Monday, January 29, 2018

GN-Day_030


GENESIS 49-50:
In yesterday's reading, Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Joseph lead powerfully during the worst of the famine, and Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh— putting the younger Ephraim above his older brother. (And if you remember Jacob's story, you'll know where he got that idea.)

JOB 30:
In the GNT, this is the 2nd of Job’s three chapters stating his complaints. In the NLT, this is the 5th chapter of his monologue. Yesterday Job spoke of his previous blessed life and high position. In this chapter he tells of his anguish.

1PETER 4:
Yesterday in chapter 3 he gave instructions to wives, husbands, and all Christians— particularly when we suffer. NOTE: The final verses of chapter 3 having to do with Noah's day and spirits in prison have caused much debate. I agree with the maxim that states that in interpretation “Context is king.” It is therefore best to let the ending verses of chapter 3 be interpreted for us by what Peter says in chapter 4, verse 6. Let’s begin by re-reading 1PETER 3:17-22.

GNT Translation notes:
Gen. 49:12 [NLT puts in the text the alternate translation that GNT puts in the footnote: 12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk.//GNT text:
12 His eyes are bloodshot from drinking wine,
His teeth white from drinking milk.]
====
1Ptr. 3:20 These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat. The few people in the boat — eight in all — were [safely brought through//saved by] the water,
3:21 which [is//was] a symbol pointing to baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing away of bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good conscience. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
4:6 That's why the Good News was given by Christ to those spirits in the world of the dead. Let that be a warning to all of us: God will judge all mankind according to what we have done. But the Good News has been given so that we can live with God forever. (PET)
[I don't agree with those who do all sorts of interpretational gymnastics in order to say that the spirits in this verse are not the same as those just a few verses before. One of the main principles of interpretation is to let Scripture interpret Scripture— and even more so when it is the same author and in the same context. (Remember that Peter is not the one who came up with the unfortunate chapter break here.) I call on those who feel it necessary to find a difference between the ‘spirits’ to examine the doctrinal principles that force them to go to such lengths. Is it your doctrine that people are never given a second chance for salvation after death? In that case, just consider that God was starting the world all over in the flood, and God has the right to make a special case for those pre-flood people. In our own case, I agree, God will not give us a second chance after death. Actually, the way we have translated verse 6 above eliminates the second chance problem.]

NLT Translation notes:
Job 30:9 “And now [even] they mock me with vulgar songs!
They taunt me!
====
1Ptr. 4:1 So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have [have made the decision to be] finished with sin.
6 That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead —so although they were destined to die like all people, they [could//might//now] live forever with God in the Spirit.
18 And also [the Scripture says], “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”


Check out this episode!

NL-Day_030


GENESIS 49-50:
In yesterday's reading, Jacob blessed Pharaoh, Joseph lead powerfully during the worst of the famine, and Jacob blessed Ephraim and Manasseh— putting the younger Ephraim above his older brother. (And if you remember Jacob's story, you'll know where he got that idea.)

JOB 30:
In the GNT, this is the 2nd of Job’s three chapters stating his complaints. In the NLT, this is the 5th chapter of his monologue. Yesterday Job spoke of his previous blessed life and high position. In this chapter he tells of his anguish.

1PETER 4:
Yesterday in chapter 3 he gave instructions to wives, husbands, and all Christians— particularly when we suffer. NOTE: The final verses of chapter 3 having to do with Noah's day and spirits in prison have caused much debate. I agree with the maxim that states that in interpretation “Context is king.” It is therefore best to let the ending verses of chapter 3 be interpreted for us by what Peter says in chapter 4, verse 6. Let’s begin by re-reading 1PETER 3:17-22.

GNT Translation notes:
Gen. 49:12 [NLT puts in the text the alternate translation that GNT puts in the footnote: 12 His eyes are darker than wine,
and his teeth are whiter than milk.//GNT text:
12 His eyes are bloodshot from drinking wine,
His teeth white from drinking milk.]
====
1Ptr. 3:20 These were the spirits of those who had not obeyed God when he waited patiently during the days that Noah was building his boat. The few people in the boat — eight in all — were [safely brought through//saved by] the water,
3:21 which [is//was] a symbol pointing to baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing away of bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good conscience. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
4:6 That's why the Good News was given by Christ to those spirits in the world of the dead. Let that be a warning to all of us: God will judge all mankind according to what we have done. But the Good News has been given so that we can live with God forever. (PET)
[I don't agree with those who do all sorts of interpretational gymnastics in order to say that the spirits in this verse are not the same as those just a few verses before. One of the main principles of interpretation is to let Scripture interpret Scripture— and even more so when it is the same author and in the same context. (Remember that Peter is not the one who came up with the unfortunate chapter break here.) I call on those who feel it necessary to find a difference between the ‘spirits’ to examine the doctrinal principles that force them to go to such lengths. Is it your doctrine that people are never given a second chance for salvation after death? In that case, just consider that God was starting the world all over in the flood, and God has the right to make a special case for those pre-flood people. In our own case, I agree, God will not give us a second chance after death. Actually, the way we have translated verse 6 above eliminates the second chance problem.]

NLT Translation notes:
Job 30:9 “And now [even] they mock me with vulgar songs!
They taunt me!
====
1Ptr. 4:1 So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too. For if you have suffered physically for Christ, you have [have made the decision to be] finished with sin.
6 That is why the Good News was preached to those who are now dead —so although they were destined to die like all people, they [could//might//now] live forever with God in the Spirit.
18 And also [the Scripture says], “If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”


Check out this episode!

Sunday, January 28, 2018

GN-Day_029


GENESIS 47-48:
In yesterday's reading, Jacob arrived in Egypt with his family. Excluding more extended family, the whole group numbered 70 people at that time.

JOB 29:
Yesterday we heard the chapter in praise of God’s wisdom, which GNT attributes to Zophar. Today Job speaks of his former blessings, in the first of three chapters which are the final statement of his case.

1PETER 3:
Peter packed each sentence with meaning. I encourage you to take time to read the first two chapters slowly and think about Peter’s descriptive words. Yesterday, for instance, we read the wonderful “Living Stones” passage— which pictures deep meaning about our spiritual identity because of our being built upon (or, joined as one with) Christ, the Cornerstone.

At the end of chapter 2, Peter taught about submitting to governmental leaders, and slaves submitting to their masters.

NLT Translation notes:
Job 29:12 For I assisted the poor in their need
and the orphans who [needed/required] help.
18 “I thought, ‘Surely [my death will come after a good, long life//I will die surrounded by my family
after a long, good life] and I will be surrounded by my family.
24 When they were discouraged, I [had only to smile//smiled] at them.
My look of approval was precious to them.
====
1Ptr. 3:15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about [where you have placed your hope//your Christian hope], always be ready to explain [about Christ/it].


Check out this episode!

NL-Day_029


GENESIS 47-48:
In yesterday's reading, Jacob arrived in Egypt with his family. Excluding more extended family, the whole group numbered 70 people at that time.

JOB 29:
Yesterday we heard the chapter in praise of God’s wisdom, which GNT attributes to Zophar. Today Job speaks of his former blessings, in the first of three chapters which are the final statement of his case.

1PETER 3:
Peter packed each sentence with meaning. I encourage you to take time to read the first two chapters slowly and think about Peter’s descriptive words. Yesterday, for instance, we read the wonderful “Living Stones” passage— which pictures deep meaning about our spiritual identity because of our being built upon (or, joined as one with) Christ, the Cornerstone.

At the end of chapter 2, Peter taught about submitting to governmental leaders, and slaves submitting to their masters.

NLT Translation notes:
Job 29:12 For I assisted the poor in their need
and the orphans who [needed/required] help.
18 “I thought, ‘Surely [my death will come after a good, long life//I will die surrounded by my family
after a long, good life] and I will be surrounded by my family.
24 When they were discouraged, I [had only to smile//smiled] at them.
My look of approval was precious to them.
====
1Ptr. 3:15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about [where you have placed your hope//your Christian hope], always be ready to explain [about Christ/it].


