SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 80

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 20:24

20:24a

Show Me a denarius: Jesus wanted his questioners to show him one of the coins people used to pay the Roman tax. So he asked them to show him a denarius coin. See the next note for more details.

denarius: The word denarius refers to a type of silver coin that Romans used as money. Each Roman coin had the name and image (picture) of Caesar on it. In this context that image is important. When Jesus answered the spies, he used Caesar’s image to teach them and the people an important truth. Some ways to translate denarius in this context are:

• Use a more general term or a descriptive phrase. For example:

the Roman tax coin/money
-or-
the ⌊type of⌋ coin used for paying taxes
-or-
a Roman coin (New Living Translation (2004))

• Use a borrowed word along with a general term. For example:

denarius coin

The word denarius occurred in the plural form in 7:41. However, in that context the focus was on the value of the coins, not on the image. You may need to translate in a different way here.

20:24b

In this part of the verse Jesus asked the spies a question about the denarius. It implies that someone had showed Jesus a denarius, as he requested in 20:24a. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit here. For example:

So they showed it to him

It may also be natural to introduce the question that Jesus asked the spies. For example:

Then he asked (Contemporary English Version)

Whose image and inscription are on it?: Jesus asked this question to prepare the people for what he wanted to teach them. Both Jesus and the spies knew the answer to this question, but Jesus still wanted them to say the answer and they did. Some ways to translate the question are:

Whose image and name are on it? (New Century Version)
-or-
Tell me whose picture and title ⌊you see⌋ on it.

image: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as image means “portrait” or “likeness.” On each denarius there was a picture of the emperor’s head. This image symbolically marked the coins as belonging to the emperor.

Genesis 1:26–27 indicates that God made man in his image. In 20:25c Jesus implied a comparison between the image of Caesar on the coin and the image of God on people. If you have already translated Genesis 1:26–27, it may be helpful to translate image with the same word that you used for “image” or “likeness” there. Do this only if it is clear and natural in your language. Other ways to translate image here are:

head (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
picture (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
face (Good News Translation)
-or-
image (New Century Version)

inscription: The inscription on a coin is the writing on it. The writing on a denarius included the name of the emperor. Some other ways to translate the word inscription are:

name (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
title (New Living Translation (2004))

20:24c

“Caesar’s,” they answered: The Berean Standard Bible places the words they answered in the middle of what the spies said in response to Jesus’ question. In some languages. it may be necessary to put these words at the beginning of 20:24c. For example:

And they said, “Caesar’s.”

Caesar’s: The word Caesar’s is the answer that the spies gave to Jesus’ question. In some languages it may be necessary to make this answer into a complete sentence. For example:

the spies told him, “⌊The picture/image and name⌋ of Caesar ⌊are on it⌋.”

they answered: The Berean Standard Bible puts the phrase they answered after the people’s answer. The Greek text places it before their answer. You may place this information where it is natural in your language.

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 21:9

21:9a

When you hear of wars and rebellions: The clause When you hear of wars and rebellions implies that people will tell Jesus’ disciples about wars and rebellions that are happening. The disciples will hear reports that nations and people groups are fighting each other. They will also hear that groups of people are rebelling against their governments. Some other ways to translate this are:

When you(plur) hear ⌊reports⌋ about wars and revolutions
-or-
At times you will/may hear news that nations are fighting and that people are rebelling ⌊against their governments⌋
-or-
When you hear about wars and riots (New Century Version)

This verse implies that the wars and revolutions are really happening. So you should not use a word that refers only to false reports.

wars and rebellions: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wars and rebellions can refer to different types of conflicts and fighting. The word wars often refers to armed conflict in which different countries fight each other. The word rebellions often refers to civil wars that involve revolting against governments and other authorities. See the note above for translation examples.

21:9b

do not be alarmed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as be alarmed means “to be terrified or alarmed.” It refers to a feeling of fear or terror. A person is often frightened or terrified by wars and riots. Jesus did not want his disciples to be overwhelmed with fear. Here is another way to translate this:

do not panic (Revised English Bible)

You may have an idiom in your language that expresses this kind of fear. For example:

Do not give way to terror/fear
-or-
Do not let fear fill your heart/liver

General Comment on 21:9a–b

In some languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of 21:9a and 21:9b. For example:

9bDo not be afraid 9awhen you(plur) hear of various wars and rebellions.
-or-

9bDo not be terrified 9aat rumors/reports of wars and insurrections.

