23:19

In this verse Luke gave background information about Barabbas. He continued the main story in 23:20. That is why the Berean Standard Bible puts 23:19 in parentheses. The Revised Standard Version uses a dash to separate this verse from 23:18. Use a natural way in your language to show that 23:19 is background information.

23:19a

Barabbas had been imprisoned: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as had been imprisoned is an idiom that means “was put in prison.” The clause is passive. In some languages it may be more natural to translate it without using a passive verb. For example:

Barabbas was in prison (New Living Translation (2004))

If you must indicate who put Barabbas in prison, use an appropriate subject in your language. For example:

⌊Officers⌋ had put Barabbas in prison
-or-

⌊Pilate’s men⌋ had imprisoned Barabbas

23:19b–c

for an insurrection in the city, and for murder: The phrases for an insurrection in the city and for murder tell the reasons why Barabbas was put in prison. The phrase for an insurrection probably indicates here that Barabbas fought along with other people against the government. This fight happened in the city of Jerusalem. It is not clear whether Barabbas started this fight or whether he was just one of the fighters. He also murdered someone. Another way to translate these reasons are:

because of his part in an insurrection/rebellion in the city and because he committed murder
-or-
because he fought in a riot in the city and he murdered ⌊someone⌋

an insurrection in the city: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as an insurrection in the city literally means “a riot/rebellion that happened in the city.” The word insurrection implies that men were fighting against the government. It is likely that these men were Jews who were fighting against Roman soldiers. Those soldiers probably worked for the Roman government in the city of Jerusalem.

Some other ways to translate the phrase an insurrection in the city are:

he and others in the city fought against the government
-or-
a riot in Jerusalem

murder: The word murder indicates here that Barabbas unlawfully killed someone.

General Comment on 23:19a–c

In this verse 23:19b–c is the reason for 23:19a. In some languages it may be more natural to put the reason at the beginning of the verse. For example:

19bBarabbas had taken part in a riot in the city 19cand had murdered someone. 19aThat is why he was put in prison.

© 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.

23:51a

who had not consented to their decision or action: This clause indicates that Joseph did not agree with what the other council members decided and did against Jesus. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate which decision and action the clause refers to. For example:

he had not agreed to the other leaders’ plans and actions against Jesus (New Century Version)

In some languages it may be more natural to translate the words decision and action as verbs. For example:

he did not agree with what the other council members planned ⌊against Jesus⌋, and he did not join them in what they did ⌊to him⌋
-or-
he did not agree with the other council members in deciding ⌊that Jesus should die⌋ or in causing ⌊him to be killed⌋

decision: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as decision can refer to either a decision or a plan. In this context the Council decided that Jesus was guilty and that he should be executed. They planned to ask Pilate to execute/kill him. Joseph did not agree with this plan or decision. See the translation examples in the note above.

action: The word action refers here to what the Jewish leaders did against Jesus. They accused him to Pilate and asked Pilate to crucify him. In that way, they caused Jesus to be killed. Joseph did not agree that they should do that.

23:51b

He was from the Judean town of Arimathea: Arimathea was the name of Joseph’s home town. Scholars think it may be the same town as Ramah in the Old Testament. That town was about twenty miles northwest of Jerusalem. Luke called it a Jewish town because it probably was part of the district of Judea at the time Jesus died. Here is another way to translate this:

He was from the Jewish town of Arimathea (New Century Version)

23:51c

and was waiting for the kingdom of God: In this context the word waiting means “hopefully expecting.” Joseph expected and desired the kingdom of God. The phrase kingdom of God refers to God’s activity of ruling and caring for his people as their king. It does not refer to a land or territory that he rules over.

Some ways to translate was waiting for the kingdom of God are:

he was expecting God’s rule/reign
-or-
he hoped/waited for the time when God will rule

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

he set his heart on the time when God will protect/deliver his people as their king
-or-
he was looking forward to the time when God will rule all people (Translator’s Reference Translation)

Many Jewish people were expecting God to send his Messiah to establish God’s reign on earth. This context implies that Joseph also expected the Messiah. He may have believed that Jesus was the Messiah. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

He was waiting for ⌊the Messiah/Christ to establish⌋ God’s chieftaincy/rule
-or-
He was…expecting God to send his anointed one and reveal his kingship

For more help on how to translate 23:51c, see the notes on 17:20a–b and kingdom of God in the Glossary.

