SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 118

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:28

Paragraph 22:28–30

22:28

You are the ones who have stood by Me in My trials: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as stood by Me is more literally “remained with me.” It indicates that the apostles had been faithful to him even during his most difficult times. Some other ways to translate this verse are:

You have stayed with me all through my trials (Good News Translation)
-or-
You are the men who have stood by me faithfully in my trials (New Jerusalem Bible)

You: In Greek the pronoun You is emphatic here. It implies that the twelve apostles were the men who had faithfully stayed with Jesus and shared all his hard times. Translate the emphasis in a natural way in your language. See the examples in the preceding note.

My trials: In this context the phrase My trials probably refers to the various troubles and difficulties that Jesus suffered during the years of his ministry. Other ways to translate the phrase are:

all my troubles (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the troubles that have tested me (God’s Word)

In some languages there may be an idiom to express this idea. For example:

all that I have gone through (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:60

22:60a

“Man, I do not know what you are talking about,” Peter replied: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Peter replied are literally “and/but Peter said.” The Berean Standard Bible places these words at the end of what Peter said. This is good English style. However, in some languages, it may be necessary to put these words where they are in the Greek, at the beginning of 22:60a. For example:

Peter replied, “Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!” (New International Version)

Peter addressed this other person in the same way as he addressed the man in 22:58. You may translate in the same way here. See the note on 22:58c.

I do not know what you are talking about: The statement I do not know what you are talking about is an emphatic way to deny what someone says. Here Peter emphasized that what the man said was not true. He implied that he did not know why the man said that. Other ways to translate Peter’s statement are:

I have no idea what you mean.
-or-
I don’t know what you are saying there.

In some languages a literal translation communicates a wrong meaning. If that is true in your language, emphasize Peter’s denial in a different and more direct way. For example:

What you say is definitely not true!
-or-
I do not know why you would say that!
-or-
Why do you say that ⌊wrong⌋ thing?!

Use a natural way in your culture to emphatically deny what someone has said. Be sure that your translation of this whole section indicates clearly that Peter was the person who was not telling the truth when he denied Jesus. He spoke falsely like that because he was afraid.

22:60b

While he was still speaking, the rooster crowed: While Peter was denying the Lord the third time, he heard a rooster crow. This statement emphasizes that the rooster crowed even while Peter was still speaking. Some other ways to translate this are:

And immediately, while he was still speaking (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
At that moment, as he was saying that

the rooster crowed: Roosters usually crowed early in the morning, while it was still dark. (See the note on 22:34b.) Luke was referring to a rooster that was nearby so that Peter could clearly hear it.

For help in translating rooster and crowed, see the notes on 22:34b.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 23:22

23:22a

A third time he said to them: The phrase A third time indicates that Pilate had already appealed to the crowd twice about Jesus (in 23:14 and 23:20). He had told them that Jesus was innocent and did not deserve the death penalty. When he repeated these facts to the people in this verse, it was the third time that he had told them those things.

Some other ways to translate this part of the verse are:

Then Pilate said to them a third time
-or-
Pilate had already appealed to the people twice. But he appealed to them again and asked

23:22b

In Greek, 23:22b begins with a conjunction that is often translated as “for.” It introduces an argument against what the crowd wanted to do. It implies that there is no reason to crucify Jesus, so many English versions translate it as “Why,” as in the New International Version. The Good News Translation translates it as “But.” The Berean Standard Bible does not translate this word, so translate it in a natural way in your language.

What evil has this man done?: Here Pilate asked the people to tell him what crime Jesus had done. There are two ways to translate the question:

• Translate it as a question. For example:

What is his crime, then? (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
What has he done wrong? (God’s Word)
-or-
…what evil has this man done? (New American Standard Bible)

• Translate it as a command or demand. For example:

Tell me what crime he has done then.
-or-
You must tell me what bad thing he has done.

Translate Pilate’s words in a way that fits this context in your language.

evil: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as evil is a general word that refers to anything wrong or evil. In this context it refers to bad or wrong behavior that was against Roman law. See the examples in the preceding note for translation suggestions.

23:22c

I have found in Him no offense worthy of death: This statement is similar to what Pilate said in 23:4 and 23:15. It indicates that Pilate had not discovered any reason to execute Jesus. The phrase no offense worthy are the same words that the Berean Standard Bible translated as “no basis” in 23:4. Other ways to translate the statement are:

I cannot find anything he has done to deserve death! (Good News Translation)
-or-
I have found no reason to sentence him to death. (New Living Translation (2004))

See the notes on 23:4b and 23:15c for more information and translation suggestions.

23:22d

So: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So introduces the logical result of Pilate’s statement in 23:22c. The New International Version translates this conjunction as “Therefore.” You should introduce this logical result in a way that is natural in your language.

after I punish Him, I will release Him: In Greek this statement is the same as what Pilate said in 23:16, though the Berean Standard Bible translates it slightly differently here. You may translate it in the same way or a similar way as you did in 23:16. See the notes at 23:16 for more information and translation suggestions.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 23:54

23:54a–b

It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning: This is background information. Preparation Day was the day that preceded the Jewish Sabbath day. On the Sabbath, no one could cook food or do any work. So on Preparation Day, people had to prepare food and other things for the Sabbath. Preparation Day began on Thursday at sunset and continued until Friday at sunset.

