Bible verses about "bondage" | JMNT

³⁰ So undertaking [a response], Jesus said, "A certain person (human being) was walking down from Jerusalem into Jericho and he fell encircled round about by bandits (robbers; highwaymen), who, after stripping him and putting blows upon (= beating) [him], went away, leaving [him] half dead. ³¹ "Now by coincidence, a certain priest was walking down on that road, and upon seeing him, passed by on the other side. ³² "And likewise also, a Levite, coming [other MSS: happening] down upon the place and seeing him, passed by on the other side. ³³ "But a Samaritan – someone progressively traveling on the road – came upon him and at seeing [him and the situation] was moved in his inner organs with compassion. ³⁴ "Then, after coming to [him], he bound down (bandaged) the results of his trauma and injuries (wounds), pouring on olive oil and wine. Now after mounting him upon his own animal (either: pack animal, or, mount) he led him into a caravansary (or: inn) and took care of him (or: had him cared for). ³⁵ "And then on the next day, thrusting out (or: extracting and putting forth) two denarii (silver coins), he gave them to the caravansary host (or: innkeeper – the one who welcomes everyone) and said, 'Take care of him. And that which you may likely spend in addition, I myself will proceed in paying [it] back to you on the [occasion for] me to be progressively coming back upon [this place].' ³⁶ "Which one of these three now seems (appears) to you to have come to be a neighbor (associate; close-one) of the person falling into the midst of the bandits (highwaymen)?" ³⁷ Now he said, "The person doing the mercy (performing the [act of] compassion) with him." So Jesus said to him, "Be now going on your way, and you yourself be habitually doing (performing) likewise (similarly; in the same way)."

