SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 31

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 19:21

19:21a

For: In this verse the servant explained the reason why he did not invest the money. He said that he hid it because he was afraid of his master. In Greek this reason is introduced with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For. Other versions, such as the New International Version, Contemporary English Version, God’s Word, and New Living Translation (2004), do not translate this conjunction. Express the reason in a natural way in your language. Another way to do this in English is:

I did this because I was afraid of you

I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man: Here the servant told his reason for fearing his master. He thought that his master was a harsh man. In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of the clauses in 19:21a. For example:

You are a hard man, and I was afraid of you. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
You are very severe, so I feared you.

I was afraid of you: Here this clause implies that the servant was afraid that his master would be angry or punish him if he lost the coin. In some languages it may be necessary to make that explicit. For example:

I was afraid that you would be angry with me ⌊if I lost it⌋ (Translator’s Reference Translation)

you are a harsh man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as harsh means “severe” or “strict.” Here it implies that the master demanded that his servants work hard and do the work exactly as he wanted them to. It may also imply that the master would punish them severely if they did not do the work properly. The servant thought that his master was a difficult man to serve. Here is another way to translate this:

you are a severe man (Revised Standard Version)

In some languages there is an idiom to describe this sort of person.

19:21b–c

The two statements in 19:21b and 19:21c explain what the servant meant by saying that his master was a “hard man.” The statements are figurative and were used as proverbs.

The two statements have the same basic meaning. They refer to a person who takes profit that he does not deserve. He gets this profit from work that other people did. The servant implied that his master was greedy and unjust.

You withdraw what you did not deposit: The Greek proverb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as You withdraw what you did not deposit describes someone who wants to gain or take more than he deserves. It often refers specifically to financial profit. If a literal translation is not clear in your language, you may translate the meaning more explicitly. For example:

You take out what you did not put in (New International Version)
-or-
You even take money that you didn’t earn (New Century Version)

If you have a proverb in your language that has the same meaning, you may be able to use it here.

and reap what you did not sow: This statement literally means “you harvest the crops that other people planted.” It refers to someone receiving the benefits from the hard work that other people have done.

In some languages it may be necessary to refer to a specific type of crop. Some ways to do that are:

• Supply a general word such as “grain.”

• Supply a specific grain if you do not have a suitable general word. It is good to use a grain grown in Israel, such as wheat or barley, if possible. If these are not known in your area, substitute a local crop.

If the meaning of the proverb would not be understood in your language, you may need to supply the meaning:

⌊You profit from the work done by someone else,⌋ like someone who harvests grain that he did not plant.

General Comment on 19:20–21

In some languages it may be helpful to put the reason for the slave’s actions in 19:21 before his conclusion in 19:20. For example:

21Another servant came and said, “Sir, you are a hard man. What you did not put in, you go and take out, and what you did not plant you go and reap. 20Because that is how you behave/are, I was afraid of you. So, I wrapped up the money you gave me in a piece of cloth and put it away. Here it is.”

If you decide to change the order of the verses in this way, you may combine the verse numbers. For example:

20–21Another…

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 20:5

20:5a

They deliberated among themselves and said: This clause introduces the leaders’ words in 20:5b. The Greek verbs that the Berean Standard Bible translates as deliberated among themselves and said refer to the same action. The leaders talked to each other about how they should answer the question that Jesus asked them. The following verses tell what the leaders said in their discussion. Other ways to introduce the discussion are:

They discussed it with one another, saying (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
They started to argue among themselves (Good News Translation)

20:5b

If we say, ‘From heaven’: The pronoun we refers to the Jewish leaders who spoke to each other. They did not include Jesus in their conversation. They were considering one possible answer that they could give Jesus.

The phrase From heaven is a quote within a quote. Translate it in a natural way in your language. Some ways to do this in English are:

If we say that ⌊John’s baptism came⌋ from heaven/God
-or-
If we say that God sent John ⌊to baptize people⌋
-or-
If we say, “God sent John ⌊to baptize people⌋.”

If you need to make the reply From heaven into a complete sentence, use wording that agrees with what you used in 20:4.

If we say: The Jewish leaders were not certain how they should answer Jesus. Here they introduced one possible answer. Other ways to introduce it are:

Suppose we say
-or-
We could answer
-or-
Should we reply…?
-or-
We can’t say… (Contemporary English Version)

Introduce the possible answer in a way that is natural in your language.

20:5c

He will ask, ‘Why did you not believe him?’: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as ask is a general verb that means “say.” Here the Jewish leaders guessed how Jesus would reply to them if they said “From heaven.” Some versions translate this as indirect speech. For example:

he will ask why we didn’t believe John (New Living Translation (2004))

Translate it in a natural way in your language.

