Paragraph 7:29–30
7:29–30
There are two views about who was speaking in these verses:
(1) Jesus continued to speak.
(God’s Word, UBS Handbook)
(2) Luke inserted his own comments here.
(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), New Century Version, Contemporary English Version)
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), as the God’s Word and the UBS Handbook Translator’s Handbook do. Although other English versions follow interpretation (2), French versions and many commentaries follow interpretation (1). This interpretation fits the context and the similar passage in Matthew 21:29.
The Notes and Display for these verses are based on the God’s Word.
7:29a
(God’s Word) All the people: (God’s Word) All the people here refers to the majority of the ordinary people, who had accepted John’s preaching. Jesus used the word All to emphasize that most of the common people agreed with him, but the majority of the Jewish leaders did not.
(God’s Word) including tax collectors: The phrase including tax collectors indicates that tax collectors were part of “all the people.” Jesus mentioned them specifically in order to emphasize them. In English, this kind of emphasis can be indicated by the words “even” or “especially.” For example:
even the tax collectors (New International Version)
-or-
and especially the tax collectors (Good News Translation)
(God’s Word) tax collectors: The phrase tax collectors refers to people who received taxes from their own people to give to the government that ruled them. If you do not have a word in your language for tax collectors, you may need to use a descriptive phrase. For example:
people who collected taxes for the government
-or-
people who took money from people to pay something to a conqueror
-or-
gatherers of something paid to a conqueror
You may want to include a footnote to explain the meaning of this word. You may also want to explain it in a glossary. For example:
The people despised the tax collectors because they worked for a government that they hated. Tax collectors were also despised because they often cheated the people by overcharging them.
See the notes at 5:27b and 3:12a.
(God’s Word) heard John: The Greek word that the God’s Word translates as heard John is literally “hearing.” What the people heard is not identified. The Notes take the view that they heard what John had preached to the people. He told them to repent from their sins and be baptized. In some languages you may need to translate this with a phrase such as:
what John said/preached
7:29b
(God’s Word) They admitted that God was right: The Greek clause that the God’s Word translates as They admitted that God was right is more literally “they justified God.” It indicates that the people said that God was just and that what he said and did was right. In this context it implies that God was right to say that the people were sinners. He was also right to say that they needed to repent and prepare themselves for the Christ/Messiah. God said these things by sending John as his messenger to say them to the people.
In some languages it may be more natural to use direct speech here. For example:
All the people…said, “God is right/just.”
7:29c
(God’s Word) by letting John baptize them: The Greek phrase that the God’s Word translates as by letting John baptize them is literally “having been baptized (with) the baptism of John.” Languages have different ways to express the connection between this phrase and the fact that the people admitted that God’s way was right:
• Express it as an additional thing that the people did, that is, they admitted God was right and they let John baptize them. For example:
The people admitted that God was right and they let John baptize them.
-or-
The people declared that God was just when they were baptized by John.
• Express it as the means by which the people showed that they agreed that God was just. For example:
The people agreed that God was just by accepting baptism from John.
• Express it as the result of agreeing that God was just. For example:
The people agreed that God was just, so they were baptized by John.
• Express this connection in a natural way in your language.
General Comment on 7:29a–c
In some languages it may be necessary to include some implied information to make clear the meaning of 7:29a–c. For example:
When the people, even the tax collectors, listened to what John said, they confessed that God was right ⌊to say that they needed to repent⌋, and so they were baptized by John.
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