SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 106

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 16:5

Paragraph 16:5–7

16:5a

And: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And introduces what the manager did as a result of his decision in 16:4b. The Contemporary English Version translates it as “Then.” The manager began to do what he had planned in 16:4. In some languages it may be helpful to make this more explicit. For example:

So ⌊he began to do what he had planned.⌋

he called in each one of his master’s debtors: The clause he called in each one of his master’s debtors implies that he sent a message to each person who owed something to the rich man. The manager arranged for these men to come and talk with him about their debts, one at a time. Other ways to translate this clause are:

Then one by one he called in the people who were in debt to his master. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. (New Living Translation (2004))

See how you translated the similar phrase “called him in” in 16:2a.

debtors: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as debtors can refer to people who owe debts of any kind. The debtors mentioned here may have been tenants who paid their rent with produce rather than money. They may also have been traders who bought goods from the rich man on credit. There were probably other debtors not mentioned here who owed money. If possible, use a term that could refer to any kind of debtor.

16:5b

How much do you owe my master?: The manager already knew how much each man owed his employer. He wanted the man to say the amount. He knew that he was about to offer to greatly reduce the man’s debt, and he wanted the man to appreciate it.

he asked the first: For natural English style, the Berean Standard Bible has placed this phrase after the quotation. In Greek, it comes before the quotation. Place it where it would be natural in your language.

the first: The phrase the first refers to the first man who came to see the manager about his debt.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 17:6

17:6a–b

And the Lord answered: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Lord answered is literally “And the Lord said.” The phrase the Lord also occurs in 17:5. In some languages, it may not be natural to repeat it here. You should refer to him here in a way that is natural in your language.

If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say…and it will obey you: Jesus responded to the apostles’ request for more faith by indicating that even very small faith is enough to do great things. In some languages it is difficult to express this with an “if” clause, as English and Greek do. Some other ways to translate this are:

Even though your faith is as small as a mustard seed, you can say…and it will obey you.
-or-
With very little faith that is like a tiny seed, you can command…and it will obey.

you…you: The pronoun you refers to the apostles.

17:6a

If you have faith the size of a mustard seed: There are different opinions about what this clause implies about the apostles’ faith:

(1) It does not imply anything definite about the apostles’ faith. Jesus was making a general statement.

(2) It implies that the apostles did not have faith as small as a mustard seed.

(3) It implies that the apostles did already have faith as small as a mustard seed.

Most English versions are ambiguous. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Jesus used this clause to introduce the statement in 17:6b about the power of very small faith. You should translate this clause in a way that supports this main point. See the next note for translation examples.

you: The pronoun you refers to the apostles.

faith the size of a mustard seed: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as faith the size of a mustard seed is literally “faith as/like a mustard seed.” This is a metaphor. For the Jews, this seed symbolized something that was very small. Many English versions make explicit that Jesus was comparing the size of the faith to a tiny mustard seed. For example:

faith even as small as a mustard seed (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
faith the size of a mustard seed (NET Bible)
-or-
faith no bigger than a tiny mustard seed (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages it may not be natural to talk about faith being small. In languages that use a verb such as “believe” to translate faith, it may also not be natural to compare this verb to a mustard seed. Some other ways to translate this comparison are:

• Use natural words in your language to describe the way people believe. For example:

If your believing is as little as a tiny mustard seed
-or-
Even if the way you trust ⌊God⌋ was weak like a mustard seed is small

• Translate only the meaning without the metaphor. For example:

If you believed a little bit, you could say to this mulberry tree
-or-
If you had even weak faith, you could say to this mulberry tree

faith: The word faith also occurs in 17:5. Translate it here in a similar way.

a mustard seed: A mustard seed is a very small seed that grows into a mustard plant. If mustard seeds and plants are not known in your area, some ways to translate this are:

• Use a loan word along with a general term if necessary. For example:

a seed of ⌊the plant/tree called⌋ mustard

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

a ⌊very⌋ tiny seed

• Transliterate the term mustard and indicate that it is tiny/small. For example:

a tiny mastat seed

• Use the name of a local seed that is known to be very small. If you use this option, you may want to indicate the literal name in a footnote. For example, you could say in the footnote:

The Greek text is literally “a mustard seed.”

