SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 2

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 6:22

6:22

In the fourth statement that begins with “Blessed are you,” Jesus describes the opposition that those who are a part of God’s kingdom will experience. They will experience these things because they are Jesus’ disciples.

6:22a

Blessed are you: Translate this phrase the same way you did in 6:20b.

when people hate you: The phrase when people hate you means “when people hate you as Jesus’ disciples.” Jesus was not implying that being hated (or excluded or insulted) is a blessing in itself. Being hated was a sign that they were faithful followers of God. They were supposed to recognize that they were blessed because of that. Some other ways to translate this are:

when others hate you (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
when you are hated

6:22b

and when they exclude you: The word exclude means “refuse to accept someone as part of a social or religious group.” Some other ways to translate this are:

won’t have anything to do with you (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
avoid you (God’s Word)
-or-
when they separate you from their group

and insult you: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as insult also means “to reproach.” This word implies that the person being insulted is wrong and should be blamed.

6:22c

and reject your name as evil: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as reject your name as evil is literally “cast out your(plur) name as evil.” It means “to speak against someone in a way that harms him or his reputation.”

Some other ways to translate this are:

slander your very name (Revised English Bible)
-or-
defame you (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
say cruel things about you (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
spoil your name/reputation

your name: For the Jews, a person’s name symbolized that person himself and his reputation. So the phrase your name is a figure of speech. It is another way to refer to a person himself. Another way to translate it here is:

you

6:22d

because of the Son of Man: The phrase because of the Son of Man means “because you are disciples of the Son of Man.” Many people would act badly toward Jesus’ disciples because those disciples followed Jesus, the Son of Man. Some other ways to translate this are:

because you follow the Son of Man (New Century Version)
-or-
because you are committed to the Son of Man (God’s Word)
-or-
because you are loyal to the Son of Man (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

the Son of Man: Jesus used the title the Son of Man to refer to himself. In some languages, it may be necessary to make it clear that Jesus was talking about himself. For example:

me, the Son of Man (New Living Translation (1996))

The phrase the Son of Man also occurs in Luke at 6:5.

General Comment on 6:22a–d

The phrase, “because of the Son of Man,” goes with all of the four verbs in 6:22a–c. Jesus was saying that his disciples are blessed when:

(a) people hate them because of the Son of Man,

(b) people exclude them because of the Son of Man,

(d) people reject them as evil because of the Son of Man.

To make this clear, you could move the phrase “because of the Son of Man” to the beginning of the list of the four verbs. For example:

⌊You have chosen to follow me,⌋ the Son of Man. Because of that, you are blessed when people hate you, when they exclude you…

Or you could leave it at its present position and add a phrase to include all four verbs. For example:

Blessed are you when men hate you…and reject your name as evil—all of this because you follow me, the Son of Man.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 7:5

7:5

In this verse the Jewish elders gave two reasons that the officer was worthy for Jesus to help him.

7:5a–b

for he loves our nation: The phrase for he loves our nation is the first reason that the elders gave Jesus for helping the officer. The phrase indicates that the Roman officer had affection for the Jewish people. He felt friendly concern for them and tried to act in a way that helped them. Other ways to say this are:

for he loves the Jewish people (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
for he is a friend of our nation (Revised English Bible)
-or-
because he is concerned about us ⌊Jews⌋

our nation: In this context the word nation probably refers to the Jews as a people and not as a political state. Another way to translate this is:

our people (New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Translation)

Jesus and the elders were all Jews. Use a form for our that includes Jesus.

and has built our synagogue: In the Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as has built our synagogue, the words built our synagogue are emphasized. This indicates that the officer had done a very important thing when he built the synagogue for them. Some English versions express this emphasis. For example:

and he is the one who built us our synagogue (English Standard Version)
-or-
and even built a synagogue for us (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
and it is he who built us our synagogue (Revised English Bible)

has built our synagogue: The phrase built our synagogue indicates that the officer had helped to build the synagogue in Capernaum. This does not mean that he did the actual labor of constructing it. He probably gave money to help pay for building it. He could also have helped by getting permission to build it from the Roman government.

If saying that he built our synagogue would give your readers the idea that the centurion was actually one of the builders, you could translate this as:

caused our synagogue to be built
-or-
built our synagogue at his own expense (God’s Word)
-or-
paid/provided for the building of our synagogue

our synagogue: The phrase our synagogue refers to a synagogue in Capernaum. (It is not known if there was more than one synagogue there.)

