2:17a
they spread: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as spread is literally “made known.” The shepherds “made known” or “told” others what the angel had told them about the baby.
The Greek text does not say to whom the shepherds told this. There are two points of view:
(1) They told it to everyone whom they saw. For example:
the shepherds told everyone (New Living Translation (2004))
(New Living Translation (2004), New International Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, King James Version)
(2) They told it to Mary and Joseph. For example:
they told his parents (Contemporary English Version)
(Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation)
Most English versions do not specifically say to whom the shepherds told this.
It may be more natural in your language to make explicit to whom the shepherds told the news. If that is true in your language, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Interpretation (1) seems to fit the context better, because 2:18 says that “all who heard it were amazed.”
2:17b
the message: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the message is literally “the word/saying.” It refers to the angel’s statement that the child was the “Savior, Christ the Lord” (2:11).
they had received about Him: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they had received about Him is passive, literally “that had been told to them about this child.” It does not indicate who told the shepherds about the child. The context indicates that the angel told them (2:9–12).
If it is more natural in your language to say who told the shepherds about this child, you can say:
what the angel had told them about this child
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