17:6b–d

you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted…’: In 17:6b–d Jesus gave an example of something that is normally not possible for a person to do. A person cannot make a tree obey him. However, faith in God can make this possible.

You can translate 17:6b–d as either direct or indirect speech:

• Translate it as direct speech. For example:

…you could give this order to the mulberry tree: “Pull(sing) yourself up by the roots and plant yourself in the sea.” And the tree would obey you.

• Translate it as indirect speech. For example:

…you could tell this mulberry tree to pull itself up, roots and all, and to plant itself in the ocean. And it would! (Contemporary English Version)

Consider the most natural way to describe this action in your language. Other ways to do it in English are:

…you could make this mulberry tree uproot itself and go and plant itself in the sea.
-or-
At your command this mulberry tree would uproot itself and begin to grow in the sea.
-or-
This mulberry tree would uproot itself and plant itself in the sea if you told it to.

17:6b

this mulberry tree: The phrase this mulberry tree indicates that as Jesus was teaching, he referred to a specific tree nearby that his apostles could see. It was a large tree with many roots. Many scholars think that this tree was the black mulberry tree, which grows 8–10 meters (25–30 feet) tall. It produces small berries that can be eaten.

In some languages there may be no term for this kind of tree. If that is true in your language, some ways to translate it are:

• Use a more general description. For example:

this ⌊large⌋ tree
-or-
this big-rooted tree

• Transliterate the term mulberry and indicate that it is large or has many roots. For example:

this mulberi tree ⌊that has so many roots⌋

Since Jesus was referring to a specific tree that was growing near him, it is best not to substitute a different tree. Notice also that Jesus was not referring to a mustard tree here.

17:6c

Be uprooted and planted: The verbs Be uprooted and planted are commands to the tree to do something to itself. In Greek the forms are passive, but the tree will do the action to itself. Describe this in a natural way in your language. Some other ways to translate it in English are:

dig yourself up and plant yourself in the sea
-or-
pull out your roots and ⌊go⌋ be planted in the sea
-or-
pull yourself out of the ground, and enter the sea and plant yourself

17:6d

obey you: The phrase obey you means that the tree would do what you told it to do. If it is impossible in your language to describe a tree as doing something or obeying someone, you could say:

and what you(plur) say will happen

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 18:1

Section 18:1–8

Jesus told a story to teach his disciples to pray persistently

At the end of chapter 17, Jesus told his disciples about the coming of the Son of Man. In this section, he concluded this teaching by telling them a parable about praying persistently. He used the parable to teach them that they should continue to trust God and pray to him. They should not become discouraged when they suffer unjustly, because Jesus will return, and God will give them justice.

Justice is an important theme in this parable. Phrases about justice occur four times. Each phrase uses a form of the same Greek word, so you will probably want to translate the phrases in a similar way:

Grant me justice (18:3)

see that she gets justice (18:5)

will not God bring about justice (18:7)

he will see that they get justice (18:8)

It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it. Some examples of headings for this section are:

The Parable of the Persistent Widow (New International Version)
-or-
Jesus told a parable about a widow coming repeatedly to an unjust judge
-or-
The parable of the unjust judge
-or-
God Will Answer His People (New Century Version)

Luke is the only gospel that has this story. It is similar in some ways to the parable in 11:5–10.

Paragraph 18:1–3

18:1

This verse tells the purpose and meaning of the parable in 18:2–8. In some languages it may be natural to use two sentences to do this. For example:

Then Jesus told his disciples a parable. He wanted to teach them that they must continue to pray and not become discouraged.

See the General Comment on 18:1a–c for a suggestion about using direct speech in this verse.

18:1a

Then Jesus told them: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then Jesus told them is literally “And he told them.” The Revised Standard Version and several other English versions translate it that way. Jesus continued to speak to the same people that he spoke to in the previous section. The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word Jesus to make the meaning clear at the beginning of this new section. Introduce the section in a natural way in your language.

them: Versions such as the Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, Good News Translation, New International Version, and New Living Translation (2004) say “his disciples” rather than them. If you decide to say “his disciples” in your translation, for help in translating that term, see the note at 17:1a.