In some languages it will be necessary to decide whether the elders included Jesus in the word our. It is recommended that you use a form that includes Jesus. The focus here is probably that the officer built the synagogue “for us” in the sense that he built it for Jews.

synagogue: A synagogue was a building where Jews gathered to pray, read Scripture, teach their beliefs, and worship. The Jews also gathered there for cultural activities. There was only one temple (in Jerusalem), but each Jewish community had a synagogue. Some ways to translate synagogue are:

prayer-house ⌊of the Jews⌋
-or-
meeting-place ⌊of the Jews⌋
-or-
worship building
-or-
house for gathering together

If you make explicit a phrase such as “of the Jews,” be sure that it does not imply that Jesus was not a Jew.

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

sinagog house/building

Consider using a footnote that contains some of the information above.

See how you have translated the word synagogue elsewhere. The first time it occurs in Luke is at 4:15. See also synagogue in the Glossary for more information.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 7:37

7:37a

When a sinful woman from that town: This part of the verse introduces the woman into the story. Consider how to introduce her in a natural way in your language. For example:

And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner (New American Standard Bible)

In Greek, this part of the verse begins with a word that many English versions translate as “behold.” It draws attention to what follows it. Here it probably draws attention to the woman and her surprising actions toward Jesus. Many English versions do not translate it. Consider whether you have a word or phrase in your language that would fit here. Some ways to translate it in English are:

look
-or-
listen

a sinful woman from that town: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as sinful implies that this woman had been immoral. She may have been a prostitute. However, because this is not certain, you should use a more general expression that can include this type of sin. For example:

a woman…who had a bad name in the town (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
a woman from that town who had a bad reputation

The point of this statement is that the people in the room considered the woman to be a “sinner.”

7:37b

learned that Jesus was dining there: The word learned here indicates that the woman heard in some way that Jesus was in the Pharisee’s house.

was dining: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was dining is literally “was lying/reclining.” See the note on “reclined at the table” at 7:36b. The position is not in focus here, so it is fine to use a more general expression. For example:

was at table (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
was eating (New International Version)
-or-
was a guest (Revised English Bible)

7:37c

an alabaster jar of perfume: In this phrase the perfume is most important, not the alabaster jar. Your translation should keep the perfume in focus. For example:

she brought perfume in an alabaster jar

alabaster jar: An alabaster jar was a small, expensive container like a vial or bottle. It was made from a beautiful white and yellow stone called alabaster that came from Egypt.

Some ways to translate the word alabaster are:

• Borrow the word from a major language version and add a descriptive phrase. For example:

a flask/bottle made of alabaster
-or-
a jar/bottle made of a beautiful stone called alabaster

• Use a descriptive phrase that describes the significance of alabaster in the context. For example:

a beautiful bottle/vial

• Use a general term. For example:

a bottle (God’s Word)

If you use a descriptive phrase, be sure that it is not so complex that it distracts people. You should not substitute a different material for “alabaster,” because this verse describes a real event.

of perfume: The word perfume here refers to a scented oil. If you do not have a general word in your language for this, you could:

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

sweet-smelling oil
-or-
that which makes you smell nice

• Describe this as like something that people in your culture use to cause a person’s body to smell nice. For example:

something like ⌊coconut⌋ oil

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 8:19

Section 8:19–21

Jesus said that people who obey God’s word are his real family

In this section Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him. However, they could not get to him because there were many other people around him. The theme of this section is similar to the theme of 8:4–18. In 8:4–18, the text emphasized that people should listen carefully to Jesus’ teaching. In this section, Jesus said that people who hear and obey God’s message are members of his family. They are as closely related to him as his own mother and brothers are.

Some other possible headings for this section are:

All who obey God are members of Jesus’ family
-or-
Jesus’ True Family (NET Bible)
-or-
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers (Good News Translation)

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 12:46–50 and Mark 3:31–35.

Paragraph 8:19–21

8:19a

Then: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then here introduces the next thing that Luke wanted to write about. It does not refer to time. The parallel passage in Matthew 12:46–13:1 indicates that the event in this section probably happened on the same day that Jesus taught the people using parables. Some English versions have “Now” or “And” here. Other versions do not use a conjunction. Connect this section to the preceding one in a natural way in your language.

Jesus’ mother and brothers: Jesus’ mother and brothers are referred to in Mark 3:31 and also in Mark 6:3.

Jesus’…brothers: Church groups differ in what they believe about Jesus’…brothers. The three main views are:

(1) They were the sons of Joseph and Mary, born after Jesus.

(2) They were Jesus’ cousins.

