(Underlining marks a quotation/allusion. [Brackets] mark a textual variant.fnWhen two (or more) different copies of an original manuscript disagree on any given word or phrase — addition, omission, word order, etc. — the disagreement is called a "textual variant". ~99% of existing textual variants are either minor (like spelling), obviously not original (often appearing only in a few late manuscripts), or don't affect meaning (like "Jesus Christ" vs. "Christ Jesus"). The ~1% that remain do not affect any central doctrine of Christianity. The BOS Bible only marks significant textual variants that affect the meaning; smaller variants that do not affect meaning won't be marked for readability. "Love" with a caret ("^love") is agapé.fn"agapé" The Greek words ἀγάπη (agapé, noun), and ἀγαπάω (agapaó; verb) are typically translated "love". However, unlike our English word "love" – which primarily speaks of affection and feelings — agapé centers on choice and behavior. It’s the "love" based on will, choice, behavior, and action; not feelings. (Feelings-based love is the Greek word φιλέω (phileó), which properly means "brotherly love/affection".) Thus, you could hate someone passionately and still treat him with "agapé". Agapé "love" is best understood as the pursuit of what is most beneficial to someone or something, regardless of the cost to yourself or the type of response received from the person or thing. It can also indicate a preference for someone or something over other things. An asterisk (*) indicates a verb in the Greek perfect tense.fnThe Greek perfect tense signifies a completed action in the past with a result and/or an ongoing state that extends into the present. For example, Hebrews 12:2 says in part: "He *sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"; the verb for "sat" is in the perfect tense, indicating that He sat down once (completed action in the past), and also that He remains seated until the present moment (ongoing state).)
Glossary
Note: this glossary is currently a work in progress; entries that do not expand will be added as time permits
Ages/of ages
“ages” and “of ages” are the Greek words “αἰών” (aión, noun form) and “αἰώνιος” (aiónios, adjective form) respectively. The adjective form is typically translated “eternal”, as in “eternal life”. The noun form refers to a whole time period, (Keizer, “Life Time Entirety”) such as a person’s lifetime (an older Greek sense), an age/epoch (e.g., 2 Cor 4:4), or even time in its entirety, making its meaning similar to “forever” (e.g., John 14:16). The adjective form is similarly context-dependent, and the New Testament context often dictates a meaning similar to “forever” (but not always: e.g. 2 Tim 1:9). Alternately or additionally, it can indicate the quality of a time period — indicating greatness/severity — like the English idiom “of ages” (e.g. “battle of the ages”). Thus, “of ages” was chosen for the adjective form so that both the time and quality senses remain visible.
Clean/unclean
Covenant
Faith
Flesh
Forgive/forgiveness
Grace
The Greek word is “χάρις” (charis), most often translated “grace”, “gift”, or “thanks”. It was a technical term in the 1st century, referring to the Patronage system in place. The Patron (from “pater” = “father”) would give gifts or do favors (both called a charis). A charis was always given/done freely to anyone who would be grateful for it, and this person then became a “client” of the patron. The clients were expected to reciprocate by telling everyone what the patron had done, and offering their services to the patron whenever the patron needed them. This reciprocal act was also called “charis”, and the ones who reciprocated were “being faithful” by giving thanks in this way. Both were done out of gratitude, not legal obligation. A client who wasn’t faithful and grateful probably wouldn’t receive any more charis from his patron, or any other patrons. The patron was responsible for taking care of all his clients, and making sure their needs were met. New Testament usage typically casts God the Father as a Heavenly Patron, to whom Christians should be grateful and faithful because of the gifts He has given us. (e.g. salvation, provision, protection, etc.)
Holy
Justification
Law (Torah)
Make purification
Pure/Impure
Purification offering
In the Old Testament, this is typically the Hebrew “חַטָּ֖את” (khat-tat); in the New Testament, it’s typically “περὶ ἁμαρτίας” (peri hamartias), which is what the Septuagint (an ancient translation of the Old Testament into Greek) used to translate the Hebrew. It’s traditionally translated “sin offering”, but that translation has less support in high-level scholarship. The Hebrew word can mean “sin”, but it can also mean “purification” (e.g. Numbers 8:7). This offering was used to purify uncleanness, whether or not a sin was committed. Thus, it was required even when no sin was committed, such as after childbirth (Leviticus 12:1-8), for certain diseases (Leviticus 14), etc. High-level, peer-reviewed scholarship dedicated to the field (e.g. Milgrom, Levine, Gane, Sklar, Wright, Gorman, etc.) is largely united on the “purification offering” understanding. The BOS Bible has aligned itself with that high-level, peer-reviewed scholarship in its translation.
Ransom
Redemption
Repent/repentance
Righteous/righteousness
Salvation/save
Soul
“soul” is the Greek word “ψυχή/psuché” and Hebrew word “נֶפֶשׁ/nephesh”. The BOS Bible translates these words as “soul” for consistency, and so the full meaning of “soul” isn’t obscured by different translations in different places. They closely overlap in meaning and are typically translated “soul” or “life”. They refer to the animating force of a living thing, and thus can also refer to its life, or to the whole of any person or creature, including animals (e.g. fish in Revelation 8:9 and Genesis 1). They are frequently used as an emphatic reference to a person’s whole self, including longings, deep emotions, and inner life. (e.g. Ps 42:11) Note: while “soul” has significant overlap in meaning with “spirit”, the words have distinct meanings and usages throughout scripture. For example, lions tear apart a soul in Psalm 7:2, and a “dead soul” is mentioned in Leviticus 21:11; “spirit” has no analogous usages, and it returns to God at death (Ecc 12:7; Acts 7:59). The adjective forms of soul and spirit are contrasted in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15; see also: Hebrews 4:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Sin
Click to Collapse the GlossaryThe Parable of the Ten Virgins
- “At that time, the kingdom of the heavens will be compared to ten virgins who went out to meet the bridegroom, having taken their lamps with them.
