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NKJV STUDY BIBLE This page intentionally left blank NKJV STUDY BIBLE Second Edition Earl D. Radmacher, Th.D. General Editor Ronald B. Allen, Th.D. Old Testament Editor H. Wayne House, Th.D., J.D. New Testament Editor <logo> www.ThomasNelson.com The NKJV Study Bible formerly titled The Nelson Study Bible New King James Version Copyright ©1997, 2007 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. New King James Version Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Excerpts and quotations from The NKJV Study Bible may be used in magazines, articles, newsletters, bulletins, and reviews without the written permission of the publisher. Each such use must be accompanied by the following credit line: From The NKJV Study Bible, copyright ©1997, 2007 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. Any other use of materials in The NKJV Study Bible, including the use of complete articles or other features, must be upon written permission from Thomas Nelson Publishers, Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000. The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) may be quoted or reprinted without prior written permission with the following qualifications: (1) up to and including 1,000 verses may be quoted in printed form as long as the verses quoted amount to less than 50% of a complete book of the Bible and make up less than 50% of the total work in which they are quoted; (2) all NKJV quotations must conform accurately to the NKJV text. Any use of the NKJV text must include a proper acknowledgment as follows: Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright ©1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. However, when quotations from the NKJV text are used in church bulletins, orders of service, Sunday School lessons, church newsletters and similar works in the course of religious instruction or services at a place of worship or other religious assembly, the notice "NKJV" may be used at the end of each quotation. For quotation requests not covered by the above guidelines, write to T; homas Nelson Publishers, Bible Rights and Permissions, P.O. Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214-1000. Produced with the assistance of The Livingstone Corporation (www.livingstonecorp.com). Designed by Larry Taylor. Typeset by Joel Bartlett and Red Wing Typesetting. All Rights Reserved Printed in the United States of America 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 – 13 12 11 10 09 08 07 Foreword Welcome to the second edition of The NKJV Study Bible. Years in the making, this publication combines a thorough exposition of the Bible with an accessible and spiritually sensitive style that makes it the best available all-purpose Bible study resource between two covers. To get the greatest benefit from your The NKJV Study Bible, please take a moment to acquaint yourself with the many helpful features contained in its pages. New King James Version. This study Bible is based on an outstanding translation for study purposes, the NKJV. The paragraph-style text, now in an attractive new typesetting, includes intext subheadings with parallel passage references. The complete NKJV translators' footnotes are included in the center column. Cross-References. In addition to the references under many of the text subheadings, an extensive set of cross-references is included in the center column. These references are greatly expanded from those contained in the first edition and include helpful translation notes. Cross-references that are enclosed in square brackets identify passages similar in concept to the referenced passage in the text. The center column references and notes are indicated in the text by raised letters and numbers. Prophetic Stars. Many cross-references include stars that designate messianic prophecies. An open star refers to a prediction, while a solid star points out a fulfillment of a prophecy related to the coming of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. Annotations. The basic feature of this study Bible is its annotations. There are over 15,000 of them, providing a warm yet scholarly exposition of the biblical text. The annotations offer helpful explanations, theological insights, and suggestions for other places to direct your study. The style of the annotations is meant to heighten clarity through effective communication, using direct, natural language. Book Introductions and Outlines. Each book of the Bible begins with an introduction that offers helpful information concerning the background of the book, including authorship and other circumstances surrounding the book's composition, and information concerning the teaching about Christ in each book. A detailed outline lists the key features and shows the structure of the book. Time Lines. Most book introductions are accompanied by a time line showing the estimated dates of key occurrences before, during, and after the period of the book. The time line helps you to establish the book's historical context and its place in the unfolding of biblical events. Articles. Over 100 long-format articles provide even more extensive coverage of key doctrinal topics than would be possible in an annotation. The articles enable closer study of important Christian doctrines and are useful as discussion starters. (A contents list in the front section gives page numbers for all articles. These articles have been expanded from the first edition.) Bible Times and Culture Notes. Included in the text are 150 notes focusing on various features of Bible times and culture, including such topics as Tents, Farming, Rainfall Patterns, Correspondence in Bible Times, and more. (A contents list in the front section gives page numbers for all Bible Times and Culture Notes.) Charts. Sometimes the best way to present information is in the form of a chart or diagram. More than 80 charts are distributed throughout the Bible, making such information available quickly and attractively. (See contents list.) vi FOREWORD Word Studies. To provide access to important terms from the original biblical languages, we have included 350 word studies (and their corresponding Strong's numbers). Key Hebrew and Greek words are discussed with regard to the context in which they are used, and their meaning and biblical usage are explained. These studies have been revised from the first edition to make them even more useful and pertinent. (See contents list.) In-Text Maps. Geographical understanding is aided by 69 strategically placed black-and-white maps. Journeys and regional activities are shown with clarity and cartographical accuracy, in proximity to the passages that mention them. (See contents list.) Full-Color Maps. For general use we have also included Nelson's full-color Bible maps and map index in the back of the Bible. When used in conjunction with the in-text maps, these handsome color maps maximize your familiarity with the locations of the places named in Scripture. "How to Understand What the Bible Means by What It Says." A helpful how-to article in the front section furnishes a methodology for Bible study. This article will prove useful to you time and again as you explore the word of God. Tools for Bible Study. In the back of the Bible you will find a helpful article that suggests resources you might wish to obtain to build a basic Bible study reference library. Teachings and Illustrations of Christ. This topical chart of Jesus' teachings and illustrations supplies references for easy location in the Gospels. Prophecies of the Messiah Fulfilled in Jesus Christ. This easy-to-use chart quotes the Old Testament prophecy and the New Testament fulfillment. A center column offers a key reference point. The Parables of Jesus Christ. This chart provides a complete list of Jesus' parables and their Bible references in the Synoptic Gospels. The Miracles of Jesus Christ. This chart presents a list of Jesus' miracles and their Bible references in all four Gospels. Prayers of the Bible. This chart is organized alphabetically by the name of the person or group praying, the focus of the prayer, and the location of that prayer in Scripture. Subject Index to Annotations and Features. This is a thorough alphabetical subject index that details the contents of the features that supplement the biblical text. Concordance. The subject index is followed by an extensive concordance, the biggest one Nelson has ever published in the back of an NKJV Bible. Its 195 pages list all of the important words, phrases, and proper names in the text of the NKJV. The features described above combine to provide an unparalleled opportunity for Bible study. Our prayer is that you will be blessed and encouraged as you grow in your knowledge of God's word through your use of The NKJV Study Bible. Table of Contents Page Foreword. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editors and Contributors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Special Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Preface to the New King James Version . . . . . . . . . . . . How to Understand What the Bible Means by What It Says . Books of the Old and New Testaments . . . . . . . . . . . . List of Articles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . List of Bible Times and Culture Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . List of Charts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . List of In-Text Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . List of Word Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v . . viii . . . ix . . . x . . . xv . .xviii . . xix . . xxi . .xxiv . .xxvi . xxviii The Old Testament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxiii The New Testament . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1479 Harmony of the Gospels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1481 Tools for Bible Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . Teachings and Illustrations of Christ . . . . Prophecies of the Messiah Fulfilled in Christ The Parables of Jesus Christ . . . . . . . . . The Miracles of Jesus Christ . . . . . . . . . Prayers of the Bible . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Subject Index to Annotations and Features . Concordance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page numbers for the books of the Bible are listed in "Books of the Old and New Testaments" on page xviii. . . . . . . . . 2065 2071 2074 2080 2081 2082 2083 . . 1 Editors and Contributors (First Edition) Editors H. Wayne House, Th.D., J.D. Michigan Theological Seminary General Editor Earl D. Radmacher, Th.D. Western Conservative Baptist Seminary David M. Howard Jr., Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Old Testament Editor Ronald B. Allen, Th.D. Dallas Theological Seminary New Testament Editor H. Wayne House, Th.D., J.D. Michigan Theological Seminary Thomas Ice, Ph.D. Pre-Trib Research Center S. Lewis Johnson Jr., Th.D. Believers Chapel (Dallas, TX) Walter C. Kaiser Jr., Ph.D. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Contributors Deborah Jane Kappas, Th.M. Western Conservative Baptist Seminary Ronald B. Allen, Th.D. Dallas Theological Seminary J. Carl Laney, Th.D. Western Conservative Baptist Seminary Barry J. Beitzel, Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School Donald H. Launstein, Th.D. Heritage Theological Seminary Darrell Lane Bock, Ph.D. Dallas Theological Seminary Asa Boyd Luter Jr., Ph.D. Golden Gate Baptist Seminary James Borland, Th.D. Liberty University Walter Creighton Marlowe, Ph.D. Tyndale Theological Seminary Robert B. Chisholm Jr., Th.D. Dallas Theological Seminary Eugene H. Merrill, Ph.D. Dallas Theological Seminary Michael G. Cocoris, D.D. The Lindley Church (Santa Monica, CA) Bruce M. Metzger, Ph.D. Princeton Theological Seminary Ronald Dennis Cole, Th.D. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Joseph Edward Coleson, Ph.D. Nazarene Theological Seminary W. Robert Cook, Th.D. Western Conservative Baptist Seminary Barry C. Davis, Ph.D. Multnomah Bible College Darryl DelHoussaye, D.Min. Phoenix Seminary Thomas Kem Oberholtzer, Th.D. Phoenix Seminary Gregory W. Parsons, Th.D. Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary Dorothy Kelley Patterson, D.Min., Th.D. cand. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Richard D. Patterson, Ph.D. Liberty University Gary Wayne Derickson, Ph.D. Western Baptist College Susan Perlman Jews for Jesus Joseph C. Dillow, Th.D. BEE World Earl D. Radmacher, Th.D. Western Conservative Baptist Seminary Duane Arthur Dunham, Th.D. Molalla (OR) Conservative Baptist Church Moishe Rosen Jews for Jesus David J. Eckman, Ph.D. Western Conservative Baptist Seminary Ray C. Stedman, D.D. (deceased) Peninsula Bible Church (Palo Alto, CA) Stanley A. Ellisen, Th.D. Western Conservative Baptist Seminary Stanley D. Toussaint, Th.D. Dallas Theological Seminary Arthur L. Farstad, Th.D. Journal of the Conservative Evangelical Society Willem VanGemeren, Ph.D. Trinity Evangelical Divinity School CONTRIBUTORS Bruce K. Waltke, Ph.D., Th.D. Regent College John F. Walvoord, Th.D., D.D., Litt.D. Dallas Theological Seminary Ralph Winter, Th.D. Fuller Theological Seminary Naomi Taylor Wright Bethany Bible Church (Phoenix, AZ) Contributing Editors (First and Second Editions) (for The Livingstone Corporation) Bruce B. Barton, D.Min. Dana Niesluchowski Linda Chaffee Taylor Jonathan Ziman Andy Culbertson ix Will Reaves Ashley Taylor Barry J. Beitzel, Ph.D. Donald Brown, M.A. Aaron Burke Lamont Cannon Philip W. Comfort, Ph.D. Jonathan Farrar, M.A. James C. Galvin, Ed.D. Steven Hawkins, M.A. Nathanael Heller, M.A. Andrew Hill, Ph.D. Christopher Hudson Daryl Lucas James D. Scott, M.A. Randy Southern David R. Veerman, M.Div. Neil S. Wilson, M.A.R. Len Woods, Th.M. Special Abbreviations Arab. Aram. Bg. cf. ch., chs. DSS fem. f., ff. Gk. Heb. i.e. Kt. Lat. Lit. LXX M ms., mss. masc. MT Arabic Aramaic the 1524-25 edition of the Hebrew Old Testament published by Daniel Bomberg (see Preface to the NKJV, "The Old Testament Text") compare chapter, chapters Dead Sea Scrolls feminine following verse, following verses Greek Hebrew that is Kethib (literally, in Aramaic, "written")—the written words of the Hebrew Old Testament preserved by the Masoretes (see "Qr." below) Latin Literally Septuagint—an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek Majority Text (see Preface to the NKJV, "The New Testament Text") manuscript, manuscripts masculine Masoretic Text—the traditional Hebrew Old Testament (see Preface to the NKJV, "The Old Testament Text") NU pl. Qr. Sam. sing. Syr. Tg. TR v., vv. vss. Vg. the modern eclectic, or "critical," text of the Greek New Testament, published in the twenty-seventh edition of the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament (N) and in the fourth edition of the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (U) plural Qere (literally, in Aramaic, "read")— certain words read aloud, differing from the written words, in the Masoretic tradition of the Hebrew Old Testament (see "Kt." above) Samaritan Pentateuch—a variant Hebrew edition of the books of Moses, used by the Samaritan community singular Syriac Targum—an Aramaic paraphrase of the Old Testament Textus Receptus or Received Text (see Preface to the NKJV, "The New Testament Text") verse, verses versions—ancient translations of the Bible Vulgate—an ancient translation of the Bible into Latin, translated and edited by Jerome Preface to the New King James Version Purpose In the preface to the 1611 edition, the translators of the Authorized Version, known popularly as the King James Bible, state that it was not their purpose "to make a new translation . . . but to make a good one better." Indebted to the earlier work of William Tyndale and others, they saw their best contribution to consist in revising and enhancing the excellence of the English versions which had sprung from the Reformation of the sixteenth century. In harmony with the purpose of the King James scholars, the translators and editors of the present work have not pursued a goal of innovation. They have perceived the Holy Bible, New King James Version, as a continuation of the labors of the earlier translators, thus unlocking for today's readers the spiritual treasures found especially in the Authorized Version of the Holy Scriptures. A Living Legacy For nearly four hundred years, and throughout several revisions of its English form, the King James Bible has been deeply revered among the English-speaking peoples of the world. The precision of translation for which it is historically renowned, and its majesty of style, have enabled that monumental version of the word of God to become the mainspring of the religion, language, and legal foundations of our civilization. Although the Elizabethan period and our own era share in zeal for technical advance, the former period was more aggressively devoted to classical learning. Along with this awakened concern for the classics came a flourishing companion interest in the Scriptures, an interest that was enlivened by the conviction that the manuscripts were providentially handed down and were a trustworthy record of the inspired Word of God. The King James translators were committed to producing an English Bible that would be a precise translation, and by no means a paraphrase or a broadly approximate rendering. On the one hand, the scholars were almost as familiar with the original languages of the Bible as with their native English. On the other hand, their reverence for the divine Author and His Word assured a translation of the Scriptures in which only a principle of utmost accuracy could be accepted. In 1786 Catholic scholar Alexander Geddes said of the King James Bible, "If accuracy and strictest attention to the letter of the text be supposed to constitute an excellent version, this is of all versions the most excellent." George Bernard Shaw became a literary legend in the twentieth century because of his severe and often humorous criticisms of our most cherished values. Surprisingly, however, Shaw pays the following tribute to the scholars commissioned by King James: "The translation was extraordinarily well done because to the translators what they were translating was not merely a curious collection of ancient books written by different authors in different stages of culture, but the Word of God divinely revealed through His chosen and expressly inspired scribes. In this conviction they carried out their work with boundless reverence and care and achieved a beautifully artistic result." History agrees with these estimates. Therefore, while seeking to unveil the excellent form of the traditional English Bible, special care has also been taken in the present edition to preserve the work of precision which is the legacy of the 1611 translators. Complete Equivalence in Translation Where new translation has been necessary in the New King James Version, the most complete representation of the original has been rendered by considering the history of usage and etymology of words in their contexts. This principle of complete equivalence seeks to preserve all of the information in the text, while presenting it in good literary form. Dynamic equivalence, a recent procedure in Bible translation, commonly results in paraphrasing where a more PREFACE xi literal rendering is needed to reflect a specific and vital sense. For example, complete equivalence truly renders the original text in expressions such as "lifted her voice and wept" (Gen. 21:16); "I gave you cleanness of teeth" (Amos 4:6); "Jesus met them, saying, 'Rejoice!' " (Matt. 28:9); and "Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me?" (John 2:4). Complete equivalence translates fully, in order to provide an English text that is both accurate and readable. In keeping with the principle of complete equivalence, it is the policy to translate interjections which are commonly omitted in modern language renderings of the Bible. As an example, the interjection behold, in the older King James editions, continues to have a place in English usage, especially in dramatically calling attention to a spectacular scene, or an event of profound importance such as the Immanuel prophecy of Isaiah 7:14. Consequently, behold is retained for these occasions in the present edition. However, the Hebrew and Greek originals for this word can be translated variously, depending on the circumstances in the passage. Therefore, in addition to behold, words such as indeed, look, see, and surely are also rendered to convey the appropriate sense suggested by the context in each case. In faithfulness to God and to our readers, it was deemed appropriate that all participating scholars sign a statement affirming their belief in the verbal and plenary inspiration of Scripture, and in the inerrancy of the original autographs. Devotional Quality The King James scholars readily appreciated the intrinsic beauty of divine revelation. They accordingly disciplined their talents to render well-chosen English words of their time, as well as a graceful, often musical arrangement of language, which has stirred the hearts of Bible readers through the years. The translators, the committees, and the editors of the present edition, while sensitive to the late-twentieth-century English idiom, and while adhering faithfully to the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts, have sought to maintain those lyrical and devotional qualities that are so highly regarded in the Authorized Version. This devotional quality is especially apparent in the poetic and prophetic books, although even the relatively plain style of the Gospels and Epistles cannot strictly be likened, as sometimes suggested, to modern newspaper style. The Koine Greek of the New Testament is influenced by the Hebrew background of the writers, for whom even the gospel narratives were not merely flat utterance, but often song in various degrees of rhythm. The Style Students of the Bible applaud the timeless devotional character of our historic Bible. Yet it is also universally understood that our language, like all living languages, has undergone profound change since 1611. Subsequent revisions of the King James Bible have sought to keep abreast of changes in English speech. The present work is a further step toward this objective. Where obsolescence and other reading difficulties exist, present-day vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar have been carefully integrated. Words representing ancient objects, such as chariot and phylactery, have no modern substitutes and are therefore retained. A special feature of the New King James Version is its conformity to the thought flow of the 1611 Bible. The reader discovers that the sequence and selection of words, phrases, and clauses of the new edition, while much clearer, are so close to the traditional that there is remarkable ease in listening to the reading of either edition while following with the other. In the discipline of translating biblical and other ancient languages, a standard method of transliteration, that is, the English spelling of untranslated words, such as names of persons and places, has never been commonly adopted. In keeping with the design of the present work, the King James spelling of untranslated words is retained, although made uniform throughout. For example, instead of the spellings Isaiah and Elijah in the Old Testament, and Esaias and Elias in the New Testament, Isaiah and Elijah now appear in both Testaments. King James doctrinal and theological terms, for example, propitiation, justification, and sanctification, are generally familiar to English-speaking peoples. Such terms have been retained except where the original language indicates need for a more precise translation. xii PREFACE Readers of the Authorized Version will immediately be struck by the absence of several pronouns: thee, thou, and ye are replaced by the simple you, while your and yours are substituted for thy and thine as applicable. Thee, thou, thy and thine were once forms of address to express a special relationship to human as well as divine persons. These pronouns are no longer part of our language. However, reverence for God in the present work is preserved by capitalizing pronouns, including You, Your, and Yours, which refer to Him. Additionally, capitalization of these pronouns benefits the reader by clearly distinguishing divine and human persons referred to in a passage. Without such capitalization the distinction is often obscure, because the antecedent of a pronoun is not always clear in the English translation. In addition to the pronoun usages of the seventeenth century, the -eth and -est verb endings, so familiar in the earlier King