Paragraph 15:17–20a

15:17a

Finally This verse is a turning point in the story. In Greek, the verse begins with a conjunction that some English versions translate here as “But.” It introduces the important things that happened after the young man came to his senses. The Berean Standard Bible represents it with the expression Finally. Other ways to introduce this verse are:

At last
-or-
Then

he came to his senses: The idiomatic Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he came to his senses indicates that the younger son finally began to think clearly and sensibly about himself and his situation. If you have an idiom in your language that expresses this meaning, you may use it here. Other ways to translate this expression are:

he realized what he was doing (New Century Version)
-or-
he realized how foolish he had been (Translator’s Reference Translation)

15:17b

and said: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and said can also refer to thoughts that are not spoken out loud. Other ways to translate the word here are:

he said to himself (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
he thought (New Century Version)

‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food?: This clause is an explanation. It emphasizes that the many men whom his father paid to work for him had plenty of food to eat. It is not meant as a question, and it does not imply that some of his father’s workers did not have enough food. Other ways to translate this expression are:

All my father’s hired workers have more than they can eat (Good News Translation)
-or-
My father’s workers have plenty to eat (Contemporary English Version)

my father’s hired servants: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as my father’s hired servants refers here to the men whom his father hired to work on his farm. These men were probably paid each day. A different word is used to refer to the slaves in 15:22a.

If your language has an expression that refers specifically to people who work on a daily wage basis, you may use it here. Otherwise, a more general term is fine.

15:17c

But here I am, starving to death!: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But here introduces a surprising contrast to the previous statement. The younger son was comparing himself to his father’s workmen and thinking about how they had enough food, whereas he was extremely hungry. Other ways to express this contrast are:

while I’m starving to death here (God’s Word)
-or-

but here I am dying from hunger (NET Bible)

here: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as here refers to the place where the young man was staying.

I am, starving to death!: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as starving to death means “dying from hunger.”

© 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.

16:17a–b

But: In the Greek text this verse connects to the previous verse with a conjunction that introduces a contrast: The good news is now being preached, but/nevertheless the Law and the Prophets remain valid. The Berean Standard Bible (like the Revised Standard Version and Good News Translation) translates this conjunction as But. Other versions, such as the Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, and New International Version, do not translate this conjunction. You should indicate this contrast in a way that is natural in your language.

it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law: The phrase heaven and earth refers to the universe as a whole. The universe was considered to be a symbol of permanence. So this comparison means that God’s word will not lose any of its authority. It is even more permanent than heaven and earth. In some languages it may be necessary to translate this comparison in other ways. For example:

The sky and the earth will come to an end, but even the smallest letter in God’s Law will remain unchanged.

It may be necessary to reorder the clauses of 16:17a–b. See the General Comment on 16:17a–b at the end of 16:17b for further suggestions.

In translating this verse, be careful not to imply that:

(a) it is easy for heaven and earth to disappear;

(b) heaven and earth will never disappear.

Although many people thought that the universe would last almost forever, other verses teach that it will be destroyed in the future. See Matthew 5:18, Mark 13:31, 2 Peter 3:7, 3:10.

16:17a

heaven and earth: In some languages it may be more natural to say “earth and heaven.” You may use whatever order is more natural in your language.

heaven: The word heaven in this context refers to the sky and the physical universe beyond the earth. It includes the sun, moon, and stars. See heaven, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

pass away: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as pass away means to end, to cease to exist.

16:17b

a single stroke of a pen: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a single stroke of a pen is more literally “one projection/stroke.” It refers to the smallest part of a letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It would be like the cross on the “t” in English or one of the lines on the letter “m.” Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

the smallest part of a letter (New Century Version)
-or-
one letter (Revised English Bible)
-or-
the smallest detail (Good News Translation)

drop out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as drop out is literally “fall.” In this context it has a figurative meaning. Some other ways to translate this are:

become void (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
cease to be valid/authoritative
-or-
lose its force (Revised English Bible)
-or-
to be changed (New Century Version)

the Law: In 16:16a, Jesus used the term “the Law and the Prophets” to refer to the Old Testament as a whole. Here the word Law alone is also used to refer to the whole Old Testament. In some languages a literal translation may imply that Jesus is excluding the writings of the prophets and the rest of the Old Testament. If that is true in your language, consider using a more general term, such as “God’s Book” or “the words of God.”

General Comment on 16:17a–b

In some languages it may be necessary to reorder the clauses of 16:17a–b. For example:

Even the smallest part of God’s Word is more permanent than the sky and the earth.

Use a natural order in your language.

In some languages it may be necessary to state the main point about the Law before giving the comparison about the heaven and earth. For example:

But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned. (New Living Translation (2004))

© 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.

17:18

Was no one found except this foreigner to return and give glory to God?: This is another rhetorical question. Jesus asked this question to emphasize his surprise and disappointment that only the foreigner returned to praise God. The implied answer to the question is “no one except the Samaritan has returned to praise God.”

