SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 110

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 12:47

Paragraph 12:47–48

12:47

This verse states a general principle. It does not refer to a particular action in the past. Use a natural way in your language to state this general principle. For example:

If servants are not ready or willing to do what their master wants them to do, they will be beaten hard. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Servants who know their master’s will but do not get themselves ready or do it will receive many blows.
-or-
As for a servant who knows his master’s will but does not do it, he will receive a severe beating.

12:47a

That servant who knows his master’s will: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as That servant refers to a type of servant that Jesus was about to mention. Jesus was referring to any servant who knew what his master wanted or told him to do. In some languages it may be more natural to use a different form to refer to a servant or servants in general. For example:

a servant who knows what the master wants (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
servants who know what their master wants them to do

12:47b

but does not get ready: In this context the phrase does not get ready means “does not prepare for the master’s return.”

or: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as or introduces a second thing that the servant does not do. The servant does not get ready and he does not do what his master wants.

follow his instructions: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as follow his instructions is literally “do his master’s will,” as in 12:47a. The Berean Standard Bible has varied the translation for stylistic reasons. You may use the same expression if that is good style in your language. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

obey his master
-or-
fulfill his master’s desires

General Comment on 12:47b

In some languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of the two verb phrases in this part of the verse. For example:

and does not obey his master or prepare for his return

12:47c

will be beaten with many blows: This is a passive verb phrase. It refers to someone being struck many times with a whip (or possibly a stick). Some ways to translate it are:

• With a passive verb. For example:

will be whipped with many blows/strokes

• With an active verb. For example:

will receive a severe beating (New Revised Standard Version)

• If it is necessary to specify an actor, the implied actor is either the master or someone else whom the master orders to whip him. For example:

⌊his master⌋ will give him a severe whipping
-or-

⌊his master will cause/order someone to⌋ beat him with many blows

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

General Comment on 12:47a–c

12:47a–b describe a condition or situation that will lead to a particular result (12:47c). In some languages it may be more natural to state 12:47a–b as a conditional (if) clause. For example:

If servants do not obey their master or prepare for him to return, they will receive many lashes with the whip.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 13:20

Paragraph 13:20–21

13:20

This paragraph introduces the second of two brief parables describing what God’s kingdom is like. In the Greek text this paragraph begins with a conjunction. Some English versions, such as the Revised Standard Version, translate it as “And.” Other versions, such as the Contemporary English Version. translate it as “Then.” The Berean Standard Bible does not translate this word. You should use a natural way in your language to introduce another similar illustration.

Again He asked: The word Again refers to the fact that Jesus had asked a similar question in 13:18.

To what can I compare the kingdom of God?: This is a rhetorical question. Translate this rhetorical question as you translated a similar question in 13:18.

kingdom of God: The phrase kingdom of God also occurs in 13:18a.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 14:17

14:17a

When it was time for the banquet: The phrase When it was time for the banquet is more literally “at the hour of the feast.” It refers to the time when the host was ready for his guests to come to the feast. At this time the host sent out another message telling the invited guests to come.

14:17b

he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited: This verse part introduces a message that the host wanted to give his guests. Another way to translate this is:

he gave his servant this message to deliver/take to the people who had been invited

The message in 14:17c is in direct speech. In some languages it may be more natural to use indirect speech here. See the General Comment on 14:17b–c for suggestions.

his servant: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servant means “slave” (as in the New Revised Standard Version). This word refers to someone who was owned by another person. He worked for his owner/master without receiving pay. The plural form of this word also occurs in 12:37a.

In some cultures, slaves may not be known. In other cultures, the word for slave may imply different customs than in biblical culture. If that is true in your language, some ways to translate this are:

worker/servant
-or-
messenger

those who had been invited: The verb had been invited is a passive verb. If a passive verb is not natural in your language here, some other ways to translate this clause are:

his guests (Good News Translation)
-or-
those whom ⌊he⌋ had invited
-or-
them

14:17c

Come, for everything is now ready: This message implies that the guests should come to the host’s house for the banquet. In some languages it may be necessary to make the message more explicit. For example:

Come ⌊to the banquet⌋, for everything is now ready.
-or-
Come ⌊to my house⌋, for everything is now ready ⌊for the banquet⌋.

