10:19a

Behold: Luke used the word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Behold to call attention to the next statement and to emphasize its importance. The word may also imply that the next statement is surprising. Other ways to translate this particle are:

Listen! (Good News Translation)
-or-
Look (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
In fact

I have given you authority: Before they left on their trip, Jesus gave his disciples authority to represent him. This authority made them able to do things that they could not do by themselves. Other ways to say this are:

I have given you…power (New Century Version)
-or-
I have authorized/enabled you

The form of the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I have given indicates that Jesus had given the disciples authority. He had given them this authority when they left on their trip, and they continued to have that authority. Use a natural way in your language to express this.

to tread on snakes and scorpions: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as tread on is literally “walk/step on.” Jesus probably used the phrase to tread on snakes and scorpions in a figurative way to refer to the disciples defeating demons and other evil things without being hurt.

Jesus used the phrase snakes and scorpions as a metaphor. He was probably comparing the snakes and scorpions to demons such as the ones the disciples mentioned in 10:17. Demons are like snakes and scorpions because they are dangerous and they harm people.

In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit some of the implied information in this metaphor. For example:

I give you authority to defeat ⌊the power of evil spirits that are harmful/dangerous like⌋ snakes and scorpions.

Be sure to look at 10:19b before you translate 10:19a. It may help to clarify the metaphor that Jesus used here. See also the General Comment on 10:19a–b below for a suggestion about reversing the order of these two parts of the verse.

snakes: The word that you use for snakes here should refer to (or include) poisonous snakes that can hurt and even kill people. In the Bible a snake is often used to symbolize Satan (Genesis 3:1–5 and Revelation 12:9).

scorpions: The term scorpions describes small creatures that range from 1.3 to 20 centimeters long (½ inch to 8 inches long). Scorpions have eight legs and a poisonous stinger in their tails. When they sting someone, the sting causes serious pain. If people are not familiar with scorpions in your area, you may:

• Use a general descriptive phrase. For example:

dangerous stinging things

• Use something in your culture that is similar to scorpions and that harms people. For example:

centipedes

You may want to include a picture of a scorpion in your translation.

10:19b

and: This part of the verse explains the meaning of the metaphor in the previous verse part. The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and introduces a further explanation of what Jesus had given the disciples authority to do. Other ways to translate this conjunction are:

In fact
-or-
In other words

and over all the power of the enemy: Before they left on their trip, Jesus gave his disciples authority that was greater than the authority of their enemy (Satan). The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as over expresses the relationship between their authority and the power of the enemy. Other ways to express this relationship are:

I have given you…power that is greater than the enemy has (New Century Version)
-or-
I have authorized/enabled you…to defeat all the power of the enemy

the enemy: In this context the phrase the enemy refers to Satan, who was mentioned in 10:18. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

your enemy Satan (Contemporary English Version)

If you decide not to make this explicit in the text, you may want to include a footnote with this information. For example:

The enemy is a reference to Satan (mentioned in v. 18). (NET Bible)

Satan is called the enemy because he opposes God and Jesus and his followers. He hates them and works against them. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate whom Satan opposes. If that is true in your language, you may be able to supply “God” or a form such as “your” or “our.” For example:

God’s enemy
-or-
our(incl) enemy Satan

Nothing will harm you: The Greek text that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Nothing will harm you is emphatic. The phrase is more literally “nothing will by any means hurt you.” Another way to convey this emphasis in English is to say:

nothing at all will harm you
-or-

absolutely nothing will harm you

Use a natural way in your language to give the same emphasis.

General Comment on 10:19a–b

In some languages it may be more natural to make a general statement before a more specific statement. If that is true in your language, you may reorder parts of 10:19a and 10:19b so that the more general “all the power of the enemy” precedes the more specific “snakes and scorpions.” For example:

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Listen! I have enabled you to defeat all the power of the enemy, including ⌊the demons that are like⌋ snakes and scorpions.

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