Paragraph 4:33–34
4:33a
In the synagogue: The phrase the synagogue refers to the building in Capernaum where Jews gathered to pray, read Scripture, teach their beliefs, and worship God. For more information, see the note on “synagogues” at 4:15a and synagogue in the Glossary.
This is the first time in this section that Luke has explicitly mentioned this synagogue at Capernaum. So in some languages, it may be necessary to link the synagogue to this story by saying something like:
In the synagogue ⌊at Capernaum⌋
-or-
In that synagogue ⌊where Jesus was teaching⌋
a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon: The phrase a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon indicates that an evil spirit controlled the man’s thoughts and actions. For example:
There was a man…under the influence of some evil spirit (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as possessed is literally the verb “having.” For example:
In the synagogue a man who had within him an evil spirit (New Century Version)
Languages have different ways to refer to possession by evil spirits. Some other ways to translate this are:
a man who had the spirit of an evil demon in him (Good News Translation)
-or-
a man controlled by an evil spirit
-or-
a man on whom an evil spirit had fastened
Use an expression that is natural in your language to refer to an evil spirit controlling a person.
the spirit of an unclean demon: This is the only time that Luke used the long and unusual Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as spirit of an unclean demon. Luke referred to this same being as a “demon” in 4:35b, and the people of Capernaum speak of such beings as “unclean spirits” in 4:36d.
Throughout the rest of the Gospel of Luke, Luke often referred to demons and evil spirits. Because this is the first time he referred to such a being, he gave a more complete description. The terms “demon,” “evil spirit,” and “spirit of an unclean demon” all refer to the same type of being. They are not different types of beings. All these terms refer to a spirit that is evil and can control people’s actions.
Some ways to translate the spirit of an unclean demon are:
• Use a general term in your language that refers to a spirit that is evil and can control people. For example:
a demon
-or-
a devil
• Use a specific term in your language that refers to a certain type of spirit. This spirit should be able to do what is described in this context. Do not use a term that refers to the spirit of a dead person.
• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:
an evil spirit (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
an unclean spirit
Be sure that an expression like “unclean spirit” does not imply that the spirit is physically dirty.
See demon in the Glossary for more information.
unclean: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unclean means that the demon was morally “unclean” in the sense that it was sinful.
If the idea of “evil/impure” is already implicit in your word for demon, you do not have to explicitly translate this term.
4:33b
He cried out in a loud voice: The clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as He cried out in a loud voice is literally “he shouted in a great/large voice.” Some other ways to translate this are:
He shouted very loudly (God’s Word)
-or-
he screamed out in a loud voice (Good News Translation)
-or-
He cried out at the top of his voice (New International Version)
He: The pronoun He refers to the man. But actually, the demon was speaking through the man’s mouth. The demon was causing the man to say what he (the demon) wanted him to say. Use whatever subject is natural in your language to refer to a person speaking under the influence of an evil spirit.
© 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.