10:26a

They were even more astonished: The phrase even more astonished means “even more surprised than they had been before.” This refers back to the fact that the disciples were amazed in 10:24a.

The clause They were even more astonished expresses the result of what Jesus said in the previous sentence. In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit the reason for this result. For example:

When they heard this, the disciples were more astonished than ever.

10:26b

said to one another: There is a textual issue here:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts have to one another. The disciples spoke aloud to each other. For example, the New International Version says:

said to each other

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Revised Standard Version, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version, King James Version)

(2) Other Greek manuscripts have to him. The disciples spoke to Jesus. For example, the Revised Standard Version says:

said to him

(Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). But if the major language version follows option (2), you may want to follow that.

Who then can be saved?: This is probably a rhetorical question. It is an emphatic way of saying “If that is true, we do not understand how anyone can be saved!” It expresses the disciples’ surprise at what Jesus said in 10:25. It does not express a strong belief that God will not save anyone.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

How can anyone ever be saved? (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Can it be that anyone will be saved?

• As a statement. For example:

Then we do not know how anyone can possibly be saved!

then: In this context, the Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as then means “in that case” or “if that is so/true.”

be saved: The verb be saved is passive. If it is more natural in your language to use an active verb and supply a subject, you may say:

Who then will God save?

The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as be saved means “to be rescued or preserved from harm.” In this context it refers to being allowed to enter the kingdom of God (10:23–25).

In some languages, it may be necessary to make explicit what the person was saved from. For example:

saved from being shut out of God’s kingdom
-or-
rescued from judgment and allowed to enter God’s kingdom

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All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
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