[The Biblical citations given in the Christian Science Quarterly are from the Authorized King James Version. The Bible Notes in these columns can be used, if deemed necessary, to elucidate some of the words or passages contained in the Bible Lessons. The Notes in this issue are related to the Lesson-Sermon designated to be read in Christian Science churches on September 6, 1942.]

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Ps.37:23)—It may be observed that the word "good" is not directly represented in the original, though it may well be implied. Then, too, the term rendered "ordered" means more literally "established"; while some contend that the word "steps" is used figuratively of a man's "course of life." Moffatt suggests: "When a man's life pleases the Eternal, he gives him a sure footing;" and the American Standard Version: "A man's goings are established of Jehovah."

"The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord" (Prov. 16:1)—It has been pointed out that a more literal rendering would be: "To man belong the plans of the heart, but the answer ... is from the Lord;" while Moffatt sets down the following interesting rendering: "A man may think what he will say, but at the moment the word comes to him from the Eternal."

"Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established" (Prov. 16:3)—The Hebrew term which is here rendered "thoughts" can also mean "purposes, plans," et cetera. So we find that Smith renders: "Commit your business to the Lord, and your plans shall prosper." Moffatt suggests: "Trust your affairs to the Eternal, and your plans shall prosper."

"The highway of the upright is to depart from evil" (Prov. 16:17)—The Hebrew word "sur," rendered "depart," means more literally "turn aside from"; while the noun translated "evil" can also mean "misery, calamity, injury." Consequently Moffatt suggests: "The path of the upright avoids misfortune;" while another suggested rendering is: "The highway of the upright leads away from evil."

"He that keepeth his way preserveth his soul" (Prov.16:17)—The Hebrew term "nephesh" is employed in a number of senses, which include "life, spirit, mind," and "breath, person, self," as well as "soul" (compare Feyerabend: Hebrew Dictionary, p. 220). Thus Smith suggests: "He who pays heed to his way safeguards his life;" and Moffatt: "He safeguards life who watches where he goes."

"He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good" (Prov.16:20)—The Hebrew term here translated "matter" has a wide veriety of meanings, which include "business, cause, affair," but its primary meaning is "speech or word"; hence the translation offered by the American Standard Version: "He that giveth heed unto the word shall find good."

"They have sought out many inventions" (Eccl. 7:29)—The word rendered "inventions" can also mean "devices," and indeed, as Feyerabend observes, was occasionally employed in a special sense to mean "engines of war." Smith renders: "They have sought out many contrivances;" and Moffatt: "Many a cunning wile have they contrived."

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God" (I John 3:1)—The three most widely known manuscripts of the Greek New Testament add the two Greek words "kai esmen," which were not translated by those who prepared our Authorized Version, but seem to bring out even more definitely the intent of the verse. The words in question mean "and we are," and so the sentence reads: "... that we should be called the sons (literally 'children') of God, and that is what we are." Most modern translators accept this reading.

"Little children, let no man deceive you" (I John 3:7)—The primary meaning of the word translated "deceive" is "lead astray." Hence Weymouth (fifth edition) renders: "Dear children, let no one lead you astray;" while Goodspeed prefers: "Dear children, let no one mislead you."

"That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ" (I John 3:23)—Among the Hebrew people the word "name," whether in Hebrew (shem) or in Greek (onoma), was often regarded as summing up the nature or the qualities of the one who bore it; and for that reason it is often used in the sense of "person, power, authority, character"—"as something inseparable from the person to whom it belongs, something of his essence," as Dr. Souter expresses it. Goodspeed translates simply: "That we are to believe in his Son Jesus Christ."

"Ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us" (II Cor. 3:3)—The Twentieth Century New Testament suggests the translation: "All can see that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us;" while Weymouth prefers: "For you show that you are a letter of Christ penned by us."

"Not in tables of stone" (II Cor. 3:3)—It will be recalled that, according to Exodus 24:12 and Deuteronomy 4:13, the Ten Commandments were written upon two "tables of stone."

"Our sufficiency is of God" (II Cor. 3:5)—The word which is rendered "sufficiency" can also mean "competency or ability to do something" or simply "power." Weymouth renders: "Our competency comes from God;" and Moffatt: "My qualifications come from God." In verse 6, "who hath made us able ministers" has also been translated, "he has fitted (or qualified) us as servants," since the verb here used comes from the same root as the noun translated "sufficiency" in verse 5.

"The new testament" (II Cor. 3:6)—An alternative translation of the Greek phrase thus rendered would be "the new covenant." It may well be borne in mind that Jeremiah (31:31) and others (compare Isaiah 55:3) in the Old Testament (or "covenant") had foretold such a covenant.

"We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image" (II Cor. 3:18)—The term here rendered "beholding as in a glass" was often used in Greek in the sense of "mirroring" or "reflecting"; while the term translated "open" means more literally "unveiled." Moffatt suggests: "But we all mirror the glory of the Lord with face unveiled, and so we are being transformed into the same likeness as himself."

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine" (II Tim. 3:16)—The words "is given by inspiration of God" render the single Greek term "theopneustos" (literally "God-inspired"), while the term "kai" means either "and" or "also." There is thus considerable justification for the rendering preferred by the American Standard Version: "Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching."