SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013 – Page 93

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 18:38

18:38

So: This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that is often translated as “and.” Some English versions, such as the English Standard Version, translate it that way. The Berean Standard Bible and some other versions (NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004)) translate it as So in order to show that it introduces what the blind man did in response to what the people told him. Other versions, such as the New International Version and Good News Translation, do not translate this conjunction. Connect 18:38 to 18:37 in a way that is natural in your language.

he called out: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as called out means “to shout.” The context implies that he shouted like this so that Jesus would hear him. He was not shouting in an angry or impolite way.

Jesus, Son of David: The blind man used two terms of address for Jesus. He called him by his name, and he also addressed him as Son of David. In some languages it may be more natural to make the phrase Son of David a separate statement. For example:

⌊I know that you are⌋ ⌊the⌋ Son of David.

The Notes have included the article “the” because the blind man referred to a particular descendant of David. In many languages an article is not necessary.

Son of David: The phrase Son of David refers to a descendant of King David. The Jewish people used this phrase as a title for the Messiah. It does not refer to one of David’s own children. Jesus was born hundreds of years after King David died. David was a famous ancestor from the past.

In your translation try to avoid the impression that David was the birth father of Jesus. Some languages have a special term to refer to ancestors from the distant past. Refer to David in an appropriate way in your language. One way to translate the title is:

Descendant of King David

It may be helpful to add a footnote in your translation to give the information in the first paragraph of this note.

have mercy on me: The request have mercy on me indicates that the blind man was asking Jesus to pity him and help him. He wanted Jesus to show kindness and compassion to him. He specifically wanted Jesus to heal him, but he made that request later (18:41b). Other ways to say this are:

Be merciful to me!
-or-
Show compassion to me!
-or-
Pity me!

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SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 19:27

19:27a

The Berean Standard Bible follows the Greek text and puts the object of the verb “bring” near the beginning of the verse. This object is the topic of the sentence. In some languages it may be necessary to change this order. See the General Comment on 19:27a–b for a suggestion.

And: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as And is probably used here to indicate that the king was about to deal with a different matter. He had finished hearing the servants’ reports. He would now turn his attention to the citizens who did not want him to rule over them (19:14). Other English versions have translated this as:

But as for (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Now, as for (Good News Translation)
-or-
And now about (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
Now where are (New Century Version)

Indicate this change of focus in a natural way in your language. The king was probably still speaking to his attendants who were standing nearby. In some languages it may be natural to change the focus by introducing them again. For example:

Then he said to his attendants, “Now I want you to bring…”

these enemies of mine who were unwilling for me to rule over them: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as these enemies of mine refers to the citizens mentioned in 19:14. These people were enemies because they hated the nobleman. They did not want him to be their king. Another way to translate this part of the verse is:

my enemies who were unwilling for me to rule over them

In some languages it may be helpful to use a separate sentence for part of this information. For example:

…the people who hated/opposed me. They did not want me to rule over them.

In some languages it may be natural to use direct speech to express what the enemies wanted. For example:

the people who hated me. They said, “We do not want him to be our king.”

19:27b

bring them here: Here the king ordered his men to bring his enemies to him. The text does not indicate exactly where the enemies were. They may have been nearby, or the king’s men may have needed to go out and search for them. In some languages it may be necessary to make the action more explicit here. For example:

⌊Go⌋ ⌊find them⌋ and bring them here.
-or-

⌊Go⌋ ⌊arrest them⌋ and bring them here.

and slay them in front of me: The king ordered his attendants to execute his enemies who were mentioned in 19:27a. The king’s command implies that he wanted the execution to happen in his presence as he watched. In cultures of that time period, it was common for rebels to be executed in the king’s presence. Other ways to translate this are:

Kill them while I watch! (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
…slaughter them in my presence. (Revised English Bible)

slay them: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as slay refers to killing violently. In that culture such killing was often done with a sword. Other ways to translate it are:

slaughter (Revised English Bible)
-or-
execute (New Living Translation (2004))

General Comment on 19:27a–b

It may be more natural in some languages to change the order of these clauses. For example:

27bBring ⌊to me⌋ 27amy enemies who did not want me to rule over them, 27band kill them in front of me.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 20:11