(3) They were children of Joseph from a previous marriage. That is, they were Jesus’ step-brothers.

The Hebrew and Aramaic words for “brother” do not distinguish between biological brothers and cousins. It is good to use a general word for “brother” that could apply to any of the views above. For example, you may have a word that could refer to:

(a) brothers with the same father and mother,

(b) brothers with the same father but different mothers, and

If you must use a more specific word, it is recommended that you consult with all major church groups in your language area. You will want to choose a word that is acceptable to the churches.

If your language must distinguish between “older” and “younger” brothers, it is recommended that you use a term for “younger brothers” here. If your language does not use terms that distinguish male and female, such as brother or sister, it may be more natural to use general terms. For example:

siblings
-or-
younger-siblings

came to see Him: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as came to see Him is literally “came to Him.” Several English versions use the word see here, since it occurs in 8:20c. Jesus’ mother and brothers wanted to see Jesus and talk to him. They did not simply want to look at him from a distance. In some languages it may be necessary to make this clear in some way. For example:

came to him (Good News Translation)
-or-
came to ⌊talk to⌋ him
-or-
came to ⌊meet with⌋ him

8:19b

but: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but is most often translated into English as “and.” Here most English versions translate it as “but” because this part of the verse contrasts with 8:19a. Jesus’ mother and brothers were not able to see him as they wanted and expected to. Connect 8:19a to 8:19b in a way that is natural in your language.

they were unable to reach Him because of the crowd: The phrase because of the crowd indicates that many people were sitting around Jesus as he taught (see Mark 3:32). Jesus’ mother and brothers were not able to come to Jesus because they could not get through that large crowd of people. Other ways to say this are:

they could not reach him because of the crowd ⌊of people⌋ ⌊around him⌋
-or-
but they could not ⌊press through⌋ the crowd to join him

In some languages it may be necessary to change the order of information here and first give the reason why Jesus’ mother and brothers could not get near him:

there was a crowd ⌊surrounding him⌋, so they could not get near

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 8:51

Paragraph 8:51–53

8:51a

When He entered: The word He refers to Jesus. Jesus came with other people, including at least Jairus, Peter, James, and John. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate this. For example:

When they arrived
-or-
When Jesus and those with him arrived

the house: The Greek text says simply “the house.” Some versions supply further information to make clear what house is being referred to. For example:

the house of Jairus (New International Version)

If it is not necessary in your language, you do not need to supply this information.

8:51b–c

He did not allow anyone to go in with Him except Peter, John, James, and the child’s father and mother: Jesus permitted these five people to go in with him when he entered the house. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this as a positive statement:

he only let Peter, John, and James, and the child’s father and mother enter with him

the child’s father and mother: If you supplied “Jairus” in 8:51a, consider whether it is confusing to refer to the same individual both as “Jairus” and as the child’s father in the same sentence. If this would cause your readers to think that Jairus was not the child’s father, you may need to translate this phrase as:

Jairus and ⌊his wife,⌋ the child’s mother

child’s: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as child’s can refer to either a young boy or a young girl. Use a term that is appropriate for a twelve-year-old girl (see Mark 5:42).

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 9:27

9:27a

But I tell you truthfully: Jesus often used the words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I tell you truthfully to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize. It indicates that the statement was important and totally reliable, and people should listen carefully to it. Sometimes it introduces a serious warning or prediction. Here Jesus predicted the coming of the kingdom of God.

See how you translated this expression in 4:24a. In some languages you may need to translate the phrase differently in different contexts. Do not translate in a way that implies that Jesus had not been telling the truth at other times.

Here are some ways to translate the phrase in this context:

I assure you that (Good News Translation)
-or-
I can promise you that
-or-
I can guarantee this truth (God’s Word)

some who are standing here: The phrase some who are standing here refers to some of Jesus’ disciples or people in the crowd that Jesus was talking to.

9:27b

will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God: The phrase will not taste death is an idiom. Another way to translate it is:

will not die until they have seen the kingdom of God (Good News Translation).

In some languages it may be more natural to translate this as a positive statement. For example:

will see the kingdom of God before they die (New Century Version)

before they see the kingdom of God: This clause indicates that people will see God establish his rule over his people.

Scholars have different ideas about what event Jesus referred to here. He may have been referring to:

(a) the time when several of his disciples would see God glorify Jesus on the mountain at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28–36);

(b) the time when Jesus would die, and God would powerfully raise him from the dead (Mark chapters 15–16);

Since the text does not specify exactly what Jesus was referring to, you should translate in a general way. In some cultures it may not be natural to speak of people “seeing” a kingdom. In your translation of this clause, you will need to be especially careful to ask local speakers what this implies. Do not use a phrase that would imply that God was not already sovereign. Jesus was referring to a new way that God would establish his kingdom and rule as king.