¹ Now seeing the crowds, He climbed up into the mountain. Then, upon His sitting down, His disciples approached (came toward) Him. ² So opening His mouth, He began teaching them, progressively saying, ³ "The destitute folks [are] happy in spirit and attitude, because the reign of the heavens is continually belonging to, and made up of, them (or: Blessed [are] those dependent for support on the Spirit, for the kingdom from the sky and the atmosphere is continuing to pertain to them; The people who need to beg for sustenance [are made] happy by the Breath-effect because the effect of the sovereignty of the heavens is being a source in and for them; The financially poor folks [exist being] happy with an attitude that the sovereign influence and activity from the atmospheres continuously exists with reference to them)! ⁴ "Those constantly grieving and mourning [are] happy and blessed because [other MSS: now that] they, themselves, will habitually be called alongside to receive relief, aid, encouragement and comfort! ⁵ "‘The kind, considerate, gentle, mild-tempered, humane and nonviolent folks (people who do not use force) ’ [are] happy and blessed because they, themselves, ‘will proceed to be inheriting the Land (or: be receiving and enjoying an allotment of the earth)!’ [Ps. 37:11] ⁶ "The people being habitually hungry and constantly thirsty for the fairness, equity, right relationship and justice which characterize a rightwised state of being within the Way pointed out (or: = for covenant inclusion) [are] happy and blessed, because they themselves will continue feeding and drinking [of these things] until they are filled and satisfied! ⁷ "The folks who are merciers (who give and show mercy) [are] happy and blessed, because they, themselves, will repeatedly be given and shown mercy! ⁸ "Those who are clean in the heart [are] happy and blessed, because they, themselves, will progressively see God! (or: = The folks that have had the core of their beings made clean [are] happy people, in that they will continue to see God [in everything]!) ⁹ "The ones who make peace and create shalom [are] happy and blessed because they, themselves, will continue being called God's sons (or: termed 'sons of and from God')! ¹⁰ "Those being ones having been pressed forward, chased or persecuted for the sake of fairness, equity, [covenant] relationships or justice which comes from the Way pointed out [are] happy and blessed because the reign of the heavens continually belongs to them (or: for the kingdom of the heavens is continuing to pertain to them; because the reign and sovereign activities from the atmosphere and sky is being a source in and for them)! ¹¹ "You folks are and continue to be happy (and: blessed) people! Now whenever people may denounce, reproach, heap insults on and persecute or chase you folks, and while continuously lying, may even say every bad thing (spreading malicious gossip; [other MSS: every misery-gushed utterance]) down against you – for the sake of Me, ¹² be continuously rejoicing and repeatedly express extreme exultation, because your wage (compensation; reward) [is] much (large; great), within the heavens (or: atmospheres [that surround you])! You see, they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way. ¹³ "You people, yourselves, exist being (are) the salt of the Land (or: earth). Now if the salt should ever be made dull or tasteless, in what way will it continue being salted (or: made salty)? It still continues giving strength into nothing (= it still can not provide seasoning) – if not being thrown outside, to be repeatedly (or: continuously) trampled down by people (or: tread down under mankind). ¹⁴ "You folks, yourselves, exist being (are) the light of the ordered System (the world of culture, religion, politics, government and secular society; = the human sociological realm). A city located up on a mountain (or: situated on top of a mountain range) continues unable to be hidden or concealed. ¹⁵ "Likewise, people are not normally lighting a lamp and then placing it under the measuring bowl (or: a one-peck grain-measuring basket), but rather upon the lampstand – and it continues shining and giving light for all those within the house. ¹⁶ "In this way, let the Light, which you folks possess (or: which has a source in you folks; or: which you people are), shine in front of mankind (before humans), so that people can see your fine works (or: the beautiful works that you are; the ideal acts which come from you folks) and they can give glory to (or: and [these deeds; or: these works of beauty] will bring a good reputation for) your Father – the One in union with the atmospheres [that surround you folks] (or: within the midst of the heavens)! ¹⁷ "You folks should not infer from customary presumption or from established supposition that I came to loosen-down or demolish the Law (or: Torah) or the Prophets. I did not come to loosen-down or demolish, but to the contrary, to fulfill (or: fill up; make full; bring fullness), ¹⁸ "for assuredly (or: amen; it is so), I am here saying to you people, until the heaven and the earth (or: the sky and the land) could ever go by and pass away, one iota (the smallest Greek letter) or one horn-like projection (diacritical mark, such as an accent or breathing mark, or part of a Heb. letter; a serif; = the smallest detail) can by any means pass away from the Law [= Torah] – UNTIL all things can birth themselves (or: should occur; may happen)! ¹⁹ "Whoever, then, should loosen [even] one of the least of these the implanted goals (impartations of the finished product within; inward directives) – and should teach humans (people) to that effect – he will repeatedly be called "least" (or: a least one; or: = insignificant) within the reign of the heavens (or: the kingdom which pertains to the atmosphere and [reaches] the sky). Yet, whoever may practice (or: should perform and do) as well as teach – this person will continue being called "great" within the reign of the heavens (the kingdom which pertains to the atmosphere and [reaches] the sky). ²⁰ "You see, I am here saying to you people that if your fairness and equity ([covenantal] justice, rightwisedness, and right relationships which conform to the Way pointed out) should not habitually exceed and abound more than [that] of the scribes (experts in the Law; scholars; theologians) and Pharisees, in no way can you folks enter into the reign of the heavens (or: the kingdom which is, and pertains