1:45a–b

Blessed is she who has believed: The phrase she who has believed refers specifically to Mary. Elizabeth was still speaking to her. In some languages it may be more natural to use a form such as “you.” For example:

Blessed are you who have believed

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Blessed is different from the one that is translated as Blessed in 1:42b and 1:42c. It describes a person who is in a good situation. In the Bible, the good situation results from God showing favor/kindness to the person.

Some other ways to translate this word are:

Joyful/desirable is your situation because you have believed
-or-
How good/happy it is for you who have believed
-or-
You are favored/fortunate for believing

This word does not primarily refer to a feeling. However, a person in this good situation will frequently have good feelings such as happiness and joy. Do not use a word that only refers to material prosperity or physical health.

See bless, Meaning 3, in the Glossary.

she who has believed: The phrase who has believed identifies the one who is blessed. However, it also implies the reason why Mary was blessed. For example:

because you believed (Contemporary English Version)

believed: In this context the word believed refers to having confidence in what the Lord said. Mary knew that the Lord would do what he had told her.

See believe, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

1:45b

that the Lord’s word to her will be fulfilled: This clause refers to what Mary believed. She believed that what the Lord had told her would be done. The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be fulfilled are literally “there will be a fulfillment.” It means here that what the Lord said to Mary would be fulfilled. Another way to say this is:

that what the Lord said to you would really happen (New Century Version)
-or-
that the Lord would fulfill/do what he promised you

The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Lord’s word to her is literally “the things spoken to her from the Lord.” This phrase refers to what God told Mary through the angel Gabriel (1:26–37). Some English versions describe this as a promise or a message. Others use a more general word such as “said.” Some other ways to translate this are:

that the Lord would keep his promise to you (God’s Word)
-or-
that the Lord would do what he said (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
that the Lord’s promise to her would be fulfilled (Revised English Bible)

General Comment on 1:45a–b

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

45aYou have believed 45bthat what the Lord said to you would happen. 45aSo how good it is for you!

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
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.

1:77

This verse tells the means by which John will prepare the people for the Lord. In some languages you may need to make this connection more explicit. For example:

⌊You will prepare his people for him by⌋ giving them the knowledge of salvation

In other languages you may leave this connection implied and choose whether to begin a new sentence here. For example:

You will give them the knowledge of salvation
-or-
giving his people the knowledge of salvation

to give to His people the knowledge of salvation: The expression to give to His people the knowledge of salvation implies two things:

(a) John would tell the people about God coming to save his people through the Christ.

(b) John would lead the people to experience God saving them.

Some English versions translate only the idea of (a). However, it is good to translate in a way that implies both (a) and (b). For example:

⌊You will do this⌋ by leading his people to know/experience salvation.
-or-

⌊You will tell⌋ his people about salvation and help them be saved.

See save in the Glossary (see the note on salvation).

salvation through the forgiveness of their sins: The phrase through the forgiveness of their sins expresses the way in which God would save his people from judgment and punishment. He would save them by forgiving them for their sins.

forgiveness of their sins: In this context the phrase forgiveness of their sins refers to God choosing not to punish people for the evil/wrong things that they have done and thought. God cancels their guilt and treats them as though they had never offended him.

Some ways to translate forgiveness of their sins are:

release from their sins
-or-
taking away their sins
-or-
canceling their sins/guilt

In some languages it may be necessary to translate the noun forgiveness with a verb. Some ways to do this are:

pardon their sins
-or-
cancel their sins

In many languages there may be an idiom for this. For example:

erase their sins/guilt
-or-
wiping away their sins

In some languages it is more natural to say “forgive people,” rather than to “forgive sins.” For example:

forgive ⌊people⌋ for their sins

See forgive in Key Biblical Terms.

sins: The word sins refers to offenses against God or another person. These sins include acts, thoughts, and attitudes that are not what God wants or approves. A person can also offend God by not doing what God wants him to do.

Try to translate sins with a general term that can include any wrongdoing against God. Here are problems to avoid:

(a) The term should not imply that only serious crimes such as murder or stealing are sins. Other offenses such as gossip and greed are also sins.