James editions, are now obsolete. Unless a speaker is schooled in these verb endings, there is common difficulty in selecting the correct form to be used with a given subject of the verb in vocal prayer. That is, should we use love, loveth, or lovest? do, doeth, doest, or dost? have, hath, or hast? Because these forms are obsolete, contemporary English usage has been substituted for the previous verb endings. In older editions of the King James Version, the frequency of the connective and far exceeded the limits of present English usage. Also, biblical linguists agree that the Hebrew and Greek original words for this conjunction may commonly be translated otherwise, depending on the immediate context. Therefore, instead of and, alternatives such as also, but, however, now, so, then, and thus are accordingly rendered in the present edition, when the original language permits. The real character of the Authorized Version does not reside in its archaic pronouns or verbs or other grammatical forms of the seventeenth century, but rather in the care taken by its scholars to impart the letter and spirit of the original text in a majestic and reverent style. The Format The format of the New King James Version is designed to enhance the vividness and devotional quality of the Holy Scriptures: • Subject headings assist the reader to identify topics and transitions in the biblical content. • Words or phrases in italics indicate expressions in the original language which require clarification by additional English words, as also done throughout the history of the King James Bible. • Oblique type in the New Testament indicates a quotation from the Old Testament. • Prose is divided into paragraphs to indicate the structure of thought. • Poetry is structured as contemporary verse to reflect the poetic form and beauty of the passage in the original language. • The covenant name of God was usually translated from the Hebrew as LORD or GOD (using capital letters as shown) in the King James Old Testament. This tradition is maintained. In the present edition the name is so capitalized whenever the covenant name is quoted in the New Testament from a passage in the Old Testament. The Old Testament Text The Hebrew Bible has come down to us through the scrupulous care of ancient scribes who copied the original text in successive generations. By the sixth century A.D. the scribes were succeeded by a group known as the Masoretes, who continued to preserve the sacred Scriptures for another five hundred years in a form known as the Masoretic Text. Babylonia, Palestine, and Tiberias were the main centers of Masoretic activity; but by the tenth century A.D. the Masoretes of Tiberias, led by the family of ben Asher, gained the ascendancy. Through subsequent editions, the ben Asher text became in the twelfth century the only recognized form of the Hebrew Scriptures. Daniel Bomberg printed the first Rabbinic Bible in 1516–17; that work was followed in 1524–25 by a second edition prepared by Jacob ben Chayyim and also published by Bomberg. PREFACE xiii The text of ben Chayyim was adopted in most subsequent Hebrew Bibles, including those used by the King James translators. The ben Chayyim text was also used for the first two editions of Rudolph Kittel's Biblia Hebraica of 1906 and 1912. In 1937 Paul Kahle published a third edition of Biblia Hebraica. This edition was based on the oldest dated manuscript of the ben Asher text, the Leningrad Manuscript B19a (A.D. 1008), which Kahle regarded as superior to that used by ben Chayyim. For the New King James Version the text used was the 1967/1977 Stuttgart edition of the Biblia Hebraica, with frequent comparisons being made with the Bomberg edition of 1524–25. The Septuagint (Greek) Version of the Old Testament and the Latin Vulgate also were consulted. In addition to referring to a variety of ancient versions of the Hebrew Scriptures, the New King James Version draws on the resources of relevant manuscripts from the Dead Sea caves. In the few places where the Hebrew was so obscure that the 1611 King James was compelled to follow one of the versions, but where information is now available to resolve the problems, the New King James Version follows the Hebrew text. Significant variations are recorded in the center reference column. The New Testament Text There is more manuscript support for the New Testament than for any other body of ancient literature. Over five thousand Greek, eight thousand Latin, and many more manuscripts in other languages attest the integrity of the New Testament. There is only one basic New Testament used by Protestants, Roman Catholics, and Orthodox, by conservatives and liberals. Minor variations in hand copying have appeared through the centuries, before mechanical printing began about A.D. 1450. Some variations exist in the spelling of Greek words, in word order, and in similar details. These ordinarily do not show up in translation and do not affect the sense of the text in any way. Other manuscript differences such as omission or inclusion of a word or a clause, and two paragraphs in the Gospels, should not overshadow the overwhelming degree of agreement which exists among the ancient records. Bible readers may be assured that the most important differences in English New Testaments of today are due, not to manuscript divergence, but to the way in which translators view the task of translation: How literally should the text be rendered? How does the translator view the matter of biblical inspiration? Does the translator adopt a paraphrase when a literal rendering would be quite clear and more to the point? The New King James Version follows the historic precedent of the Authorized Version in maintaining a literal approach to translation, except where the idiom of the original language cannot be translated directly into our tongue. The King James New Testament was based on the traditional text of the Greek-speaking churches, first published in 1516, and later called the Textus Receptus or Received Text. Although based on the relatively few available manuscripts, these were representative of many more which existed at the time but only became known later. In the late nineteenth century, B. Westcott and F. Hort taught that this text had been officially edited by the fourth-century church, but a total lack of historical evidence for this event has forced a revision of the theory. It is now widely held that the Byzantine Text that largely supports the Textus Receptus has as much right as the Alexandrian or any other tradition to be weighed in determining the text of the New Testament. Since the 1880s most contemporary translations of the New Testament have relied upon a relatively few manuscripts discovered chiefly in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Such translations depend primarily on two manuscripts, Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus, because of their greater age. The Greek text obtained by using these sources and the related papyri (our most ancient manuscripts) is known as the Alexandrian Text. However, some scholars have grounds for doubting the faithfulness of Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, since they often disagree with one another, and Sinaiticus exhibits excessive omission. xiv PREFACE A third viewpoint of New Testament scholarship holds that the best text is based on the consensus of the majority of existing Greek manuscripts. This text is called the Majority Text. Most of these manuscripts are in substantial agreement. Even though many are late, and none is earlier than the fifth century, usually their readings are verified by papyri, ancient versions, quotations from the early church fathers, or a combination of these. The Majority Text is similar to the Textus Receptus, but it corrects those readings which have little or no support in the Greek manuscript tradition. Today, scholars agree that the science of New Testament textual criticism is in a state of flux. Very few scholars still favor the Textus Receptus as such, and then often for its historical prestige as the text of Luther, Calvin, Tyndale, and the King James Version. For about a century most have followed a Critical Text (so called because it is edited according to specific principles of textual criticism) which depends heavily upon the Alexandrian type of text. More recently many have abandoned this Critical Text (which is quite similar to the one edited by Westcott and Hort) for one that is more eclectic. Finally, a small but growing number of scholars prefer the Majority Text, which is close to the traditional text except in the Revelation. In light of these facts, and also because the New King James Version is the fifth revision of a historic document translated from specific Greek texts, the editors decided to retain the traditional text in the body of the New Testament and to indicate major Critical and Majority Text variant readings in the center reference column. Although these variations are duly indicated in the center-column notes of the present edition, it is most important to emphasize that fully eighty-five percent of the New Testament text is the same in the Textus Receptus, the Alexandrian Text, and the Majority Text. Center-Column Notes Significant explanatory notes, alternate translations, and cross-references, as well as New Testament citations of Old Testament passages, are supplied in the center reference column. Important textual variants in the Old Testament are identified in a standard form. The textual notes in the present edition of the New Testament make no evaluation of readings, but do clearly indicate the manuscript sources of readings. They objectively present the facts without such tendentious remarks as "the best manuscripts omit" or "the most reliable manuscripts read." Such notes are value judgments that differ according to varying viewpoints on the text. By giving a clearly defined set of variants the New King James Version benefits readers of all textual persuasions. Where significant variations occur in the New Testament Greek manuscripts, textual notes are classified as follows: NU-Text These variations from the traditional text generally represent the Alexandrian or Egyptian type of text described previously in "The New Testament Text." They are found in the Critical Text published in the twenty-seventh edition of the Nestle-Aland Greek New Testament (N) and in the United Bible Societies' fourth edition (U), hence the acronym, "NU-Text." M-Text This symbol indicates points of variation in the Majority Text from the traditional text, as also previously discussed in "The New Testament Text." It should be noted that M stands for whatever reading is printed in the published Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text, whether supported by overwhelming, strong, or only a divided majority textual tradition. The textual notes reflect the scholarship of the past 150 years and will assist the reader to observe the variations between the different manuscript traditions of the New Testament. Such information is generally not available in English translations of the New Testament. How to Understand What the Bible Means by What It Says by Earl D. Radmacher After the apostle Paul had given some significant teaching to his younger son in the faith, Timothy, he gave him the key to understanding (2 Tim. 2:15): "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." If the reader is going to understand what he or she is reading, then the rules of communication must be diligently followed. These are the same rules that are followed in everyday conversation when understanding takes place. In other words, there is not a special or secret set of rules for understanding God's Word. The Basic Principle Central to everything else in this process is the recognition that meaning is singular, not plural. For example, the popular response often heard, "there are many different interpretations of that," is clearly false. There may be ten suggested interpretations, but at least nine of them are false. The interpretation is what the writer intended with the vocabulary he used. But this does not limit application, because although the interpretation is single, application may be multiple. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to illumine hearts to see a variety of applications to life. But the applications, to be valid, must be true to the author's intended interpretation as expressed in the written text. A Four-Step Process If there is only one valid interpretation of a biblical passage, how then is it to be understood? Paul's challenge to "rightly divide the word of truth" may be fulfilled by using the following four-step process: First step: Word Focus Second step: Word Relations Third step: Context Fourth step: Culture Now let's put the process to work on an often-quoted verse of Scripture (Matt. 18:20) where Jesus is speaking to His disciples: "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Word Focus A key word is "gathered." A complete concordance lists various forms of gather in the New Testament about 75 times. These occurrences translate some ten different Greek words, but over half of them translate just one Greek verb (the one used in our passage) made up of two parts meaning "with, together with," and "to lead, bring"; thus the expression means "to lead or bring together." This discovery of the etymology of a word is a good starting point for study. One could go on to look at the word comparatively by studying its synonyms and antonyms. Most important in word study, however, is to note the usage of the word historically in Scripture. xvi UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE The use of "gathered" in this verse may be puzzling to the reader because the group is so small. Just "two or three." Yet it is a very important gathering because Jesus Christ is "in the midst of them" when the condition is fulfilled that the gathering be in His name. Such a significant gathering with Christ drives us to look very carefully at this verse, so we need to move to the second step in the process of finding the meaning, namely word relations. Before we do that, however, it may be worthwhile to suggest two tools that will be helpful to the student of Scripture in the first step: (1) The Majority Text Greek New Testament Interlinear. This work interweaves the English translation and the Greek text so that the student can see what Greek words translate into the English rendering. (2) An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. This handy tool for the English reader by W. E. Vine gives precise meanings of Greek words. It serves as somewhat of a combination dictionary and concordance. Word Relations Word studies are enlightening and fun, but words do not stand alone. Rather, they are related to the words around them. We call these relationships grammar or syntax ("to place together") and studying them is crucial to learning the meaning of Matthew 18:20. For example, the very first word ("for") expresses a relationship. It is small and usually ignored, but it is an important conjunction. It lets you know that this verse does not stand alone but is directly related to what has just been stated. It establishes the reason or cause for the preceding instructions. Two other words that show grammatical relations are the adverbs "where" and "there." The "where" pertains to the dependent clause and the "there" to the independent clause. The independent clause contains the main idea of the sentence ("I am") which identifies the actions. Thus the personal, powerful presence and ministry of Jesus Christ will be experienced (main clause) where the gathering is functioning according to His directives, in His name. This being the case, we are motivated in our search for meaning to take the third step in the process. Context It has sometimes been said (with tongue in cheek, perhaps) that there are three rules for understanding the meaning of the text. The first is context. The second is context. The third is context. This overstatement makes the point—so let's do it! There are basically three areas of context to study. 1. The immediate context. 2. The book context. 3. The Bible context. Taking your cue from the causal conjunction ("for") of verse 20, begin moving back in the immediately preceding context. Notice the reference to the "two" in verse 19 and the "again" which precedes it. Keep moving back and find the original reference to "two or three" in verse 16. At this point, the words of Jesus take you back to the Old Testament context (Deut. 19:15) for a principle of settling disputes. Now you are gaining awareness of what the "gathered" is referring to in verse 20. But note the contrastive conjunction ("But") that begins verse 16. This sends you back to verse 15 and the topic sentence which begins the paragraph and starts the immediately preceding context of verse 20. Now you have the subject matter of this whole. section, namely a breach of relationship between brothers in Christ: ". . . if your brother sins against you." Thus this passage is telling how members of Christ's family settle disputes. Now let's look at the context following our text of verse 20. Peter's question in response to Jesus shows that he understood exactly what Jesus was talking about and he applied it to himself: "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE xvii Thus in the context of verse 20, Jesus is presenting the process for dealing with sin and maintaining unity in the church (verse 17), which was yet to be established. It starts with private confronting in verse 15 (one on one), moves to group adjudication in verse 16 (two or three), and is finalized by the church in verse 17, the highest court of appeal on earth for spiritual accountability. In verses 18 and 19, Jesus strongly reinforces the legitimacy of this process of discipline in the family of believers by stating that, when it is done properly, they will be accomplishing on earth that which has already been determined as the will of God in heaven. Thus in verse 20, Jesus summarizes this whole process of discipline by affirming that when it is carried out according to His directives, it has the power and authority of His almighty presence. If you now move from the immediate context to the context of the whole book of Matthew, you will find that Christ spoke of the future church (Matt. 18:17) only one other time in the Gospels, namely in Matthew 16:18. In that passage, He spoke of its nature: ". . . I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." The church was to be a future ("will"), personal ("My"), permanent ("Hades . . . not prevail") project of Jesus Christ Himself ("I"). By way of comparison, in Matthew 18:15–20, Jesus presents the procedure of governing and maintaining the unity of that church, His body, which was yet to be established at Pentecost. There is yet a further area of context, namely, the remainder of the Bible. In pursuing that, one might continue this study by comparing the parallel passage in Luke 17:3, 4. One could also move on to the letters to the churches for further instruction and development of a total doctrine of church discipline (see 1 Cor. 5:1—6:20; 1 Tim. 5:19–22; Titus 3:1–11; Heb. 13:17). Culture The final step in our four-step process is the cultural study. This seeks to recreate the setting. Actually this may be done at the beginning as well as throughout the study process. There are three major areas of culture, which may be designated as follows: 1. Social—the customs of the times. 2. Temporal—the period in history. 3. Geographical—the place on earth. Many helpful books are available for this area of study, especially Bible dictionaries and encyclopedias. Two words in the immediate context that have social and cultural implications are "heathen" and "tax collector." Why are those words chosen as picturing the status of the brother who refuses the discipline of the church? With respect to timing in history, this passage of the teaching of Jesus occurred early in His fourth year of public ministry. It follows His prediction of His coming death and resurrection (Matt. 16:21; 17:22, 23). Although He lived under the Mosaic law and kept it perfectly (Matt. 5:17), He predicted this current dispensation of grace ( John 1:17) and the birth of the church (Matt. 16:18; cf. Eph. 3:1–21). Thus Jesus was preparing His disciples who were going to be the foundation stones in the church (Eph. 2:19–22) that would be established at Pentecost (Acts 1:4, 5; cf. 1 Cor. 12:13). Concerning geographical setting, Jesus was teaching at Capernaum on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. He had recently been at Caesarea Philippi (today known as Banias) at the foot of Mount Hermon, one of three sources of the Jordan River. In that beautiful setting, after He was transfigured in their midst, the voice of God from heaven declared, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" Perhaps this is the appropriate word for all of us as we now approach God's Word. "Hear Him!" Books of the Old and New Testaments The Old Testament Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Esther Job Psalms Proverbs ABBREV. Gen. Ex. Lev. Num. Deut. Josh. Judg. Ruth 1 Sam. 2 Sam. 1 Kin. 2 Kin. 1 Chr. 2 Chr. Ezra Neh. Esth. Job Ps. Prov. PAGE 1 88 158 208 268 325 366 407 416 469 516 564 613 660 712 730 755 769 817 963 Ecclesiastes Song of Solomon Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi ABBREV. Eccl. Song Is. Jer. Lam. Ezek. Dan. Hos. Joel Amos Obad. Jon. Mic. Nah. Hab. Zeph. Hag. Zech. Mal. PAGE 1009 1026 1037 1145 1243 1255 1335 1363 1381 1389 1405 1409 1416 1428 1434 1440 1447 1452 1470 ABBREV. 1 Tim. 2 Tim. Titus Philem. Heb. James 1 Pet. 2 Pet. 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Rev. PAGE 1910 1922 1932 1939 1943 1968 1978 1992 2002 2014 2017 2020 2025 The New Testament Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians ABBREV. Matt. Mark Luke John Acts Rom. 1 Cor. 2 Cor. Gal. Eph. Phil. Col. 1 Thess. 2 Thess. PAGE 1487 1545 1587 1653 1704 1763 1795 1822 1843 1857 1870 1882 1892 1903 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation Articles PAGE Genesis God as Creator The Noahic Covenant The Abrahamic Covenant Payback Joseph's Story 7 18 32 58 78 Exodus The Passover The Mosaic Covenant The Merciful God Versus a False God 108 123 144 Leviticus The Holiness Code Redeeming the Land The Dream Lives On 166 201 203 Numbers Learning to Pray like Moses Sacrifices of Joy 255 258 Deuteronomy A Day of Rest A New Culture Covenant Renewal 281 291 310 Joshua Miracles God's Judgment 343 347 Judges The Pattern of Bochim Determining God's Will 370 378 1 Samuel One Woman's Devotion Who Is "Called"? The Medium of En Dor 422 429 464 2 Samuel An Innocent Victim 487 1 Kings Sparing No Expense 528 2 Kings The Danger of Relics Female Prophets 598 607 1 Chronicles King David as Priest 638 2 Chronicles Solomon's Temple The Book of the Law of the LORD 664 706 PAGE Nehemiah The Levites' Psalm 746 Job Satan: The Accuser The Mystery of Human Suffering 773 788 Psalms The Poetry of the Psalms Image of God: His Reflection in Us Psalms on Creation Psalms of Lament Royal Psalms Two Sides of the Coin The Messiah in the Psalms Psalms of the Passover The Sanctity of Life: Created in His Image Proverbs The Poetry of the Proverbs 821 826 849 898 912 925 930 933 953 970 Ecclesiastes Wisdom Literature 1019 Isaiah Immanuel Son of the Morning The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament Modern-day Idols The Purpose of Prophecy The Suffering Servant 1051 1063 1103 1112 1115 1123 Jeremiah Jeremiah's Faith A Sobering Object Lesson "Sin Is Sin" The Valley of Slaughter The New Covenant Contemporary Pagans 1150 1162 1167 1184 1203 1234 Lamentations Light-bearers 1250 Ezekiel Idolatry of the Heart Accountability Shepherds Measuring the Future Holy Places, Holy People The Lord Is There—Forever! 