SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 55

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 7:39

Paragraph 7:39

7:39a

When the Pharisee who had invited Jesus saw this: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as saw this is literally “seeing.” It refers to seeing what the woman did for Jesus in 7:38.

he said to himself: The phrase he said to himself refers to what the Pharisee thought. He did not speak his thoughts aloud. In many languages it may be more natural to translate this as:

he thought
-or-
he said in his head/mind/heart

7:39b–e

If this man were a prophet, He would know…she is a sinner: The thoughts that the Pharisee had in 7:39b–d imply that before the woman came, he thought that Jesus might be a prophet. However, after Jesus allowed the woman to touch him in 7:38, the Pharisee thought that Jesus could not really be a prophet. The Pharisee thought this because of certain ideas that he had about prophets:

(1) He believed that God would reveal to a prophet what the prophet needed to know. As a prophet, Jesus would know that the woman was immoral.

(2) He believed that a prophet would never let an immoral woman touch him because that would cause him to be ritually “unclean.”

So the Pharisee believed that Jesus must not know anything about this woman. That caused the Pharisee to wrongly conclude that Jesus was not a prophet.

Another way to translate this is:

This man must not be a prophet because a prophet would know about this woman who is touching him. He would know what kind of woman she is. A prophet would know that she is a sinner. ⌊A prophet would never let such a woman touch him, but this man has allowed it.⌋

7:39b

If this man were a prophet: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as this man is literally “this (one).” It probably expresses disrespect for Jesus. The whole clause indicates serious doubt that Jesus was a prophet. Here is another way to express this doubt:

If this man really were a prophet (Good News Translation)

prophet: A prophet was a person who spoke on behalf of God. He told people what God revealed to him. God gave some prophets power to work miracles. Some ways to translate this are:

a spokesman for God
-or-
a man who speaks God’s words
-or-
God’s message-speaker

It is good to use a general term that does not focus only on foretelling the future. Although prophets did foretell the future, they also gave people other messages from God. They especially told people to stop sinning and to obey God.

When choosing a term for prophet, consider how you will distinguish prophet from other words which are similar in meaning such as “angel,” “apostle,” and “preacher.”

See also the note on “prophet” at 1:70 and prophet in the Glossary.

7:39c-d

He would know who this is and what kind of woman is touching him: The phrase know who this is and what kind of woman is touching him refers to knowing personal information about the woman, such as her name and where she lived. It does not imply that Jesus could not see the woman.

The phrases who this is and what kind of woman is touching him mean the same thing. The Pharisee is using repetition for emphasis. Another way to translate this is:

who this woman is who is touching him (Good News Translation)

what kind of woman is touching Him: The Pharisee assumed that Jesus did not know that this woman had a bad reputation as an immoral person.

touching Him: The phrase touching Him refers specifically to the woman’s actions of kissing Jesus’ feet and anointing them with perfumed oil. Be sure that the expression you use here does not imply any inappropriate action. In some languages you may need to use a more specific expression. For example:

anointing him

7:39e

for she is a sinner: There are two ways to interpret the Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for:

(1) It means that. It introduces something that Jesus would have known if he were a prophet. For example:

that she is a sinner (NET Bible)

(New American Standard Bible, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New International Version, New Jerusalem Bible, NET Bible, Revised English Bible)

(2) It means for or because. It connects with the implied information that a Rabbi would not let a sinful woman touch him: “⌊And he would not let her touch him⌋ because she is a sinner.” For example:

for she is a sinner (Revised Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, King James Version; probably God’s Word, New Living Translation (2004))

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

sinner: The word sinner refers to 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 are:

person who sins
-or-
someone who does not obey God
-or-
wrongdoer

In this context the Pharisee used the word sinner to imply that the woman had committed sexual sins. You may be able to translate it in a similar way as you translated “sinful” in 7:37. See the note on “a sinful woman from that town” in 7:37a.

General Comment on 7:39c–e

The Pharisee thought that Jesus should have known:

(a) who the woman was;

(b) what kind of woman she was;

These facts are quite similar and there are various ways to combine them. For example:

…he would know who this woman is who is touching him; he would know what kind of sinful life she lives! (Good News Translation)
-or-
…he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner! (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
…he would know that the woman touching him is a sinner! (New Century Version)

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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.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 8:21

8:21a

But: This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that is often translated as “and.” Jesus’ reply was not what anyone expected, so the Berean Standard Bible and some other English versions (Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible) translate this conjunction as But. Other versions do not use a conjunction here (New International Version, Good News Translation). Connect this verse to 8:20 in a way that is natural in your language.