21:9c

In Greek 21:9c tells a reason why the disciples should not be afraid that the end of the age has come. Here is another way to translate this:

for this is something that must happen first (New Jerusalem Bible)

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

These things must happen: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as These things must happen is literally “It is necessary for these things to occur.” It implies that it is necessary because God has determined that these wars and rebellions will happen before the age/world ends.

These things: The phrase These things refers to the “wars and revolutions” mentioned in 21:9a. Other ways to translate it are:

These wars
-or-
Such fighting/battles

first: The word first emphasizes the phrase “the end” in 21:9d. It implies that the wars must happen before the end of the age. In some languages it is more natural to leave the meaning first implied or to translate it in a different way. See the General Comment on 21:9c–d below for translation examples.

21:9d

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but introduces a statement that contrasts with what people expect. People may expect that wars and revolutions will show that the end of the world/age has come, but that it not true. Translate the contrast in a natural way in your language.

the end is not imminent: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the end is not imminent is more literally “not immediately ⌊is⌋ the end.” Some ways to translate this are:

⌊this does not show/mean that the world/age⌋ will end at that time
-or-
it is not the end ⌊of the world/age⌋ yet

the end: The phrase the end can refer here either to the destruction of the temple or to the end of the world/age. This phrase implies that the people were expecting this end to come. In some languages it may be helpful to indicate that. For example:

the end ⌊that you are expecting⌋

The phrase the end occurs in a prophecy. It is common for prophetic phrases to apply to more than one event. Some scholars believe that the end of the temple will show in a small way what the end of the world will be like. In a sense, the end of the temple was the end of an age.

If you must specify what will end, use a term that can refer either to the end of the world/age or of the temple. However, if you must be specific, you may refer to the end of the world or age. For example:

⌊the age⌋ will end
-or-
the end ⌊of the world⌋

General Comment on 21:9c–d

In some languages the word “first” in 21:9c may be confusing. Some other ways to translate the meaning in 21:9c–d are:

These things must happen, but the end of the world is not yet.
-or-
It is necessary for such things to occur before the world/age ends, but the end will not follow immediately.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:3

Paragraph 22:3–6

22:3a

Satan entered Judas Iscariot: The clause Satan entered Judas Iscariot means that Satan began to control Judas by influencing his mind and heart. In this context the phrase probably does not describe the type of control that a person cannot resist, as in demon possession. Judas allowed Satan to influence and control him. Other ways to translate this are:

Satan began to control him
-or-
Satan entered the heart/mind of Judas Iscariot
-or-
Satan began to use Judas Iscariot

In some languages there is an idiom to describe this type of control. Translate the phrase in a natural way in your language.

Satan: The word Satan is the Hebrew name of the chief or leader of all the evil spirits. In Hebrew his name means “enemy.” He is the enemy of God and God’s people. Here are some ways to translate Satan:

• Use a local name or idiom that refers to the chief of all demons. For example:

the left-handed one
-or-
the barking one

• Use a descriptive phrase such as:

the chief/leader of the evil spirits
-or-
the spirit enemy of God

• Transliterate the name Satan or borrow a word from another language. If this word is not already known in your area, you may also want to add a descriptive phrase. For example:

Satanas, the ruler of demons
-or-
Shaitan

If you transliterate Satan or borrow a word from another language, be sure that it communicates the biblical meaning to people in your culture. It is important to check this in each biblical context.

Use a term that will be acceptable to churches in the area. It is suggested that you also add a footnote or glossary entry that further explains who Satan is. For example:

Satan is the leader of all the evil spirits or demons. Once he was an angel in heaven, but he rebelled against God. God expelled him from heaven, and now he tempts people on earth. Other names for him are “Beelzebul,” “the Devil,” “the Evil One,” “the Enemy,” and “the Tempter.”

Judas Iscariot: In Greek, this phrase is literally “Judas, the one called Iscariot.” People probably called Judas Iscariot because he was from the town of Kerioth. A slight variation of this name was used in 6:16. You may use the same form of the name here.

22:3b

who was one of the Twelve: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as who was one of the Twelve is more literally “who was of the number of the twelve,” as in the Revised Standard Version. The phrase indicates that Judas belonged to the group of Jesus’ twelve special disciples, whom he called “apostles” (6:16). In some languages it may be helpful to include the word “apostles” here. For example:

one of the twelve apostles (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:35

Paragraph 22:35–38

22:35a–b

Then Jesus asked them: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then Jesus asked them is more literally, “And he said to them,” as in the Revised Standard Version. It introduces another topic that Jesus wanted his apostles to think about. Translate it in a natural way in your language.

