Lukas 11:5-13
Konteks11:5 Then 1 he said to them, “Suppose one of you 2 has a friend, and you go to him 3 at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 4 11:6 because a friend of mine has stopped here while on a journey, 5 and I have nothing to set before 6 him.’ 11:7 Then 7 he will reply 8 from inside, ‘Do not bother me. The door is already shut, and my children and I are in bed. 9 I cannot get up and give you anything.’ 10 11:8 I tell you, even though the man inside 11 will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of the first man’s 12 sheer persistence 13 he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
11:9 “So 14 I tell you: Ask, 15 and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door 16 will be opened for you. 11:10 For everyone who asks 17 receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door 18 will be opened. 11:11 What father among you, if your 19 son asks for 20 a fish, will give him a snake 21 instead of a fish? 11:12 Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 22 11:13 If you then, although you are 23 evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit 24 to those who ask him!”
Lukas 11:18
Konteks11:18 So 25 if 26 Satan too is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because 27 you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.
Lukas 1:1--8:56
Konteks1:1 Now 28 many have undertaken to compile an account 29 of the things 30 that have been fulfilled 31 among us, 1:2 like the accounts 32 passed on 33 to us by those who were eyewitnesses and servants of the word 34 from the beginning. 35 1:3 So 36 it seemed good to me as well, 37 because I have followed 38 all things carefully from the beginning, to write an orderly account 39 for you, most excellent Theophilus, 1:4 so that you may know for certain 40 the things you were taught. 41
1:5 During the reign 42 of Herod 43 king of Judea, there lived a priest named Zechariah who belonged to 44 the priestly division of Abijah, 45 and he had a wife named Elizabeth, 46 who was a descendant of Aaron. 47 1:6 They 48 were both righteous in the sight of God, following 49 all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 50 1:7 But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, 51 and they were both very old. 52
1:8 Now 53 while Zechariah 54 was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 55 1:9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, 56 to enter 57 the holy place 58 of the Lord and burn incense. 1:10 Now 59 the whole crowd 60 of people were praying outside at the hour of the incense offering. 61 1:11 An 62 angel of the Lord, 63 standing on the right side of the altar of incense, appeared 64 to him. 1:12 And Zechariah, visibly shaken when he saw the angel, 65 was seized with fear. 66 1:13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, 67 and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son; you 68 will name him John. 69 1:14 Joy and gladness will come 70 to you, and many will rejoice at 71 his birth, 72 1:15 for he will be great in the sight of 73 the Lord. He 74 must never drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 75 1:16 He 76 will turn 77 many of the people 78 of Israel to the Lord their God. 1:17 And he will go as forerunner before the Lord 79 in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, 80 to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”
1:18 Zechariah 81 said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? 82 For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.” 83 1:19 The 84 angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands 85 in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring 86 you this good news. 1:20 And now, 87 because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, 88 you will be silent, unable to speak, 89 until the day these things take place.”
1:21 Now 90 the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they began to wonder 91 why he was delayed in the holy place. 92 1:22 When 93 he came out, he was not able to speak to them. They 94 realized that he had seen a vision 95 in the holy place, 96 because 97 he was making signs to them and remained unable to speak. 98 1:23 When his time of service was over, 99 he went to his home.
1:24 After some time 100 his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, 101 and for five months she kept herself in seclusion. 102 She said, 103 1:25 “This is what 104 the Lord has done for me at the time 105 when he has been gracious to me, 106 to take away my disgrace 107 among people.” 108
1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, 109 the angel Gabriel 110 was sent by 111 God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 112 1:27 to a virgin engaged 113 to a man whose name was Joseph, a descendant of David, 114 and the virgin’s name was Mary. 1:28 The 115 angel 116 came 117 to her and said, “Greetings, favored one, 118 the Lord is with you!” 119 1:29 But 120 she was greatly troubled 121 by his words and began to wonder about the meaning of this greeting. 122 1:30 So 123 the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, 124 Mary, for you have found favor 125 with God! 1:31 Listen: 126 You will become pregnant 127 and give birth to 128 a son, and you will name him 129 Jesus. 130 1:32 He 131 will be great, 132 and will be called the Son of the Most High, 133 and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father 134 David. 1:33 He 135 will reign over the house of Jacob 136 forever, and his kingdom will never end.” 1:34 Mary 137 said to the angel, “How will this be, since I have not had sexual relations with 138 a man?” 1:35 The angel replied, 139 “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow 140 you. Therefore the child 141 to be born 142 will be holy; 143 he will be called the Son of God.
1:36 “And look, 144 your relative 145 Elizabeth has also become pregnant with 146 a son in her old age – although she was called barren, she is now in her sixth month! 147 1:37 For nothing 148 will be impossible with God.” 1:38 So 149 Mary said, “Yes, 150 I am a servant 151 of the Lord; let this happen to me 152 according to your word.” 153 Then 154 the angel departed from her.
1:39 In those days 155 Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, 156 1:40 and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. 1:41 When 157 Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped 158 in her 159 womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 160 1:42 She 161 exclaimed with a loud voice, 162 “Blessed are you among women, 163 and blessed is the child 164 in your womb! 1:43 And who am I 165 that the mother of my Lord should come and visit me? 1:44 For the instant 166 the sound of your greeting reached my ears, 167 the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 168 1:45 And blessed 169 is she who believed that 170 what was spoken to her by 171 the Lord would be fulfilled.” 172
“My soul exalts 175 the Lord, 176
1:47 and my spirit has begun to rejoice 177 in God my Savior,
1:48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his servant. 178
For 179 from now on 180 all generations will call me blessed, 181
1:49 because he who is mighty 182 has done great things for me, and holy is his name;
1:50 from 183 generation to generation he is merciful 184 to those who fear 185 him.
1:51 He has demonstrated power 186 with his arm; he has scattered those whose pride wells up from the sheer arrogance 187 of their hearts.
1:52 He has brought down the mighty 188 from their thrones, and has lifted up those of lowly position; 189
1:53 he has filled the hungry with good things, 190 and has sent the rich away empty. 191
1:54 He has helped his servant Israel, remembering 192 his mercy, 193
1:55 as he promised 194 to our ancestors, 195 to Abraham and to his descendants 196 forever.”
1:56 So 197 Mary stayed with Elizabeth 198 about three months 199 and then returned to her home.
1:57 Now the time came 200 for Elizabeth to have her baby, 201 and she gave birth to a son. 1:58 Her 202 neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown 203 great mercy to her, and they rejoiced 204 with her.
1:59 On 205 the eighth day 206 they came to circumcise the child, and they wanted to name 207 him Zechariah after his father. 1:60 But 208 his mother replied, 209 “No! He must be named 210 John.” 211 1:61 They 212 said to her, “But 213 none of your relatives bears this name.” 214 1:62 So 215 they made signs to the baby’s 216 father, 217 inquiring what he wanted to name his son. 218 1:63 He 219 asked for a writing tablet 220 and wrote, 221 “His name is John.” And they were all amazed. 222 1:64 Immediately 223 Zechariah’s 224 mouth was opened and his tongue 225 released, 226 and he spoke, blessing God. 1:65 All 227 their neighbors were filled with fear, and throughout the entire hill country of Judea all these things were talked about. 1:66 All 228 who heard these things 229 kept them in their hearts, 230 saying, “What then will this child be?” 231 For the Lord’s hand 232 was indeed with him.
1:67 Then 233 his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, 234
1:68 “Blessed 235 be the Lord God of Israel,
because he has come to help 236 and has redeemed 237 his people.
1:69 For 238 he has raised up 239 a horn of salvation 240 for us in the house of his servant David, 241
1:70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from long ago, 242
1:71 that we should be saved 243 from our enemies, 244
and from the hand of all who hate us.
1:72 He has done this 245 to show mercy 246 to our ancestors, 247
and to remember his holy covenant 248 –
1:73 the oath 249 that he swore to our ancestor 250 Abraham.
This oath grants 251
1:74 that we, being rescued from the hand of our 252 enemies,
may serve him without fear, 253
1:75 in holiness and righteousness 254 before him for as long as we live. 255
1:76 And you, child, 256 will be called the prophet 257 of the Most High. 258
For you will go before 259 the Lord to prepare his ways, 260
1:77 to give his people knowledge of salvation 261 through the forgiveness 262 of their sins.
1:78 Because of 263 our God’s tender mercy 264
the dawn 265 will break 266 upon us from on high
1:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, 267
to guide our feet into the way 268 of peace.”
1:80 And the child kept growing 269 and becoming strong 270 in spirit, and he was in the wilderness 271 until the day he was revealed 272 to Israel.
2:1 Now 273 in those days a decree 274 went out from Caesar 275 Augustus 276 to register 277 all the empire 278 for taxes. 2:2 This was the first registration, taken when Quirinius was governor 279 of Syria. 2:3 Everyone 280 went to his own town 281 to be registered. 2:4 So 282 Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth 283 in Galilee to Judea, to the city 284 of David called Bethlehem, 285 because he was of the house 286 and family line 287 of David. 2:5 He went 288 to be registered with Mary, who was promised in marriage to him, 289 and who was expecting a child. 2:6 While 290 they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. 291 2:7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in strips of cloth 292 and laid him in a manger, 293 because there was no place for them in the inn. 294
2:8 Now 295 there were shepherds 296 nearby 297 living out in the field, keeping guard 298 over their flock at night. 2:9 An 299 angel of the Lord 300 appeared to 301 them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were absolutely terrified. 302 2:10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! Listen carefully, 303 for I proclaim to you good news 304 that brings great joy to all the people: 2:11 Today 305 your Savior is born in the city 306 of David. 307 He is Christ 308 the Lord. 2:12 This 309 will be a sign 310 for you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” 311 2:13 Suddenly 312 a vast, heavenly army 313 appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
2:14 “Glory 314 to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among people 315 with whom he is pleased!” 316
2:15 When 317 the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem 318 and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord 319 has made known to us.” 2:16 So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. 320 2:17 When 321 they saw him, 322 they related what they had been told 323 about this child, 2:18 and all who heard it were astonished 324 at what the shepherds said. 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean. 325 2:20 So 326 the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising 327 God for all they had heard and seen; everything was just as they had been told. 328
2:21 At 329 the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was named Jesus, the name given by the angel 330 before he was conceived in the womb.
