9:8a
his neighbors: This phrase refers to the people who lived near the man Jesus had healed. In some languages you may need to indicate whose neighbors they are.
those who had formerly seen him begging: This phrase refers to people who were not his neighbors who had seen the man begging in the past. They may have seen the man begging many times, over many years. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
others who used to see him beg
began to ask: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as began to ask is more literally “were saying.” Probably several people asked this question. Here is another way to translate this verb:
asked (New International Version)
-or-
asked each other (New Living Translation (2004))
9:8b
Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?: The form of this question implies that the answer is that this was the man who often sat and begged. The question was asked because there was some doubt. It also expresses surprise that this might be the same man. Translate this in a natural way in your language to ask a question with an attitude of surprise. For example:
Does this not look like the man who used to sit and beg?
-or-
Could this be the same man we saw sitting here begging?
used to sit and beg: This phrase refers to what the man did before as a habit. Before he was healed, he often sat and begged. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
was always sitting there begging
-or-
sits and begs
General Comment on 9:8b
In some languages it may be natural to translate this question as an indirect quotation. For example:
wondered if he really could be the same man (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
were asking each other whether he was the one who sat and begged before
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