When I sent you out without purse or bag or sandals: In this clause Jesus reminded his apostles of a past time when he sent them to visit different towns and villages. This happened in 9:1–6, and he sent out a larger group of disciples in 10:1–16. Before Jesus sent them, he gave them instructions about what they should not take with them.

Languages have different ways to introduce instructions. You should introduce the instructions here in a natural way in your language. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

You remember how I sent you out without purse, bag, or sandals.
-or-
At one time, I said to you, “Go ⌊preach⌋ but do not take a purse, a bag, or sandals.”
-or-
Do you remember when I sent you ⌊to different towns and villages⌋? I told you not to take a purse, bag, or sandals.

When I sent you out: Jesus referred here to the times when he sent his disciples out to preach about the kingdom of God and to heal people. He told them to travel through different towns and villages. In some languages it may be necessary to make the meaning of sent more explicit. For example:

When I sent you out ⌊to preach⌋
-or-
When I told you to ⌊travel to different towns and villages⌋

without purse or bag or sandals: The phrase without purse or bag or sandals indicates that Jesus told his disciples not to take any of these things with them. Another way to translate this is:

I told you not to take a purse or a bag or sandals.

purse: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as purse refers to a small bag that people used for carrying money with them. It was probably made from leather. This word was also used in 10:4. Translate it in the same way in both these verses.

In some cultures men do not carry money in purses or bags. If that is true in your culture, you may mention the money itself. For example:

When I sent you out to preach the Good News and you did not have money (New Living Translation (2004))

bag: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as bag refers to another type of bag. It is different from a purse that people used to carry money. This bag was probably used for carrying extra clothes, food, or other items that might be needed during a journey. You should use a natural word for this in your language. For example:

traveler’s bag (NET Bible)
-or-
pack (Revised English Bible)
-or-
load

The same word was used in 9:3 and 10:4. Translate it in the same way in all these verses.

sandals: The word sandals refers to open shoes that were tied to a person’s feet with straps. Jesus referred here to taking an extra pair of sandals. The disciples wore one pair of sandals, and Jesus told them not to carry another pair with them. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

⌊extra/spare⌋ sandals

If people in your area are not familiar with sandals, you may use a general term for footwear or the term for a similar type of local footwear. For example:

shoes (Good News Translation)
-or-
thongs/flip-flops

The word sandals was also used in 10:4. Translate it in the same way in both verses.

22:35c

did you lack anything?: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lack means “to be in need.” Jesus knew the answer to this question. So in this context the question reminded the disciples that they had everything they needed on their journey. Even though they took no money with them, people took care of them as they traveled. They trusted and obeyed Jesus, and they had enough food and other things that they needed.

Some other ways to translate this question are:

…were you in need?
-or-
…did you ever lack anything ⌊that you needed⌋?
-or-
…you did not lack anything, did you? (New American Standard Bible)

22:35d

Nothing: Here the apostles agreed with what Jesus implied. They agreed that they never lacked anything on their journey. They had what they needed. Some other ways to translate the answer in English are:

No, ⌊we had everything we needed⌋.
-or-
No, ⌊we never lacked anything⌋.

Translate this answer in a natural way in your language. In some languages it may be more natural to phrase the question in a way that has a positive answer. See the General Comment on 22:35c–d for an example.

The situation implies that people gave the apostles what they needed. In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit that people provided what the apostles needed. For example:

No, ⌊people gave us⌋ everything that we needed.

they answered: In the Greek text, the phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they answered occurs before the disciples’ answer. Place this phrase where it is most natural in your language. The Greek word the Berean Standard Bible translates as answered is the common verb that means “said.” The Berean Standard Bible has translated this as answered because of the context. Use the verb that is most natural in your language.

General Comment on 22:35c–d

In some languages it may be more natural to phrase the question and answer in 22:35c–d in a positive way. For example:

35c“Did you have everything that you needed?” 35dThey answered, “Yes, we had all that we needed.”

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:67

22:67a

If You are the Christ, tell us: The members of the council demanded that Jesus say whether he was the Messiah/Christ. This demand can also be translated as a question. Mark 14:55 makes it clear that the high priest spoke to Jesus for the whole council. Some other ways to translate their demand are:

Tell us, are you the Messiah? (God’s Word)
-or-
Tell us whether you are the Messiah.

the Christ: Here the word Christ is used as a title. The Jews used this title to refer to the person whom God had appointed and promised to send as king and savior. The title Christ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah,” and the two words have the same meaning.