to, the heavens; the sovereign rule of the atmospheres)! ²¹ "You folks heard that it was said to (or: by) the original peoples (or: the beginning humans; the archaic ones; the ancient folks; those of the early period), 'You folks will not continue murdering.' [Ex. 20:13] Yet whoever may commit murder will continue being held within the decision (= held under the control of the crisis or the judging). ²² "However, I Myself am now saying to you people that everyone, who – from internal swelling or agitated emotions of his natural disposition, or from the fruition of his mental bent – is habitually being randomly impulsive to, or without cause repeatedly intensely angry with, his brother (= fellow member of the society) will continue being held within the decision (= under control of the judging of the local court). Now whoever may at some point say to his brother, 'Raca (an Aramaic word of verbal abuse: contemptible imbecile; worthless good-for-nothing; senseless empty-head; brainless idiot; blockhead)!' will continue being held within (= accountable to) the Sanhedrin (the ruling Jewish council). Yet whoever may at some point say, 'Inept moron (Stupid scoundrel; Despicable fool; Perverse idiot)!' will continue being held within (= accountable to) [placement] into the [part of] the Valley of Hinnom which pertains to the fire (i.e., the incinerator for refuse in the dump outside of Jerusalem). [note: Dallas Willard, in his book The Divine Conspiracy, HarperSanFrancisoc, 1998, p. 151-2, points out that raca was a word of contempt, and contempt, he says, is "a studied degradation of another," or, it is meant to "mark [someone] out" as being "contemptible." He further shows that using expressions of contempt "breaks the social bond" and excludes, pushes a person away, and leaves him isolated. Willard cites Prov. 14:16; 18:2 and 26:11 as Biblical definitions of a "fool;" he states that this word "is a combination of stupid perversity and rebellion against God"] ²³ "So if you folks should happen to be in the process of offering your gift (or: bearing forward your gift [to be placed]) upon the altar, and there you should be reminded that your brother continues holding something against you (or: continues to have something [written] down pertaining to you, or possesses [evidence] that could bring you down), ²⁴ "at once abandon your gift – there, in front of the altar – and proceed on your way to bring things under control: first be reconciled with your brother (or: have the situation thoroughly changed by your brother), and then coming, continue offering (bearing forward) your gift. [note: beginning with vs. 22, above, Jesus uses the word brother in its wider semantic range, in His teaching, to indicate the sense of solidarity, membership of a group, or fellow human being; other NT writers do the same – it often means "fellow believer," or "member of God's family, but here would likely mean "fellow countryman"] ²⁵ "Be in the habit of quickly having continued thoughts of wellness toward your opponent in a lawsuit (or: of being quickly well-disposed and kind-minded with your plaintiff; or: Be progressively having your mind at ease in relation to the person setting himself to resist or oppose you in matters of daily living, quickly) settling matters while you continue being with him on the road [to court] (or: while being with him within the Way – the Path [of this Life]), lest at some time the plaintiff (person having a complaint against you in some legal matter) may hand you over to the judge, and then the judge to the court officer, and next you may be thrown into prison (jail; a guardhouse). ²⁶ "Truly I am now saying to you (or: = Pay attention to Me), you may not come out from the midst of there until you can give back (repay) the last small copper coin (a quadrans; = the final dime or penny of the amount judged against you). ²⁷ "You folks hear (or: heard) that it was declared, 'You will not continue committing adultery!' [Ex. 20:13] ²⁸ "Yet I, Myself, am now saying to you people that every man who is continuing in, or, repeatedly looking at and observing (constantly watching or leering at; = fantasizing over) a [married] woman, with a view toward the [situation, or, condition] to crave her (to experience strong passion for her, or, to desire to rush in a heat of emotion upon her), has already committed adultery with her, within his heart! ²⁹ "So if your right eye is habitually a bait-stick which entraps you, immediately tear it out and throw it away from you! You see, it constantly brings things together for benefit and advantage in (for; to) you folks that one of your members should loose itself away (may destroy itself; could come to be lost), so that your whole body should not be thrown into the Valley of Hinnom (Greek: Gehenna – the city dump [= to dishonor you by giving no burial; to treat you as a criminal]). ³⁰ "Also, if your right hand is habitually a bait-stick which entraps you, at once cut it off and throw it away from you! You see, it constantly brings things together for benefit and advantage in (for; to) you folks that one of your members should loose itself away (may destroy itself; could come to be lost), so that your whole body should not go off into the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna – the city dump outside Jerusalem). [comment: vs. 29-30 are hyperbole; they also show the absurdity of trying to fulfill the law through works, when in fact it is a matter of the heart] ³¹ "Now it was declared, 'Whoever should dismiss (loose-away; = divorce) his wife, let him give a certificate of divorce (or: a divorce; a standing-off and away) to her.' [Deut. 24:1; note: separation equaled a legal divorce; the document would pertain to property, child custody, and/or return of the dowry; it would also protect her from a charge of committing adultery if she was with another unmarried man] ³² "Yet I, Myself, am now saying to you folks that every man proceeding in dismissing (loosing-away) his wife – outside of a case of infidelity (fornication; prostitution; sexual misconduct) – proceeds in making her a subject of adultery. [comment: this would annul their then current practice for a man to be able to divorce his wife just for whatever reason he might choose; this statement by Jesus was a great advance toward cultural equality of the sexes] ³³ "Again, you folks hear (or: heard) that is was declared to (or: by) the original peoples (or: the beginning humans; the archaic ones; the ancient folks; those of the early period), 'You will not repeatedly break an oath (swear without performing; swear falsely; commit perjury),' and further, 'You will habitually give back (repay) to the Lord [= Yahweh] your oaths.' [Lev. 19:12] ³⁴ "Yet I, Myself, am now saying to you folks to absolutely (altogether) not grab hold of a sacred object or make reference to a sacred sphere, so as to affirm an oath or swear confirmation – neither within the heaven (the atmosphere), because it is God's throne (seat of rule); ³⁵ "nor within the earth, because it is a footstool for His feet [Isa. 66:1]; nor [referencing] into Jerusalem, because it is ‘a city belonging to and having reference to the great King.’ [Ps. 48:2] ³⁶ "Neither within your head should you [mentally] touch something sacred so as to affirm an oath, because you continue having no power (or: ability) to make one hair shining white (to have the character of bright light) or black. ³⁷ "So let your word habitually be 'Yes,' [and mean] yes; [or] 'No,' [and let] 'no' [end the matter]. Now the thing [which is] in excess of these is (or: exists being) forth from out of the midst of the bad condition [of mankind] (the situation of hard labor, pain and misery; or: the evil, malevolent and wicked [thought]). ³⁸ "You hear (or: heard) that it was declared, 'An eye in substitution for (instead of; in place of) an eye,' and, 'A tooth in substitution for (instead of; in place of) a tooth.' [Ex. 21:24] ³⁹ "Yet I, Myself, am now telling you folks not to at any point actively set yourself against, or take a counteractive or aggressive stand in opposition to, the bad situation (or: = participate in armed resistance against the miserable condition; = mirror the painful, insulting or laborious situation; or: = ‘render evil for evil’ in opposition to the evil or wicked person; = rebel or be part of an insurrection; = stand off an enemy). On the contrary, [to] whomever is repeatedly cuffing or habitually slapping into your right cheek (or: jaw), turn to him the other one, also! [note: In his book, Engaging the Powers, Walter Wink has pointed out that this act of slapping someone on the right cheek referred to a person in a superior position of that society “backhanding” someone in an inferior position. It was meant to either insult the person, or to put the person in “their place,” or to “admonish” him. Wink suggests that turning the other cheek “'85 robs the oppressor of the power to humiliate.” (p. 176)] ⁴⁰ "And further, to the person continuing in desiring (wanting; purposing) for you to be judged (or: sued; or: presently intending to litigate with you) and even to take your inner garment (tunic; = shirt), at once send off to him your outer garment (cloak; coat) as well! [note: Under the Law the cloak was to be returned at each sundown (Ex. 22:25-27). Sending a creditor a cloak as collateral would say to folks that the creditor was taking everything from him and leaving him naked and destitute. It would show that this person was being inhumane. Wink says “indebtedness was endemic” in this land and time.] ⁴¹ "Also, [for] whoever will [other MSS: may] press you into service (conscript, requisition or commandeer you) [for] one mile, continue submissively leading the way with him [for] two [miles]. [note: This impressed service refers to the Roman rule (anagareia) that allowed the occupation troops to compel someone to carry their soldier’s pack or baggage for one mile – a rule often abused. Wink suggests that vss. 39-41 are non-violent, creative initiatives against social injustice. I suggest that they also demonstrate a heart of love and an acknowledging of brotherhood even with oppressors.] ⁴² "Give at once to the person presently, or repeatedly, asking of you, and you should not be turned away from the one continuously wanting (or: purposing) to borrow money from you. ⁴³ "You folks hear (or: heard) that it was declared, 'You will habitually love the one near to you (your neighbor or associate) ' [Lev. 19:18] – and yet you will constantly regard your enemy with ill will (hate the one hostile to you). ⁴⁴ "Yet I, Myself, am now saying to you folks: Be constantly loving your enemies (urging toward reunion with, and accepting as persons standing on the same ground, those folks hostile to you; [comment: this could have applied to the Romans, as well as to personal enemies]), and be habitually praying over (on behalf of) the people continuously persecuting you – ⁴⁵ "so that (by what means) you folks can be birthed (may come to be) sons of your Father – the One within [the] atmosphere and in union with [the] heavens – because He is repeatedly making His sun to rise back up again upon bad (evil; wicked; worthless) folks as well as [upon] good (virtuous) folks, and He is habitually sending rain upon fair and equitable people (those in right relationship; those within the Way pointed out; just ones; rightwised ones) as well as [upon] unfair and inequitable people (those not in right relationship; those not in the Way pointed out; unjust folks). ⁴⁶ "You see, if you should happen to love and participate with the ones constantly loving you folks, what wage or reward do you continue holding (or: having)? Are not also the tax collectors constantly doing the very same thing? [note: tax collectors worked for the state (for either one of the provinces, or for the Empire) and were thus despised and considered outcasts of the local society, being perceived as both collaborating with the Romans and as getting money dishonestly through their business as a "tax-farmer," (someone who purchased from the state the right to collect official taxes, tolls, customs and dues: they made their money by adding on a percentage to the tax which they collected for the state), or by working for a "tax-farmer"] ⁴⁷ "And further, if you folks should only greet and welcomely embrace your brothers, what are you continuing to do [that is] excessive or extraordinary? Are not also the folks of the ethnic multitudes (the nations; the pagans; the non-Israelites) constantly doing the very same thing? ⁴⁸ "Therefore, you folks will continuously exist being ones that have reached the purposed and destined goal: finished and completed ones; mature and perfected ones – in the same way as your heavenly Father (or: your Father which has the qualities of, and is characterized by, the atmosphere) constantly exists being One that is the goal and destiny: finished, complete, mature, perfect!

