SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 101

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 12:25

12:25

In Greek, this verse begins with a conjunction that many English versions translate as “and.” This conjunction introduces a third reason why the disciples should not worry. The reason is that worry does not accomplish anything. Some ways to introduce this third reason are:

Besides that (Translator’s Reference Translation)
-or-
As for worrying
-or-
You also should not worry because…

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes that no one can add a single hour to the length of his life by worrying about it.

Some ways to translate this emphasis are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Can worry make you live longer? (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not! (New Living Translation (1996))

• As a statement. For example:

You cannot add any time to your life by worrying about it. (New Century Version)

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

a single hour: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a single hour literally means “a cubit.” Many English versions translate it that way. The cubit was a measure of length, about eighteen inches. Here it probably refers to a short time. Use an expression in your language that is commonly used for a short period of time. For example:

a day (Revised English Bible)
-or-
a single moment (New Living Translation (2004))

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 12:57

12:57

And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?: This is a rhetorical question. It functions as a rebuke. It indicates that the people themselves should think about what was happening and decide what was right. Jesus was rebuking them because they did not do that.

Some ways to translate this rebuke are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Why can’t you decide for yourselves what is right? (New Living Translation (2004))

• As a statement. For example:

You should judge for yourselves what is right.

Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language.

judge for yourselves what is right: In this context the phrase judge for yourselves what is right probably refers back to 12:56. It indicates that the people should think about what was happening and decide the right way to interpret it. It probably also implies that they should decide what was right to do about it. The parable in 12:58–59 indicates that they should make peace with God.

Translate this phrase in a way that implies this meaning. In some languages you may need to add a phrase to make the meaning clear. For example:

think ⌊about this⌋ and decide for yourselves what is right
-or-
decide for yourselves what is the right ⌊thing to do in these times⌋

judge for yourselves: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as judge often refers to deciding what is right in court cases. In this context the phrase judge for yourselves indicates that the people themselves should think carefully about what was right. They should not rely only on what someone else told them.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 13:30

13:30a

And indeed: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And indeed, literally “And behold,” introduces something that is important and also unexpected. It indicates that the listener should give it special attention. In this context, the unexpected statement that Jesus is about to make is also closely related to what he has just said about Jews and Gentiles. Consider whether there is an expression in your language that has a similar function.

This Greek phrase is not easy to translate into English. Some versions, such as the Revised Standard Version, translate it as “And behold.” Other versions, such as the New Jerusalem Bible, translate it as “Look.” Still other English versions, including the Good News Translation, do not translate it here. Other examples in English are:

Yes, and some who are now last… (Revised English Bible)
-or-
And note this: Some who seem… (New Living Translation (2004))

some who are last will be first: The expression some who are last will be first means that God will consider as very important many people whom others say are not important. In the context this includes Gentiles, whom the Jews considered as less important than themselves. It can also include any other people whom others do not honor or think important. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
There are those who have the lowest place in life now who will have the highest place in the future. (New Century Version)

last: The word last here means “last in importance” or “unimportant.” It does not primarily mean last in time or last in line, though it could include the idea that the Gentiles learned about God after the Jews.

first: The word first here means “important.” It refers to those whom God will favor and honor in his kingdom. It does not primarily refer to being first in time or place. However, it could include the idea that the Jews were the first to know about the true God and hear the gospel of Christ.

13:30b

and some who are first will be last: This expression is the opposite of 13:30a. It contains implied information from that verse part. In many languages it will be necessary to fill in the implied information. For example:

and ⌊there are those who are⌋ first now who will be last

Jesus meant that many people who have high status on this earth will have low status in God’s kingdom. God will not give them important positions, even though people considered them important on earth. Other ways to translate this expression are:

and some who are the greatest now will be least important then (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
And there are those who have the highest place now who will have the lowest place in the future (New Century Version)

You should translate this verse part using terms that correspond to those you used in 13:30a.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 14:27

14:27

And whoever does not carry his cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple: If you reordered 14:26 as shown in the preceding General Comment, you may also want to reorder 14:27. For example:

And no one can be my disciple unless he carries his cross and follows me.

carry his cross: The phrase carry his cross refers to the way that Roman soldiers executed criminals. They forced a condemned criminal to pick up a large wooden cross. He had to carry it to the place where he would be put to death. Then the soldiers nailed him on the cross to die.

When Jesus used this phrase, he knew that the Romans would soon force him to carry a literal cross. But in this context, he used the phrase figuratively. Jesus meant that anyone who wanted to become his disciple had to be willing to suffer and die in order to obey him.

