17:37a–b
“Where, Lord?” they asked. Jesus answered, “Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather.”: There are different ways to interpret the question and answer in this verse. Two of the most common interpretations are:
(1) The disciples were asking where the people in 17:34–35 would be left to be punished. Jesus’ answer implies that punishment will come wherever wicked people are, just as vultures come to a dead body.
(2) The disciples were asking where the Son of Man would return. Jesus’ answer implies that the place of his return would be obvious, just as vultures show the presence of a dead body.
Most English versions translate the proverb without making the meaning explicit. It is recommended that you also translate so that more than one interpretation can be understood. For example:
The followers asked Jesus, “Where will this be, Lord?” Jesus answered, “Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.” (New Century Version)
-or-
Then Jesus’ disciples spoke up, “But where will this happen, Lord?” Jesus said, “Where there is a corpse, there will always be buzzards.” (Contemporary English Version)
In some languages this proverb may communicate a wrong meaning. If that is true in your language and you need to add implied information, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The description of vultures coming to a dead body fits better with punishment of wicked people than as a description of Jesus returning. However, both interpretations are true. Jesus will return in an obvious way, and the wicked will certainly be judged at that time.
If you add implied information, you should give only enough information to avoid a wrong meaning. For example:
They asked, “Lord, where will this happen?” Jesus answered them, “Just as vultures come to a dead body, ⌊judgment will come to wicked people⌋.”
17:37a
“Where, Lord?” they asked: The Berean Standard Bible has placed the phrase they asked after the quotation. The Greek text places it before the quotation, and most English versions do as well. For example:
And they said to him, “Where, Lord?” (Revised Standard Version)
Place it where it is natural in your language.
Lord: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord was used in 17:5 to refer to Jesus. Here the apostles addressed him directly as Lord to show respect. See the note on 17:5. The first time Jesus was addressed as Lord in Luke was in 5:8. See how you translated this term of address there.
17:37b
carcass: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as carcass refers here to the corpse or carcass of a person or animal. For example:
Where the carcass is, there will the vultures gather. (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Vultures will gather where there is something dead.
vultures: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as vultures can refer to either vultures (sometimes called buzzards) or eagles. But vultures fits this context better than ‘eagles.’ A vulture is a large bird that eats the bodies of animals that have died and are decaying. Vultures often fly in groups. In your translation, use the name of a bird that feeds on dead things.
will gather: the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will gather refers to the vultures coming and gathering around the dead body on the ground. They will gather to eat the body.
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