18:13a

But: The tax collector’s prayer in this verse contrasts with the Pharisee’s prayer in 18:11–12. The Berean Standard Bible has introduced this contrast with the conjunction But. Some English versions do not have a conjunction. Translate the contrast in a natural way in your language.

the tax collector stood at a distance: The phrase at a distance indicates that the tax collector stood away from the Pharisee and probably also from the other people who were praying. The tax collector was probably in an outer court of the temple, but in a place where the Pharisee could still see him.

In some languages it may be necessary to translate at a distance more specifically. For example:

at a distance ⌊from other people⌋
-or-
far ⌊from the Pharisee⌋

The tax collector was standing far from other people because he knew that he was a sinner. He felt unworthy to come nearer to them. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

The tax collector stood ⌊humbly⌋ apart ⌊from other people⌋

18:13b

unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven is a common expression that often simply means “looked” (as in 16:23). In this context, it refers to looking upward toward the sky. Jews often looked toward the sky when they prayed to God. In that context the sky was a symbol of God’s dwelling place.

The tax collector did not want to look up, because he was ashamed. He knew that he had sinned against God and he did not feel worthy even to look up toward him. Some other ways to translate this are:

and would not even raise his face to heaven (Good News Translation)
-or-
and did not feel worthy to even look toward heaven
-or-
he thought, “I am unworthy to look up to heaven/God.”

In some languages it may be more natural to translate the meaning by saying that he looked down. For example:

he kept his head down/bowed

lift up his eyes to heaven: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heaven here refers to the sky as a symbol of God’s dwelling place.

Since the tax collector would not look upward, you could translate the word heaven here with the usual word for sky. See heaven in the Glossary.

18:13c

Instead: The word Instead indicates a contrast with the action “lift up his eyes to heaven” in 18:13b. The tax collector did not have the confidence to look up to heaven. Instead, he showed his distress over his sin. The Berean Standard Bible, like the New Living Translation (2004) and God’s Word, introduces the contrast with Instead. The New International Version and several other translations say “but.” In some languages no conjunction is needed.

he beat his breast: In that culture people beat their chests with their fists either in anger or distress. Here the tax collector was greatly distressed because he had sinned. He felt sorry and ashamed. In some cultures, beating the chest does not have this meaning. If that is true in your culture, some other ways to translate it are:

• Translate the action and indicate the meaning. For example:

he felt so sorry that he hit his chest
-or-
he beat his chest in sorrow (New Living Translation (2004))

• Substitute an action that has the right meaning in your culture. For example:

he bowed his head

• Translate the meaning without the action. For example:

feeling very sorry/ashamed
-or-
he showed his sorrow

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

and said: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and said is literally “saying.” It indicates that the tax collector prayed the words in 18:13d as he beat his breast.

In some languages it may be more natural to use a verb such as “prayed” rather than said. For example:

and prayed (Contemporary English Version)

18:13d

God, have mercy on me, a sinner: In this prayer the tax collector confessed that he was a sinner. He begged God to pity him. The context implies that he was asking God to show compassion to him by forgiving him. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

God, I am a sinner. I beg you to be merciful ⌊and forgive⌋ me.

me, a sinner: A sinner is someone who habitually offends God. The ways a person may offend God include doing and thinking things that God does not approve. A person may also offend God by his attitudes and by not doing what God wants him to do. Some ways to translate sinner in this context are:

⌊I am⌋ a person who sins
-or-

⌊I am⌋ a person who does not obey you
-or-

⌊I am⌋ a wrongdoer

General Comment on 18:13d

At the end of this verse, the tax collector ended his prayer. In some languages it may be natural to indicate this explicitly. For example:

‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ ⌊That is what he prayed.⌋

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.