Some ways to translate this rhetorical question are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Is this Samaritan the only one who came back to thank God? (New Century Version)
-or-
Why is this foreigner the only one who came back to give thanks to God? (Good News Translation)

• As a statement or statements. For example:

Only this foreigner came back to praise God. (God’s Word)
-or-
But look! This foreigner was the only one ⌊of the ten men⌋ to come back to praise God.
-or-
Just this foreigner came back to thank God. ⌊I am amazed/disappointed⌋ to see that none of the other nine men came back.

Translate this surprise and disappointment in a way that is natural in your language.

found except this foreigner to return: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as found is used in the sense “to appear, to be seen.” It does not imply that God (or someone) was literally searching for a person who would return and give thanks. The word found emphasizes that no one had returned except the foreigner.

In some languages it may not be natural to use a word that means found. It may even wrongly imply that someone was lost. If this is true in your language, you may need to translate the meaning without this word, as several English versions do. For example:

Why was this foreigner the only one who came back to thank God? (Contemporary English Version)

to return and give glory to God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as give glory refers here to thanking or praising God. Some other ways to translate give glory to God are:

praise/thank God
-or-
say thank you to God

except this foreigner: In this context the word foreigner refers to a person who is not a Jew. Jesus was surprised that none of the Jews whom he had healed came back to thank him. Only the Samaritan came back. Another way to translate this phrase is:

except this one who is not a Jew

© 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.

18:13a

But: The tax collector’s prayer in this verse contrasts with the Pharisee’s prayer in 18:11–12. The Berean Standard Bible has introduced this contrast with the conjunction But. Some English versions do not have a conjunction. Translate the contrast in a natural way in your language.

the tax collector stood at a distance: The phrase at a distance indicates that the tax collector stood away from the Pharisee and probably also from the other people who were praying. The tax collector was probably in an outer court of the temple, but in a place where the Pharisee could still see him.

In some languages it may be necessary to translate at a distance more specifically. For example:

at a distance ⌊from other people⌋
-or-
far ⌊from the Pharisee⌋

The tax collector was standing far from other people because he knew that he was a sinner. He felt unworthy to come nearer to them. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

The tax collector stood ⌊humbly⌋ apart ⌊from other people⌋

18:13b

unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven is a common expression that often simply means “looked” (as in 16:23). In this context, it refers to looking upward toward the sky. Jews often looked toward the sky when they prayed to God. In that context the sky was a symbol of God’s dwelling place.

The tax collector did not want to look up, because he was ashamed. He knew that he had sinned against God and he did not feel worthy even to look up toward him. Some other ways to translate this are:

and would not even raise his face to heaven (Good News Translation)
-or-
and did not feel worthy to even look toward heaven
-or-
he thought, “I am unworthy to look up to heaven/God.”

In some languages it may be more natural to translate the meaning by saying that he looked down. For example:

he kept his head down/bowed

lift up his eyes to heaven: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as heaven here refers to the sky as a symbol of God’s dwelling place.

Since the tax collector would not look upward, you could translate the word heaven here with the usual word for sky. See heaven in the Glossary.

18:13c

Instead: The word Instead indicates a contrast with the action “lift up his eyes to heaven” in 18:13b. The tax collector did not have the confidence to look up to heaven. Instead, he showed his distress over his sin. The Berean Standard Bible, like the New Living Translation (2004) and God’s Word, introduces the contrast with Instead. The New International Version and several other translations say “but.” In some languages no conjunction is needed.

he beat his breast: In that culture people beat their chests with their fists either in anger or distress. Here the tax collector was greatly distressed because he had sinned. He felt sorry and ashamed. In some cultures, beating the chest does not have this meaning. If that is true in your culture, some other ways to translate it are:

• Translate the action and indicate the meaning. For example:

he felt so sorry that he hit his chest
-or-
he beat his chest in sorrow (New Living Translation (2004))

• Substitute an action that has the right meaning in your culture. For example:

he bowed his head

• Translate the meaning without the action. For example:

feeling very sorry/ashamed
-or-
he showed his sorrow

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

and said: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and said is literally “saying.” It indicates that the tax collector prayed the words in 18:13d as he beat his breast.

In some languages it may be more natural to use a verb such as “prayed” rather than said. For example:

and prayed (Contemporary English Version)

18:13d

God, have mercy on me, a sinner: In this prayer the tax collector confessed that he was a sinner. He begged God to pity him. The context implies that he was asking God to show compassion to him by forgiving him. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

God, I am a sinner. I beg you to be merciful ⌊and forgive⌋ me.

me, a sinner: A sinner is someone who habitually offends God. The ways a person may offend God include doing and thinking things that God does not approve. A person may also offend God by his attitudes and by not doing what God wants him to do. Some ways to translate sinner in this context are:

⌊I am⌋ a person who sins
-or-

⌊I am⌋ a person who does not obey you
-or-

⌊I am⌋ a wrongdoer

General Comment on 18:13d

At the end of this verse, the tax collector ended his prayer. In some languages it may be natural to indicate this explicitly. For example:

‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ ⌊That is what he prayed.⌋

© 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.

