52Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him, “Have you come out with swords and clubs as though I were a rebel?
Barclay Newman, a translator on the teams for both the Good News Bible and the Contemporary English Version, translated passages of the New Testament into English and published them in 2014, “in a publication brief enough to be non-threatening, yet long enough to be taken seriously, and interesting enough to appeal to believers and un-believers alike.” The following is the translation of Luke 22:47-53:
Before Jesus stopped speaking, a crowd came up,
led by Judas, one of his closest followers.
Judas walked over and greeted Jesus with a kiss,
and Jesus asked, “Is this kiss an act of betrayal?”
The other followers realized what was happening,
and they shouted, “Lord, should we attack with a sword?”
One of them even drew a sword and cut off
the right ear of the high priest’s servant.
“Enough of this!” shouted Jesus.
Then he touched and healed the severed ear.
To the chief priests and the other religious authorities
who had come to arrest him, Jesus said:
“Why have you come out with swords and clubs,
as though I were a criminal?
Day after day I was with you in the temple,
and you didn’t arrest me then.
But for the moment,
you and the power of darkness are in control.”
The Greek Iēsous is “only” a proper name but one with great importance. The following quote by John Ellington (in The Bible Translator1993, p. 401ff. ) illustrates this:
“In Matthew’s account of the birth of Jesus Christ, Joseph is told that when Mary gives birth to a son ‘you will name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins’ (1:21). This name is a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew name [Yeshua (יֵשׁוּעַ) which is a short form of a name meaning] ‘the Lord [Yahweh] saves.’ The name is very significant and is in itself especially dear to Christians around the world. (…) Unquestionably great importance is attached to the name of Jesus by Christians of all persuasions and backgrounds.”
While Iēsous (pronounced: /i.ɛː.suːs/) is transliterated as “Jesus” (pronounced /ˈdʒiːzəs/) in English (but was translated as “Hælend” [the “healing one”] in Old English — see Swain 2019) it is transliterated and pronounced in a large variety of other ways as well, following the different rules of different languages’ orthographies, writing systems and rules of pronunciation. The following is a (partial) list of forms of Jesus in Latin characters: aYeso, Azezi, Boiyesuq, Cecoc, Chesús, Chi̍i̍sū, Chisɔsi, Ciisahs, Ciise, Ciisusu, Djesu, Ɛisa, Ƹisa, Eyesu, Gesù, Gesû, Gesü, Ġesù, Ghjesù, Giêsu, ꞌGiê‑ꞌsu, Giê-xu, Gyisɛse, Hesu, Hesús, Hisus, Hisuw, Ià-sŭ, Iesen, Ié:sos, Iesu, Iesui, Iesusɨn, Iesusiva, Ié:sos, Ihu, Īhu, Iisus, Iisussa, Ijeesu, iJisọsị, Iji̍sɔ̄ɔsi, Iosa, Íosa, Ìosa, İsa, I’sa, Isiso, Isõs, Ísu, Isus, Isusa, Iisussa, Isuthi, Itota, Îtu, Isuva, Izesu, Izesuq, Jasus, Jeeju, Jeesus, Jeesuse, Jeezas, Jehu, Jeisu, Jeju, Jejus, Jesesi, Jeshu, Jeso, Jesoe, Jesosa, Jesoshi, Jesosi, Jesosy, Jesu, Jesû, Jesua, Jesuh, Jesuhs, Jesuo, Jesús, Jésus, Jesúsu, Jethu, Jezed, Jezi, Jézi, Ježiš, Jezu, Jezus, Jézus, Jėzus, Jēzus, Jezusi, Jėzus, Jezuz, Jiijajju, Jíísas, Jiisusi, Jiizas, Jíìzọ̀s, Jisas, Jisase, Jisasi, Jisasɨ, Jisaso, Jisesi, Jisɛ̀, Jisos, Jisọs, Jisɔs, Jisu, Jiszs, Jizọs, Jizɔs, Jizọsi, Jizọsu, Jòso, Jusu, Jweesus, Ketsutsi, Njises, ọYẹsọ, Sesi, Sisa, Sísa, Sisas, Sises, Sīsū, Sizi, Txesusu, uJesu, Ujísɔ̄si, ŵaYesu, Xesosi, ´Xesús, Xesús, Yasu, Ya:su, yasuɛ, Yasuuⓐ, Ɣaysa, Yecu, Yeeb Sub, Yeeh