Bible verses about "eunuchs" | JMNT

³⁵ "but to the contrary, within every nation and ethnic group the person habitually reverencing and fearing Him, as well as repeatedly doing works and performing acts that have the qualities and character of fairness, equity, justice and rightwised relationships which accord with the way pointed out (= covenant principles) is and continues being welcome and acceptable to Him.

³⁴ At this Peter, opening his mouth said, " [Based] upon truth and reality, I continue grasping with force and fully receiving [understanding] that God is neither partial nor takes folks at face value (does not receive faces or appearances), ³⁵ "but to the contrary, within every nation and ethnic group the person habitually reverencing and fearing Him, as well as repeatedly doing works and performing acts that have the qualities and character of fairness, equity, justice and rightwised relationships which accord with the way pointed out (= covenant principles) is and continues being welcome and acceptable to Him.

²⁵ whichever folks altered or exchange God’s truth (or: the reality from and which is God, and which pertains to God) to and for something else, within (or: in union with) The Lie, then were adored and venerated with dread, and next rendered religious service to and for the creation (or: creature; or: forming, framing, founding and settling which brought order from chaos) alongside (or: to the side of; parallel to; or: = rather than) the Creator (The One framing and founding) Who is (continuously exists being) well spoken of (praised; blessed; eulogized; or: is One filled with thoughts of goodness and well-being) on into the ages. It is so (Amen)! ²⁶ Because of this (or: Wherefore) God gave, or hands, them over (delivered, or delivers, them into the power of someone else) into experiences of dishonor (or: ignoble sufferings; situations of being unvalued; unworthy passions), for even their females at one point altered (or: alter; change or exchange) the natural use into the [use which is] off to the side of (or: beside; = other than) nature (or: a natural condition; natural production; a generated situation). ²⁷ And likewise (or: So in like manner) also the males, sending away (or: abandoning; leaving) the natural use of the female, were set aflame within their cravings unto (or: into) one another; males in (or among) males continuously producing (accomplishing; effecting; working down) shameless indecency, and constantly taking away (or: receiving back) the necessary retribution (return compensation; the opposite of a reward; the anti-payment) of their wandering (or: the corresponding wage which is binding, pertaining to their straying and deception) within the midst of, or among, themselves. ²⁸ And then, correspondingly as they did not (or: to the same degree as they do not) put God to the proof and so approve [Him] as fit and suitable, to be continuously holding [Him] within full experiential knowledge (or: having [Him] in union with added intimate insight; or: possessing [Him] in recognition and acknowledgment), God gave them over (hands or delivers them) into a mind which fails to meet the test (a disqualified mind) to continuously do (practice; make) things that consistently are not fitting (not reaching the proper level), ²⁹ being people having been filled with all injustice – so that they are now full of every inequity and unfairness which lacks rightwised relationships and right actions – [as well as] worthlessness (or: criminality; unprofitableness; badness of condition; misery-gushed existence), inordinate, anti-social desire for more (or: ruthless, aggressive and self-assertive greed for advantage), ugliness (poorness of quality; malice); folks very full of (or: replete with) jealousy and envy, murder, strife (or: contentiousness), bait for entrapment, [and] with a settled habit of evil and a disposition of depravity.

