Article November 24, 1934 ISSUE

Bible Notes

"Beloved, follow not that which is evil" (III John 1:11)—The Greek word translated "follow" is "mimou," which is connected with the root of our English term "mimic" and means literally "imitate" (cf. Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 414). Thus Moffatt renders: "Beloved, do not imitate evil but good;" and Weymouth (5th edition): "Dearly loved one, do not copy evil but good;" while Goodspeed has: "Dear friend, do not follow bad examples, but good ones."

"Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape" (Luke 21:36)—The Greek verb "agrupneite," rendered "watch," means literally "be sleepless, keep awake;" and so, metaphorically, "be circumspect, attentive, ready" (Thayer: op. cit., p. 9); while instead of the form "kataxiothete" (be accounted worthy), the very early Sinaitic and Vatican Codices and other important manuscripts have "katischusete," meaning "prevail, succeed, be superior in strength," a reading which is now adopted by most editors of the Greek text (cf. Plummer: Commentary on St. Luke's Gospel, p. 289; Thayer: op. cit., p. 340f.). Hence Moffatt renders: "From hour to hour keep awake, praying that you may succeed in escaping;" Weymouth: "Beware of slumbering; at all times pray that you may be fully strengthened to escape."

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