FOOTNOTES:

^a It is typically agreed by scholars that this book was not written by Paul and was written by someone in Paul’s circles or a student of Paul or the name was added later.

^b Traditionally, ‘apostle.’ The word literally means ‘one who is sent.’

^c Or ‘trust’ or ‘commitment’

^d This refers to the chosen ones’ understanding of the truth.

^e Traditionally, ‘godliness.’ While the word eusebeia was often used to refer to reverence for a deity, it was not limited to that context and included other senses of treating people with respect, including examples of directing it toward one’s parents and toward one’s wife.

^f There are a number of ways this could be translated, and it’s one where it’s impossible for the translator’s bias not to show up. Traditionally, this is ‘eternal life’ or ‘everlasting life.’ ‘Everlasting’ is probably better between the two. It’s an adjective from the word for an ‘eon’ or an ‘age.’ I translated it earlier as ‘indefinite.’ It means ‘lasting a really long time’ without specifying the precise amount. It’s possible it’s talking about a conscious afterlife, but if we’re thinking in terms of Hebrew culture and thought, going to Heaven when you die was not a concept at that time, or at least was still a new idea during the time of Jesus, having been influenced by Greek philosophy. In the days of Abraham and other Hebrew Bible figures, the way one’s life continued was in the legacy one left through family relationships and the impact one had on the world. The scriptural context would be Deuteronomy 6:1-5, particularly verse 2 “to prolong your days,” and Deuteronomy 30:1-20, especially 15-20, which includes “To love the Lord your God, to heed His voice, and to cling to Him, for He is your life and your length of days to dwell on the soil which the LORD your God sword to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them” (Robert Alter, The Hebrew Bible, 2019). In Matthew, the wording is ‘cling to’ rather than ‘inherit.’ The Greek translated as ‘cling to’ is the same Greek verb in the Septuagint that is translated as ‘cling to’ in Alter’s translation of Deuteronomy 30:20, in the phrase ‘cling to Him, for He is your life and your length of days to dwell on the soil.’ That points to participating in (inheriting) the long and prosperous life promised to the people as a whole when the people as a whole follow God’s ways.

^g Or ‘the requirement of’

^h Traditionally, ‘savior.’ This word refers to someone who provides security and wellbeing in some way but it can be translated in various ways in various contexts, including ‘liberator,’ ‘restorer,’ ‘rescuer,’ ‘protector,’ ‘healer,’ ‘helper,’ and others.

ⁱ Or ‘trust’ or ‘commitment’

^j Traditionally, ‘blameless’

^k Traditionally, ‘dissipation’ or ‘debauchery.’ The word asotia is literally the antonym of ‘to liberate,’ sozo.

^l Traditionally, ‘rebellious.’ This word anupotakta is the adjective form of the opposite of hupotasso, which is traditionally translated as ‘submit’ or ‘be subject’ but carries the sense of cooperating with someone, historically a military commander, who was arranging the troops for marching or battle.

^m Or ‘overseer’

ⁿ Or ‘household manager’ or ‘butler’ or ‘representative servant who oversees the work of the other servants on behalf of the owner of the house.’

^o Or ‘self-pleasing’ or ‘obstinate’

^p Or ‘welcoming to strangers’ or ‘caring about foreigners’

^q Traditionally, ‘holy’ or ‘devout.’ This word hosios is different from the word hagios which is more common and traditionally translated as ‘holy.’ Hosios seems to be about the person being committed to their calling whereas hagios seems to be about the fact that they have been called.

^r This word means to be strong or have power over something. When it is applied reflexively toward oneself, it carries the sense of being self-regulated or self-controlled, showing restraint and commitment.

^s Traditionally, ‘refute’ or ‘rebuke’ or ‘correct.’ This word implies a public correction intended to serve to help others understand the issue. “Call out” might be a good contemporary parallel phrase.

^t Literally, ‘who are confusing,’ or ‘not arranged in order’ or ‘uncooperative.’ Traditionally, ‘rebellious’

^u The “Circumcision” was not “those with Jewish connections” as the NET translates it. It a subgroup of the church at the time that taught that people had to be circumcised to belong in God’s family, as well as following other Hebrew Bible regulations, which it goes on to discuss how dangerous it is that people were teaching there were conditions for belonging with Christ.

^v More literally, ‘this testimony is true.’ However, the meaning is that the writer is emphasizing the truth of what was just written, not stating agreement with the phrase about Cretans. It’s meant to convey incredulity that anyone in the church would say something so bigoted.

^w Traditionally, ‘rebuke’ or ‘refute’ or ‘correct’ or ‘expose’

^x Or ‘because of this crime’ or ‘because of this reason’

^y Based on context, this should be 'Judean,' not 'Jewish.' The Circumcision group was based in Judea.

^z The word muthos is where the English word ‘myth’ comes from, but it did not have the same implication of being untrue that the English word has.

^aa Traditionally, ‘detestable’

^bb Or ‘refuse to be persuaded’

^cc Or ‘dishonorable’ or ‘disqualified’ or ‘disingenuous’