Paragraph 24:25–27
24:25a
Then Jesus said to them: The clause Jesus said to them introduces Jesus’ response to the two men. Jesus responded with a mild rebuke. It is important to understand this response before you translate the introduction to it. Then you will be able to introduce it in an appropriate way in your language. Some ways to introduce the response in English are:
Then Jesus said to them (God’s Word)
-or-
And then Jesus replied
O foolish ones: The Berean Standard Bible literally represents the Greek text (“Oh foolish-(ones/men)!”). This is a mild rebuke. It expresses disappointment in a friendly way. Jesus was disappointed that they did not understand what had happened. Other ways to translate the expression O foolish ones are:
You are such foolish people! (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
Oh, how foolish you are… (New Revised Standard Version)
In some languages it may be natural to use a rhetorical question to express this mild rebuke, especially since 24:26 is a rhetorical question. For example:
Why are you being so foolish?
foolish ones: The word foolish refers to people who refuse to use their minds to understand important truth that they ought to know. They have enough intelligence to understand, but they do not use that intelligence. Some other ways to translate the word foolish in this context are:
How dull you are! (Revised English Bible)
-or-
Why do you refuse to think?
In some languages there may be an idiom or other special expression that fits here. For example:
Oh…you whose thoughts are lacking!
If you use a special expression like this, be sure to check it with other people to see that it communicates the right meaning in this context.
24:25b
how slow are your hearts to believe: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as how slow are your hearts to believe is an idiom. It indicates that a person is reluctant or unwilling to believe. Other ways to translate this reluctance to believe are:
unwilling to believe
-or-
slow/reluctant to believe
In some languages it may be helpful to begin a separate clause at 24:25b. For example:
Why is it so difficult for you to believe?
-or-
You find it so hard to believe… (New Living Translation (2004))
hearts: The word hearts is used in a special way here to refer to the spiritual part of a person. Jewish people spoke of people believing with their hearts. They also spoke of the heart as the part of themselves that they used to understand, love, and make decisions and commitments.
In some languages people use a different part of the body to speak of believing. In other languages it is not necessary to refer to a part of the body. Use an appropriate way in your language to speak of believing.
to believe all that the prophets have spoken: The word believe refers here to accepting that what the prophets said was true. The disciples did not have confidence that what the prophets said would really happen.
The word believe occurred with this meaning also in 22:67. For more information, see believe, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.
all that the prophets have spoken: This phrase refers specifically to what God’s prophets predicted about the Messiah. Those prophets told people many things that would happen to him. Those things were written in the OT Scriptures. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:
everything the prophets said (Good News Translation)
-or-
all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures (New Living Translation (2004))
prophets: The word “prophet” occurred in 24:19, where it referred to Jesus himself. See the note there for more information and translation suggestions. See also prophet in the Glossary.
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