Translation commentary on Luke 6:35

Exegesis:

plēn agapate tous echthrous humōn ‘but love your enemies,’ contrasting with v. 32, as do the subsequent two commandments with vv. 33f. This shows that the subsequent commandments may be understood as applications of the commandment to love the enemies. For plēn cf. on v. 24.

mēden apelpizontes, ‘expecting nothing in return.’ apelpizō usually means ‘to despair’ (cf. L-Sc, s.v.) which would lead to a translation ‘despairing in no respect,’ i.e. “never despairing” (An American Translation, cf. New English Bible, Revised Standard Version footnote). But the context requires the meaning ‘to expect in return’ which appears only in later Greek.

kai estai ho misthos humōn polus ‘and your reward will be great,’ cf. on v. 23.

kai esesthe huioi hupsistou ‘and you will be sons of the Most High.’ The clause may specify the reward to which the preceding clause refers (cf. New English Bible), or refer to something different from that reward. The former is preferable (cf. Mt. 5.9 and 45).

For hupsistos cf. on 1.32. huioi hupsistou means ‘people having the same nature as the Most High,’ cf. Leaney.

hoti autos chrēstos estin ‘because he is kind,’ explaining why they will be sons of the Most High: “likeness proves parentage” (Plummer). autos ‘he,’ not ‘he himself.’ For chrēstos (here used of God) cf. on 5.39.

epi tous acharistous kai ponērous ‘towards the ungrateful and evil,’ looked upon as one group, as shown by the single article. acharistos.

Translation:

Expecting nothing in return, or, ‘and do not expect that anything will be given back to you, or, that you will receive anything back,’ cf. also, ‘I will get it back thought not thinking’ (Ekari). The verb is here virtually identical with ‘to hope.’

Sons of the Most High. The plural should be made explicit, in order to distinguish this phrase from the title of Jesus (1.32; 8.28). The phrase is preferably rendered literally, but it may be necessary to shift to a simile, ‘sons, as it were, of (or, comparable to sons of) the Most High.’

Kind, or, ‘friendly,’ ‘good,’ ‘good of heart’ (Tae,’ Sranan Tongo), ‘generous’ (Bahasa Indonesia).

The ungrateful and the selfish, or a construction as, ‘those who are ungrateful and wicked,’ ‘wicked people who don’t know gratitude’ (Sranan Tongo). Ungrateful, or, ‘not saying “Thank you” ,’ ‘not knowing gratitude/thanks.’ In Bahasa Indonesia thanks towards men is expressed by the phrase ‘to accept/acknowledge kindness,’ in Toraja-Sa’dan by a verb that has the basic meaning of well wishing (cf. on “hail” on 1.28), and in Tae’ by ‘to praise.’ — The selfish, preferably, ‘evil men,’ ‘the wicked.’

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 6:35

6:35a

But: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But introduces a contrast. The contrast is between the way sinners behave and the way that the disciples should behave.

Some other ways to translate this contrast are:

Rather (God’s Word)
-or-
Instead (New Jerusalem Bible)

Show this contrast in a natural way in your language. In some languages, no conjunction is necessary.

love your enemies: This is the same phrase as in 6:27b.

6:35b

do good to them: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as do good is the same word as in 6:33a. In Greek, the word “them” does not occur. It is implied that the object is “your enemies,” just as in 6:35a. The Berean Standard Bible has made this explicit by supplying the pronoun them. Some other ways to translate this are:

be good to them (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
help them (God’s Word)

6:35c

lend to them: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as lend is the same word as in 6:34a. In Greek, the word “them” does not occur. It is implied that the object is “your enemies” just as in 6:35a. The Berean Standard Bible has made this explicit by supplying the pronoun them.

In some languages, it may be necessary to supply a direct object and make explicit what the disciples were to lend. For example:

lend ⌊money⌋ to them

6:35d

expecting nothing in return: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as expecting…in return also means “hoping to receive from.” This verb has the same root as the verb “expect” in 6:34a. Disciples should lend money even when they do not hope/expect that the money will be returned.

Some other ways to translate this are:

without expecting to be paid back (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
without hoping to get anything back (New Century Version)
-or-
and expect nothing back (Good News Translation)

6:35e

Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then here introduces the result or consequence of obeying Jesus’ commands. Some other ways to introduce 6:35e are:

If you do this, then
-or-
As a result

Some English versions (such as the New Jerusalem Bible) do not translate this conjunction. Connect 6:35e to 6:35a–d in way that is natural in your language to express a result.

your reward will be great: This is a passive clause. God is the one who will reward the disciples. Some other ways to translate this are:

you will get a great reward (Contemporary English Version)
-or-

⌊God⌋ will give you a great reward

reward: A reward is normally something good that people receive because of something that they have done. In this verse, the meaning of reward focuses on being honored for following Jesus faithfully. Some other ways to translate the word reward are:

you will be greatly honored
-or-
you will receive great honor

This same word occurs in 6:23b.

6:35f

This is the second result of obeying the commands of 6:35a–d. Connect this second result in a natural way in your language.

you will be sons of the Most High: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sons of the Most High is an idiom. It implies a relationship with God. Jesus was saying that when his disciples love their enemies, they are acting the way their Father, God, acts. They are acting the way people/children worthy of God’s name should act.

Some other ways to translate the phrase sons of the Most High are:

you will be like the Most High
-or-
you will show/prove that you are sons/children of the Most High
-or-
you will be the true children of God in heaven (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
you will truly be acting as children of the Most High (New Living Translation (2004))

sons: Here the word sons refers to both men and women. It does not refer only to men or boys. It also includes Jesus’ disciples who were women. It does not refer to a physical relationship. Another way to translate sons is:

children (New Living Translation (2004))

the Most High: The phrase the Most High is a title for God. Jesus followed the Jews’ custom of not speaking the name of God. This showed that they respected God’s name.

Some ways to translate this title are:

the Most High God (Good News Translation)
-or-

⌊God,⌋ the One who is the Most High
-or-
God in heaven (Contemporary English Version)

This title does not refer to literal height or size.

6:35g

for: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as for introduces the reason for the commands in 6:35a–d. We should love our enemies, do good to them, and lend to them because God is also kind to the ungrateful and wicked.

Some other ways to translate this conjunction are:

since
-or-
after all

He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked: The word kind here means “to act in a good manner toward someone.” It does not mean that God is merely courteous, friendly, or helpful.

Some ways to translate this are:

He is good (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
He shows grace/mercy

ungrateful: The word ungrateful means “not thankful.” It refers to people who do not thank God for the good things they receive from him. For example:

people who are unthankful (Contemporary English Version)

wicked: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as wicked also means “evil.” For example:

evil people (God’s Word)
-or-
full of sin (New Century Version)

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