1275 1281 1310 1323 1329 1333 xx ARTICLES PAGE PAGE Daniel Theophanies God Answers Fervent Prayer 1342 1354 2 Corinthians New Testament Giving Paul's Defense 1835 1839 Hosea Back to Baal 1378 Galatians We Are Family 1851 Joel The Day of the Lord 1384 Jonah Jonah: A Reluctant Missionary Ephesians The Trinity in the Bible Baptism 1865 1867 1412 Micah The King's Hometown Colossians Firstborn over Creation 1885 1423 Zephaniah Beyond the Rivers of Ethiopia 1 Thessalonians Painful Expectations 1896 1445 Zechariah The Coming King 2 Thessalonians Busy Waiting 1907 1463 Malachi Blemished Sacrifices 1473 1 Timothy A New Way to Worship The Challenge of Contentment 1915 1920 Matthew The Lord's Supper 1535 2 Timothy The Handbook for a Life's Work 1925 Mark Parables: More than Stories 1556 Titus Personal Training 1936 1605 1628 1648 Hebrews Angels The Superiority of Jesus Heroes of Faith 1948 1954 1963 James Faith and Works 1973 1 Peter The Christian Calling: Holiness 1984 2 Peter The Bible: Trustworthy and True Demons 1995 1998 1 John Freedom from Guilt 2005 Jude The Use of Apocryphal Sources 2023 Revelation Revelation as Apocalyptic Literature Interpreting Revelation God Restrains Evil God and the Problem of Evil 2035 2040 2047 2058 Luke Jesus and the Poor Keeping the Sabbath Crucifixion John The Word Was God The Holy Spirit in John The Signs of Jesus in the Gospel of John The Restoration of Peter 1656 1669 1678 1703 Acts Missionary Efforts Stephen the Martyr Power of the Spirit 1713 1719 1761 Romans Salvation Election Righteousness 1768 1780 1783 1 Corinthians The Message, Not the Messenger The Race for the Crown 1800 1809 Bible Times and Culture Notes PAGE PAGE Genesis Ur Cuneiform Tents Wells Clothing Pharaoh 22 25 33 39 49 71 Exodus Egypt Bricks Hard of Heart The Code of Hammurabi Pomegranate Acacia 92 98 100 125 137 142 Leviticus Olives Leprosy Goats Molech 162 179 187 192 Numbers Sinai Silver Quail The King's Highway Gold Cities of Refuge 211 223 231 244 261 265 Deuteronomy The Mezuzah Rainfall Patterns Horses Farming Biblical Law—Public Law 283 289 298 307 317 Harps Bow and Arrow 444 468 2 Samuel Cedar Dancing Chariots Donkeys and Mules 480 481 484 492 1 Kings Chronology of Kings Forced Labor The Divided Kingdom Ivory 519 537 543 561 2 Kings Moabite Stone The Black Obelisk Millo Gihon 569 583 586 603 1 Chronicles Genealogies Tiglath-Pileser Temple Music The King's Cabinet 618 623 641 644 2 Chronicles The Color Purple Ophir Shishak Queen Mothers Egypt's Pharaohs 666 673 678 688 708 Ezra Cyrus, King of Persia 715 Nehemiah Sanballat 735 Esther Shushan 760 775 782 800 815 840 847 863 866 Joshua Jericho Building a Fortress Jebusites 330 348 352 Judges Canaan The Canaanite Gods The Philistines 369 373 399 Job Miscarriage Soapwort Glass Bulrushes 1 Samuel Polygamy Dan to Beersheba Roofs Anointing 419 424 432 443 Psalms Shepherds and Sheep The Music of the Psalms Scepter Tarshish xxii BIBLE TIMES AND CULTURE NOTES PAGE Lebanon Euphrates Language Story Music Trumpet Mark Sandals Property Protection Silver Coins Alabaster 1561 1574 1576 1579 Luke Childbirth Worship The Underclass The Province of Galilee Lamps Mount of Olives 1596 1600 1609 1612 1619 1645 John Nazareth Tiberias Jewish Discontent Herod's Temple The Function of the Synagogue 1660 1671 1675 1680 1696 Acts Sabbath Day's Journey Gamaliel Jewish History The Origin of the Synagogue Roman Citizenship 1707 1717 1721 1736 1757 Romans The City of Rome New Testament Letters 1767 1793 1 Corinthians Corinth Pax Romana 1798 1803 2 Corinthians The New Testament Canon Correspondence in Bible Times 1827 1842 Galatians The Galatians 1849 1371 Ephesians The City of Ephesus The Temple of Diana 1860 1868 1414 Philippians The Believers at Philippi 1879 Colossians The City of Colosse False Teaching at Colosse 1886 1891 1 Thessalonians Thessalonica End Times Terms 1895 1900 889 900 921 951 962 Proverbs Religious Education Vocational Training 996 1005 Isaiah History in Isaiah Grapes and Vineyards The Festivals of Babylon Moab Damascus Merodach-Baladan Threshing Sledge Standard Watchmen 1041 1047 1061 1065 1067 1097 1100 1132 1137 Jeremiah Dromedary (Camel) The Desert Winds The Potter's Wheel Chaldeans Lachish The Rechabites Tahpanhes Mount Tabor The Lower Jordan Valley 1151 1155 1183 1187 1211 1212 1224 1227 1233 Ezekiel Adamant Stone Silk Iron Tin Ships The Dead Sea 1261 1277 1289 1298 1303 1331 Daniel Aramaic Hosea The Morning Dew Jonah Nineveh Matthew The Wise Men Tax Collectors The World of the Fishermen The Sadducees Outer Garment PAGE 1347 1493 1504 1511 1526 1529 BIBLE TIMES AND CULTURE NOTES PAGE xxiii PAGE 1 Timothy Greek and Roman Schools 1918 Hebrews Melchizedek 1953 2 Timothy Books and Parchments 1930 1 Peter Persecutions 1989 Titus Crete 1935 2 John Hospitality 2016 Philemon Paul and Slavery 1942 Revelation Patmos Babylon 2028 2055 Charts PAGE Genesis Ages of the Patriarchs A New Beginning God's Promise to Abram Fulfilled The Abrahamic Covenant Exodus The Pharaohs and the Exodus Story The Plan of the Tabernacle The Furniture of the Tabernacle Leviticus The Offerings The Feasts and Sacred Times of Ancient Israel 13 16 24 31 91 133 153 182 197 PAGE 2 Chronicles Judah Rides a Spiritual Roller Coaster 676 Ezra The Times of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther 724 Nehemiah How Nehemiah Handled Opposition 739 Job Job's Counseling Sessions 784 Psalms Names and Descriptions of God in the Psalms The Christ of the Psalms Psalms for Every Occasion Where to Find Comfort and Encouragement in the Psalms Synonyms for God's Revelation in Psalm 119 Blessings and Benefits of Following God's Law 844 852 860 Numbers Placement of Tribes in the Israelite Encampment A Chronology of the Second Year of the Exodus The Prayers of Moses in Numbers 226 229 Deuteronomy Important Commands in Deuteronomy The Jewish Calendar 277 296 Proverbs Wisdom Cries Out Joshua A Comparison of Moses and Joshua 328 Ecclesiastes Solomon's Search for Satisfaction 1013 Judges The Period of the Judges 392 1 Samuel The Ark The Sinful and Sad Life of Saul Isaiah Isaiah: A Bible in Miniature? The Suffering Servant 1071 1125 426 451 2 Samuel David's Triumphs and Troubles The Situations Behind the Psalms Jeremiah The Object Lessons and Parables of a Prophet 1192 498 509 1 Kings The Plan of Solomon's Temple 530 Ezekiel Unforgettable Sermons The Visions of Ezekiel Ezekiel's Temple 1294 1315 1320 Daniel Dreams and Visions in Daniel 1339 Hosea Hosea's Heartbreak and God's Grief 1369 Amos Pagan Gods of Bible Times 1397 2 Kings The Kings and Prophets of Israel and Judah 1 Chronicles The Books of the Chronicles and the Kings 213 576 616 878 937 943 972 CHARTS PAGE PAGE Micah Micah: A Picture of the Gospel xxv 1421 Galatians Grace vs. the Law 1852 Malachi Malachi: A Portrait of Spiritual Indifference 1475 Ephesians The Blessings and the Responsibilities of Believers 1866 Matthew The Prophecies of Jesus' Birth The Meaning of Messiah 1491 1537 Philippians The Christian Quest 1881 Mark Baptism in the Bible The Twelve Apostles Jesus' Miracles in Mark Events of Holy Week Colossians The Preeminence of Christ 1888 1549 1554 1558 1572 1 Thessalonians Sexual Immorality 1899 2 Thessalonians Church Discipline 1908 1 Timothy Practical Advice for the Ministry 1913 2 Timothy Descriptions of the Christian Life 1927 Hebrews The Majesty of Christ The Imperative of Faith 1950 1965 James Rich or Poor? 1971 1 Peter Church Leaders 1990 2 Peter Right Living in a Wretched World 2000 1 John The Facts of Love in 1 John The Trinity 2009 2012 Luke Temptation: The Two Adams Contrasted The Unnoticed Whom Luke Notices The Ministry of the Holy Spirit in Luke's Writings 1624 John Jesus' Seven "I Am" Statements Jesus' Trials The Death of Jesus 1683 1698 1701 Acts The Ministries of Peter and Paul Compared and Contrasted The Spread of the Gospel 1601 1620 1732 1750 Romans The Christian Life The Key Terms of Salvation 1787 1788 1 Corinthians Spiritual Gifts vs. Spiritual Responsibilities Facts About the Resurrection 1814 1816 2 Corinthians The Judgment Seat of Christ A Faithful Minister 1830 1833 Revelation The Seven Churches of the Apocalypse 2033 In-Text Maps PAGE Genesis The Nations of Genesis 10 The Journeys of Abraham Jacob Returns to Canaan Joseph and His Brothers 20 26 55 65 Exodus Moses' Flight and Return to Egypt The Exodus from Egypt 95 113 Numbers From the Wilderness to Canaan 245 PAGE 1 Chronicles Sites of Major Archaeological Excavations Palestine: Physical Regions 628 654 2 Chronicles The Spread of Solomon's Fame A Kingdom Divided 662 675 Ezra The Return from Exile 716 Esther The Persian Empire (500 B.C.) 758 Psalms Places Named in the Psalms 877 Joshua Central Canaan and Surroundings The Conquest of Canaan (Central and Southern Campaigns) The Conquest of Canaan (Northern Campaign) Division of Land Among the Twelve Tribes Cities of Refuge 346 Song of Solomon Places Named in the Song of Solomon 1029 355 359 Isaiah The Region of the Dead Sea Scrolls The Assyrian Empire (650 B.C.) Judges Gideon's Campaign The Judges of Israel 381 388 Ruth Ruth in Moab and Judah Jeremiah Jeremiah's Journey to Egypt The (Medo-) Babylonian Empire (560 B.C.) 410 1 Samuel The Ministry of Samuel Before David Became King 442 454 2 Samuel Jerusalem: David's City The Davidic Kingdom 479 514 1 Kings Solomon's Administrative Districts Elijah and Elisha 525 557 2 Kings Assyrian Campaign Against Israel and Judah (734–732 B.C.) Assyrian Campaign Against Israel (725–722 B.C.) Assyrian Campaign Against Judah (701 B.C.) Nebuchadnezzar's Campaigns Against Judah (605–586 B.C.) 335 342 Ezekiel Ezekiel's Vision of the Restoration of the Land Daniel Alexander's Empire (323 B.C.) Ptolemaic Control of Palestine (270 B.C.) Seleucid Control of Palestine (190 B.C.) Expansion of Palestine under the Maccabees (166 B.C.) 1052 1092 1222 1241 1332 1350 1356 1359 1361 Amos Amos: Places Judged by God 1391 595 Micah Geographical Puns in Micah 1420 600 Nahum The Prophets of Israel and Judah 1431 591 611 IN-TEXT MAPS PAGE PAGE Matthew The Journeys of Jesus' Birth 1494 Jesus' Ministry Beyond Galilee 1517 The Appearances of the Risen Christ 1540 Mark The Places of Jesus' Galilean Ministry 1563 The Gospel in a Small Corner 1564 Luke Herod's Kingdom at Jesus' Birth Jewish Pilgrimage from Galilee to Jerusalem Last Journey to Jerusalem Roman Control of Palestine at the Time of Christ 1650 John Baptism and Temptation The Region of John the Baptist 1657 1663 Acts The Nations of Pentecost Philip's Missionary Journeys Peter's Missionary Journeys 1709 1722 1729 1591 1617 1635 xxvii Paul Goes to Galatia: The First Missionary Journey Paul Goes to Greece: The Second Missionary Journey Asia and Greece Revisited: Paul's Third Missionary Journey On to Rome: Paul's Fourth Journey 1748 1762 Romans The Influence of Paul 1792 2 Corinthians Paul on the Road to Damascus 1838 Galatians Galatia 1847 1 Peter A Letter to Christians Abroad 1981 1734 1744 2 Peter The Transfiguration: Suggested Sites 1997 Revelation The Seven Churches of the Apocalypse 2031 Word Studies PAGE Genesis God (Heb. 'elohim, 430) heavens (Heb. shamayim, 8064) walked (Heb. halak, 1980) land (Heb. 'erets, 776) believe (Heb. 'aman, 539) accounted (Heb. chashab, 2803) seed (Heb. zera', 2233) dream (Heb. chalom, 2472) Pharaoh (Heb. Par'oh, 6547) Almighty (Heb. shadday, 7706) 4 6 12 23 28 29 41 70 71 85 Exodus delivered (Heb. natsal, 5337) entreat (Heb. 'atar, 6279) redeemed (Heb. ga'al, 1350) consecrate (Heb. qadash, 6942) Lord GOD (Heb. 'adonay YHWH, 113; 3068) altar (Heb. mizbeach, 4196) washing (Heb. rachats, 7364) goodness (Heb. chesed, 2617) tabernacle (Heb. mishkan, 4908) 128 135 141 147 155 Leviticus offering (Heb. qorban, 7133) blood (Heb. dam, 1818) priest (Heb. kohen, 3548) make atonement (Heb. kaphar, 3722) fire (Heb. 'esh, 784) transgressions (Heb. pesha', 6588) hate (Heb. sane', 8130) sanctuary (Heb. miqdash, 4720) Jubilee (Heb. yobel, 3104) 160 163 167 173 174 186 190 191 206 94 103 115 122 Numbers anointed (Heb. mashach, 4886) sacrifice (Heb. zebach, 2077) dedication (Heb. chanukkah, 2598) enemies (Heb. tsarim, 6862) rebel (Heb. marad, 4775) wash (Heb. rachats, 7364) Scepter (Heb. shebet, 7626) Sabbath (Heb. shabbath, 7676) vengeance (Heb. naqam, 5358) 221 222 224 227 234 242 251 256 259 Deuteronomy swore (Heb. shaba', 7650) evil (Heb. ra', 7451) statutes (Heb. choq, 2706) 271 278 280 PAGE chosen (Heb. bachar, 977) kingdom (Heb. mamlakah, 4467) hang (Heb. talah, 8518) worship (Heb. shachah, 7812) burnt offering (Heb. 'olah, 5930) cursed (Heb. 'arar, 779) feast (Heb. chag, 2282) 293 298 303 308 309 312 317 Joshua inheritance (Heb. nachalah, 5159) rest (Heb. shaqat, 8252) walk (Heb. halak, 1980) 349 351 360 Judges judge (Heb. shaphat, 8199) sing praise (Heb. zamar, 2167) sincerity (Heb. tamim, 8549) riddle (Heb. chidah, 2420) deliverance (Heb. teshu'ah, 8668) 371 375 385 395 396 Ruth glean (Heb. laqat, 3950) foreigner (Heb. nokri, 5237) close relative (Heb. ga'al, 1350) 411 412 413 1 Samuel darkness (Heb. choshek, 2822) hears (Heb. shama', 8085) king (Heb. melek, 4428) utterly destroyed (Heb. charam, 2763) dancing (Heb. mecholah, 4246) forgive (Heb. nasa', 5375) inquired (Heb. sa'al, 7592) worthless (Heb. beliya'al, 1100) 421 423 434 441 448 460 463 467 2 Samuel covenant (Heb. berith, 1285) Jerusalem (Heb. yerushalaim, 3389) ark (Heb. 