20:11a

So he sent another servant: In Greek, this clause is literally “And he proceeded to send another slave,” as in the New American Standard Bible. It tells what the owner of the vineyard did when his servant returned without any grapes. He sent another servant. In some languages it may be helpful to use a different conjunction or a phrase or clause to introduce the event. For example:

So/Then he sent a different servant.
-or-
After ⌊that servant returned empty-handed⌋, the owner sent another servant.
-or-
He tried again and sent a second servant… (Revised English Bible)

20:11b–c

but they beat him and treated him shamefully, sending him away empty-handed: The farmers/tenants also abused this slave/servant that the master sent to them. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

…that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed. (NET Bible)
-or-
They insulted him and beat him. Then they made him return to his master without any grapes.

beat: The word beat is the same Greek word that was used in 20:10d.

treated him shamefully: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as treated…shamefully means “dishonored, insulted.” It refers to treating a person badly in order to humiliate him. By treating the servant with contempt in that way, the farmers/tenants were also treating his master, the owner, with contempt. In some languages there may be an idiom to express this meaning. Some other ways to translate the meaning are:

treated him outrageously (NET Bible)
-or-
manhandling him disgracefully (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
They insulted him terribly (Contemporary English Version)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 20:43

20:43

until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet: God spoke in a figurative way here. This clause is a promise that God will conquer the Messiah’s enemies and put them completely under the Messiah’s control. He compared the Messiah to a king who sits on his throne and rests his feet on the back or neck of an enemy king. That action shows that he has conquered the enemy king and completely controls him and his people. Some other ways to translate this are:

while I put your enemies completely under your control
-or-
while I humble your enemies and

make them like a stool for your feet

until: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as until here means “during the time that” or “while.” The text does not say what the Messiah would do after God had defeated his enemies. But it does not mean that the Messiah would no longer sit at God’s right side after God had defeated the Messiah’s enemies.

a footstool for Your feet: A footstool was a small table or cushion that a person could rest his feet on while he was sitting. The Lord would make the Messiah’s enemies like a footstool for his feet.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 21:28

21:28a

When these things begin to happen: The phrase these things probably refers to the signs of the coming of the Son of Man described in 21:25–26. It may also include some of the other things that Jesus mentioned in 21:10–24. Some other ways to translate 21:28a are:

When all this begins to happen
-or-
When these signs/events begin to occur

21:28b

stand up and lift up your heads: Here Jesus told his disciples what they should do when the signs in 21:25–26 begin to happen. These instructions are especially for all of Jesus’ followers who will be alive on earth at that time, both men and women.

The phrases stand up and lift up your heads are symbolic actions. They symbolize courage and confident expectation. In this context Jesus implied that when his disciples see the signs, they should be courageous and confident. The signs will show that he will return to earth soon.

Some other ways to translate these symbolic actions are:

• Translate the actions and indicate the meaning. For example:

Stand ⌊courageously⌋ and lift your heads ⌊with confidence⌋.

• Use similar actions or idioms in your culture that express this same meaning. For example:

make strong your hearts and look-up
-or-
strengthen and make-happy your minds

• Use only one action to express the meaning. For example:

stand with confidence (God’s Word)

• Translate the meaning without the actions. For example:

be courageous and confident

Translate the meaning in a natural way in your language.

stand up: Scholars interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as stand up in two ways:

(1) It means stand up. Here is another way to translate this:

stand erect (New Jerusalem Bible)

(Berean Standard Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New International Version, Good News Translation, New American Standard Bible, New Revised Standard Version, Revised English Bible, NET Bible, New Living Translation (2004), God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, English Standard Version)

(2) It means look up. Here is another way to translate this:

look up (Revised Standard Version)

(Revised Standard Version, King James Version, New Century Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1).

lift up your heads: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lift up your heads means to hold your head upright as a sign of courage. In some languages a literal translation may imply a wrong meaning (like having pride rather than courage). If this is true in your language, translate the meaning in a different way. See the suggestions in the note on “stand up and lift up your heads” earlier in 21:28b.

21:28c

because your redemption is drawing near: This clause gives the reason that the disciples should gain new courage. The signs that they will see indicate that they will soon be redeemed.

