is] hard to be understood [or] for us to say; or: concerning Whom, for us [there is] much to say – and [it is] hard to be understood), since you have become sluggish (dull) for hearing.

⁶ Yet on the other hand, he (or: the one the man), being not of their genealogy, caused Abraham to pay tithes and has spoken goodness and well-being to (or: blessed) the one holding (or: possessing) the Promise.

¹⁰ [relying] only upon foods and drinks and various immersions (baptisms; ceremonial washings), as well as rites and products of the way then pointed out (or: applications of fairness and equity) pertaining to the flesh (or: = [the] flesh's [religious] ordinances and external regulations of justice; or: = the system of human works), continuously lying upon them (thus: pressing upon them; = being imposed by them) until a fitting situation (or: season; fertile moment) of raising-up-through (or: thoroughly raising upright and making straight).

⁹ [so] do not be carried aside (or: swept away) by various and strange (or: with many-colored [as in tapestries], intricate and foreign) teachings. You see, [it is] beautiful (fine; ideal; admirably proportionate) for the heart (= core of our being) to be continuously made firm with a fixed footing by Grace, whose source is joy and which comes with favor – not by (or: in; with) foods (= rules and regulations pertaining to eating or what is edible), in which those [thus] walking about (= occupying themselves) were not increased (or: = which have not helped or benefited those who follow this way of life).

¹⁴ Yet each person is repeatedly probed and put to the proof (tested and tried in an ordeal), being continuously dragged (or: drawn) out and entrapped under his own over-covering passion (by his own longing, craving or lust; by what he sets his desires upon). ¹⁵ Thereafter, with the over-covering passion conceiving (seizing together so as to become pregnant), it continuously gives birth to failure (or: repeatedly brings forth an offspring of missing the target; progressively bears sin). Now the failure (error; sin; missing of the target), being brought to full term (being finished off; being fully formed with all its parts; being brought to its goal) continues producing (keeps generating; from pregnancy progressively bears forth) death.

²⁶ Now if someone habitually supposes [himself] (or: thinks [himself]; presumes; or: constantly appears or seems) to be religious (occupied with rituals and ceremonies), while not habitually guiding his tongue with a bridle, but rather is repeatedly deceiving his heart, the religion (ritual; observance of a religious system) of this person is useless (futile; empty).

⁴ are you not thoroughly separated and disconnected within yourselves (or: discriminating and making a distinction among yourselves) and have birthed yourselves to become (or: caused yourselves to be) judges having the qualities of evil reasonings (or: decision makers whose motives are wicked designs and harmful logistics)?

¹⁴ What is the advantage (the furtherance; the increase), my brothers (= fellow believers; = family) if a certain person may keep on claiming to continuously have faith (or: may be now saying [that he is] habitually having trust, loyalty and conviction), yet he may not normally have works (or: keep on possessing actions and deeds)? Is the faith (trust; loyalty; conviction) not continuing able (constantly having power) to deliver (rescue; save; make whole and heal; restore) him? ¹⁵ Now if a brother or a sister may continuously subsist (or: should begin now in a position under [circumstances]) as naked ones (= without sufficient clothing), and may constantly be deserted (or: wanting) of daily food, ¹⁶ yet a certain person out from among you folks may be saying to them, "Be now humbly departing in peace (or: Continue leading [your life] under [these circumstances] in union with harmony), be continuously warming yourselves and be habitually fed and fully satisfy yourselves, " but you would not give to them the body's necessities – what is the advantage or resulting benefit? ¹⁷ Thus also [is] the faith (the trust, conviction and loyalty): if it should not continue to have works (include actions; possess deeds; have employment), by itself it exists being dead (or: is lifeless; = is a corpse) in correspondence to its own nature (in the sphere of itself).

²⁰ But are you willing to experientially and intimately know and receive insight, O empty person, that the faith, trust and loyalty, apart from the works and actions, exists being inactive (continues unproductive; [p74 reads: empty; without contents; other MSS: is dead])?

⁶ Well the tongue [is] a fire; [its fuel is] the System of injustice (or: the ordered and decorated but dominating world of secular culture, religion, politics and government which is unjust; or: The tongue, also, [is] fire: the world of disregard for what is right). The tongue is placed down within our members, continuously spotting (staining; = defiling) the whole body, and repeatedly setting on fire the wheel of birth (= the cycle of the origin [of life], or of generation; the wheel of genesis), as well as being continuously set on fire by (or: under) the garbage dump (the depository of refuse; Greek: Gehenna – the Valley of Hinnom).

