1:2

just as they were handed down to us by the initial eyewitnesses and servants of the word: The verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates with the passive form were handed down is an active form in Greek. A more literal translation of the clause is:

just as the ones who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered (them) to us

Some ways to translate the clause are:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

just as they were told/delivered to us by those who were originally eyewitness and servants of the word

• Use an active verb. For example:

just as those who were originally eyewitnesses and servants of the word told us

This clause is long and complex. In some languages it may be more natural to translate it with more than one sentence. For example:

Some people were eyewitnesses of these things from the first. They were servants of the word. These people handed down the reports of these things to us.

See the General Comment on 1:2a–c at the end of the notes on 1:2b–c for another way to reorder 1:2a–c and translate it in an active way.

1:2a

just as: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as just as indicates that the others who had undertaken to “compose an account” about Jesus faithfully reported what they heard from the people who were eyewitnesses. They did not invent or change the story. Another way to translate this is:

exactly as

they were handed down to us: The pronoun they here refers to the “things” of 1:1b. These “things” were the events of Jesus’ life and death. Luke and the other believers had heard about these events from other people.

In some languages, it may be necessary to make it clear that it was the information about these events that was handed down. For example:

these accounts/reports were handed down to us

were handed down: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as were handed down means “delivered.” This word often describes the way people tell their children and grandchildren about important things that happened before their children were born. In this context people who saw the events in Jesus’ life told people who were born later about them. That generation also told the believers of the next generation. People told these things orally or wrote them down.

to us: The pronoun us refers here to Luke and the other Christians of his generation. It includes the others who had written accounts of the life and death of Jesus. Concerning whether it includes Theophilus, see the note on “among us” at 1:1b.

1:2b–c

the initial: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the initial is literally “from the beginning.” It refers to the time when the events of Jesus’ life and ministry began. It may refer mainly to the time when he was baptized and began his ministry, but there were also eyewitnesses to his birth.

eyewitnesses and servants of the word: The words eyewitnesses and servants refer to one group of people. Luke described them here in two different ways. The same people who actually saw the events were the ones who served by telling the message about them.

eyewitnesses: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as eyewitnesses refers to people who had personally seen or heard something. Luke and the other writers based their writings on what they learned from people who had seen and heard Jesus themselves.

servants of the word: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servants of the word refers to people who served God by announcing his word (message) to others. In this context, the word refers to the message about Jesus. Another way to translate this is:

the people who…served God by telling people his message (New Century Version)

General Comment on 1:2a–c

In some languages, it may be clearer to combine or reorder parts of 1:2a–c. For example:

2a
⌊They wrote down the events⌋ just as 2bthe people who were eyewitnesses from the beginning ⌊had reported them⌋. 2cThese eyewitnesses were servants of the message ⌊about these events⌋ 2aand handed it down to us.

General Comment on 1:1–2

In some languages, it may be clearer to put some of the parts of 1:1–2 into the order in which the events happened. For example:

2bFrom the beginning ⌊of Jesus’ time on earth,⌋ certain people were eyewitnesses 1bof the things/events ⌊of Jesus’ life and death⌋ that have been fulfilled among us. 2cThey served God by telling people what Jesus did and what he taught 2aand so the knowledge of these things was passed/delivered to us. 1a⌊Later,⌋ many ⌊others⌋ undertook to put these events in order as a story/history and to write it down.

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