In some languages it is necessary to translate redemption as a verb. Some ways to do this are:

• Use a passive verb. For example:

the time when you will be redeemed is drawing near
-or-
you will soon be redeemed

• Use an active verb and supply God as the subject. For example:

⌊God⌋ is about to redeem you.

redemption: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as redemption refers to freeing or rescuing someone. In this case it refers to God freeing his people from evil and from the suffering that evil people and powers have caused them. Some ways to translate redemption are:

the time when God will free you (New Century Version)
-or-
your salvation/deliverance
-or-
You will soon be set free (Contemporary English Version)

If you must say what the people will be freed from, use a general term like “your sufferings/troubles.” For example:

you will be freed from your suffering.

See “redeem,” sense B1(b), in Key Biblical Terms.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:22

22:22a

Indeed: In the Greek text 22:22a begins with a conjunction that is often translated as “because” or “for.” The Berean Standard Bible translates this word as Indeed. In this context it introduces an explanation. Verse 22 explains why the betrayer was with them: God had decreed that Jesus must die. However, the verse does not imply that Judas had any good reason or excuse for betraying Jesus (22:21). Some other English versions do not translate this conjunction. Connect the verse to 22:21 in a natural way in your language.

the Son of Man will go: In this context the clause the Son of Man will go is a figurative way to imply that he will die. In some languages it is necessary to make this explicit, as many English versions do. For example:

The Son of Man will die (Good News Translation)
-or-
I, the Son of Man, must die (New Living Translation (1996))

In some languages it may be possible to use a different figurative way or an indirect way to say that Jesus will die. Translate it in a natural way in your language.

the Son of Man: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the Son of Man is literally “the Son of the human/person.” See the note on 17:24a–b for more information and translation advice. Here Jesus used the title the Son of Man to refer to himself. In many languages it is necessary to make this explicit. See the second example in the preceding note.

as it has been determined: The clause as it has been determined means “as it has been decided or planned.” It indicates that God had already planned that Jesus must die. The verb has been determined is passive. The Jews often showed respect for God by using a passive form instead of referring to him directly. The verb does not imply here that Jesus’ enemies decreed his death.

In many languages it is necessary to refer to God explicitly here. For example:

as God has decided (Good News Translation)
-or-
since it is part of God’s plan (New Living Translation (1996))
-or-
according to what is determined for me by God

General Comment on 22:22a

The statement in 22:22a implies that God had planned that Jesus had to die many years before it was going to happen. In some languages it may be more natural to mention God’s plan before saying that it must happen. For example:

What God has planned for the Son of Man will happen (New Century Version)

Use a natural order in your language.

22:22b

but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but introduces a contrast between 22:22a and 22:22b. Although Jesus must die, the person who betrays him will endure a terrible future. Most English versions use but to introduce the contrast. Translate the contrast in a natural way in your language.

woe to that man who betrays Him: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as woe to that man who betrays Him means that something terrible will happen to the person who will betray Jesus. In this context, it implies that God will punish that person severely. The word woe is not a curse. Jesus was not asking God to curse this person.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

it will be terrible for the one who betrays him (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
the person who is betraying me is really to be pitied
-or-
the person who betrays me to my enemies will have a terrible punishment
-or-

⌊God⌋ will severely punish the person who betrays me.

The phrase “woe to the one” occurs also in 17:1. See how you translated it there. The word woe also occurs in 6:24–26. For help in translating the word betrays, see the notes on 22:21a–b.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 22:54

Section 22:54–62

Jesus’ enemies arrested him, and Peter denied him

In 22:33 Peter said that he would never leave Jesus or be unfaithful to him. But in 22:34 Jesus predicted that actually Peter would say three times that he did not know Jesus. After Jesus was arrested, Peter followed Jesus to the house of the high priest and waited in the courtyard. Three different people said that Peter had been with Jesus, and three times Peter said he did not know Jesus. But then a rooster crowed, and Peter suddenly remembered what Jesus had said. Peter wept with great sorrow because he had denied that he knew Jesus his Lord.