Suh, Yeesey, Yeeso, Yeesso, Yēēsu, Yehsu, Yëësu, Yeiqsul, Yeisu, Yeisuw, Yeshu, Yē shú, Yeso, Yéso, Yesò, Yëso, Yɛso, ye-su, Yésu, Yêsu, Yẹ́sụ̃, Yěsù, Yésʉs, Yeswa, Yet Sut, Yetut, Yexus, Yezo, Yezu, Yiesu, Yiisa, Yiisu, Yiitju, Yis, Yisɔs, Yisufa, Yitati, Yusu, ‑Yusu, :Yusu’, Zeezi, Zezi, Zezì, Zezuz, Zezwii, Ziizɛ, Zisas, Zîsɛ, Zjezus, Zozi, Zozii, and this (much more incomplete) list with other writings systems: ᔩᓱᓯ, ᒋᓴᔅ, Հիսուս, ᏥᏌ, ኢየሱስ, ያሱስ, ܝܫܘܥ, Ісус, Їисъ, 耶稣, იესო, ईसा, イエス, イイスス, イエスス, 예수, येशू, येशो, ਈਸਾ, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ජේසුස්, যীশু, ଯୀଶୁ, ཡེ་ཤུ་, ‘ঈছা, இயேசு, ಯೇಸು, ພຣະເຢຊູ, ယေရှု, ઇસુ, जेजू, येसु, เยซู, យេស៊ូ, ᱡᱤᱥᱩ, ယေသှု, యేసు, ᤕᤧᤛᤢ᤺ᤴ, އީސާގެފާނު, ਯਿਸੂ, ꕉꖷ ꔤꕢ ꕞ, ⵏ⵿ⵗⵢⵙⴰ, ଜୀସୁ, يَسُوعَ,ㄧㄝㄙㄨ, YE-SU, ꓬꓰ꓿ꓢꓴ, 𖽃𖽡𖾐𖼺𖽹𖾏𖼽𖽔𖾏, ꑳꌠ, ᠶᠡᠰᠦᠰ (note that some of these might not display correctly if your device does not have the correct fonts installed).
Click or tap here to read more.
In some languages the different confessions have selected different transliterations, such as in Belarusian with Isus (Ісус) by the Orthodox and Protestant churches and Yezus (Езус) by the Catholic church, Bulgarian with Iisus (Иисус) by the Orthodox and Isus (Исус) by the Protestant church, Japanese with Iesu (イエス) (Protestant and Catholic) and Iisusu (イイスス) (Orthodox), or Lingala with Yesu (Protestant) or Yezu (Catholic). These differences have come to the forefront especially during the work on interconfessional translations such as one in Lingala where “many hours were spent on a single letter difference” (source: Ellington, p. 401).
In Literary and Mandarin Chinese where transliterations of proper names between the Catholic and Protestant versions typically differ vastly, the Chinese name of Jesus (Yēsū 耶稣) remarkably was never brought into question between and by those two confessions, likely due to its ingenious choice. (Click or tap here to see more).
The proper name of God in the Old Testament, Yahweh (YHWH), is rendered in most Chinese Bible translations as Yēhéhuá 耶和華 — Jehovah. According to Chinese naming conventions, Yēhéhuá could be interpreted as Yē Héhuá, in which Yē would be the family name and Héhuá — “harmonic and radiant” — the given name. In the same manner, Yē 耶 would be the family name of Jesus and Sū 稣 would be his given name. Because in China the children inherit the family name from the father, the sonship of Jesus to God the Father, Jehovah, would be illustrated through this. Though this line of argumentation sounds theologically unsound, it is indeed used effectively in the Chinese church (see Wright 1953, p. 298).
Moreover, the “given name” of Sū 稣 carries the meaning ‘to revive, to rise again’ and seems to point to the resurrected Jesus. (Source: J. Zetzsche in Malek 2002, p. 141ff., see also tetragrammaton (YHWH))
There are different ways that Bible translators have chosen historically and today in how to translate the name of Jesus in predominantly Muslim areas: with a form of the Arabic Isa (عيسى) (which is used for “Jesus” in the Qur’an), the Greek Iēsous, or, like major 20th century Bible translations into Standard Arabic, the Aramaic Yēšūaʿ: Yasua (يَسُوعَ). (Click or tap here to see more.)
Following are languages and language groups that use a form of Isa include the following (note that this list is not complete):
In Indonesian, while most Bible translations had already used Yesus Kristus rather than Isa al Masih, three public holidays used to be described using the term Isa Al Masih. From 2024 on the government is using Yesus Kristus in those holiday names instead (see this article in Christianity Today ).
