10:15a
In this verse Jesus addressed the people of the town of Capernaum. These people were not actually present.
And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No: This is a rhetorical question. It probably expresses in question form what the people of Capernaum believed about themselves: that they would be lifted up to heaven. Jesus used the question ironically to imply that they certainly would not be lifted up heaven. His words also imply a rebuke to the people of Capernaum.
In the Greek text there is no explicit answer, No. The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the answer that is implied by the rhetorical question.
Some ways to translate this question are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
As for you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? (Revised English Bible)
-or-
And you, Capernaum, do you really think you will be raised to a position of great honor in heaven?
• As a statement. For example:
And you, Capernaum, are certainly not going to be exalted to heaven.
-or-
And you, Capernaum, should not think that you will be honored in heaven ⌊more than other people⌋.
Translate this in a way that is natural in your language.
And you, Capernaum: The phrase And you, Capernaum emphasizes that Jesus had finished talking about Chorazin and Bethsaida at the end of 10:14. Here in 10:15 he was beginning to talk about Capernaum. Consider how to show this change in subject. For example:
And as for you, Capernaum! (Good News Translation)
Capernaum: Jesus often stayed in the town of Capernaum during his Galilean ministry. Although he did many miracles in this town, most of the people there still did not believe in him. In some languages it may not be natural to speak to a town as though it were a person. In those languages you may need to translate this as:
⌊people of⌋ Capernaum
will you be lifted up to heaven?: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will…be lifted up is passive. Some ways to translate this clause are:
• As a passive clause. For example:
Do you think that you will be given great honor in heaven?
• As an active clause. If you need to make the subject explicit, the implied subject is God. For example:
…will you receive great honor in heaven?
-or-
…will ⌊God⌋ lift you up to the highest place in heaven?
Translate this in the way that is most natural in your language.
lifted up to heaven: The phrase lifted up to heaven probably refers to receiving great honor in heaven, where God dwells. For example:
honored in heaven (Contemporary English Version)
This phrase may imply that the people in Capernaum thought that they would receive more honor in heaven than any other people.
10:15b
you will be brought down to Hades!: There is a textual issue here:
(1) Most Greek manuscripts have a verb that means “you will be brought/thrown down.” This verb implies the use of force. For example:
you will be brought down to Hades (Revised English Bible)
(Berean Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, English Standard Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version, New Living Translation (1996), NET Bible)
(2) Other Greek manuscripts have a verb that means “you will go down.” For example:
you will go down to the place of the dead (New Living Translation (2004))
(New International Version, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow option (1), which corresponds to the passive clause used in 10:15a. You may want to put the other option in a footnote.
This clause is a direct contrast with 10:15a. Instead of being honored, the people of Capernaum will be brought down to a place of humiliation and punishment. Other ways to translate this are:
You will be thrown down to hell! (Good News Translation)
-or-
You will be brought down to Hades/hell, ⌊where you will be punished⌋.
The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you will be brought down to Hades is passive. The implied subject is God. In some languages it may be more natural to make this explicit. For example:
⌊God⌋ will cause you to go down to Hades
to Hades: The word Hades means “the place of the dead.” In this context it is the opposite of heaven, the place of honor, so it probably refers to hell. It implies a place of humiliation and punishment.
In Greek, the phrase to Hades is in a position of emphasis. One way to translate this emphasis is:
Hades is the place to which you will be thrown down.
In some languages the way to emphasize a phrase is to place it last in the sentence. Consider if there is a natural way in your language to emphasize Hades in contrast to “heaven/skies” in 10:15a.
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