He replied: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as He replied is literally “He replying said to them.” This probably indicates that his reply was given to the messenger or messengers in 8:20a and for all the people in the crowd who were listening to him. Some ways to translate this are:

• introduce Jesus’ answer in a general way. For example:

Jesus said
-or-
But he said in answer (New Jerusalem Bible)

• Make it clear that “them” refers to more than just the messenger or messengers. For example:

Jesus said to them all (Good News Translation)

8:21b

My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and carry it out: Here Jesus used the phrase My mother and brothers in a figurative way. His statement means that people who listen to God’s word and obey it are like blood relatives to him. He considers them as his family. He did not imply here that all people who obey God’s word are literally from his physical family. You may want to make this clear in your translation. For example:

Those who hear the word and put it into practice are just like a mother and brothers to me.
-or-

The people that I call/consider my mother and my brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.

the word of God: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the word of God means God’s message, the message that comes/came from God. Translate this in a way that can include not only the written Scriptures, but also Jesus’ teaching.

carry it out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as carry it out is literally “doing.” It means “obey it” or “do what it says.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 8:53

8:53a

And: This verse in Greek begins with a conjunction that is often translated as “and” in English, as in the Berean Standard Bible. It introduces the way that the mourners responded to what Jesus said in 8:52c. When Jesus said that the child was not dead, they did not believe him. Instead, they laughed at him. Since there is a contrast between what Jesus said and how the mourners responded, you could also use a conjunction that indicates a contrast. For example:

But (New Living Translation (2004))

Connect this verse to 8:52 in a way that is natural in your language.

they: The word they refers to the mourners to whom Jesus had just spoken.

laughed at Him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as laughed at means “to mock” or “to laugh at with scorn.” The mourners treated Jesus as if he were a fool because they were sure that the girl was dead.

The form of this Greek verb indicates that the people repeatedly mocked Jesus. They probably said several different things as they laughed at him. Some languages have verb forms that distinguish between actions that happen once and actions that are repeated. If that is true in your language, use a form here that indicates that the action was repeated. The form here may indicate that the people started and then continued. For example:

began laughing at him (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
began making fun of him (NET Bible)

8:53b

knowing that she was dead: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as knowing that she was dead gives the reason why the mourners mocked Jesus. Other ways to translate this are:

for they knew that she was dead
-or-
because they were certain that she had died

General Comment on 8:53a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to give the reason before the result. If that is true in your language, you may want to reverse the order of the parts of this verse. For example:

53bThey knew that she was dead, 53aso they laughed at him.
-or-

53bSince they were sure that she had died, 53athey began laughing at him.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 9:29

9:29a

the appearance of His face changed: The phrase the appearance of His face changed means that Jesus’ face looked different in some way. The context implies that it began to shine with heavenly glory. Choose a word or phrase that can be used of a good change.

9:29b

His clothes became radiantly white: Jesus’ clothes became white and shining. The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as radiantly white is literally “white, gleaming like lightning.” This means “flashing white” or “dazzling white.” It is not necessary to refer to lightning in your translation. For example:

shining white (New Century Version)

In some languages it may be more natural to express this phrase with two separate terms. For example:

extremely white and shining

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 9:61

Paragraph 9:61–62

9:61a

Still another said: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Still another is literally “and also another.” Here it refers to the third person in a series.

I will follow You: The statement I will follow You is identical to the first clause of 9:57b. It indicates that this man wanted to become a regular disciple of Jesus.

Lord: The title Lord also occurs in 9:54b. See Lord, Context 3, in the Glossary.

9:61b

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but here introduces a request that interferes or contrasts with the man’s desire to follow Jesus. Introduce it in a natural way in your language.

first let me bid farewell to my family: This statement is a request. The man asked Jesus’ permission to go home and say goodbye to his family before he became Jesus’ disciple. This could have involved a lot of time spent in feasting and visiting.

my family: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as my family is literally “the ones in my house.” It refers to all of the man’s relatives who were living in his household. It can also include other relatives in the same area, even if they were not living in the same house. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

my relatives
-or-
our(excl) household

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 10:31

10:31a–33a

Each of these three verses introduces one of three people who had the opportunity to help the man who had been beaten. Introduce each of these people in a natural way in your language.

10:31a

Now: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Now introduces the next event in the story. The word Now is not a time word here.

This verse introduces the first man who came along the road and saw the beaten man. The story does not say how much time had passed before the priest came. If you need to supply a time word or phrase in your language, use a general expression. For example:

Later
-or-
As he was lying there like that

by chance: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as by chance means “by chance” or “coincidentally.” The priest did not know about the other man, but by chance or coincidence he was traveling on the same road.

a priest: A Jewish priest was a man who offered sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. He also performed other religious rituals for them. Some ways to translate priest are:

sacrificer
-or-
man/person who sacrifices to God
-or-
man who represents people to God

Avoid using a term that refers only to a fetish priest or to an ordained leader of a local Christian church.