'aron, 727) advice (Heb. 'etsah, 6098) mighty men (Heb. gibbor, 1368) 475 478 496 499 512 1 Kings understanding (Heb. tebunah, 8394) stone (Heb. 'eben, 68) gold (Heb. zahab, 2091) supplication (Heb. techinnah, 8467) Baal (Heb. ba'al, 1168) name (Heb. shem, 8034) burn incense (Heb. qatar, 6999) 527 528 529 534 551 553 562 WORD STUDIES PAGE PAGE 2 Kings witchcraft (Heb. kesheph, 3785) hand (Heb. yad, 3027) anger (Heb. 'aph, 639) high places (Heb. bamah, 1116) done wrong (Heb. chata', 2398) garden (Heb. gan, 1588) wooden image (Heb. 'asherah, 842) 581 584 587 589 597 604 606 1 Chronicles sons (Heb. ben, 1121) generations (Heb. toledoth, 8435) peace (Heb. shalom, 7965) minister (Heb. sharat, 8334) throne (Heb. kisse', 3678) Satan (Heb. satan, 7854) Levites (Heb. levi, 3881) 620 622 634 639 642 646 650 2 Chronicles assembly (Heb. qahal, 6951) pray (Heb. palal, 6419) transgressed (Heb. ma'al, 4603) right (Heb. yashar, 3477) cleanse (Heb. taher, 2891) tithe (Heb. ma'aser, 4643) Passover (Heb. pesach, 6453) 668 671 677 686 697 701 707 Ezra Jews (Heb. yehudaye', 3062) remnant (Heb. sha'ar, 7604) 720 727 Nehemiah confess (Heb. yadah, 3034) carefully (Heb. charah, 2734) awesome (Heb. yare', 3372) 733 736 737 Esther fasting (Heb. tsum, 6684) Pur (Heb. pur, 6332) 763 768 Job blameless (Heb. tam, 8535) proud (Heb. rahab, 7293) behold (Heb. ra'ah, 7200) Sheol (Heb. she'ol, 7585) affliction (Heb. 'oni, 6040) right (Heb. mishpat, 4941) 772 781 792 798 802 807 Psalms nations (Heb. goy, 1471) judgment (Heb. mishpat, 4941) words (Heb. 'imrah, 565) joy (Heb. simchah, 8057) shield (Heb. magen, 4043) pure (Heb. bar, 1249) 820 827 830 832 835 836 xxix remember (Heb. zakar, 2142) hope (Heb. yachal, 3176) heart (Heb. leb, 3820) wondrous works (Heb. pala', 6381) glorious (Heb. 'or, 215) sun (Heb. shemesh, 8121) truth (Heb. 'emet, 571) soul (Heb. nephesh, 5315) give thanks (Heb. yadah, 3034) law (Heb. torah, 8451) mercy (Heb. chanan, 2603) happy (Heb. 'esher, 835) shout for joy (Heb. ranan, 7442) extol (Heb. rum, 7311) sing (Heb. shir, 7891) praise (Heb. halal, 1984) 842 856 869 887 893 903 905 919 922 940 944 946 948 958 961 962 Proverbs equity (Heb. meshar, 4339) wisdom (Heb. chokmah, 2451) instruction (Heb. musar, 4148) proverb (Heb. mashal, 4912) foolish (Heb. 'ivvelet, 200) banquet (Heb. mishteh, 4960) friends (Heb. rea', 7453) fear (Heb. yir'ah, 3374) 966 967 974 976 982 985 990 991 Ecclesiastes vanity (Heb. hebel, 1892) labor (Heb. 'amal, 5999) 1012 1018 Song of Solomon beloved (Heb. dod, 1730) 1033 Isaiah light (Heb. 'or, 216) seraphim (Heb. seraphim, 8314) hosts (Heb. tseba'ot, 6635) blessing (Heb. berakah, 1293) burden (Heb. massa', 4853) Servant (Heb. 'ebed, 5650) diviners (Heb. qasam, 7080) woe (Heb. hoy, 1945) salvation (Heb. yeshu'ah, 3444) sackcloth (Heb. saq, 8242) inherit (Heb. yarash, 3423) sign (Heb. 'ot, 226) everlasting (Heb. 'olam, 5769) righteousness (Heb. tsedeq, 6664) 1043 1049 1057 1070 1073 1102 1109 1110 1116 1119 1124 1127 1134 1136 Jeremiah build (Heb. banah, 1129) guide (Heb. 'alluph, 441) mourn (Heb. 'abal, 56) 1148 1152 1156 xxx WORD STUDIES PAGE PAGE falsehood (Heb. sheqer, 8267) forsaken (Heb. 'azab, 5800) heal (Heb. apha', 7495) word (Heb. dabar, 1697) shepherd (Heb. ra'ah, 7462) hissing (Heb. shereqah, 8322) plant (Heb. nata', 5193) cast away (Heb. ma'as, 3988) prophet (Heb. nabi', 5030) cup (Heb. kos, 3563) 1165 1172 1180 1185 1194 1200 1205 1210 1215 1231 Lamentations weeps (Heb. bakah, 1058) renew (Heb. chadash, 2318) 1245 1254 Ezekiel son of man (Heb. ben 'adam, 1121; 120) idols (Heb. gillulim, 1544) rebellious (Heb. meriy, 4805) repent (Heb. shub, 7725) lamentation (Heb. qiynah, 7015) abomination (Heb. shiqquts, 8251) watchman (Heb. tsaphah, 6822) Gog (Heb. gog, 1463) glory (Heb. kabod, 3519) 1259 1264 1271 1274 1283 1285 1308 1316 1324 Daniel interpretation (Aram. peshar, 6591) vision (Heb. chazon, 2377) sealed (Heb. chatham, 2856) wait (Heb. chakah, 2442) 1346 1352 1362 1362 Hosea stumble (Heb. kashal, 3782) commit harlotry (Heb. zanah, 2181) 1368 1370 Joel spirit (Heb. ruach, 7307) 1387 Amos seek (Heb. darash, 1875) 1396 Obadiah pride (Heb. zadon, 2087) 1406 Habakkuk image (Heb. pesel, 6459) 1438 Zephaniah meek (Heb. 'anav, 6035) 1443 Haggai signet ring (Heb. chotham, 2368) 1451 Zechariah angel (Heb. mal'ak, 4397) BRANCH (Heb. tsemach, 6780) 1458 1459 Malachi try (Heb. bachan, 974) day (Heb. yom, 3117) 1477 1478 Matthew Jesus (Gk. Iē sous, 2424) tempted (Gk. peirazō , 3985) blessed (Gk. makarios, 3107) tittle (Gk. keraia, 2762) Beelzebub (Gk. Beelzeboul, 954) Christ (Gk. Christos, 5547) Peter (Gk. petros, 4074); rock (Gk. petra, 4073) mind (Gk. dianoia, nous, 1271; 3563) hen (Gk. ornis, 3733) the kingdom of heaven (Gk. hē basileia tō n ouranō n, 932; 3772) Mark repentance (Gk. metanoia, 3341) faith (Gk. pistis, 4102) leaven (Gk. zumē , 2219) hell (Gk. gehenna, 1067) rabbi (Gk. rabbi, 4461) cornerstone (Gk. gō nia, akrogō niaios, 1137; 204) Abba, Father (Gk. abba ho patē r, 5; 3962) gospel (Gk. euangelion, 2098) Micah complaint (Heb. rib, 7379) compassion (Heb. racham, 7355) 1424 1427 Luke Savior (Gk. sō tē r, 4990) baptize (Gk. baptizō , 907) decease (Gk. exodos, 1841) blasphemy (Gk. blasphē mia, 988) mammon (Gk. mammō nas, 3126) offend (Gk. skandalizō , 4624) be merciful (Gk. hilaskomai, 2433) Paradise (Gk. paradeisos, 3857) Nahum jealous (Heb. qanno', 7072) 1430 John the Word (Gk. ho logos, 3056) Jonah prepared (Heb. manah, 4487) slow to anger (Heb. 'arek; 'aph, 750; 639) 1413 1415 1490 1495 1496 1497 1505 1506 1516 1527 1530 1533 1548 1559 1565 1569 1573 1574 1581 1586 1592 1597 1614 1622 1631 1632 1634 1649 1655 WORD STUDIES PAGE born again (Gk. gennaō anō then, 1080; 509) the only begotten Son (Gk. ho monogenē s huios, 3439; 5207) fountain (Gk. pē gē , 4077) testify (Gk. martureō , 3140) I AM (Gk. egō eimi, 1473; 1510) signs (Gk. sē meion, 4592) wash (Gk. niptō , 3538); bathed (Gk. louō , 3068) believe (Gk. pisteuō , 4100) vine (Gk. ampelos, 288) illustration (Gk. paroimia, 3942) glorify (Gk. doxazō , 1392) life (Gk. zōē , 2222) Acts together (Gk. epi to auto, 1909; 847) foreknowledge (Gk. prognō sis, 4268) persevere (Gk. proskartereō , proskarterē sis, 4342; 4343) filled with the Holy Spirit (Gk. plē thō pneumatos hagiou, 4130; 4151; 40) persecution (Gk. diō gmos, 1375) lamb (Gk. amnos, 286) one who feared God (Gk. phoboumenos ton theon, 5399; 2316) He put up with (Gk. tropophoreō , 5159) grace (Gk. charis, 5485) the Spirit (Gk. to pneuma, 4151) Romans propitiation (Gk. hilastē rion, 2435) justification (Gk. dikaiō sis, 1347) reconciliation (Gk. katallagē , 2643) united together (Gk. sumphutos, 4854) law (Gk. nomos, 3551) adoption (Gk. huiothesia, 5206) predestined (Gk. proorizō , 4309) mystery (Gk. mustē rion, 3466) transform (Gk. metamorphoō , 3339) hope (Gk. elpis, 1680) revelation (Gk. apokalupsis, 602) 1 Corinthians fellowship (Gk. koinō nia, 2842) futile (Gk. mataios, 3152) temple (Gk. naos, 3485) liberty (Gk. exousia, 1849) demon (Gk. daimonion, 1140) spiritual gifts (Gk. pneumatikos, 4152); gifts (Gk. charisma, 5486) 1661 1662 1664 1667 1676 1685 1686 1688 1690 1692 1693 1702 1707 1710 1712 1714 1723 1724 1727 1733 1737 1739 1771 1773 1773 1775 1777 1778 1779 1785 1786 1791 1794 1798 1802 1805 1808 1810 1813 xxxi PAGE tongues (Gk. glō ssa, 1100) resurrection (Gk. anastasis, 386) life-giving spirit (Gk. pneuma zō opoioun, 4151; 2227) 2 Corinthians sealed (Gk. sphragizō , 4972); guarantee (Gk. arrabō n, 728) new covenant (Gk. kainē diathē kē , 2537; 1242) earthen vessels (Gk. ostrakinos skeuos, 3749; 4632) righteousness of God (Gk. dikaiosunē theou, 1343; 2316) apostle (Gk. apostolos, 652) 1815 1818 1819 1826 1828 1829 1831 1841 Galatians revelation of Jesus Christ (Gk. apokalupsis Iē sou Christou, 602; 2424; 5547) 1846 idolatry (Gk. eidō lolatreia, 1495) 1850 elements (Gk. stoicheion, 4747) 1852 flesh (Gk. sarx, 4561) 1855 Ephesians purpose (Gk. prothesis, 4286); counsel (Gk. boulē , 1012); will (Gk. thelē ma, 2307) 1860 workmanship (Gk. poiē ma, 4161) 1861 stewardship (Gk. oikonomia, 3622) 1862 new man (Gk. kainos anthrō pos, 2537; 444) 1864 Philippians supply (Gk. epichorē gia, 2024) striving together (Gk. sunathleō , 4866) form of God (Gk. morphē theou, 3444; 2316) virtue (Gk. aretē , 703) Colossians Jesus Christ (Gk. Iē sous Christos, 2424; 5547) fullness of the Godhead (Gk. plē rō ma tē s theotē tos, 4138; 2320) peace (Gk. eirē nē , 1515); rule (Gk. brabeuō , 1018) perfect (Gk. teleios, 5046) 1874 1875 1876 1880 1884 1889 1890 1891 1 Thessalonians coming (Gk. parousia, 3952) 1898 sanctification (Gk. hagiasmos, 38) 1898 spirit (Gk. pneuma, 4151); soul (Gk. psuchē , 5590; body (Gk. sō ma, 4983) 1901 epistle (Gk. epistolē , 1992) 1902 xxxii WORD STUDIES PAGE 2 Thessalonians destruction (Gk. olethros, 3639) falling away (Gk. apostasia, 646) the lawless one (Gk. ho anomos, 459) 1905 1906 1907 1 Timothy intercession (Gk. enteuxis, entugchanō , 1783; 1793) ransom (Gk. antilutron, 487) bishop (Gk. episkopos, 1985) idle babblings (Gk. kenophō nia, 2757) 1914 1915 1916 1921 2 Timothy rightly dividing (Gk. orthotomeō , 3718) 1927 inspiration of God (Gk. theopneustos, 2315) 1929 appearing (Gk. epiphaneia, 2015) 1930 Titus slave (Gk. doulos, 1401) God our Savior (Gk. sō tē r hē mō n theos, 4990; 2257; 2316) washing of regeneration (Gk. loutron palingenesias, 3067; 3824) 1934 1936 1937 Hebrews brightness (Gk. apaugasma, 541); express image (Gk. charaktē r, 5481) 1945 firstborn (Gk. prō totokos, 4416) 1946 captain (Gk. archē gos, 747) 1947 mercy (Gk. eleos, 1656) 1952 oracles (Gk. logion, 3051) 1953 made like (Gk. aphomoioō , 871) 1955 know (Gk. ginō skō , 1097 Gk. oida, 1492) 1957 redemption (Gk. apolutrō sis, 629) 1958 new and living way (Gk. hodos prosphatos kai zō sa, 3598; 4372; 2532; 2198) 1960 Mediator (Gk. mesitē s, 3316) 1966 covenant (Gk. diathē kē , 1242) 1967 James good gift (Gk. dosis agathē , 1394; 18); perfect gift (Gk. dō rē ma teleion, 1434; 5046) similitude of God (Gk. homoiō sis theou, 3669; 2316) 1971 1974 PAGE Lord of Sabaoth (Gk. kurios Sabaō th, 2962; 4519) anointing (Gk. aleiphō , 218) 1976 1976 1 Peter word (Gk. logos, 3056; Gk. rhē ma, 4487) example (Gk. hupogrammos, 5261) heirs together (Gk. sunklē ronomos, 4789) love (Gk. agapē , 26) 1986 1988 2 Peter divine power (Gk. theios dunamis, 2304; 1411); divine nature (Gk. theios phusis, 2304; 5449) morning star (Gk. phō sphoros, 5459) knowledge (Gk. gnō sis, 1108) 1994 1996 2001 1 John advocate (Gk. paraklē tos, 3875) anointing (Gk. chrisma, 5545) sin (Gk. hamartia, 266) 2006 2008 2011 3 John church (Gk. ekklē sia, 1577) 2019 Jude sensual (Gk. psuchikos, 5591) 2024 Revelation death (Gk. thanatos, 2288) seven Spirits (Gk. hepta pneumata, 2033; 4151) Hades (Gk. hadē s, 86) the Almighty (Gk. pantokratō r, 3841) Devil (Gk. diabolos, 1228); Satan (Gk. Satanas, 4567) wrath (Gk. orgē , 3709) New Jerusalem (Gk. Hierousalē m kainē , 2419; 2537) the tree of life (Gk. xulon zōē s, 3586; 2222) the Alpha and the Omega (Gk. to A kai to Ō , 1; 2532; 5598) 1983 1985 2029 2037 2038 2045 2046 2049 2060 2062 2062 The OLD TESTAMENT This page intentionally left blank The First Book of Moses Called Genesis The words, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth," have evoked considerable debate; but without apology, that is how this book begins. In the words of one of the historic creeds: "I believe in God the Father almighty, Maker of heaven and earth." These words are only the beginning of this book of beginnings—a prologue to a prologue. Genesis gives more than an account of creation. It also describes other beginnings—humanity's Fall into sin and the start of God's elaborate rescue mission for all peoples. It tells what happened first in many important respects (creation, sin, judgment, languages, races, marriage); but at the center of Genesis lies God's sovereign call to Abram and Sarai, a couple of idol worshipers in the Middle East. Author and Background • The Book of Genesis was written and compiled by Moses in the Wilderness of Sinai. Biblical and extrabiblical evidence points to this fact. Jesus clearly assumes Mosaic authorship of Genesis in the statement, "Moses therefore gave you circumcision" (compare also Acts 15:1). Since the reason for circumcision is mentioned only in Genesis 17, Jesus had to be referring to Moses' compilation of the story. Second, both Jewish and Christian tradition