Translate this message in a natural way in your language. In some languages it may be necessary to change the order of clauses in the message. For example:

Everything is now ready. So come!

General Comment on 14:17b–c

In some languages it may be more natural to translate this message as indirect speech. For example:

he sent his servant to tell the guests that they should come to the feast because everything was ready

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 15:14

15:14a

After he had spent all he had: The clause After he had spent all he had means that the young man had used up all his money. Other ways to translate this are:

In this way he spent all his money
-or-
He had nothing left when… (God’s Word)

15:14b

a severe famine swept through that country: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a severe famine swept through that country is literally “there-came a severe famine.” Languages have different ways to describe the start or spread of a famine. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

a time came when there was no food anywhere in the country (New Century Version)
-or-
a bad famine spread through that whole land (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
that country experienced a severe famine (New Jerusalem Bible)

a severe famine: The phrase a severe famine refers to a time when there was little food available for humans or animals to eat.

15:14c

and he began to be in need: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he began to be in need indicates that the younger son no longer had any money. He could not buy food, so he began to go hungry. Other ways to translate this clause are:

Soon he had nothing to eat. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
He had nothing to live on. (God’s Word)
-or-
he began to starve (New Living Translation (2004))

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 16:14

Section 16:14–18

Jesus spoke to the Pharisees

In this section Jesus talked to the Pharisees about several topics. He told them that God understood their hearts, that is, that he knew what they most deeply valued and desired. He also talked to them about the authority of God’s law.

Another possible heading for this section is:

Some other things that Jesus taught

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 5:31–32 and Mark 10:11–12.

Paragraph 16:14–15

16:14

The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus: In the preceding verse Jesus said that it is impossible to serve both God and money. The Pharisees loved money, so they scoffed at Jesus as they listened to what he said. Other ways to express this are:

The Pharisees heard what Jesus was saying. As they listened, they scoffed at him, because they loved money.
-or-
The Pharisees were listening to all this. They loved money, so they were ridiculing Jesus.

Pharisees: The Pharisees were members of a Jewish religious group that emphasized obeying all of the Jewish religious laws very carefully. Here are some ways to translate this word:

• Transliterate the word Pharisees according to the sounds of your language and indicate that it refers to a group of people. For example:

Farisi members
-or-
Parise adherents

• Transliterate the word Pharisees and indicate that it refers to a group of people with certain beliefs. For example:

people belonging to the Farise religious sect/group
-or-
members of the religious group called the Farasi

This word first occurs in Luke at 5:17b.

who were lovers of money: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as lovers of money describes people who love to obtain money and to be wealthy. In some languages a word such as “love” may not fit with an object like money. Some other ways to translate this expression are:

highly valued money/wealth
-or-
were very fond of money
-or-
were greedy for money

heard all of this and were scoffing at Jesus: The form of the Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as were scoffing indicates that the Pharisees were showing their ridicule for Jesus during the time that they were listening. The two examples given in the first note on this verse make this explicit. Another way to indicate this ongoing action is to say:

listened mockingly

all of this: The phrase all of this refers to all the things Jesus had just been saying to his disciples about money in 16:1–13.

were scoffing: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as were scoffing refers here to showing scorn or disdain. The Pharisees may have ridiculed Jesus by making scornful remarks or gestures or simply by the expressions on their faces. Try to translate in a way that could indicate any of these kinds of mocking behavior. For example:

made fun of Jesus (New Century Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 17:15

17:15a

When one of them saw that he was healed, he came back: What Jesus said in 17:17 indicates that all ten of the lepers realized that their leprosy was gone. However, only one of them went back to Jesus.

In some languages a literal translation may wrongly imply that only this one man saw that he was healed. It may imply that the other nine did not notice that they were healed. If that is true in your language, you may need to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

After ⌊the men⌋ saw that they had been healed, one of them came back…

he was healed: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was healed refers specifically to being physically cured. It is a different word from the word that the Berean Standard Bible translated as “cleansed” in 17:14. He noticed that his skin disease was gone.

The verb was healed is passive. Some ways to translate it are:

• As a passive verb. For example:

he was cured
-or-
he had been healed

• Without passive verb. For example:

he was well
-or-

⌊God/Jesus⌋ had healed him

Translate the verb in a natural way in your language.