See priest in the Glossary.

was going down: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was going down was also used in 10:30a. Consider whether it is natural in your language to translate it the same way in both verses.

the same road: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the same road is literally “that road.” It refers to the road on which the man was traveling in 10:30a. However, the word road is not used in that verse. Refer to the road in this verse in a natural way in your language. Consider if you may need to mention the road also in 10:30a.

10:31b

but when he saw him: In some languages it may be necessary to say explicitly that he refers to the priest. Or it may be necessary to supply some further information about him. For example:

when ⌊the priest⌋ saw the man ⌊lying there⌋

he passed by on the other side: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he passed by on the other side indicates that the priest walked past the man on the opposite side of the road. He stayed as far as possible from the man as he passed him. He did not stop to help the man. Jesus did not say why the priest did not help him, and you should not supply such information.

In some languages an expression such as “other/opposite side of the road” may not be natural. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

he passed by the man, keeping/veering away from him, and went on
-or-
he went around him and continued on his way (God’s Word)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 11:21

Paragraph 11:21–22

In the following example, Jesus compared Satan to a strong man. Jesus then compared himself to someone who was even stronger. This example figuratively describes what Jesus did to Satan. He fought against Satan and won. After conquering Satan, he had the authority to cause Satan’s unclean spirits to leave people. This was like the stronger man who took the possessions of the weaker man.

11:21a

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his house: Here Jesus used an example to teach a principle. The example was of a strong man carrying weapons who guards his house against enemies. But Jesus was not actually talking about a strong man and a house. He was using this illustration to refer to Satan guarding the people over whom he had power.

In some languages it may be helpful to make explicit that this verse is an illustration. You may want to state that Satan is compared to the strong man. For example:

⌊Jesus continued by using a parable/illustration.⌋
-or-

⌊Satan can be compared to⌋ a strong man.

When a strong man: If your language does not normally introduce a new person into a story in a clause that begins with When, you may need to introduce the strong man in the way suggested above. For example:

⌊Satan can be compared to⌋ a strong man who has many weapons. When this strong man guards his house…

a strong man: In this context a strong man refers to a “soldier” or “warrior.” He is a man who is able to fight well. This phrase figuratively refers to Satan.

fully armed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as fully armed means “well equipped with weapons and armor.” The strong man is pictured as wearing armor like a soldier and carrying a sword and other military weapons. Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

with many weapons (New Century Version)
-or-
with all his weapons ready (Good News Translation)

his house: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as house has a range of meanings, including “hall,” “courtyard,” “palace,” and “house.” If you have a word that refers to a large house, you may use it here. For example:

his own palace (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
his own mansion (God’s Word)

But you may also use a general word such as “house.” The focus here is not on the size of the building.

11:21b

his possessions are secure: The Greek expression that the Berean Standard Bible translates as secure is literally “at peace.” In this context it means “protected.” The things that the strong man owns are safe or secure because no one can come in and steal them. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

a thief will not be able to steal/take his belongings
-or-
nothing will happen to the things that he owns

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 11:53

Paragraph 11:53–54

11:53a

As Jesus went on from there:
The word there refers to the Pharisee’s house mentioned in 11:37. During the entire section that begins in 11:37, Jesus spoke from the Pharisee’s house.

In some languages, it may be more natural to make this information explicit. For example:

After he had left the house (Revised English Bible)

the scribes: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the scribes is a synonym of the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as “experts in the law” in 11:52a. It refers to the same group of men. It is recommended that you translate both terms in the same way.

The term scribes also occurs in 9:22b. See also teacher of the law in the Glossary.

Pharisees: This word also occurs in 11:37a.

11:53b

began to oppose Him bitterly: The phrase began to oppose Him bitterly indicates that the Jewish leaders became very angry with Jesus, and they began to treat him as their enemy.

Some other ways to translate the phrase began to oppose Him bitterly are:

began to be very hostile toward him (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
began to give him trouble (New Century Version)
-or-
began to criticize him bitterly (Good News Translation)

Be sure not to translate this in a way that implies physical opposition. The Jewish leaders opposed him in their thoughts and words.

They continued to be angry with Jesus and oppose him until he died months later. To show this, it may be helpful to include a phrase such as “From that day on.” For example:

⌊From that day on,⌋ the Pharisees and teachers opposed him fiercely

11:53c

and to ply Him with questions about many things: The clause ply Him with questions refers to asking many questions in a hostile manner. From that time until his death, the Jewish leaders began to ask Jesus many questions that they thought would be difficult for him to answer. They did this to try to trap him.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

and to ask him hostile questions about many things (NET Bible)
-or-
and tried to provoke him with many questions (New Living Translation (2004))

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013