- “And five of them were foolish and five were prudent,
- “for the foolish took their lamps but didn’t take oil with them,
- “but the prudent took oil in flasks with their lamps.
- “And while the bridegroom is delaying, they all became drowsy and were sleeping.
- “And in the middle of the night, a great cry *happened: “Behold the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!”
- “Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
- “And the foolish said to the prudent: “Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.”
- “But the prudent answered, saying: “Never. There definitely isn’t enough for both us and you. Instead, go to the men selling oil and buy it for yourselves.”
- “But while they’re going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came. And the virgins who were ready entered into the wedding feast with him and the door was shut.
- “And later the remaining virgins also come, saying: “Lord, lord; open for us.”
- “But answering, he said: “Amen I tell you: I don’t *know you.”
- “Therefore, keep watch because you don’t *know the day nor the hour [in which the Son of Man comes].
The Parable of the Talents
- “For it’s just like a man traveling to a foreign country, who called his own slaves and handed over his possessions to them.
- “And indeed, he gave five talentsfnA “talent” is not a coin but a measure of weight. It was about 75lbs, or 3000 silver shekels in weight. A talent of silver was worth about 6,000 denarii, which was the going rate for a day’s worth of unskilled labor. to one, and two talents to another, and one talent to another; to each according to his own ability. And he immediately traveled to a foreign country.
- “Having gone, the man who received five talents traded with them and gained another five.
- “Likewise, the man with two gained another two.
- “But having departed, the man who received one talent dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s silver.
- “And after much time passed, the master of those slaves comes and settles accounts with them.
- “And having approached, the man who received five talents brought another five talents, saying: “Master, you handed me five talents. Behold, I gained another five talents.”
- “His master was telling him: “Well done good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things: I will set you over many. Enter into the joy of your master.”
- “And having also approached, the man who received two talents said: “Master, you handed me two talents. Behold, I gained another two talents.
- “His master was telling him: “Well done good and faithful slave. You were faithful over a few things: I will set you over many. Enter into the joy of your master.”
- “And having also approached, the man who has received one talent said: “Master, I knew you, that you’re a harsh man, reaping where you didn’t sow and gathering where you didn’t scatter seed.”
- “And having been afraid, I departed and hid your talent in the ground. Behold, you have what’s yours.”
- “But answering, his master told him: “You wicked and lazy slave! You had known that I reap where I didn’t sow, and gather where I didn’t scatter seed?
- “Therefore, it was proper for you to invest my silver with the bankers, and having come back, I would’ve recovered my money with interest.
- “Therefore, take the talent from him and give it to the man having ten talents.
- “For to every man who has, more will be given and he will have abundance. But the man who doesn’t have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
- “Also, cast out the useless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
The Sheep and the Goats
- “And when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit upon His glorious throne.
- “And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
- “And indeed, He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on the left.
- “Then the King will tell the men on His right: “Come, you men who have been blessed by My Father; inherit the kingdom *prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
- “For I hungered, and you gave Me food to eat. I thirsted, and you gave Me a drink. I was a foreigner, and you were hospitable to Me.
- “I was naked, and you clothed Me. I was sick, and you visited Me. I was in prison, and you came to Me.”
- “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying: “Lord, when did we see you hungering and fed you, or thirsting and gave you a drink?
- “And when did we see you as a foreigner and were hospitable, or see you naked and clothed you?
- “And when did we see you being sick or in prison and came to you?
- “And answering, the King will tell them: “Amen I tell you: whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.
- And then He will tell the men on His left: “You *cursed men; depart from Me into the fire of agesfn“fire of ages” is literal. It’s traditionally translated “eternal fire” here, but that’s less literal and “fire of ages” also captures the severity of the fire, which the traditional interpretation doesn’t. *prepared for the Accuserfn“The Accuser” is literal. The Greek word used here is “διάβολος” (diabolos), and it’s the root of our English word “devil”. Much like “Christ” (see note on Matt 1:1) “devil” isn’t a name but rather a descriptive title. and his angels.
- For I hungered and you didn’t give Me food to eat. I thirsted, and you didn’t give Me a drink.
- I was a foreigner, and you weren’t hospitable to Me: naked, and you didn’t clothe Me: sick and in prison, and you didn’t visit Me.
- “And then they will answer, saying: “Lord, when did we see you hungering, or thirsting, or a foreigner, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn’t serve you?”
- “Then He will answer them, saying: “Amen I tell you: whatever you didn’t do for one of the least of these, you didn’t do for Me.
- And these will depart into the punishment of ages,fn“punishment of ages” is literal. It’s traditionally translated “eternal punishment” here, but that’s less literal and “punishment of ages” also captures the severity of the punishment, which the traditional interpretation doesn’t. but the righteous into the life of ages.”fn“life of ages” is literal, and captures the duration as well as the quality of the life, which the traditional interpretation of “eternal life” doesn’t.
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