17:15b

praising God in a loud voice: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as praising is literally “glorifying,” as in the New American Standard Bible. In this context it means to praise God and thank him. It means to speak about how great God is and about the wonderful things he does. This man was shouting out his praise and thanks to God. Some other ways to translate this are:

shouting, “Praise God!” (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
…shouting praises to God. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
saying loudly, “God is great!”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 18:10

18:10a

Two men: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as men is literally “people.” The context shows that they were men. In some languages it may be natural to use a more general term such as “people” here.

went up to the temple: Jewish people spoke of going up when they went to the temple because the temple was on a hill. It may be more natural in some languages to say:

went to the Temple (New Living Translation (2004))

temple: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as temple refers to the temple building and the walls and courtyards that surrounded it. The temple was in Jerusalem and was the most important place where Jews worshiped God.

Some ways to translate the word temple are:

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

house/building of God
-or-
house/place of sacrifice
-or-
house/place of worship
-or-
holy/sacred house

• If your language has a word for temple, consider using it. But you may need to modify it by saying:

temple of God

Be sure to use a different term from the one you have chosen for “synagogue.” There was only one temple, but there were many synagogues throughout the land of Israel where the Jews met regularly for worship.

See temple, Meaning 1, in the Glossary for more information about the temple and how to translate it.

In this context the men prayed in the courtyard around the temple, not inside the temple building. In some languages it may be helpful to specify this. For example:

the temple courtyard

to pray: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pray was also used in 18:1. It is a general word that can refer to different kinds of prayer. In this context two men went to the temple to pray to God. One of the men thanked God that he was better than other people. He did not request anything from God. The other man asked God for mercy. Use a word for prayer that fits this context.

In some languages you may need to say explicitly that they were going to pray to God. For example:

to pray ⌊to God⌋

18:10b

One was a Pharisee: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as One was a Pharisee is literally “one a Pharisee.” This phrase indicates that one of the two men who went to the temple to pray was a Pharisee. In some languages it is necessary to supply a verb here, as the Berean Standard Bible does. Another way to translate this is:

One of the men was a Pharisee

Pharisee: The word Pharisee refers to a member of a certain Jewish religious group or party. It was very important to the Pharisees to obey all of the Jewish religious laws very carefully and in detail. Here are some ways to translate this word:

• Transliterate the word Pharisee according to the sounds of your language and indicate that it refers to people. For example:

Farisi member
-or-
Parise adherent
-or-
member of the Farisi people/group

• Transliterate the word Pharisee and indicate that it refers to a person who belonged to a group of people with certain beliefs. For example:

person who belonged to the Farise religious sect/group
-or-
member of the religious group called the Farasi

This word occurred in the plural form in 17:20.

and the other a tax collector: The term and the other refers to the other person who went up to the temple to pray. This person was a tax collector.

tax collector: In the New Testament, the term tax collector refers to a Jewish person who received taxes from his own people to give to the government that ruled them. If you do not have a word in your language for tax collector, you may need to use a descriptive phrase. For example:

person who collected taxes for the/another government
-or-
person who gathered money from people to pay to a ruler/king

You may want to include a footnote to explain the meaning of this word. You may also want to explain it in a glossary note. Here is an example of such a note:

The Jewish people hated the tax collectors because they were Jewish people who worked for the foreign government that ruled them. These tax collectors often cheated their own people by overcharging them.

This word also occurs in 5:27.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 18:42

18:42a

“Receive your sight!” Jesus replied: The Greek word for Receive your sight is another form of the word that the blind man used when he said “let me see again” in 18:41b. Some ways to translate it are:

See!
-or-
Receive your sight!
-or-

⌊I heal you so that⌋ you see again.

18:42b

Your faith has healed you: This clause indicates that Jesus healed the man from blindness because of his faith. The noun faith refers here to the action of believing and trusting Jesus. Your faith has healed you implies that the blind man believed that Jesus would heal him.

In some languages it may be more natural to translate faith as a verb. If that is true in your language, you may also need to make explicit who or what was believed. Some ways to translate this are:

You trusted ⌊in me⌋ and that is why you can now see.
-or-
Receive your sight because you believed ⌊that I could heal you⌋.

See also 8:48a and 17:19b, where the same Greek phrase occurs. See believe, Meaning 2, in the Glossary.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013