FOOTNOTES:

^a Or ‘sea.’ It is referring to the Sea of Galilee, which was what modern readers would call a lake and was also known as Lake Tiberius.

^b The city of Capernaum.

^c With this kind of condition, the person would have been considered disqualified from entering the temple; this physical issue was deeply connected with spiritual issues in the Jewish understanding, as well as being an issue of unjust exclusion.

^d Traditionally, ‘faith.’ The Greek term pistis communicates meanings such as trust, faithfulness, commitment, and allegiance, reflecting an active, relational trust rather than a static belief. This translation emphasizes an ongoing, reciprocal relationship between trusting someone and committed faithfulness that confirms trustworthiness.

^e The word in Greek here is hamartia, traditionally translated ‘sin.’ The actual meaning is an archery term for missing the target; it’s a metaphor. It evokes an image of veering off course, ending up in at an unintended location. It is used regarding many situations, including harmful behavior, disregarding responsibilities as a people or individual called to a specific purpose, and even having chronic illness or debilitating injuries or cultural identities that prohibit one from full participation in temple worship according to the Torah, which is not implied to be wrongdoing but simply not aligned with Torah.

^f Traditionally, ‘forgiven.’ This is the same word used in chapter 6 for release of debt. It carries the idea of sending away or releasing.

^g Traditionally, ‘this man is blaspheming’ from the Greek verb blasphemeo. The Greek word means ‘slander’ or ‘defame’ or ‘belittle.’ The ‘belittle’ meaning seems to be in view since he did not say anything against God or anyone else. Possibly they see dismissing their understanding of purity codes and sin as belittling God’s instruction and, therefore, belittling God. Or perhaps they see him as doing something only God can do and, therefore, belittling God by not taking it seriously enough.

^h Traditionally, ‘evil.’ The Greek term poneros, includes a range of meanings beyond moral depravity, including harm, decay, and burden. Rooted in ponos—which conveys toil, suffering, and hardship—poneros emphasizes oppressive, harmful conditions. Rather than simply moral "evil," this term often indicates harmful external impacts, focusing on social and personal harm rather than abstract judgment..

ⁱ Traditionally, ‘sinners.’ “People who deviate" describes people who live in a way characterized by actions that don’t follow the path traced out by Torah and lived out by Jesus. This shift emphasizes actions misaligned with the sacred path rather than an inherent sinful state. The Greek hamartolos, is actually an adjective, not a noun, indicating that deviation is not an identity. Instead, it represents behaviors or conditions that "miss the mark" set by God’s path. ‘People who deviate’ fits with the idea that these could be people with behavioral issues, like tax collectors who routinely exploited the poor and sided with the enemy (Rome) for their own profit. However, it was applied to anyone who did not align with a sense of perfection as defined by Torah, so people who were chronically ill, or not followers of Yahweh, and others would also have been labeled ‘people who deviate’ through no fault of their own, but they still would have been treated as deserving status as second class citizens.

^j Traditionally, ‘mercy.’ The English word ‘mercy’ is sometimes used to communicate compassion, which is what is in view here. However, ‘mercy’ can also be used to refer to ‘pity’ or ‘relenting from enacting a punishment’ which has nothing to do with this Greek word. It is used of taking care of people. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, the “Septuagint,” using this word to translate the Hebrew word hesed, which means something along the lines of ‘loyal love,’ ‘compassionate faithfulness,’ ‘lovingkindness,’ ‘committed love/kindness.’ It carries a commitment to pursue good for others based in care. The Greek word is eleēmones, related to the word for olive oil, which was used as a medicinal ointment in caring for the sick.

^k The lexicons define this as ‘a sacrifice, victim’ meaning the animal being killed as an offering, not the action of sacrificing. The distinction there adds a bit of power to this story: the Pharisees were willing to sacrifice the ‘sinners’ whereas Jesus wanted to extend hesed, committed compassion, to them instead.

^l Citation of Hosea 6:6

^m The Greek term dikaios, traditionally translated as “righteous,” fundamentally describes a condition of alignment with divine justice and relational integrity. Dikaios signifies more than personal virtue; it describes congruence with ethical or moral standards that are socially visible and enacted, in harmony with God’s standards of justice, particularly as defined by the Torah. This alignment is about embodying justice in ways that honor and uplift those who are vulnerable and marginalized.

ⁿ The term ‘leader’ here refers to a "leader of the synagogue," who was responsible for the organization and operations of the synagogue. This role involved maintaining the building, caring for the Torah scrolls, and coordinating worship services, rather than leading the congregation in teaching or spiritual authority, which was typically shared among elders.

^o The Greek is idou, which literally means ‘look.’ It is an idiomatic way to catch the audience’s attention and point out that something noteworthy is happening.

^p The word means something more like ‘flow of blood’ but it is used only once in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible and is used in reference to menstruation. Though that physical condition is bad enough, due to stipulations in the Torah, a perpetual menstruation would have made her ritually unclean for all twelve years, a social pariah and no one would have been willing to touch her or likely even be near her. She technically should have lived outside the city so as not to contaminate anyone else based on the ritual codes.

^q Jewish men wore tassels on their clothing as a reminder to themselves to adhere to the teaching of the Torah. Her choice to reach for his tassel was highly symbolic of her reaching for his ritual purity in the hopes that it would cleanse her of her ritual impurity.

^r Traditionally, ‘saved’ or ‘healed.’ This word can be translated a number of ways, with all of them about taking action to create or protect wellbeing. Options include, ‘liberated,’ ‘restored,’ ‘healed,’ ‘protected,’ ‘rescued,’ and others. This woman is seeking to be liberated from the burden of her medical condition and restored to inclusion in the community.

^s Traditionally, ‘faith.’ The Greek term pistis communicates meanings such as trust, faithfulness, commitment, and allegiance, reflecting an active, relational trust rather than a static belief. This translation emphasizes an ongoing, reciprocal relationship between trusting someone and committed faithfulness that confirms trustworthiness.

^t Traditionally, ‘saved’ or ‘healed.’ This word can be translated a number of ways, with all of them about taking action to create or protect wellbeing. Options include, ‘liberated,’ ‘restored,’ ‘healed,’ ‘protected,’ ‘rescued,’ and others. This woman is seeking to be liberated from the burden of her medical condition and restored to inclusion in the community.

^u Flute players were customarily hired in first-century Jewish mourning practices, as even the poorest families were expected to engage musicians to express grief.

^v The most direct translation is ‘son,’ but the word huios was also regularly used more figuratively to refer to an heir or descendant more broadly as well as those who were dedicated to following a particular movement or figure and emulating them.

^w The Greek is idou, which literally means ‘look.’ It is an idiomatic way to catch the audience’s attention and point out that something noteworthy is happening.

^x ‘Power’ isn’t in the Greek, but it reads more clearly in English.

^y Traditionally, ‘gospel’ or ‘good news.’ The word ‘gospel’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon term god-spell, which means ‘good story.’ The Greek euangelion literally means ‘good message’ and was used specifically of a message announced publicly, which fits the use of the word ‘news.’ The historical context comes from when rulers and military leaders returned to a city after victory in battle, and a herald would be sent ahead to announce the victory and the ruler’s impending arrival. The writers of the Bible took this word and applied it to Jesus’ victory of a different kind. The use of “triumphant message’ here is intended to communicate the full meaning of the word in context and not the narrow dictionary definition.

^z Or ‘injuries’ or ‘chronic conditions’

^aa Literally related to lower abdominal organs, including the uterus and intestines. It is often said to describe ‘motherly love,’ relating it to the care of the womb.