Some other examples of headings for this section are:

Peter Denies Jesus (New Revised Standard Version)
-or-
Jesus’ Condemnation and Peter’s Denials (NET Bible)
-or-
Peter Says He Doesn’t Know Jesus (New Century Version)

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 26:57–58, 26:69–75, Mark 14:53–54, 14:66–72, and John 18:12–18, 18:25–27.

Paragraph 22:54–57

22:54a

Then: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then is a common conjunction that can be translated in different ways. Here it introduces what happened after Jesus spoke to the crowd. Many English versions introduce this next event with Then or “So.” Other versions do not have a conjunction. Introduce this event in a natural way in your language.

they seized Jesus: The phrase they seized Jesus indicates that the temple guards (police) held Jesus firmly in their hands so that he could not leave. They arrested him and made him their prisoner.

In many languages it may be necessary to make clear who arrested Jesus. The people who actually took hold of him were the officers of the temple guard, who were mentioned in 22:52b. Refer back to them in a natural way in your language.

Here are some other ways to translate the clause they seized Jesus:

• Use an active clause with subject and object. For example:

the captains of the temple guard seized/grabbed Jesus
-or-
the temple guards/police arrested Jesus

• Use a passive verb. For example:

Jesus was arrested (Contemporary English Version)

Translate the clause in a natural way in your language.

22:54b–c

led Him away, and took Him into the house of the high priest: This clause has the two verbs led and took. The first verb refers to leading Jesus out of the garden. The second verb refers to taking him to the high priest’s house. Some versions put the second verb in a separate sentence. For example:

…led him away. They brought him to the high priest’s house (Revised English Bible)

These verbs do not imply that the guards took Jesus violently. They forced Jesus to go with them, but he did not resist them.

In some languages it may be more natural to use only one verb to describe the actions. For example:

and led him away to the chief priest’s house (God’s Word)
-or-
and they took him to the house of the High Priest

Translate the actions in a natural way in your language.

into the house of the high priest: This house, where the high priest lived, was probably large. It is likely that it had an open courtyard with rooms around it.

the high priest: The term high priest occurred in 22:50. You should translate it in the same way here. See the note at 22:50 for more information.

22:54c

And Peter followed at a distance: The clause And Peter followed at a distance indicates that Peter walked behind the people who were taking Jesus to the high priest’s house. Peter did not get close to them as he walked. He stayed far enough from them so that they would not notice him. Some other ways to translate this clause are:

Peter followed but not very close
-or-
Peter followed ⌊them⌋ from a ⌊safe⌋ distance
-or-
Peter went along behind ⌊Jesus and his captors⌋, but he did not come near them

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 23:16

23:16

Therefore I will punish Him and release Him: As a result of the reasons in 23:14–15, Pilate decided that he would just punish Jesus and then let him go free. He would not execute Jesus. Pilate thought that if he punished Jesus in a less severe way, the Jewish leaders would be satisfied and not demand that Jesus be killed.

Your translation should not imply that Pilate punished Jesus because of his innocence. In some languages it may be helpful to indicate more explicitly that the punishment was easy in contrast to death. For example:

So I will only/just punish him and then I will set him free.
-or-
So after I punish Him, I will release Him

Therefore: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Therefore introduces what Pilate decided to do as a result of the facts in 23:14–15. Other English versions introduce this result with “So.” Some versions do not use a conjunction. Introduce Pilate’s decision in a way that is natural in your language.

I will punish Him: In this context the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as punish means “discipline, train.” In this context it indicates that Pilate would order Jesus to be whipped. The Romans usually whipped anyone who was accused of a crime, even if that person was not guilty. They hoped that the whipping would make the person try to avoid being accused of a crime again. This would also avoid trouble for the government. Another way to translate it is:

I will just beat/whip him

Pilate did not imply here that he would whip Jesus himself. In many languages it is necessary to indicate that he would cause or order others to do it. For example:

I will command that he be whipped
-or-
I will order/command ⌊my men⌋ to punish/whip him.

release Him: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as release is used in a special way here to mean “pardon/release a prisoner.” It implies that the prisoner will be freed. Some other ways to translate the phrase release Him are:

let him go (Good News Translation)
-or-
set him free

Use a natural way in your language to refer to releasing a prisoner.

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Source: SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 2013