14:3a
So Jesus asked the experts in the law and the Pharisees: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Jesus asked the experts in the law and the Pharisees is more literally “And Jesus answering spoke to the Pharisees and experts in the law saying.” The Pharisees and experts in the law had not said anything out loud, but Jesus responded to what they were thinking and to the problem of the sick man. Other ways to translate this clause are:
Jesus reacted by asking the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings (God’s Word)
-or-
So Jesus asked the experts in religious law and the Pharisees (NET Bible)
experts in the law: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as experts in the law refers to men who studied, interpreted, and taught the Jewish law. This included the laws that God gave to Moses, as well as the “oral law” that the Jewish religious leaders had added over time.
This word is sometimes translated as “lawyer.” Some English versions, such as the Revised Standard Version, translate it that way. But the function of a lawyer today is quite different from the function of an “expert in the law” in Jesus’ time.
Since the main function of experts in the law was to teach the laws of Moses, this function should be in focus in your translation of this term. Some ways to translate this term are:
teachers of the Law of Moses
-or-
teachers of religious law
-or-
experts on the law
This same word occurs in 10:25a. See expert in the law in the Glossary.
14:3b
Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?: The question Is it lawful to heal…? is more literally “Is it permitted to heal?” It implies the meaning, “Does the Law of Moses allow someone to heal a sick person…?” For example:
Does our Law allow healing on the Sabbath…? (Good News Translation)
In this question Jesus was not asking for information, but he did expect a response. He was challenging the Pharisees and the experts in the law to say publicly what they believed about healing on the Sabbath. Jesus clearly believed that it was right to heal people on the rest day. However, many Jewish leaders thought that it was wrong to heal someone on the rest day unless his life was in danger.
Here are some ways that you can translate this challenge.
• As a question:
Does our law permit ⌊someone⌋ to heal ⌊another person⌋ on the Sabbath or does it not?
-or-
In your opinion, is it right or wrong to heal someone on the rest day?
• As a statement or request:
I would like you to tell me your thoughts/opinion about whether it is right or wrong to heal a sick person on the rest day.
-or-
Tell me whether you think it is right to heal a sick person on the rest day.
or not?: The phrase or not is an ellipsis. It implies “…or is it not lawful,” “…or is it against the law.” For example:
Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or is it not lawful to heal on the Sabbath?
In some languages the question “is it not lawful” may already be implied by the positive part of the question “Is it lawful….” If that is true in your language, it may be natural to leave the negative part of the question implied. For example:
Is it lawful to heal someone on the Sabbath?
In other languages it may be more natural to express only the negative part of the question and leave the positive part implied. For example:
Is it against the law to heal someone on the Sabbath?
Translate in a natural way in your language.
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