2:22 Now 331 when the time came for their 332 purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary 333 brought Jesus 334 up to Jerusalem 335 to present him to the Lord 2:23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male 336 will be set apart to the Lord” 337 ), 2:24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is specified in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves 338 or two young pigeons. 339
2:25 Now 340 there was a man in Jerusalem 341 named Simeon who was righteous 342 and devout, looking for the restoration 343 of Israel, and the Holy Spirit 344 was upon him. 2:26 It 345 had been revealed 346 to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die 347 before 348 he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 349 2:27 So 350 Simeon, 351 directed by the Spirit, 352 came into the temple courts, 353 and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what was customary according to the law, 354 2:28 Simeon 355 took him in his arms and blessed God, saying, 356
2:29 “Now, according to your word, 357 Sovereign Lord, 358 permit 359 your servant 360 to depart 361 in peace.
2:30 For my eyes have seen your salvation 362
2:31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: 363
for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory 365 to your people Israel.”
2:33 So 366 the child’s 367 father 368 and mother were amazed 369 at what was said about him. 2:34 Then 370 Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: 371 This child 372 is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising 373 of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. 374 2:35 Indeed, as a result of him the thoughts 375 of many hearts will be revealed 376 – and a sword 377 will pierce your own soul as well!” 378
2:36 There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old, 379 having been married to her husband for seven years until his death. 2:37 She had lived as a widow since then for eighty-four years. 380 She never left the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 381 2:38 At that moment, 382 she came up to them 383 and began to give thanks to God and to speak 384 about the child 385 to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 386
2:39 So 387 when Joseph and Mary 388 had performed 389 everything according to the law of the Lord, 390 they returned to Galilee, to their own town 391 of Nazareth. 392 2:40 And the child grew and became strong, 393 filled with wisdom, 394 and the favor 395 of God 396 was upon him.
2:41 Now 397 Jesus’ 398 parents went to Jerusalem 399 every 400 year for the feast of the Passover. 401 2:42 When 402 he was twelve years old, 403 they went up 404 according to custom. 2:43 But 405 when the feast was over, 406 as they were returning home, 407 the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His 408 parents 409 did not know it, 2:44 but (because they assumed that he was in their group of travelers) 410 they went a day’s journey. Then 411 they began to look for him among their relatives and acquaintances. 412 2:45 When 413 they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem 414 to look for him. 2:46 After 415 three days 416 they found him in the temple courts, 417 sitting among the teachers, 418 listening to them and asking them questions. 2:47 And all who heard Jesus 419 were astonished 420 at his understanding and his answers. 2:48 When 421 his parents 422 saw him, they were overwhelmed. His 423 mother said to him, “Child, 424 why have you treated 425 us like this? Look, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.” 426 2:49 But 427 he replied, 428 “Why were you looking for me? 429 Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 430 2:50 Yet 431 his parents 432 did not understand 433 the remark 434 he made 435 to them. 2:51 Then 436 he went down with them and came to Nazareth, 437 and was obedient 438 to them. But 439 his mother kept all these things 440 in her heart. 441
2:52 And Jesus increased 442 in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and with people.
3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, 443 when Pontius Pilate 444 was governor of Judea, and Herod 445 was tetrarch 446 of Galilee, and his brother Philip 447 was tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias 448 was tetrarch of Abilene, 3:2 during the high priesthood 449 of Annas and Caiaphas, the word 450 of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 451 3:3 He 452 went into all the region around the Jordan River, 453 preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 454
3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,
“The voice 455 of one shouting in the wilderness: 456
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make 457 his paths straight.
3:5 Every valley will be filled, 458
and every mountain and hill will be brought low,
and the crooked will be made straight,
and the rough ways will be made smooth,
3:6 and all humanity 459 will see the salvation of God.’” 460
3:7 So John 461 said to the crowds 462 that came out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers! 463 Who warned you to flee 464 from the coming wrath? 3:8 Therefore produce 465 fruit 466 that proves your repentance, and don’t begin to say 467 to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ 468 For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! 469 3:9 Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, 470 and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be 471 cut down and thrown into the fire.”
3:10 So 472 the crowds were asking 473 him, “What then should we do?” 3:11 John 474 answered them, 475 “The person who has two tunics 476 must share with the person who has none, and the person who has food must do likewise.” 3:12 Tax collectors 477 also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” 3:13 He told them, “Collect no more 478 than you are required to.” 479 3:14 Then some soldiers 480 also asked him, “And as for us – what should we do?” 481 He told them, “Take money from no one by violence 482 or by false accusation, 483 and be content with your pay.”
3:15 While the people were filled with anticipation 484 and they all wondered 485 whether perhaps John 486 could be the Christ, 487 3:16 John answered them all, 488 “I baptize you with water, 489 but one more powerful than I am is coming – I am not worthy 490 to untie the strap 491 of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 492 3:17 His winnowing fork 493 is in his hand to clean out his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his storehouse, 494 but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.” 495
3:18 And in this way, 496 with many other exhortations, John 497 proclaimed good news to the people. 3:19 But when John rebuked Herod 498 the tetrarch 499 because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, 500 and because of all the evil deeds 501 that he had done, 3:20 Herod added this to them all: He locked up John in prison.
3:21 Now when 502 all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. And while he was praying, 503 the heavens 504 opened, 3:22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. 505 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my one dear Son; 506 in you I take great delight.” 507
3:23 So 508 Jesus, when he began his ministry, 509 was about thirty years old. He was 510 the son (as was supposed) 511 of Joseph, the son 512 of Heli, 3:24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 3:25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 3:26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 3:27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, 513 the son of Shealtiel, 514 the son of Neri, 515 3:28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 3:29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 3:30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 3:31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, 516 the son of David, 517 3:32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, 518 the son of Nahshon, 3:33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, 519 the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 3:34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, 520 the son of Nahor, 3:35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 3:36 the son of Cainan, 521 the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 3:37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, 522 the son of Kenan, 523 3:38 the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. 524
4:1 Then 525 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River 526 and was led by the Spirit 527 in 528 the wilderness, 529 4:2 where for forty days he endured temptations 530 from the devil. He 531 ate nothing 532 during those days, and when they were completed, 533 he was famished. 4:3 The devil said to him, “If 534 you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” 535 4:4 Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man 536 does not live by bread alone.’” 537
4:5 Then 538 the devil 539 led him up 540 to a high place 541 and showed him in a flash all the kingdoms of the world. 4:6 And he 542 said to him, “To you 543 I will grant this whole realm 544 – and the glory that goes along with it, 545 for it has been relinquished 546 to me, and I can give it to anyone I wish. 4:7 So then, if 547 you will worship 548 me, all this will be 549 yours.” 4:8 Jesus 550 answered him, 551 “It is written, ‘You are to worship 552 the Lord 553 your God and serve only him.’” 554
4:9 Then 555 the devil 556 brought him to Jerusalem, 557 had him stand 558 on the highest point of the temple, 559 and said to him, “If 560 you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, 4:10 for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ 561 4:11 and ‘with their hands they will lift you up, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” 562 4:12 Jesus 563 answered him, 564 “It is said, ‘You are not to put the Lord your God to the test.’” 565 4:13 So 566 when the devil 567 had completed every temptation, he departed from him until a more opportune time. 568
4:14 Then 569 Jesus, in the power of the Spirit, 570 returned to Galilee, and news about him spread 571 throughout the surrounding countryside. 572 4:15 He 573 began to teach 574 in their synagogues 575 and was praised 576 by all.
4:16 Now 577 Jesus 578 came to Nazareth, 579 where he had been brought up, and went into the synagogue 580 on the Sabbath day, as was his custom. 581 He 582 stood up to read, 583 4:17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He 584 unrolled 585 the scroll and found the place where it was written,
4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed 586 me to proclaim good news 587 to the poor. 588
He has sent me 589 to proclaim release 590 to the captives
and the regaining of sight 591 to the blind,
to set free 592 those who are oppressed, 593
4:19 to proclaim the year 594 of the Lord’s favor.” 595
4:20 Then 596 he rolled up 597 the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on 598 him. 4:21 Then 599 he began to tell them, “Today 600 this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.” 601 4:22 All 602 were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They 603 said, “Isn’t this 604 Joseph’s son?” 4:23 Jesus 605 said to them, “No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ 606 and say, ‘What we have heard that you did in Capernaum, 607 do here in your hometown too.’” 4:24 And he added, 608 “I tell you the truth, 609 no prophet is acceptable 610 in his hometown. 4:25 But in truth I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s days, 611 when the sky 612 was shut up three and a half years, and 613 there was a great famine over all the land. 4:26 Yet 614 Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to a woman who was a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 615 4:27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, 616 yet 617 none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 618 4:28 When they heard this, all the people 619 in the synagogue were filled with rage. 4:29 They got up, forced 620 him out of the town, 621 and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that 622 they could throw him down the cliff. 623 4:30 But he passed through the crowd 624 and went on his way. 625
4:31 So 626 he went down to Capernaum, 627 a town 628 in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he began to teach the people. 629 4:32 They 630 were amazed 631 at his teaching, because he spoke 632 with authority. 633
4:33 Now 634 in the synagogue 635 there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean 636 demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, 4:34 “Ha! Leave us alone, 637 Jesus the Nazarene! Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One 638 of God.” 4:35 But 639 Jesus rebuked him: 640 “Silence! Come out of him!” 641 Then, after the demon threw the man 642 down in their midst, he came out of him without hurting him. 643 4:36 They 644 were all amazed and began to say 645 to one another, “What’s happening here? 646 For with authority and power 647 he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” 4:37 So 648 the news 649 about him spread into all areas of the region. 650
4:38 After Jesus left 651 the synagogue, he entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus 652 to help her. 653 4:39 So 654 he stood over her, commanded 655 the fever, and it left her. Immediately 656 she got up and began to serve 657 them.