Check out this episode!

Saturday, January 27, 2018

NE-DBRP_012 GEN.22 GEN.23 JOB.12 MRK.8.1-21


Hi! Thanks for listening to this NE series number 012. 

Please see complete information about all DBRP podcasts at dailybiblereading.info. Our Digging Deeper Facebook group is linked here in the episode notes.

The complete episode notes for this podcast are attached as a PDF file. Many podcast aggregator apps will not let you see these attachments. Using our dedicated DBRP listening app, you can get the PDF file by clicking on the wrapped present icon. Or you can find the PDF attached to this podcast at our website, dailybiblereading.info.

I will not be continuing to share extended comments in connection with the NE podcast series. I have realized that Either I cannot continue to give comments for each NE series podcast, Or I will need to space the podcasts even farther apart.

My real job is as a Bible translator for the people of Indonesia. Recently my work has expanded from overseeing one major translation project to overseeing two of them. I hope this will help you understand my reasons for not continuing with comments at this time. I do not rule out that I will decide to record comments for some future episode.

For you who have been listening to the comments, this would be a good time for you to give me feedback. You can do that through the Contact link at dailybiblereading.info.


Check out this episode!

GN-Day_028


GENESIS 46:
In yesterday’s two chapters, Joseph's brothers went back to Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph's younger brother. Joseph contrived a creative way to reveal his identity. When Pharaoh heard about Joseph's brothers, he helped provide for Jacob's family to come to Egypt.

JOB 28:
This chapter and part of the previous chapter are assigned to Zophar in the GNT. NLT goes strictly with the assignments of speakers as in the Hebrew, where all of this is assigned to Job. Starting in 27:13, NLT therefore makes it clear that Job’s words, which sound mighty like what his opponents have said, are him (rather sarcastically) repeating their arguments.

1PETER 2:
Peter addressed his letter to “To God's chosen people who live as [refugees/foreigners] scattered throughout” various provinces. But it is clear that Peter also has a spiritual meaning in mind, as the song says, “This world is not my home.” In chapter 2, Peter again comforts us and gives wonderful descriptions of our identity because of being joined to Christ. The first verse of chapter 2 starts with ‘then/So’, so let’s recall the last verses of chapter 1, starting at v22.

NLT Translation notes:
Job 28:6 [Down there/Here] the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli,
and the dust contains gold.
16 [Wisdom is//It’s] worth more than all the gold of Ophir,
greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
19 Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for [wisdom/it].
====
1Ptr. 2:5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
6 As [God says in the Scriptures// the Scriptures say],
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
chosen for great honor,
and anyone who [believes/trusts] in him
will never be [disappointed/disgraced].”
[Both meanings for this word are good. I simply prefer 'disappointed'. I think the idea is that No one who trusts in Him will find out that they have believed a lie. See Biblewebapp.com.]
7 Yes, you who [believe/trust] in him recognize [how precious that Cornerstone is!//the honor God has given him.]
But for those who reject him, [the Scriptures say,]
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.”
[In 7a, NLT is not wrong. (Almost always when I make changes, it is not correcting mistakes, but simply choosing an alternative.) The Greek is very terse: “For you who believe therefore is the honor,” And the choice of meaning may be conditioned on what choice the translator has made at for  disgraced /disappointed' above. I totally do not like ESV here: “So the honor is for you who believe,” Such a translation takes the focus off Christ and puts it on us. It seems to me that NIV is much better: “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.”]
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people.
You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. [As the Scriptures say,/0]
11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” [in this world] to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
13 For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority— whether [that be/0] the king as head of state,
16 [You//For you] are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
21 For God [has/0] called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.


Check out this episode!

NL-Day_028


GENESIS 46:
In yesterday’s two chapters, Joseph's brothers went back to Egypt with Benjamin, Joseph's younger brother. Joseph contrived a creative way to reveal his identity. When Pharaoh heard about Joseph's brothers, he helped provide for Jacob's family to come to Egypt.

JOB 28:
This chapter and part of the previous chapter are assigned to Zophar in the GNT. NLT goes strictly with the assignments of speakers as in the Hebrew, where all of this is assigned to Job. Starting in 27:13, NLT therefore makes it clear that Job’s words, which sound mighty like what his opponents have said, are him (rather sarcastically) repeating their arguments.

1PETER 2:
Peter addressed his letter to “To God's chosen people who live as [refugees/foreigners] scattered throughout” various provinces. But it is clear that Peter also has a spiritual meaning in mind, as the song says, “This world is not my home.” In chapter 2, Peter again comforts us and gives wonderful descriptions of our identity because of being joined to Christ. The first verse of chapter 2 starts with ‘then/So’, so let’s recall the last verses of chapter 1, starting at v22.

NLT Translation notes:
Job 28:6 [Down there/Here] the rocks contain precious lapis lazuli,
and the dust contains gold.
16 [Wisdom is//It’s] worth more than all the gold of Ophir,
greater than precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
19 Precious peridot from Ethiopia cannot be exchanged for [wisdom/it].
====
1Ptr. 2:5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ], you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
6 As [God says in the Scriptures// the Scriptures say],
“I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem,
chosen for great honor,
and anyone who [believes/trusts] in him
will never be [disappointed/disgraced].”
[Both meanings for this word are good. I simply prefer 'disappointed'. I think the idea is that No one who trusts in Him will find out that they have believed a lie. See Biblewebapp.com.]
7 Yes, you who [believe/trust] in him recognize [how precious that Cornerstone is!//the honor God has given him.]
But for those who reject him, [the Scriptures say,]
“The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.”
[In 7a, NLT is not wrong. (Almost always when I make changes, it is not correcting mistakes, but simply choosing an alternative.) The Greek is very terse: “For you who believe therefore is the honor,” And the choice of meaning may be conditioned on what choice the translator has made at for  disgraced /disappointed' above. I totally do not like ESV here: “So the honor is for you who believe,” Such a translation takes the focus off Christ and puts it on us. It seems to me that NIV is much better: “Now to you who believe, this stone is precious.”]
9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people.
You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. [As the Scriptures say,/0]
11 Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” [in this world] to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls.
13 For the Lord’s sake, respect all human authority— whether [that be/0] the king as head of state,
16 [You//For you] are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.
21 For God [has/0] called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.


Check out this episode!

Friday, January 26, 2018

GN-Day_027


GENESIS 44-45:
Yesterday we heard of Joseph's brothers on their first and second trips to Egypt. [GNT only: Regarding my comment in yesterday’s podcast about Joseph giving wine without limit, it is likely that He was showing the normal generosity of a wealthy host. I very much doubt that under these circumstances his brothers would have allowed themselves to become drunk.] We pick up the story, still in Joseph's palace on the second trip.

JOB 27:
In the NLT, this chapter is the 2nd chapter of Job’s six-chapter-long speech. But in the GNT Zophar interrupts and carries on through chapter 28.

FIRST PETER 1:
In the last chapter of Mark’s Gospel, we read about the resurrection of Jesus. Since Mark very likely wrote his gospel based on Peter's information, it seems fitting that we move to Peter's two letters now. Evidently Peter spent the last decade of his life in Rome, where he was martyred around the year 64. Mark (whom Peter fondly refers to as ‘his son’ in chapter 5) was with him in Rome when this was written. Silas— whom we will hear of later in Acts, was the secretary for writing this letter. Scholars do not doubt that this letter is from Peter.

Here are a couple of quotes from Constable’s Notes. Constable quotes Selwyn:

“Along with [1Peter’s//its] [end times//eschatological] focus there is much emphasis on holiness (personal, social, and communal), hope, salvation, community, relationship to the world, the Trinity, and especially suffering.”

