SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 123

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 10:36

Paragraph 10:36–37

10:36a–b

Notice that the story ends at 10:35e. In 10:36 Jesus asked the law expert a question based on the story. In some languages, it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

⌊Then Jesus asked the law expert⌋
-or-

⌊Jesus concluded the story by asking⌋

Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?: This is a real question. Jesus expected the expert in the law to respond. Other ways to translate this question are:

In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbor…? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Which one of these three people was a real neighbor…? (Contemporary English Version)

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 11:26

11:26a

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then indicates that the events in 11:26a follow the events in 11:25b. Use a natural way in your language to connect this sequence of events.

it goes and brings: The phrase it goes and brings indicates here that the unclean spirit goes away and then brings back seven other unclean spirits. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

the spirit finds (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
the spirit goes and brings along (God’s Word)
-or-
it goes away and invites

seven other spirits more wicked than itself: This phrase indicates that there were seven other demons or unclean spirits that were more evil/wicked than the first unclean spirit.

11:26b

they go in and dwell there: The pronoun they refers to the unclean spirit plus the seven other unclean spirits. These eight unclean spirits are pictured as entering and living in the person, as people enter and live in a house. There are at least three ways to translate this metaphor:

• Keep the metaphor of the house. For example:

they enter ⌊that house⌋ and live there

• Use terms that refer directly to unclean spirits possessing a person. For example:

they take possession of the person and keep him under their control

• Use general terms that could refer to either a house or a person. For example:

They enter and take up permanent residence there. (God’s Word)
-or-
they come and live there (Good News Translation)

Use an option that is clear and natural in your language.

11:26c

And: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And introduces what happens as a result of 11:26a–b. Another way to introduce this result is:

And so (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
As a result

the final plight of that man is worse: The phrase the final plight of that man refers to the time in the man’s life when eight demons are living in him. At this later time, these unclean spirits will cause many bad things to happen to the man. Then, his situation will be much worse than before.

The phrase final plight does not refer to the man’s final destiny.

than the first: The phrase the first refers to the first condition of the man. This was the time in the man’s life when only one demon lived in him.

General Comment on 11:26a–c

Some other ways to translate 11:26c are:

In the end the condition of that person is worse than it was before. (God’s Word)
-or-
So the person has even more trouble than before. (New Century Version)

In some languages, it may be more natural to use future tense verbs rather than present tense in this verse. For example:

Then it will go and take…and they will go and live there. And the final condition of that man will be worse than the first.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 12:4

Paragraph 12:4–7

12:4–5

In these verses Jesus emphasized a contrast between fearing God and fearing people. He used the verb “fear” three times. He also repeated the phrase “I tell you” at the beginning of 12:4 and the end of 12:5. Consider how to make the contrast in these two verses emphatic in your language.

12:4a

I tell you, My friends, do not be afraid: Jesus often used the words I tell you to emphasize what he was about to say. In this context Jesus emphasized the following instruction or command to his disciples. He told them not to be afraid of human beings. Some ways to show this emphasis are:

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

Remember this, my friends, you should not be afraid…
-or-

Listen, my friends, do not be afraid…

• As an emphatic word within Jesus’ statement. For example:

My friends, you should certainly not be afraid…

If you have another way in your language to emphasize a statement or to alert people to listen with special attention, consider using it here. See also the note on 10:12.

My friends: Here Jesus addressed his disciples directly as My friends. In some languages it may be more natural to include this direct address at the beginning of the sentence. For example:

My friends, I tell you…

Jesus was already talking to the disciples when he addressed them as his friends. In some languages it may not be natural to use a direct address like this. You may need to include the information within Jesus’ statement to the disciples. For example:

To you who are my friends I say… (Revised English Bible)

do not be afraid of those who kill the body: In this context the phrase those who kill the body refers to human beings. Human beings are able to kill the disciples’ bodies, but 12:4b–5 implies that they cannot take away the disciples’ eternal life with God. See also the parallel passage in Matthew 10:28, which explicitly mentions the soul.