Why did you not believe him?: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses a rebuke. The Jewish leaders thought that if they admitted that John’s authority was from God, Jesus would rebuke them. He would tell them that they should have believed what John told them.

Some ways to translate this rebuke are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Why did you not believe him? (New Revised Standard Version)

• As a statement or exclamation. For example:

Then you should have believed him!
-or-
You should not have rejected his message.
-or-
…he will say that we should have believed him.

Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language. In some languages it may be natural to introduce the rebuke with a word or phrase. For example:

Then why did you not believe him? (New Century Version)
-or-

⌊If you knew that God gave him the authority,⌋ you should have believed him.

believe him: The phrase believe him refers here to believing that what John said was true. The chief priests and the scribes did not believe what John preached. They rejected his teaching. They did not repent of their sins and allow John to baptize them, and they did not believe what John said about Jesus. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

accept his ⌊message⌋
-or-
agree that what he said was true

See believe, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 20:37

20:37a

Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised: In this verse Jesus introduced the second part of his answer to the Sadducees. The topic of this part is that dead people will be raised to life again. The Greek text introduces this topic by putting it first in the sentence.

The Sadducees used their story in 20:28–33 to imply that it is impossible for dead people to live again. Here in 20:37 Jesus implied that he would prove that they were wrong. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

Furthermore ⌊you(plur) are wrong to think that the dead cannot rise again⌋. Even Moses showed that the dead rise.

You should introduce this topic in a way that is natural in your language. In some languages it is helpful to change the order of the clauses. See the General Comment on 20:37a for more suggestions.

Even Moses: In this context the Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Even emphasizes Moses. He was an authority whom the Sadducees respected greatly. He was the one who received the law from God for the Jewish people. What Moses said was authoritative. Another way to express this emphasis in English is:

Moses himself (New Revised Standard Version)

In some languages it may be difficult to translate this emphasis. If that is true in your language, it may be possible to add some implied information. For example:

it is the prophet Musa himself
-or-

⌊our⌋ ⌊great⌋ ⌊lawgiver/ancestor⌋ Moses

demonstrates that the dead are raised: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as demonstrates here means “to inform, reveal, make known.” The account of the burning bush by Moses reveals that God can and does cause the dead to live again.

the dead are raised: The phrase the dead are raised means “dead people live again.” In this context it refers to life with God in the next world. It does not refer to living again on the earth in this age. See the note on “resurrection” at 20:27b–c.

In some languages it may be helpful to make explicit here that God is the one who causes the dead to live again. For example:

⌊God⌋ will raise people who have died to live again

in the passage about the burning bush: The phrase in the passage about the burning bush refers to Exodus 3:1–6. In those verses God spoke to Moses from a bush that was flaming but did not burn up.

In some languages it may be necessary to indicate that the passage about the burning bush is part of the Scriptures. You may be able to use your usual way to refer to the Scriptures. For example:

in the ⌊Scriptures⌋ ⌊that tell what happened⌋ at the ⌊burning⌋ bush, even Moses revealed this
-or-
in the ⌊holy book/words⌋ ⌊where⌋ ⌊they⌋ wrote about the ⌊burning⌋ bush

General Comment on 20:37a

In this statement Jesus introduced the second part of his answer to the Sadducees. The topic of this part is that dead people will be raised to life again. The Greek text introduces this topic by putting it first in the sentence. Some ways to follow this order are:

And the fact that the dead are raised, Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush…. (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. (New Living Translation (2004))

Use a natural order in your language.

20:37b–c

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces the evidence or basis for what Jesus said in 20:37a. Other ways to introduce 20:37b are:

where he calls (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
when he calls (Revised English Bible)

Other English versions begin a new sentence without a conjunction. They simply refer to Moses and say “He says” (God’s Word) or “He said” (Contemporary English Version). You should introduce 20:37b in a way that is natural in your language.

he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’: Jesus referred here to what Moses wrote in Exodus 3:6. There Moses wrote what he heard the Lord say about himself. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit:

Moses ⌊writes⌋ that the Lord calls ⌊himself⌋ the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

This statement indicates that God still referred to himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob long after they had already died. He still called himself their God. Use an appropriate verb form in your language to indicate this. If you have translated the books of Exodus and Acts, consider how you translated this phrase in Exodus 3:6 and Acts 3:13.

calls: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as calls here is literally “says.” In Greek it is a natural verb to use to refer to what Moses wrote. Use a natural way in your language to refer to Moses’ written words. In some languages it may be more natural to use a form that refers to the past. Some other ways to translate it in English are:

says that (God’s Word)
-or-
wrote
-or-
speaks of (Good News Translation)
-or-
referred to (New Living Translation (2004))

the Lord: The phrase the Lord refers to God. See Lord, Context 2, in the Glossary.

the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: The Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because he is the one who cares for them as their God. He is the God whom they worship and serve. God is faithful to them as his people.

