Introduction

• Psalms 119:169-176

Translation philosophies

• On the left:
  • Word-for-word: Preserves original wording, English may feel less natural.
• On the right:
  • Thought for thought: Takes liberties to emphasize readability and meaning.

New American Standard Bible; New King James Version; King James Version	English Standard Version	Christian Standard Bible	New English Translation	New International Version	New Living Translation

King James Version (1769)

Pros

• Highly accurate
• Beautiful, nostalgic wording

Cons

• Outdated words – I Thessalonians 4:15
• Based on limited manuscripts

Sample verses

• Philippians 2:6; I Thessalonians 4:4; James 2:1

New King James Version (1984)

Pros

• Still accurate
• Modernized

Cons

• Still mainly based on manuscripts the King James Version used.
• Starting to get a bit dated itself.

New American Standard Bible (1977)

• The 2020 update for the New American Standard Bible added gender inclusive language. See Philippians 4:8, where NASB 2020 changes the rendering from “brethren” to “brothers and sisters.”

Pros

• Extremely accurate
• Great for detailed study

Cons

• Stiff, unnatural wording
• May not be best for casual or devotional reading

New English Translation

• Published for free online, including 60,000 marginal notes from the translators.

Pros

• Translator notes
• Very modern

Cons

• Physical version is big
• Not widely used

New International Version (2011)

• Best-selling translation in the world.

Pros

• Highly readable
• Widely available

Cons

• Less precise
• Some choices are controversial

English Standard Version (2016)

Pros

• Very popular
• Sweet spot

Cons

• Some awkward wording
• Little transparency

Christian Standard Bible (2020)

• Previously known as the Holman Christian Standard Bible, then rebranded.

Pros

• Sweet spot
• Very modern

Cons

• Some non-traditional choices
• A few quirks

New Living Translation (2015)

Pros

• Super easy to read
• Very modern

Cons

• Lots of interpretation from translators
• Much less precise

Conclusion

• I Thessalonians 2:13

Part 2: The downward spiral of Israel’s apostasy

Tola and Jair (Judges 10:1-5)

• Judges 10:4 – These 30 cities were tent settlements. Donkeys were associated with royalty at that time. Donkers were also better ssuited for battle in hill country than horses.

Jephthah (Judges 10:6-12:7)

Apostasy and distress (Judges 10:6-18)

• Judges 10:6 – Here we get a full list of all the idols that Israel served.
• Judges 10:14 – See Deuteronomy 32:37; Nehemiah 9:26. This is the first and only time in Judges where we get an extended interaction between God and Israel and the Israelites make concrete steps toward repentance.
• Judges 10:17 – The name Mizpah just means “overlook” and is a common place name in the Old Testament.
• Judges 10:18 – They apparently had no good candidates, so they had to go recruit Jephthah.

Introduction to Jephthah (Judges 11:1-13)

• Judges 11:3 – Jephthah did not have the best group of friends.

Jephthah’s commissioning (Judges 11:4-11)

• Judges 11:7-10 – Jephthah uses his position to negotiate and get back some of what he’d lost in Judges 11:2 when his brothers drove him out.

Diplomatic discussions (Judges 11:12-28)

• Judges 11:12 – Jephthah first starts with diplomacy. If the Ammonites had this territory, it would have greatly their territory.

Class 8 Takeaway

• For the first and only time in the Judges narrative, the Israelites’ cries for deliverance are accompanied by concrete acts associated with repentance: “putting away the foreign gods from among them” and serving the Lord (Judges 10:16).
• Acceptable repentance today follows this same pattern (II Corinthians 7:10-11). Turning from sin and toward the Lord involves definite, visible steps to expel sin and (re-)center our lives on Jesus (Matthew 18:8-9; Acts 26:20; Romans 2:4).

Introduction

• Matthew 7:21-27

Worship …

• I Samuel 15:22
• Isaiah 1:10-17 – We can’t live however we want and then think we can still worship God.
• Psalms 63:1-4 – Our worship should be a response to the greatness of God.
• Luke 6:46

Preaching …

• Luke 3:3-14, 18 – John the Baptist presented some hard teaching but included some useful applications. Modern day preachers should do the same.
• II Timothy 4:2
• Luke 3:10 – The audience also has a responsibility. They asked what they should do.

… and now it’s up to ME!

• Matthew 23:1-4
• Luke 18:9-14
• We must apply the lessons to ourselves. The first application must always be to myself.
• Luke 8:5-8, 15 – I need to commit myself to living the word, even in hard times.
• Ezekiel 33:30-33 – They were just listening to Ezekiel’s lessons like one listens to a song – enjoying it but going away unchanged. Let us not do the same!

I Timothy 5

• I Timothy 5:1-2 – Timothy dealing with people.
• I Timothy 5:3-16 – Widows
  • I Timothy 5:9 - “Enrolled” here seems to mean, “included in ongoing support.” “Wife of one husband” seems to mean that she lived in harmony with God’s marriage law.
  • I Timothy 5:10 – Washing the feet of saints here seems to just be an elaboration of hospitality. It does not necessarily mean that she must have literally washed feet.
• I Timothy 5:17-25 – Elders

I Timothy 6

• I Timothy 6:1-2 – “Under the yoke as slaves”
• I Timothy 6:3-5 – “a different doctrine”
• I Timothy 6:6-8 – “contentment”
• I Timothy 6:9-10 – “the love of money”

Introduction

• Psalms 146:1-10

Creator

• Psalms 95:4-6 – He is our Maker!
• Psalms 95:7-11 – Massah and Meribah are a reference to Exodus 17. God knows our needs!
• James 1:19-20 – God knows how our bodies work we get angry and He says to slow down.

Father

• I John 3:1-2 – We are children of God.
• I John 3:7
• II Corinthians 6:18, 14
• We may have to give up earthly relationships, but it will be worth it to be welcomed into God’s arms.
• Romans 8:15-17
• Galatians 4:6-7

Judge

• Acts 17:30, 21
• Romans 2:16
• In the end, we will stand before God and give account for ourselves.
• Luke 16:14
• When I read the Bible, I must be sincerely looking for ways to change myself.