For translation suggestions, see the note at 20:41b. For more information, see Christ in the Glossary.

22:67b–c

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe…”: Jesus did not give a yes or no answer to the council. He showed by his answer that he knew that they would not believe the truth about him. If he said, “Yes, I am the Messiah,” they would refuse to believe him. In Greek the clause you will not believe is emphatic. They would certainly not believe what he said.

Some ways to translate Jesus’ answer are:

Jesus said to them, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me…” (God’s Word)
-or-
And Jesus answered, “Even if I say that I am, you will not believe what I say.”

believe: In this context the word believe refers to accepting that a statement is true. For more information about this sense of believe, see believe, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 23:29

23:29a

Look, the days are coming: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Look, the days are coming is more literally “because look, days are coming.” It introduces the reason the women should cry for themselves and for their children in 23:28c. They should cry because of what will happen at a time in the future. Jesus probably used the word Look here to emphasize that his prediction was certain to happen. Some ways to translate this certain prediction are:

• Indicate certainty at the beginning of the clause. For example:

for indeed, the days are coming (New American Bible)
-or-
For this is certain: The days are coming (NET Bible)

• Indicate certainty within the clause itself. For example:

For look, the days are surely coming (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
because it will certainly happen that

• Do not indicate certainty in an explicit way. For example:

The time is coming when (God’s Word)
-or-
Someday (Contemporary English Version)

Translate the phrase in a natural way in your language. A similar phrase occurs in 17:22 without the word Look.

In this verse Jesus predicted an event that would happen sometime after his death. He probably referred to the time when the Romans would destroy Jerusalem (in A.D. 70). At that time, the Jewish people suffered terribly. For some translations it may be helpful to include this information in a footnote. For example:

Such a time came in A.D. 70. A Roman army besieged and destroyed Jerusalem and killed many Jewish people.

23:29b

people will say: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as people will say is literally “they will say.” The phrase refers to people in general. It probably refers mainly to the people who will be in the city of Jerusalem at the terrible time that Jesus predicted. However, it could refer to anyone who talks about that situation. Use a natural way in your language to introduce what some people will say at that time. In some languages it may be more natural to use indirect speech to tell what the people will say. For example:

people will say that…

23:29c–e

‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’: Here Jesus gave an example of what people will say during the future time of suffering. Normally Jewish people considered a woman who had many children to be Blessed. But in that future time, the children of Jerusalem will suffer in terrible ways. Then the people will think that it is better for people who do not have children. They do not have the grief of seeing their children suffer or die.

In some languages it may be necessary to make the reason for the saying more explicit. For example:

It is good/blessed not to have children ⌊during this terrible time⌋. It is good/blessed never to have had a child or nursed a baby.
-or-

⌊In this time of suffering,⌋ barren women are ⌊more⌋ fortunate/blessed ⌊than mothers⌋! It is better never to have given birth or nursed a baby!

Blessed: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Blessed describes a person who is in a good situation. In the Bible, the good situation usually results from God showing favor/kindness to the person. Some other ways to translate this word are:

How good it is for…
-or-
fortunate

Often, a person who is blessed in this sense will have good feelings like happiness. However, in this context the women did not have good feelings. But the context implies that they did not have as much grief as the women who watched their children suffer.

For more information, see bless, Meaning 3, in the Glossary.

the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed: Jesus used three phrases here to refer to women who have never had children. The phrase the barren women has the same meaning as the phrase the wombs that never bore. The phrase breasts that never nursed also has the same general meaning as the other two phrases in this context. These three phrases emphasize that the whole statement in 23:29 is a surprising and terrible warning.

barren women: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as barren literally means “sterile” or “incapable of having children.” However, in this context the focus is on not having children at that time of suffering. Because of that, it may be more natural in some languages to use a more general term. For example:

women who are childless (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
women who never had children (Good News Translation)

the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed: These two phrases are figures of speech that further explain the meaning of “barren women” in 23:29c. In some languages it is not natural or appropriate to speak of wombs and breasts being blessed. If that is true in your language, you can speak of the women who never bore children or nursed them. For example:

the women…who couldn’t give birth, and who couldn’t nurse a child (God’s Word)
-or-
the women who cannot bear children and the women who never gave birth and gave suck

General Comment on 23:29c–e

In some languages it may be more natural to combine one or more of the three phrases in 23:29c–e. For example, it may be helpful to combine the phrases “the barren women” and “the wombs that never bore.” For example:

Happy are the women who cannot have children and who have no babies to nurse. (New Century Version)

In some languages it may be more natural to use only one phrase. For example:

