Lukas 1:1

Explanatory Preface

1:1 Now ¹  many have undertaken to compile an account ²  of the things ³  that have been fulfilled ⁴  among us,

Lukas 1:77

1:77 to give his people knowledge of salvation ⁵  through the forgiveness ⁶  of their sins.

Lukas 2:32

2:32 a light, ⁷ 

for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory ⁸  to your people Israel.”

Lukas 4:13

4:13 So ⁹  when the devil ¹⁰  had completed every temptation, he departed from him until a more opportune time. ¹¹ 

Lukas 6:11

6:11 But they were filled with mindless rage ¹²  and began debating with one another what they would do ¹³  to Jesus.

Lukas 6:40

6:40 A disciple ¹⁴  is not greater than ¹⁵  his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher.

Lukas 11:20

11:20 But if I cast out demons by the finger ¹⁶  of God, then the kingdom of God ¹⁷  has already overtaken ¹⁸  you.

Lukas 13:3

13:3 No, I tell you! But unless you repent, ¹⁹  you will all perish as well! ²⁰ 

Lukas 13:5

13:5 No, I tell you! But unless you repent ²¹  you will all perish as well!” ²² 

Lukas 16:11

16:11 If then you haven’t been trustworthy ²³  in handling worldly wealth, ²⁴  who will entrust you with the true riches? ²⁵ 

Lukas 18:33

18:33 They will flog him severely ²⁶  and kill him. Yet ²⁷  on the third day he will rise again.”

Lukas 19:36

19:36 As ²⁸  he rode along, they ²⁹  spread their cloaks on the road.

Lukas 22:17

22:17 Then ³⁰  he took a cup, ³¹  and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves.

[1:1]  ¹ tn Grk “Since” or “Because.” This begins a long sentence that extends through v. 4. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, the Greek sentence has been divided up into shorter English sentences in the translation.

[1:1]  ² tn This is sometimes translated “narrative,” but the term itself can refer to an oral or written account. It is the verb “undertaken” which suggests a written account, since it literally is “to set one’s hand” to something (BDAG 386 s.v. ἐπιχειρέω). “Narrative” is too specific, denoting a particular genre of work for the accounts that existed in the earlier tradition. Not all of that material would have been narrative.

[1:1]  ³ tn Or “events.”

[1:1]  ⁴ tn Or “have been accomplished.” Given Luke’s emphasis on divine design (e.g., Luke 24:43-47) a stronger sense (“fulfilled”) is better than a mere reference to something having taken place (“accomplished”).

[1:77]  ⁵ sn John’s role, to give his people knowledge of salvation, is similar to that of Jesus (Luke 3:1-14; 5:31-32).

[1:77]  ⁶ sn Forgiveness is another major Lukan theme (Luke 4:18; 24:47; Acts 10:37).

[2:32]  ⁷ tn The syntax of this verse is disputed. Most read “light” and “glory” in parallelism, so Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and is glory to the people for Israel. Others see “light” (1:78-79) as a summary, while “revelation” and “glory” are parallel, so Jesus is light for all, but is revelation for the Gentiles and glory for Israel. Both readings make good sense and either could be correct, but Luke 1:78-79 and Acts 26:22-23 slightly favor this second option.

[2:32]  ⁸ sn In other words, Jesus is a special cause for praise and honor (“glory”) for the nation.

[4:13]  ⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a summary.

[4:13]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the devil) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[4:13]  ¹¹ tn Grk “until a favorable time.”

[4:13]  sn Until a more opportune time. Though some have argued that the devil disappears until Luke 22:3, this is unlikely since the cosmic battle with Satan and all the evil angels is consistently mentioned throughout Luke (8:26-39; 11:14-23).

[6:11]  ¹² tn The term ἄνοια (anoia) denotes a kind of insane or mindless fury; the opponents were beside themselves with rage. They could not rejoice in the healing, but could only react against Jesus.

[6:11]  ¹³ tn The use of the optative (ποιήσαιεν, poihsaien, “might do”) in an indirect question indicates that the formal opposition and planning of Jesus’ enemies started here (BDF §§385.1; 386.1).

[6:40]  ¹⁴ tn Or “student.”

[6:40]  ¹⁵ tn Or “significantly different.” The idea, as the next phrase shows, is that teachers build followers who go the same direction they do.

[11:20]  ¹⁶ sn The finger of God is a figurative reference to God’s power (L&N 76.3). This phrase was used of God’s activity during the Exodus (Exod 8:19).

[11:20]  ¹⁷ sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

[11:20]  ¹⁸ tn The phrase ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (efqasen ef’ Juma") is important. Does it mean merely “approach” (which would be reflected in a translation like “has come near to you”) or actually “come upon” (as in the translation given above, “has already overtaken you,” which has the added connotation of suddenness)? The issue here is like the one in 10:9 (see note there on the phrase “come on”). Is the arrival of the kingdom merely anticipated or already in process? Two factors favor arrival over anticipation here. First, the prepositional phrase “upon you” suggests arrival (Dan 4:24, 28 Theodotion). Second, the following illustration in vv. 21-23 looks at the healing as portraying Satan being overrun. So the presence of God’s authority has arrived. See also L&N 13.123 for the translation of φθάνω (fqanw) as “to happen to already, to come upon, to come upon already.”

[13:3]  ¹⁹ sn Jesus was stressing that all stand at risk of death, if they do not repent and receive life.

[13:3]  ²⁰ tn Or “you will all likewise perish,” but this could be misunderstood to mean that they would perish by the same means as the Galileans. Jesus’ point is that apart from repentance all will perish.

[13:5]  ²¹ sn Jesus’ point repeats v. 3. The circumstances make no difference. All must deal with the reality of what death means.

[13:5]  ²² tn Grk “similarly.”

[16:11]  ²³ tn Or “faithful.”

[16:11]  ²⁴ tn Grk “the unrighteous mammon.” See the note on the phrase “worldly wealth” in v. 9.

[16:11]  ²⁵ sn Entrust you with the true riches is a reference to future service for God. The idea is like 1 Cor 9:11, except there the imagery is reversed.

[18:33]  ²⁶ tn Traditionally, “scourge” (the term means to beat severely with a whip, L&N 19.9). BDAG 620 s.v. μαστιγόω 1. states, “Of the beating (Lat. verberatio) given those condemned to death…J 19:1; cf. Mt 20:19; Mk 10:34; Lk 18:33.” Here the term has been translated “flog…severely” to distinguish it from the term φραγελλόω (fragellow) used in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15.

[18:33]  ²⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[19:36]  ²⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[19:36]  ²⁹ tn The disciples initiated this action (since in 19:35 and 37 they are the subject) but the other gospels indicate the crowds also became involved. Thus it is difficult to specify the referent here as “the disciples” or “people.”

[22:17]  ³⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[22:17]  ³¹ sn Then he took a cup. Only Luke mentions two cups at this meal; the other synoptic gospels (Matt, Mark) mention only one. This is the first of the two. It probably refers to the first cup in the traditional Passover meal, which today has four cups (although it is debated whether the fourth cup was used in the 1st century).