unanimously agree with this biblical testimony: Moses compiled and wrote the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, in the Wilderness of Sinai. This would place his authorship of Genesis around the fifteenth century B.C. Many scholars since the nineteenth century have denied Moses' authorship of Genesis. Instead, some of these scholars have suggested that the Pentateuch, including Genesis, was compiled at a later date, perhaps in the sixth century B.C. According to this analysis, anonymous editors used at least four documents to piece together the Pentateuch. These four documents were identified by tracing the divine names, such as Elohim and Yahweh, through the Pentateuch, and by tracing certain variations in phraseology and word choice. The four documents are called: the J document, which uses Yahweh for God; the E document, which uses Elohim for God; the P or Priestly document; and the D or Deuteronomic document. More recently, this dissection of the Pentateuch has been challenged, and no real consensus has emerged from the ensuing scholarly debate. By appreciating the unified structure of Genesis, Moses' guiding hand in the compilation and authorship of Genesis can be discerned. Certainly, Moses used other literary sources to piece together his narrative. Sometimes these sources are identified (see Gen. 5:1). Moses presumably edited these older documents to make them understandable to his readers—the second Israelite generation after the Exodus. And later prophets updated the language for the ensuing generations of Israelite readers. But after all the analysis, it is clear that Moses wrote and compiled Genesis to encourage the early Israelites while they were preparing to enter the land of Canaan, the Promised Land. The content of Genesis would have been especially significant to them. It explains why their ancestors went to Egypt in the first place, why their nation was destined for another Promised Land, and why God had revealed Himself so dramatically to them in the wilderness. Principal Message • Genesis, the book of beginnings, has two parts. The first part (chs. 1—11) serves as a prologue to the second part (chs. 12—50), the book's main event—God's sovereign work in Abraham's family to accomplish His good will for all nations. This prologue (chs. 1—11) provides keys that unlock the rest of the book and the rest of the Bible as well. Four key concepts presented in Genesis 1—11 are crucial for comprehending the rest of the Bible. First, the God who entered the lives of Abram and Sarai is the same God who created the entire 2 GENESIS INTRODUCTION universe. He is the only true and living God—Yahweh, the Creator and the Savior of the world. Second, all people have rebelled against God, their benevolent Creator, and His good will for them. Humanity has inherited a state of sinfulness from Adam and Eve's rebellion in the Garden of Eden. Third, God judges and will judge the actions of all people. God, by sending the Flood, made it clear to Noah and to everyone that human wickedness is entirely unacceptable. God cannot let evil reign free in His creation. Fourth, sin continues to undatable Creation, the plague all of humanity—even after the Flood. Although the Flood did not Flood, the Tower wash away sin, God, as the second half of Genesis (chs. 12—50) reveals, of Babel has a plan to save humanity from its own evil deeds. The first part of Genesis provides the setting for the story of Abram c. 2167 b.c. and Sarai (chs. 12—50). Their world is populated by a broad spectrum of Abraham is born people groups, each with its own language, customs, values, and beliefs, in Ur of the and all have adopted their own imaginary gods. Chaldeans The main story of Genesis—God's plan to bless all nations through Abraham's descendants—starts in chapter 12. It begins with God's call c. 2091 b.c. to Abram and Sarai (Abraham and Sarah) to become the parents of a Abraham is new people—a new nation. This new nation would become God's tool called to set out for blessing all peoples. Even though Abram and Sarai were merely an for Canaan elderly couple with the means to travel, God chose to begin His plan of c. 2066 b.c. redemption for the entire world with them. The description of their exIsaac is born to periences demonstrates the irruption (the breaking into from without) Abraham and of God's blessing into their lives. Central to God's blessing was His covSarah enant with Abraham—the Abrahamic covenant (see 12:1–3; 15:1–21). God, the awesome Creator of the entire universe, freely chose to make c. 2006 b.c. everlasting promises to Abraham and his descendants. These promises in Jacob is born the Abrahamic covenant were the foundation for all of God's subsequent to Isaac and promises and covenants in the Bible. Genesis is not merely a beginning; it Rebekah provides the foundation for the rest of the biblical narrative. Christ in the Scriptures According to the New Testament, Adam is "a type of Him who was to come" (Rom. 5:14). In other words, Adam's life in some ways points vividly to Jesus. Consider that both individuals entered the world through a special act of God, as sinless men. But while Adam is the head of the old creation, Christ is the head of a new creation. Melchizedek (whose name literally means "king of righteousness") is a strange and shadowy figure who suddenly appears in Genesis 14. He is the king of Salem (which means "peace"); the Bible calls him "the priest of God Most High." Some scholars believe that this one who was, in the words of Hebrews 7:3, "made like the Son of God," was in fact Christ Himself. Christ, after all, is known as the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6). Joseph's character and experiences (chs. 39—50) foreshadow the coming of the Messiah in that both Joseph and Christ are objects of special love by their fathers, hated by their brothers, rejected as rulers over their brothers, conspired against and sold for silver, condemned though innocent, and raised from humiliation to glory by the power of God. c. 1991 b.c. Abraham dies in Canaan c. 1915 b.c. Joseph is born to Jacob and Rachel c. 1886 b.c. Isaac dies in Canaan c. 1876 b.c. Jacob and his family move to Egypt c. 1859 b.c. Jacob dies in Egypt c. 1805 b.c. Joseph dies in Egypt GENESIS INTRODUCTION Genesis Outline Prologue I. The stories of Creation and the Fall 1:1—3:24 A. Creation: the seven days 1:1—2:3 B. Creation: the making of man and woman 2:4–25 C. The fall of humankind and God's judgment on Adam and Eve 3:1–24 II. The family of Adam and Eve 4:1—5:32 A. Cain and Abel 4:1–26 B. The family history of Adam and Eve 5:1–32 III. The Flood 6:1—9:29 A. The sons of God and the daughters of men 6:1–4 B. The choosing of Noah 6:5–22 C. The arrival of the Flood 7:1–24 D. The abating of the waters 8:1–22 E. The aftermath 9:1–29 IV. The early nations and the Tower of Babel 10:1—11:32 Main Section I. Abram and Sarai (Abraham and Sarah) 12:1—25:34 A. Abram and Sarai and their early experiences in the land of Canaan 12:1—15:21 B. Abram and Sarai's search for a son 16:1—22:24 C. Abraham and Sarah's last days 23:1—25:34 II. Isaac and Rebekah 26:1—27:45 A. Isaac and Abimelech 26:1–33 B. Isaac's blessing on his two sons Jacob and Esau 27:1–45 III. Jacob and Esau 27:46—36:43 A. The sending of Jacob to Laban 27:46—28:5 B. Esau's marriage to a daughter of Ishmael 28:6–9 C. God's self-revelation to Jacob at Bethel 28:10–22 D. Jacob's family 29:1—30:24 E. Jacob's dealings with Laban in Padan Aram 30:25—31:55 F. The reconciliation of Jacob and Esau 32:1—33:20 G. Dinah and her brothers 34:1–31 H. The last days of Isaac 35:1–29 I. The family records of Esau 36:1–43 IV. Joseph (with two interludes) 37:1—50:26 A. Joseph's dreams and a family nightmare 37:1–36 B. Interlude 1: Judah and Tamar 38:1–30 C. Joseph's humiliation in Egypt 39:1—40:23 D. Joseph's exaltation in Egypt 41:1–57 E. Joseph's reunion with his family 42:1—47:31 F. Interlude 2: Jacob's last days 48:1—50:14 G. Joseph's last days 50:15–26 3 4 GENESIS 1:1 The History of Creation n the a beginning b God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was c without form, and void; and darkness 1 was on the face of the deep. d And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3e Then God said, f "Let there be g light"; and there was light. 4 And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the h darkness He called Night. 2 So the evening and the morning were the first day. 6 Then God said, i "Let there be a 3 firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters." 7 Thus God made the firmament, j and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were k above the firmament; and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day. 9 Then God said, l "Let the waters under I CHAPTER 1 1 a Ps. 102:25; Is. 40:21; [John 1:1-3; Heb. 1:10] b Gen. 2:4; [Ps. 8:3; 89:11; 90:2]; Is. 44:24; Acts 17:24; Rom. 1:20; [Heb. 1:2; 11:3]; Rev. 4:11 2 c Jer. 4:23 d [Gen. 6:3]; Job 26:13; Ps. 33:6; 104:30; Is. 40:13, 14 1 Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic. 3 e Ps. 33:6, 9 f 2 Cor. 4:6 g [Heb. 11:3] 5 h Job 37:18; Ps. 19:2; 33:6; 74:16; 104:20; 136:5; Jer. 10:12 2 Lit. And evening was, and morning was, 1:1 In the beginning is a thesis statement, which can be paraphrased, "Here is the story of God's creation of the heavens and the earth." The focus is on the creation of the material world—the heavens and the earth. God: This standard Hebrew term for deity, Elohim, is in the form called the plural of majesty or the plural of intensity. In contrast to the ordinary plural (gods), this plural means "the fullness of deity" or "God—very God." Even though the word for God is plural, the verb for created is singular. It means "to fashion anew." This oft-used word in the Bible always has God as its subject. Here, it means that God renewed what was in a chaotic state. God changed chaos into cosmos, disorder into order, emptiness into fullness. The heavens and the earth mean "all of creation" or "the cosmos." 1:2 The two words without form . . . void express one concept—chaos. The earth had been reduced to this state (Jer. 4:23); it was not the way God had first created it (Is. 45:18). Darkness is a potent biblical symbol of evil and wrong (Job 3:5; Ps. 143:3; Is. 8:22; John 3:19). The deep is a term for the secret places of the waters (see also 7:11); this term sounds enough like the name of the Babylonian goddess Tiamat to remind the ancient reader of the Babylonian story of creation to which this story stands in dramatic contrast. All these images together portray chaos, disaster, and devastation. From this portrait of utter ruin, God brought an orderly creation. The Spirit of God was hovering like a mother stork might hover over her nest—a portent of life to come from the dark, murky depths of the chaos below (the Spirit is described as a dove in Matt. 3:16). 1:3 Let there be light: These words express a principal theme of the Bible: God bringing light into the darkness (see Is. 9:1, 2). Here, God produced physical light. The NT records God sending His Son to be the light of the world (John 8:12). In the end, there will no longer be any darkness at all (Rev. 21:23). God said it, and it was done: there was light. His command caused reality. God the heavens be gathered together into one place, and m let the dry land appear"; and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, "Let the earth n bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the o fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth"; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 So the evening and the morning were the third day. 14 Then God said, "Let there be p lights a day, one. 6 i Job 37:18; Jer. 10:12; 2 Pet. 3:5 3 expanse 7 j Job 38:8-11; Prov. 8:27-29 k Ps. 148:4 9 l Job 26:10; Ps. 104:6-9; Prov. 8:29; Jer. 5:22; 2 Pet. 3:5 m Ps. 24:1, 2; 33:7; 95:5 11 n Ps. 65:9-13; 104:14; Heb. 6:7 o 2 Sam. 16:1; Luke 6:44 14 p Deut. 4:19; Ps. 74:16; 136:5-9 1:4 Having examined the light, God declared it to be good—a powerful term of God's blessing. 1:5 Day . . . Night: The naming of these elements of creation is a mark of God's sovereignty. In the thinking of the peoples of the ancient Middle East, naming something was a mark of power or lordship. For them, names were not merely labels, but descriptions with some force to them. Since the sun was not yet created (vv. 14–19), the first day (lit., a day, one) is ambiguous. Some say that the "seven days" is a literary frame on which the story of creation is draped. Others argue for a strict pattern of seven 24-hour days. 1:6 In biblical usage, the term firmament means "heavens." Literally, it means "something stretched out, like hammered metal." 