SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 72

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 12:42

12:42–48

In these verses Jesus told a parable to answer the question that Peter asked in 12:41. The parable is about a master and his servants. It has three parts:

(a) If a servant does what his master tells him to do, his master will reward him. (42:41–44)

(b) If a servant does not do what his master tells him to do, his master will punish him. (42:45–46)

(c) A master will require much from a servant who knows what he should do. He will not require so much from one who does not know. (42:47–48)

In the parable Jesus made it clear that what he taught applied to all of his servants. This included the disciples. Translate the parts of the parable in a way that is natural in your language.

12:42a–c

This verse is one long question. In it, Jesus described something that often happened in that culture. A master often put a manager in charge of his other servants. Jesus used this situation as an example to answer Peter’s question in 12:41. In some languages it is natural to use a different form to translate such examples. Some other ways to do this in English are:

There was a slave who was wise and faithful. His master put him in charge of his other servants to give them their food at the right time.
-or-
A man had a servant who is wise and faithful. Then he gave him responsibility over the other servants to give them their food allowances at the proper times.

Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their portion at the proper time?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used it to introduce a new parable and also to urge his listeners to be faithful in obeying him. He was not asking which servant was wiser or more faithful than the others.

In other languages it may be more natural to use a different way to introduce the parable. See the examples in the previous note. Some ways to translate this question are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Who, then, is the faithful, skilled manager that the master will put in charge of giving the other servants their share of food at the right time? (God’s Word)

• As a rhetorical question and a statement. For example:

Who, then, is a faithful and wise servant? He is a servant that his master puts in charge to run the household and give the other servants their share of the food at the proper time.

• As a statement or a command. For example:

I’m talking to any faithful, sensible servant to whom the master gives the responsibility of managing his household… (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
Be like a faithful and wise servant so that your master can trust you to take care of his household and give the other servants food at the proper time.

You should translate this in a way that is natural in your language to introduce this parable.

12:42a

And the Lord answered: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translated as answered is the common word that is usually translated “said.” The Berean Standard Bible has used answered because this is good style in English. You should use the word that is most natural in your language.

faithful: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as faithful refers here to a person who is trustworthy. His master can rely on him to do what he should do. See believe, Meaning 4, in the Glossary.

wise: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wise refers here to a person who is prudent and sensible.

manager: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as manager refers to someone who managed his master’s household and property. In this context the manager was also a servant. The manager’s primary responsibility was to take care of his master’s other servants.

General Comment on 12:42a

Another way to translate the phrase “faithful and wise manager” is:

wise and trusted servant (New Century Version)

12:42b

whom the master puts in charge of his servants: In this context the master refers to a rich man or ruler who had several servants. He chose one of the servants to be their leader. It is clear from the context that the master did this because he was preparing to go away on a trip. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit:

whom the master, ⌊because he was about to leave for a while,⌋ put in charge of his other servants

In some languages it may be helpful to start a new sentence here:

He is the one whom his master puts in charge of his ⌊other⌋ servants

his servants: The word servants also occurs in 12:37a.

12:42c

to give them their portion at the proper time: This verse part explains the duty or responsibility of the leading servant. Their master wanted this servant to ensure that the other servants received their regular share of food.

their portion: The phrase their portion refers to the set amount of food that servants were supposed to receive. It can also be translated as:

their food allowance (New International Version)
-or-
their rations (Revised English Bible)

at the proper time: In rich Roman families, the servants received a measured portion of food daily, sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly. Most versions use a general expression here. For example:

at the right time (New Century Version)

In some languages it may be natural to leave this phrase implied. For example:

feeding them (New Living Translation (2004))

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 13:26

13:26a

We ate and drank with you: The people whom the homeowner did not allow to come inside want to show him that they really do have a relationship with him. The first way they try to prove this is by saying that they have shared meals with him. In their culture that was a sign of friendship.