4:40 As the sun was setting, all those who had any relatives 658 sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus. 659 He placed 660 his hands on every one of them and healed them. 4:41 Demons also came out 661 of many, crying out, 662 “You are the Son of God!” 663 But he rebuked 664 them, and would not allow them to speak, 665 because they knew that he was the Christ. 666
4:42 The next morning 667 Jesus 668 departed and went to a deserted place. Yet 669 the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them. 4:43 But Jesus 670 said to them, “I must 671 proclaim the good news of the kingdom 672 of God to the other towns 673 too, for that is what I was sent 674 to do.” 675 4:44 So 676 he continued to preach in the synagogues of Judea. 677
5:1 Now 678 Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, 679 and the crowd was pressing around him 680 to hear the word of God. 5:2 He 681 saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 5:3 He got into 682 one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then 683 Jesus 684 sat down 685 and taught the crowds from the boat. 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower 686 your nets for a catch.” 5:5 Simon 687 answered, 688 “Master, 689 we worked hard all night and caught nothing! But at your word 690 I will lower 691 the nets.” 5:6 When 692 they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets started to tear. 693 5:7 So 694 they motioned 695 to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they were about to sink. 696 5:8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, 697 for I am a sinful man!” 698 5:9 For 699 Peter 700 and all who were with him were astonished 701 at the catch of fish that they had taken, 5:10 and so were James and John, Zebedee’s sons, who were Simon’s business partners. 702 Then 703 Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on 704 you will be catching people.” 705 5:11 So 706 when they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed 707 him.
5:12 While 708 Jesus 709 was in one of the towns, 710 a man came 711 to him who was covered with 712 leprosy. 713 When 714 he saw Jesus, he bowed down with his face to the ground 715 and begged him, 716 “Lord, if 717 you are willing, you can make me clean.” 5:13 So 718 he stretched out his hand and touched 719 him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 5:14 Then 720 he ordered the man 721 to tell no one, 722 but commanded him, 723 “Go 724 and show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering 725 for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, 726 as a testimony to them.” 727 5:15 But the news about him spread even more, 728 and large crowds were gathering together to hear him 729 and to be healed of their illnesses. 5:16 Yet Jesus himself 730 frequently withdrew 731 to the wilderness 732 and prayed.
5:17 Now on 733 one of those days, while he was teaching, there were Pharisees 734 and teachers of the law 735 sitting nearby (who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem), 736 and the power of the Lord was with him 737 to heal. 5:18 Just then 738 some men showed up, carrying a paralyzed man 739 on a stretcher. 740 They 741 were trying to bring him in and place him before Jesus. 742 5:19 But 743 since they found 744 no way to carry him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof 745 and let him down on the stretcher 746 through the roof tiles 747 right 748 in front of Jesus. 749 5:20 When 750 Jesus 751 saw their 752 faith he said, “Friend, 753 your sins are forgiven.” 754 5:21 Then 755 the experts in the law 756 and the Pharisees began to think 757 to themselves, 758 “Who is this man 759 who is uttering blasphemies? 760 Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 5:22 When Jesus perceived 761 their hostile thoughts, 762 he said to them, 763 “Why are you raising objections 764 within yourselves? 5:23 Which is easier, 765 to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? 5:24 But so that you may know 766 that the Son of Man 767 has authority on earth to forgive sins” – he said to the paralyzed man 768 – “I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher 769 and go home.” 770 5:25 Immediately 771 he stood up before them, picked 772 up the stretcher 773 he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying 774 God. 5:26 Then 775 astonishment 776 seized them all, and they glorified 777 God. They were filled with awe, 778 saying, “We have seen incredible 779 things 780 today.” 781
5:27 After 782 this, Jesus 783 went out and saw a tax collector 784 named Levi 785 sitting at the tax booth. 786 “Follow me,” 787 he said to him. 5:28 And he got up and followed him, leaving everything 788 behind. 789
5:29 Then 790 Levi gave a great banquet 791 in his house for Jesus, 792 and there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others sitting 793 at the table with them. 5:30 But 794 the Pharisees 795 and their experts in the law 796 complained 797 to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 798 5:31 Jesus 799 answered them, “Those who are well don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do. 800 5:32 I have not come 801 to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” 802
5:33 Then 803 they said to him, “John’s 804 disciples frequently fast 805 and pray, 806 and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, 807 but yours continue to eat and drink.” 808 5:34 So 809 Jesus said to them, “You cannot make the wedding guests 810 fast while the bridegroom 811 is with them, can you? 812 5:35 But those days are coming, and when the bridegroom is taken from them, 813 at that time 814 they will fast.” 5:36 He also told them a parable: 815 “No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews 816 it on an old garment. If he does, he will have torn 817 the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. 818 5:37 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. 819 If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. 5:38 Instead new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 820 5:39 821 No 822 one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’” 823
6:1 Jesus 824 was going through the grain fields on 825 a Sabbath, 826 and his disciples picked some heads of wheat, 827 rubbed them in their hands, and ate them. 828 6:2 But some of the Pharisees 829 said, “Why are you 830 doing what is against the law 831 on the Sabbath?” 6:3 Jesus 832 answered them, 833 “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry – 6:4 how he entered the house of God, took 834 and ate the sacred bread, 835 which is not lawful 836 for any to eat but the priests alone, and 837 gave it to his companions?” 838 6:5 Then 839 he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord 840 of the Sabbath.”
6:6 On 841 another Sabbath, Jesus 842 entered the synagogue 843 and was teaching. Now 844 a man was there whose right hand was withered. 845 6:7 The experts in the law 846 and the Pharisees 847 watched 848 Jesus 849 closely to see if 850 he would heal on the Sabbath, 851 so that they could find a reason to accuse him. 6:8 But 852 he knew 853 their thoughts, 854 and said to the man who had the withered hand, “Get up and stand here.” 855 So 856 he rose and stood there. 6:9 Then 857 Jesus said to them, “I ask you, 858 is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” 6:10 After 859 looking around 860 at them all, he said to the man, 861 “Stretch out your hand.” The man 862 did so, and his hand was restored. 863 6:11 But they were filled with mindless rage 864 and began debating with one another what they would do 865 to Jesus.
6:12 Now 866 it was during this time that Jesus 867 went out to the mountain 868 to pray, and he spent all night 869 in prayer to God. 870 6:13 When 871 morning came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: 872 6:14 Simon 873 (whom he named Peter), and his brother Andrew; and James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 874 6:15 Matthew, Thomas, 875 James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, 876 6:16 Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, 877 who became a traitor.
6:17 Then 878 he came down with them and stood on a level place. 879 And a large number 880 of his disciples had gathered 881 along with 882 a vast multitude from all over Judea, from 883 Jerusalem, 884 and from the seacoast of Tyre 885 and Sidon. 886 They came to hear him and to be healed 887 of their diseases, 6:18 and those who suffered from 888 unclean 889 spirits were cured. 6:19 The 890 whole crowd was trying to touch him, because power 891 was coming out from him and healing them all.
6:20 Then 892 he looked up 893 at his disciples and said:
“Blessed 894 are you who are poor, 895 for the kingdom of God belongs 896 to you.
6:21 “Blessed are you who hunger 897 now, for you will be satisfied. 898
“Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 899
6:22 “Blessed are you when people 900 hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil 901 on account of the Son of Man! 6:23 Rejoice in that day, and jump for joy, because 902 your reward is great in heaven. For their ancestors 903 did the same things to the prophets. 904
6:24 “But woe 905 to you who are rich, for you have received 906 your comfort 907 already.
6:25 “Woe to you who are well satisfied with food 908 now, for you will be hungry.
“Woe to you 909 who laugh 910 now, for you will mourn and weep.
6:26 “Woe to you 911 when all people 912 speak well of you, for their ancestors 913 did the same things to the false prophets.
6:27 “But I say to you who are listening: Love your enemies, 914 do good to those who hate you, 6:28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat 915 you. 6:29 To the person who strikes you on the cheek, 916 offer the other as well, 917 and from the person who takes away your coat, 918 do not withhold your tunic 919 either. 920 6:30 Give to everyone who asks you, 921 and do not ask for your possessions 922 back 923 from the person who takes them away. 6:31 Treat others 924 in the same way that you would want them to treat you. 925
6:32 “If 926 you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners 927 love those who love them. 928 6:33 And 929 if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 930 sinners 931 do the same. 6:34 And if you lend to those from whom you hope to be repaid, 932 what credit is that to you? Even sinners 933 lend to sinners, so that they may be repaid in full. 934 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. 935 Then 936 your reward will be great, and you will be sons 937 of the Most High, 938 because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. 939 6:36 Be merciful, 940 just as your Father is merciful.
6:37 “Do 941 not judge, 942 and you will not be judged; 943 do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, 944 and you will be forgiven. 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, 945 will be poured 946 into your lap. For the measure you use will be the measure you receive.” 947
6:39 He also told them a parable: “Someone who is blind cannot lead another who is blind, can he? 948 Won’t they both fall 949 into a pit? 6:40 A disciple 950 is not greater than 951 his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher. 6:41 Why 952 do you see the speck 953 in your brother’s eye, but fail to see 954 the beam of wood 955 in your own? 6:42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while you yourself don’t see the beam in your own? You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
6:43 “For 956 no good tree bears bad 957 fruit, nor again 958 does a bad tree bear good fruit, 6:44 for each tree is known 959 by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered 960 from thorns, nor are grapes picked 961 from brambles. 962 6:45 The good person out of the good treasury of his 963 heart 964 produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasury 965 produces evil, for his mouth speaks 966 from what fills 967 his heart.
