Lukas 10:12-15

10:12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom ¹  than for that town! ² 

10:13 “Woe to you, Chorazin! ³  Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if ⁴  the miracles ⁵  done in you had been done in Tyre ⁶  and Sidon, ⁷  they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 10:14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgment than for you! 10:15 And you, Capernaum, ⁸  will you be exalted to heaven? ⁹  No, you will be thrown down to Hades! ¹⁰ 

Lukas 12:47-48

12:47 That ¹¹  servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or do what his master asked ¹²  will receive a severe beating. 12:48 But the one who did not know his master’s will ¹³  and did things worthy of punishment ¹⁴  will receive a light beating. ¹⁵  From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, ¹⁶  and from the one who has been entrusted with much, ¹⁷  even more will be asked. ¹⁸ 

[10:12]  ¹ sn The allusion to Sodom, the most wicked of OT cities from Gen 19:1-29, shows that to reject the current message is even more serious than the worst sins of the old era and will result in more severe punishment. The noun Sodom is in emphatic position in the Greek text.

[10:12]  ² tn Or “city.”

[10:13]  ³ sn Chorazin was a town of Galilee that was probably fairly small in contrast to Bethsaida and is otherwise unattested. Bethsaida was declared a polis by the tetrarch Herod Philip, sometime after a.d. 30.

[10:13]  ⁴ tn This introduces a second class (contrary to fact) condition in the Greek text.

[10:13]  ⁵ tn Or “powerful deeds.”

[10:13]  ⁶ map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[10:13]  ⁷ sn Tyre and Sidon are two other notorious OT cities (Isa 23; Jer 25:22; 47:4). The remark is a severe rebuke, in effect: “Even the sinners of the old era would have responded to the proclamation of the kingdom, unlike you!”

[10:13]  map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.

[10:15]  ⁸ sn Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region.

[10:15]  map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.

[10:15]  ⁹ tn The interrogative particle introducing this question expects a negative reply.

[10:15]  ¹⁰ sn In the OT, Hades was known as Sheol. It is the place where the unrighteous will reside (Matt 11:23; Luke 16:23; Rev 20:13-14).

[12:47]  ¹¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[12:47]  ¹² tn Grk “or do according to his will”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity. This example deals with the slave who knew what the command was and yet failed to complete it.

[12:48]  ¹³ tn Grk “did not know”; the phrase “his master’s will” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the contemporary English reader.

[12:48]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “blows.”

[12:48]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “will receive few (blows).”

[12:48]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “required from him”; but the words “from him” are redundant in English and have not been translated.

[12:48]  ¹⁷ sn Entrusted with much. To be gifted with precious responsibility is something that requires faithfulness.

[12:48]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “they will ask even more.”