Paragraph 23:39–43
23:39a
In Greek, 23:39 begins with a common conjunction that is often translated as “And” or “But.” It introduces what happened after the soldiers mocked Jesus in 23:37. The event in 23:38 is background information that happened before the event in 23:37. In some languages there is a special way to return to a story after giving background information. Do this in a natural way in your language.
In some languages it may be necessary to repeat information from 23:37. For example:
After ⌊the soldiers mocked Jesus⌋
One of the criminals who hung there: This phrase refers to one of the two men on crosses beside Jesus. The word hung describes how the men’s bodies were hanging from the nails in their hands/arms. Other ways to translate this are:
One of the criminals hanging beside him (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
One of the evildoers who was crucified beside him
-or-
One of the criminals on a cross next to him
criminals: The word criminals occurred in 23:32. You may translate it in the same way here.
heaped abuse on Him: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the English idiom heaped abuse on Him is literally “was blaspheming him, saying.” The verb “blaspheming” often refers to speaking against God, but it can also refer to speaking against a person, especially to insulting the person. Other ways to translate this are:
insulted Jesus (God’s Word)
-or-
scoffed (New Living Translation (2004))
The criminal insulted Jesus by saying the words in 23:39b. Some ways to indicate this are:
He insulted him by saying
-or-
He began to shout insults at him. He said
23:39b
“Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he said is literally “saying.” It occurs at the beginning of 23:39b. The Berean Standard Bible has places these words in the middle of what the criminal said to Jesus. This is good English style. However, in some languages, it may be necessary to put these words at the beginning of this clause. For example.
saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
Place this word where it will most naturally introduce speech in your language.
The clause Are You not the Christ? is a rhetorical question. The man on the cross used it to mock Jesus. He did not believe that Jesus was really the Christ. He also used the question to introduce the demand Save Yourself and us. Like the question, the demand was also used to mock Jesus. The criminal did not believe that Jesus could save himself or them.
Some ways to translate this mockery are:
• As a rhetorical question and demand. For example:
So you’re really the Messiah, are you? Well, save yourself and us! (God’s Word)
-or-
Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
You ⌊claim⌋ to be the Christ, don’t you ? Then/So save yourself and us.
• As a statement or introduction and demand. For example:
Since you are the Christ, save yourself and us!
-or-
You say/claim that you are the Christ. Then/So save yourself and us!
• As two rhetorical questions that express scorn and demand. For example:
You are the Christ, aren’t you? So why do you not save yourself and us?
There are many ways to express this mockery. Translate it in a way that is natural in your language.
the Christ: The word Christ was used in 23:35 and 23:2. See how you translated it there.
Save: The word Save is used in the same way here as in 23:35.
Yourself and us: The word Yourself refers to Jesus. The word us refers to the two criminals who were crucified on each side of him. In some languages it may be necessary to refer to the criminals more specifically. For example:
yourself and us ⌊two⌋ ⌊beside you⌋
See save, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.
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