1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 sn A quotation from Gen 21:12. 17 18 sn The expression the children of the flesh refers to the natural offspring. 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 sn The entire clause is something of a parenthetical remark. 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 tn There is a wordplay in Greek (in both the LXX and here) on the phrase translated “completely and quickly” (συντελῶν καὶ συντέμνων, suntelwn kai suntemnwn). These participles are translated as adverbs for smoothness; a more literal (and more cumbersome) rendering would be: “The Lord will act by closing the account [or completing the sentence], and by cutting short the time.” The interpretation of this text is notoriously difficult. Cf. BDAG 975 s.v. συντέμνω. sn A modified quotation from Isa 10:22-23. Since it is not exact, it has been printed as italics only. 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 tn Grk “but as by works.” 60 61 62