7:8a–b
For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For here introduces the reason why the officer was confident that Jesus could heal his servant by just speaking a command. Some ways to translate this connection are:
I know this because I… (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I know that you can do this because I myself…
I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a man under authority is literally “a man placed under authority.” As a centurion in the Roman army, the officer had to obey the superior officers who had been given authority over him. He also had been given authority over soldiers, and they had to obey him. So he believed that Jesus had been given authority by God to command something to happen and make it happen. Some other ways to translate this are:
I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I know because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. (New Living Translation (1996))
I myself: The word myself indicates that the officer realized that he and Jesus were alike because that they both had authority. This likeness to Jesus is connected to all of 7:8a–e, not just to being under authority in 7:8a. The officer especially focused on the fact that when he and Jesus commanded that something be done, the commands were obeyed. Here are other ways to translate I myself in this context:
For I too ⌊understand authority⌋. I am a man under authority with soldiers under me.
-or-
For I, like you, ⌊have authority⌋. I am a man under authority with soldiers under me.
under authority: In English people often use the words “over” and under to describe roles in a relationship that involves authority. These words indicate who has the right to command and who must obey. Other languages may use different words to describe this relationship such as “in front” and “behind.” Translate this in a way that is natural in your language.
General Comment on 7:8a–b
In some languages it may be good style to show the link between 7:8a and 7:8b by using similar words or phrases. For example:
I too am a man under authority and I have soldiers who are under my authority.
-or-
I obey ⌊my superior officers⌋ and I have soldiers who obey me.
7:8c
I tell one to go, and he goes: The officer knew what it was like simply to command a soldier to do something and to know that he would do it. While most other English versions translate this command as direct speech, as it is in the Greek text, in some languages it may be more natural to translate it using indirect speech, as the Berean Standard Bible does.
In some languages it may be necessary to say where the soldier must go. For example:
I tell one of them to go ⌊somewhere⌋, and he goes ⌊there⌋.
one…he: The officer used the words one and he to refer to any of his soldiers. Other ways to express the idea in this context are:
I only need to say, “Go,” and they go… (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I can say to one of them, “Go,” and he goes. (Contemporary English Version)
Use a natural way to give a general example like this in your language.
7:8d
and another to come, and he comes: In some languages it may be natural to use indirect speech for the quoted command, as the Berean Standard Bible does. It may also be helpful to repeat the phrase “I tell”:
and I tell another one to come, and he comes
General Comment on 7:8c–d
In some languages it may be natural to combine 7:8c and 7:8d:
I tell one of them to go and one of them to come, and they both obey me.
7:8e
I tell my servant to do something, and he does it: This part of the verse gives another general example of the officer’s authority. The word servant here refers to any servant to officer had. It does not refer specifically to the servant who was sick and dying. It also does not refer to a soldier such as those mentioned in 7:8b–d. The officer had the authority to command both his servants and soldiers.
my servant: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servant is the same one that was used in 7:2a. See the note on servant at 7:2a.
to do something: The words to do something do not refer to any specific action. The officer could command his servant to any of the things that servants normally do. If you translated the command as indirect speech in 7:8c–d, you may wish to do so again here. For example:
I tell my servant to do ⌊something for me⌋, and he does it.
General Comment on 7:6d–8e
In this speech, the officer’s friend was telling Jesus the message that the officer had told him to say. The friend reported what the officer said as if it were the officer himself who was speaking. He used pronouns like “I,” “me,” and “my.” Consider how someone gives a message from another person in your language. In some languages it may be more natural to refer to the officer in a different way. For example:
6d
The officer asks you not to trouble yourself further. 6eHe says that he does not deserve for you to enter his house.
General Comment on 7:7b–8e
The officer’s message gave the reason he believed that Jesus was able to heal his slave from a distance by commanding it to happen. This reason includes some implied information. The officer’s logic was:
(a) I believe that you can heal my slave just by giving the command (7:7b).
(b) I believe this because I understand authority. I am under the authority of my superiors, and I have soldiers under my authority (7:8a–b).
(c) When someone in authority gives a command, his command will be obeyed (7:8c–e).
(d) I know that you, Jesus, have authority from God. So your command to heal will certainly be accomplished. (implied)
If the implied information is not clear to your readers, you might consider making it explicit. For example, after 7:8e you could say:
⌊I know that you have authority and so you can heal my servant⌋ ⌊from a distance⌋ ⌊just by commanding that he be healed.⌋
-or-
⌊I know that you have even greater authority, so you can give the command⌋ ⌊to heal⌋ ⌊and it will be done.⌋
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