¹ From what situation (place; source) [arise] battles (or: wars; situations of combat) and fights (quarrels; strife; controversies) among you folks? Are they not from this source (or: place): from out of your sensual pleasures (enjoyments and gratifications) [which are] themselves continually performing as soldiers within your members?

¹ From what situation (place; source) [arise] battles (or: wars; situations of combat) and fights (quarrels; strife; controversies) among you folks? Are they not from this source (or: place): from out of your sensual pleasures (enjoyments and gratifications) [which are] themselves continually performing as soldiers within your members? ² You folks are continuously strongly desiring to possess, and yet continuously you do not have; you continue murdering and are repeatedly jealous (boil with rivalry), and so you are perpetually unable to hit the mark (to attain or master [something]). You are habitually quarreling and fighting. (or: You people constantly have full longing, desire and lust – and still you are not presently holding or possessing – and so you repeatedly murder. You are progressively envious, boiling with rivalry, and yet continue having no power to obtain [your goal], so you are constantly striving and having controversies – even doing combat and waging wars!) You continue not having [your desires] because you yourself do not continue asking (or: you are not normally asking for yourselves). ³ You continue asking (requesting), and yet are not receiving because you are asking inappropriately (worthlessly requesting; or: = asking for a wrong purpose) to the intent that you may spend (= waste) it in (or: on) your pleasures.

⁸ Draw near in God (or: Approach by God; Be close at hand for God; Be or stay near to God), and He will progressively draw near in you (or: continue being or staying near to you; habitually be close at hand for you)! You failing folks (ones missing the target; sinners), cleanse [your] hands (= your actions)! You two-souled folks (or: double-minded ones; people with split affections and loyalties), purify (make of one substance) [your] hearts!

¹⁸ having seen, and thus knowing, that you folks were not unbound and released by a ransom of corruptible things (things that are perishable and subject to spoiling) – by little coins of silver or gold – from out of your fruitless behavior (vain conduct; idle and foolish way of life) handed down by tradition from the fathers (= your ancestors),

¹⁵ Because thus is God's will (or: For God's intent and purpose exists in this manner): folks habitually doing good things (constructing excellence; performing with virtues; creating goodness) to repeatedly muzzle (continuously gag; thus: progressively silence) the ignorance of senseless and thoughtless people (humans without intellect and prudence; unreasonable folks);

² [and comes] into the [condition or situation] to no longer live out the additional remaining course [of his] time within [the] flesh (= in the natural realm) in the midst of (or: in union with) [the] full passions (or: for [the] over-desires; to [the] rushings of emotions upon things) of humans (or: pertaining to or originating in mankind), but to the contrary, in God's will (or: for God's intent; to God's purpose). ³ For the time having gone by [is] sufficient (= you have spent enough time, in the past,) to have accomplished (to have worked down and effected) the thing desired by (or: the intention of) the multitudes (the nations; the swarms of ethnic groups living together; the non-Jews; the Gentiles), having gone from place to place in indecent and licentious debaucheries (deeds of loose conduct), in rushing passions and over-desires, in excesses bubbling over with wine, in carousing and festive processions, in drinking parties, and in forbidden (i.e., illegal in respect to the natural laws of reason, conscience and common decency) idolatries (or: being a servant to or worshiping external forms or appearances, phantoms of the mind, unsubstantial or reflected images, or conveyed impressions),

⁵ Likewise (or: In like manner), you younger people be humbly placed, arranged and aligned by (or: subjected for support to) older folks. Yet all of you folks (or: everyone) tie on yourselves, as an outer garment (like a slave's apron), the humble attitude (the lowliness of thinking) to one another [other MSS add: continuously being ones that are humbly aligned], because "God habitually sets Himself in opposition, being resistant to those who try to appear conspicuously above others (to haughty and proud ones), yet He constantly gives grace and favor to humble (or: lowly) folks." [Prov. 3:34]

⁷ Yet if we keep on walking about (= continue living our life) within the midst of and in union with the Light, as He exists (or: is) within the Light, we constantly have common being and existence (or: hold common fellowship, participation and enjoy partnership) with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, keeps continually and repeatedly cleansing us (or: is progressively rendering us pure) from every sin (or: from all error, failure, deviation, mistake, and from every [successive] shot that is off target [when it occurs]).