In some languages it may be unnatural to speak of killing the body. Try to find an expression in your language that refers naturally to physical death and also contrasts with death that lasts forever in hell. For example:

do not be afraid of people, even though they can end your life on this earth

12:4b

and after that can do no more: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as after that can do no more means “after killing the body, they cannot harm you any more.” People can only kill someone’s body; they cannot prevent him from living forever with God. Other ways to translate this expression are:

who can do nothing more to hurt you (New Century Version)
-or-
who…cannot afterward do anything worse (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 12:36

12:36a

Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet: This simile provides a specific context for the metaphors in 12:35. Jesus wanted his disciples to be ready to receive him. They should be ready in the same way that servants should be ready to welcome their master when he returns from a wedding feast.

servants: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as servants is literally “men.” It often refers to people in general. In this context, it clearly refers to servants.

the wedding banquet: In NT times, wedding celebrations often continued until late into the night. If this is not true in your culture, you may translate this simply as “a feast/banquet.”

General Comment on 12:35–36b

In some languages, it may be more natural to give the setting for the figures of speech before giving other details. For example:

36b
⌊You must remain ready⌋ like servants who are waiting for their master to return from a wedding feast. 35They are dressed for work and their lamps are shining/lit

Notice that this example makes clear that the phrases about clothing and lamps describe the servants, not the disciples. This helps to avoid the wrong meaning that Jesus wanted his disciples to keep their robes tucked into their belts and carry lamps.

12:36b

so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once: This clause tells the purpose for which the servants were waiting alertly for their master. They were dressed, ready to serve him, and they had their lamps burning so that they could open the door and let him into the house as soon as he arrived.

he comes and knocks: To knock has a symbolic meaning here. In the Jewish culture, when a person arrives at someone’s home, he makes known his arrival by knocking on the door of the house. In some cultures, people do not knock on the door. They call or cough or indicate in some other way that they have arrived. If the action of knocking on a door does not have this meaning in your culture, you may:

• Make explicit the meaning of the action. For example:

when he comes and knocks to indicate that he has arrived

• Use an action that has the right meaning in your area. For example:

when he arrives and calls out

• Translate the meaning without the action. For example:

when he arrives and makes known to them that he is there

See how you translated the verb “knock” in 11:9d.

they can open the door for him at once: The phrase open the door for him indicates that the servants will unlock and open the door so that their master can enter. In some languages it may not be necessary to make the door explicit, depending on how you translated “knocks” in the preceding clause. Use an expression that is natural in your language.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 13:9

13:9a

If it bears fruit next year, fine: The gardener was implying that he would not cut the tree down if it produced figs the next year.

fine: The Berean Standard Bible has not translated this from any Greek word but has supplied it to make a natural English sentence. Other possibilities of phrases to supply include:

so much the better (Good News Translation)
-or-
well and good (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
it can continue to live

In some languages it may not be necessary to supply an expression such as “fine.” For example:

it may bear fruit next year (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
maybe that will help it to produce figs next year (Translator’s Reference Translation)

13:9b

But if not: The phrase But if not means “If it does not bear figs next year.”

you can cut it down: The gardener agreed with the owner that the tree should be cut down if it did not bear fruit. He was not telling the owner to cut it down himself. He was advising the owner, and he, the gardener, would probably be the one who would actually cut it down.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 14:6

14:6

And: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And here introduces the fact that the leaders did not respond to Jesus’ question in 14:5a–b in the way Jesus wanted them to. Some English versions do not have a conjunction here. Other versions, such as the Good News Translation and NET Bible, introduce this verse with “But.” Connect 14:6 to 14:5 in a natural way in your language. See the examples in the next note.

they were unable to answer these questions: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they were unable to answer these questions is literally “they could not reply to these things.” The English Standard Version translates it that way. This Greek clause is slightly different from the clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “they remained silent” in 14:4a.