(b) The term should not include accidents or mistakes that are not against God’s will.

Some ways to translate sins are:

wrong acts
-or-
offenses ⌊against God⌋
-or-
evil deeds

In some languages it may be natural to translate sins with a phrase that includes a verb. For example:

wrong things that they have done

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
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.

3:9a

In Greek, 3:9a begins with a phrase that emphasizes what John was about to say. The Berean Standard Bible does not translate this phrase. Consider whether it is natural in your language to use such an expression here. Some ways to translate it in English are:

Yes, even now (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
Indeed (New American Standard Bible)

The axe lies ready at the root of the trees: This clause is a metaphor. Its literal meaning is that ⌊someone⌋ has already placed his ax on the ground next to the trees because he is ready to cut them down. This metaphor indicates that God is ready to punish people, just as a man brings his ax over to a tree is ready to cut it down.

In some languages the meaning of this metaphor may not be clear. If this is true in your language, it may be necessary to indicate the meaning more explicitly. For example:

Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-

⌊God⌋ is about to ⌊punish people who do not repent⌋. He is like a man who is aiming his ax at the root of a tree, ready to cut it down.

ready: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ready emphasizes that the danger is immediate/imminent. The ax is right there, ready to strike. The tree is about to be cut down.

the root: Here the phrase the root refers to the part of the tree that is just above the ground. In this context, it does not mean the part that is below the ground. A person could cut the tree there and make the whole tree fall. In some languages this may be translated as something like:

the base of the tree/trunk

the trees: John did not name a specific type of tree. The context indicates that he was referring to fruit trees, such as fig trees.

3:9b–c

and In Greek, this part of the verse is connected to 3:9a with a conjunction that is sometimes translated as “therefore,” as in the English Standard Version. Many English versions, including the Berean Standard Bible, translate it as and. Other versions start a new sentence here. For example:

Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. (God’s Word)

Connect 3:9b–c to 3:9a in a way that is natural in your language.

every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire: The Greek verbs that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be cut down and thrown are passive. In some languages it may be more natural to use an active clause here and supply a general subject such as “man” or “woodcutter.” For example:

the man/woodcutter will cut down every tree that does not produce good fruit and throw it into the fire

In this part of the verse John continued to use the metaphor about the fruit trees from 3:9a. The trees represent people. Fruit trees that do not produce good fruit represent people who do not do and say what is good. The man/woodcutter represents God ready to punish those people. In some languages it may be necessary to make the meaning of the metaphor more explicit here, as in 3:9a. For example:

If anyone is like a tree that does not produce good fruit, ⌊God will punish that person. That person will be like a tree⌋ that is cut down and burned up.
-or-

⌊If you do not repent and do what is good, you will be punished/destroyed⌋ like a useless/fruitless tree is cut down and thrown it into a fire.

In some translations, it may be helpful to explain the meaning of the metaphor more fully in a footnote. For example:

God is ready to condemn and severely punish all people who do not repent and do good things that show that they have repented. If the descendants of Abraham do not repent, God will punish them also.

Paragraph Group 3:10–14

In 3:10–14, three groups of people asked John the same question. They asked him what they should do. The three groups are:

(a) the crowd (3:10);

(b) tax collectors (3:12);

(c) soldiers (3:14).

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
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.

Division 4:14–9:50

Jesus ministered in Galilee

Much of Jesus’ public ministry took place in the province of Galilee. Luke described this part of Jesus’ ministry in 4:14–9:50. Jesus began his work in Nazareth, went on to the town of Capernaum, and then spread his message throughout the region. He did many miracles and taught many things. Jesus often used parables when he taught the people. He showed clearly that God had given him power and authority. Even though Jesus so amazed the people that they praised God, many of the religious leaders began to oppose him. As Jesus was ending his ministry in Galilee, he foretold that he would be killed and come back to life.