In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit in what sense the Lord was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For example:

I am the God whom Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob ⌊worship⌋.
-or-
I am the God who ⌊cares for⌋ Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The statement indicates that God was still caring for them as their God, and they were still worshiping him. Use an appropriate verb form in your translation.

Abraham…Isaac…Jacob: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were great ancestors of the Jewish people who died long before Jesus was born. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit here. For example:

our(incl) ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 21:22

21:22a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces the basis or reason for the commands that Jesus gave in 21:21. Other ways to translate this conjunction are:

because (NET Bible)
-or-

⌊I say that⌋ because

these are the days of vengeance: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as these are the days of vengeance is literally “days of vengeance these are.” The phrase days of vengeance is emphasized.

Prophets who lived during the time of the Old Testament warned that God would punish his people because they disobeyed him and rebelled against him. On some occasions God used the phrase days of vengeance or “the day” to describe the time when He would punish His people. (See Hosea 9:7 and Malachi 4:1.) God would also specifically punish them for rejecting Jesus as the Christ/Messiah whom God had sent to them, as 19:44 indicates.

In some languages it may be necessary to translate vengeance as a verb and to make explicit both the subject and the object. For example:

this is the time ⌊when God⌋ will punish ⌊the people of Jerusalem⌋
-or-
At this time ⌊God⌋ will punish ⌊people⌋

21:22b

to fulfill: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as to fulfill is literally “are to be fulfilled.” The verb fulfill means “to make/cause to truly happen.” Here it indicates that what happens during “the time of punishment/vengeance” will cause everything that was written in the Scriptures about it to happen as the Scriptures said. Other ways to translate this word are:

to make come true (Good News Translation)
-or-
will come true (God’s Word)
-or-
so that ⌊it⌋ may happen as predicted

all that is written: The phrase all that is written refers to everything that the prophets wrote in Scripture. It refers specifically here to all the writings about the time when armies would attack and destroy Jerusalem. Another way to translate this is:

all that ⌊the prophets⌋ wrote ⌊about this⌋

Jesus may have been referring to passages such as 1 Kings 9:6–9, Daniel 9:26, Hosea 9:7 and Micah 3:12.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:16

22:16a

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For often introduces a reason or an explanation. In this verse Jesus explained more about his eagerness to eat that Passover meal with his apostles. This explanation begins in 22:16b. Jesus says that he will not eat the Passover meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

Introduce his explanation in a natural way in your language. In some languages a conjunction may not be needed, as in several English versions.

I tell you: Jesus often used the phrase I tell you to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize. See the note on 17:34a for more information and translation suggestions.

you: The pronoun you is plural here. It refers to Jesus’ apostles.

22:16b–c

I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled: There are two ways to interpret the statement I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled:

(1) It indicates that after Jesus ate that Passover meal with his disciples, he would not eat another Passover meal until its meaning was fulfilled. For example:

I will not eat another Passover meal until it is given its true meaning (New Century Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New Century Version, New International Version, King James Version, New American Standard Bible, Revised English Bible, God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version, NET Bible, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(2) It indicates that Jesus would not eat another Passover meal, including the one that night with his disciples, until its meaning was fulfilled. Here is another way to translate this:

I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible, Good News Translation, English Standard Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The whole context, especially 22:15, strongly implies that Jesus did eat the Passover meal with his disciples. (See also 22:21.) Although the word again is not included in some Greek manuscripts, it is necessary in English to express the right meaning.

until it is fulfilled: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as until it is fulfilled refers to the time when the meaning that the Passover meal symbolizes will be completely fulfilled.

The Passover symbolizes God redeeming his people. He redeemed the Jewish people when he saved them from death and slavery in Egypt at the time of the first Passover. God redeemed his people from eternal death and slavery to sin through Jesus’ death as a substitute for them. The Passover lamb symbolizes Jesus.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

until its meaning is fulfilled (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
until it is given its full meaning (Good News Translation)
-or-
until what it symbolizes is accomplished

The verb is fulfilled is passive. In some languages it may be necessary to translate it as active. If that is true in your language, you may supply “God” as the subject. For example:

until ⌊God⌋ fulfills the purpose/meaning of the Passover meal
-or-
until ⌊God⌋ causes what the Passover meal represents to happen

in the kingdom of God: In this context the phrase in the kingdom of God refers to the time when God will reign over everyone as king. At that time Jesus will reign with God, and God will give his people the complete freedom that Passover symbolizes. Because Jesus atoned for his people’s sin by his death for them, God will free them completely from sin and death. At that time there will be a great feast, and God’s people will celebrate with Jesus forever.

Some ways to translate in the kingdom of God here are:

when God rules his people as king
-or-
when God becomes King in the world
-or-
in God’s ⌊glorious⌋ reign/chieftaincy

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 here to a land or country that he rules over. For more information and translation suggestions, see the note on kingdom of God at 17:20a–b. See also kingdom of God in the Glossary.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:48

22:48a

But Jesus asked him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But is a common conjunction that can be translated in different ways. Here it introduces Jesus’ response after Judas greeted him with a kiss. Some English versions translate it as “but” here, probably because Jesus did not respond in the usual way that people respond to such greetings. The conjunction can also be translated as “then” or “and then.”

You should translate it in a natural way in your language for this context. In some languages a conjunction is not needed, as in several English versions.

22:48b

Judas: Here Jesus addressed Judas directly by name. In some languages it is more natural to put this direct address in a different part of the sentence. See 22:48b in the Display for an example.

are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss: This is a rhetorical question. It expresses the surprise and sorrow that Jesus felt when Judas used a kiss to betray him. It was terrible for a friend to betray him, but it was even more terrible for the friend to betray him with a kiss of greeting.

Some ways to translate this surprise and sorrow are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

So is it a kiss that you use to betray me, the Son of Man?
-or-
Why did you choose a friendly greeting to betray me, the Son of Man?
-or-
How can you betray me, the Son of Man, with a kiss?
-or-
Like this, Judas, you betray the Son of Mankind?

• As a statement or exclamation. For example:

So you take the kiss of a friend to give me, the Son of Man, to my enemies!

Use a natural way to express this surprise and sorrow in your language.

betraying: The word betraying refers here to handing Jesus over to his enemies. This word also occurred in 22:4. In some languages it is necessary to specify the people to whom Judas was betraying Jesus. If that is true in your language, you can use a general term like “enemies.” See the note on 22:4c.

Son of Man: Here Jesus referred to himself as the Son of Man. He also referred to himself in that way in 22:22. See how you translated it there.

kiss: See the note in 22:47c for information and translation suggestions.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 23:10

23:10a

Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there: The chief priests and the scribes were present while Herod questioned Jesus. The context implies that they had come with Pilate’s men when they brought Jesus to Herod. They came to make their accusations against Jesus to Herod. In some languages it may be necessary to introduce them in a special way. For example:

⌊Jesus’ accusers,⌋ the chief priests and the scribes, were also there. They stood…
-or-
The chief priests and scribes ⌊who had come to accuse him⌋ were standing there.

chief priests: The term chief priests occurred in 19:47. For more information and translation suggestions, see the note at 19:47b–d.

scribes: The term scribes occurred in 19:47. For more information and translation suggestions, see the note at 19:47b–d.

23:10b

vehemently accusing Him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as vehemently means “forcefully, vigorously.” The chief priests and scribes spoke very strongly and angrily, as they falsely accused Jesus. Some other ways to translate the phrase vehemently accusing Him are:

shouted their accusations against Jesus (God’s Word)
-or-
their words were very harsh accusing Yesus to Herodes
-or-
they continued to forcefully make/press charges against Jesus

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

their breath was very hot in their accusing Jesus

accusing Him: In some languages it may be necessary to specify the type of accusation. If this is true in your language, some ways to do this are:

• Use a general phrase. For example:

accusing Him ⌊of many things⌋

• Supply a phrase that is similar to the accusations in 23:2. For example:

accusing Him ⌊of opposing the government⌋

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 23:42

23:42

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”: The same criminal continued to speak, but here he spoke to Jesus, instead of to the other criminal. He addressed Jesus by name. In this context the man was being very respectful to Jesus. He implied that he believed that Jesus was the Messiah and that he would rule as king.

In some languages it may be disrespectful or unnatural for the man to address Jesus by name. If this is true in your language, you may be able to use another respectful form of address that is appropriate for a great leader. You should express the request in a respectful way. For example:

Then he said to Jesus, “Please remember me…”
-or-
Then he said to Jesus, “Lord/Sir, please remember me…”

remember me: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as remember can be used in several ways. Here remember me means “keep thinking about me,” “care for me.” The man on the cross was asking Jesus to show him favor and kindness in his future kingdom. Some other ways to translate remember me are:

think about me
-or-
think of me and be gracious to me (Translator’s Reference Translation)
-or-
remember me ⌊and treat me with kindness/mercy⌋

when You come into Your kingdom!: The phrase when You come into Your kingdom refers to the time when Jesus will rule as the Messiah King. Some other ways to translate this are:

when you come into power (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
when you rule as king

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013