¹⁵ "If you are habitually loving Me (or, as a subjunctive: would continue loving Me), you WILL continue observing [other MSS the subjunctive: you can or should observe (or: note and keep watch over; guard and preserve; keep in view; hold in custody); other MSS, the imperative: Keep in view and take note of]) My implanted goals (impartations of the finished product within; inward directives; interior purposes and destiny),

¹⁴ Yet each person is repeatedly probed and put to the proof (tested and tried in an ordeal), being continuously dragged (or: drawn) out and entrapped under his own over-covering passion (by his own longing, craving or lust; by what he sets his desires upon).

⁶ while constantly knowing this by intimate experience, that our old, former humanity is crucified together (or: was simultaneously and jointly impaled and put to death on an execution stake) with [Him], to the end that the body of the Sin (the body belonging to the failure; the corporal manifestation that pertains to the deviation; the group of people [Adam] who missed the target) could and would be rendered useless and inoperative (idled-down to be unproductive; made null, inactive and unemployed), for us to no longer continually be a slave to the Sin (or: perform as a slave in the failure, for the Sin, or by deviating and thus missing the goal), ⁷ for you see, the One at one point dying (or: the one at some point suffering death) has been rightwised away from the Sin (or: set in the Way pointed out, away from the Failure; turned in the right direction, away from the deviation and missing of the target; placed into equity and right relationships, away from error; = has been moved away from The Sin, and has been brought into participation in covenant relationship).

⁷ Consequently, you must be subjected by (or: be at once placed and arranged under in; be humbly aligned with and to) God. So stand in opposition to the [or: your] adversary (or: take a stand [as in battle] against the one trying to thrust you through [with a weapon]), and he will progressively flee (take flight) away from you!

⁸ Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday and today and on into the ages, (or: Jesus [is and continues being] Christ [= the Messiah] – the Man Himself {or: the Very One}: yesterday as well as today, and even into the midst of the ages,)

² And stop constantly conforming yourselves to (or, as passive: So then, quit being repeatedly molded by, fashioned for or patterned together with) this age [with other MSS: and not to be continuously configured to this age, or not to constantly remodel yourself for this age], but on the contrary, be progressively transformed (transfigured; changed in form and semblance) by the renewing (or: in the renewal; for the making-back-up-new again) of your mind [with other MSS: from The Mind; of the intellect; pertaining to the faculties of perceiving and understanding; of the mindset, disposition, inner orientation and world view] into the [situation and condition for] you folks to be habitually examining in order to be testing and, after scrutiny, distinguishing and approving what [is] God's will (design; purpose; resolve; intent): the good and well-pleasing, even perfect (finished, complete and destined)! (or: = the thing [that is] virtuous, satisfying and able to succeed in its purpose.)

⁹ If it would be our habit to confess (admit; avow; say the same thing as; speak in accordance with; or: would continue in agreement [about]) our error (our failure; our sin; our mistake), He is constantly faithful and just (fair; in accord with the Way pointed out and in right relationship; rightwised), to the end that He would at once send away for us (or: dismiss or pardon and cause to flow away in us) the errors ([some MSS add: our] failures, mistakes and deviations) and then would cleanse [other MSS: He will cleanse] us from all injustice (all that is contrary to the Way pointed out; every unrighteousness; all unfairness, inequity and unrighteous relationships; every behavior that is turned in the wrong direction).