SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 112

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 24:26

24:26a–b

Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and then to enter His glory?: This is a rhetorical question. It emphasizes the necessity for the Christ to suffer and then enter his glory. It also implies that the two disciples should have known about this already. They should have understood that these sufferings were necessary before the Christ entered his glory. Some ways to translate this question are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer before entering into his glory? (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Did not the Christ need to suffer ⌊and die⌋ like that before he entered his glory?

• As a statement. For example:

⌊As the prophets said,⌋ it was necessary for the Christ to suffer these things before he entered his glory.
-or-
You ought to understand that the Messiah had to suffer first, and only after that, be honored.
-or-
They said that the Christ must suffer these things before he enters his glory. (New Century Version)

Translate the question and what it implies in a way that is natural in your language.

In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of 24:26a and 24:26b. See the General Comment on 24:26a–b at the end of 24:26b for an example.

24:26a

Was it not necessary for the Christ: The word necessary indicates here that God had already determined what the Christ must do. God decided what must happen to the Christ. Then the prophets had predicted that those things would happen. A similar meaning occurred in 24:7, where the Berean Standard Bible translated it as “must.”

Some ways to translate it in this context are:

It was determined ⌊by God⌋ that the Christ must…
-or-
Was it not necessary for the Messiah to…? (Good News Translation)

See the examples in the preceding note for more translation suggestions.

the Christ: Here the word Christ is used as a title. The Jews used this title to refer to the person whom God had appointed and promised to send as king and savior. The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” and the two words have the same meaning.

For more information, see the note at 20:41b also Christ in the Glossary.

to suffer these things: The phrase these things refers to the events that were summarized in 24:20. Jesus was condemned by the chief priests and other Jewish leaders, tried by the Romans, and crucified. Some other ways to refer to these sufferings here are:

to suffer in this way (Revised English Bible)
-or-
to suffer (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
experience such persecution

24:26b

and then to enter His glory: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and then introduces the result of Christ’s suffering. The suffering was necessary for him to enter his glory. It is clear in this context that he would enter his glory only after he suffered. You should translate this connection in a clear way in your language. Other ways to translate it in English are:

and after that, enter his glory
-or-
before entering his glory (New Living Translation (2004))

You should connect 24:26b with 24:26a in a way that is natural in your language.

to enter His glory: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as to enter His glory refers to Jesus receiving honor and authority to rule with God. God had promised to raise Jesus from the dead and give him power and authority to rule over everything. The phrase His glory refers to this authority and the great majesty and splendor it implies.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

receiving his honor/authority
-or-
ruling over everything
-or-
beginning his majestic reign

His glory: The phrase His glory refers to the glory/honor that Jesus deserves and that God promised him. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

the glory/honor that he ⌊deserves⌋
-or-
the glory/power that ⌊God⌋ ⌊planned⌋ for him

General Comment on 24:26a–b

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

26bBefore receiving glory/majesty ⌊as King⌋, 26athe Messiah would have to suffer all these things.

Translate the clauses in a natural order in your language.

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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 1:3

1:3

In 1:3, Luke said that he also had carefully investigated the events of Jesus’ life, like the other writers mentioned in 1:1–2. Luke implied that he could tell these events in a unique way that would be helpful to Theophilus and others. As a result, Luke had decided to write his own account of the events.

In the Greek text, the clauses in this verse are in an order that may not be natural in some languages. The NET Bible has followed the Greek order:

3aSo 3cit seemed good to me as well, 3abecause I have followed all things carefully 3bfrom the beginning, 3dto write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus

Many English versions have reordered 1:3. For example, the Berean Standard Bible has:

Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus

You should order the clauses in the way that is natural in your language.

1:3a

In order to simplify the long Greek sentence (1:1–4), the Berean Standard Bible, like many other English translations, begins a new sentence here at 1:3.