18:1b–c

a parable about their need to: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a parable about their need to is more literally “a parable that it is necessary to.” This phrase introduces the purpose and meaning of the parable. Other ways to introduce it are:

a parable, teaching his disciples so that they would…
-or-
a story to tell them that it is necessary to…
-or-
a story. Its meaning was that they must…
-or-
used this story to teach his followers that they should… (New Century Version)

parable: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as parable is literally “comparison.” A parable teaches a lesson or truth by showing how it is like something that people already know. Jesus used several types of parables including symbolic stories, metaphors, proverbs, illustrations, and wise sayings.

Some ways to translate parable are:

• Use a general term in your language that can be used to describe the different types of parables. Some English examples are:

illustration
-or-
metaphor

• Use a descriptive term. For example:

symbolic saying/word/story
-or-
comparison

See also parable, Type 3, in the Glossary.

to pray at all times and not lose heart: The clause to pray at all times and not lose heart indicates that it is necessary for them to pray often. They must pray until they receive the help that they need from God. It implies that they should not become discouraged and then decide that they will not pray again about their need. Some ways to translate this clause are:

it is necessary to pray persistently and not become discouraged
-or-
they must continue to pray. They must not get tired and quit praying.
-or-
they need to pray many times without despairing

pray at all times: In this context the phrase pray at all times indicates that Jesus’ disciples should pray often and persistently. It probably does not imply that they should literally be praying all the time. In the parable Jesus applied this instruction to making a specific request. They must persist in asking God to do what they need him to do. Some ways to translate this are:

they should keep on praying (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
it is necessary to persist in praying

pray: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pray refers to speaking to God. It is a general word that includes different types of prayer, such as requests, thanks, and praise. If you need to use a more specific expression here, you should use one that refers to making requests.

In some languages it may be necessary to indicate what is prayed for. If that is true in your language, you should use a general word that can apply to most requests. For example:

ask/beg God ⌊for help⌋

Avoid a term that may imply magical or meaningless words.

not lose heart: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as not lose heart means “not become discouraged.” It implies here that they should not be discouraged when God does not quickly do what they ask him to do. They should not stop praying, and they should not stop believing that God will help them. Other ways to translate this are:

never become discouraged (Good News Translation)
-or-
never lose hope (New Century Version)

General Comment on 18:1a–c

In some languages it may be more natural to use direct speech to tell the purpose of the parable. For example:

Then Jesus told them a story to teach them saying, “You must always continue to pray and not give up.”

The words “not lose heart” may also be expressed as direct speech. For example:

Then Jesus told them a parable. He said, “It is necessary to keep on praying. You should never say, ‘I am tired of praying. I will stop.’”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 18:33

18:33a

They will flog Him and kill Him: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as flog Him and kill Him is more literally “and having flogged/whipped him, they will kill him.” The verb kill is active. It is emphasized by being the only independent active verb in the series of verbs in 18:32b–33a. Another way to translate 18:33a is:

and after flogging him, they will kill him

Translate the series of actions in a natural way in your language.

flog: The word flog means to beat with a whip. The Romans used the kind of whip that had leather thongs and a wooden handle. They tied sharp pieces of lead into the leather thongs. When they beat a man with this whip, it could badly cut up his back with just a few strokes. This word also occurs in Mark 10:34. A different Greek word is used in Mark 15:15 to refer to this same action.

18:33b

and…He will rise again: The action in this verse part is the climax of the series of actions in 18:32b–33a: Jesus will rise again. This action contrasts with being mistreated in the previous verse parts. In Greek this verse part begins with the common conjunction that is often translated as and, as in the Berean Standard Bible. In some languages it may be natural to use a conjunction such as “yet” or “but” that introduces contrast. It may also be natural not to use a conjunction here, as in versions such as the New International Version.

on the third day: When the Jews counted time, they counted a part of a day as a whole day. Jesus’ followers would bury him on the first day. He would be in the grave during all of the second day, and he would live again on the third day.

