Translation commentary on Luke 9:27

Exegesis:

legō de humin alēthōs ‘I tell you truly,’ cf. on 3.8.

alēthōs ‘truly,’ ‘in truth,’ equivalent to ep’ alētheias (cf. on 4.25).

It should be noted that Luke reads heōs an idōsin tēn basileian tou theou ‘until they have seen the kingdom of God,’ omitting elēluthuian en dunamei ‘having come with power.’ The Lucan clause, however, is best understood as referring also to the future consummation of the kingdom also. geuomai also 14.24.

Translation:

For the whole verse see the Handbook on Mark 9.1, especially the warning to avoid, if possible, the “taking any overly decisive position” as to the interpretation of this verse.

But I tell you truly, see on 4.24f. You, i.e. the “all” of v. 23.

Taste death, or, ‘see/experience death,’ ‘encounter (a reciprocal form of ‘to see’) death’ (Toraja-Sa’dan), or simply, ‘to die.’ Such renderings may coincide with that of “see death” in 2.26.

To render until in Enga one has to adjust the sentence, e.g. .’.. will not die right away; they will first see….’

See the kingdom of God, i.e. see/know that God rules.

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 9:27

9:27a

But I tell you truthfully: Jesus often used the words that the Berean Standard Bible translates as I tell you truthfully to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize. It indicates that the statement was important and totally reliable, and people should listen carefully to it. Sometimes it introduces a serious warning or prediction. Here Jesus predicted the coming of the kingdom of God.

See how you translated this expression in 4:24a. In some languages you may need to translate the phrase differently in different contexts. Do not translate in a way that implies that Jesus had not been telling the truth at other times.

Here are some ways to translate the phrase in this context:

I assure you that (Good News Translation)
-or-
I can promise you that
-or-
I can guarantee this truth (God’s Word)

some who are standing here: The phrase some who are standing here refers to some of Jesus’ disciples or people in the crowd that Jesus was talking to.

9:27b

will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God: The phrase will not taste death is an idiom. Another way to translate it is:

will not die until they have seen the kingdom of God (Good News Translation).

In some languages it may be more natural to translate this as a positive statement. For example:

will see the kingdom of God before they die (New Century Version)

before they see the kingdom of God: This clause indicates that people will see God establish his rule over his people.

Scholars have different ideas about what event Jesus referred to here. He may have been referring to:

(a) the time when several of his disciples would see God glorify Jesus on the mountain at the Transfiguration (Luke 9:28–36);

(b) the time when Jesus would die, and God would powerfully raise him from the dead (Mark chapters 15–16);

(c) the time when the Holy Spirit would come with power (Acts 2:1–4).

Since the text does not specify exactly what Jesus was referring to, you should translate in a general way. In some cultures it may not be natural to speak of people “seeing” a kingdom. In your translation of this clause, you will need to be especially careful to ask local speakers what this implies. Do not use a phrase that would imply that God was not already sovereign. Jesus was referring to a new way that God would establish his kingdom and rule as king.

Another way to translate this may be:

before they experience God ruling

the kingdom of God: The phrase the kingdom of God also occurs in 9:2. See the note there for more information.

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