Therefore: The Berean Standard Bible connects 1:3 to the previous sentence with the conjunction Therefore. See the notes at Paragraph 1:1–4 and 1:1a for advice on translating the connection between 1:1–2 and 1:3.

having carefully investigated everything: There are two ways to interpret this clause:

(1) It gives a reason why Luke wrote the account. For example:

Since I myself have studied everything carefully (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, Revised English Bible, New Century Version, God’s Word)

(2) It indicates the time sequence. It tells what Luke did before he wrote the account. For example:

after investigating everything carefully (New Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, New Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). Although the Greek text does not explicitly state that this was one of Luke’s reasons for writing, it is implied.

carefully investigated everything: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as carefully investigated everything indicates that Luke did research and got accurate information about all the major events in Jesus’ life. He spoke personally with people who had known Jesus, and he verified the things that he heard. He questioned people about the details of the events, and he recorded his information carefully. He also read the other accounts of Jesus’ life. Some other ways to translate carefully investigated everything are:

checked all the ⌊facts⌋ carefully
-or-
examined all the ⌊information⌋ thoroughly
-or-
studied all these matters in detail

1:3b

from the beginning: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as from the beginning refers here to the beginning of the story about Jesus. This story starts with the prophecies about the births of John the Baptizer and Jesus. Luke investigated the whole story of Jesus, including the story of his birth. This does not mean that Luke was present at the beginning of the story or that he started his investigation at the time when Jesus was born.

1:3c–d

it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as it seemed good also to me means, “I decided that it would be good for me also to….” Some other ways to translate it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account are:

I also have decided to write a careful account (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I thought it would be a good idea to write an orderly account (God’s Word)

also to me: The word also here refers to the fact that Luke, as well as the many other writers mentioned in 1:1, would write an account.

to write an orderly account: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as an orderly account describes the way in which Luke wrote. He wrote in a clear, logical, and well-organized way. This does not mean that Luke wrote all the events in the exact order in which they happened.

most excellent Theophilus: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as most excellent indicates that Theophilus was important or wealthy. Luke wrote respectfully and used a special term to show honor to Theophilus.

The form of this word in Greek sometimes implies a comparison with other people. However, in this context it simply describes Theophilus himself as honorable or respected. It was a way for Luke to address him as a person of high status. Use a natural way in your language to address someone who has high status. Some ways to translate this in English are:

honorable Theophilus
-or-
highly respected Theophilus

You may need to put the phrase most excellent Theophilus at the beginning of the introduction in 1:1a. If you do this, you probably do not have to repeat it here. In some languages, it may not be natural to insert the phrase most excellent Theophilus here in 1:3d. See the General Comment on 1:1–4 at the end of the notes on 1:4 for other suggestions.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:35

Paragraph 1:35–38

1:35a–b

The two parts of this verse are very similar in meaning. The phrases “The Holy Spirit” and “the power of the Most High” are similar. The phrases “will come upon you” and “will overshadow you” are similar.

In some languages, it may be confusing to repeat the same meaning in different words here. It may imply that the angel was making two separate statements that had different meanings. If that is true in your language, you may need to translate the parts of the verse in a different way. See the General Comment on 1:35a–b at the end of the notes on 1:35b for a suggestion.

1:35a

The angel replied: These words introduce the answer to the question that Mary asked in 1:34a. In some languages it may be necessary to make this clear by repeating part of Mary’s question in the angel’s answer. For example:

The angel answered, “⌊It will happen in this way:⌋….”

angel: See the note at 1:11a for suggestions about how to translate the word angel. See also angel, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

The Holy Spirit will come upon you: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as The Holy Spirit will come upon you means here that the Holy Spirit would come to Mary. He would do a powerful miracle in her body. He would cause her to become pregnant. Use a natural way in your language to speak about God or a spirit coming to do good in a person. Not all languages will use the expression “come upon.” Some other ways to express the idea are:

The Holy Spirit will come to you (God’s Word)
-or-
The Holy Spirit will surround/ envelop you

In some languages there is an expression for an evil spirit coming to control someone for an evil purpose. Do not use an expression like that here if it would imply that the Holy Spirit would come for an evil purpose. The expression should not imply that the Holy Spirit would rape Mary or have sexual relations with her.