“… despite its brevity—only 105 verses in all—[1Peter/it] is a microcosm of Christian faith and duty, the model of a pastoral charge, composed of divers materials and of many themes.”

For those who want to delve deeper in studying this short letter, I encourage you to search out and mark every occurrence of these repeated words: trials/suffering, hope, joy, grace, and glory.

GNT Translation notes:
1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of [Christ Jesus*//Jesus Christ].
[This change will be made everywhere in my podcasts. Even though the Greek has the order as ‘Jesus Christ’ and that order sounds natural to our ears, it is not really grammatical. This is shown if I put some other title and name in that order. If I say, “Obama President is going to Egypt next week,” then everyone will say that that ordering is unnatural. We never say, “Obama President” but “President Obama...” By using the grammatical order for “Christ Jesus” it makes it clear that a title is being used. The title of Christ— by the way, means the same as the title in the Hebrew language, Messiah. Both terms mean ‘the anointed one’.]
‘faith’ → ‘fully believe’
[This change was also made in the podcast. It helps us to see the cohesion of the Greek word ‘pistis/pistew’ if the same root word is used in English.]
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
[Included in this Word that lasts forever//This word] is the Good News that was proclaimed to you.

NLT Translation notes:
Job 27:13 [You say//0], “This is what the wicked will receive from God;
[I also added ‘You say” to verses 16, 18, and 22.]
14 They may have many children, [(you say,)]
but the children will die in war or starve to death.
16 “Evil people [(you say)] may have piles of money
and may store away mounds of clothing.
20 Terror[s] overwhelm[0/s] them like a flood,  [(you say,)]
and they are blown away in the storms of the night.
====
1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of [Christ Jesus*//Jesus Christ].   [and this change will be made everywhere.]
[*Even though the Greek has the order as 'Jesus Christ' and that order sounds natural to our ears, it is not grammatical. This is shown if I put some other title and name in that order. If I say, “Obama President is going to Egypt next week,” then everyone will say that that ordering is unnatural. We never say, “Obama President” but “President Obama...” By using the grammatical order for “Christ Jesus” it makes it clear that a title is being used. The title of Christ, by the way, means the same as the same title from the Hebrew language, Messiah. Both terms mean 'the anointed one'.]
5 And through your [fully believing//faith]* in Christ, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
[*As I have discussed in other footnotes before, the word 'faith' in English has developed many meanings, and because of that it makes the meaning unclear to use the word ‘faith’ in Bible translations in English. In Greek, 'faith' and 'believe' are just the verb and noun form of the same word.]
7 These trials will [prove//show] that [you truly believe//your faith is genuine]. [Your believing//It] is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your [believing//faith] is far more precious than mere gold. So when [you continue strong in your believing in spite of many trials//your faith remains strong through many trials], it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] is revealed to the whole world.
8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you [fully believe in//trust] him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
9 The reward for [believing in//trusting] him will be the salvation of your souls.
[It greatly damages the cohesion of a passage when the translators sometimes translate the same Greek word as ‘believe’ and the noun form as ‘faith’. Now the NLT translators went even further by using ‘trust’ instead of ‘believe’. I urge us to use ‘believe/fully believe’ everywhere, so we can see the cohesion that centers on this term. One might say that the New Testament writers were harping on it! If people are afraid of the error of easy-believism, then I wouldn’t mind using the word ‘trust’ everywhere. But my main point is, let the cohesion be seen.]
14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. [Back then you didn’t know any better.//You didn’t know any better then.]
16 For [God says in//0] the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
21 Through Christ you have come to [believe//trust] in God. You believe that God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. [The result is that you fully believe//And you have placed your faith] and hope in God. [moved to the front→ because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.]
25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And [included in the word of the Lord that remains forever //that word] is the Good News that was preached to you!

 


Check out this episode!

NL-Day-027


GENESIS 44-45:
Yesterday we heard of Joseph's brothers on their first and second trips to Egypt. [GNT only: Regarding my comment in yesterday’s podcast about Joseph giving wine without limit, it is likely that He was showing the normal generosity of a wealthy host. I very much doubt that under these circumstances his brothers would have allowed themselves to become drunk.] We pick up the story, still in Joseph's palace on the second trip.

JOB 27:
In the NLT, this chapter is the 2nd chapter of Job’s six-chapter-long speech. But in the GNT Zophar interrupts and carries on through chapter 28.

FIRST PETER 1:
In the last chapter of Mark’s Gospel, we read about the resurrection of Jesus. Since Mark very likely wrote his gospel based on Peter's information, it seems fitting that we move to Peter's two letters now. Evidently Peter spent the last decade of his life in Rome, where he was martyred around the year 64. Mark (whom Peter fondly refers to as ‘his son’ in chapter 5) was with him in Rome when this was written. Silas— whom we will hear of later in Acts, was the secretary for writing this letter. Scholars do not doubt that this letter is from Peter.

Here are a couple of quotes from Constable’s Notes. Constable quotes Selwyn:

“Along with [1Peter’s//its] [end times//eschatological] focus there is much emphasis on holiness (personal, social, and communal), hope, salvation, community, relationship to the world, the Trinity, and especially suffering.”

“… despite its brevity—only 105 verses in all—[1Peter/it] is a microcosm of Christian faith and duty, the model of a pastoral charge, composed of divers materials and of many themes.”

For those who want to delve deeper in studying this short letter, I encourage you to search out and mark every occurrence of these repeated words: trials/suffering, hope, joy, grace, and glory.

GNT Translation notes:
1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of [Christ Jesus*//Jesus Christ].
[This change will be made everywhere in my podcasts. Even though the Greek has the order as ‘Jesus Christ’ and that order sounds natural to our ears, it is not really grammatical. This is shown if I put some other title and name in that order. If I say, “Obama President is going to Egypt next week,” then everyone will say that that ordering is unnatural. We never say, “Obama President” but “President Obama...” By using the grammatical order for “Christ Jesus” it makes it clear that a title is being used. The title of Christ— by the way, means the same as the title in the Hebrew language, Messiah. Both terms mean ‘the anointed one’.]
‘faith’ → ‘fully believe’
[This change was also made in the podcast. It helps us to see the cohesion of the Greek word ‘pistis/pistew’ if the same root word is used in English.]
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
[Included in this Word that lasts forever//This word] is the Good News that was proclaimed to you.

NLT Translation notes:
Job 27:13 [You say//0], “This is what the wicked will receive from God;
[I also added ‘You say” to verses 16, 18, and 22.]
14 They may have many children, [(you say,)]
but the children will die in war or starve to death.
16 “Evil people [(you say)] may have piles of money
and may store away mounds of clothing.
20 Terror[s] overwhelm[0/s] them like a flood,  [(you say,)]
and they are blown away in the storms of the night.
====
1 This letter is from Peter, an apostle of [Christ Jesus*//Jesus Christ].   [and this change will be made everywhere.]
[*Even though the Greek has the order as 'Jesus Christ' and that order sounds natural to our ears, it is not grammatical. This is shown if I put some other title and name in that order. If I say, “Obama President is going to Egypt next week,” then everyone will say that that ordering is unnatural. We never say, “Obama President” but “President Obama...” By using the grammatical order for “Christ Jesus” it makes it clear that a title is being used. The title of Christ, by the way, means the same as the same title from the Hebrew language, Messiah. Both terms mean 'the anointed one'.]
5 And through your [fully believing//faith]* in Christ, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.
[*As I have discussed in other footnotes before, the word 'faith' in English has developed many meanings, and because of that it makes the meaning unclear to use the word ‘faith’ in Bible translations in English. In Greek, 'faith' and 'believe' are just the verb and noun form of the same word.]
7 These trials will [prove//show] that [you truly believe//your faith is genuine]. [Your believing//It] is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your [believing//faith] is far more precious than mere gold. So when [you continue strong in your believing in spite of many trials//your faith remains strong through many trials], it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when [Christ Jesus//Jesus Christ] is revealed to the whole world.
8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you [fully believe in//trust] him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.
9 The reward for [believing in//trusting] him will be the salvation of your souls.
[It greatly damages the cohesion of a passage when the translators sometimes translate the same Greek word as ‘believe’ and the noun form as ‘faith’. Now the NLT translators went even further by using ‘trust’ instead of ‘believe’. I urge us to use ‘believe/fully believe’ everywhere, so we can see the cohesion that centers on this term. One might say that the New Testament writers were harping on it! If people are afraid of the error of easy-believism, then I wouldn’t mind using the word ‘trust’ everywhere. But my main point is, let the cohesion be seen.]
14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. [Back then you didn’t know any better.//You didn’t know any better then.]
16 For [God says in//0] the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”
21 Through Christ you have come to [believe//trust] in God. You believe that God raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. [The result is that you fully believe//And you have placed your faith] and hope in God. [moved to the front→ because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.]
25 But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And [included in the word of the Lord that remains forever //that word] is the Good News that was preached to you!