19:2a

And there was a man named Zacchaeus: This clause introduces a man named Zacchaeus, who is an important person in this section. In Greek the clause begins with a phrase that is sometimes translated as “And look!” or “And listen!” Use an expression that is natural in your language to introduce a new character and give his name. Some other ways to do this in English are:

A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus… (New International Version)
-or-
A man named Zacchaeus lived there.

19:2b

a chief tax collector: Zacchaeus was called a chief tax collector. This implies that he had other tax collectors working under him. Other ways to translate chief tax collector are:

a principal tax collector
-or-
a leader/head of the tax collectors

tax collector: The term tax collector refers here to men who collected tax money from people for a government. Zacchaeus was a Jewish man, but he collected taxes for the Roman government that often oppressed the people. Most Jewish people hated tax collectors like Zacchaeus because:

(a) They collected taxes for the Roman government that oppressed the people.

(b) They often collected more money than the government required. They kept the extra money for themselves.

If you do not have a word in your language for “tax collectors,” you may use a phrase to describe them. For example:

men who collected tax money for the government

If you use footnotes in your translation to explain background information, you may want to include one about tax collectors. For example:

The Jewish people hated tax collectors because they worked for a foreign government that oppressed them. The tax collectors often cheated the people by charging them too much.

Tax collectors are also mentioned at 3:12, 5:27–30, 7:29, 7:34, 15:1 and 18:10–14.

who was very wealthy: Zacchaeus was a rich man. He had probably become rich by collecting taxes from people. The word wealthy can also be put earlier in this verse. See the General Comment for an example.

General Comment on 19:2a–b

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

2bA wealthy man 2anamed Zacchaeus lived there. 2bHe was a leader of the people who collected taxes in the city.

© 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.

19:34

“The Lord needs it,” they answered: The two disciples responded to the owners just as Jesus had told them to in 19:31b. You should translate in the same way here. The context implies that the owners then allowed the two disciples to take the donkey. Mark 11:6 makes this explicit. In many languages it may be helpful to make it explicit here, as well. For example:

The ⌊two⌋ disciples replied, “The Lord needs it.” ⌊Then its owners permitted them(dual) to borrow it⌋.

they answered: In Greek, the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they answered comes before the quotation. The Good News Translation, like the Berean Standard Bible, places this phrase after the quotation. Place it where it would be natural 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.

20:18

In 20:17 Jesus compared himself as the Messiah to a stone that was rejected by the builders. Here in 20:18 Jesus continued to compare himself to a stone, but he referred to different verses in the Old Testament. He probably alluded to Isaiah 8:14–15 and Daniel 2:34–35, 44–45, but he did not quote them exactly.

Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed: Here Jesus used two comparisons to describe what will happen to people who reject him as the Messiah. The two comparisons have the same meaning: people who reject Jesus will be destroyed. They will be like a person who falls on a large stone or like someone on whom the stone falls.

In some languages it may be helpful to use a simile and make the meaning more explicit. For example:

A person ⌊who rejects the Messiah⌋ is like someone who falls on a ⌊huge⌋ stone. He will be broken to pieces. Or he is like a person on whom the ⌊huge⌋ stone falls. He will be completely crushed.

It may also be helpful to include a footnote. For example:

Here the stone represents Jesus. Jesus was saying that the people who reject him will be destroyed.

20:18a

Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces: This clause refers to what happens to a person who falls on the stone. The clause is a metaphor. It indicates that if a person rejects the Messiah, the person will be completely destroyed. In some languages it is not natural to speak of a person being broken to pieces. Some other ways to translate this are:

• Use a more general expression. For example:

The man who falls on that stone will be broken (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

• Refer more specifically to the person’s body. For example:

If a person falls on that stone, his body/bones will be completely broken up
-or-
All those who fall on this stone their bodies will be crumbled

Translate the metaphor in a way that is natural in your language.

will be broken to pieces: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be broken to pieces is passive. In some languages it may be more natural use an active verb here. For example:

the stone will break/shatter him into pieces.

20:18b

but he on whom it falls will be crushed: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but introduces a situation that is different from the one in 20:18a, but it has a similar result. In some languages it may be more natural to use a conjunction like “and.” For example:

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken, and the person on whom it falls, that person will be crushed! (New Century Version)

In some languages a conjunction is not needed. For example:

Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on anyone, it will crush that person. (God’s Word)

he on whom it falls will be crushed: In Greek this clause literally says “when it falls on anyone, it crushes him.” Notice that the Berean Standard Bible translated the verb “crush” with a passive verb. In many languages it is natural to translate it as active. See the examples in the preceding note.

The verb “crush” indicates here that the stone will smash or flatten the person. It may imply that it will completely grind the person to dust. For example:

that person will be crushed to dust (Good News Translation)

© 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.