The Holy Spirit: The term Holy Spirit also occurs in 1:15c. See the note there for help in how to translate this term.

1:35b

the power of the Most High will overshadow you: The phrase the power of the Most High will overshadow you has almost the same meaning as “the Holy Spirit will come upon you” in 1:35a. The verb overshadow is used here in a figurative way. It literally means “to cast a shadow over” or “to shade.” In this context it indicates that God will powerfully work in Mary to cause her to conceive Jesus. It speaks of God’s power surrounding Mary the way a cloud covers or surrounds something.

Some ways to translate this are:

• Use an expression based on the figurative meaning of this verb. For example:

the power of the Most High ⌊God⌋ will cover you
-or-
God, who is greater than all gods, will completely surround you with his power the way a cloud shades the earth

• Translate the meaning without the figurative language. For example:

the power of the Most High will be present with you
-or-
God’s power will completely surround/envelop you
-or-
the Most High will be present with you and his power will work in you

You may also want to make explicit what God’s power and presence would accomplish in Mary. For example:

the power of the Most High will be present with you ⌊and cause you to become pregnant⌋
-or-
The power of the Greatest/Highest ⌊God⌋ will come over you ⌊to cause you to conceive⌋

the Most High: The expression the Most High is a title for God. Some ways to translate this are:

the One who is higher than all things
-or-
the One who is the greatest
-or-
the Most High God
-or-

⌊God⌋, the One who is the Most High

See the note on 1:32b for a more complete discussion of the Most High.

General Comment on 1:35a–b

The clauses in 1:35a and 1:35b have similar meanings. In some languages it may be necessary to make this clear by arranging the information in a different way. For example:

The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit of the Most High God will come to you and work powerfully within you.…”

1:35c

So: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So here introduces the result of God’s work. 1:35c is the result of 1:35a–b. Another way to translate this is:

For this reason the holy child will be called the Son of God. (Good News Translation)

the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God:
The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Holy One to be born refers to the holy child to whom Mary would give birth. There are different ways to express the Greek structure of 1:35c in English:

the holy child to be born will be called Son of God (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God (New Revised Standard Version)

The meaning of these three examples is almost the same. Jesus would be holy, and he would be the Son of God, so people would also call him holy and “the Son of God”. Some other ways to translate this are:

the holy child who will be born will be called “Son of God”
-or-
the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God (New Living Translation (2004))

Holy One: Here the phrase Holy One refers to the fact that Jesus is divine and has the same nature as God. He is perfect in every way and is completely pure and sinless. Because of these qualities, he is worthy of awe. Some ways to translate this are:

the divine/holy child
-or-
the pure one from God

See the word holy, sense A2, in Key Biblical Terms.

will be called the Son of God: The phrase will be called the Son of God is similar to “will be called the Son of the Most High” in 1:32b. See the note there. It implies that Jesus will be described or addressed with the title the Son of God. He will receive this title because he actually is the Son of God.

The verb will be called is passive. The text does not specify who will call Jesus this. In some languages, it may not be natural to translate the verb will be called as passive. If that is true in your language, here are other ways to translate it:

• Use a different verb that does not require you to say who will use the title. For example:

he will have the title Son of God
-or-
his name will be the Son of God

• Focus on the fact that Jesus will be the Son of God. For example:

he will be the Son of God

If you must say who would call the child the Son of God, try to make the subject as general as possible. For example:

⌊they⌋ will call him the Son of God

the Son of God: See the note on Son in 1:32b for advice about how to translate “Son” when it refers to Jesus as the Son of God.

In languages where there is no single word for Son, many translators have used a more general expression, such as:

child of God

Other verses will usually make clear that Jesus was a male child. If you use a descriptive phrase such as “male child of God,” be sure that this expression does not imply that God had another child who was female.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:67

Section 1:67–80

Zechariah prophesied and praised God

In this section the Holy Spirit gave Zechariah insight, and Zechariah spoke the message in 1:68–79. Some scholars call the message a song because it praises God and is similar to some of the psalms, which people often sang. In the message, Zechariah praised God for keeping his promises by sending the Messiah, who would deliver Israel (1:68–75). He also prophesied that his son, John, would prepare people for the Messiah (1:76–79). John grew up (1:80) and fulfilled this prophecy.