 


Check out this episode!

Thursday, January 25, 2018

GN-Day_026


GENESIS 42-43:
Yesterday in chapter 41, we heard of Pharaoh's dream, and what happened to Joseph as a result of his correctly telling the interpretation. Note also that Joseph was careful to give the glory to God for that interpretation.

JOB 26:
Yesterday in chapter 25, Bildad only had a six verse response, because Job interrupted him with the speech we will read today. Bildad implied Job’s guilt in more than one way, including this most obvious rhetorical question:

4 Can anyone be righteous or pure in God's sight?

MARK 16:
Yesterday we heard of the death and burial of Jesus. That chapter was full of fulfilled prophecies.

GNT Translation notes:
Mrk. 16:1 After the Sabbath was over, Mary [— the one from the village of Magdalene//Magdalene], Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to go and anoint the body of Jesus.
17 Believers will be given the power to perform miracles: they will drive out demons in my name; they will speak in [unlearned languages//strange tongues];

NLT Translation notes:
Gen. 42:5 So Jacob’s a sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine [extended to//was in] the land of Canaan as well.
43:9 I personally guarantee his safety. You [can//may] hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever.
22 We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money [back/0] in our sacks.”


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NL-Day-026


GENESIS 42-43:
Yesterday in chapter 41, we heard of Pharaoh's dream, and what happened to Joseph as a result of his correctly telling the interpretation. Note also that Joseph was careful to give the glory to God for that interpretation.

JOB 26:
Yesterday in chapter 25, Bildad only had a six verse response, because Job interrupted him with the speech we will read today. Bildad implied Job’s guilt in more than one way, including this most obvious rhetorical question:

4 Can anyone be righteous or pure in God's sight?

MARK 16:
Yesterday we heard of the death and burial of Jesus. That chapter was full of fulfilled prophecies.

GNT Translation notes:
Mrk. 16:1 After the Sabbath was over, Mary [— the one from the village of Magdalene//Magdalene], Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to go and anoint the body of Jesus.
17 Believers will be given the power to perform miracles: they will drive out demons in my name; they will speak in [unlearned languages//strange tongues];

NLT Translation notes:
Gen. 42:5 So Jacob’s a sons arrived in Egypt along with others to buy food, for the famine [extended to//was in] the land of Canaan as well.
43:9 I personally guarantee his safety. You [can//may] hold me responsible if I don’t bring him back to you. Then let me bear the blame forever.
22 We also have additional money to buy more food. We have no idea who put our money [back/0] in our sacks.”


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Wednesday, January 24, 2018

GN-Day_025


GENESIS 41:
In yesterday's reading, Joseph interpreted two dreams. He said something significant: Interpreting dreams is God’s business.

JOB 25:
Yesterday Job said,

Why doesn't God set a time for judging, a day of justice for those who serve him? (Job 24:1)

And speaking of the helpless and downtrodden he said,

“In the cities the wounded and dying cry out, but God ignores their prayers. (v12)

Starting in v18 GNT follows a number of other translations in saying that Zophar chimed in, disagreeing that the wicked are indeed punished, contradicting what Job was saying. NLT doesn’t do that. When you find a place like that and want more information, it is always a good idea to see if the NET (New English Translation) has a footnote. If you are using the YouVersion Bible reader, and do not see the footnote marks in NET and GNT, click the Menu button, then click Settings, and activate Show Notes.

In chapter 25, Bildad only has time to speak a few lines when Job interrupts him.

MARK 15b:
In the first half of this chapter, Jesus was tried by Pilate, and condemned when Pilate caved in to pressure orchestrated by the religious leaders. The soldiers beat and mocked Jesus, he was nailed to the cross, and then everyone mocked him.

GNT Translation notes:
Gen. 41:55 When the Egyptians began to be hungry, they cried out to the king for food. So he ordered them to go to Joseph and do [whatever Joseph//what he] told them.
====
Mrk. 14:40 Some women were there, looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary [— the one from the village of Magdalene//Magdalene], Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joseph, and Salome.
47 Mary [— the one from Magdalene//Magdalene] and Mary the mother of Joseph were watching and saw where the body of Jesus was placed.


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NL-Day_025


GENESIS 41:
In yesterday's reading, Joseph interpreted two dreams. He said something significant: Interpreting dreams is God’s business.

JOB 25:
Yesterday Job said,

Why doesn't God set a time for judging, a day of justice for those who serve him? (Job 24:1)

And speaking of the helpless and downtrodden he said,

“In the cities the wounded and dying cry out, but God ignores their prayers. (v12)

Starting in v18 GNT follows a number of other translations in saying that Zophar chimed in, disagreeing that the wicked are indeed punished, contradicting what Job was saying. NLT doesn’t do that. When you find a place like that and want more information, it is always a good idea to see if the NET (New English Translation) has a footnote. If you are using the YouVersion Bible reader, and do not see the footnote marks in NET and GNT, click the Menu button, then click Settings, and activate Show Notes.

In chapter 25, Bildad only has time to speak a few lines when Job interrupts him.

MARK 15b:
In the first half of this chapter, Jesus was tried by Pilate, and condemned when Pilate caved in to pressure orchestrated by the religious leaders. The soldiers beat and mocked Jesus, he was nailed to the cross, and then everyone mocked him.

GNT Translation notes:
Gen. 41:55 When the Egyptians began to be hungry, they cried out to the king for food. So he ordered them to go to Joseph and do [whatever Joseph//what he] told them.
====
Mrk. 14:40 Some women were there, looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary [— the one from the village of Magdalene//Magdalene], Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joseph, and Salome.
47 Mary [— the one from Magdalene//Magdalene] and Mary the mother of Joseph were watching and saw where the body of Jesus was placed.


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Tuesday, January 23, 2018

GN-Day_024


GENESIS 40:
In Genesis yesterday, some listeners to these podcasts were probably shocked. We heard the less than auspicious beginnings of Judah's line— particularly involving Tamar, who was more righteous than Judah. Then we heard of Joseph working for Potiphar and then being thrown in jail. Even in jail, he rose to the top.

JOB 24:
Job continues his response to Eliphaz.

MARK 15a:
At the end of chapter 14, Jesus was arrested, was tried before the council, and Peter denied knowing Jesus.

GNT Translation notes:
Mrk. 15:2 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “[Yes, as you said.//You have said it.]” (NLT)
[Jesus says “You say” in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because “You have said it” might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like “Those are your words,” it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. Probably the best way to translate an affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning. I also am not completely happy with the GNT. When we say, ‘So you say,’ in English, we are implying that we are skeptical of the previous speaker’s statement. In this case, Pilate has asked a question, and the response ‘So you say’ seems inappropriate.]
18 Then they began to [mockingly] salute him: “Long live the King of the Jews!”
26 The notice of the accusation against him [read//said]: “The King of the Jews.”
30 [Come down now//Now come down] from the cross and save yourself!”

