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^a Or literally, “not to accept the generosity of God as empty” or “…resulting in emptiness” or more traditionally, “…in vain.”

^b Quotation of Isaiah 49:8

^c The words “of reconciliation” are added for clarity, referring back to 2 Corinthians 5:18.

^d Traditionally, “in purity.” The biblical concept in view has little to do with modern concepts of purity, making it an unhelpful and inaccurate translation, despite being a historically accurate rendering. This word has to do with be consecrated, dedicated for sacred purposes.

^e Traditionally, ‘Spirit.’ The Greek word pneuma could be used to refer to ‘wind,’ ‘breath,’ or an animating energy within people, thought to be perceptible in the breath. Hebrew and Latin also use the same word for all these concepts. In scripture, it typically calls back the image to Genesis 1 and 2: “the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters” (Genesis 1:2 NASB) and “the Lord God formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into [its] nostrils. The human came to life.” (Genesis 2:7 CEB). In this case, it refers to the breath that animates someone with the quality of gentleness that comes from God, including the breath involved in speaking to people, which is often in view when “a spirit” is discussed, whether positively or negatively.

^f Traditionally, ‘weapons.’ While it does refer to gear used by soldiers, it included shields and armor, not only weapons.

^g Traditionally, ‘righteousness.’ The term carries a meaning of being aligned with God’s standards described in Torah and elaborated and demonstrated by Jesus. ‘Justice’ and ‘justness’ are often appropriate words to convey the idea as most of what Jesus showed to be the focus is about how people treat each other, especially the vulnerable, like people in poverty, widows, orphans, immigrants, prisoners, people who are sick or disabled and others. The word literally means ‘alignment’ and in the Bible, it typically means alignment with the path traced out by Torah and lived out by Christ.

^h Prisoners condemned to execution were often sentenced to being whipped, and Paul is communicating that he had the experience though the execution had not been carried out.

ⁱ Literally, “you are hemmed in regarding”

^j Or “deep compassion.” Literally related to lower abdominal organs, including the uterus and intestines. It is often used to symbolize ‘motherly love,’ relating it to the care of the womb.

^k Literally, ‘other-yoked.’ Notice that the context has nothing to do with marriage, as it has often been misused to prohibit interfaith and even interracial marriage.

^l Or “uncommitted people” or “untrusting people.”

^m Traditionally, ‘righteousness.’ The word dikaiosune refers to justice or justness, both of which are referring to alignment to the path traced out in Torah and lived out by Jesus. Since this sentence already includes a reference to Torah, the word “alignment” was used to connect with that term later in the phrasing.

ⁿ Traditionally, ‘lawlessness.’ The Greek term nomos, traditionally translated as "law," is rendered here as "Torah" because it is referring to the Hebrew "Torah"—the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, including teachings, stories, and instructions. "Torah" stems from a Hebrew root meaning "to guide" or "to throw," symbolizing divine guidance as instruction rather than a legalistic rule. This translation approach preserves the Jewish context and conveys Torah's role as a guiding revelation rather than a restrictive legal code.

^o This is literally talking about musical harmony, singing in tune with each other.

^p The Greek term Beliar derives from the Hebrew beliyya‘al, meaning "without yoke," "useless," or "lawless/against Torah." In the Hebrew Bible, it refers to destructive, malicious, morally corrupt persons who oppose God’s justice and peace (e.g., Deuteronomy 13:13; Judges 19:22; 1 Samuel 2:12). By the Second Temple period, Belial/Beliar evolved into a personification of cosmic evil, portrayed as an active corrupter of humanity, the antagonist of Torah, and a direct opponent to God’s liberating purposes (as seen in the Dead Sea Scrolls, Jubilees, and other apocalyptic writings). Paul’s contrast here between Christ and Beliar similarly frames it as intentional, harmful opposition to Christ’s restorative justice and peace. The translation “The Corruptor” reflects Beliar’s active role as a malevolent adversary who seeks not only to reject and lead others from the Path of God as traced out by Torah and lived out by Jesus, but also to distort, degrade, and destroy it—emphasizing harmful intention rather than mere worthlessness or generic lawlessness.

^q Or ‘portion’ or ‘division’ or ‘share’ or ‘part’

^r This seems to be a quotation combining Leviticus 26:12 and Ezekiel 37:27.

^s Quotation of Isaiah 52:11

^t “The One Who Is” is used to translate the Greek kurios (traditionally, “Lord”) when it refers to God, especially in Hebrew Bible quotations. In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible), kurios regularly replaces the Divine Name (YHWH), following an earlier Jewish oral tradition in which readers would say “Adonai” (“my Lord”) aloud wherever the written text read YHWH. The Jewish community attempted to honor the command “You will not take my name in vain” by not speaking it aloud at all. The practice of saying Adonai preserved reverence for the sacred Name while making the text speakable in public worship. Translating kurios as “The One Who Is” recovers the theological resonance of YHWH, which is linguistically connected to the Hebrew root haya (“to be”). In Exodus 3:14, God self-identifies as Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh (“I will be who I will be” or “I am who I am”), using the first-person imperfect form ehyeh. The third-person equivalents—yihyeh (“he is” or “he will be” [in an ongoing way]), haya (“he was” [or time-limited, completed way]), and the rare participle howeh (“being” or “the one who is”)—suggest that YHWH blends all three in a fusion of past, present, and future being as well as presence both in particular moments and as an ongoing reality. Early Jewish and Christian interpreters, including in Revelation 1:8 and 4:8, echoed this understanding in phrases like “the one who was, and is, and is to come.” Rendering kurios as “The One Who Is” is an attempt to honor the Name’s linguistic roots while resisting the patriarchal and hierarchical connotations carried by “Lord” in English. It also recalls the liberating presence of the Name given from the burning bush in Exodus as The One Who Is began moving to liberate the oppressed people of Israel.

^u This seems to be a reference to Ezekiel 20:41.

^v This seems to be a reference to 2 Samual 7:14 and Isaiah 43:6.

^w The Greek word pantokrator is traditionally translated "Almighty," following the Latin omnipotens. However, the Greek compound more literally means "the one who holds all" (pas = all, krateo = to hold, sustain, or keep firm). While it can convey strength or might, its core imagery is not domination but upholding, sustaining, and preserving all things. In the Septuagint, pantokrator is used to translate both YHWH Tsevaot and El Shaddai. The Hebrew word tsevaot, traditionally rendered "hosts," refers to multitudes, forces, or ordered gatherings. Rather than implying militarism, it often refers to the heavenly assembly, the vastness of creation, or the gathered people of God. A more theologically and poetically faithful rendering is “Lord of Multitudes.” The title El Shaddai has uncertain etymology. Older scholarship commonly linked it to shadad, meaning "to overpower" or "destroy," reinforcing translations like "God Almighty." However, more recent scholarship increasingly favors derivations from shad, meaning "breast," conveying nurture, provision, and motherly care. Alternatively, it may originate from a root meaning "mountain," possibly evoking God's exaltedness or strength as a "mountain one,” which some link back to the nurturing motif through visual and symbolic association with breasts and sustaining provision. In the book of Job, pantokrator regularly appears where the Hebrew reads Shaddai, reinforcing a divine identity grounded in faithful presence and sustaining power, not coercion. Translating pantokrator as “Sustainer of All” preserves the scope of divine power while emphasizing God's role as the one who upholds, nourishes, and faithfully holds all things in being. It resists coercive or domination-based associations and affirms a theology of power grounded in presence, care, and abundance.