The phrase “could not reply” implies that the leaders could not think of a way to answer Jesus’ question without supporting his viewpoint. They did not want to admit that they would rescue a person or animal from a well on the Sabbath. If they admitted that, they would also be admitting that Jesus was right to heal the man. Other ways to translate this clause are:

And to this they could find no answer (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
They couldn’t argue with him about this. (God’s Word)
-or-
But they were not able to answer him about this. (Good News Translation)

Your translation should not imply that they were literally unable to speak.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 15:3

Paragraph 15:3–7

15:3

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then introduces what Jesus said when the religious leaders criticized him. Many English versions translate it as “So.” Some versions do not use a conjunction here. Connect this paragraph to the preceding one in a natural way in your language.

parable: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as parable is a general word that describes different types of wise speech. This includes symbolic stories, metaphors, proverbs, illustrations, and wise sayings. Here Jesus used the word to refer to a story or illustration that answered the complaints of the Jewish leaders.

Some other ways to translate parable in this context are:

illustration (God’s Word)
-or-
story (New Living Translation (2004))

The word parable first occurs in Luke at 5:36a.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 16:3

Paragraph 16:3–4

16:3a

In Greek, this verse begins with a conjunction that many versions translate as “and.” It probably introduces an action that occurred after some time had passed, after the manager had been able to think about his situation. For that reason, versions such as the NET Bible and New Revised Standard Version translate it as “Then.” The Berean Standard Bible and several other versions do not translate this conjunction. Introduce this verse in a way that is natural in your language.

The manager said to himself: The phrase The manager said to himself introduces something that the manager thought. It represents a conversation that he carried on with himself in his own mind. A similar idea occurs in 15:17.

16:3b

What shall I do…?: This is probably a rhetorical question. The manager was thinking to himself. He was expressing uncertainty about what he could do now that he no longer had his job. He was wondering how to get money to buy the food and other things that he needed. Some ways to translate this question are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

What should I do? (God’s Word)

• As a statement. For example:

I wonder what I should do now.
-or-
I am uncertain what to do now. ⌊I need to find another way to support myself.⌋

Translate the manager’s uncertainty in a way that is natural in your language.

16:3c

now that my master is taking away my position: In Greek and in the Berean Standard Bible, the verb is taking away is in the present tense. It indicates that the action was still happening. The rich man had told him that he could not continue to be his manager. However, the manager’s work would not actually be finished until he had turned in the financial accounts. Consider what verb tense you would use to express this situation in your language.

In some languages a position is not something that can be “taken away” from someone. Use an expression that is natural in your language. Another way to translate it in English is:

My master is not going to employ me any longer.

my master: The words my master refer here to the manager’s employer. The manager was a hired servant rather than a slave. Use an expression that is natural for a hired man to use to refer to his employer.

General Comment on 16:3b–c

In some languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of 16:3b and 16:3c. For example:

16cMy master is taking away my job. 16bWhat shall I do now?

16:3d

I am too weak to dig: The expression I am too weak to dig may refer to work such as digging ditches or digging in the fields with a shovel or hoe. It was also used to refer to any kind of hard physical labor. In this context it also implies that it was a type of work that people were paid to do.

If the literal expression does not have the right meaning in your language, here are some other ways to translate this clause:

• Make explicit a specific kind of digging that is known to be hard. For example:

I don’t have the strength to dig ditches (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
I am not strong enough to use a shovel/hoe

• Use an expression that refers more generally to hard physical labor. For example:

I am too weak to work in the fields
-or-
I am not able to do manual labor

16:3e

and too ashamed to beg: This clause indicates that the manager would feel shame or embarrassment if he needed to become a beggar and ask people for money. Another way to express this idea is:

I am too proud to become a beggar

General Comment on 16:3d–e

The two clauses in 16:3d and 16:3e give two options that the manager considered in order to support himself. In some languages it may be good style to express these two alternatives by using a question or by changing the order of the phrases within each verse part. For example:

Dig? I am not strong enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
As for digging ditches, I am not strong enough, and as for begging, it would be shameful.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013