21-00
God Promises the Messiah
This title can also be translated as: “About how God promised to send the Messiah” or “What happened when God promised to send the Messiah?”
21-01
Even when God created the world
The connecting words Even when contrast God creating a perfect world without sin, with his preexisting plan to send a Messiah to save people from sin. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])
crush the snake’s head
Unless the head of a venomous snake is crushed, the snake can still hurt someone. Use a word for crush that communicates that its head is destroyed.
the snake who deceived Eve was Satan
Satan spoke to Eve in the form of a snake. This does not mean that he is a snake now. This could be translated as: “The snake who deceived Eve was an appearance of Satan.”
who deceived Eve
This could mean who lied to Eve. The snake lied by making Eve doubt what God had said and tricking her into disobeying God.
21-02
through him
This could mean because of one of his descendants.
21-03
prophet like Moses
To be like Moses, the future prophet would need to have great authority from God to lead and rescue his people.
21-04
his own descendants
Another way to say this would be: “a direct descendant of David himself.”
21-05
would not be like
The New Covenant would be truly effective. People really would know God, they would truly live as his people, and He would forgive their sins completely, based on the Messiah’s sacrifice of himself one time for all who believe in him.
this would be like writing his law on their hearts
Yahweh’s law will become a part of them, rather than merely being written on stone. Here heart represents emotions or mind. Alternate translation: “My law will be part of their thoughts and emotions” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-metonymy/01.md]])
writing his law on their hearts
This is a metaphor meaning: help his people to understand his laws and to earnestly desire to obey them. If possible, keep the image of writing on their hearts, since this is in contrast with the way God had written his law on stone tablets for the Israelites. If that is not possible, you could just translate the meaning. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/figs-metaphor/01.md]])
be his people
This could be translated as: “be his special people” or “be his favored people.”
21-06
the perfect prophet
The Messiah would be a prophet who would be perfect in obedience to God, giving every word God would speak to the people. He would present God perfectly to the people, helping them to know and understand God.
21-07
However
The connecting word However contrasts the Israelite priests’ performance, with the Messiah’s performance as priest. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])
the perfect high priest
Unlike the other high priests, the Messiah would never sin, and he would permanently take away all the sins of the people.
offer himself
This could mean allow himself to be killed.
a perfect sacrifice
This could mean a sacrifice that has no fault or imperfection.
21-08
But the Messiah
The connecting word But contrasts the kingdom and performance of other kings, with the Messiah’s kingdom and performance as king. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])
the whole world
This could also be translated as: “everyone everywhere.”
21-09
Malachi
Malachi was the last prophet in the Old Testament.
the Messiah would be born of a virgin
Another way to say this would be: “a virgin would give birth to the Messiah.”
virgin
Some ancient versions and some contemporary versions translate: “the virgin will conceive,” while others translate: “the young woman will conceive.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/translate-unknown/01.md]])
Micah
Micah was an Old Testament prophet of God who, like Isaiah, spoke his messages from God almost 800 years before the Messiah came.
21-10
set prisoners free
This could mean set free those who have unjustly been put into prison. This could also refer to setting people free from the bondage of sin.
could not hear, see, speak, or walk
It may be better to say: “could not hear, could not see, could not speak, or could not walk.” Some languages have special words for these conditions, such as deaf and blind.
21-11
Zechariah
Zechariah was an Old Testament prophet who spoke to God’s people after they returned to the Promised Land from the Exile in Babylon. This was about 500 years before the Messiah came.
30 silver coins
At the time, each of these coins was worth the amount of money a person could earn in four days.
gamble for his clothes
This could mean play a game of chance to determine who would win his clothes. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/translate-unknown/01.md]])
21-12
pierce
People would stab the Messiah with a sharp weapon.
even though he had not done anything wrong
The connecting words even though contrast the way the Messiah was killed, with his innocence. It is not expected that an innocent, sinless man would be killed so brutally. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])
21-13
But he would die
The connecting word But contrasts the perfection of the Messiah, with his death as punishment for other people’s sins. It is not expected that a perfect man would die for other people’s sin. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])
21-14
raise the Messiah from the dead
This could mean cause the Messiah to be alive again.
to make the New Covenant
This could mean to put the New Covenant into effect.
21-15
but the Messiah did not come during the time of any of those prophets
The connecting word But contrasts the many prophecies about the Messiah given to the prophets with the Messiah not coming during their life time. It is not expected that so much detail would be given when it would be another 400 years until the Messiah came. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/grammar-connect-logic-contrast/01.md]])
More than 400 years after the last of these prophecies was given, at exactly the right time
This is background information about what happened before the Messiah came. (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/writing-background/01.md]])
400 years
This could also be written in words: “four hundred years.” (See: [[https://git.door43.org/unfoldingWord/en_ta/src/branch/master/translate/translate-numbers/01.md]])
into the world
This could be translated as: “to the people of the world.” The Messiah would be sent not only to the Jews, but to all people.