NLT Translation notes:
2 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “[Yes, as you said.//You have said it.}”
[Jesus says “You say” in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because “You have said it” might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like “Those are your words,” it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. Probably the best way to translate an affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning.]
3 [The//Then the] leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes,
32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe [in/0] him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.


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NL-Day_024


GENESIS 40:
In Genesis yesterday, some listeners to these podcasts were probably shocked. We heard the less than auspicious beginnings of Judah's line— particularly involving Tamar, who was more righteous than Judah. Then we heard of Joseph working for Potiphar and then being thrown in jail. Even in jail, he rose to the top.

JOB 24:
Job continues his response to Eliphaz.

MARK 15a:
At the end of chapter 14, Jesus was arrested, was tried before the council, and Peter denied knowing Jesus.

GNT Translation notes:
Mrk. 15:2 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “[Yes, as you said.//You have said it.]” (NLT)
[Jesus says “You say” in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because “You have said it” might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like “Those are your words,” it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. Probably the best way to translate an affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning. I also am not completely happy with the GNT. When we say, ‘So you say,’ in English, we are implying that we are skeptical of the previous speaker’s statement. In this case, Pilate has asked a question, and the response ‘So you say’ seems inappropriate.]
18 Then they began to [mockingly] salute him: “Long live the King of the Jews!”
26 The notice of the accusation against him [read//said]: “The King of the Jews.”
30 [Come down now//Now come down] from the cross and save yourself!”

NLT Translation notes:
2 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus replied, “[Yes, as you said.//You have said it.}”
[Jesus says “You say” in Greek. I am told that this would normally be interpreted as an affirmative response. For English, I don't like the NLT here, because “You have said it” might mean an enthusiastic affirmative. On the other hand, if we say something like “Those are your words,” it implies that Jesus is disagreeing. Probably the best way to translate an affirmative is to add a 'Yes' to make clear the meaning.]
3 [The//Then the] leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes,
32 Let this Messiah, this King of Israel, come down from the cross so we can see it and believe [in/0] him!” Even the men who were crucified with Jesus ridiculed him.


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Monday, January 22, 2018

GN-Day_023


GENESIS 38-39:
In yesterday's reading, we heard of Joseph's dreams, his brothers' jealousy, and Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt.

JOB 23:
Yesterday Eliphaz said:

GNT 4 It is not because you stand in awe of God
that he reprimands you and brings you to trial.
5 No, it's because you have sinned so much;
it's because of all the evil you do.

And he also said,

21 Now, Job, make peace with God
and stop treating him like an enemy;
if you do, then he will bless you.
22 Accept the teaching he gives;
keep his words in your heart.
23 Yes, you must humbly return to God
and put an end to all the evil
that is done in your house.
24 Throw away your gold;
dump your finest gold in the dry stream bed.
25 Let Almighty God be your gold,
and let him be silver, piled high for you.
28 You will succeed in all you do,
and light will shine on your path.

Beware that some teachers of prosperity in our age say things just like that, and quote such verses without understanding the message of this book.

MARK 14b:
Yesterday we heard the story of the Last Supper, the prophecy that Peter would deny Jesus three times, and the prayers at Gethsemane.

GNT Translation note:
Gen. 38:6 For his first son Er, Judah [arranged a marriage with a woman named//got a wife whose name was] Tamar.
====
Mrk. 14:62 “I am,” answered Jesus, “and you will all see [me—] the Son of Man[,] seated at the right side of the Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven!”
64 You heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?”
They all voted against him: [He was judged guilty and sentenced to death.//he was guilty and should be put to death.]


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NL-Day_023


GENESIS 38-39:
In yesterday's reading, we heard of Joseph's dreams, his brothers' jealousy, and Joseph being sold into slavery in Egypt.

JOB 23:
Yesterday Eliphaz said:

GNT 4 It is not because you stand in awe of God
that he reprimands you and brings you to trial.
5 No, it's because you have sinned so much;
it's because of all the evil you do.

And he also said,

21 Now, Job, make peace with God
and stop treating him like an enemy;
if you do, then he will bless you.
22 Accept the teaching he gives;
keep his words in your heart.
23 Yes, you must humbly return to God
and put an end to all the evil
that is done in your house.
24 Throw away your gold;
dump your finest gold in the dry stream bed.
25 Let Almighty God be your gold,
and let him be silver, piled high for you.
28 You will succeed in all you do,
and light will shine on your path.

Beware that some teachers of prosperity in our age say things just like that, and quote such verses without understanding the message of this book.

MARK 14b:
Yesterday we heard the story of the Last Supper, the prophecy that Peter would deny Jesus three times, and the prayers at Gethsemane.

GNT Translation note:
Gen. 38:6 For his first son Er, Judah [arranged a marriage with a woman named//got a wife whose name was] Tamar.
====
Mrk. 14:62 “I am,” answered Jesus, “and you will all see [me—] the Son of Man[,] seated at the right side of the Almighty and coming with the clouds of heaven!”
64 You heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?”
They all voted against him: [He was judged guilty and sentenced to death.//he was guilty and should be put to death.]


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Sunday, January 21, 2018

GN-Day_022


GENESIS 37:
The focus of Genesis 36 was on the descendants of Esau, and the ethnic groups they spawned.

JOB 22:
In chapter 21, Job gave a very convincing argument that God does not always punish wicked people— refuting what Zophar said. Today Eliphaz begins the third set of exchanges between Job and his ‘friends’. Eliphaz’ promises at the end of his speech sound rather hollow to me.

MARK 14a:
Yesterday we read the prophecy chapter of Mark, chapter 13. The theme of that chapter is “Be ready” and Jesus says, “Keep watching for Me.”

GNT Translation notes:
Mrk. 14:10 Then Judas[, the man from the village of Cariot// Iscariot], one of the twelve disciples, went off to the chief priests in order to betray Jesus to them.
40 Then he came back to the disciples and found them asleep; they could not keep their eyes open. And they did not know what [excuse they could give to him//to say to him].

NLT Translation notes:
Gen. 36: 2 This is the account of Jacob and his family. When Joseph was seventeen years old, he often tended his father’s flocks. He worked [with/for] his half brothers, the sons of his father’s wives Bilhah and Zilpah. But Joseph reported to his father some of the bad things his brothers were doing.
6 “Listen to [my/this] dream,” he said. 7 “We were out in the field, tying up bundles of grain. Suddenly my bundle stood up, and your bundles all gathered around and bowed low before mine!”
====
Job 22:28 [Then you/You] will succeed in whatever you choose to do, and light will shine on the road ahead of you.
29 [Then if/If] people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’ God will save them.
====
Mrk. 14:21For [I,] the Son of Man must die, as the Scriptures declared long ago. But how terrible it will be for the one who betrays [me/him]. It would be far better for that man if he had never been born!”


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Saturday, January 20, 2018

NE-DBRP_011 GEN.20 GEN.21 JOB.11 MRK.7


After I read the three passages for day 11, I will pray briefly. I encourage you to pause the playback if you want to pray longer than 10 seconds. After that pause, I will give some comments on today’s readings.

[This podcast is based upon Scriptures//The Scripture texts quoted are] from the New English Translation Bible®, which can be found at http://netbible.org. The copyright© dates are from 1996 to 2016, and the NET text is used by permission of Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.  All rights reserved.

The website that contains all the information about the Daily Bible Reading podcast series and the Digging Deeper Daily Bible reading plan is dailybiblereading.info. Please check it out. Our Digging Deeper Facebook group is linked here in the episode notes.

The complete episode notes are in a PDF file that is attached to this podcast. If you are using our DBRP listening app, you can get the PDF file by clicking on the wrapped present icon. Or you can find the PDF attached to this podcast at our website, dailybiblereading.info.


