3:29a
The teachers of the law had proof that Jesus was doing miracles by the power of God. However, they did not want to believe that he was from God. That is the reason they said that the Holy Spirit’s work was Satan’s work. Jesus referred to this as blaspheming against the Holy Spirit.
But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as But indicates a contrast between 3:28b and 3:29: God can forgive all blasphemies (3:28b). But (in contrast to this), there is an exception (3:29). There is a type of blasphemy that makes a person guilty forever.
whoever: The pronoun whoever refers to any person. It does not just refer to the teachers of the law. Another way to say this is “anyone.”
blasphemes: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as blasphemes is the verb form of the noun “blasphemies” in 3:28b. This word refers to dishonoring or insulting God.
Here are some other ways to translate the word blasphemes:
slanders (Revised English Bible)
-or-
speaks against (New Century Version)
Holy Spirit: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Holy Spirit refers to the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit is God, together with God the Father and God the Son. The Holy Spirit is Spirit in the sense that he is a living being who does not have a physical body. He is Holy in the sense that he is God and unique from every other being. He is perfect in every way and is completely pure and sinless.
Here are some other ways to translate Holy Spirit:
Spirit/Breath of/from God
-or-
Holy/Sacred Spirit
Do not imply that the Holy Spirit is like the ghost of a dead person or that God has died.
See the note in 1:8b.
3:29b–c
3:29b and 3:29c have the same meaning. For suggestions about ways to express 3:29b–c as one statement, see the General Comment on 3:29b–c at the end on the note on 3:29c.
3:29b
will never be forgiven: The words will never be forgiven are similar to the phrase “will be forgiven” in 3:28b. If you need to indicate who will never forgive the blasphemy in 3:29, you should say “God.” For example:
God will never forgive him
See the note on 3:28b for suggestions about how to translate will…be forgiven.
3:29c
he is guilty of eternal sin: The clause he is guilty of eternal sin indicates that the person has committed a sin that God will never forgive. God will forever blame that person for that sin.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
That sin will be held against you forever. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
This is a sin with eternal consequences. (New Living Translation)
General Comment on 3:29b–c
Verse 3:29c uses different words to express the same meaning as 3:29b. In some languages, it will be more natural to translate these two parts of the verse as one statement. For example:
God will blame him forever for that sin.
-or-
God will never forgive him for that sin.
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