⁸ Yet the person habitually practicing (repeatedly doing; progressively producing) the error (the failure to hit the target or accomplish his purpose; or: the sin; the mistake; the deviation) is existing from out of the adversary who thrusts something through the midst, [with a weapon, or with ill-intent], creating a wound or division (or: = is [operating] from [the influence of] the “devil”), because this adversary is habitually sinning (or: repeatedly missing the target; continuously falling short of the goal; constantly deviating from his purpose) from [the] beginning (or: from [its] origin). Into this [situation] was (or: is) God's Son manifested and made visible, to the end that He would unbind (loose; untie; destroy; disintegrate) the works and actions of the adversary who casts things through the midst of folks.

⁸ In like manner, indeed, these dreaming ones (folks continuing in sleep, or with imaginary experiences) also pollute flesh (= their or others’ bodies; or: = the estranged human nature). They are continuously setting aside lordship (or: ownership systems) and are repeatedly blaspheming (speaking injuriously of and slandering; vilifying; obscuring the light of; misrepresenting) reputations (or: opinions; notions; glories; manifestations which call forth praise).

⁷ "Let the person having an ear hear what the Spirit is repeatedly saying to, in and by (or: the Breath-effect is continuously laying out for) the called-out communities: In (To; For) the one continuously overcoming (habitually conquering; normally victorious) I will continue giving in him (to him; for him) to eat from out of the substance of the tree (wood; log; post) of Life which continuously is (exists being) within the midst of God’s paradise [note: same word in Gen. 2:8, LXX; Luke 23:43; a garden of fruit trees]."

¹¹ "Let the person who has an ear hear what the Spirit is presently saying to the called-out communities (the summoned forth assemblies): The one habitually overcoming (or: repeatedly victorious) may by no means be injured or harmed from the midst of the second death."

¹⁷ "Let the one having an ear hear what the Spirit is now saying to the called-out community: To the one habitually overcoming (repeatedly conquering), to him (in him; for him) I will continue giving manna having been hidden, and I will proceed to give to him a white pebble, and upon the pebble a new name having been written which no one knows, except the one receiving it."

²⁹ "Let the person having an ear at once hear (= pay attention and obey) what the Spirit is continuously saying to (or: in; for; among) the called-out communities!"

⁶ "Let the one having an ear continuously hear what the Spirit (or: Breath-effect; Attitude) is normally saying to the called-out communities."

¹³ "Let the person having an ear hear what the Spirit (Breath-effect) is repeatedly saying to the called-out communities!"

²² "Let the one who has an ear hear what the Spirit (Breath-effect) is presently saying to the called-out communities."

¹¹ And so the smoke of their examination and testing by the touchstone continually ascends on into ages of the ages. And those continually worshiping the little animal and its image – and if any one continually receives the imprinted mark (carve-effect) of its name – they, continually, are not having rest day and night [comment: day and night are representations of time elapsing on earth]. ¹² Here (or: In this place) exists (or: is) the persistent and patient endurance (the steadfast, humble remaining-under for support) of the set-apart folks (or: from the saints) – the people continually keeping watch upon (guarding, observing, having custody over) God's implanted goals (impartations of the finished product within; inward purposed directives) and the faith of Jesus (or: the trust pertaining to Jesus; the loyalty belonging to Jesus; the faith which belongs to and comes from Jesus; the conviction which is Jesus; the reliability of and from Jesus).

⁸ And I, John, [am] the person progressively hearing and seeing these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship in front of the feet of the agent [who] is progressively exhibiting (pointing out) these things to me. ⁹ And he is saying to me, "See! No! I am your fellow-slave, even of (belonging to; from among) your brothers – of (or: belonging to and from among) the prophets and of those continuously keeping and observing the words of this scroll. Worship God!”

¹⁸ I am continuously testifying (repeatedly witnessing) to (or: in) everyone [who is] habitually hearing the words (or: messages) of the prophecy of this scroll: If ever anyone should overlay (place upon; thus: add) upon them, God will overlay (impose; add) upon him those plagues having been written within this scroll.