49. "Cannot" and "might not" and "may not," in Scripture idiom, frequently means "will not;" "can" and "will" may be interchangeable.
Genesis 19:22; 24:50; 37:4; 43:32; 44:22,26
Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar....Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, The thing proceedeth from the Lord: we cannot speak unto thee bad or good....And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him....And they set on him by himself, and for them by themselves, and for the Egyptians, which did eat with him, by themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the Egyptians....And we said unto my lord, The lad cannot leave his father: for if he should leave his father, his father would die...And we said, We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be with us, then will we go down: for we may not see the man's face, except our youngest brother be with us.
Exodus 7:21,24
And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt...And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.
Numbers 22:18
And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my god, to do less or more.
Deuteronomy 12:17; 16:5; 17:15
Thou mayest not eat within thy gates the tithe of thy corn, or of thy wine, or of thy oil, or the firstlings of thy herds or of thy flock, nor any of thy vows which thou vowest, nor thy freewill offerings, or heave offering of thine hand....Thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee...Thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee, whom the Lord thy God shall choose: one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: thou mayest not set a stranger over thee, which is not thy brother.
Joshua 9:19
But all the princes said unto all the congregation, We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel: now therefore we may not touch them.
Judges 21:18
Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.
Nehemiah 6:3
And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?
Isaiah 56:10
His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Jeremiah 6:10; 38:5
To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it....then Zedekiah the king said, Behold, he is in your hand: for the king is not he that can do any thing against you.
Lamentations 4:14
They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
Matthew 12:34; 16:3
O generation of vipers, how can ye [not], being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh....And in the morning, It will be foul weather to-day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
Mark 3:24,25; 6:5; 9:39; 10:38,39
And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand....And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them....But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me....But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized.
Luke 11:7; 14:20,26; 16:13
And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee....And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come...If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple....No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
John 5:19,30,44; 6:44,60,65; 7:7; 8:43; 10:21
Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise...I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me...How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?....No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day...Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?...And he said, therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father....The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil....Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word....Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
Acts 4:20; 10:47
For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard....Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Romans 8:7,8
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
1 Corinthians 2:14; 12:3
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned....Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
2 Corinthians 13:8
For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth.
2 Timothy 2:13
If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
1 John 3:9; 4:20
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God....If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Revelation 2:2
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars.
50. Nouns are frequently used for personal pronouns.
Genesis 2:3; 4:23; 5:1; 16:16; 17:23; 19:24
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made...And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt....This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him....And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram....And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him....Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.
Exodus 16:7; 34:35
And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the Lord; for that he heareth your murmurings against the Lord: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?....And the children of Israel saw the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the veil upon his face again, until he went in to speak with him.
1 Samuel 3:21
And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
1 Kings 2:19; 8:1; 10:13; 12:21
Bathsheba therefore went unto king Solomon, to speak unto him for Adonijah. And the king rose up to meet her, and bowed himself unto her, and sat down on his throne, and caused a seat to be set for the king's mother; and she sat on his right hand....Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel, and all the heads of the tribes, the chief of the fathers of the children of Israel, unto king Solomon in Jerusalem, that they might bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Zion....And king Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba all her desire, whatsoever she asked, beside that which Solomon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned and went to her own country, she and her servants....And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
2 Kings 16:11
And Urijah the priest built an altar according to all that king Ahaz had sent from Damascus: for Urijah the priest made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.
2 Chronicles 7:2
And the prists could not enter into the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord's house.
Esther 8:8
Write ye also for the Jews, as it liketh you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring; for the writing which is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, may no man reverse.
John 4:1
When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John...
Romans 1:28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.
2 Timothy 1:18
The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day: and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, thou knowest very well.
1 John 4:7-9
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
51. Some particles, such as "all," are frequently used for "some" or "most."
Exodus 9:6,20
And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one....He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses.
Matthew 3:5; 26:52
Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan....Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Luke 11:41; 23:48
But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you....And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned.
John 15:15; 16:13
Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you....Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
1 Corinthians 6:12; 8:1; 11:2; 15:51
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any....Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth....Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you....Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.
Colossians 3:22
Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God.
2 Thessalonians 3:2
And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
Titus 1:12,15
One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies....Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
1 John 2:20
But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
52. The word "some" is frequently used for "all."
Romans 3:3
For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?
53. The word "many" is frequently used for "all."
Daniel 12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Matthew 20:28
Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
54. The active voice in Greek is frequently used for the causative.
Matthew 5:25,45
Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison....That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mark 14:54
And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.
Luke 11:53
And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things.
1 Corinthians 6:4
If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
2 Corinthians 2:14; 9:8
Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place....And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.
55. The present tense is frequently used to express habitual or immediately future action.
Matthew 2:4; 3:10; 17:11; 26:2
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born....And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire....And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things....Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
Luke 12:54
And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and do it is.
John 4:21; 7:42,52; 10:32; 12:26; 13:6,27; 17:11,24; 21:3
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father....Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?...They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet....Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?....If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour....Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?...And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly....And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are...Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world....Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a-fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.
Romans 15:25
But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
1 Corinthians 3:13; 12:31; 15:2,35
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is....But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way....By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain...But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
2 Corinthians 5:1; 13:1
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens....This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
Ephesians 5:5
For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclen person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Colossians 3:6
For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience.
Hebrews 4:3
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.
56. The past tense is frequently used to express the certainty of a future action.
John 13:31; 17:18
Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him....As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
Jude 14
And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh [this appears in the present tense in the KJV, but correctly rendered in the past tense "came" in the RSV] with ten thousands of his saints.
Revelation 10:7
But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.
57. Son or daughter are frequently used for a descendant.
Genesis 29:5; 46:21,22
And he said unto them, Know ye Laban the son of Nahor? And they said, We know him....And the sons of Benhamin were Belah, and Becher, and Ashbel, Gera, and Naaman, Ehi, and Rosh, Muppin, and Huppim, and Ard. These are the sons of Rachel, which were born to Jacob: all the souls were fourteen.
2 Samuel 19:24
And Mephibosheth the son of Saul came down to meet the king, and had neither dressed his feet, nor trimmed his beard, nor washed his clothes, from the day the king departed until the day he came again in peace.
Ecclesiastes 1:1
The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Matthew 1:1
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
Luke 1:5; 3:23; 13:16
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth....And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli....And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?
58. Father and mother are frequently used for an ancestor.
1 Kings 15:10
And forty and one years regned he in Jerusalem, And his mother's name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
Matthew 3:9
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of thse stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
Mark 11:10
Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
Luke 1:32,73
He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David...The oath which he sware to our father Abraham.
John 4:12
Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?
Acts 7:2
And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran.
Romans 4:11
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?
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