In some languages it is necessary to provide objects for ate and drank. If this is true in your language, use general words that can refer to various kinds of food and drink. In other languages, it may be more natural to use a term that implies both eating and drinking. For example:

We dined with you. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
We ate meals with you.

13:26b

you taught in our streets: This was a second way the people tried to show that the owner of the house did know them. They said that he had taught in the streets of the town (or towns) where they lived. In some languages it may be more natural not to specify “streets.” For example:

you taught in our town (Good News Translation)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 14:23

14:23a

So the master told his servant: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as So introduces the master’s response to what his servant had just said. Another way to translate this is:

Then (New International Version)

Go out to the highways and hedges: The phrase the highways and hedges refers to places outside the town where the servant would probably be able to find other people. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

into the country lanes and behind the hedges (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
along the back roads and fence rows (Contemporary English Version)

highways: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as highways refers to roads that lie outside of towns in the rural areas. However, it does not refer to a major highway in the sense of a wide road with much traffic. Some English versions translate this word as “roads.”

hedges: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates literally as hedges refers to the rows of bushes that acted as fences in the countryside. They were planted along the country paths and divided the fields from each other. In your culture hedges may not have this purpose. If that is true, you may wish to use a general word such as “lanes” or “paths,” since there would have been narrow walkways alongside these hedges and that may be what the master was referring to by using the word “hedges.”

14:23b

compel them to come in: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as compel in this context means to urge or persuade strongly. It does not imply that the servant should threaten the people or force them to do something that they did not want to do. The master wanted his servant to convince the people to come.

them: Make sure that the pronoun them refers to the people in the rural areas, not to the highways and hedges. Many English versions make this explicit. For example:

compel people to come in (Revised Standard Version)

14:23c

so that my house will be full: This is a purpose clause. It is also a hyperbole (deliberate exaggeration for emphasis). The master wanted every seat in the dining area to have a person sitting in it. He did not literally want his entire house to be full of people. In many languages the hyperbole will be clear and natural. In other languages it may be necessary to state the meaning more directly. For example:

so that there will be people sitting in every seat at my feast

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 15:20

15:20a

So: This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that many English versions translate as “and.” The Berean Standard Bible, along with many other English versions, translates it as So because it introduces what the young man did as a result of his decision to return home to his father. Translate the connection in a natural way in your language.

he got up and went to his father: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as he got up is the same word as the word translated as “I will get up” in 15:18a. It is used here to indicate that the young man started to go to his father. It does not mean that he had been sitting down or lying down.

went to his father: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as went can also be translated as “came.” Some English versions, such as the Revised Standard Version, translate it that way. Express this in a way that is natural in your language.

Notice that the young man had not reached his father when the action of the next verse parts occurred. In some languages it may be necessary to translate this as:

started back to his father

Paragraph 15:20b–24

In 15:20b–c the focus changes from the young man to the father and what the father felt and did when the son came home.

15:20b

But while he was still in the distance: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But while he was still in the distance is literally “but still being-away at-a-distance.” It means that the younger son was still far away from his father. However, he was close enough for his father to recognize him, as the next clause implies. Another way to translate this is:

While he was still at a distance (God’s Word)

his father saw him: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as his father saw him in this context means that the father saw who he was. He recognized him as he was coming. If you have a specific term in your language that refers to seeing someone in the distance, you may use it here.

15:20c

and was filled with compassion: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was filled with compassion means that the father felt great compassion for his younger son. He strongly desired to show mercy to him. In some languages there may be an idiom to describe this. For example:

his heart went out to him (NET Bible)

He ran to his son: The father ran to his son in order to welcome him. In some languages it may be more natural to make this information explicit. For example:

he ran ⌊to meet/greet⌋ his son

In other languages it may better to make information implicit. For example:

he ran (Good News Translation)

Use a natural way to express this clause in your language.