Section 4:14–30

The people rejected Jesus at Nazareth

In the synagogue in Nazareth, Jesus read a text from Isaiah that refers to the Messiah. Jesus said that what this scripture talked about was happening as he read it. By saying this, Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah. He used examples from the history of Israel to show that the Israelites did not believe and obey God well. He implied that people from other countries were ready to believe and obey God more than the people of Israel were. So the people of Nazareth tried to kill Jesus, but they could not.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

The People of Nazareth Turn against Jesus (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth (English Standard Version)

There is a parallel passage for this section in Mark 6:1–6.

Paragraph 4:14–15

This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that is often translated as “and.” Some English versions, such as the English Standard Version, translate it that way. The Berean Standard Bible has not translated this conjunction, and some other versions such as the New International Version and NET Bible also do not translate it here.

However, the events in this paragraph occurred soon after the events in 4:13. In some languages, it may be natural to begin this paragraph by using a time word or phrase to translate this conjunction. For example:

Then (Good News Translation)
-or-
After that

Connect 4:14a to 4:13b in a way that is natural in your language.

4:14a

Jesus returned to Galilee: Galilee was the name of a province in the northern part of the land of Israel. Galilee was where Jesus had lived when he was a boy. In this passage, Jesus left the province of Judea and went north to return to Galilee.

in the power of the Spirit: The phrase in the power of the Spirit means “guided by the Spirit” or “with the Holy Spirit’s power.” God’s Holy Spirit guided Jesus and gave him the power to do all that God wanted him to do. (The phrase “full of the Holy Spirit” in 4:1a has a similar meaning.)

Some other ways to translate this are:

and the power of the Holy Spirit was with him (Good News Translation)
-or-
filled with the Holy Spirit’s power (New Living Translation (2004))

4:14b

the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region: Here are some other ways to translate the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region:

people told other people about Jesus all over the province of Galilee
-or-
Soon he became well known throughout the surrounding country. (New Living Translation (1996))

surrounding region: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as surrounding region can also be translated as “countryside” (New International Version) or simply “area” (New Century Version). It is a general term that here refers to the towns and villages throughout Galilee.

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
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.

5:2a

He saw two boats at the edge of the lake: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as at the edge of the lake indicates the location of the boats. The fishermen had pulled the boats up out of the water. They did this so that the boats would not drift away. These boats may have been partly on dry land and partly in shallow water.

Some other ways to translate this are:

He saw two boats pulled up on the beach (Good News Translation)
-or-
Jesus saw two boats on the shore (God’s Word)

boats: The boats were wooden boats used for fishing. They were probably big enough for four to fifteen people to sit inside.

If you do not have a word for boats in your language, some ways to translate it are:

• Use a phrase that describes the function of boats. For example:

vehicles for crossing water
-or-
something/vehicles for carrying people on top of water

• Use the word for a specific kind of boats in your culture. For example:

canoes
-or-
fishing boats

5:2b

The fishermen had left them: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as The fishermen had left them is literally: “the fishermen having gone away from them.” This phrase indicates that the fishermen were not in the boats but that they had gone a short distance away from them. They had done this some time earlier, before Jesus saw the boats.

Some other ways to translate this are:

the fishermen were not in them
-or-
the fishermen had left them there

fishermen: The word fishermen refers to men who catch fish and sell them as their job.

5:2c

were washing their nets: The fishermen were standing by the lake cleaning the nets that they used for catching fish.

nets: The nets were probably large fishing nets. The fishermen dragged them through the water to catch fish.

General Comment on 5:1–2

In the Greek, 5:1–2 is one long sentence. The Berean Standard Bible divides it into two sentences. You may want to divide this sentence into several sentences. For example:

1aOne day Jesus was standing by the sea of Galilee. 1bThe people crowded around him as they listened to God’s word. 2aJesus saw two boats on the shore. 2bThe fishermen had stepped out of them 2cand were washing their nets. (God’s Word)

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
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.

5:34

This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that connects Jesus’ answer here to the people’s statement about his disciples in 5:33. Several English versions, such as the English Standard Version, translate this conjunction as “and.” However, other versions translate it in a way that indicates that Jesus’ answer is a result of the people’s statement. For example:

So (NET Bible)
-or-
As a result

In some languages, no connecting word is necessary.

