SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 11

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 7:9

Paragraph 7:9–10

7:9a

When Jesus heard this: The word this refers to what the officer said in his message.

He marveled at the centurion: The word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the centurion is literally “him” in Greek. You may find it helpful in your own language to use a clarifying word rather than the pronoun “him.” For example:

Jesus was amazed at the officer (God’s Word)

He marveled: The phrase He marveled means that “Jesus was amazed.” The word marveled implies that he was very pleased and surprised. It pleased Jesus that the officer recognized his authority and had such great faith in him. Do not use a word that means to be amazed about something bad or displeasing.

7:9b

Turning to the crowd following Him, He said: Jesus turned around to look behind him at the crowd of people and to speak to them.

7:9c

I tell you: Jesus often used the words I tell you to begin a statement that he wanted to emphasize. It indicates that the statement was important and that people should listen carefully to it. Some other ways to show this emphasis could be:

• Use a phrase before Jesus’ statement. For example:

Let me tell you this
-or-
Listen
-or-
I assure you

• Express the emphasis within Jesus’ statement. For example:

In all of Israel I’ve never found anyone with this much faith! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
I have certainly not found such great faith, not even in Israel.

If you have another way in your language to emphasize an important statement, consider using it here.

not even in Israel have I found such great faith: The phrase not even in Israel have I found such great faith implies, “I have not found any Israelites who believe ⌊in me⌋ as much ⌊as this Gentile does⌋!” The phrase implies that Jesus expected the Jews to believe in him. He did not expect a Gentile (non-Jew) to believe in him more than the Jews did. Many Jews believed that Jesus could heal sick people by touching them. However, this Gentile believed that Jesus could heal from a distance just by speaking a word.

in Israel: The phrase in Israel means “among the Israelites.” It does not refer to location. This officer lived in Israel, but he was not one of the people (descendants) of Israel.

great faith: The word faith refers here to confidence that Jesus/God can do a certain thing. Here the officer had great faith because he was completely sure that Jesus had the authority to heal his servant with a word. See believe, Meaning 2, in the Glossary.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 7:41

7:41–42b

In these verses, Jesus told a short parable as an illustration. In some languages, there may be a special way to introduce an illustration such as this. For example:

Then Jesus told him this story (New Living Translation (2004))

7:41a

The Berean Standard Bible follows the Greek text by not introducing this parable with words such as “Jesus said.” However, in some languages it may be natural to include an introductory phrase like that. For example:

So Jesus said… (God’s Word)
-or-
Jesus told him… (Contemporary English Version)

In some languages it may be helpful to use a specific phrase to refer to the parable or illustration. For example:

Then Jesus told this parable…

Two men were debtors to a certain moneylender: This is background information. It indicates that at some time in the past, two men had borrowed money from the same moneylender. The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Two men were debtors is literally “there were two debtors.” Other ways to translate the clause are:

Two men were in debt to a moneylender (Revised English Bible)
-or-
A man loaned money to two people (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Two men owed money to a certain moneylender (New International Version)
-or-
Two men borrowed money from a lender

moneylender: A moneylender was a person who lent money to other people as his business. When they paid him back, they would pay him extra money as interest or payment for the loan. Other ways to translate this are:

person who lent people money for profit
-or-
creditor

7:41b

One owed him five hundred denarii: One of the men needed to give the moneylender five hundred denarii. This amount included the money he borrowed and the extra money that he had to pay as interest for the loan.

five hundred denarii: The word denarii refers to silver coins of a certain type that Romans used as money. One of these coins, which was called a “denarius,” was worth what an ordinary worker earned for one day of work. So five hundred denarii was the same as the wages for working five hundred days. Some ways to translate five hundred denarii include:

• Use a general word or expression that does not specify the name of the coin. For example:

five hundred silver coins (Good News Translation)

• Use an expression that explains the value of the coins:

money worth the pay/wages for five hundred days of work
-or-
money equal to what a man earns for working more than a year and a half

If you desire, you may want to include a footnote with more information. For example:

Each of these coins was worth as much as an ordinary worker earned for one day of work.

