17:12a
But: There is a contrast here. The contrast is between Jesus’ agreement with the scribes that “Elijah does indeed come” (in 17:11a), and his statement here that “Elijah has already come.” The Berean Standard Bible indicates this contrast with the conjunction But.
Elijah has already come: Here Jesus was speaking about John the Baptist. But the disciples did not yet understand it. John the Baptist came and prepared the way for the Messiah. He fulfilled the prophecy about Elijah coming and restoring all things. In that sense, Elijah has already come. The historical Elijah did not actually come.
Here is another way to translate this clause:
Elijah already came
17:12b
and: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and is the conjunction that usually joins the next event to the previous one. Since there is a mild contrast between 17:12a and 17:12b, some English versions connect these two parts with the conjunction “but.” For example:
But the people did not recognize him (Contemporary English Version)
If it would be clearer in your language to make the contrast explicit, you can use your word for “but” here.
they: This pronoun refers to Jewish people in general, and to the Jewish leaders in particular.
Here are some other ways to translate this pronoun:
people (Good News Translation)
-or-
the leaders
did not recognize him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as recognize also means “know.” People did not know that the prophecy about Elijah was fulfilled in John the Baptist. They did not understand what John’s ministry really was.
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
did not know him (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
did not realize who he ⌊really⌋ was
17:12c
but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but indicates a contrast. The contrast is between what the people did not do (recognize him) and what they actually did (badly treated him). Some English versions indicate this contrast with the word but, as the Berean Standard Bible does.
Here are some other ways to show this contrast:
instead
-or-
rather
In some languages, it will be more natural to begin a new sentence here. For example:
They did to him whatever they wanted to do. (New Century Version)
have done to him whatever they wished: These words imply that people did evil and hurtful things to John. This included killing him.
Here are some other ways to translate these words:
treated him just as they pleased (Good News Translation)
-or-
They did what they liked with him (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
If people in your area will think that these words mean that the people did only good things to John, you may want to include some implied information. For example:
they did all the ⌊evil⌋ things that they wanted to do to him
-or-
they chose to abuse him (New Living Translation (2004))
17:12d
In the same way: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as In the same way indicates that people would treat the Son of Man “in the same way” as they treated John.
Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:
So also (English Standard Version)
-or-
Likewise/Similarly
the Son of Man: Jesus used this phrase to refer to himself. In some languages, this phrase by itself would refer to someone other than Jesus. If that is true in your language, consider translating it as:
⌊I,⌋ the Son of Man
This same phrase occurs in 17:9d. You should translate it here as you did there.
will suffer at their hands: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will suffer includes the ideas of:
(a) the suffering will happen in the near future. The Son of Man will soon suffer.
(b) God has decided that the suffering must happen. The Son of Man will certainly suffer, or must suffer.
Some English versions focus on (a). Other English versions focus on (b). Both are correct. For example:
the Son of Man is about to suffer (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
They will soon make the Son of Man suffer (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the Son of Man will certainly suffer (English Standard Version)
at their hands: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as at their hands is more literally “by them.” This phrase indicates who will cause the Son of Man to suffer. It makes this clause a type of passive.
Here are some other ways to translate it as an active clause:
they’re going to make the Son of Man suffer (God’s Word)
-or-
They will soon make the Son of Man suffer (Contemporary English Version)
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