1:7 divided the waters: The notion of upper and lower waters is somewhat mysterious. The language may simply refer to waters gathered in a liquid state and to moisture in the atmosphere. The division of the waters is another of God's acts in bringing order out of disorder. 1:9 The gathering of the waters and the separation of the dry land are further actions of God in establishing control over the chaos described in v. 2. Each act of separation and distinction brings order out of disorder, form out of formlessness, cosmos out of chaos. Each act also demonstrates the Lord's power and wisdom (Prov. 8:22–31). 1:10 Again, naming the creation marks God's lordship (see v. 5). The naming of the earth in this verse suggests that the term was used in anticipation in v. 2. 1:11, 12 The broad words grass, tree, and fruit tree encompass all plants, shrubs, and trees. The reference to seed and kind speaks of the fact that the plant kingdom will continue to reproduce. God not only created plant life; He also set in motion the processes that make plant life reproduce. 1:14, 15 The creation of the sun, moon, and stars is described in general terms in these verses; vv. 16–18 spell out the details. Lights in the firmament are luminaries (objects that shine). (Heb. pl. 'elohim) (1:1, 26; Deut. 7:9; Is. 45:18) Strong's #430: The standard Hebrew term for God. This word is related to similar words for deity found throughout almost all Semitic languages. The basic meaning is probably "Mighty" or "the Almighty." In Hebrew, this word often occurs in a form called "the plural of majesty" or "the plural of intensity." In contrast to a normal plural (that is, "gods," such as the false gods of 1 Kin. 19:2), the Hebrew uses this plural to mean "The Fullness of Deity" or "God—Very God!" Many Christians point to the plural form of this word as revealing the plural nature of God. God is one, but He is also three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. GENESIS 1:28 in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and q seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth"; and it was so. 16 Then God made two great 4 lights: the r greater light to rule the day, and the s lesser light to rule the night. He made t the stars also. 17 God set them in the firmament of the u heavens to give light on the earth, 18 and to v rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 So the evening and the morning were the fourth day. 20 Then God said, "Let the waters abound with an abundance of living 5 creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the 6 firmament of the heavens." 21 So w God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw 14 q Ps. 104:19 16 r Ps. 136:8 s Deut. 17:3; Ps. 8:3 t Deut. 4:19; Job 38:7; Is. 40:26 4 luminaries 17 u Gen. 15:5; Jer. 33:20, 25 18 v Jer. 31:35 20 5 souls 6 expanse 21 w Ps. 104:25-28 22 x Gen. 8:17 26 y Gen. 9:6; Ps. 100:3; Eccl. 7:29; [Eph. 4:24]; James 3:9 z Gen. 9:2; Ps. 8:6-8 7 Syr. all the wild animals of 27 a Gen. 5:2; 1 Cor. 11:7 b Matt. 19:4; [Mark 10:6-8] 28 c Gen. 9:1, 7; Lev. 26:9 They produce the division between the day and night. signs and seasons: Some have mistakenly viewed these words as a biblical basis for astrology. The signs in this case relate to phases of the moon and the relative positions of stars that mark the passage of time from the vantage point of earth. The two words form a pair that may be translated seasonal signs. 1:16 As in vv. 14, 15, the term for lights can mean "luminaries." The word can either designate the sun, which emits light, or the moon, which reflects light. He made the stars also: This is a remarkable statement. In the ancient Middle East, other religions worshiped, deified, and mystified the stars. Israel's neighbors revered the stars and looked to them for guidance. In contrast, the biblical creation story gives the stars only the barest mention, as though the writer shrugged and said, "And, oh, yes. He also made the stars." Such a statement showed great contempt for ancient Babylonian astrology (see Ps. 29; 93). 1:17 God set them: Interestingly, the sun and moon are not named here, though they are clearly intended. The principal issue throughout these verses is that God alone is in control. 1:21 The verb for created is the same one used in v. 1 (see v. 27, the creation of man). According to its kind suggests the capability to reproduce themselves (see v. 12). God not only made the living creatures, but He gave them the power to propagate and to proliferate, to fill the air and the seas in great numbers and in wonderful variety. 1:22 God blessed them: The first use of this important phrasing in the Bible (see 1:28; 2:3; 12:2, 3), and it is used of fish and birds! 1:24 The expression living creature contains the word sometimes used for the soul, but the word can also mean "life," "being," "living thing," or "person," depending on the context. The same phrase is used for man in 2:7. cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth: Three sweeping categories, like those of vv. 11, 20, make the point that God created all living things. 1:25 God saw that it was good: The sixth time that this phrasing is used (see 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21). Everything that God had made so far was good. 1:26 Let Us make emphasizes the majesty of the speaker and allows for the later revelation of the Trinity (see 11:7; Matt. 28:19). The Us cannot refer to the angels that are present with 5 that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, x "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." 23 So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. 24 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so. 25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, y "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; z let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over 7 all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." 27 So God created man a in His own image; in the image of God He created him; b male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, c "Be fruitful and multiply; fill God because man is made in the image of God, not of the angels. in Our image: What is the image of God in man? The traditional view is that God's image includes certain moral, ethical, and intellectual abilities. A more recent view, based on Hebrew grammar and the knowledge of the ancient Middle East, interprets the phrase as meaning "Let Us make man as our image" (the Hebrew preposition in this phrase can be translated as). God placed humankind as living symbols of Himself on earth to represent His reign. This interpretation fits well with the command that follows—to reign over all that God has made. according to Our likeness: This phrase draws attention to the preceding figure of speech. Since God is Spirit (John 4:24), there can be no "image" or "likeness" of Him in the normal sense of these words. Indeed, image-making was later strongly prohibited because of the clear ties it had with idolatry (see Ex. 20:4–6). We may not make images of God for He has already done so! We are His images; it is we who are in His likeness. This is the reason God values people so much: We are made to reflect His majesty on earth. have dominion: Rule as God's regent. That is, people are to rule as God would—wisely and prudently. 1:27 So God created man: The third time the verb for create is used in ch. 1 (see vv. 1, 21); here it is used three times. The language of vv. 26, 28 is elevated prose; this verse is pure poetry. The 12 words of the original Hebrew are arranged in three lines that have their own poetic repetition and cadence. The term for man is likely associated with the term for the red earth. Here the word is generic, including male and female. These words are sexual. Some have thought that the "discovery" of human sexuality was the forbidden fruit of ch. 3. However, these words indicate that human sexuality was a part of the original creation (5:2). Although the misuse of human sexuality is soundly condemned in Scripture (Lev. 18), its proper use is celebrated (2:24, 25; Song). Verses 26–28 include the woman no less than the man in the story of creation. 1:28 God blessed them: God's smile; the warmth of His pleasure (1:22; 2:3; 9:1; 12:2, 3). God delighted in what He had made (Prov. 8:30, 31). The word translated subdue means "bring into bondage." This harsh term is used elsewhere of military conquest (Zech. 9:15) and of God subduing our iniquities (Mic. 7:19). As a king sets off to war to conquer a territory, so humans are told by the Great King to subdue the earth 6 GENESIS 1:29 the earth and d subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that 8 moves on the earth." 29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; e to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to f every beast of the earth, to every g bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is 9 life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so. 31 Then h God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth, and a all the host of them, were finished. 2b And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God c blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. 2 28 d 1 Cor. 9:27 8 moves about on 29 e Gen. 9:3; Ps. 104:14, 15 30 f Ps. 145:15 g Job 38:41 9 a living soul 31 h [Ps. 104:24; 1 Tim. 4:4] CHAPTER 2 1 a Ps. 33:6 2 b Ex. 20:9-11; 31:17; Heb. 4:4, 10 3 c [Is. 58:13] 4 d Gen. 1:1; Ps. 90:1, 2 1 Heb. toledoth, lit. generations 5 e Gen. 1:11, 12 f Gen. 7:4; Job 5:10; 38:26-28 g Gen. 3:23 7 h Gen. 3:19, 23; Ps. 103:14 i Job 33:4 j Gen. 7:22 k 1 Cor. 15:45 8 l Is. 51:3 m Gen. 3:23, 24 n Gen. 4:16 and rule it. Why this need to subjugate the earth? There are at least four possibilities: (1) Sin would ruin the earth, and people would have to expend great effort to live there (see 3:17–19). (2) Satan would defy the will of God and make all good efforts difficult. (3) The earth left to itself would not remain good. Instead, God planned that people would need to manage and control it. (4) The beauty of the earth was only in the garden that God planted (see 2:8); the rest of the earth would be hostile. Whatever the case, subdue does not mean "destroy" or "ruin." It does mean to "act as managers who have the authority to run everything as God planned." This command applies equally to male and female. 1:29 Many suggest that Adam and Eve were vegetarians because God gave them every herb and every tree. 1:31 This is the seventh use of the term good in the creation story (1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25). It is only one of several key terms that are used in multiples of seven in this text. 2:1 While mention is made of the heavens, the focus in the first chapter has been on the earth. Although the earth is not the physical center of the universe, it is the center of God's great creative work. 2:2 God did not rest because of fatigue, but because of His accomplishment. God is never weary (Is. 40:28, 29). The verb translated as rested is related to the word for Sabbath, which means "rest." Many assume that the basic meaning of the Sabbath is worship, but this is not the case (Ex. 20:9–11; Deut. 5:12–14). By God's blessed inactivity on this seventh day, He showed that He was satisfied with the work He had done. 2:3 God blessed the birds and fish (1:22), humans (1:28), and now the seventh day (Saturday). He sanctified it; He made it holy. Thus, from the beginning of time, God placed special value on a certain day of the week. 2:4 The term translated as history is found in ten significant passages in Genesis (here and 5:1; 6:9; 10:1; 11:10, 27; 25:12, 19; 36:1, 9; 37:2). The term may be translated family histories and is a major marker of the different sections of the Book 4d This is the 1 history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, 5 before any e plant of the field was in the earth and before any herb of the field had grown. For the LORD God had not f caused it to rain on the earth, and there was no man g to till the ground; 6 but a mist went up from the earth and