7:41c

the other fifty: The phrase the other fifty is an ellipsis. It means “the second man owed the moneylender fifty denarii.” Fifty denarii was the same as the wages that a worker earned for working fifty days.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 8:23

8:23a

As they sailed, He fell asleep: This part of the verse indicates that Jesus began to sleep in the boat while they were crossing the lake. The words fell asleep are an idiom in English to say “began to sleep.” Use a natural verb in your language.

they: The pronoun they refers to Jesus and his disciples.

sailed: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sailed refers to traveling in a boat on water. They could have used a sail or oars.

8:23b

a windstorm came down on the lake: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as windstorm refers to a very strong wind. This wind came down from the hills surrounding the lake and blew violently across the lake. This caused large waves to form. Other ways that English versions have translated this are:

A violent storm came across the lake (God’s Word)
-or-
Then a very strong wind started blowing on the lake
-or-
Suddenly a windstorm struck the lake (Contemporary English Version)

8:23c

so that: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that is most often translated in English as “and” (Revised Standard Version). Here it introduces the result that came from the strong wind. That is why some English versions (Berean Standard Bible, New International Version) translate it as “so that.” Connect 8:23c to 8:23b in a way that is natural in your language.

the boat was being swamped: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the boat was being swamped is literally “they were being filled with water.” It means that water was getting into the boat where Jesus and his disciples were. Other ways to say this are:

The boat was filling with water (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
causing much water to come into the boat

8:23d

and: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and is the same conjunction that was used in 8:23c. Here also, some English versions translate it as “so that” to indicate that being “in danger” was the result of the boat filling with water. For example:

…a strong wind blew down on the lake, and the boat began to fill with water, so that they were all in great danger. (Good News Translation)

Connect 8:23d to the context in a natural way in your language. In some languages it may be natural to use a result conjunction only once, either in 8:23c or 8:23d.

they were in great danger: The men were in danger of drowning. The boat was getting so much water in it that it seemed about to sink. If the boat sank in the storm, it was likely that the people in it would die.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 8:55

8:55a

Her spirit returned: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Her spirit returned means that the girl came back to life. Her spirit had left her body when she died, but it now returned to her, and she lived again.

Many languages have an expression that refers to a person’s life or spirit leaving the body when he or she dies. In those languages you may be able to use a similar expression to describe coming back to life. For example:

her spirit/soul returned
-or-
her breath returned
-or-
her life returned

In some languages, the expression Her spirit returned may have a different meaning such as “she became strong/courageous again.” If this is true in your language, you may want to say plainly:

She came back to life (Contemporary English Version)

8:55b

And He directed that she be given something to eat: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as be given is passive. Some ways to translate this verb are:

• As a passive verb. For example:

He ordered that something be given to her to eat.
-or-
Jesus ordered food to be given to her. (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

• As an active verb. The Greek text does not say to whom Jesus spoke. Jesus probably gave this instruction to the parents or to the mother. The parents may have called a servant to bring food for their daughter. For example:

He ordered her parents to give her something to eat. (God’s Word)
-or-
He ordered that someone should give her something to eat.

In some languages it may be more natural to use direct speech here. For example:

…and he said, “Give her something to eat.”
-or-
…and he told ⌊the parents⌋, “Cause some food to be given to her so that she may eat.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 9:31

9:31a

They appeared in glory: The phrase appeared in glory indicates that Moses and Elijah shone brightly. They were surrounded with a dazzling light, as Jesus was. Another way to translate this is:

appeared in heavenly glory (New Century Version)

9:31b–c

and spoke about His departure: Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus about His departure from the world. The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as departure is exodos. It refers mainly here to Jesus’ death. However, it could also include his rising from the dead and ascending to heaven. If you can translate it in a way that includes both meanings, you should do so. For example:

Jesus’ leaving this life
-or-
how/when Jesus would depart from this world

If it is not possible to imply both meanings, you should use an expression that refers to Jesus’ death. For example:

Jesus’ approaching death (God’s Word)

which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as accomplish implies that Jesus would accomplish what God had sent him (into the world) to do. Jesus would cause God’s plan to happen, just as God had said.

