18:17a
the servant girl watching the door said to Peter: What follows this quote introducer is a question. So it may be natural to indicate that more clearly. For example:
The servant girl at the gate asked Peter
the servant girl: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates the servant girl is more literally “the female-servant the gatekeeper.” It refers to the woman or girl guarding the gate, the one mentioned in 18:16c. It adds to the information in 18:16c that this person was a servant or slave. Indicate this in a way that is natural in your language. For example:
The servant who was guarding the gate
-or-
The servant girl at the door (English Standard Version)
Another way to say that the woman at the gate was a servant is to add that information in 18:16c. Then you can just refer to the woman or girl here. For example:
16c spoke to the ⌊servant⌋ girl who was guarding the gate, and brought Peter in. 17a The girl said to Peter…
Aren’t you also one of this man’s disciples?: There are three ways to interpret this question:
(1) The question expects a “No” answer, meaning that she did not expect that Peter was a disciple. For example:
You’re not one of this man’s disciples too, are you? (NET Bible)
(NET Bible, English Standard Version, New International Version, New Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, New Living Translation (2004))
(2) The question expects a “Yes” answer, meaning that she did expect that Peter was a disciple: For example:
Aren’t you one of this man’s disciples too? (God’s Word)
(Berean Standard Bible, Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, King James Version, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, God’s Word)
(3) The question is asking for information and does not expect a particular answer. For example:
Are you another of this man’s disciples? (Revised English Bible)
(Revised English Bible)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Usually the way that the question is asked in Greek expects a negative answer.
you: This pronoun is singular and refers to Peter.
also: This word here means “as well as that other man.” The female servant knew that the other disciple was one of Jesus’ disciples, but she did not know about Peter.
this man’s disciples: This phrase refers to Jesus’ disciples. See how you translated the word “disciple” in 18:15. Here are other ways to translate this phrase:
the disciples of that man (Good News Translation)
-or-
that man’s followers (New Century Version)
-or-
one of the disciples of that man Jesus (TH)
18:17b
I am not: This clause here is short for “No, I am not one of Jesus’ disciples.” Translate this in a way that is natural in your language for a strong negative answer. For example:
No, I am not! (Contemporary English Version)
he answered: In some languages it is natural to tell to whom Peter was talking. For example:
He answered ⌊her⌋
-or-
Peter said ⌊to the girl/maid⌋
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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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