Paragraph 7:39
7:39a
When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as saw this is literally “seeing.” It refers to seeing what the woman did for Jesus in 7:38.
he said to himself: The phrase he said to himself refers to what the Pharisee thought. He did not speak his thoughts aloud. In many languages it may be more natural to translate this as:
he thought
-or-
he said in his head/mind/heart
7:39b–e
If this man were a prophet, He would know…she is a sinner: The thoughts that the Pharisee had in 7:39b–d imply that before the woman came, he thought that Jesus might be a prophet. However, after Jesus allowed the woman to touch him in 7:38, the Pharisee thought that Jesus could not really be a prophet. The Pharisee thought this because of certain ideas that he had about prophets:
(1) He believed that God would reveal to a prophet what the prophet needed to know. As a prophet, Jesus would know that the woman was immoral.
(2) He believed that a prophet would never let an immoral woman touch him because that would cause him to be ritually “unclean.”
So the Pharisee believed that Jesus must not know anything about this woman. That caused the Pharisee to wrongly conclude that Jesus was not a prophet.
Another way to translate this is:
This man must not be a prophet because a prophet would know about this woman who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. A prophet would know that she is a sinner. ⌊A prophet would never let such a woman touch him, but this man has allowed it.⌋
7:39b
If this man were a prophet: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this man is literally “this (one).” It probably expresses disrespect for Jesus. The whole clause indicates serious doubt that Jesus was a prophet. Here is another way to express this doubt:
If this man really were a prophet (Good News Translation)
prophet: A prophet was a person who spoke on behalf of God. He told people what God revealed to him. God gave some prophets power to work miracles. Some ways to translate this are:
a spokesman for God
-or-
a man who speaks God’s words
-or-
God’s message-speaker
It is good to use a general term that does not focus only on foretelling the future. Although prophets did foretell the future, they also gave people other messages from God. They especially told people to stop sinning and to obey God.
When choosing a term for prophet, consider how you will distinguish prophet from other words which are similar in meaning such as “angel,” “apostle,” and “preacher.”
See also the note on “prophet” at 1:70 and prophet in the Glossary.
7:39c-d
He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching him: The phrase know who this is and what kind of woman is touching him refers to knowing personal information about the woman, such as her name and where she lived. It does not imply that Jesus could not see the woman.
The phrases who this is and what kind of woman is touching him mean the same thing. The Pharisee is using repetition for emphasis. Another way to translate this is:
who this woman is who is touching him (Good News Translation)
what kind of woman is touching Him: The Pharisee assumed that Jesus did not know that this woman had a bad reputation as an immoral person.
touching Him: The phrase touching Him refers specifically to the woman’s actions of kissing Jesus’ feet and anointing them with perfumed oil. Be sure that the expression you use here does not imply any inappropriate action. In some languages you may need to use a more specific expression. For example:
anointing him
7:39e
for she is a sinner: There are two ways to interpret the Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for:
(1) It means that. It introduces something that Jesus would have known if he were a prophet. For example:
that she is a sinner (NET Bible)
(New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, NET Bible, Revised English Bible)
(2) It means for or because. It connects with the implied information that a Rabbi would not let a sinful woman touch him: “⌊And he would not let her touch him⌋ because she is a sinner.” For example:
for she is a sinner (Revised Standard Version)
(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, King James Version; probably God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004))
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).
sinner: The word sinner refers to someone who habitually offends God. The ways a person may offend God include doing and thinking things that God does not approve. A person may also offend God by his attitudes and by not doing what God wants him to do. Some ways to translate sinner are:
person who sins
-or-
someone who does not obey God
-or-
wrongdoer
In this context the Pharisee used the word sinner to imply that the woman had committed sexual sins. You may be able to translate it in a similar way as you translated “sinful” in 7:37. See the note on “a sinful woman from that town” in 7:37a.
General Comment on 7:39c–e
The Pharisee thought that Jesus should have known:
(a) who the woman was;
(b) what kind of woman she was;
(c) that she was a sinner.
These facts are quite similar and there are various ways to combine them. For example:
…he would know who this woman is who is touching him; he would know what kind of sinful life she lives! (Good News Translation)
-or-
…he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner! (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
…he would know that the woman touching him is a sinner! (New Century Version)
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