²⁹ Now I forcefully declare this, brothers (= family), the season (fitting and appointed situation; fertile moment) now exists being one that has been contracted (drawn together so as to be shortened, curtailed and limited)! So that for the remaining [time] (the rest of [the season]), those presently having wives (or: the men now holding a woman) should proceed in being as not presently having [them], [note: in the culture and time which Paul is here addressing, the term “married,” or, “having a woman” referred to both formal marriage, and to a man and a woman living together] ³⁰ and those presently weeping (lamenting; shedding tears), [should be] as [if] not weeping, and those presently rejoicing, [should be] as [if] not rejoicing, and those habitually buying at the market place, [should be] as [if] not constantly holding on to it (owning it; keeping it held down; retaining it; = not being possessive), ³¹ and those habitually employing (making use of) the System (the ordered arrangement and world of culture, economy, religion and government; or: secular society) as not folks who are constantly using it down (= making excessive employment or over-use of it), for the outward fashion, mode of circumstance, condition, form-appearance (or: character, role, phase, configuration, manner) of this System (ordered world of culture, religion and society) is progressively passing by (= the present scheme of things is changing and passing away). ³² Now I intend (purpose and want) you folks to constantly exist being free from anxiety (care; concern; worry). The unmarried one (= the person who is not co-habiting; the single person) is habitually concerned about and caring for the Lord's things (= the issues pertaining to Yahweh; the matters that come from and belong to Christ): how he or she can please (be accommodating to) the Lord. ³³ Yet the one being married is constantly concerned about and repeatedly caring for the involvements of the System (the issues pertaining to his world of culture, religion, economy and government): how he can please and be accommodating to the woman ([his] wife), and thus, he has been divided so as to be distributed in parts! ³⁴ Further, the unmarried (or: = single) woman – as well as the virgin (or: unmarried mature young woman of marriageable age) – is habitually concerned about and caring for the Lord's things (= issues; matters): [i.e.] that she may continually exist being set-apart (holy; sacred; different from the profane) – both in [her] body and in [her] spirit (or: so that she would be sacred with body as well as with spirit; that she should be holy both for the Body, and for the Spirit). However, the woman being married is constantly concerned about and repeatedly caring for the involvements of the System ([her] world): how she can please and be accommodating to the man ([her] husband). ³⁵ Now I am saying this with a view toward your personal advantage (that which brings benefits together to your very selves) – not so that I can throw a noose (= a leash) upon you folks! To the contrary, [it is] with a view toward good form (the well-fashioned [life]; the scene of ease and competent-appearing action) and a good seating, [being] undistracted beside the Lord (or: a close seat of ease, undistractedly sitting in the Lord). ³⁶ Now if anyone continues reasoning about custom [so as] to go on bringing the appearance of bad form (or: is behaving dishonorably or indecently – that which is contrary to the accepted fashion) upon [the situation of] his virgin [daughter; or: fianc'e9e] – if she may be over her prime (= beyond marriageable age; past the bloom of youth) – and thus (or: in this way) he has obligation [for it] to proceed in occurring, let him continue to do what he is wanting and intending – he is not making a mistake or missing the goal: let them be marrying. ³⁷ Now [he] who has been standing firm and is now settled in the seat of his heart – presently having no necessity (continuing to hold no compulsion) but holds authority concerning (or: has a right pertaining to) his own will and has decided this in his own heart – to continue keeping watch over and guarding his virgin [daughter; fianc'e9e; or, perhaps: his own virginity], will be doing beautifully (finely; ideally). ³⁸ Consequently, also, the one giving his virgin [daughter] in marriage (or: the one marrying his virgin [fianc'e9e]; or: the one giving the virginity of himself in marriage) is doing [other MSS: will be doing] beautifully, and yet the one not giving in marriage or getting married will be doing better. ³⁹ A wife, by law and custom, has been bound upon and remains tied to her husband for as much time as he continues living. Yet if the husband may fall asleep in death, she exists being free to be married to whom she continues intending (willing; purposing) – only within [the] Lord. ⁴⁰ Yet, she continues (or: exists) being happier (more blessed) if she remains as she is, according to the knowledge gained from my experience. Now I also continue seeming to hold (or: have; possess) God's spirit (= God's attitude on this matter). (or: For I, myself, am also continuing to presume to constantly possess God's Spirit and Breath-effect).

²⁶ However, an agent of [the] Lord [= Yahweh's or Christ's messenger] spoke to Philip, presently saying, "At once arise (or: stand up) and continue traveling down south (or: at noon) on the road descending from Jerusalem unto Gaza." This is a desert (or: desolate, uninhabited) [road]. ²⁷ And so, upon arising, he went his way and – look, consider this – an adult man – an Ethiopian eunuch who had power (= a high court official) of [the] Kandake, [or] Queen, of [the] Ethiopians, who was upon (= had control of) all of her treasury – who had come unto Jerusalem in order to be worshiping. ²⁸ Now he was in the midst of returning and was presently sitting on his chariot (or: carriage) while continuing in reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ Now the Breath-effect (or: Spirit) said to Philip, "Approach and be joined (glued) to this chariot."