Jesus replied: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Jesus replied is literally “he said.” Use a verb that is natural in your language for this context.

Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them?: This is a rhetorical question that expects the answer “No.” This question emphasizes that the guests of the bridegroom cannot fast while he is with them. Fasting would imply that the guests were sad or serious. It would not be appropriate for them to be sad while they were at the wedding feast with the bridegroom.

There are several ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• As a question. For example:

Can you force wedding guests to fast while the groom is still with them? (God’s Word)

• As a statement. For example:

The friends of a bridegroom don’t go without eating while he is still with them. (Contemporary English Version)

• As a statement with a tag question. For example:

You cannot make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? (NET Bible)

• As a question with an answer. For example:

Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. (New Living Translation (2004))

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize something that people know is true.

make the guests…fast: The phrase make the guests…fast means to cause the wedding guests to fast. Some other ways to translate this are:

Can you force the wedding guests to fast…? (God’s Word)
-or-
Will anyone ask/require the guests of the bridegroom to fast…?

the guests of the bridegroom: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the guests of the bridegroom is literally “the sons of the wedding hall.” It refers to people who come to rejoice with the bridegroom at his wedding. There are at least two ways to translate this term:

• Use an expression that refers specifically to the bridegroom’s friends who come to his wedding. For example:

the friends of a bridegroom (Contemporary English Version)

• Use a general expression that refers to people who come to a wedding. For example:

the wedding guests (Revised Standard Version)

In some cultures, marriage customs may be so different from those of the Jews that the term guests of the bridegroom may be difficult to translate. For example, there may be no celebration at the time of a couple’s marriage, or the bridegroom may not be involved in the celebration. If that is true in your culture, you may need to use a very general phrase. For example:

friends who are celebrating with the man-who-has-gotten-a-wife

bridegroom: The word bridegroom refers to the man who is getting married. In modern English, this man is often called simply the “groom” (as in the God’s Word).

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
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.

Paragraph 6:27–31

In this paragraph, Jesus taught his disciples that they should love people who do not treat them well. Jesus emphasized this point by restating the command in four different ways. Then Jesus gave four examples of showing love to enemies and a general statement of how to treat others.

Some English versions have a section heading here, but Jesus was continuing the sermon that he began in 6:20b. If you put a heading here, you may need to make it explicit that Jesus was still talking. For example:

⌊Jesus continued teaching, and he said,⌋ “But I tell you…”

6:27a

But: The word But introduces a change in focus. Jesus stopped addressing the people who had wrong values (6:24–26). In 6:27, he again spoke to his disciples. Express this change in focus in a natural way in your language.

to those of you who will listen, I say: The phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to those of you who will listen, I say is literally “to you I say, to the ones hearing.” Jesus addressed his disciples as “you” and as “the ones hearing.” He was drawing attention to what he wanted to say.

Some other ways to translate this are:

This is what I say to all who will listen to me… (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Jesus continued to say, “What I will say to you who are listening to me is…”
-or-
Now, you who are listening to me, I say this to you…

6:27b–28

There are four commands in these verses: “love,” “do good,” “bless,” and “pray for.” The verb form used for each command indicates an action that is repeated. Jesus commanded his disciples to regularly do these things.

The commands are general commands that apply to everyone individually. They are in the plural form.

Consider what form your language would use for general commands that apply to everyone.

• In some languages, it may be the plural form. For example:

love your(plur) enemies
-or-

⌊you
(plur) should/must⌋ love your enemies

• In some languages, it may be the singular form. For example:

love your(sing) enemies
-or-

⌊you
(sing) should⌋ love your enemies

• In some languages, it may be another form. For example:

⌊everyone should⌋ love their enemies
-or-

⌊we should⌋ love our enemies

Use the form that is most natural in your language.

6:27b

Love your enemies: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Love refers to the concern and affection that people should have toward other people. Jesus’ disciples should treat their enemies kindly.

6:27c

do good to those who hate you: Some other ways to translate this are:

Treat well those who hate you
-or-
Behave well toward those who hate you

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
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.