In some languages it is not natural to speak of accomplishing or fulfilling a departure/death. The meaning here is that Jesus was about to fulfill God’s plan through his death. It may be necessary to make this meaning more explicit. For example:

he would soon fulfill God’s purpose by dying in Jerusalem (Good News Translation)

General Comment on 9:30–31b

The Berean Standard Bible has changed the order of the phrases in verse 30. Other versions, such as the New International Version and the New Living Translation (2004), include some part of 9:31 in 9:30 for clarity. The English Standard Version follows the Greek order. Compare the order of the phrases in the New International Version and English Standard Version below.

30Two men, Moses and Elijah, 31aappeared in glorious splendor, 30talking with Jesus. 31bThey spoke about his departure… (New International Version)
-or-

30And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31awho appeared in glory 31band spoke of his departure… (English Standard Version)

The New Living Translation (2004) has used a different order from either the New International Version or English Standard Version. It says:

30Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, 31aappeared 30and began talking with Jesus. 31aThey were glorious to see. 31bAnd they were speaking about his exodus from this world… (New Living Translation (2004))

You should arrange the phrases in 9:30–31b in a way that is natural in your language. You may especially wish to reorder the Greek phrases if it would be unusual for you to describe Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus before saying that they appeared.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 10:1

Section 10:1–24

Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples

In Section 9:1–6 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles to preach and to heal. Here in Section 10:1–24 he sent out a larger group of disciples to different towns. Jesus told this larger group of disciples to visit many towns. They would visit the towns to find out which people and towns would receive Jesus and which would not receive him. Jesus ended his instructions to these disciples by telling them that God would punish the towns where the people did not welcome him.

Notice that in Luke 10:1 there is a textual issue concerning the number of disciples Jesus sent. You should make a decision about this textual issue before you decide on the heading for this section.

Another possible heading for this section is:

Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples to preach and to heal people

Luke is the only gospel writer who wrote about this event. However, there are parallel passages for some of the verses in this section in Matthew 9:37–38, 10:7–16, and 11:21–23.

Paragraph 10:1–4

10:1–2

In 10:1 Jesus chose seventy-two of his disciples to go ahead of him to the places where he planned to go. In 10:2–16 Luke quoted the specific instructions that Jesus gave the disciples.

Your translation should not imply that the disciples left before Jesus gave them these instructions. In some languages, you may need to make some information explicit. For example:

1…the Lord chose seventy-two other disciples/followers to go ahead of him…. 2⌊Before they left,⌋ he told them…

10:1a

After this: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as After this is literally “After these things.” It is a general expression that refers to some time after the events Luke had just recorded. Another way to translate this phrase is:

Later (Contemporary English Version)

the Lord: In this context the Lord is a title for Jesus. Some other ways to translate this title are:

the Master
-or-
the Chief

In some languages it may be necessary to make clear that the word Lord here refers to Jesus. For example:

the Lord Jesus
-or-
Jesus, the Master

In other languages it may be necessary to indicate whose Lord is referred to. If that is true in your language, it is probably good in this context to use an inclusive form like “our.” For example:

our(incl) Lord

The title “the Lord” occurs in a similar context in 7:13a. See Lord, Context 2, in the Glossary.

appointed seventy-two others: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as appointed means to select or commission people to do a particular task. The word others indicates that the people whom Jesus appointed did not include the twelve disciples whom he had commissioned in 9:1–6. Jesus probably chose the others from among the large group who regularly followed him. For example:

chose seventy-two other followers (Contemporary English Version)

seventy-two: There is a textual issue here:

(1) Some Greek manuscripts have seventy-two.