6:46 “Why 968 do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ 969 and don’t do what I tell you? 970
6:47 “Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and puts them into practice 971 – I will show you what he is like: 6:48 He is like a man 972 building a house, who dug down deep, 973 and laid the foundation on bedrock. When 974 a flood came, the river 975 burst against that house but 976 could not shake it, because it had been well built. 977 6:49 But the person who hears and does not put my words into practice 978 is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When 979 the river burst against that house, 980 it collapsed immediately, and was utterly destroyed!” 981
7:1 After Jesus 982 had finished teaching all this to the people, 983 he entered Capernaum. 984 7:2 A centurion 985 there 986 had a slave 987 who was highly regarded, 988 but who was sick and at the point of death. 7:3 When the centurion 989 heard 990 about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders 991 to him, asking him to come 992 and heal his slave. 7:4 When 993 they came 994 to Jesus, they urged 995 him earnestly, 996 “He is worthy 997 to have you do this for him, 7:5 because he loves our nation, 998 and even 999 built our synagogue.” 1000 7:6 So 1001 Jesus went with them. When 1002 he was not far from the house, the centurion 1003 sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, 1004 for I am not worthy 1005 to have you come under my roof. 7:7 That is why 1006 I did not presume 1007 to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed. 1008 7:8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. 1009 I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, 1010 and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 1011 7:9 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed 1012 at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!” 1013 7:10 So 1014 when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave 1015 well.
7:11 Soon 1016 afterward 1017 Jesus 1018 went to a town 1019 called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went with him. 7:12 As he approached the town gate, a man 1020 who had died was being carried out, 1021 the only son of his mother (who 1022 was a widow 1023 ), and a large crowd from the town 1024 was with her. 7:13 When 1025 the Lord saw her, he had compassion 1026 for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 1027 7:14 Then 1028 he came up 1029 and touched 1030 the bier, 1031 and those who carried it stood still. He 1032 said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” 7:15 So 1033 the dead man 1034 sat up and began to speak, and Jesus 1035 gave him back 1036 to his mother. 7:16 Fear 1037 seized them all, and they began to glorify 1038 God, saying, “A great prophet 1039 has appeared 1040 among us!” and “God has come to help 1041 his people!” 7:17 This 1042 report 1043 about Jesus 1044 circulated 1045 throughout 1046 Judea and all the surrounding country.
7:18 John’s 1047 disciples informed him about all these things. So 1048 John called 1049 two of his disciples 7:19 and sent them to Jesus 1050 to ask, 1051 “Are you the one who is to come, 1052 or should we look for another?” 7:20 When 1053 the men came to Jesus, 1054 they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, 1055 ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” 1056 7:21 At that very time 1057 Jesus 1058 cured many people of diseases, sicknesses, 1059 and evil spirits, and granted 1060 sight to many who were blind. 7:22 So 1061 he answered them, 1062 “Go tell 1063 John what you have seen and heard: 1064 The blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the 1065 deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news proclaimed to them. 7:23 Blessed is anyone 1066 who takes no offense at me.”
7:24 When 1067 John’s messengers had gone, Jesus 1068 began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness 1069 to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 1070 7:25 What 1071 did you go out to see? A man dressed in fancy 1072 clothes? 1073 Look, those who wear fancy clothes and live in luxury 1074 are in kings’ courts! 1075 7:26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more 1076 than a prophet. 7:27 This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, 1077 who will prepare your way before you.’ 1078 7:28 I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater 1079 than John. 1080 Yet the one who is least 1081 in the kingdom of God 1082 is greater than he is.” 7:29 (Now 1083 all the people who heard this, even the tax collectors, 1084 acknowledged 1085 God’s justice, because they had been baptized 1086 with John’s baptism. 7:30 However, the Pharisees 1087 and the experts in religious law 1088 rejected God’s purpose 1089 for themselves, because they had not been baptized 1090 by John. 1091 ) 1092
7:31 “To what then should I compare the people 1093 of this generation, and what are they like? 7:32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to one another, 1094
‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance; 1095
we wailed in mourning, 1096 yet you did not weep.’
7:33 For John the Baptist has come 1097 eating no bread and drinking no wine, 1098 and you say, ‘He has a demon!’ 1099 7:34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him, 1100 a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ 1101 7:35 But wisdom is vindicated 1102 by all her children.” 1103
7:36 Now one of the Pharisees 1104 asked Jesus 1105 to have dinner with him, so 1106 he went into the Pharisee’s house and took his place at the table. 1107 7:37 Then 1108 when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus 1109 was dining 1110 at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar 1111 of perfumed oil. 1112 7:38 As 1113 she stood 1114 behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. She 1115 wiped them with her hair, 1116 kissed 1117 them, 1118 and anointed 1119 them with the perfumed oil. 7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, 1120 he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, 1121 he would know who and what kind of woman 1122 this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 7:40 So 1123 Jesus answered him, 1124 “Simon, I have something to say to you.” He replied, 1125 “Say it, Teacher.” 7:41 “A certain creditor 1126 had two debtors; one owed him 1127 five hundred silver coins, 1128 and the other fifty. 7:42 When they could not pay, he canceled 1129 the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 7:43 Simon answered, 1130 “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” 1131 Jesus 1132 said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 7:44 Then, 1133 turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house. You gave me no water for my feet, 1134 but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 7:45 You gave me no kiss of greeting, 1135 but from the time I entered she has not stopped kissing my feet. 7:46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet 1136 with perfumed oil. 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which were many, are forgiven, thus she loved much; 1137 but the one who is forgiven little loves little.” 7:48 Then 1138 Jesus 1139 said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 1140 7:49 But 1141 those who were at the table 1142 with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” 7:50 He 1143 said to the woman, “Your faith 1144 has saved you; 1145 go in peace.”
8:1 Some time 1146 afterward 1147 he went on through towns 1148 and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news 1149 of the kingdom of God. 1150 The 1151 twelve were with him, 8:2 and also some women 1152 who had been healed of evil spirits and disabilities: 1153 Mary 1154 (called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out, 8:3 and Joanna the wife of Cuza 1155 (Herod’s 1156 household manager), 1157 Susanna, and many others who provided for them 1158 out of their own resources.
8:4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus 1159 from one town after another, 1160 he spoke to them 1161 in a parable: 8:5 “A sower went out to sow 1162 his seed. 1163 And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled on, and the wild birds 1164 devoured it. 8:6 Other seed fell on rock, 1165 and when it came up, it withered because it had no moisture. 8:7 Other seed fell among the thorns, 1166 and they grew up with it and choked 1167 it. 8:8 But 1168 other seed fell on good soil and grew, 1169 and it produced a hundred times as much grain.” 1170 As he said this, 1171 he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” 1172
8:9 Then 1173 his disciples asked him what this parable meant. 1174 8:10 He 1175 said, “You have been given 1176 the opportunity to know 1177 the secrets 1178 of the kingdom of God, 1179 but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand. 1180
8:11 “Now the parable means 1181 this: The seed is the word of God. 8:12 Those along the path are the ones who have heard; then the devil 1182 comes and takes away the word 1183 from their hearts, so that they may not believe 1184 and be saved. 8:13 Those 1185 on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, 1186 but 1187 in a time of testing 1188 fall away. 1189 8:14 As for the seed that 1190 fell among thorns, these are the ones who hear, but 1191 as they go on their way they are choked 1192 by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, 1193 and their fruit does not mature. 1194 8:15 But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing 1195 the word, cling to it 1196 with an honest and good 1197 heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance. 1198
8:16 “No one lights 1199 a lamp 1200 and then covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in can see the light. 1201 8:17 For nothing is hidden 1202 that will not be revealed, 1203 and nothing concealed that will not be made known and brought to light. 8:18 So listen carefully, 1204 for whoever has will be given more, but 1205 whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has 1206 will be taken from him.”
8:19 Now Jesus’ 1207 mother and his brothers 1208 came to him, but 1209 they could not get near him because of the crowd. 8:20 So 1210 he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 8:21 But he replied 1211 to them, “My mother and my brothers are those 1212 who hear the word of God and do it.” 1213
8:22 One 1214 day Jesus 1215 got into a boat 1216 with his disciples and said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.” So 1217 they set out, 8:23 and as they sailed he fell asleep. Now a violent windstorm 1218 came down on the lake, 1219 and the boat 1220 started filling up with water, and they were in danger. 8:24 They 1221 came 1222 and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, 1223 we are about to die!” So 1224 he got up and rebuked 1225 the wind and the raging waves; 1226 they died down, and it was calm. 8:25 Then 1227 he said to them, “Where is your faith?” 1228 But they were afraid and amazed, 1229 saying to one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, 1230 and they obey him!”