Many verbs in 1:68–79 are in the past tense. But Zechariah was not talking only about the past. He talked about what God was doing at that time and what he would continue to do through the Messiah and through John. If possible, use verb forms that do not refer only to past events.

The phrases in Zechariah’s prophecy are similar to phrases in the Old Testament Scriptures. Almost every clause is similar to a verse in the Old Testament. However, none are so similar that it is clear that Zechariah is quoting a certain verse. You may want to include cross-references to some of the similar verses. They will be mentioned in the Notes.

For your translation of 1:68–79, you may want to write the clauses of this song on separate lines, as poetry. For an example, see 1:68–79 in the Berean Standard Bible, New International Version, or Good News Translation. In Greek, 1:68–79 is phrased as two long sentences. Most modern English versions use more and shorter sentences. The Notes will give suggestions about sentence breaks. Remember that there may be special phrases in your language that are appropriate for poetry, even if they are not used in ordinary conversation.

In this section Zechariah did not speak about events in the order in which they happened. In some languages it may be necessary to change the order of the clauses to make the sequence of events clear. For example, here is a possible way to begin this section in some languages:

68aPraise be to the Lord the God of Israel!

73Long ago he swore an oath to our father Abraham.

74aHe promised to rescue us from the hand of our enemies…

Some other possible headings for this section are:

Zechariah praised God and prophesied about John
-or-
Zechariah praised God for the Messiah who would save Israel
-or-
Zechariah’s prophecy
-or-
Zechariah’s song of praise to God

Paragraph 1:67–75

1:67a

Then his father Zechariah: The phrase his father refers to Zechariah as the father of the child/baby John. You should refer to him in a natural way in your language for this context. Some ways to do this are:

John’s father Zechariah (Good News Translation)
-or-
The child’s father
-or-
Zechariah (Contemporary English Version)

Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as filled with the Holy Spirit implies here that the Holy Spirit suddenly gave Zechariah a message to speak from God. The expression filled with the Holy Spirit is a common figure of speech in the New Testament.

This expression was also used in 1:41b. In 1:41b Zechariah’s wife Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and then spoke God’s words.

Some ways to translate Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit in this context are:

The Holy Spirit guided Zechariah
-or-
The Holy Spirit gave Zechariah power/insight

the Holy Spirit: The term Holy Spirit also occurs in 1:15c. See the note there for help in translating this term.

1:67b

prophesied: The word prophesied means “to speak a message on behalf of God.” God somehow communicates his message directly to the prophet. The prophet then speaks the message to people on behalf of God. Here Zechariah spoke about what God had done, what he was doing, and what he would soon do in the future.

Some other ways to translate this are:

spoke words that God wanted/inspired him to say
-or-
proclaimed things that God revealed to him

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2:19

2:19

But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates here as But introduces Mary’s reaction to the things that the shepherds told her. Luke focused on Mary’s reaction as special among the group who heard the shepherds’ words. There is a contrast between Mary and everyone else. Everyone was amazed, but Mary also thought carefully about what had happened. In some languages it may not be necessary to use a connector. Translate the connection in a natural way in your language.

treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart: The word heart is figurative here. The Jews often spoke of the heart as the part of a person in which thoughts and feelings occur. In some languages, it may not be natural to use an expression like “in the heart.” If that is true in your language, here are other ways to translate this part of the verse:

• Use a specific expression that people in your culture use to refer to the part of a person in which thoughts and feelings occur. For example:

Mary treasured all these things and turned them over in her mind… (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

• Use a general expression without mentioning a specific part of a person. For example:

Mary treasured these things and continued to think about them. (New Century Version)

treasured up: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as treasured up literally means “kept,” “guarded,” or “protected.” In this context, Mary kept/guarded her thoughts and memories. This means that she continually remembered the things that had happened. She did not allow herself to forget these things.

