Translation commentary on Luke 12:32

Exegesis:

mē phobou, to mikron poimnion ‘do not be afraid, you little flock.’ The article to points to a vocative (Hebraism). to mikron poimnion takes up tous mathētas in v. 22, as an indication of the persons addressed.

poimnion ‘flock,’ figurative for a small group.

hoti eudokēsen ho patēr humōn ‘for your father has resolved.’ ho patēr humōn takes up humōn ho patēr of v. 30. eudokeō (cf. on 3.22) means here ‘to resolve,’ ‘to choose.’

dounai humin tēn basileian ‘to give you the kingdom,’ i.e. to grant you participation in the divine rule, cf. 22.29-30.

Translation:

Little flock. The vocative is sometimes to be marked as such by an exclamatory particle, or by ‘you.’ Elsewhere the phrase cannot be used as a vocative; hence e.g. ‘though you are a little flock.’ Where the term for flock (for which see 2.8) cannot be used figuratively of people one can say, ‘little group,’ ‘small band,’ ‘men few in number’ (Toraja-Sa’dan), preferably seeking a term that suggests a fellowship of persons following a leader.

It is your Father’s good pleasure, i.e. ‘your Father has resolved/chosen, or, has considered good’ (Sranan Tongo, lit. ‘found for good’).

To give you the kingdom, or, if syntactic shifts are required, ‘to allow you to reign where he reigns,’ ‘to make you kings/rulers/chiefs as he is.’

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 12:32

Paragraph 12:32–34

This paragraph concludes Section 12:22–34. If you have a special way to introduce the conclusion of a section, you may want to use it here. For example:

So don’t be afraid (New Living Translation (2004))

12:32a

Do not be afraid, little flock: Here the command Do not be afraid is similar to the command not to worry at the beginning of the section (12:22). In this context it implies that the disciples did not need to fear or worry that they would not have enough food or clothes. They were like a flock of sheep with a good shepherd to take care of them.

little flock: Here Jesus addressed his disciples as little flock. In some languages it will not be natural to use a phrase like this as a direct address. Some other ways to translate it are:

You are a little flock.
-or-
My disciples, you are a little flock.

The phrase little flock is a metaphor. It compares the few disciples to a small group of sheep. Some of the implied similarities are that the disciples were few and had strong enemies. They needed care and protection. Another similarity is that Jesus would care for his disciples just as a shepherd cares for his sheep. Jesus was not insulting his disciples when he compared them to sheep.

In some languages a literal translation of this metaphor may be difficult to understand. Some other ways to translate it are:

• Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:

my small group of ⌊disciples, you are like⌋ sheep
-or-
you are ⌊few and weak like⌋ a small flock of sheep

• Translate the meaning without the figure of speech. For example:

My little group of disciples (Contemporary English Version)

Since the metaphor of sheep is used throughout Scripture, you should try to keep the figure if possible. If it is not natural in your language, it is suggested that you add a footnote, giving the literal meaning and some explanation. For example:

In Greek this is “small group of sheep.” Jesus is like a shepherd who takes care of his sheep. He takes care of his disciples. (See John 10:11–15).

General Comment on 12:32a

In some languages it may be necessary to rearrange 12:32a so that the command “Do not be afraid” will connect more closely to the reason for the command in 12:32b. For example:

You are a little flock. Do not be afraid, for your Father…

12:32b

for: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for introduces the reason the disciples should not be afraid.

your Father is pleased: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as is pleased is literally “has been pleased.” It indicates that God chose to do something, and he was pleased to do it. The verb does not indicate that God had stopped being pleased, so many English versions, including the Berean Standard Bible, use the present tense here. Other examples of this are:

your Father is pleased (God’s Word)
-or-
it gives your Father great happiness (New Living Translation (2004))

Other ways to translate this phrase are:

your Father has chosen (Revised English Bible)
-or-
your Father gladly decided

to give you the kingdom: In this context to give you the kingdom means “to allow you to enter the kingdom of God” or “to allow you to live under God’s rule.” Other ways to translate this phrase are:

to rule you ⌊and provide for you⌋ as your King (Translator’s Reference Translation)
-or-
to receive you among those he rules as King

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