He will rise again: The phrase He will rise again means “He will live again” or “He will come back to life.” Here Jesus continued to refer to himself as the Son of Man. In some languages it may be necessary to use a pronoun such as “I”:

I will live again

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 19:22

19:22a

His master replied: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as His master replied is literally “He said to him.” It is often helpful to indicate who the new speaker is, as the Berean Standard Bible does. Many English versions refer to him as “the king.” Refer back to him in a natural way in your language.

19:22b

You wicked servant: Here the master addressed his servant directly. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wicked refers to the fact that the servant had bad or evil motives and did wrong. He did not do what his master wanted. Some other ways to translate this meaning are:

You bad/evil servant!
-or-
You worthless servant! (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages, it is more natural to translate You wicked servant as a sentence rather than by a form of direct address. For example:

You are a wicked/bad servant.

19:22c

I will judge you by your own words: This clause indicates that the master would use the servant’s own words to decide whether he deserved to be punished or rewarded. In this context the master decided that the servant did wrong and deserved to be punished. The very words that the servant said showed that he was wrong and that his master should punish him. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

I will use your own words to condemn you! (Good News Translation)
-or-
I’ll judge you by what you’ve said…. (God’s Word)
-or-
Your own words condemn you. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
What you have just said shows/proves that you have done wrong.

judge: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as judge is used in several ways in the New Testament. It can refer to making a decision about whether someone has done right or wrong. It also can refer specifically to deciding that a person has done wrong and must be punished. In this context the servant had done wrong. Some English versions translate with judge, and others have “condemn.” Either translation is acceptable here, and you may decide how to express the meaning in the clearest way in your language.

by your own words: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as by your own words is literally “out of your own mouth.” The Revised Standard Version and several other English versions translate it that way. This phrase tells the basis on which the master would decide whether the servant had done right or wrong. The master would judge the servant on the basis of what the servant had just said. Other ways to translate the phrase are:

by what you have just said (Contemporary English Version)
-or-

⌊from the words that came⌋ out of your mouth
-or-
Your own words show me that…

your own words: The phrase your own words refers specifically to what the servant said in 19:21. It does not refer to all the words that the servant had spoken in his lifetime. The master repeated the servant’s words in 19:22d–f.

General Comment on 19:22a–c

In Greek, the direct address comes at the end of this quotation. Some versions follow the Greek order. For example:

I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! (New International Version)

However, in some languages, a direct address usually comes at the beginning of a quotation. If that is true in your language, you may need to change the order of the clauses in 19:22a–c, as the Berean Standard Bible does. Some other examples are:

22aHe said to him, 22b“You bad servant! 22cI will use your own words to condemn you!” (Good News Translation)
-or-

22b“You worthless servant!” 22athe king told him. 22c“You have condemned yourself by what you have just said….” (Contemporary English Version)

19:22d–f

The rhetorical question in 19:22d–f has several clauses. The New Living Translation (2004) combines it with 19:23a, which makes the question even longer. In some languages it may be more natural to translate some of the clauses as separate sentences. See the General Comment on 19:22d–f for an example.

So you knew that I am a harsh man, withdrawing what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?: This is a rhetorical question. The king repeated the words that his servant said in 19:21 in order to emphasize them. They were the basis that he used to judge his servant. If the servant really believed his own words, then he did not act rightly or sensibly.

The rhetorical question does not imply that the king agreed with what the servant said about him. It implies that if the servant really believed that the king was strict and demanding, he should have been especially careful to obey his commands.

Some ways to translate this rhetorical question are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Did you ⌊really⌋ believe that I was a hard man, taking out what I did not put in and harvesting crops I did not plant?

• As a statement. For example:

You say that you believe that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in and gathering crops that I not plant.

• As a request to consider a certain statement. (The request implies that the logical results of this statement will then be evaluated.) For example:

Suppose you really believe that I am a hard man. Let’s suppose you think that I take what is not mine and harvest crops I did not plant.

• As an introductory clause for 19:23a. For example:

If you really knew/believed that I am a hard man, taking what I did not put/place and gathering crops that I did not plant…

Translate this basis for judgment in a natural way in your language.

