Paragraph 7:6–8

7:6a

So: The word So introduces what happened as a result of what the messengers said in 7:4–5. Connect these verses in a way that is natural in your language.

Jesus went with them: Jesus went with the Jewish elders toward the officer’s house where the sick man was. The house is mentioned in 7:6b. In some languages it may be necessary to mention it here:

Jesus went with them ⌊to the officer’s house⌋

Jesus did not actually reach the house. So it may be necessary to say something like:

Jesus went with them ⌊toward the centurion’s house⌋
-or-
Now Jesus started on His way with them (New American Standard Bible)

7:6b

He was not far from the house: If you mentioned the house in 7:6a, it may be natural to leave it implicit here. For example:

He was not far away
-or-
He did not have far to go
-or-
He had nearly gotten there

7:6c

the centurion sent friends with the message: The officer asked friends to go to Jesus and give him a message. In 7:4–5 the elders used indirect speech for the officer’s words, but here the friends quoted the words that the officer himself spoke. In some languages it may be helpful or natural to make this clear. For example:

…when the officer sent some friends to meet him. They gave Jesus this message from the centurion: “Lord…”
-or-
…when the officer sent some friends to speak to Jesus for him. They reported to Jesus that the officer says/said: “Lord…”

7:6d–8e

In this speech the officer’s friends reported what the officer said as if the officer himself were speaking. If this would not be natural in your language, see the General Comment on 7:6d–8e at the end of the notes on 7:8e.

7:6d

Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord means “master” or “one who has authority over others.” People used this word as a polite title when they spoke to an elder or someone in authority. The Jews also used this same title to refer to God. The officer may have used it in a similar way to address Jesus as a person who had authority from God. Use a term in your language that could also be used in this way.

Other ways to translate this are:

Master
-or-
Chief
-or-
Owner
-or-
Sovereign

In some languages it may be necessary to add a word like “my” before such a term of address. For example:

⌊my⌋ Chief/Sovereign

See Lord, Context 3, in the Glossary.

do not trouble Yourself: This phrase is in the form of a command, but it is really a polite way to say, “I do not want to trouble/bother you.” The officer was saying that he did not want Jesus to come all the way to his house because that was not necessary. You may have an idiomatic way to say this, but be sure that it is polite. The officer had already caused Jesus to make efforts to help him, and in some languages you may need to make that explicit. For example:

do not trouble Yourself further (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
do not let me disturb you any longer
-or-
I do not want to cause you any more effort ⌊than necessary⌋

Here the officer meant that it was not necessary for Jesus to come to his home, but he still wanted Jesus to heal his slave. One way to make this clear is to mention the officer’s house here rather than in 7:6e. For example:

don’t trouble yourself by coming to my home (New Living Translation (1996))

7:6e

for: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for introduces the reason why the officer did not want Jesus to go all the way to his house.

I am not worthy to have You come under my roof: Here the officer was saying that he was not worthy to receive Jesus as a guest in his house. He may have said this because he was a Gentile or because he considered Jesus to be much greater than he was himself.

come under my roof: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as come under my roof is an idiom that means “enter my house.” Use a natural way in your language to refer to someone coming to a person’s house as a guest.

General Comment on 7:6d–e

In some languages it may be natural to reverse the order of 7:6d and 7:6e. For example:

Lord, 6eI am not worthy for you to enter my house. 6dSo please do not trouble yourself ⌊to come any further⌋.

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