8:26 So 1231 they sailed over to the region of the Gerasenes, 1232 which is opposite 1233 Galilee. 8:27 As 1234 Jesus 1235 stepped ashore, 1236 a certain man from the town 1237 met him who was possessed by demons. 1238 For a long time this man 1239 had worn no clothes and had not lived in a house, but among 1240 the tombs. 8:28 When he saw 1241 Jesus, he cried out, fell 1242 down before him, and shouted with a loud voice, “Leave me alone, 1243 Jesus, Son of the Most High 1244 God! I beg you, do not torment 1245 me!” 8:29 For Jesus 1246 had started commanding 1247 the evil 1248 spirit to come out of the man. (For it had seized him many times, so 1249 he would be bound with chains and shackles 1250 and kept under guard. But 1251 he would break the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted 1252 places.) 1253 8:30 Jesus then 1254 asked him, “What is your name?” He 1255 said, “Legion,” 1256 because many demons had entered him. 8:31 And they began to beg 1257 him not to order 1258 them to depart into the abyss. 1259 8:32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 1260 and the demonic spirits 1261 begged Jesus 1262 to let them go into them. He gave them permission. 1263 8:33 So 1264 the demons came out of the man and went into the pigs, and the herd of pigs 1265 rushed down the steep slope into the lake and drowned. 8:34 When 1266 the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ran off and spread the news 1267 in the town 1268 and countryside. 8:35 So 1269 the people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus. They 1270 found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 8:36 Those 1271 who had seen it told them how the man who had been demon-possessed had been healed. 1272 8:37 Then 1273 all the people of the Gerasenes 1274 and the surrounding region 1275 asked Jesus 1276 to leave them alone, 1277 for they were seized with great fear. 1278 So 1279 he got into the boat and left. 1280 8:38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go 1281 with him, but Jesus 1282 sent him away, saying, 8:39 “Return to your home, 1283 and declare 1284 what God has done for you.” 1285 So 1286 he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town 1287 what Jesus 1288 had done for him.
8:40 Now when Jesus returned, 1289 the crowd welcomed him, because they were all waiting for him. 8:41 Then 1290 a man named Jairus, who was a ruler 1291 of the synagogue, 1292 came up. Falling 1293 at Jesus’ feet, he pleaded 1294 with him to come to his house, 8:42 because he had an only daughter, about twelve years old, and she was dying. 1295
As Jesus was on his way, the crowds pressed 1296 around him. 8:43 Now 1297 a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage 1298 for twelve years 1299 but could not be healed by anyone. 8:44 She 1300 came up behind Jesus 1301 and touched the edge 1302 of his cloak, 1303 and at once the bleeding 1304 stopped. 8:45 Then 1305 Jesus asked, 1306 “Who was it who touched me?” When they all denied it, Peter 1307 said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding you and pressing 1308 against you!” 8:46 But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I know that power has gone out 1309 from me.” 8:47 When 1310 the woman saw that she could not escape notice, 1311 she came trembling and fell down before him. In 1312 the presence of all the people, she explained why 1313 she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed. 8:48 Then 1314 he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. 1315 Go in peace.”
8:49 While he was still speaking, someone from the synagogue ruler’s 1316 house came and said, “Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the teacher any longer.” 8:50 But when Jesus heard this, he told 1317 him, “Do not be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” 1318 8:51 Now when he came to the house, Jesus 1319 did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John, 1320 and James, and the child’s father and mother. 8:52 Now they were all 1321 wailing and mourning 1322 for her, but he said, “Stop your weeping; she is not dead but asleep.” 8:53 And they began making fun 1323 of him, because they knew 1324 that she was dead. 1325 8:54 But Jesus 1326 gently took her by the hand and said, 1327 “Child, get up.” 8:55 Her 1328 spirit returned, 1329 and she got up immediately. Then 1330 he told them to give her something to eat. 8:56 Her 1331 parents were astonished, but he ordered them to tell no one 1332 what had happened.
[11:5] 1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[11:5] 2 tn Grk “Who among you will have a friend and go to him.”
[11:5] 3 tn Grk “he will go to him.”
[11:5] 4 tn The words “of bread” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by ἄρτους (artou", “loaves”).
[11:6] 5 tn Grk “has come to me from the road.”
[11:6] 6 sn The background to the statement I have nothing to set before him is that in ancient Middle Eastern culture it was a matter of cultural honor to be a good host to visitors.
[11:7] 7 tn Κἀκεῖνος (kakeino") has been translated “Then he.”
[11:7] 8 tn Grk “answering, he will say.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “he will reply.”
[11:7] 9 tn Grk “my children are with me in the bed.” In Jewish homes in the time of Jesus, the beds were often all together in one room; thus the householder may be speaking of individual beds (using a collective singular) rather than a common bed.
[11:7] 10 tn The syntax of vv. 6-7 is complex. In the Greek text Jesus’ words in v. 6 begin as a question. Some see Jesus’ question ending at v. 6, but the reply starting in v. 8 favors extending the question through the entire illustration. The translation breaks up the long sentence at the beginning of v. 7 and translates Jesus’ words as a statement for reasons of English style.
[11:8] 11 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man in bed in the house) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:8] 12 tn Grk “his”; the referent (the first man mentioned) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:8] 13 tn The term ἀναίδεια (anaideia) is hard to translate. It refers to a combination of ideas, a boldness that persists over time, or “audacity,” which comes close. It most likely describes the one making the request, since the unit’s teaching is an exhortation about persistence in prayer. Some translate the term “shamelessness” which is the term’s normal meaning, and apply it to the neighbor as an illustration of God responding for the sake of his honor. But the original question was posed in terms of the first man who makes the request, not of the neighbor, so the teaching underscores the action of the one making the request.
[11:9] 14 tn Here καί (kai, from καγώ [kagw]) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion drawn from the preceding parable.
[11:9] 15 sn The three present imperatives in this verse (Ask…seek…knock) are probably intended to call for a repeated or continual approach before God.
[11:9] 16 tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:10] 17 sn The actions of asking, seeking, and knocking are repeated here from v. 9 with the encouragement that God does respond.
[11:10] 18 tn Grk “it”; the referent (a door) is implied by the context and has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[11:11] 19 tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
[11:11] 20 tc Most
[11:11] 21 sn The snake probably refers to a water snake.
[11:12] 22 sn The two questions of vv. 11-12 expect the answer, “No father would do this!”
[11:13] 23 tn The participle ὑπάρχοντες (Juparconte") has been translated as a concessive participle.
[11:13] 24 sn The provision of the Holy Spirit is probably a reference to the wisdom and guidance supplied in response to repeated requests. Some apply it to the general provision of the Spirit, but this would seem to look only at one request in a context that speaks of repeated asking. The teaching as a whole stresses not that God gives everything his children want, but that God gives the good that they need. The parallel account in Matthew (7:11) refers to good things where Luke mentions the Holy Spirit.
[11:18] 25 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that the clause that follows is a logical conclusion based on the preceding examples.
[11:18] 26 tn This first class condition, the first of three “if” clauses in the following verses, presents the example vividly as if it were so. In fact, all three conditions in these verses are first class. The examples are made totally parallel. The expected answer is that Satan’s kingdom will not stand, so the suggestion makes no sense. Satan would not seek to heal.
[11:18] 27 tn Grk “because.” “I ask you this” is supplied for the sake of English.
[1:1] 28 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] 29 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] 31 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”).
[1:2] 32 tn Grk “even as”; this compares the recorded tradition of 1:1 with the original eyewitness tradition of 1:2.
[1:2] 34 sn The phrase eyewitnesses and servants of the word refers to a single group of people who faithfully passed on the accounts about Jesus. The language about delivery (passed on) points to accounts faithfully passed on to the early church.
[1:2] 35 tn Grk “like the accounts those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word passed on to us.” The location of “in the beginning” in the Greek shows that the tradition is rooted in those who were with Jesus from the start.
[1:3] 36 tn The conjunction “so” is supplied here to bring out the force of the latter part of this Greek sentence, which the translation divides up because of English style. Luke, in compiling his account, is joining a tradition with good precedent.
[1:3] 37 sn When Luke says it seemed good to me as well he is not being critical of the earlier accounts, but sees himself stepping into a tradition of reporting about Jesus to which he will add uniquely a second volume on the early church when he writes the Book of Acts.
[1:3] 38 tn Grk “having followed”; the participle παρηκολουθηκότι (parhkolouqhkoti) has been translated causally.
[1:3] 39 sn An orderly account does not necessarily mean that all events are recorded in the exact chronological sequence in which they occurred, but that the account produced is an orderly one. This could include, for example, thematic or topical order rather than strict chronological order.
[1:4] 40 tn Or “know the truth about”; or “know the certainty of.” The issue of the context is psychological confidence; Luke’s work is trying to encourage Theophilus. So in English this is better translated as “know for certain” than “know certainty” or “know the truth,” which sounds too cognitive. “Certain” assumes the truth of the report. On this term, see Acts 2:36; 21:34; 22:30; and 25:26. The meaning “have assurance concerning” is also possible here.
[1:4] 41 tn Or “you heard about.” This term can refer merely to a report of information (Acts 21:24) or to instruction (Acts 18:25). The scope of Luke’s Gospel as a whole, which calls for perseverance in the faith and which assumes much knowledge of the OT, suggests Theophilus had received some instruction and was probably a believer.
[1:5] 42 tn Grk “It happened that in the days.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:5] 43 sn Herod was Herod the Great, who ruled Palestine from 37
[1:5] 44 tn Grk “of”; but the meaning of the preposition ἐκ (ek) is more accurately expressed in contemporary English by the relative clause “who belonged to.”
[1:5] 45 sn There were twenty-four divisions of priesthood and the priestly division of Abijah was eighth on the list according to 1 Chr 24:10.
[1:5] 46 tn Grk “and her name was Elizabeth.”
[1:5] 47 tn Grk “a wife of the daughters of Aaron.”
[1:5] sn It was not unusual for a priest to have a wife from a priestly family (a descendant of Aaron); this was regarded as a special blessing.
[1:6] 48 tn Grk “And they.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here.
[1:6] 49 tn Grk “walking in” (an idiom for one’s lifestyle).
[1:6] sn The description of Zechariah and Elizabeth as following… blamelessly was not to say that they were sinless, but that they were faithful and pious. Thus a practical righteousness is meant here (Gen 6:8; Deut 28:9).
[1:6] 50 tn The predicate adjective has the effect of an adverb here (BDF §243).
