4:51a

And while he was still on the way: The official had not reached home yet. He was still traveling home, toward Capernaum, which was near Lake Galilee. He went back alone because he believed that his boy was well. Here are other ways to translate this clause:

along the road (Contemporary English Version)

4:51b

his servants met him: The official’s slaves had already left his house to meet him, and they met him while he was still traveling. The word servants refers to people who were owned by another person. They worked for their owner/master without receiving wages. They had few or no rights of their own.

In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, the word for slave may imply different customs than in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, here are some ways to translate this word:

people who belonged to someone else
-or-
owned people
-or-
workers

with the news that his boy was alive: There is a textual issue in this verse.

(1) Some Greek manuscripts have an indirect quotation and say “his boy.” For example:

with the news that his child was going to live (Revised English Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, English Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New International Version, Revised Standard Version, God’s Word, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible)

(2) Other Greek manuscripts have a direct quotation and say “your boy.” For example:

and told him, “Your son is better!” (Contemporary English Version)

(King James Version, Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, New Century Version)

The UBS Handbook Greek text has selected reading (1) with the indirect quote, with a B rating. Their thinking is that the original text used an indirect quotation. However, there is no meaning difference between the two forms. Therefore it is recommended that you translate this quotation in the way that is most natural in your language.

his boy was alive: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as his boy was alive means that the boy was much better and would not die. For example:

his child was going to live (Revised English Bible)
-or-
“Your son is better!” (Contemporary English Version)

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