⁹ "Now I am saying to you that whoever may loose-away or divorce his wife (or: woman) – [when it is] not upon [the case of] infidelity (fornication; sexual misconduct) – and then should marry another woman, he is continuing in committing adultery. Also, the man involved in marrying a woman having been divorced proceeds in committing adultery." [comment: Jesus here sides with Rabbi Shammai who held the earlier interpretation of Deut. 24:1-4 that marital unfaithfulness was the only cause for divorce] ¹⁰ The disciples are, one after another, saying to Him, "Since (or: If) the situation (or: predicament; case; or: cause for accusation) of the person (human) with the wife continues being thus, [then] to marry does not continue to bring things together for advantage or profit!" [comment: the disciples are apparently shocked that Jesus rejects the "every cause" form of divorce from the Hillel school] ¹¹ Yet He said to them, "Not all people are proceeding to give way and spread themselves to make room for this message (word; idea; saying; = This does not apply to everyone), but only those in and to whom it has been given. ¹² "You see, there are eunuchs (men in charge of a bedroom, usually having been castrated) who were born thus out of [their] mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs (were emasculated) by people, and then there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs (emasculated themselves) because of the reign of the heavens (or: the kingdom of the atmospheres). Let the person continuing having power and ability to give way, spread themselves and make room, continue to be making room." [comment: Jesus is here rejecting the custom that all Jewish males are required to marry – a foreshadow of the impending new age – and then indicated that this is for those able to accept it]

²⁶ However, an agent of [the] Lord [= Yahweh's or Christ's messenger] spoke to Philip, presently saying, "At once arise (or: stand up) and continue traveling down south (or: at noon) on the road descending from Jerusalem unto Gaza." This is a desert (or: desolate, uninhabited) [road]. ²⁷ And so, upon arising, he went his way and – look, consider this – an adult man – an Ethiopian eunuch who had power (= a high court official) of [the] Kandake, [or] Queen, of [the] Ethiopians, who was upon (= had control of) all of her treasury – who had come unto Jerusalem in order to be worshiping. ²⁸ Now he was in the midst of returning and was presently sitting on his chariot (or: carriage) while continuing in reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. ²⁹ Now the Breath-effect (or: Spirit) said to Philip, "Approach and be joined (glued) to this chariot." ³⁰ So upon running up to [it], Philip heard his reading aloud [of] Isaiah the prophet, and then he said, "Are you presently recognizing and progressively understanding [the] things which you are now reading?" ³¹ But he replied, "Actually, how would I likely be presently able [to], unless someone will progressively lead and guide me on the path?" And so he asked Philip to assist [him], after climbing up to sit with him. ³² Now the passage (context) of the Scripture which he was reading was this: "As (or: Like) a sheep, He was led onto [the] slaughter, and as (or: like) a lamb [that is] set in position against the person shearing it [is] without a voice (or: mute; voiceless; = silent), in like manner He continues not to open up His mouth. ³³ "Within the midst of the low status and the experience of being abased and humiliated, His justice (either: the opportunity for a fair trial; or: the chance or ability to divide, separate and make decisions; or: the judging) was lifted up and taken away. So who will continue fully taking over the lead of His generation (or: will proceed conducting a thorough narration to recount His generation), because His life is now being taken up, away from the earth (or: taken away from the Land)?" [Isa. 53:7-8] ³⁴ So the eunuch, making a discerning response, said to Philip, "Now my question to you is, About whom is the prophet now saying this – about himself, or about someone else?" ³⁵ Well Philip, opening his mouth and beginning from this Scripture, presents to him Jesus, as the news of goodness, ease and well-being (or: declared to him the good news about Jesus). ³⁶ So as they continued going their way down the road, they came upon some water, and the eunuch affirms, "Look! Water! What continues preventing (hindering) me to be at once immersed (or: baptized)?" ³⁷ [note: vs. 37 is missing in texts of Nestle-Aland, WH, Concordant, Panin, Griesbach, Tasker, and is not in the ancient Syriac] ³⁸ And thus, he ordered the chariot to halt (or: stand still), and they both walked down into the water – both Philip and the eunuch – and [Philip] immersed (or: baptized) him. ³⁹ Now when they walked up out of the water, [the] Lord's [= Yahweh's or Christ's] wind (or: Breath-effect; Spirit) suddenly snatched Philip away (i.e.: carried him off), and the eunuch did not see him any longer for he kept on going on his road, continuously rejoicing.

¹² "You see, there are eunuchs (men in charge of a bedroom, usually having been castrated) who were born thus out of [their] mother's womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs (were emasculated) by people, and then there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs (emasculated themselves) because of the reign of the heavens (or: the kingdom of the atmospheres). Let the person continuing having power and ability to give way, spread themselves and make room, continue to be making room." [comment: Jesus is here rejecting the custom that all Jewish males are required to marry – a foreshadow of the impending new age – and then indicated that this is for those able to accept it]