[1:7] 51 sn Elizabeth was barren. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth are regarded by Luke as righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly (v. 6). With this language, reminiscent of various passages in the OT, Luke is probably drawing implicit comparisons to the age and barrenness of such famous OT personalities as Abraham and Sarah (see, e.g., Gen 18:9-15), the mother of Samson (Judg 13:2-5), and Hannah, the mother of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1-20). And, as it was in the case of these OT saints, so it is with Elizabeth: After much anguish and seeking the Lord, she too is going to have a son in her barrenness. In that day it was a great reproach to be childless, for children were a sign of God’s blessing (cf. Gen 1:28; Lev 20:20-21; Pss 127 and 128; Jer 22:30). As the dawn of salvation draws near, however, God will change this elderly couple’s grief into great joy and grant them the one desire time had rendered impossible.
[1:7] 52 tn Grk “were both advanced in days” (an idiom for old age).
[1:8] 53 tn Grk “Now it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:8] 54 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Zechariah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:8] 55 tn Grk “serving as priest in the order of his division before God.”
[1:8] sn Zechariah’s division would be on duty twice a year for a week at a time.
[1:9] 56 tn Grk “according to the custom of the priesthood it fell to him by lot.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged in the translation to make it clear that the prepositional phrase κατὰ τὸ ἔθος τῆς ἱερατείας (kata to eqo" th" Jierateia", “according to the custom of the priesthood”) modifies the phrase “it fell to him by lot” rather than the preceding clause.
[1:9] 57 tn This is an aorist participle and is temporally related to the offering of incense, not to when the lot fell.
[1:9] 58 tn Or “temple.” Such sacrifices, which included the burning of incense, would have occurred in the holy place according to the Mishnah (m. Tamid 1.2; 3.1; 5-7). A priest would have given this sacrifice, which was offered for the nation, once in one’s career. It would be offered either at 9 a.m. or 3 p.m., since it was made twice a day.
[1:10] 59 tn Grk “And,” but “now” better represents the somewhat parenthetical nature of this statement in the flow of the narrative.
[1:10] 60 tn Grk “all the multitude.” While “assembly” is sometimes used here to translate πλῆθος (plhqo"), that term usually implies in English a specific or particular group of people. However, this was simply a large group gathered outside, which was not unusual, especially for the afternoon offering.
[1:10] 61 tn The “hour of the incense offering” is another way to refer to the time of sacrifice.
[1:11] 62 tn Grk “And an angel.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, δέ (de) has not been translated here.
[1:11] 63 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” Linguistically, “angel of the Lord” is the same in both testaments (and thus, he is either “an angel of the Lord” or “the angel of the Lord” in both testaments). For arguments and implications, see ExSyn 252; M. J. Davidson, “Angels,” DJG, 9; W. G. MacDonald argues for “an angel” in both testaments: “Christology and ‘The Angel of the Lord’,” Current Issues in Biblical and Patristic Interpretation, 324-35.
[1:11] 64 sn This term is often used to describe a supernatural appearance (24:34; Acts 2:3; 7:2, 30, 35; 9:17; 13:31; 16:9; 26:16).
[1:12] 65 tn The words “the angel” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[1:12] 66 tn Or “and he was afraid”; Grk “fear fell upon him.” Fear is common when supernatural agents appear (1:29-30, 65; 2:9; 5:8-10; 9:34; 24:38; Exod 15:16; Judg 6:22-23; 13:6, 22; 2 Sam 6:9).
[1:13] 67 tn The passive means that the prayer was heard by God.
[1:13] sn Your prayer has been heard. Zechariah’s prayer while offering the sacrifice would have been for the nation, but the answer to the prayer also gave them a long hoped-for child, a hope they had abandoned because of their old age.
[1:13] 68 tn Grk “a son, and you”; καί (kai) has not been translated. Instead a semicolon is used in the translation for stylistic reasons.
[1:13] 69 tn Grk “you will call his name John.” The future tense here functions like a command (see ExSyn 569-70). This same construction occurs in v. 31.
[1:13] sn “Do not be afraid…you must call his name John.” This is a standard birth announcement (see Gen 16:11; Isa 7:14; Matt 1:21; Luke 1:31).
[1:14] 70 tn Grk “This will be joy and gladness.”
[1:14] 72 tn “At his birth” is more precise as the grammatical subject (1:58), though “at his coming” is a possible force, since it is his mission, as the following verses note, that will really bring joy.
[1:15] 74 tn Grk “and he”; because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the conjunction καί (kai) has not been translated here. Instead a new English sentence is begun in the translation.
[1:15] 75 tn Grk “even from his mother’s womb.” While this idiom may be understood to refer to the point of birth (“even from his birth”), Luke 1:41 suggests that here it should be understood to refer to a time before birth.
[1:15] sn He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. This is the language of the birth of a prophet (Judg 13:5, 7; Isa 49:1; Jer 1:5; Sir 49:7); see 1:41 for the first fulfillment.
[1:16] 76 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:16] 77 sn The word translated will turn is a good summary term for repentance and denotes John’s call to a change of direction (Luke 3:1-14).
[1:16] 78 tn Grk “sons”; but clearly this is a generic reference to people of both genders.
[1:17] 79 tn Grk “before him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:17] 80 sn These two lines cover all relationships: Turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children points to horizontal relationships, while (turn) the disobedient to the wisdom of the just shows what God gives from above in a vertical manner.
[1:18] 81 tn Grk “And Zechariah.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:18] 82 tn Grk “How will I know this?”
[1:18] 83 tn Grk “is advanced in days” (an idiom for old age).
[1:19] 84 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:19] 85 tn Grk “the one who is standing before God.”
[1:19] 86 tn Grk “to announce these things of good news to you.”
[1:20] 88 sn The predicted fulfillment in the expression my words, which will be fulfilled in their time takes place in Luke 1:63-66.
[1:20] 89 sn Silent, unable to speak. Actually Zechariah was deaf and mute as 1:61-63 indicates, since others had to use gestures to communicate with him.
[1:21] 90 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[1:21] 91 tn The imperfect verb ἐθαύμαζον (eqaumazon) has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[1:21] 92 tn Or “temple.” See the note on the phrase “the holy place” in v. 9.
[1:22] 93 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:22] 94 tn Grk “and they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:22] 95 tn That is, “he had had a supernatural encounter in the holy place,” since the angel came to Zechariah by the altar. This was not just a “mental experience.”
[1:22] 96 tn Or “temple.” See the note on the phrase “the holy place” in v. 9.
[1:22] 97 tn Grk “and,” but the force is causal or explanatory in context.
[1:22] 98 tn Grk “dumb,” but this could be understood to mean “stupid” in contemporary English, whereas the point is that he was speechless.
[1:23] 99 tn Grk “And it happened that as the days of his service were ended.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[1:24] 100 tn Grk “After these days.” The phrase refers to a general, unspecified period of time that passes before fulfillment comes.
[1:24] 101 tn Or “Elizabeth conceived.”
[1:24] 102 sn The text does not state why Elizabeth withdrew into seclusion, nor is the reason entirely clear.
[1:24] 103 tn Grk “she kept herself in seclusion, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[1:25] 105 tn Grk “in the days.”
[1:25] 106 tn Grk “has looked on me” (an idiom for taking favorable notice of someone).
[1:25] 107 sn Barrenness was often seen as a reproach or disgrace (Lev 20:20-21; Jer 22:30), but now at her late age (the exact age is never given in Luke’s account), God had miraculously removed it (see also Luke 1:7).
[1:25] 108 tn Grk “among men”; but the context clearly indicates a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") here.
[1:26] 109 tn Grk “in the sixth month.” The phrase “of Elizabeth’s pregnancy” was supplied in the translation to clarify the exact time meant by this reference. That Elizabeth’s pregnancy is meant is clear from vv. 24-25.
[1:26] 110 sn Gabriel is the same angel mentioned previously in v. 19. He is traditionally identified as an angel who brings revelation (see Dan 8:15-16; 9:21). Gabriel and Michael are the only two good angels named in the Bible.
[1:26] 111 tn Or “from.” The account suggests God’s planned direction in these events, so “by” is better than “from,” as six months into Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God acts again.
[1:26] 112 sn Nazareth was a town in the region of Galilee, located north of Samaria and Judea. Galilee extended from about 45 to 85 miles north of Jerusalem and was about 30 miles in width. Nazareth was a very small village and was located about 15 miles west of the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee.
[1:26] map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[1:27] 113 tn Or “promised in marriage.”
[1:27] 114 tn Grk “Joseph, of the house of David.”
[1:27] sn The Greek word order here favors connecting Davidic descent to Joseph, not Mary, in this remark.
[1:28] 115 tn Grk “And coming to her.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:28] 116 tn Grk “And coming to her, he said”; the referent (the angel) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:28] 117 tn Grk “coming to her, he said.” The participle εἰσελθών (eiselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[1:28] 118 tn The address, “favored one” (a perfect participle, Grk “Oh one who is favored”) points to Mary as the recipient of God’s grace, not a bestower of it. She is a model saint in this passage, one who willingly receives God’s benefits. The Vulgate rendering “full of grace” suggests something more of Mary as a bestower of grace, but does not make sense here contextually.
[1:28] 119 tc Most
[1:29] 120 tc Most
[1:29] 121 sn On the phrase greatly troubled see 1:12. Mary’s reaction was like Zechariah’s response.
[1:29] 122 tn Grk “to wonder what kind of greeting this might be.” Luke often uses the optative this way to reveal a figure’s thinking (3:15; 8:9; 18:36; 22:23).
[1:30] 123 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Gabriel’s statement is a response to Mary’s perplexity over the greeting.
[1:30] 124 sn Do not be afraid. See 1:13 for a similar statement to Zechariah.
[1:30] sn The expression found favor is a Semitism, common in the OT (Gen 6:8; 18:3; 43:14; 2 Sam 15:25). God has chosen to act on this person’s behalf.
[1:31] 126 tn Grk “And behold.”
[1:31] 127 tn Grk “you will conceive in your womb.”
[1:31] 129 tn Grk “you will call his name.”
[1:31] 130 tn See v. 13 for a similar construction.
