FOOTNOTES:

^a The word pneuma is often assumed by modern readers to mean a conscious, disembodied entity, which is a possible meaning. However, the context here seems clear that it is about the nature of what the false-prophets are saying. Pneuma can be used for ‘wind,’ ‘breath,’ or ‘spirit,’ and in fact, when it is about ‘spirit’ it always has a connection to the life energy flowing through a being and between beings in the breath. Hebrew uses ruach the same way (See Genesis 2:7-8 and the ‘breath of life’). The phrasing here could be something like ‘do not trust the spirit of every breath’ and carry the meaning well, using ‘spirit’ as the character or quality of the breath coming out in the words and teachings of the people speaking it. Another variation could be something like ‘do not trust every passing wind’ or ‘do not trust every wind that blows’ or ‘do not trust every spirit-wind/wind-breath.’ Jesus seems to use pneuma in the same way in Matthew 12 (specifically in verses 43-45, but the whole chapter—or at least verses 24-45—is necessary to understand what Jesus is talking about in those three verses).

^b This is the same word traditionally translated as ‘confess’ in 1 John 1:9 and has been translated as ‘acknowledge’ in this version. The word homologeo very literally means ‘speak the same’ and has a variety of uses that all have to do with speaking in a way that is consistent with something or in agreement with something. Traditionally, this has been translated as ‘confess,’ which in its original meaning works perfectly: ‘con-‘ (with/together) + ‘-fess’ (admit/disclose). The word does not only have to do with admitting guilt. It has to do acknowledging anything openly that consistently affirms the truth of something, agrees with reality or other people or even is consistent with what has been expressed previously in some way.

^c Traditionally, ‘antichrist’ which is just taking the Greek letters of antichristos and transferring them to English. The preposition/prefix anti- can mean ‘in comparison with’ or ‘in place of/instead of’ or ‘as a reaction to.’ The word ‘christ’ has been applied to Jesus in a special way, but it meant being ‘anointed’ which was a ceremonial acknowledgment of being appointed for a role, usually of king, sometimes of priest or prophet.

^d Literally, ‘them’

^e This is a literal translation. Traditionally, it’s ‘greater.’ There is a sense of referring to importance, status, or power.

^f Literally, ‘they’

^g Or ‘Life-breath of truth’

^h Or ‘spirit-breath of misleading’

ⁱ Or ‘brought to light’ or ‘made visible’ or ‘demonstrated’

^j The Greek hilasmos occurs only here and in 1 John 2:2. The traditional words are ‘atonement’ and ‘propitiation.’ Literal translations could be something like ‘what seeks favor’ or ‘conciliation.’ The word refers to the sacrificial system in Torah, specifically the offerings made for ‘sin’ or ‘deviation.’ More insight into what ‘atonement sacrifice’ was about can be found in N.T. Wright’s book The Day the Revolution Began. The part of the sacrificial act that was understood to bring attention to the need for reconciliation between God and humanity and humans with each other was not the killing of the lamb or goat—as was the case in animal (and human) sacrifices made to other deities in the Ancient Near East (Baal, Moloch, Mammon, etc.) in order to earn their favor or appease their anger. For the practices taught in Torah, it was understood to be the sprinkling of blood on the altar—killing the animal was simply the necessary means of obtaining the blood (and meat to feed the priests). The blood symbolized life, and the act of sprinkling blood on the altar represented God covering over the deathly effects of sin with life, through the actions of the priest. A long-winded way to translate this word could be “the act of (or source of) pouring lifeblood over the altar to counteract the deathly effects of sin/deviation.” That action is much like applying a salve to a wound. In fact, the Latin root of the word ‘salve’ is the same as the Latin root for the word ‘salvation.’ A salve is something that saves someone’s body from the deathly effects of an injury or disease by being applied over the affected area of the body. It connects with the meaning of the Greek word ‘sozo’ (‘to save’ or ‘liberate’ or ‘restore’) which has a range of meanings related to healing, protection, liberation, preservation, and rescue. What Jesus accomplishes in his role as the hilasmos is not to appease an angry God but rather to provide life for those who would otherwise experience the deathly effects of harming each other, deviating from the way of life God taught in Torah and that Jesus taught and clarified through his own life and death and resurrection/reawakening.

^k ‘mature’ or ‘finished’

^l Traditionally, ‘savior.’ According to the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, “1) saviour, deliverer, preserver. The name was given by the ancients to deities, esp. tutelary deities, to princes, kings, and in general to men who had conferred signal benefits upon their country, and in more degenerate days by the way of flattery to personages of influence.” More literally, it means one who rescues, protects, liberates, preserves, heals, or saves from harm of any kind whether by preventing harm or correcting harm. Jesus seems to do so in many ways, with one of the most prominent—and the one that fits the context here—being liberation from the world system.

^m “The Son of God” was a nickname for the emperor, a title taken on originally by Augustus Caesar, the son of Julius Caesar who was worshiped as divine, and was then used by each subsequent Caesar.

ⁿ Literally, ‘he’ or ‘that one.’ 1 John uses ekeinos as a way to refer back to Jesus without spelling out “Jesus” again. It is more emphatic/specific than the simple autos, so it should refer to the primary subject of discussion and not just the most recent figure discussed.