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GN-Day_021


GENESIS 36:
Jacob's daughter Dinah was raped, and the perpetrator Shechem was killed and all the males in his town. God then told Jacob to return to Bethel. At the end of yesterday’s reading, Rachel and Grampa Isaak died.

JOB 21:
In Zophar's angry speech yesterday in chapter 20, he did not directly say that Job was wicked, but he clearly implied it.

MARK 13:
Chapter 12— which gives an overview of the interactions with the enemies and critics of Jesus, basically marks the end of Jesus' public ministry as related by Mark.

GNT Translation note:
Job 21:9 God does [NOT//not] bring disaster on their homes;
they never have to live in terror.
17 Was a wicked person's light ever put out? [— as you claim,]
Did one of them ever meet with disaster?
Did God ever punish the wicked in anger
22 Can anyone teach God,
who judges even those in high places?
====
Mrk. 13:14“You will see ‘The Awful Horror’ standing in the place where he should not be.” ([[I, Mark, write this note//Note] to the [one who reads out loud to others//reader]: [Explain//understand] what this means!) “Then those who are in Judea must run away to the hills.
[In Greek can be interpreted as ‘read out loud (to others)’ and the word ‘understand’ could mean that the reader should ‘explain’. This would make three Greek words to be Mark’s parenthetical comment, saying, “Hey public reader, explain this!” This makes sense because Jesus was speaking and Mark was the one writing. We must bear in mind that in Mark’s day, only a small percentage of a congregation would be able to read. Since I think that interpretation likely, it behooves me to explain this!
In saying ‘the Awful Horror’ Jesus is referring to the Antichrist, which was first clearly prophesied in Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. Here we see a prime example of the way God repeats the fulfillment of important prophecies. In the immediate context in Mark 13 of fleeing to the hills, we can clearly see that Jesus was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem that happened in AD 70— about 40 years after he gave this prophecy. But Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2 teaches that ‘the man of lawlessness’ or alternately translated ‘Wicked One’ “will oppose every so-called god or object of worship and will put himself above them all. He will even go in and sit down in God’s temple and claim to be God.” While there have been many intermediate fulfillments of the Antichrist, the ultimate Antichrist still has not been revealed. We all still must keep watch. (More information about the Antichrist can be found in 1 John.)]
16 Someone who is [out] in [a//the] field must not go back to [his//the] house [to get his//for a] cloak.
27 He will send [out the angels//the angels out] to the four corners of the earth to gather God's chosen people from one end of the world to the other.
37 What I say to you, then, I say to all: [Keep on watching!//Watch!]”

NLT Translation notes:
Mrk. 13:8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But [these things are only like//this is only] the first of the birth pains [of a pregnant woman— meaning, more is to come//with more to come].
14 “The day is coming when you will see [the one who sets up a//the] sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where hef should not be.” ([The one reading out loud to others should explain this!//Reader, pay attention!]) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.
26 Then everyone will see [me coming as the Son of Man coming//the Son of Man coming] on the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And [I/he] will send out [my/his] angels to gather [my/his] chosen ones from all over the world— from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
(Verses 29, 32, 34, and 35 are changed similarly to 26-27.)
[As explained before, in many languages of the world (including English) a man never speaks of himself as ‘he’. I man will use ‘I’ or ‘me’ to talk about himself. Since Jesus is talking with his disciples, he was not concealing his identity here with the term ‘Son of Man’.]
31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never [loose their force//disappear].
36 Don’t let [me/him] find you sleeping when [I arrive//he arrives] without warning. 37 I say to you what I say and to everyone: [Keep watching for me!//Watch for him!]


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NL-Day_021


GENESIS 36:
Jacob's daughter Dinah was raped, and the perpetrator Shechem was killed and all the males in his town. God then told Jacob to return to Bethel. At the end of yesterday’s reading, Rachel and Grampa Isaak died.

JOB 21:
In Zophar's angry speech yesterday in chapter 20, he did not directly say that Job was wicked, but he clearly implied it.

MARK 13:
Chapter 12— which gives an overview of the interactions with the enemies and critics of Jesus, basically marks the end of Jesus' public ministry as related by Mark.

GNT Translation note:
Job 21:9 God does [NOT//not] bring disaster on their homes;
they never have to live in terror.
17 Was a wicked person's light ever put out? [— as you claim,]
Did one of them ever meet with disaster?
Did God ever punish the wicked in anger
22 Can anyone teach God,
who judges even those in high places?
====
Mrk. 13:14“You will see ‘The Awful Horror’ standing in the place where he should not be.” ([[I, Mark, write this note//Note] to the [one who reads out loud to others//reader]: [Explain//understand] what this means!) “Then those who are in Judea must run away to the hills.
[In Greek can be interpreted as ‘read out loud (to others)’ and the word ‘understand’ could mean that the reader should ‘explain’. This would make three Greek words to be Mark’s parenthetical comment, saying, “Hey public reader, explain this!” This makes sense because Jesus was speaking and Mark was the one writing. We must bear in mind that in Mark’s day, only a small percentage of a congregation would be able to read. Since I think that interpretation likely, it behooves me to explain this!
In saying ‘the Awful Horror’ Jesus is referring to the Antichrist, which was first clearly prophesied in Daniel 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. Here we see a prime example of the way God repeats the fulfillment of important prophecies. In the immediate context in Mark 13 of fleeing to the hills, we can clearly see that Jesus was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem that happened in AD 70— about 40 years after he gave this prophecy. But Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2 teaches that ‘the man of lawlessness’ or alternately translated ‘Wicked One’ “will oppose every so-called god or object of worship and will put himself above them all. He will even go in and sit down in God’s temple and claim to be God.” While there have been many intermediate fulfillments of the Antichrist, the ultimate Antichrist still has not been revealed. We all still must keep watch. (More information about the Antichrist can be found in 1 John.)]
16 Someone who is [out] in [a//the] field must not go back to [his//the] house [to get his//for a] cloak.
27 He will send [out the angels//the angels out] to the four corners of the earth to gather God's chosen people from one end of the world to the other.
37 What I say to you, then, I say to all: [Keep on watching!//Watch!]”

NLT Translation notes:
Mrk. 13:8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But [these things are only like//this is only] the first of the birth pains [of a pregnant woman— meaning, more is to come//with more to come].
14 “The day is coming when you will see [the one who sets up a//the] sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing where hef should not be.” ([The one reading out loud to others should explain this!//Reader, pay attention!]) “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills.
26 Then everyone will see [me coming as the Son of Man coming//the Son of Man coming] on the clouds with great power and glory.
27 And [I/he] will send out [my/his] angels to gather [my/his] chosen ones from all over the world— from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
(Verses 29, 32, 34, and 35 are changed similarly to 26-27.)
[As explained before, in many languages of the world (including English) a man never speaks of himself as ‘he’. I man will use ‘I’ or ‘me’ to talk about himself. Since Jesus is talking with his disciples, he was not concealing his identity here with the term ‘Son of Man’.]
31 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never [loose their force//disappear].
36 Don’t let [me/him] find you sleeping when [I arrive//he arrives] without warning. 37 I say to you what I say and to everyone: [Keep watching for me!//Watch for him!]


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Friday, January 19, 2018

GN-Day_020


GENESIS 34-35:
Yesterday we heard about Jacob wrestling all night with a mysterious heavenly figure, and about Jacob's reunion with Esau.

JOB 20:
This chapter is Zophar’s second response to Job. In chapter 19, Job responded to Bildad's second speech. Job expressed amazing belief that he would see his defender (often translated ‘redeemer’). He says,

25 But I know there is someone in heaven
who will come at last to my defense.
26 Even after my skin is eaten by disease,
while still in this body I will see God.
27 I will see him with my own eyes,
and he will not be a stranger.