[1:31] sn You will name him Jesus. This verse reflects the birth announcement of a major figure; see 1:13; Gen 16:7; Judg 13:5; Isa 7:14. The Greek form of the name Ihsous, which was translated into Latin as Jesus, is the same as the Hebrew Yeshua (Joshua), which means “Yahweh saves” (Yahweh is typically rendered as “Lord” in the OT). It was a fairly common name among Jews in 1st century Palestine, as references to a number of people by this name in the LXX and Josephus indicate.
[1:32] 132 sn Compare the description of Jesus as great here with 1:15, “great before the Lord.” Jesus is greater than John, since he is Messiah compared to a prophet. Great is stated absolutely without qualification to make the point.
[1:32] 133 sn The expression Most High is a way to refer to God without naming him. Such avoiding of direct reference to God was common in 1st century Judaism out of reverence for the divine name.
[1:33] 135 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. A new sentence is begun here in the translation because of the length of the sentence in Greek.
[1:33] 136 tn Or “over Israel.”
[1:33] sn The expression house of Jacob refers to Israel. This points to the Messiah’s relationship to the people of Israel.
[1:34] 137 tn Grk “And Mary.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:34] 138 tn Grk “have not known.” The expression in the Greek text is a euphemism for sexual relations. Mary seems to have sensed that the declaration had an element of immediacy to it that excluded Joseph. Many modern translations render this phrase “since I am a virgin,” but the Greek word for virgin is not used in the text, and the euphemistic expression is really more explicit, referring specifically to sexual relations.
[1:35] 139 tn Grk “And the angel said to her.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. The pronoun αὐτῇ (auth, “to her”) has not been included in the translation since it is redundant in contemporary English.
[1:35] 140 sn The phrase will overshadow is a reference to God’s glorious presence at work (Exod 40:34-35; Ps 91:4).
[1:35] 141 tn Or “the one born holy will be called the Son of God.” The wording of this phrase depends on whether the adjective is a predicate adjective, as in the text, or is an adjective modifying the participle serving as the subject. The absence of an article with the adjective speaks for a predicate position. Other less appealing options supply a verb for “holy”; thus “the one who is born will be holy”; or argue that both “holy” and “Son of God” are predicates, so “The one who is born will be called holy, the Son of God.”
[1:35] 142 tc A few
[1:35] 143 tn Or “Therefore the holy child to be born will be called the Son of God.” There are two ways to understand the Greek phrase τὸ γεννώμενον ἅγιον (to gennwmenon {agion) here. First, τὸ γεννώμενον could be considered a substantival participle with ἅγιον as an adjective in the second predicate position, thus making a complete sentence; this interpretation is reflected in the translation above. Second, τὸ ἅγιον could be considered a substantival adjective with γεννώμενον acting as an adjectival participle, thus making the phrase the subject of the verb κληθήσεται (klhqhsetai); this interpretation is reflected in the alternative reading. Treating the participle γεννώμενον as adjectival is a bit unnatural for the very reason that it forces one to understand ἅγιον as substantival; this introduces a new idea in the text with ἅγιον when an already new topic is being introduced with γεννώμενον. Semantically this would overload the new subject introduced at this point. For this reason the first interpretation is preferred.
[1:36] 145 tn Some translations render the word συγγενίς (sungeni") as “cousin” (so Phillips) but the term is not necessarily this specific.
[1:36] 146 tn Or “has conceived.”
[1:36] 147 tn Grk “and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren.” Yet another note on Elizabeth’s loss of reproach also becomes a sign of the truth of the angel’s declaration.
[1:37] 148 tn In Greek, the phrase πᾶν ῥῆμα (pan rJhma, “nothing”) has an emphatic position, giving it emphasis as the lesson in the entire discussion. The remark is a call for faith.
[1:38] 149 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[1:38] 151 tn Traditionally, “handmaid”; Grk “slave woman.” Though δούλη (doulh) is normally translated “woman servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free woman serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times… in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v. δοῦλος). The most accurate translation is “bondservant,” sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος (doulos), in that it often indicates one who sells himself or herself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force.
[1:38] 152 tn Grk “let this be to me.”
[1:38] 153 sn The remark according to your word is a sign of Mary’s total submission to God’s will, a response that makes her exemplary.
[1:38] 154 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[1:39] 155 sn The expression In those days is another general time reference, though the sense of the context is that the visit came shortly after Mary miraculously conceived and shortly after the announcement about Jesus.
[1:39] 156 sn The author does not say exactly where Elizabeth stayed. The location is given generally as a town of Judah. Judah is about a three day trip south of Nazareth.
[1:41] 157 tn Grk “And it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, καί (kai) has not been translated here either.
[1:41] 158 sn When the baby leaped John gave his first testimony about Jesus, a fulfillment of 1:15.
[1:41] 159 tn The antecedent of “her” is Elizabeth.
[1:41] 160 sn The passage makes clear that Elizabeth spoke her commentary with prophetic enablement, filled with the Holy Spirit.
[1:42] 161 tn Grk “and she.” Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was begun here in the translation. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:42] 162 tn Grk “and she exclaimed with a great cry and said.” The verb εἶπεν (eipen, “said”) has not been included in the translation since it is redundant in contemporary English.
[1:42] 163 sn The commendation Blessed are you among women means that Mary has a unique privilege to be the mother of the promised one of God.
[1:42] 164 tn Grk “fruit,” which is figurative here for the child she would give birth to.
[1:43] 165 tn Grk “From where this to me?” The translation suggests the note of humility and surprise that Elizabeth feels in being a part of these events. The ἵνα (Jina) clause which follows explains what “this” is. A literal translation would read “From where this to me, that is, that the mother of my Lord comes to visit me?”
[1:44] 166 tn Grk “for behold.”
[1:44] 167 tn Grk “when the sound of your greeting [reached] my ears.”
[1:44] 168 sn On the statement the baby in my womb leaped for joy see both 1:14 and 1:47. This notes a fulfillment of God’s promised word.
[1:45] 169 sn Again the note of being blessed makes the key point of the passage about believing God.
[1:45] 170 tn This ὅτι (Joti) clause, technically indirect discourse after πιστεύω (pisteuw), explains the content of the faith, a belief in God’s promise coming to pass.
[1:45] 171 tn That is, “what was said to her (by the angel) at the Lord’s command” (BDAG 756 s.v. παρά A.2).
[1:45] 172 tn Grk “that there would be a fulfillment of what was said to her from the Lord.”
[1:45] sn This term speaks of completion of something planned (2 Chr 29:35).
[1:46] 173 tc A few witnesses, especially Latin
[1:46] 174 sn The following passage has been typeset as poetry because many scholars regard this passage as poetic or hymnic. These terms are used broadly to refer to the genre of writing, not to the content. There are two broad criteria for determining if a passage is poetic or hymnic: “(a) stylistic: a certain rhythmical lilt when the passages are read aloud, the presence of parallelismus membrorum (i.e., an arrangement into couplets), the semblance of some metre, and the presence of rhetorical devices such as alliteration, chiasmus, and antithesis; and (b) linguistic: an unusual vocabulary, particularly the presence of theological terms, which is different from the surrounding context” (P. T. O’Brien, Philippians [NIGTC], 188-89). Classifying a passage as hymnic or poetic is important because understanding this genre can provide keys to interpretation. However, not all scholars agree that the above criteria are present in this passage, so the decision to typeset it as poetry should be viewed as a tentative decision about its genre.
[1:46] 175 tn Or “lifts up the Lord in praise.”
[1:46] 176 sn This psalm (vv. 46-55) is one of the few praise psalms in the NT. Mary praises God and then tells why both in terms of his care for her (vv. 46-49) and for others, including Israel (vv. 50-55). Its traditional name, the “Magnificat,” comes from the Latin for the phrase My soul magnifies the Lord at the hymn’s start.
[1:47] 177 tn Or “rejoices.” The translation renders this aorist, which stands in contrast to the previous line’s present tense, as ingressive, which highlights Mary’s joyous reaction to the announcement. A comprehensive aorist is also possible here.
[1:48] 178 tn See the note on the word “servant” in v. 38.
[1:48] 179 tn Grk “for behold.”
[1:48] 180 sn From now on is a favorite phrase of Luke’s, showing how God’s acts change things from this point on (5:10; 12:52; 22:18, 69; Acts 18:6).
[1:48] 181 sn Mary is seen here as an example of an object of God’s grace (blessed) for all generations.
[1:49] 182 tn Traditionally, “the Mighty One.”
[1:50] 183 tn Grk “and from.” Here καί (kai) has been translated by a semicolon to improve the English style.
[1:50] 184 sn God’s mercy refers to his “loyal love” or “steadfast love,” expressed in faithful actions, as the rest of the psalm illustrates.
[1:50] 185 tn That is, “who revere.” This refers to those who show God a reverential respect for his sovereignty.
[1:51] 186 tn Or “shown strength,” “performed powerful deeds.” The verbs here switch to aorist tense through 1:55. This is how God will act in general for his people as they look to his ultimate deliverance.
[1:51] 187 tn Grk “in the imaginations of their hearts.” The psalm rebukes the arrogance of the proud, who think that power is their sovereign right. Here διανοίᾳ (dianoia) can be understood as a dative of sphere or reference/respect.
[1:52] 189 tn Or “those of humble position”
[1:52] sn The contrast between the mighty and those of lowly position is fundamental for Luke. God cares for those that the powerful ignore (Luke 4:18-19).
[1:53] 190 sn Good things refers not merely to material blessings, but blessings that come from knowing God.
[1:53] 191 sn Another fundamental contrast of Luke’s is between the hungry and the rich (Luke 6:20-26).
[1:54] 192 tn Or “because he remembered mercy,” understanding the infinitive as causal.
[1:54] 193 tn Or “his [God’s] loyal love.”