Some languages have additional “TAZI” editions (TAZI stands for “Tawrat, Anbiya, Zabur, and Injil” the “Torah, Prophets, Psalms and Gospel”) of the New Testament that are geared towards Muslim readers where there is also a translation in the same language for non-Muslims. In those editions, Isa is typically used as well (for example, the Khmer TAZI edition uses Isa (អ៊ីសា) rather than the commonly used Yesaou (យេស៊ូ), the Thai edition uses Isa (อีซา) rather than Yesu (เยซู), the Chinese edition uses Ěrsā (尔撒) vs. Yēsū (耶稣), and the English edition also has Isa rather than Jesus.)
In German the name Jesus (pronounced: /ˈjeːzʊs/) is distinguished by its grammatical forms. Into the 20th century the grammatical rules prescribed a unique Greek-Latin declination: Jesus (nominative), Jesu (genitive, dative, vocative), Jesum (accusative), from which today only the genitive case “Jesu” is still in active use. Likewise, in Seediq (Taroko), the morphological treatment of “Jesus” also occupies a special category by not falling under the normal rule of experiencing a vowel reduction when the object-specific suffix an is added “since it was felt that the readers might resent that the name has been changed that drastically.” (Compare Msian for “Moses” (Mosi) as an object, but Yisuan for “Jesus” (Yisu).) (Source: Covell 1998. p. 249)
In Lamba the name ŵaYesu consists of a transliteration Yesu and the prefix ŵa, a plural form for “proper names when addressing and referring to persons in any position of seniority or honor.” While this was avoided in early translations to avoid possible misunderstandings of more than one Jesus, once the church was established it was felt that it was both “safe” and respectful to use the honorific (pl.) prefix. (Source C. M. Doke in The Bible Translator 1958, p. 57ff. )
In virtually all sign languages, “Jesus” is signed with the middle finger of each hand pointing to the palm (or wrist) of the other in succession (signing the nails of the cross). In the context of Bible translation this has been pointed out as theologically problematic since the “semantic connections of the original name Jesus do point towards ‘salvation,’ they do not naturally lead to crucifixion.” (Source: Phil King in Journal of Translation 1 (2020), p. 33ff.)
Following is the oldest remaining Ethiopian Orthodox icon of Jesus from the 14th or possibly 13th century (found in the Church of the Saviour of the World in Gurji, Ethiopia). As in many Orthodox icons, Jesus’ right hand forms the Greek letters I-C-X-C for IHCOYCXPICTOC or “Jesus Christ.” Another interpretation of the right hand is that it shows three fingers pointing to the Trinity, while the two other fingers point to Jesus’ two natures.
Orthodox icons are not drawings or creations of imagination. They are in fact writings of things not of this world. Icons can represent our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the Saints. They can also represent the Holy Trinity, Angels, the Heavenly hosts, and even events. Orthodox icons, unlike Western pictures, change the perspective and form of the image so that it is not naturalistic. This is done so that we can look beyond appearances of the world, and instead look to the spiritual truth of the holy person or event. (Source )
The following is the so-called “Wales Window for Alabama.” It is a stained-glass window by the artist John Petts from Carmarthenshire, Wales, created in response to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing which took place in 1963:
Stained glass is not just highly decorative, it’s a medium which has been used to express important religious messages for centuries. Literacy was not widespread in the medieval and Renaissance periods and the Church used stained glass and other artworks to teach the central beliefs of Christianity. In Gothic churches, the windows were filled with extensive narrative scenes in stained glass — like huge and colorful picture storybooks — in which worshipers could ‘read’ the stories of Christ and the saints and learn what was required for their religious salvation. (Source: Victoria and Albert Museum )
The style of the following drawing of Jesus by Annie Vallotton is described by the artist as this: “By using few lines the readers fill in the outlines with their imagination and freedom. That is when the drawings begin to communicate.” (see here ; see also We All are One in Christ)
Illustration by Annie Vallotton, copyright by Donald and Patricia Griggs of Griggs Educational Service.
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
pros tous paragenomenous ep’ auton ‘to the … who had come out against him,’ going with the three subsequent nouns. For paraginomai cf. on 7.4 epi with accusative indicates hostile intent, here to have him arrested.
archiereis kai stratēgous tou hierou kai presbuterous .’.. chief priests, temple officers and elders,’ cf. on 9.22 (archiereis), 22.4 (stratēgoi) and 7.3 (presbuteroi).
hōs epi lēstēn ‘as if against a robber,’ with emphasis. For lēstēs cf. on 10.30.