Some ways to translate the phrase carry his cross are:

• Translate the figure of speech literally and add a footnote that explains the meaning. A sample footnote is:

In the time of Jesus, a person who was condemned to be nailed to a cross was forced to carry the cross. He carried it to the place where he would be nailed to it. Here Jesus was saying that a person who wants to be his follower must be ready to suffer and die in order to follow Jesus.

• Omit the figure of speech and translate the meaning directly. For example:

is not willing to suffer and even die

If you follow this option, consider adding a footnote that gives Jesus’ literal words.

See also the note on 9:23d, where a similar phrase occurs. Be aware that in that verse, the word “daily” may make a slight difference in the meaning.

cross: A cross refers to two large wooden boards or beams that were attached to each other. Roman soldiers used crosses to kill criminals. They nailed or tied a criminal to these wooden beams, then set them upright. They did this in order to cause the criminal to die slowly and painfully.

The word cross comes from the fact that the beams were crossed and attached. This made the shape of a + or ✝ (or sometimes a T).

In many languages there may be no word for cross. If that is true in your language, you may need to use a descriptive phrase. For example:

board/wood of death
-or-
crossed-beam(s) of death
-or-
a tree for killing people
-or-
a stake/plank to which they fasten/nail someone to kill him

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 15:24

15:24a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For gives the reason why the father wanted to celebrate.

this son of mine was dead and is alive again!: The father used the words dead and alive here in a figurative way. He meant that his son was like someone who had died and had become alive again. His son had not actually died, but the father had not expected to ever see him again.

If this expression will be understood literally in your language, you may need to make explicit that it is a figurative comparison. For example:

I thought this son of mine had died and here he is alive!
-or-
It is as if my son had been dead, and now he has come back to life.

this son of mine: This phrase probably indicates that the son was standing right there. The father was probably gesturing toward him as he spoke.

15:24b

He was lost and is found!: This clause expresses the same idea as 15:24a but in different words. The son was not literally lost. He knew how to get back home. But his father compared him to something that gets lost and later someone finds it. As in 15:24a, it may be necessary in some languages to make explicit that this is figurative language. For example:

⌊It is as if⌋ he was lost and now ⌊I⌋ have found him!
-or-
He was ⌊as if⌋ lost, but now he has returned home!

15:24c

So they began to celebrate: Some time passed after 15:24b before the celebration started. The servants obeyed the father and everyone got ready for the party. In some languages it may be necessary to make this clear. For example:

so ⌊they all got ready and then⌋ began to celebrate

celebrate: See the note at 15:23b.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 16:24

Paragraph 16:24–26

In this paragraph, the rich man pleaded that Abraham would send Lazarus to relieve his suffering. Both Lazarus and the rich man are described as though they still had their bodies. Jesus used this figurative language to make it easier for his listeners to picture the situation.

16:24a

So: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So introduces the next thing that the rich man did after he saw Abraham and Lazarus in the distance. Some versions omit this conjunction. For example:

He called out (New Revised Standard Version)

Use a natural way in your language to connect this verse to the preceding verse.

he cried out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as cried out indicates that the rich man spoke in a loud voice. Other ways to translate this word are:

The rich man shouted (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
He yelled (God’s Word)

Father Abraham: The rich man was a Jew, and he was speaking to the ancestor of his people. Consider what title of respect a man in your culture would use to address an ancestor who is not directly a father or grandfather.

have mercy on me: The phrase have mercy on me means “be merciful to me.” The rich man was pleading with Abraham to show him mercy by doing something specific to help him. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate that this was a plea for help, not a command. For example:

Please be merciful to me

16:24b

and: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and introduces the specific way in which the rich man wanted Abraham to show him mercy. It does not introduce a separate action. In some languages it may be more natural to omit this conjunction and start a new sentence. For example:

Send Lazarus to dip his finger… (Contemporary English Version)

send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue: The rich man wanted Abraham to send Lazarus to him to cool his tongue with a little water. The rich man urgently longed for water, but he requested only a very small amount. He probably thought that Abraham might grant a small request such as that. The request implies that there was no water where the rich man was or that the rich man could not get to water.

The verse does not specify exactly how Lazarus would cool the rich man’s tongue. He might touch his wet finger to the man’s tongue or let some drops of water fall from his finger onto the man’s tongue.

