complete verse (Luke 9:45)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 9:45:

  • Noongar: “But the disciples did not know what Jesus said. The truth was hidden from them so they did not see the truth. They were frightened to ask Jesus about saying more.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “But his disciples did not know his purpose, because the meaning was hidden from them, with the result that they did not understand. But they also did not dare ask him what was the meaning of his words.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But they did not understand what he said there for it was hidden from them so that they did not understand. And they did not dare to ask him what the meaning of his words was.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for his disciples, they did not at that time understand what Jesus was telling them. God did not allow them to understand, so that they might not know it, and they did not dare to ask him what the interpretation of it was.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But they didn’t know what he meant to say, because God didn’t permit them to understand and they were afraid to inquire of Jesus.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But the disciples didn’t understand the meaning of what Jesus said, because it’s like it was still being hidden from them. They also held-back/were-reluctant to ask him what it meant.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
  • Dagbani: “They did not know what this meant, because it had been hidden and on the other hand they were also afraid-of Jesus’s reaction (lit. “heart”). They did not know the meaning of what he said. They were afraid to to ask (and) find-out about the matter.” (Source: André Wilson in The Bible Translator 1972, p. 135ff. )

Translation commentary on Luke 9:45

Exegesis:

hoi de ēgnooun to rēma touto ‘but they did not understand this word.’

agnoeō ‘to understand not’ (cf. Mk. 9.32).

kai en parakekalummenon ap’ autōn ‘and it was concealed/hidden from them,’ i.e. their not understanding what Jesus said was due to an influence beyond their control. parakaluptō.

hina mē aisthōntai auto ‘in order that they might not comprehend it,’ indicating purpose, or, ‘so that they might not comprehend it,’ indicating result, preferably the latter, since the perfect tense of ēn parakekalummenon suggests a situation which makes it impossible for the disciples to understand.

aisthanomai ‘to comprehend’; here used with negative it is synonymous with agnoeō.

ephobounto erōtēsai auton ‘they were afraid to ask him,’ or ‘they were ashamed to ask him,’ preferably the former.

Translation:

They did not understand this saying, cf. on 2.50.

It was concealed from them. A reference to God, or Jesus, as agent may be necessary in some cases, e.g. in Kituba, ‘God had hid it (from them),’ or in Tboli, ‘he did not cause-it-to-be-revealed to them,’ but it is preferable to be less explicit, cf. e.g. ‘the word hid itself from them’ (Kele), ‘it was a riddle to them’ (Leyden), ‘it still was-veiled (lit. having-its-peel, said of words that exalted characters use on the stage, incomprehensible for the common man)’ (Balinese).

Perceive, or, “see its meaning” (Translator’s New Testament), “grasp it” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation, similarly Bible de Jérusalem), or some other synonym of ‘understand.’

Were afraid, or negatively put, ‘did not dare’ (Nieuwe Vertaling), ‘did not have the courage.’

To ask, i.e. for insight; in Chontal the implied direct discourse is made explicit, cf. ‘they were scared, so they didn’t ask him, “What does your word say?” ’

About this saying, or, ‘what he/Jesus said (or, meant, or, meant to say).’

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 9:45

9:45a–c

The main idea in this verse is that the disciples did not understand Jesus’ words in 9:44b. This main idea is stated in 9:45a. It is then further explained in 9:45b–c. See the General Comment on 9:45a–c at the end of 9:45c for other ways to organize the ideas in this verse.

9:45a

But they did not understand this statement: This clause indicates that the disciples did not understand what Jesus meant by the statement in 9:44. Connect 9:44 and 9:45 in a natural way in your language. Be sure that people understand that the pronoun they refers to the disciples, not to the people who would gain power over Jesus (9:44b). For example:

But the disciples did not know what this meant. (Good News Translation)

this statement: The phrase this statement, literally “this word,” refers back to Jesus’ statement that he would be betrayed into the hands of men. Another way to translate this phrase is:

what Jesus meant by this prediction/statement

9:45b

In Greek 9:45b begins with a conjunction that many English versions translate as “and.” The Berean Standard Bible does not translate this word. Logically it introduces a reason why the disciples did not understand. Another way to introduce this reason is:

because it was hidden from them

It was veiled from them: The Greek verb that the Berean Standard Bible translates as was veiled is a passive verb. It means that someone or something had prevented the disciples from understanding what Jesus meant. Scholars disagree about whether God, the disciples’ own thoughts, or Satan might be implied as the subject. All English versions use passive verbs and so are ambiguous.

Some ways to translate this verb are:

• As a passive verb. For example:

The meaning was hidden from them. (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
They were prevented from understanding its meaning.

• As an active verb. Try to use a subject with a general meaning. For example:

⌊Something⌋ had kept them from understanding the meaning.

Translate this in the way that is most natural in your language.

so that they could not comprehend it: There are two ways to interpret the Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as so that they could not comprehend it:

(1) It is a result clause. The meaning of Jesus’ words was hidden from the disciples, with the result that they could not understand it. For example:

Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it. (New Living Translation (2004))

(New International Version, New Living Translation (2004))

(2) It is a purpose clause. God or Satan hid the meaning of Jesus’ words from the disciples in order that they would not be able to understand it. For example:

it was hidden from them that they should not perceive it (Revised Standard Version)

(Berean Standard Bible, New American Standard Bible, Revised Standard Version, New Jerusalem Bible)

Both interpretations are well supported by scholars, and both fit the context. If you must choose between them, it is recommended that you follow interpretation (1). This interpretation fits with any of the possible agents of veiled in the preceding clause.

9:45c

and they were afraid to ask Him about it: This clause indicates that the disciples were afraid to ask Jesus what his words in 9:44b meant. In some languages it may be more natural to change this clause to a direct quote. For example:

and they were afraid to ask, “What do You mean?”

they were afraid: Another way to translate the phrase they were afraid is:

they did not have the courage (Translator’s Reference Translation)

General Comment on 9:45a–c

The clauses “they did not understand this statement” in 9:45a and “they did could not comprehend it” in 9:45b have essentially the same meaning. In some languages it may sound redundant to use two similar statements like this. If that is true in your language, you may need to phrase the statements in a different way. For example:

But the disciples did not know what Jesus meant by this. They were prevented from understanding it, and they were afraid to ask him.

© 2009, 2010, 2013 by SIL International®
Made available under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License (CC BY-SA) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0.
All Scripture quotations in this publication, unless otherwise indicated, are from The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible.
BSB is produced in cooperation with Bible Hub, Discovery Bible, OpenBible.com, and the Berean Bible Translation Committee.