Women who never had children are really fortunate! (Contemporary English Version)

Translate 23:29c–e in a natural way in your language.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 24:5

24:5a

As: In the Greek text, 24:5a begins with an common conjunction that is often translated as “and” or “but” (as in the New International Version). The Berean Standard Bible translates it as As. Here it introduces what the men said when the women bowed to them. Other ways to translate it are:

Then (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
but (New International Version)

Some versions do not have a conjunction. Connect this part of the verse with 24:5b in a natural way in your language.

the women bowed their faces to the ground: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible literally translates as bowed their faces to the ground is likely an idiom. It is not clear in this context whether they bent only their heads or whether they also bowed down or knelt. In this context the action probably showed both fear and respect.

Some other ways to translate this action are:

the women bowed down to the ground (Good News Translation)
-or-
the women bowed their heads to the ground (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
they bowed ⌊to show respect⌋ (Translator’s Reference Translation)

Translate the action in a way that communicates respect or fear in your culture.

in terror: The phrase in terror indicates that the women were very afraid. Some ways to translate it are:

The women were very afraid (New Century Version)
-or-
The women were terrified (God’s Word)
-or-
Full of fear (Good News Translation)

24:5b

the two men asked them: This clause introduces a rhetorical question that the men asked the women. Use a natural verb in your language. Some other ways to translate the clause in English are:

The men asked the women (God’s Word)
-or-
the men said (Revised English Bible)

24:5c

Why do you look for the living among the dead?: This is a rhetorical question. The men used it as a mild rebuke to the women. The men were saying that it was useless for the women to look for a live person in a tomb. The question implies that Jesus was alive, and therefore the women did not need to look for him in a tomb.

Some ways to translate this mild rebuke are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Why are you looking among the dead for one who is alive? (Good News Translation)
-or-
Should you search for a living person in this place for the dead?

• As a statement. For example:

It is useless for you to look in the place of the dead for someone/one who is alive!

Translate this mild rebuke in a way that is natural in your language.

the living: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the living refers to Jesus. It indicates that Jesus was alive. This is clear from the Greek text, which uses a singular form. Other ways to translate the phrase are:

someone who is alive (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the living one (God’s Word)

among the dead: The phrase the dead refers to dead people. The Greek text uses a plural form. The phrase among the dead implies that they should not be looking in a tomb, the place for burying dead people, to find a living person.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 24:37

24:37

This verse tells the reactions of Jesus’ followers when he suddenly appeared to them. They did not rejoice immediately, because they were afraid. The reason for their fear was that they thought they were seeing Jesus’ ghost (24:37b). In some languages it is more natural to change the order of 24:37a and 24:37b so that the reason for the fear comes first. For example:

37bbut they thought he was a ghost, 37aso they were terrified

See the General Comment on 24:37a–b at the end of 24:37b for another example.

24:37a

But: In Greek this verse begins with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But. It introduces how the disciples felt when Jesus appeared to them. Many English versions do not have a conjunction here. Do what is natural in your language. In some languages it may be natural to introduce the verse with a clause. For example:

When they saw him

they were startled and frightened: The Greek words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as they were startled and frightened are very similar in meaning. The Greek word for startled probably indicates that the disciples felt shocked when they saw Jesus so suddenly. The word for frightened refers to the fear that they felt because they thought that they were seeing a ghost. They did not realize that they were seeing the living Jesus himself.

Luke used these two words together to emphasize the disciples’ surprise and fear when Jesus suddenly appeared to them. In some languages it may be more natural to express their reaction in a different way. Some other ways to describe their reaction are:

And they were very much afraid
-or-
But they were startled and their fear was excessive
-or-
They were terrified

24:37b

thinking they had seen a spirit: The phrase thinking they had seen a spirit in the reason that the disciples were afraid. Another way to translate it is:

because they thought they were seeing a ghost (Contemporary English Version)

Translate this reason in a natural way in your language.

thinking: The disciples were wrong in what they were thinking. Jesus was not a ghost, as they feared. In some languages it is good to use a word or phrase that implies a wrong thought or belief. For example:

assuming
-or-

⌊wrongly⌋ thinking

a spirit: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as a spirit refers to the spirit of a dead person. It does not refer here to an evil spirit. Use the appropriate word to refer to it in your language.

General Comment on 24:37a–b

In this verse 24:37b is the reason for the result in 24:37a. In some languages it may be more natural to change the order of these clauses. For example:

37bBecause they thought he was a spirit, 37athey were startled and afraid.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013