SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:31

1:31a

Behold: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Behold literally means “look” or “see.” It focuses attention on what follows and indicates that this is important or amazing. Here Gabriel used it to introduce his amazing message to Mary that she would give birth to Jesus.

Some ways to translate the word in this context are:

look/listen
-or-
take note of this
-or-
pay attention to this

The same Greek word occurred at 1:20a (where the Berean Standard Bible translated it as “now”).

you will conceive: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you will conceive is literally “you will conceive in your womb/belly.” It means, “You will become pregnant.” In some languages you may have an idiom to express this. The text implies that Mary would become pregnant very soon, before she married Joseph. Some ways to translate this in English are:

You will be with child (New International Version)
-or-
You will become pregnant (NET Bible)

give birth to a son: Two other ways to say this are:

have a baby boy
-or-
bear a male child

1:31b

you are to give Him the name Jesus: The Greek verb in the clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you are to give Him the name Jesus is literally “you will call his name Jesus.” In this context it functions as a command. It implies that Mary should or must give him the name Jesus. See the similar expression at 1:13d.

© 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.

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