MARK 12b:
Yesterday in the first half of Mark 12, Jesus told a pointed parable against the Jewish religious leaders, then he went on to refute the Sadducees. We re-read several verses today.

NLT Translation notes:
Gen. 34:17 But if you don’t agree to be circumcised, we will take [Dinah/her] and be on our way.”
30 Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me! You’ve made me stink among all the people of this land—among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few [, and now//that] they will join forces and crush us. I will be ruined, and my entire household will be wiped out!”
15 And Jacob named the place Bethel (which means “house of God”), because God had spoken to him [again/0] there.
====
Mrk. 12:26 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised— haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.”
[In my reading in the 019, I modified the translation like this, “I am the God Abraham worships… (present tense).” While this is justified in stating Jesus’ meaning at that point in the discourse, it is going too far in translating the Hebrew and Greek of the Old Testament passage. Jesus’ point is that the continuing relationship of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is implicit in God’s statement. So, I admit my mistake, and say that to make that explicit in the translation is going a bit too far.]
37 Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah [just/0] be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight.


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NL-Day_020


GENESIS 34-35:
Yesterday we heard about Jacob wrestling all night with a mysterious heavenly figure, and about Jacob's reunion with Esau.

JOB 20:
This chapter is Zophar’s second response to Job. In chapter 19, Job responded to Bildad's second speech. Job expressed amazing belief that he would see his defender (often translated ‘redeemer’). He says,

25 But I know there is someone in heaven
who will come at last to my defense.
26 Even after my skin is eaten by disease,
while still in this body I will see God.
27 I will see him with my own eyes,
and he will not be a stranger.

MARK 12b:
Yesterday in the first half of Mark 12, Jesus told a pointed parable against the Jewish religious leaders, then he went on to refute the Sadducees. We re-read several verses today.

NLT Translation notes:
Gen. 34:17 But if you don’t agree to be circumcised, we will take [Dinah/her] and be on our way.”
30 Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have ruined me! You’ve made me stink among all the people of this land—among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few [, and now//that] they will join forces and crush us. I will be ruined, and my entire household will be wiped out!”
15 And Jacob named the place Bethel (which means “house of God”), because God had spoken to him [again/0] there.
====
Mrk. 12:26 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised— haven’t you ever read about this in the writings of Moses, in the story of the burning bush? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 27 So he is the God of the living, not the dead. You have made a serious error.”
[In my reading in the 019, I modified the translation like this, “I am the God Abraham worships… (present tense).” While this is justified in stating Jesus’ meaning at that point in the discourse, it is going too far in translating the Hebrew and Greek of the Old Testament passage. Jesus’ point is that the continuing relationship of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is implicit in God’s statement. So, I admit my mistake, and say that to make that explicit in the translation is going a bit too far.]
37 Since David himself called the Messiah ‘my Lord,’ how can the Messiah [just/0] be his son?” The large crowd listened to him with great delight.


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Thursday, January 18, 2018

GN-Day_019


GENESIS 32-33:
Yesterday we heard how Jacob and his big family got away from Laban and started the journey home. When Laban caught up with him, he and Jacob got into a quarrel and ended up making a covenant.

JOB 19:
In chapter 18, Bildad once again gave a speech about what happens to wicked people, and by implication, he said, “You're just getting what you deserve.” Job’s response in today’s chapter includes amazing revelations— considering that this is the earliest book in the Bible. Verses 23-27 can be compared with the second half of 1Corinthians 15.

MARK 12a:
In Mark 11, Jesus was welcomed in triumph in Jerusalem, he cursed a fig tree and taught about prayer, and cleansed the temple of merchant activity. Then he answered and confuted the chief priests who challenged his authority to “do these things,”— in particular, taking their businesses out of the temple.

GNT Translation note:
Mrk. 11:27 PET God spoke of our three forefathers as men who still live and worship Him. …

NLT Translation notes:
Job 19:15 My servants and maids [even/0] consider me a stranger.
I am like a foreigner to them.
16 When I call my servant, he doesn’t [even/0] come;
I have to plead with him!
====
Mrk. 12:1 Then Jesus began teaching them with stories [like this one]: “A man planted a vineyard. …
13 Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of [king/0] Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
16 When they handed [one/it] to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped [here//on it]?”
26b Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, ‘I am the God [Abraham worships//of Abraham], the God [Isaac worships], and the God [Jacob worships].’
27 PET God spoke of our three forefathers as men who still live and worship Him. …
[In Lumina.Bible.org Constable quotes Lane:
“If the death of the patriarchs is the last word of their history, there has been a breach of the promises of God guaranteed by the [Abrahamic] covenant, and of which the formula ‘the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob’ is the symbol. It is in fidelity to his covenant that God will resurrect the dead.”
Using a present tense verb makes it obvious to the English-speaking listener that the three patriarchs are still living. However, the problem becomes that if the Hebrew had been that specific, everyone would have understood that the patriarchs were still living. So my fix here, I now admit, goes too far.]


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NL-Day_019


GENESIS 32-33:
Yesterday we heard how Jacob and his big family got away from Laban and started the journey home. When Laban caught up with him, he and Jacob got into a quarrel and ended up making a covenant.

JOB 19:
In chapter 18, Bildad once again gave a speech about what happens to wicked people, and by implication, he said, “You're just getting what you deserve.” Job’s response in today’s chapter includes amazing revelations— considering that this is the earliest book in the Bible. Verses 23-27 can be compared with the second half of 1Corinthians 15.

MARK 12a:
In Mark 11, Jesus was welcomed in triumph in Jerusalem, he cursed a fig tree and taught about prayer, and cleansed the temple of merchant activity. Then he answered and confuted the chief priests who challenged his authority to “do these things,”— in particular, taking their businesses out of the temple.

GNT Translation note:
Mrk. 11:27 PET God spoke of our three forefathers as men who still live and worship Him. …

NLT Translation notes:
Job 19:15 My servants and maids [even/0] consider me a stranger.
I am like a foreigner to them.
16 When I call my servant, he doesn’t [even/0] come;
I have to plead with him!
====
Mrk. 12:1 Then Jesus began teaching them with stories [like this one]: “A man planted a vineyard. …
13 Later the leaders sent some Pharisees and supporters of [king/0] Herod to trap Jesus into saying something for which he could be arrested.
16 When they handed [one/it] to him, he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped [here//on it]?”
26b Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said to Moses, ‘I am the God [Abraham worships//of Abraham], the God [Isaac worships], and the God [Jacob worships].’
27 PET God spoke of our three forefathers as men who still live and worship Him. …
[In Lumina.Bible.org Constable quotes Lane:
“If the death of the patriarchs is the last word of their history, there has been a breach of the promises of God guaranteed by the [Abrahamic] covenant, and of which the formula ‘the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob’ is the symbol. It is in fidelity to his covenant that God will resurrect the dead.”
Using a present tense verb makes it obvious to the English-speaking listener that the three patriarchs are still living. However, the problem becomes that if the Hebrew had been that specific, everyone would have understood that the patriarchs were still living. So my fix here, I now admit, goes too far.]


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Wednesday, January 17, 2018

GN-Day_018


GENESIS 31:
Yesterday we heard of the rivalry between Rachel and Leah, and about more sons for Jacob— whose names all have meanings appropriate to what Rachel or Leah were feeling at the time.

JOB 18:
Yesterday Job again complained that he was surrounded by mockers, and despairingly again said

15 Where is there any hope for me?
Who sees any?
16 Hope will not go with me
when I go down to the world of the dead.

MARK 11:
Jesus has by now prepared his disciples for his death by prophesying about it, and by teaching them about what it will be like to ‘lead’ in His kingdom. And he healed Bartimaeus, who called Jesus by his Messianic title: the Son of David.