In some languages it may be necessary to translate Preparation as a verb. For example:

It was the day people prepared for the Sabbath, which was about to begin.

It was forbidden to move a dead body on the Sabbath. The Sabbath began on Friday at sunset and continued until Saturday at sunset. Since Jesus died on Friday afternoon, Joseph had only a short time to bury the body before the Sabbath day began. You may want to include some of this information in a footnote. For example:

According to Jewish law, people could not move a dead body on the Sabbath day. So Joseph had to bury the body quickly before the Sabbath day began at sunset.

Sabbath: The word Sabbath is the name of the seventh and last day of the week for the Jews. This was the special day in the week when they rested and worshiped God. It was against the Jewish religious law to do any work on the Sabbath (Deuteronomy 5:12–15). Some ways to translate Sabbath are:

the ⌊Jewish⌋ rest day
-or-
the day for resting
-or-
the day to rest and worship God

If the word Sabbath is already known in your area, you may write it according to the sounds of your language. You may also want to include a phrase to explain the meaning. For example:

the Sabat, the ⌊Jews’⌋ rest day

The Jewish Sabbath should not be confused with Sunday, the day when most Christians rest and worship. You may want to include a footnote to give more information. For example:

The Sabbath is a name for the day of the week when the Jews rested from work and worshiped God.

See how you translated Sabbath at 4:16.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 24:30

24:30a

In Greek, 24:30a begins with a phrase that means “Then/And it happened that.” Luke used this phrase to introduce what happened in this verse. In this context the phrase may imply that some time passed before they sat down to eat. It may also imply that the events in 24:30b–c are important in this section. Introduce the verse in a natural way in your language.

While He was reclining at the table with them: The clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as He was reclining at the table with them indicates that Jesus was about to eat with his two followers. In Greek there is no word for table here, but it is fine to include it if it is natural in your language. Some other ways to translate the clause are:

While he was at the table with them (God’s Word)
-or-
After a while, as he was about to eat with them
-or-
He sat down to eat with them (Good News Translation)

24:30b–c

The four actions in 24:30b–c are very similar to the ones in 9:16 and 22:19. In 9:16 where Jesus fed more than five thousand people, he did these actions. He did them again in 22:19 when he gave the bread to his disciples at the Passover meal. You should translate 24:30b–c in a way similar to the way you translated those verses.

In the context of 24:30, Jesus was a guest in the disciples’ house. It was the custom for the host to thank God for the bread and then distribute it. The disciples probably asked Jesus to do this to honor him. They realized that he was a religious teacher because he had explained the Scriptures to them (24:27).

He took bread: The clause He took bread indicates that Jesus took bread from the table and lifted it in his hands. Some other ways to translate it are:

He took some bread ⌊in his hands⌋
-or-
He took bread ⌊from the table⌋
-or-
He took a loaf of bread

This same phrase occurs in 22:19. You may translate it in a similar way here.

bread: The text does not specify what type of bread was used here. It may have been unleavened bread as it was in 22:19. However, since the festivals of Passover and Unleavened Bread were over, it may not have been unleavened. If you have a general word for bread, you may use it here.

spoke a blessing: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as spoke a blessing is literally “blessed,” as in 9:16. It is different from the word that the Berean Standard Bible translated as “gave thanks” in 22:19. However, it refers to the same action. It indicates that Jesus prayed to God and thanked him for the bread. He may have said a special blessing over it. Some other ways to translate the word here are:

when he had thanked God for it
-or-
spoke a prayer of thanksgiving

For more information, see bless, Meaning 5, in the Glossary.

24:30c

and broke it: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as broke refers to dividing or tearing bread into two or more parts. Jesus used his hands to break the bread, rather than a knife. In that culture, it was the custom for the host to divide bread into several pieces to distribute to the guests. The two disciples had probably asked Jesus to take this role. Translate it in a similar way as you did in 22:19.

and gave it to them: The phrase and gave it to them indicates that Jesus was handing the pieces of bread to the disciples when they recognized him (24:31). Some English versions supply the word “began” to imply the connection between these actions. Some other ways to translate the phrase are:

Then he gave it to them. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
and offered it to them (Revised English Bible)
-or-
and began giving it to them (New American Standard Bible)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:28

1:28a

In 1:26 God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary. In this verse, the angel arrived. Connect this verse to the preceding verses in a clear way in your language.

The angel appeared to her and said: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as appeared is literally “entered.” It implies that the angel entered Mary’s house or room. It can also be translated with a more general word such as “came” or “went.” Some ways to translate this part of the verse are:

When he came to her, he said
-or-
The angel arrived and entered the place where she was. He greeted her, saying

1:28b

Greetings: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Greetings literally means “Rejoice!” It was a common greeting and showed that the angel came as a friend. Some ways to translate this are:

• Use a common greeting in your language. It should be a natural way for someone of authority to greet a young woman. For example:

Peace be with you! (Good News Translation)

(That is a common Jewish greeting.)