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

Tell Lazarus to ⌊go⌋ dip the end of his finger in water and ⌊come here to touch⌋ my tongue so that it cools off.
-or-
Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and ⌊let the water drip onto⌋ my tongue so that it becomes cool.

the tip of his finger: In some languages it may be more natural to translate the phrase the tip of his finger in a more general way. For example:

his finger (Good News Translation)

In other languages it may be necessary to specify a particular finger. For example:

his forefinger

Use a natural expression for this action in your language.

16:24c

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces the reason why the rich man wanted Lazarus to wet his tongue with water.

I am in agony: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I am in agony refers to suffering both intense physical and mental pain. Other ways to translate this word are:

I’m suffering terribly (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I am in great pain (Good News Translation)

in this fire: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as fire literally means “flame.” Hell is pictured as a place where there is fire that causes pain to people.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 17:25

17:25a

But first He must suffer many things: The clause But first He must suffer many things refers to the many things that Jesus would soon suffer when the people arrested him, tormented him, and crucified him. The clause indicates that it would be necessary for him to suffer all these things before he returns gloriously to earth. See how you translated “The Son of Man must suffer many things” in 9:22.

He: Here Jesus continued to refer to himself as He. If you used a pronoun such as “I” in 17:24, you can continue to use it here.

many things: In this context the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as many things indicates that Jesus would have to suffer in various ways. It also implies that the suffering would be terrible and not just for a short time. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

suffer a lot (God’s Word)
-or-
undergo many sufferings
-or-
suffer terribly (New Living Translation (2004))

17:25b

and be rejected by this generation: This clause tells another thing that must happen before Jesus returns. The verb be rejected is passive. Here are some ways to translate the clause.

• Translate it as a passive clause. For example:

and be rejected by the people of this time (New Century Version)
-or-
and be rejected by the people of today (Contemporary English Version)

• Translate it as an active clause. For example:

and this generation will reject him/me
-or-
and the people ⌊living now/today⌋ will not accept him/me

be rejected: To be rejected means to be “judged by someone to be unworthy or unfit and so, denied acceptance.” People would say that Jesus was not the Messiah, as he claimed to be. They would refuse him and decide that he must suffer and die. See how you translated this verb in 9:22.

by this generation: The phrase this generation refers to Jewish people who lived in the same period of time as Jesus. It does not refer to a specific age group. Jesus used the same phrase this generation in 7:31, but the context is slightly different. See how you translated it there. You may need to adjust the phrase to fit this context.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 18:20

18:20a

You know the commandments: The phrase the commandments here refers to the Ten Commandments (Exodus chapter 20) and more generally to the Law of Moses (the first five books of the Old Testament). Some other ways to translate this are:

the commands/laws of God
-or-
what God commanded

Jesus mentioned five of these commandments explicitly in 18:20b–f.

18:20b–f

In the Greek text the five commands in 18:20b–f use a singular form. They are addressed to every person individually. Consider if singular or plural verbs would be more natural in this context in your language.

18:20b

Do not commit adultery: The command Do not commit adultery indicates that a married person must not have sexual relations with someone that he/she is not married to. It also indicates that an unmarried person must not have sexual relations with a person who is married. This command was given in Exodus 20:14 and Deuteronomy 5:18.

18:20c

do not murder: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as murder literally means “kill.” The Revised Standard Version and several other English versions translate it that way. In this context it refers to the illegal or unlawful ending of a person’s life. Use the same word or phrase that you used in Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17.

18:20d

do not steal: The command that the Berean Standard Bible translates as do not steal indicates that a person should not wrongfully take something that does not belong to him. Cultures may have different rules or customs about stealing. The biblical command forbids a person to take something that he has no right to take.

18:20e

do not bear false witness: The command that the Berean Standard Bible translates as do not bear false witness means “do not lie in a legal trial or court case.” This command forbids anyone to tell a lie in order to help a guilty person avoid punishment or in order to cause an innocent person to receive punishment. The expression can also refer to telling lies in any situation. Some other ways to translate the command are:

You must not testify falsely. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Do not tell lies about others. (Contemporary English Version)

18:20f

honor your father and mother: The command the Berean Standard Bible translates as honor your father and mother means “respect your father and mother.” This command includes both attitudes and actions. A person must have a respectful attitude toward his father and mother. He must also honor them by listening to them and helping them. Here is another way to translate this:

respect your father and your mother (Good News Translation)

Search

Step into the multitudes of languages of the Bible and join the worldwide conversation!

Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013