1:44a
For The Greek text connects 1:44a to 1:43b with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For. This conjunction indicates that Elizabeth’s next statement supports what she had just said. Another way to translate this is:
Indeed (Translator’s Reference Translation)
Most English versions do not translate this connection.
In the Greek text, Elizabeth began her next statement with a word that emphasized what she was about to say. It is the same word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “now” in 1:20, as “Behold” in 1:31, and as “Look” in 1:36. The Berean Standard Bible does not translate the word here, and some other English versions also do not explicitly translate the word. Some ways to translate this emphasis in English are:
something amazing happened (Translator’s Reference Translation)
-or-
Look (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
I tell you… (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Listen to this!
Translate this emphasis in a natural way in your language.
as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears: The clause as soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears is a poetic way of saying “when I heard you greeting ⌊me⌋.” The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as as soon as can also be translated as “when” or “as.” The baby leaped for joy at the same time that Mary greeted Elizabeth. Another way to translate this is:
When I heard your greeting (New Living Translation (2004))
1:44b
the baby in my womb leaped for joy: This part of the verse uses language that is similar to 1:41a. Here Elizabeth added the reason why the baby leaped. Elizabeth implied that the baby was happy because the mother of the Lord had come.
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