Paragraph 21:37–38

This paragraph is a summary and conclusion to Division 19:28–21:38, “Jesus ministered in Jerusalem.” In some languages there may be a special way to introduce a conclusion such as this. In Greek the paragraph begins with a common conjunction. Some English versions have a conjunction like “Now” or “So.” Introduce the paragraph in a natural way in your language.

21:37a

Every day Jesus taught at the temple: This sentence describes what Jesus did every day of the first part of the last week before he died. He came each day to teach at the temple all day. Use a natural way in your language to refer to actions that a person repeats each day.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

During the day Jesus would teach in the temple courtyard. (God’s Word)
-or-
Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach… (New Living Translation (2004))

at the temple: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as temple refers to the temple building and the walls and courtyards that surrounded it. The temple was in Jerusalem and was the most important place where Jews worshiped God. For more information and translation suggestions, see the note on 18:10a.

In this context Jesus was teaching in the courtyard of the temple, not inside the building. In some languages it may be helpful to specify this. For example:

the temple courtyard

21:37b–c

but every evening He went out to spend the night on the Mount of Olives: This clause tells what Jesus did every evening and night during the first days of the week before he died. It is similar to 21:37a.

Some other ways to translate it are:

and every evening he went off and spent the night on the hill which is called the Mount of Olives (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
-or-
and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives (New Living Translation (2004))

Translate the clause in a natural way in your language.

He went out: The phrase He went out indicates that Jesus left the city of Jerusalem. In some languages it is necessary to make that explicit. For example:

he would leave the city (Revised English Bible)

the Mount of Olives: This hill was called the Mount of Olives because it had olive trees growing on it. See the note on 19:29b.

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