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, Revised English Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, New Century Version)

(2) Other Greek manuscripts have seventy.

(Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, God’s Word)

It is recommended that you follow option (1). However, there is strong support for both options. If a major language version in your area follows option (2), you may follow that option. Whichever option you choose, you may want to give the other option in a footnote.

10:1b–c

and sent them…ahead of Him: The phrase sent them here means “told them to go.” See the note in 10:2a for more information. Notice also that Luke never stated explicitly that they went. He only mentioned that they returned (10:17). See the note on 10:17a for a way to make the order of events clear.

two by two…to every town and place: The phrase two by two means “in groups of twos.” The seventy-two disciples traveled in pairs. Each pair of two disciples went to a different town or place where Jesus planned to go.

In some languages it may be more natural to put this phrase in a separate sentence. For example:

He told them to travel in pairs and go to every town and place

every town and place: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as every town and place refers to all the inhabited places in the area, both large and small. Since towns are themselves “places,” the Contemporary English Version has translated this as:

every town and village

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 10:33

10:33a–b

But: In this verse there is a change in the story. Something different happened. The Berean Standard Bible indicates this change with the conjunction But. Consider how you would naturally indicate such a change in a story in your language.

a Samaritan: The word Samaritan refers to a man from the district of Samaria. The Samaritans were the descendants of Jews who had married foreigners. They did not worship God in Jerusalem as the Jews did, and the Jews considered the Samaritans to be foreigners.

It may be helpful to include some of this implied information in the text or in a footnote. A suggested footnote is:

The Samaritans were the descendants of Jews who had married foreigners. They did not worship God in Jerusalem as the Jews did. The Jews hated the Samaritans and did not believe that the Samaritans were God’s people.

The Samaritan is the most significant of the three characters who saw the wounded man. In Greek, the word Samaritan occurs in an emphatic position in the sentence. Consider in what way a storyteller in your language might introduce such a person.

on a journey: The Samaritan was on a journey on the same road. The phrase on a journey fits the situation of the Samaritan who was far from his home.

10:33c

he…had compassion: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he…had compassion means “he felt very sorry for the man.” It refers to the Samaritan’s feeling of compassion. The same Greek word occurs in 7:13. Other ways to translate this clause are:

he felt very sorry for him (New Century Version)
-or-
his heart was filled with pity (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 11:23

Paragraph 11:23

In this paragraph, Jesus concluded the illustration about the strong man in 11:22. In order to make this clear, you may want to begin this paragraph with a phrase such as:

⌊Jesus continued⌋

11:23a

He who is not with Me is against Me: The clause He who is not with Me is against Me means, “Anyone who is not my friend is my enemy.” In the context of the fight between good and evil (11:14–22), this implies that anyone who is not Jesus’ friend is Satan’s friend. There is no middle or neutral position. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

If you are not on my side, you are against me. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Those people who are not my allies/companions are my opponents/enemies.

11:23b

and he who does not gather with Me scatters: This figure of speech means the same thing as 11:23a: anyone who is not helping Jesus in his work is opposing him.

Jesus did not say what he was gathering. Many scholars think he was comparing himself to a shepherd gathering sheep. Other scholars think he was comparing himself to a farmer gathering crops.

Some ways to translate this are:

• Use the specific example of sheep. For example:

He who does not help me gather ⌊my sheep⌋ is scattering them.

• Use the specific example of crops. For example:

If you don’t gather in the crop with me, you scatter it. (Contemporary English Version)

• Use a more generic word for gather. For example:

anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me (New Living Translation (2004))

• Translate the nonfigurative meaning. This figure of speech means that if someone is not calling people to come to God, like Jesus is, he is actually pushing people away from God. For example:

He who does not help me gather ⌊people for God⌋ is scattering them ⌊so that they go away from God⌋.

Translate this figure of speech in a way that is most natural in your language.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013