15:20d

embraced him, and kissed him: The phrase embraced him, and kissed him is a cultural gesture. In that culture a man greeted a family member or close friend by putting his arms around him and kissing him once on each cheek. The form of the Greek verb for kissed here implies that the father kissed his son repeatedly. He did this in order to show him that he loved him and welcomed him back home. If men in your culture would not welcome a grown son in this way, you may:

• Translate the gesture and make the meaning explicit. For example:

He put his arms around him and kissed him ⌊repeatedly⌋ ⌊on the cheeks⌋ to welcome him.

• Translate the meaning without the gesture. For example:

He greeted/welcomed his son with great affection.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 16:20

16:20a

And a beggar named Lazarus: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as beggar refers to a very poor person. It is not a specific word for a professional beggar. The Berean Standard Bible probably uses the word beggar here because Lazarus was clearly placed at the rich man’s gate in the hopes that he would receive food or money. Most versions translate this word as:

a poor man

lay: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lay is passive and is literally “had been laid.” There are three ways to interpret this verb:

(1) It indicates that people had brought him there and left him. For example:

was laid (New American Standard Bible)

(New International Version, New American Standard Bible, New Century Version Contemporary English Version, King James Version, English Standard Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

(2) It indicates only that he was lying there. For example:

lay (Revised Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Living Translation (2004), NET Bible, Revised English Bible)

(3) It indicates that people brought him there regularly. For example:

was regularly brought (God’s Word)

(God’s Word, Good News Translation)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). The passive verb implies that he was too crippled or sick to get there himself. This helps to show the contrast between the rich man’s luxurious lifestyle and the poor man’s miserable condition.

If it is necessary to use an active verb in your language, you should supply a general subject. For example:

people had placed him at the gate of the rich man’s house

at his gate: The phrase his gate probably refers to the main gate that led into the courtyard of the rich man’s house. It does not refer to the door of the house itself.

16:20b

covered with sores: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as covered with sores means “with sores all over his body.” This man suffered from a bad skin disease. These sores may have been ulcers or boils. In some languages it may be more natural to translate this phrase with a separate sentence. For example:

His body was full of sores.
-or-
He had sores on his entire body.

General Comment on 16:20a–b

Several English versions give the name of this poor man later in this verse. For example:

At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores. (New International Version)

In some languages it may be more natural to tell the man’s name and describe his condition earlier in the verse. For example:

20aThere was also a poor man whose name was Lazarus. 20bHe had sores all over his body. 20aPeople had left him at the gate of the house of the rich man.

Lazarus is the second main person in this story. Introduce him in a natural way in your language.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 17:21

17:21a

Nor will people say: The phrase Nor will people say is a negative statement that is connected to the negative statement in 17:20d. People will not observe the kingdom coming (17:20d), and they will also not speak of it being “here” or “there” (17:21a). Another way to translate the statement is:

also, people will not say

This statement does not literally indicate that no one will say the words in this verse. People may say those things, but they will not be able to say them truthfully. No one will know exactly where the kingdom of God will begin.

‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is.’: The quotation ‘Look, here it is,’ or ‘There it is’ is more literally “‘Look, here’ or, ‘there.’” For example:

‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ (Good News Translation)

The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Look is the same word that is often translated as “behold.” It is something that people might say if they were pointing to the kingdom of God or to the place where it came or began.

The Berean Standard Bible has supplied the word it to refer back to the kingdom of God (17:20). People will not say that the kingdom of God had come here or There. Use a natural way in your language to point out something that is outstanding and significant.

In some languages it may be more natural to use indirect speech and mention the kingdom of God explicitly: For example:

that the kingdom of God is here or it is there
-or-
that God has begun his reign here, or there is the place where he has begun his reign

In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of here and There. For example:

“Look, there it is!” or “Look, here it is!”

You may use a natural order for these words in your language. A similar use of these words occurs in 17:23, where the order is “there” and “here.” Use a natural order in your language for both verses.