Another way to translate this may be:

before they experience God ruling

the kingdom of God: The phrase the kingdom of God also occurs in 9:2. See the note there for more information.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 9:59

Paragraph 9:59–60

9:59a

Then: This verse begins with a Greek conjunction. The Berean Standard Bible translates it as Then in order to show that it introduces the next event in the story. Some other versions translate this conjunction as “And” (King James Version, New American Standard Bible). Most English versions do not translate it. Introduce this event in a natural way in your language.

He said to another man: In the previous paragraph, a man asked Jesus if he could follow him all the time as a disciple. This time Jesus himself invited someone else to follow him as a disciple. According to the parallel verse in Matthew 8:21, this person was already a disciple in some sense, but he did not follow Jesus all the time. Jesus was here asking him to join the group of disciples who followed him regularly.

Follow Me: In this context the clause Follow Me means “Come and learn from me” or “Be my disciple.” See the note on 9:57b. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this clause as an indirect quote. For example:

Jesus told someone else to come with him as his disciple.

9:59b

This verse begins with a Greek conjunction. Most English versions translate it as “but” in order to show the contrast between Jesus’ invitation and the man’s response. The Berean Standard Bible has not translated this conjunction, and a few other English versions also do not translate it. Consider whether a connecting word would be natural in your language here.

The man replied: The clause The man replied introduces the man’s response to Jesus. He replied politely, but he did not agree to accept Jesus’ invitation. Introduce the response in a natural way in your language.

Lord:
The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Lord was the respectful term that the disciples often used to address Jesus. Another way to translate this is:

Sir (Good News Translation)

See the note on 9:54b. See also Lord, Context 3, in the Glossary.

first let me go and bury my father: This clause indicates that the man did not want to follow Jesus right away. He felt that it was more important first to fulfill his duty as a son. It is not clear from the man’s words whether his father had already died, was near death, or was an old man who might die in the next few years. If possible, translate this clause in a way that allows for any of these options. For example:

let me wait until I bury my father (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
let me go home first and arrange for my father’s funeral

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 10:29

10:29

Some English versions begin a new paragraph here. You will need to decide whether it is more natural in your language to begin the paragraph here or at 10:30.

10:29a

But wanting to justify himself: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as justify himself here means “vindicate himself,” “make himself appear to be in the right,” or “make himself appear wise.”

The Greek text does not say in what sense the legal expert wished to make himself appear to be in the right. Scholars suggest two possibilities:

(1) He wanted to justify his earlier question. In other words, he wanted to show that his first question was not as easy as it appeared to be. For example:

wanting to show the importance of his question (New Century Version)

(New Century Version, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, Revised English Bible)

(2) He wanted to justify his own behavior. He was looking for an excuse for not having loved people as he should have. For example:

wanted to justify his actions (New Living Translation (2004))

(New Living Translation (2004))

Many English versions do not explicitly say in what sense the legal expert wanted to justify himself (Berean Standard Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New International Version, Good News Translation, New Jerusalem Bible, NET Bible). If possible, you should follow these examples and not be explicit. However, if it is necessary to be explicit, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

10:29b

he asked Jesus: The legal expert asked a further question because he wanted to “justify himself.” Some versions (Contemporary English Version, Good News Translation, God’s Word, New International Version, New Living Translation (2004)) include the word “so” to indicate that 10:29a is the reason for 10:29b. For example:

he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus (New International Version)

Other ways to express this connection are:

the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus (NET Bible)
-or-
because/since the man wanted to justify himself, he asked Jesus

And: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And here introduces another question. In some languages it may not be necessary to translate this conjunction explicitly.

It is also implied from the context that the law expert agreed with Jesus’ previous statement in 10:28b. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:

⌊Yes, but⌋ who is my neighbor?

who is my neighbor?: In this context the question that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as who is my neighbor implies: “What does the Law mean by ‘neighbor’?” The law expert was asking Jesus to clarify or define the meaning of the word neighbor.

In some languages a literal translation of “my neighbor” may not make sense in this context. If that is true in your language, you may need to make the meaning more explicit. For example:

But who is my companion/fellow ⌊whom I must love⌋?
-or-
Who ⌊does the law mean when it says⌋ “my neighbor”?

Be sure to translate the word neighbor in the same way as you did in 10:27c.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013