For chief priests see on “high-priesthood” in 3.2, for elders see on 7.3.
Captains of the temple, or, ‘officers/commanders/leaders of the temple guard, or, of those who guard the temple.’
Who had come out against him, or, ‘who had come (or, who were) there to attack him, or, to seize/arrest him.’
Have you come out as against a robber …, or, to bring out better the meaning of this rhetorical question, “Do you take me for a bandit, that you have come out…” (New English Bible), ‘have you come as-though to oppose a rioter…’ (Ekari, using a connective with the meaning ‘as though it were but it isn’t’). For robber see on 10.30.
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.
Then Jesus said to the chief priests, temple officers, and elders who had come for Him: In this verse Jesus spoke to the three groups of people who had come to arrest him. These groups were chief priests, temple officers, and Jewish elders. This is the first time that these three groups have been mentioned in this section. They came in the “crowd” that was introduced in 22:47a.
In some languages it is necessary to introduce these groups before introducing what Jesus said to them. For example:
And among those also who came to arrest Jesus were the chief priests, the captains of those who guarded in the temple, and the elders of the Jews. Jesus said to them -or-
The other people who had come to seize Isa were the leading priests and the captains of the temple guard and the elders of the Yahudi. Isa said to them -or-
In the crowd that came to arrest Jesus there were chief priests, temple police, and elders of the Jews. Jesus said to them
Introduce them in a natural way in your language.
chief priests: The term chief priests occurred in 19:47. See how you translated the term there. For more information, see priest in the Glossary.
temple officers: This phrase refers to the same temple officers or captains of the temple guard who were mentioned in 22:4b. They were in charge of the Levites who guarded the temple area. Translate it as you did in 22:4.
elders: The term elders refers to respected leaders in the community. They were probably members of the Jewish high court (the Sanhedrin) who were not chief priests or scribes. This term also occurred in 20:1. See how you translated it there.
who had come for Him: The clause who had come for Him indicates that the three groups in 22:52a–c had come to arrest Jesus. In your translation, make it clear that all three groups of men had come for Jesus.
Some other ways to translate this clause are:
who had come out to get him (NET Bible) -or-
who were there to arrest him (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English) -or-
Those who came to arrest Jesus were (New Century Version)
General Comment on 22:52a–b
In some languages it may be helpful to follow the original order of the Greek text and reverse the order of clauses in 22:52a–d. For example:
52aThen Jesus spoke to 52dthe men who had come for him—52athe chief priests, 52bthe officers of the temple guard, 52cand the elders
Use a natural order in your language.
22:52e
Have you come out with swords and clubs as you would against an outlaw?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus asked this question to rebuke the men who had come to arrest him. He rebuked them because they came to capture him with swords and clubs as if he were a dangerous criminal. The question implies that they know that he is not a criminal, so there is no good reason for them to come against him like that.
Some ways to translate this rebuke are:
• As a rhetorical question. For example:
Why do you come out with swords and clubs and treat me like a criminal? (Contemporary English Version) -or-
Do you ⌊wrongly⌋ think that I am a bandit/robber? Is that why you have come against me armed with swords and clubs?
• As a statement. For example:
You came out here with swords and clubs as though I were a criminal. (New Century Version) -or-
It is not right/necessary for you to treat me as a criminal and come with swords and clubs to seize me.
Translate this rebuke in a way that is natural in your language. It may also be helpful to refer to the notes at 22:46a. See how you translated that rebuke.
Have you come out: The clause Have you come out refers to coming to arrest Jesus. In some languages it may be natural to make that more explicit. For example:
that you have come…to arrest me (New Living Translation (2004))
swords: The word “sword” occurred in 21:24 and 22:36. See how you translated it there.
clubs: The word clubs refers to heavy pieces of wood that men used for fighting.
against an outlaw: There are two ways to interpret the Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as against an outlaw:
(1) It refers to a robber, bandit, or outlaw. Here is another way to translate this:
Am I some dangerous criminal…? (New Living Translation (1996))
(Berean Standard Bible, New Living Translation (1996), Good News Translation, Revised Standard Version, New American Standard Bible, King James Version, Revised English Bible, NET Bible, God’s Word, Contemporary English Version, New Century Version, New Jerusalem Bible, English Standard Version, Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)
(2) It refers to a rebel or revolutionary, someone who fights against the rulers of his country. Here is another way to translate this:
Am I leading a rebellion…? (New International Version)
(New International Version, New Living Translation (2004))
It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with many Bible scholars and most English versions.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.