17:21b

For: The word For introduces the reason for what Jesus said in 17:20d–21a. People cannot observe the beginning of the kingdom or say “Here it is,” For the kingdom of God is among them. Express this reason in a natural way in your language.

In Greek this part of the verse begins with a word that many English versions translate as “behold.” The word “behold” calls attention to the following statement. It often indicates that the statement is surprising or unexpected. For example:

for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you (Revised Standard Version)

Consider whether you have a similar way in your language to call attention to this statement.

the kingdom of God is in your midst: The pronoun your is plural. Scholars have interpreted the Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the kingdom of God is in your midst in two ways:

(1) It means that the kingdom of God is among you. It refers to the fact that Jesus, the Messiah King, was with them. Here is another way to translate this:

the kingdom of God is among you (Revised English Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, New International Version (2011), Revised English Bible, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), Contemporary English Version)

(2) It means that the kingdom of God is within you, that is, in your hearts and minds. Here is another way to translate this:

the Kingdom of God is within you (Good News Translation)

(Good News Translation, New International Version, King James Version, God’s Word, New Century Version)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This is the view of the majority of commentators. God was already ruling and caring for his people through Jesus. He was already defeating Satan by curing sick people and forgiving sinful people. For more information, see kingdom of God, Context 3 in the Glossary.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 18:16

18:16a

But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But introduces what Jesus did when the people brought the children to him. What Jesus did contrasted with what the disciples said to the people, so many English versions have “but” here. The New Living Translation (2004) has “Then.” Connect this verse to 18:15 in a natural way in your language.

Jesus called the children to Him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the children is a pronoun, “them.” It refers back to the “babies” in 18:15a. Here is another way to translate this:

Jesus called the infants to him (God’s Word)

However, 18:16c uses the more general word for “children.” Many English versions, such as the Berean Standard Bible, use the word children here as well. Refer to them in a natural way in your language.

Many of the children were too young to walk, so the phrase called the children to Him implies that Jesus was inviting the parents to bring them. Here is another way to translate this:

Jesus called for the children (NET Bible)

18:16b

and said: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as and said is literally “saying.” It introduces what Jesus said to the disciples. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

and said ⌊to the disciples⌋

18:16c–d

Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them: These clauses are two commands: Let the little children come to Me and do not hinder them. These commands have similar meanings. Jesus repeated his meaning in two different ways to emphasize what he said.

In some languages it may be more natural to give the negative command first. For example:

Do not forbid the children to come to me. Allow them to come….

In other languages it may be more natural to combine the two commands. For example:

Don’t stop the children from coming to me! (God’s Word)

Translate these two commands in a natural way in your language.

18:16c

Let the little children come to Me: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Let means “allow” or “permit.” Here is another way to translate this:

Permit the children to come to Me (New American Standard Bible)

little children: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as little children is a general word for children of any age.

18:16d

do not hinder them: The phrase do not hinder them indicates that the disciples should not prevent the children from coming to Jesus. Other ways to translate this command are:

do not stop them (Good News Translation)
-or-
do not forbid their coming to me

18:16e

For: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as For introduces the reason or explanation for Jesus’ commands to his disciples in 18:16c–d. Another way to translate this conjunction is:

because (Good News Translation)

Express the reason or explanation in a natural way in your language. See the General Comment on 18:16c–e below for a suggestion about changing the order of clauses in this verse.

the kingdom of God belongs to such as these: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the kingdom of God belongs to such as these indicates that people who are like those children have the right/privilege to be included in the group of people whom God rules. It does not mean that such people own the kingdom of God.

