Paragraph 19:27–30
19:27a
“Look,” Peter replied: In Greek, the phrase Peter replied is more literally “Then answering, Peter said to him” and occurs at the beginning of the verse. Peter did not answer a question. He responded to the whole situation concerning the rich young man.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
Then Peter said to him (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Then Peter said (Revised English Bible)
Look: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as Look is “Behold” in many English versions. This word draws attention to what Peter wanted to say.
Here is another way to translate this word:
See (English Standard Version)
Some English versions are like the New International Version and do not translate this word. In some languages, it may not be necessary to translate this word either.
we have left everything: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as have left means “have left behind” or “have abandoned.” Peter did not just mean that they had moved away from their things. They had let go of them.
Here is another way to translate this clause:
we’ve given up everything (New Living Translation (2004))
we: In Greek, the pronoun we is emphasized. Peter seemed to want to contrast himself and the other disciples with the rich young man who did not want to sell his possessions. If possible, emphasize this pronoun in your translation. For example:
as for us, we have left everything
-or-
What about us? We have left everything (Revised English Bible)
everything: This is the same word as the word translated as “all things” in 19:26c. It is very general and implies that the disciples no longer possessed anything. Peter probably exaggerated a bit by saying that they had abandoned everything.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
everything ⌊we owned⌋
-or-
all ⌊that we owned⌋
to follow You: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as follow is the same word as in 19:21d. Here Peter used this word in a figurative sense. He meant not only that they walked around with Jesus. He meant that they became his disciples.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
to be your followers (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
to follow you and be your disciples
19:27b
What then will there be for us: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as will there be for us refers to what the disciples can expect to gain from abandoning everything they had.
Here are some other ways to translate this clause:
What will we get? (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
So what will we get out of it?
-or-
So what will be our reward?
then: This is the same word as in 19:25b. It introduces a conclusion based on what Peter just said. Here it is not a time word.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
In that case
-or-
So
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