15:32a–b

In 15:32a–b, the Jewish leaders continued to mock and insult Jesus. They were also being sarcastic. They did not actually want to see Jesus come down from the cross. They probably would not have believed on him if he had. Express this mockery and sarcasm in a way that is natural in your language.

15:32a

Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross: The Jewish leaders implied that Jesus falsely claimed to be the Christ. They also implied that if he really was the Christ, he should show his power and save himself by coming down from the cross. Their words seemed to indicate that they wanted to see him do that, but actually they did not want that. They wanted him to die on the cross.

In some languages it may be necessary to make some of this information explicit. For example:

If he is really the Christ…, let him come down now from the cross. (New Century Version)
-or-
He claims/says that he is the Christ…. If this is true, we want to see him come down from the cross.
-or-
Didn’t he say that he was the Christ…? Then he should come down now from the cross.

Let…come down: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Let…come down is an indirect command. In this context, it indicates that the leaders wanted Jesus to come down from the cross. They implied that “he should/must come down.”

Notice that the word Let does not mean “allow” here. The leaders did not mean that someone should allow/permit Jesus to come down. Here are some other ways to translate this indirect command:

This Christ…should/must come down.
-or-
If we see him come down…
-or-
We want to see this Christ…come down.

In some languages it may be necessary to translate this phrase as a direct command to Jesus. For example:

You, Christ!…Come down from the cross.

the Christ, the King of Israel: The Greek titles that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as the Christ, the King of Israel refer to Jesus. The two titles are related. That is, the Jews believed that the Christ would also be the king of Israel.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

This man said that he was the Christ and the King of Israel.
-or-
If he is the Christ, and if he is the one who is also the King of Israel…

Christ: Here the religious leaders used the word Christ as a descriptive title for Jesus. This title refers to the special person whom God appointed and promised to send as king and savior. The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” and the two words have the same meaning.

Some ways to translate Christ are:

• Transliterate it according to the sounds of your language. For example:

Krais
-or-
Karisiti

• Transliterate it and indicate in some way that it is a title. For example:

the Christ
-or-
the Kirisita

• Transliterate Christ and include a phrase that explains the meaning. For example:

Christ, the appointed one
-or-
Cristo, the savior God promised
-or-
the Christ who comes from God

If you do not indicate the meaning of Christ in the text, you may want to include a footnote. For example:

The word/title “Christ” refers to the King and Savior whom God had promised to send.

See how you translated the word “Christ” at 1:1 and 14:61c. See also Christ in the Glossary.

15:32b

so that we may see and believe: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that we may see and believe expresses the effect of Jesus coming down from the cross. In English, this effect can be expressed as result and purpose.

Some English versions emphasize the result by saying:

32aLet this Christ…come down now from the cross. 32bThen we will see and believe.

Other English versions emphasize the purpose by saying:

32aLet this Christ…come down now from the cross 32bin order that we may see and believe.

Translate this in a natural way in your language that indicates either purpose or result.

believe: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as believe indicates that the chief priests and teachers of the law would believe what Jesus said.

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

believe that he is who he says he is
-or-
trust what he says
-or-
agree with what he said

Your language may use an idiom for this meaning. See believe, meaning 1, in the Glossary.

15:32c

those who were crucified with Him: The verb crucified is a passive. If it would be more natural in your language to make this active, you can say:

those men whom they crucified with him
-or-
the robbers whom the soldiers crucified with Jesus

berated Him: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the English idiom berated is different from the Greek words used at 15:29a (“heaped abuse”) and 15:31a (“mocked”). But the meaning is very similar. Here the word means “to speak against a person in a way that says that he is wrong or bad.” The word also indicates that the robbers, as well as the Jewish leaders, insulted Jesus.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

also accused him of doing wrong
-or-
also insulted
-or-
also said cruel things (Contemporary English Version)

The form of the Greek verb for berated indicates repeated action. The robbers spoke against Jesus many times. Indicate this in a way that is natural in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

repeatedly reproached him
-or-
were insulting him (God’s Word)

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