complete verse (Luke 8:18)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 8:18:

  • Noongar: “‘Then you must not be careless of the things you hear, because people who have something, they will be given more, but people who have nothing, their little things they think they have, everything will be taken away.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘That is why I say, be careful how you hear the Word of God. Because people who receive the Word of God, their hearts are made-clear so that they know more-and-more. But people who do not want to receive the Word of god, even though there is a little that they know, it will just be taken-from-them.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Therefore listen well. For anybody who can understand he will be given so that he can understand more. But whoever does not understand, even the little bit that he mistakenly-thinks he can understand will be taken away from him.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Therefore, carefully listen to what I teach, because the person who accepts what God causes him to understand, God will add to his understanding. But the person who will not receive what God causes him to understand, that which he thought he already understood will be taken away from him.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Be-diligent then in listening to what I am saying, because the person who heeds what he hears, his understanding will be added to, but the one who does not heed, even the little that he thinks he has understood will cease-to-exist.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Therefore listen carefully. Because as for the person who tries-to-understand what he hears from me, God will increase his understanding/wisdom until his knowledge is plentiful. But as for that one who doesn’t try-to-understand this which he has heard, God will remove even what he thought-mistakenly that he’d understood, so that it won’t amount to anything.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 8:18

Exegesis:

blepete oun pōs akouete ‘take care, then, how you listen.’ oun characterizes the clause as an inference from the preceding. For blepō meaning (to take care).

hos an gar echē, dothēsetai autō ‘for (he) who has, to him will be given,’ referring either to faith (pisteusantes, v. 12; pisteuousin, v. 13), or, to the bearing of fruit (karpophorousin, v. 15), preferably the former. The agent of dothēsetai is God.

hos an mē echē, kai ho dokei echein arthēsetai ap’ autou ‘(he) who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him.’ For airō cf. on 6.29f.

dokeō ‘to believe,’ ‘to think’ (of subjective opinion), ‘to seem.’

Translation:

Take heed then how you hear, or, ‘look to the manner you hear the word’ (Sranan Tongo). For take heed.

To him who has will more be given, or, ‘he who has (some), he shall receive (or, to him God shall give) more (than that).’ Comparable changes will then be necessary in the next clause, using e.g. ‘lose’ or ‘forfeit’ (cf. Phillips, New English Bible), as the opposite of ‘receive.’

What he thinks he has, avoiding the paradoxical wording Mark has. Other possible renderings are, ‘the things he supposed to be his’ (Bahasa Indonesia), ‘even what he called (or, said to be) his possessions’ (cf. Toraja-Sa’dan). For to think cf. on “to suppose” in 2.44.

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 8:18

8:18a

Pay attention, therefore, to how you listen: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Pay attention is literally “look.” In this context, this refers to being mindful and listening carefully to the teachings. Other ways to translate it here are:

Be careful…how you listen (Good News Translation)
-or-
consider carefully how you listen (New International Version)
-or-
listen carefully (NET Bible)

therefore: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as therefore introduces a command that is based on 8:16–17. Because God’s truth is being revealed, people should listen to it carefully and be ready to believe and obey it (see 8:15).

to how you listen: The word how refers here to the way a person listens. In some languages it may be necessary to say what people should listen to. If that is true in your language, you could supply “to God’s message” or “to what I am saying.” The New Living Translation (2004) makes this clear in 8:18b by saying:

listen to my teaching

8:18b

In the Greek text this part of the verse is connected to 8:18a with a conjunction that many English versions translate as “for.” It introduces a reason to obey the command given in 8:18a. The Berean Standard Bible does not translate this conjunction, and in some languages no conjunction will be needed either.

Whoever has will be given more: The phrase Whoever has does not say what he has. In this context Jesus probably referred to having understanding of his teaching. This would apply to someone who listens to his teaching, understands it, and believes it. If you need to supply an object for has, here are options to consider:

• Use a general object that can apply to different situations. This is common in proverbs or sayings. For example:

those who have something will be given more (Good News Translation)

• Use a more specific statement. For example:

Those who have understanding will be given more. (New Century Version)

• Connect the saying more specifically to the context. For example:

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Those who understand [these mysteries] will be given [more knowledge]. (God’s Word)

will be given more: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as will be given is passive. In some languages it may be necessary to say who will give more. If this is true in your language, you should supply “God.” For example:

⌊God⌋ will give more

8:18c

but whoever does not have: As in 8:18b, there is no object for the verb have here, either in the Berean Standard Bible or in the Greek text. If it is necessary in your language to supply an object, translate in a similar way as you did there. For example:

• Supply a general object, as is common in proverbial sayings. For example:

he who does not have anything

• Make clear that the saying refers to understanding Jesus’ sayings. For example:

he who does not have understanding/knowledge
-or-
However, some people don’t understand [these mysteries]. (God’s Word)

even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him: This clause describes a person who thinks that he understands what Jesus teaches, but actually he does not understand. That statement may indicate that he will realize that he has been wrong and actually has not had any understanding.

The statement even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him is a paradox. It seems impossible for something that does not exist to be taken away. Translate the paradox in a natural way in your language.

will be taken away from him: The verb will be taken is passive. In some languages it may be necessary to translate this without using a passive verb. For example:

will lose what little they think they have (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
will forfeit even what they think they have (Revised English Bible)

In some languages it may be necessary to say who would take it from him. If this is true in your language, you may supply “God”: For example:

⌊God⌋ will take ⌊it⌋ away from him.

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