"The houses ... which are thrown down by the mounts, and by the sword" (Jer. 33:4)—The "mounts" or, more literally, "mounds," were sloping embankments of earth built against the walls of a city by its besiegers. The attacking force could walk up these "mounds," and so enter the city. The word which is rendered "by" can be more correctly translated "against." So the general sense of the passage would seem to be that "the houses are broken down (to form a defense or barricade) against the mounds, and against the sword." (Compare the Revised Version; and also S. R. Driver: Jeremiah, p. 203.) Moffatt translates: "the houses ... which have been broken up to form a barricade against the siege-works and the sword." Similarly, Dr. Streane (Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations, p. 227) observes that "the houses of the city and of the kings were not thrown down by the besiegers, as our Version suggests, but by the besieged, in order to make room for defensive works to be raised against these forms of attack."

"I will cause the captivity of Judah ... to return" (Jer. 33:7)—In Hebrew, the word "shub," literally translated "return," has the meaning of "to turn back," and so "take away," when used with reference to "captivity." Hence the general sense of the passage is: "I will remove the captivity of Judah;" in other words, "I will cause Judah to return from captivity." Compare Moffatt's rendering: "I will restore the fortunes of Judah." Smith provides an almost identical translation.

"Blessed are the undefiled in the way" (Ps. 119:1)—It may well be observed that the Hebrew word which is here rendered "undefiled" is very often translated "perfect" in other Old Testament passages, while in addition it can mean "innocent, simple, upright, or honest" (cf. Feyerabend: Hebrew Dictionary, p. 372). Thus Moffatt has: "Happy are they who live uprightly;" and Smith: "How happy are they whose way is blameless."

"The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul" (Ps. 19:7)—The verb which is rendered "convert" in this passage is the same one which is translated "return" in Jeremiah 33:7; while it can also mean "refresh, or restore" (Brown, Driver, and Briggs: Hebrew Lexicon, pp. 996ff.). Hence Smith suggests: "... renewing the life"; and the Revised Version: "... restoring the soul"; while Moffatt's rendering is: "The Eternal's law is a sound law, reviving life."

"That he maintain ... the cause of his people Israel at all times, as the matter shall require" (I Kings 8:59)—The Hebrew phrase which is translated: "At all times, as the matter shall require," means literally "the word (thing or matter) of a day in its day." The Revised Version has: "... the cause of his people Israel as every day shall require;" and Moffatt: "... as each day may require;" while Smith has: "... as each day requires."

"If thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him" (Gen. 4:7)—The verb which is twice rendered "do well" in this verse comes from a Hebrew root meaning "to be 'joyous, cheerful, and pure' as well as 'to be or do good'" (compare Brown, etc., op. cit., p. 373). It may also be observed that the words which are rendered "his" and "him" can be translated with equal correctness "its" and "it" respectively (cf. the Margin of the Revised Version), while "mashal" means to "have dominion," as well as to "rule." A literal translation would thus be: "If you are not good (joyous, cheerful, or pure) sin is lying at your door. And its desire is against you, but you shall have dominion over it." Compare Moffatt's rendering: "If you are sullen, sin is lying in wait for you, eager to be at you—but you ought to master it." Smith suggests: "If you have been doing right, should you not be happy? But if you have not, sin will be lurking at the door. And yet he is devoted to you, while you rule over him."

"Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague" (Mark 5:34)—The Greek verb "sozein," rendered "make whole," means literally "to save"; though it was often used in the sense of "to heal," i.e., to save from disease (compare Thayer: Greek Lexicon, p. 610); while the adjective "hugies," used in the phrase "be whole," means literally, "healthy" or "sound" (op. cit., p. 634); and is, incidentally, the root of our modern word "hygiene." Some scholars contend that it is here used idiomatically in the sense of "free" (ibid.). Thus Moffatt translates: "Your faith has made you well; go in peace and be free from your complaint." The Twentieth Century New Testament suggests: "Your faith has delivered you. Go, and peace be with you; be free from your complaint."

"Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed" (Ezek. 18:31)—The terms which are here translated "transgressions" and "transgressed" are both derived from a Hebrew root which means literally "rebel" or "revolt," and which is found in its primary sense in II Kings 8:20 and in other passages. Viewed from this particular standpoint, "sin" or "transgression" is considered as constituting rebellion against the righteous rule of God (compare Leishman and Lewis: The Bible Handbook, pp. 194f.).

"Which of you convineeth me of sin?" (John 8:46)—The Greek verb here rendered "convince" is translated "reprove" in our Common Version of John 3:20; while other renderings of it are "rebuke, convict, expose, show to be guilty" (cf. Souter: Greek Lexicon, p. 79). Commenting on this passage, Dr. Plummer asserts: "Many rebuked Christ, and laid sin to his charge; none brought sin home to his conscience" (Commentary on St. John, p. 192). Weymouth has: "Which of you convicts me of sin?" Moffatt and the Twentieth Century New Testament have: "Which of you can convict me of sin?"