General Comment on 19:22d–f

The rhetorical question in 19:22d–f has several clauses. In some languages it may be more natural to translate these as separate questions, statements, or requests. For example:

Did you really know that I am a severe man? Did you believe that I gain from what I did not deposit? Did you really think that I harvest what I did not plant?
-or-
Let’s suppose that you really believe I am a demanding person. You think that I take up what I did not lay down and reap what I did not plant.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 20:6

20:6a

But: The word But introduces another possible answer to Jesus’ question. This answer contrasts with the one in 20:5b. In some languages it may be more natural to use a different conjunction. For example:

And
-or-
Or

In some languages a conjunction may not be needed. Translate the connection in a natural way in your language.

if we say, ‘From men’: Here the phrase From men has the same meaning as in 20:4. See how you translated it there. In this context the Jewish leaders were considering another possible answer to Jesus’ question. This was the answer that they really thought was true.

The phrase From men is another quote within a quote. Translate it in a natural way in your language. Other ways to do this in English are:

if we say it was merely human (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Suppose we say ⌊that the baptizing that John did was merely a⌋ human ⌊idea⌋
-or-
if we say, “Of human origin” (New Revised Standard Version)

20:6b

all the people will stone us: The Law of Moses said that if people spoke against a prophet of God, they must be put to death. The other people must throw stones at them until they died. See also 13:34b. The Jewish leaders were afraid to say that John’s baptism was only a human ritual and not from God. They were afraid that the other Jews would stone them to death. Some other ways to translate this are:

The ⌊other⌋ people will throw stones at us until we die.
-or-
the people…will throw stones at us and kill us

all the people: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the people was the way that the Jewish people referred to themselves. Here it indicates that the Jewish leaders were referring to their fellow Jewish people. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

all ⌊our fellow⌋ Jews

20:6c

for: The word for introduces the reason why the Jewish leaders believed that the crowd would stone them. In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of this reason and put it before the result in 20:8b. See the General Comment on 20:6a–c below for an example.

they are convinced that John was a prophet: The phrase they are convinced indicates here that the people were sure that John was a prophet. They firmly believed that he was speaking words from God. In this context the Jewish leaders implied that the people believed that John’s authority came from God. God had sent him to preach and to baptize people. Some other ways to translate this are:

they totally believe that John was a prophet
-or-
they believe that John was really a prophet from God

In some languages it may be more natural to use direct speech to express what the people believed. For example:

they all say, “John was a prophet.”

a prophet: A prophet is a man who speaks on behalf of God. He tells people what God reveals to him. Some other ways to translate prophet in this context are:

a spokesman for God
-or-
God’s message-speaker
-or-
a person who speaks with God’s authority

In 1:76 John’s father spoke about John saying that he would be a prophet of God. See how you translated prophet there. See also prophet in the Glossary.

General Comment on 20:6a–c

In some languages it may be helpful to reorder the clauses in this verse. For example:

6cAll the people regard John as a prophet, 6bso they will stone us 6aif we say that John got his authority to baptize from human beings ⌊alone⌋.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 20:38

20:38a

He is not the God of the dead, but of the living: This statement is what Jesus concluded from Exodus 3:6. At the time when Moses was writing, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had all been dead for hundreds of years. However, only living people can know God and worship him. Moses called the Lord their God, and that implied that they were still alive with God.

In some languages it may be confusing to translate the clause He is not the God of the dead in a literal way. It may wrongly imply that God no longer cares for people who have died. God does care for people who worshiped him and who have died. They are still alive with him. Another way to translate this is:

He is not the God of people who no longer exist. He is the God of people who still exist.

not the God of the dead: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the dead here refers to dead bodies. It does not refer to the spirits of people who die. God continues to care for his people who have died. His people who die are not just corpses. They continue to live in God’s presence. Some ways to translate this are:

He is not the God of people who are dead.
-or-
He does not ⌊say to⌋ dead bodies, “I am your God.”

This statement does not imply that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did not die. They died, but their spirits continued to live with God. The statement also does not imply that God is only the God of people who have not yet died physically. One way to make that clear in English is:

He is not the God of people who remain/stay dead.

You may also want to explain more about the meaning in a footnote.

