Translation commentary on Mark 2:24

Exegesis:

hoi Pharisaioi ‘the Pharisees’: cf. 2.16.

ide (3.34; 11.21; 13.1, 21; 15.4, 35; 16.6) ‘look!,’ ‘see!’: no longer strictly an imperative of the verb but an interjection (cf. hora ‘see’ in 1.44).

ti; ‘why…?’: again a rhetorical question (cf. 2.7): this is not a request for information, but is an accusation of wrong doing). Cf. Moffatt: “Look at what…! That is not allowed.”

ho ouk exestin ‘that which is not lawful’: i.e. reaping, which the Mosaic law prohibited on the sabbath (cf. Ex. 34.21). It is to be noticed that the disciples are not accused of stealing or plundering someone else’s field; the charge has to do with work prohibited on the sabbath.

exestin (2.26; 3.4; 6.18; 10.2; 12.14) ‘it is lawful,’ ‘it is permitted,’ ‘it is proper’ (an impersonal verb).

Translation:

Said may need to be translated as ‘asked,’ because of the interrogative form of the following.

They must be rendered in some languages more specifically as ‘your disciples.’

Not lawful is a somewhat complex idea, which in a number of languages must be translated in a more descriptive manner, e.g. ‘what the law does not allow’ (Mitla Zapotec), ‘what the law says should not be done,’ ‘what the law prohibits people from doing,’ or ‘what the law says is bad,’ if specific reference is to be made to the ‘law’ as codified rules of behavior. Rather, however, than the ‘law speaking’ (which it cannot do in some languages), one can translate ‘what people read in the law should not be done.’ On the other hand, it is more satisfactory in some instances to translate ‘what people should not do’ (Toraja-Sa’dan has simply ‘that which is not done’), without attempting to identify the codified form of the commandment, though the Greek text clearly implies a challenge to the authority of the Law.

Quoted with permission from Bratcher, Robert G. and Nida, Eugene A. A Handbook on the Gospel of Mark. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1961. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

SIL Translator's Notes on Mark 2:24

2:24a

So: This verse begins with the Greek conjunction that is often translated as “and” in English and is translated as “So” in the Berean Standard Bible. Here it introduces what the Pharisees said when they saw the disciples plucking grain on the Sabbath. Consider this context and connect the verse to 2:23 in the most natural way in your language. In some languages a connector may not be needed.

the Pharisees said to Him: The Pharisees are mentioned here for the first time in this story. In some languages it may be necessary to introduce them before mentioning what they said. It may also be necessary to mention that they saw what Jesus’ disciples were doing. For example:

some Pharisees were also there. They saw what Jesus’ disciples were doing, so they said…
-or-
some Pharisees came along and saw what the disciples were doing

This phrase indicates that a group of the Pharisees spoke to Jesus. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate this in some way. For example:

some men of the Pharisee-group said to Jesus…

This statement does not imply that everyone in the group spoke at once. Probably one of them spoke for them all. Use a natural way in your language to introduce this quote. See the note on “said” below.

Pharisees: The Pharisees were a Jewish religious group or party. It was very important to them to obey all of the Jewish religious laws very carefully and in detail. For a discussion of how to translate Pharisees, see the note on Pharisees in 2:16a.

said: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as said is a general verb of speech. Here it introduces a rhetorical question that functions as a rebuke. In some languages it may be more natural to use a different verb like “asked” or “objected.” Use a natural verb in your language for this context.

Him: The pronoun Him refers to Jesus.

2:24b

Look: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Look emphasizes the next statement.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

Listen
-or-
See here!

why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?: This is a rhetorical question that is both a claim and a rebuke. The Pharisees were claiming that what the disciples were doing was unlawful. The Pharisees were also saying that Jesus should not allow them to do it.

There are at least two ways to translate this:

• As a rhetorical question. For example, the New Century Version says:

Why are your followers doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath day?

• As a statement or as two statements. For example:

It is against our Law for your disciples to do that on the Sabbath! You should tell them not to do that.

Use whichever form is most natural to express this rebuke in your language.

unlawful: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as unlawful means “not allowed.”

Here are some other ways to translate this word:

forbidden (Revised English Bible)
-or-
not permitted (God’s Word)
-or-
what they ought not to do

In this context the term “unlawful” implies that the action was against the Jewish religious law.

The Pharisees interpreted the disciples’ action of picking handfuls of grain as “harvesting.” The Jewish religious law did not allow people to harvest on the Sabbath. The Pharisees did not accuse the disciples of stealing by taking grain that belonged to someone else. You may want to explain this in a footnote. For example:

Jewish law allowed someone to pick small amounts of grain from another person’s field (Deuteronomy 23:25). The Pharisees were not accusing the disciples of stealing. They were accusing them of doing the work of harvesting. The Law of Moses required that no one should work on the Sabbath day.

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