but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, Titus 1:8 NASB Hospitable– Can you express the commandment to love your neighbor as yourself in oneword? Paul can. That word is philoxenos. OK, it’s really two Greek words combined into one, but if you look carefully you can see why Paul fuses these together. The first…
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. Genesis 1:3 NASB Let there be– Unfortunately, translating this text usually ignores the Egyptian background of the intended audience. What I mean is this: the Genesis stories aren’t written in some kind of pre-modern proto-scientific vernacular, as if God were describing how He kicked the universe…
Now it came about in the course of those many days that the king of Egypt died. And the sons of Israel sighed because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry for help because of their bondage rose up to God. Exodus 2:23 NASB Cried out– Do you suffer from the Egyptian disease? Does the Church in the…
And Job died, an old man and full of days. Job 42:17 NASB Full of days– What is the result of a life devoted to God? In Hebrew thought, it isn’t getting to heaven. It’s living out the full purposes of God’s design here on earth. In other words, it’s experiencing a life “full of days.” …
Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I am indeed concerned about you and what has been done to you in Egypt. Exodus 3:16 NASB Indeed concerned– Frankly, this translation is pathetic. I don’t mean it…
“Go near and hear all that the Lord our God says; then speak to us all that the Lord our God speaks to you, and we will hear and do it.” Deuteronomy 5:27 NASB Speak to us– Israel stands at the mountain of God. The whole territory shakes. Lightning. Thunder. Thick darkness. And the voices. Yes, that’s right, it is plural—Exodus 20:18, “All the…
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” Genesis 41:51 NASB God has made me forget– One of the peculiarities of the Joseph account is how infrequently God is mentioned. Joseph doesn’t pray to God before interpreting visions. He doesn’t mention God during his captivity. He…
And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Luke 22:19 NASB Do this in remembrance of Me – Once we move in the direction of reading the Bible as if we were the original audience, then…
“…but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin” Mark 3:29 NASB Blasphemes– [Today’s Word has been written by my friend, Matt Woodward] Have you ever wondered what it means to blaspheme against the Holy Spirit? If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard several sermons, teachings, or even…