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but indicates here that there is a contrast between being God of dead people and God of living people. Use a natural way in your language to show this contrast. For example:

He is not the God of dead people. Rather, he is the God of living people.
-or-
He is not the God of people who die and no longer exist. Instead, he is the God of people who are alive ⌊with him⌋.

of the living: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as living is plural. It refers to living people. In some languages it may also be helpful to supply the implied subject and verb here and say:

⌊he is the God⌋ of living ⌊people⌋

20:38b

for: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for here introduces an explanation of 20:38a. God is the God of living people, because to him, everyone who ever trusted him at any time is still alive. Introduce the explanation in a natural way in your language.

to Him all are alive: The phrase to Him here means “from God’s perspective” or “as He considers/sees.” To human beings, it may seem that people who have died are still dead. But to God, the people whose bodies have died are still alive. He cares for all of them.

all: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as all:

(1) It refers back to “those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age” in 20:35–36, including Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For example:

to him all of them are alive (New Revised Standard Version)

(New Revised Standard Version)

(2) It refers to “all people.” For example:

In God’s sight all people are living (Contemporary English Version)

(Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

Most English versions are ambiguous here. It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Jesus referred here to people who have a relationship with God, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob did. Some ways to translate it are:

all ⌊his children⌋
-or-
all ⌊his people⌋
-or-
all ⌊who belong to him⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 21:23

21:23a

How miserable: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as How miserable is a lament. It is an exclamation of sorrow and pity. Some versions translate this Greek word with the English words “woe” (New Revised Standard Version) or “alas” (Revised Standard Version). Jesus lamented that it will be a terrible time for women who are pregnant or nursing babies. They will suffer greatly. Other ways to translate this lament are:

How terrible…! (Good News Translation)
-or-
Greatly to be pitied are…
-or-
Pity so much…
-or-
Alas for…

Languages have different ways to express laments like this. Express it in a natural way in your language.

those days: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as those days refers to the time that Jesus spoke of in 21:20a–21:22b. At that time enemy armies will surround Jerusalem in order to attack and destroy it. Then people will have to leave Jerusalem and escape to the hills and mountains of Judea. Another way to translate this phrase is:

at that time

for pregnant and nursing mothers: It will be a terrible time for women who are expecting babies and for mothers taking care of infants. They will suffer greatly because it will be very hard for them to run away quickly. It will be hard for them to escape the armies that are coming to destroy Jerusalem.

In some languages it may be necessary to use indirect expressions to refer to pregnant women and nursing mothers. Use expressions that are suitable for public reading.

nursing mothers: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as nursing mothers refers to women whose babies are still at the age when they nurse at the breast. But the important point here is not the act of breast-feeding. It is the fact that these mothers need to take care of an infant while they try to escape the armies. In some languages it may be natural to refer to this fact directly. For example:

mothers with little babies (Good News Translation)
-or-
mothers taking care of infants

21:23b

For: In the Greek text, 21:23b begins with the conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For. Here it introduces the explanation for Jesus’ lament in 21:23a. Another way to translate this conjunction is:

⌊I say this⌋ because

Some other English versions do not translate this conjunction. Begin the explanation in a natural way in your language.

there will be great distress upon the land: This statement means that the people in the land will be greatly distressed. They will suffer terribly during the time when the armies surround Jerusalem and attack it. Another way to translate this clause is:

Everywhere in the land people will suffer horribly (Contemporary English Version)

the land: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the land refers primarily here to the land of Judea, the province in which the city of Jerusalem was located. Judea was mentioned in 21:21a. However, the suffering would affect the whole land of Israel, where the Jewish people lived.

21:23c

and: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and introduces the cause of the distress in 21:23b. The people of Israel would experience great distress and suffering because God was angry with them. In some languages it may be more natural to use a different conjunction to connect 21:23b and 21:23c. Use a natural way to express the connection in your language. See the translation examples in the next note.

wrath against this people: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wrath against this people refers to God’s anger toward the Jewish people because of their sins. It also refers to the way he would punish them by allowing the soldiers to attack them and kill many of them. Some other ways to translate this are:

and in his anger ⌊God⌋ ⌊will punish⌋ this people
-or-
as ⌊God⌋ shows his anger against his people
-or-

⌊there will be⌋ wrath against this people

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

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013