Translation commentary on Luke 14:10

Exegesis:

poreutheis anapese eis ton eschaton topon ‘go and lie down on the lowest place,’ or ‘take the lowest place.’ For anapiptō cf. on 11.37. It is equivalent to kataklinomai (v. 8).

hina … erei soi ‘so that … he may say to you,’ indicating the intended result.

phile, prosanabēthi anōteron ‘friend, come up higher,’ i.e. probably ‘approach to where the host is sitting,’ cf. Plummer. prosanabainō.

tote estai soi doxa ‘then you will have honour,’ i.e. ‘you will be honoured,’ contrasts with the last clause of v. 9, tote arxē etc. ‘then you will begin….’ For doxa cf. on 2.9.

enōpion pantōn tōn sunanakeimenōn soi ‘in the presence of all who sit with you.’

Translation:

But, or a stronger adversative, “no” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation, New English Bible), ‘instead’ (cf. Good News Translation and several others).

So that … he may say to you, or non-subordinated, ‘if you do that your host will come (in) and say to you,’ or, ‘then your host will say to you, when he comes (in).’

Go up higher, or, ‘go to (or, go and sit in) a higher place,’ ‘move closer to the highest place,’ the opposite of “the lowest place” in v. 9.

You will be honoured (or, “this will bring you honour”, Good News Translation) in the presence of all, or with some shifts, ‘the eyes of all … will see that you are considered important’ (cf. Tzeltal), ‘you certainly will get a good name among all’ (Uab Meto, similarly Trukese), ‘you will see (i.e. receive/have) honour…’ (one West Nyanja version).

All who sit at table with you, cf. 7.49.

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

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