General Comment on 23:50–51

In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of information in these two verses. It may be better to translate the background information about Joseph before saying how he disagreed with the Jewish council. For example:

50aOne of the council members was Joseph 51bfrom the town of Arimathea in Judea. 50bHe was a good and righteous man 51cwho was waiting ⌊expectantly⌋ for the kingdom of God ⌊to come⌋. 51aHe had not agreed with what the rest of the Council had decided to do or with what they had done.

Here is another way to reorder these verses:

50aThere was a man named Joseph 51bfrom Arimathea, a town in Judea. 50bHe was a good and honorable man, 51cwho was waiting for the coming of the Kingdom of God. 50aAlthough he was a member of the Council, 51ahe had not agreed with their decision and action. (Good News Translation)

Translate the information in a natural order in your language.

© 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.

24:27a–c

This verse summarizes what Jesus explained to the disciples about his statement in 24:26. He explained how the Scriptures show that the Messiah must suffer before entering his glory.

In some languages it may be helpful to reverse the order of clauses in this verse. See the General Comment on 24:27a–d at the end of 24:27d for translation suggestions.

And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them: The phrase And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets tells how Jesus began to explain what the Scriptures said about him (the Christ), as summarized in 24:26. He began to explain this by using the writings of Moses. Then he continued by using the writings of the other prophets. In his explanation, Jesus showed how all these writings teach that the Christ must suffer before entering his glory. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

he began with Moses’ Teachings and the Prophets to explain to them (God’s Word)
-or-
starting with what Moses and all the prophets had said about him, Jesus began to explain (New Century Version)

beginning with Moses and all the Prophets: In this context the phrase Moses and all the Prophets is probably a short way to refer to the Old Testament. It is also used in this way at 16:29. However, because of the phrase beginning with, some Bible scholars believe that Jesus began with the books of Moses and the Prophets and then went on to the other Scriptures, such as the Psalms. Either interpretation is acceptable.

Moses was also a prophet (Acts 3:21–22), so translate in a way that will imply that. For example:

Moses and all the ⌊other⌋ prophets

The books of the prophets were also mentioned in 18:31. See the notes at 18:31c. For more information, see prophet in the Glossary.

He explained: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as explained means to interpret so as to make the meaning clear.

24:27d

what was written in all the Scriptures about Himself: This clause indicates that Jesus chose Scriptures that spoke of the Christ. These were the Scriptures that he explained to the disciples. The verb was written is passive. In some languages it may be natural to use an active verb. For example:

what all the Scriptures said concerning himself

the Scriptures: The phrase the Scriptures is used in a special way in the New Testament. It refers to words that God directed someone to write. Such writings had authority because God guided a person to write them. In the New Testament the word Scriptures usually refers to something that was written in the Old Testament. Some other ways to translate the phrase the Scriptures are:

God’s written words
-or-
God’s book/word

about Himself: The word Himself refers to the Christ/Messiah, who was Jesus. However, Jesus did not yet tell the disciples that he was talking about himself as the Christ. He used forms that are normally used to refer to a different person because he was not yet ready to reveal his identity to them.

In some languages a literal translation may imply that at that time Jesus told the disciples that he was the Christ. If that is true in your language, you should translate in a different way. For example:

concerning the Christ/Messiah

General Comment on 24:27a–d

In some languages it may be natural to reorder this verse. Two ways to do this are:

27cJesus then began to explain to them 27dwhat all the Scriptures said about himself. 27aHe started with ⌊the books of⌋ Moses 27band continued on through the books of all the other Prophets.
-or-

27aThen Jesus began by explaining what Moses had written about him, 27cand he continued explaining 27bwhat all the other prophets in the rest of the Scriptures 27dhad written about him.

© 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.