• Translate the literal meaning of the greeting. For example:

Rejoice!
-or-
Be joyful!

• Mention only the fact that the angel greeted her without putting the greeting in the quotation. For example:

he greeted her and said (God’s Word)

Notice how the God’s Word puts the verb “greeted” before the verb “said” here.

In 1:30a the angel addressed Mary by name. In some languages it may be natural to use her name here also. For example:

Greetings, Mary.

you who are highly favored: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as you who are highly favored is literally “favored [one/person].” The angel used this word as a title to address Mary directly. For example:

Greetings, favored woman! (New Living Translation (2004))

The Greek verb favored is passive. In this context it indicates that God had shown great favor or kindness to Mary. This kindness was that he had chosen her to be the mother of the Christ.

Some ways to translate this are:

God has been very kind to you.
-or-
God has greatly favored you.
-or-
privileged-one
-or-
You are truly blessed! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
God has given you a great gift/grace.

See grace, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

1:28c

There is a textual issue in this part of the verse:

(1) The earliest Greek manuscripts have only “The Lord is with you.” For example:

The Lord is with you. (New American Standard Bible)

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

(2) Other Greek manuscripts add “Blessed are you among women.” For example:

…the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. (King James Version)

(King James Version)

It is recommended that you follow option (1), as the majority of English versions do. However, if the national language version in your area follows option (2), you may want to mention it in a footnote. For example, the New Living Translation (2004) has this footnote:

Some manuscripts add “Blessed are you among women.”

The Lord is with you: The clause The Lord is with you means that the Lord was present with Mary. He was watching over her to bless her. The word Lord refers to God.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 1:60

1:60a

But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But here is often translated as “and.” It introduces the fact that Elizabeth did not agree with the people that the baby would be called “Zechariah.” Many English versions express this as a contrast and use the conjunction “but.” In other languages a conjunction that indicates contrast may not be necessary. Connect these verses in a way that is natural in your language.

his mother: The phrase his mother refers to Elizabeth, the baby’s mother. Your translation should not imply that it refers to Zechariah’s mother. In some languages it may be helpful to add the name “Elizabeth” to make this clear.

replied: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as replied is literally “answered and said” (as in the New American Standard Bible). In Greek the verb “answered” implies that Elizabeth was responding to what the people said. It does not imply that she was answering a question. In some languages it may be more natural in just have one verb of speech here. For example:

but his mother said (Revised Standard Version)

No!: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as No! is an exclamation. It emphasizes that Elizabeth disagreed with what the people said and contradicted it. If the word No! would imply the answer to a question here, you may need to use a different expression to show that Elizabeth disagreed with the people. For example:

Absolutely not! (God’s Word)
-or-
His name will definitely not be Zechariah!
-or-
Indeed, he will not be named Zechariah.

1:60b

In the Greek text 1:60b begins with a conjunction that expresses strong contrast. It introduces Elizabeth’s statement that the baby must be given a different name from the one that her visitors expected. The Berean Standard Bible has not translated this conjunction. Try to translate it with a word or phrase that (politely) contradicts a previous statement, for example:

On the contrary
-or-
Instead/rather
-or-
But

He shall be called John: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as He shall be called John uses the future tense to indicate that the choice of the baby’s name has been firmly decided and will not be changed. Some other ways to express this are:

His name is John! (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
He must be named John. (NET Bible)

The Greek text did not say who would call or name the baby John. If you must supply such information, it is recommended that you use a general word such as “we” or “people.” For example:

We must name him John.
-or-
People must call him John.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2:12

2:12a

And this will be a sign to you: The angel gave the shepherds a sign to help them know that the baby was the Messiah. They needed a sign, because they would find the Messiah in an unusual place in humble conditions. Because it was so unusual to find a newborn baby in conditions such as those, the sign proved that the baby who had just been born in Bethlehem was Christ the Lord. Some ways to translate this are:

11bHe is Christ, the Lord. 12aLet this prove it to you: (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
Here is a sign ⌊that he is Christ the Lord⌋.
-or-
This will show that ⌊he is Christ the Lord⌋.

And this: The word this refers to what the angel was about to tell the shepherds in 2:12b–c, that the shepherds would find Christ wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.

a sign: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sign refers to an unusual event/miracle that has a meaning or proves that something is true. In this context, it is unusual to find any baby lying in a manger, especially the Messiah! The angel gave this as proof that the baby, Jesus, was Christ the Lord.

2:12b

You will find a baby: The clause You will find a baby implies that the shepherds would first have to search for a baby. They would not accidentally find him.

wrapped in swaddling cloths: The phrase wrapped in swaddling cloths is the same expression as in 2:7a. It was a Jewish custom to wrap newborn babies in strips of cloth. This kept them warm, and it also kept their arms and legs straight.

If your language requires you to say who wrapped the baby in cloths, you may say that his mother did. For example:

You will find a baby ⌊whose mother⌋ has wrapped ⌊him⌋ in cloths.

2:12c

manger: A manger was a feeding box or trough for animals, especially for large animals such as cattle and horses. People made this feeding box out of wood or stone. The word manger also occurs in 2:7c.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013