all these things: The phrase all these things refers to all the events that had happened regarding Jesus. Mary thought not only about what the shepherds said but also about the things that the angel had told her (1:31–35). She probably also thought about what Elizabeth had said (1:42–45).

pondered them: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pondered means that Mary thought about all these things that had happened. She carefully considered their meaning.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2:51

Paragraph 2:51–52

2:51a

Then He went down to Nazareth with them: The town of Nazareth was lower in the hills than Jerusalem. So anyone traveling from Jerusalem to Nazareth had to walk down the hill to a place that was lower in elevation.

In some languages, it is important to say whether people go up or down when they travel. In other languages, this will be unusual or may be confusing. If it is confusing in your language, you may use a more general word or phrase. For example:

Jesus went with them to Nazareth (New Century Version)
-or-
Then he returned to Nazareth with them (New Living Translation (2004))

2:51b

and was obedient to them: The clause was obedient to them means that Jesus obeyed his parents. It does not imply that he did not obey them before. If this is not clear, you could say:

he continued to obey them

In this verse part, Luke made it clear that Jesus obeyed his parents as he grew to be a mature man.

2:51c

But: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as But is often translated as “and.” There is no strong contrast between 2:51c and 2:51b. This word simply indicates that the story continues. So here some versions translate this word as “and.” For example:

and his mother kept all these things in her heart (Revised Standard Version)

Other versions start a new sentence here and leave this word untranslated. For example:

His mother treasured all these things in her heart. (Good News Translation)

You should connect 2:51c to 2:51b in a way that is natural in your language.

His mother treasured up all these things in her heart: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as treasured means “kept” (as in the Revised Standard Version). Mary kept all these things in her heart. This means that she remembered them. She did not allow herself to forget these things.

This word has a meaning that is similar to a different word in 2:19 that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “treasured up.”

Other ways to translate this are:

kept all these things in mind and pondered them
-or-
remembered all these things and thought about them often
-or-
kept thinking about all these things

His mother: The phrase His mother refers to Jesus’ mother Mary.

all these things: The phrase all these things refers to all the events that happened in 2:41–50. It may also refer to events that had happened in the earlier part of Jesus’ life.

in her heart: The word heart is figurative here. The Jews often spoke of the heart as the part of a person in which thoughts and feelings occur. In some languages, it may not be natural to use an expression like “in the heart.” If that is true in your language, here are other ways to translate this part of the verse:

• Use a specific expression that people in your culture use to refer to the part of a person in which thoughts and feelings occur. For example:

Mary treasured all these things and turned them over in her mind.

• Use a general expression without mentioning a specific part of a person. For example:

Mary treasured these things and continued to think about them.
-or-
His mother kept on thinking about all that had happened. (Contemporary English Version)

This same phrase occurs in 2:19.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 4:4

4:4a

But Jesus answered: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as answered can also be translated as “replied” or “responded.” Jesus did not answer a question. He responded to what the devil suggested. Use a word from your language that matches this context. For example:

But Jesus told him (New Living Translation (2004))

But: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But is a conjunction that may also be translated as “and.” Some English versions, such as the English Standard Version, translate it that way. Other versions, such as the New International Version and NET Bible, do not translate this conjunction here. Connect 4:4a to 4:3b in a way that is natural in your language.

It is written: Jesus used the phrase It is written to introduce words that were written in the Hebrew Scriptures (Deuteronomy 8:3). Some other ways to translate this are:

It is written in the Scriptures (New Century Version)
-or-
The scripture says (Good News Translation)

4:4b

Man shall not live on bread alone:
The clause Man shall not live on bread alone is a quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3. Jesus was saying that bread (food) alone does not give true life. There is something more important than food.

Be careful not to translate this clause in a way that implies that Jesus was saying that people need a variety of foods in addition to bread. He was not saying that bread is not nutritious enough to sustain life. He was saying that food alone does not give true life.