Some other ways to translate this are:

the citizens of the kingdom of God are people like these children
-or-
it is people like these children who live/belong in God’s chieftaincy
-or-
the people whom God cares for as king are like these ⌊little⌋ children

the kingdom of God: The phrase kingdom of God refers to God’s activity of ruling and caring for his people as their king. It does not refer to a land or country that he rules over. It refers to the relationship that he has with his people. He leads, protects, and cares for them. They obey, trust, and submit to him as their king. See kingdom of God, Context 2, in the Glossary.

such as these: The phrase such as these means “people like these children.” Here Jesus compared people who are included in his kingdom to children. He did not make explicit how they should be like children. However, many scholars refer to the fact that children must humbly depend on other people to care for them. In a similar way, a person in God’s kingdom must humbly depend on God.

In some languages it may be necessary to make some of this information explicit. For example:

because the kingdom of God belongs to people ⌊who depend on God⌋ like these children ⌊depend on those who care for them⌋.
-or-
for it is people who are ⌊trusting/humble⌋ like these children who will live in the kingdom of God.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 19:5

Paragraph 19:5–7

In Jewish culture, a person usually would not eat or stay in someone’s house if that person did not invite him. But Jesus invited himself to be the guest of Zacchaeus. Jesus showed that he was willing to enter the house of a tax collector even if it meant that he would be considered ritually unclean.

If you are using footnotes to give background information, you might want to use one here. For example:

In Jewish culture it was not customary for a person to invite himself to eat at another person’s house. Jesus did that to help Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus knew that most religious leaders would not enter a tax collector’s house, so Zacchaeus might not feel that he should invite Jesus.

For more background information about tax collectors, see the introduction to Section 19:1–10.

19:5a

When Jesus came to that place: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as that place refers to the location of the tree into which Zacchaeus had climbed. As he was walking along, Jesus stopped near that tree. In some languages it may be natural to refer to the tree specifically. For example:

When Jesus came to the tree (God’s Word)

In other languages it may not be necessary to refer specifically to the place. For example:

When Jesus came by (New Living Translation (2004))

19:5b

He looked up and said: Here the phrase He looked up indicates that Jesus looked up into the tree at Zacchaeus. Then Jesus spoke to him. Some other ways to translate this part of the verse are:

he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
he/Jesus looked up ⌊and saw him/Zacchaeus⌋. Then Jesus said

19:5c

Zacchaeus: Jesus called Zacchaeus by name and showed him that he knew about him. Jesus was speaking in a friendly way. He was not angry at Zacchaeus for climbing the tree.

In some languages people do not call other adults by their names. If that is true in your language, you may want to use a term of respect with his name. For example:

Elder/Brother Zacchaeus

In such languages it may also be helpful to include a footnote. For example:

In that culture it was the custom to call people by their names to show friendliness.

hurry down: The Greek command that the Berean Standard Bible translates as hurry down is more literally, “hurrying, come down.” Some other ways to translate it are:

come down immediately (New International Version)
-or-
Quick, come down! (New Living Translation (2004))

19:5d

for: In the Greek text, 19:5d begins with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for. It introduces the reason or explanation for 19:5c. Some English versions have “because” here. Jesus called Zacchaeus to come down out of the tree because he intended to stay at his house that night. Connect 19:5c and 19:5d in a way that is natural in your language.

I must stay at your house today: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I must stay at your house today is more literally “today it is necessary that I stay at your house.” This clause implies that it was necessary because it was God’s will. God had decided that Jesus must do that.

Some other ways to translate the clause are:

It is necessary for me to stay at your house today
-or-
I am to stay at your house today (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
It is ⌊God’s will⌋ that I stay at your house today

In the Greek text this clause begins with the word today. For example:

today I must stay at your house (New American Standard Bible)

In this section it probably implies a connection with what Jesus said in 19:9a: “Today salvation has come to this house.”

stay at your house today: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as stay at your house today implies that Jesus would remain at Zacchaeus’ house for the rest of the day. It probably implies that he would also spend the night there. Use an appropriate expression in your language. Here is another way to translate this:

be a guest in your home today (New Living Translation (2004))

General Comment on 19:5c–d

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

5cZacchaeus, 5dtoday I must stay at your house, 5cso hurry down.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013