GNT Translation notes:
Job 18:12 [The wicked//They] used to be rich, but now they go hungry;
disaster stands and waits at their side.
18 [The wicked//They] will be driven out of the land of the living,
driven from light into darkness.
====
Mrk. 11:6 They answered just as Jesus had told them, and the [people//crowd] let them go.

NLT Translation notes:
22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “[Believe fully//Have faith] in God.
32 But [we don’t//do we] dare say it was merely human[, do we/0]?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone [in that crowd//0] believed that John was a prophet.


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NL-Day_018


GENESIS 31:
Yesterday we heard of the rivalry between Rachel and Leah, and about more sons for Jacob— whose names all have meanings appropriate to what Rachel or Leah were feeling at the time.

JOB 18:
Yesterday Job again complained that he was surrounded by mockers, and despairingly again said

15 Where is there any hope for me?
Who sees any?
16 Hope will not go with me
when I go down to the world of the dead.

MARK 11:
Jesus has by now prepared his disciples for his death by prophesying about it, and by teaching them about what it will be like to ‘lead’ in His kingdom. And he healed Bartimaeus, who called Jesus by his Messianic title: the Son of David.

GNT Translation notes:
Job 18:12 [The wicked//They] used to be rich, but now they go hungry;
disaster stands and waits at their side.
18 [The wicked//They] will be driven out of the land of the living,
driven from light into darkness.
====
Mrk. 11:6 They answered just as Jesus had told them, and the [people//crowd] let them go.

NLT Translation notes:
22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, “[Believe fully//Have faith] in God.
32 But [we don’t//do we] dare say it was merely human[, do we/0]?” For they were afraid of what the people would do, because everyone [in that crowd//0] believed that John was a prophet.


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Tuesday, January 16, 2018

GN-Day_017


GENESIS 30:
In yesterday’s reading , Jacob left home, and God appeared to him and promised to bless him as he blessed Isaac. Jacob worked for Laban, married both Leah and Rachel, and he had four sons through Leah.

JOB 17:
Yesterday was the first chapter of Job's response to Eliphaz. He complained that his three comforters were not very comforting.

1-2 GNT I have heard words like that before;
the comfort you give is only torment.
3 Are you going to keep on talking forever?
Do you always have to have the last word?

And he said,
6 But nothing I say helps,
and being silent does not calm my pain.

And
9 In anger God tears me limb from limb;
he glares at me with hate.

This last statement shows how easy it is for us humans to misunderstand God’s will or intentions concerning us. God did not hate Job!

MARK 10b:
Yesterday in the first half of chapter 10, Jesus gave God's true perspective on divorce, blessed some children, and said that is impossible for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God (in their own strength). By the way, there is a wrong teaching that is still often heard. People have heard that the ‘eye of the needle’ was a little door next to the big gate in Jerusalem, and that a camel could get through this gate but all the burden would have to be taken off. This is wrong. No such gate was made in New Testament days in Jerusalem. Such gates were made in castles in Europe in the middle ages. No, the meaning of the saying is just what he said: It is just as impossible for the rich to enter heaven as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a real sewing needle. The next statement of Jesus however shows the way the rich may enter heaven.

Jesus gave a wonderful promise for missionaries at the end of the chapter. I bear witness to every part of that. 2,000 Orya people call me ‘Aya Bak’— which means ‘older brother’. The Lord has blessed me way more than 100 times.

GNT Translation note:
45 For even [I, as] the Son of Man did not come to be served; [I//he] came to serve and to give [my//his] life to redeem many people.”
52 “[You may go.//Go,]” Jesus told him, “[You have been made well because you believed fully in me.//your faith has made you well.]” At once he was able to see and followed Jesus on the road.

Constable’s notes for v.49:
The two descriptions of Jesus in these verses reveal the faith of Bartimaeus. The crowds simply described Jesus as “the Nazarene.” Bartimaeus had obviously heard about Jesus and had concluded that He was the Messiah. “Son of David” is a messianic title (cf. 11:9-10; 12:35-37; 2 Sam. 7:8-16; Isa. 11:1, 10; Jer. 23:5-6; Ezek. 34:23-24). Even though Bartimaeus lacked physical sight he saw more clearly who Jesus was then the multitudes who could see. His cry for mercy from Jesus expressed the attitude of trust, humility, and dependence that Jesus had been teaching His disciples to maintain.

 NLT Translation notes:
33 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where [I,/0] the Son of Manh will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence [me/him] to die and hand [me/him] over to the Romans.i 34 They will mock [me], spit on [me], flog [me] with a whip, and kill [me], but after three days [I/he] will rise again.”
[One very seldom talks of oneself using a third person pronoun in most of the world's languages.]
45 For even [I, as/0] the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give [my/his] life as a ransom for many.”
52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, [you are healed now because you fully believed in me//for your faith has healed you].” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

 


Check out this episode!

NL-Day_017


GENESIS 30:
In yesterday’s reading , Jacob left home, and God appeared to him and promised to bless him as he blessed Isaac. Jacob worked for Laban, married both Leah and Rachel, and he had four sons through Leah.

JOB 17:
Yesterday was the first chapter of Job's response to Eliphaz. He complained that his three comforters were not very comforting.

1-2 GNT I have heard words like that before;
the comfort you give is only torment.
3 Are you going to keep on talking forever?
Do you always have to have the last word?

And he said,
6 But nothing I say helps,
and being silent does not calm my pain.

And
9 In anger God tears me limb from limb;
he glares at me with hate.

This last statement shows how easy it is for us humans to misunderstand God’s will or intentions concerning us. God did not hate Job!

MARK 10b:
Yesterday in the first half of chapter 10, Jesus gave God's true perspective on divorce, blessed some children, and said that is impossible for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God (in their own strength). By the way, there is a wrong teaching that is still often heard. People have heard that the ‘eye of the needle’ was a little door next to the big gate in Jerusalem, and that a camel could get through this gate but all the burden would have to be taken off. This is wrong. No such gate was made in New Testament days in Jerusalem. Such gates were made in castles in Europe in the middle ages. No, the meaning of the saying is just what he said: It is just as impossible for the rich to enter heaven as it is for a camel to go through the eye of a real sewing needle. The next statement of Jesus however shows the way the rich may enter heaven.

Jesus gave a wonderful promise for missionaries at the end of the chapter. I bear witness to every part of that. 2,000 Orya people call me ‘Aya Bak’— which means ‘older brother’. The Lord has blessed me way more than 100 times.

GNT Translation note:
45 For even [I, as] the Son of Man did not come to be served; [I//he] came to serve and to give [my//his] life to redeem many people.”
52 “[You may go.//Go,]” Jesus told him, “[You have been made well because you believed fully in me.//your faith has made you well.]” At once he was able to see and followed Jesus on the road.

Constable’s notes for v.49:
The two descriptions of Jesus in these verses reveal the faith of Bartimaeus. The crowds simply described Jesus as “the Nazarene.” Bartimaeus had obviously heard about Jesus and had concluded that He was the Messiah. “Son of David” is a messianic title (cf. 11:9-10; 12:35-37; 2 Sam. 7:8-16; Isa. 11:1, 10; Jer. 23:5-6; Ezek. 34:23-24). Even though Bartimaeus lacked physical sight he saw more clearly who Jesus was then the multitudes who could see. His cry for mercy from Jesus expressed the attitude of trust, humility, and dependence that Jesus had been teaching His disciples to maintain.

 NLT Translation notes:
33 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where [I,/0] the Son of Manh will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence [me/him] to die and hand [me/him] over to the Romans.i 34 They will mock [me], spit on [me], flog [me] with a whip, and kill [me], but after three days [I/he] will rise again.”
[One very seldom talks of oneself using a third person pronoun in most of the world's languages.]
45 For even [I, as/0] the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give [my/his] life as a ransom for many.”
52 And Jesus said to him, “Go, [you are healed now because you fully believed in me//for your faith has healed you].” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.

 


Check out this episode!