6:18a

For: The word For introduces the reason for 6:17a–b, not for 6:17c–d.

17aHerod had John arrested 17band put in prison…18abecause John had been saying to Herod…

Here are some other ways to translate this:

• Repeat part of 6:17a–b here in 6:18a. For example:

Herod had John put in prison because John had been saying to Herod…

• Leave out this connector, because it does not refer to what immediately precedes. Therefore its meaning may not be clear. For example, the God’s Word says:

John had been telling Herod

• If you have a connector that can introduce the reason for something further back in the text, you could use it here.

• Rearrange the parts of 6:17. See the example from the Contemporary English Version in the General Comment on 6:17–18 below.

John had been telling Herod: These words introduce what John said to Herod before Herod arrested John. The form of the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as had been telling indicates that John said these things repeatedly.

6:18b

It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!: The phrase not lawful means “not right according to the law.” Here, the reference is to the law of Moses. This is the law that God gave to Moses for the people of Israel (in Leviticus 18:16, 20:21). In this context, have your brother’s wife means to “be married to your brother’s wife.”

Here are some other ways to translate this part of the verse:

It’s not right for you to be married to your brother’s wife. (God’s Word)
-or-
You are not permitted/allowed to have your older brother’s wife.
-or-
It is contrary to God’s laws/instructions to marry your older brother’s wife.

General Comment on 6:17–18

In some languages it may be natural to change the order of 6:17–18 to follow more closely the chronological order of events. You may want to follow the order of the Contemporary English Version to make the story clearer:

17dHerod had earlier married Herodias, 17cthe wife of his brother Philip. 18aBut John had told him, 18b“It isn’t right for you to take your brother’s wife!” 17cSo, in order to please Herodias, 17aHerod arrested John 17band put him in prison.

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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