Some other ways to translate this are:

It takes more than bread for man to live.
-or-
Food by itself is not enough to keep people alive.
-or-
No one can live only on food. (Contemporary English Version)

Man: The word Man here refers to human beings. It refers to both males and females.

bread: In this context bread represents food in general. This is the same word as in 4:3b.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 4:36

4:36a

All the people: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as All the people is literally “all.” It refers to all the people in the synagogue who had just seen this miracle.

were overcome with amazement: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as with amazement also means “astonished.” The people were amazed and astonished that the demon came out of the man without injuring him. They were also amazed that Jesus had the authority and power to command demons and make them leave.

In some languages, it may be necessary to say what had caused the people to be amazed. For example:

All the people were amazed ⌊at this⌋
-or-

⌊This miracle⌋ amazed all the people

4:36b

and asked one another: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and asked one another is literally “and they were talking to one another saying.” Some other ways to translate this are:

They talked to each other and said
-or-
They discussed this among themselves and said

If you translate 4:36c as a question, it may be necessary to translate the Greek word “saying” as asked, as the Berean Standard Bible does. For example:

and asked one another

4:36c

What is this message?: When you translate this clause, there are two issues to consider.

Interpretation issue: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as What is this message? is literally “What is this word?” In this context, there are several ways to interpret the word “word”:

(1) It refers to all Jesus’ words. This includes both his command (in 4:35a) and his teaching (in 4:32b). For example:

What is there in this man’s words? (Revised English Bible)

(NET Bible, New Century Version, Revised English Bible)

(2) It refers primarily to Jesus’ word/command in 4:35a that forced the demon to leave the man. For example:

What kind of command is this? (God’s Word)

(God’s Word)

(3) It refers primarily to the word/teaching in 4:32b, or his teaching in general. For example:

What kind of teaching is this? (Contemporary English Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, New International Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

Rhetorical question: This clause is a rhetorical question. It expresses surprise. It does not mean that the people did not understand what Jesus said.

Some ways to translate this are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

What is there in this man’s words? (Revised English Bible)
-or-
What’s happening here? (NET Bible)

• As a statement. For example:

These are surprising/amazing words!

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to express surprise of this type.

4:36d

In Greek, 4:36d begins with a conjunction that Luke used to introduce the reason for the people’s surprised question in 4:36c. Some English versions, such as the Revised Standard Version, translate this conjunction as “for.” The Berean Standard Bible and many other English versions do not translate this conjunction. You should introduce 4:36d in a way that is natural in your language.

With authority and power He commands the unclean spirits: The two Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as authority and power are similar in meaning. The word authority refers to the right or privilege to say or do something. The word power refers to being able to do something. The people saw that Jesus had both authority to command the demon and power to force him to obey his command.

Some other ways to translate this are:

He has the right and the strength to command evil spirits to leave
-or-
He is stronger than evil spirits, and he has the right to order them to come out

If your language would not use nouns like authority and power here, you can say:

The evil spirits must obey him because he is greater and stronger than they are.

He commands the unclean spirits: The phrase He commands the unclean spirits means that Jesus commanded evil spirits to leave the people whom they were possessing. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

he orders evil spirits ⌊to come out of people⌋

the unclean spirits: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible here translates as unclean spirits is sometimes translated as “evil spirits” (God’s Word, Good News Translation, New Living Translation (2004)). The terms unclean spirits, evil spirits, and demons all refer to the same beings. You may use the same term here as in 4:33a. See also demon in the Glossary.

4:36e

and they come out: The evil spirits had to come out of people when Jesus commanded them. They did not want to, but they had to obey Jesus. In some languages, it may be necessary to make it explicit that the evil spirits came out because Jesus told them to. For example:

and they ⌊obey him and⌋ come out ⌊of people⌋

General Comment on 4:36d–e

Another way to connect the information in 4:36d–e is:

He speaks with such authority and power that even evil spirits obey him and leave when he orders them!

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 24:26

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:3

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:35

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:67

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2:19

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2:51

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 4:4

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 4:36

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American Bible Society