[1:55] 194 tn Grk “as he spoke.” Since this is a reference to the covenant to Abraham, ἐλάλησεν (elalhsen) can be translated in context “as he promised.” God keeps his word.
[1:55] 196 tn Grk “his seed” (an idiom for offspring or descendants).
[1:56] 197 tn Grk “And.” Here (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.
[1:56] 198 tn Grk “her”; the referent (Elizabeth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:56] 199 sn As is typical with Luke the timing is approximate (about three months), not specific.
[1:57] 200 tn Grk “the time was fulfilled.”
[1:57] 201 tn The words “her baby” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity.
[1:58] 202 tn Grk “And her.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:58] 203 tn Grk “had magnified his mercy with her.”
[1:58] 204 tn The verb συνέχαιρον (sunecairon) is an imperfect and could be translated as an ingressive force, “they began to rejoice.”
[1:59] 205 tn Grk “And it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:59] 206 sn They were following OT law (Lev 12:3) which prescribed that a male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day.
[1:59] 207 tn This could be understood as a conative imperfect, expressing an unrealized desire (“they were trying to name him”). It has been given more of a voluntative nuance in the translation.
[1:60] 208 tn Grk “And,” but with clearly contrastive emphasis in context.
[1:60] 209 tn Grk “his mother answering, said.” The combination of participle and finite verb is redundant in English and has been simplified to “replied” in the translation.
[1:60] 210 tn This future passive indicative verb has imperatival force and thus has been translated “he must be named.”
[1:60] 211 sn “No! He must be named John.” By insisting on the name specified by the angel, Elizabeth (v. 60) and Zechariah (v. 63) have learned to obey God (see Luke 1:13).
[1:61] 212 tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:61] 213 tn The word “but” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[1:61] 214 tn Grk “There is no one from your relatives who is called by this name.”
[1:62] 215 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action described.
[1:62] 216 tn Grk “his”; the referent (the baby) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:62] 217 sn The crowd was sure there had been a mistake, so they appealed to the child’s father. But custom was not to be followed here, since God had spoken. The fact they needed to signal him (made signs) shows that he was deaf as well as unable to speak.
[1:62] 218 tn Grk “what he might wish to call him.”
[1:63] 219 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:63] 220 sn The writing tablet requested by Zechariah would have been a wax tablet.
[1:63] 221 tn Grk “and wrote, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant is English and has not been translated.
[1:63] 222 sn The response, they were all amazed, expresses a mixture of surprise and reflection in this setting where they were so certain of what the child’s name would be.
[1:64] 223 tn Grk “And immediately.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:64] 224 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Zechariah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:64] 225 sn The mention of both mouth and tongue here is a figure called zeugma and emphasizes that the end of the temporary judgment came instantly and fully upon Zechariah’s expression of faith in naming the child. He had learned to trust and obey God during his short period of silence. He had learned from his trial.
[1:64] 226 tn “Released” is implied; in the Greek text both στόμα (stoma) and γλῶσσα (glwssa) are subjects of ἀνεῴχθη (anewcqh), but this would be somewhat redundant in English.
[1:65] 227 tn Grk “And all.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[1:65] sn Fear is the emotion that comes when one recognizes something unusual, even supernatural, has taken place.
[1:66] 228 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. A new sentence was begun at this point in the translation because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence.
[1:66] 229 tn Grk “heard them”; the referent (these things, from the previous verse) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[1:66] 230 tn Grk “heart.” The term “heart” (καρδία, kardia) could also be translated as “mind,” or “thoughts,” and the entire phrase be rendered as “kept them in mind,” “thought about,” or the like. But the immediate context is clearly emotive, suggesting that much more is at work than merely the mental processes of thinking or reasoning about “these things.” There is a sense of joy and excitement (see the following question, “What then will this child be?”) and even fear. Further, the use of καρδία in 1:66 suggests connections with the same term in 2:19 where deep emotion is being expressed as well. Therefore, recognizing both the dramatic nature of the immediate context and the literary connections to 2:19, the translation renders the term in 1:66 as “hearts” to capture both the cognitive and emotive aspects of the people’s response.
[1:66] 231 tn Or “what manner of child will this one be?”
[1:66] 232 sn The reference to the Lord’s hand indicates that the presence, direction, and favor of God was with him (Acts 7:9b).
[1:67] 233 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[1:67] 234 tn Grk “and he prophesied, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[1:67] sn Prophesied. The reference to prophecy reflects that Zechariah is enabled by the Spirit to speak God’s will. He does so in this case through a praise psalm, which calls for praise and then gives the reason why God should be praised.
[1:68] 235 sn The traditional name of this psalm, the “Benedictus,” comes from the Latin wording of the start of the hymn (“Blessed be…”).
[1:68] 236 sn The verb come to help can refer to a visit, but can also connote concern or assistance (L&N 85.11).
[1:68] 237 tn Or “has delivered”; Grk “has accomplished redemption.”
[1:68] sn Has redeemed is a reference to redemption, but it anticipates the total release into salvation that the full work of Messiah will bring for Israel. This involves both spiritual and material benefits eventually.
[1:69] 238 tn Grk “and,” but specifying the reason for the praise in the psalm.
[1:69] 239 sn The phrase raised up means for God to bring someone significant onto the scene of history.
[1:69] 240 sn The horn of salvation is a figure that refers to the power of Messiah and his ability to protect, as the horn refers to what an animal uses to attack and defend (Ps 75:4-5, 10; 148:14; 2 Sam 22:3). Thus the meaning of the figure is “a powerful savior.”
[1:69] 241 sn In the house of his servant David is a reference to Messiah’s Davidic descent. Zechariah is more interested in Jesus than his own son John at this point.
[1:70] 242 tn Grk “from the ages,” “from eternity.”
[1:71] 243 tn Grk “from long ago, salvation.”
[1:71] 244 sn The theme of being saved from our enemies is like the release Jesus preached in Luke 4:18-19. Luke’s narrative shows that one of the enemies in view is Satan and his cohorts, with the grip they have on humanity.
[1:72] 245 tn The words “He has done this” (referring to the raising up of the horn of salvation from David’s house) are not in the Greek text, but are supplied to allow a new sentence to be started in the translation. The Greek sentence is lengthy and complex at this point, while contemporary English uses much shorter sentences.
[1:72] 246 sn Mercy refers to God’s loyal love (steadfast love) by which he completes his promises. See Luke 1:50.
[1:72] 247 tn Or “our forefathers”; Grk “our fathers.” This begins with the promise to Abraham (vv. 55, 73), and thus refers to many generations of ancestors.
[1:72] 248 sn The promises of God can be summarized as being found in the one promise (the oath that he swore) to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3).
[1:73] 249 tn This is linked back grammatically by apposition to “covenant” in v. 72, specifying which covenant is meant.
[1:73] 250 tn Or “forefather”; Grk “father.”
[1:73] 251 tn Again for reasons of English style, the infinitival clause “to grant us” has been translated “This oath grants” and made the beginning of a new sentence in the translation.
[1:74] 252 tc Many important early
[1:74] 253 tn This phrase in Greek is actually thrown forward to the front of the verse to give it emphasis.
[1:75] 254 sn The phrases that we…might serve him…in holiness and righteousness from Luke 1:74-75 well summarize a basic goal for a believer in the eyes of Luke. Salvation frees us up to serve God without fear through a life full of ethical integrity.
[1:75] 255 tn Grk “all our days.”
[1:76] 256 sn Now Zechariah describes his son John (you, child) through v. 77.
[1:76] 257 tn Or “a prophet”; but since Greek nouns can be definite without the article, and since in context this is a reference to the eschatological forerunner of the Messiah (cf. John 1:17), the concept is better conveyed to the English reader by the use of the definite article “the.”
[1:76] 258 sn In other words, John is a prophet of God; see 1:32 and 7:22-23, 28.
[1:76] 259 tc Most
[1:76] 260 tn This term is often translated in the singular, looking specifically to the forerunner role, but the plural suggests the many elements in that salvation.
[1:76] sn On the phrase prepare his ways see Isa 40:3-5 and Luke 3:1-6.
[1:77] 261 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] 262 sn Forgiveness is another major Lukan theme (Luke 4:18; 24:47; Acts 10:37).
[1:78] 263 tn For reasons of style, a new sentence has been started in the translation at this point. God’s mercy is ultimately seen in the deliverance John points to, so v. 78a is placed with the reference to Jesus as the light of dawning day.
[1:78] 264 sn God’s loyal love (steadfast love) is again the topic, reflected in the phrase tender mercy; see Luke 1:72.
[1:78] 265 sn The Greek term translated dawn (ἀνατολή, anatolh) can be a reference to the morning star or to the sun. The Messiah is pictured as a saving light that shows the way. The Greek term was also used to translate the Hebrew word for “branch” or “sprout,” so some see a double entendre here with messianic overtones (see Isa 11:1-10; Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12).
[1:78] 266 tn Grk “shall visit us.”
[1:79] 267 sn On the phrases who sit in darkness…and…death see Isa 9:1-2; 42:7; 49:9-10.
[1:80] 269 tn This verb is imperfect.
[1:80] 270 tn This verb is also imperfect.
[1:80] 272 tn Grk “until the day of his revealing.”
[2:1] 273 tn Grk “Now it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[2:1] 274 sn This decree was a formal decree from the Roman Senate.
[2:1] 275 tn Or “from the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[2:1] 276 sn Caesar Augustus refers to Octavian, who was Caesar from 27
[2:1] 277 tn Grk “that all the empire should be registered for taxes.” The passive infinitive ἀπογράφεσθαι (apografesqai) has been rendered as an active in the translation to improve the English style. The verb is regarded as a technical term for official registration in tax lists (BDAG 108 s.v. ἀπογράφω a).
[2:1] sn This census (a decree…to register all the empire) is one of the more disputed historical remarks in Luke. Josephus (Ant. 18.1.1 [18.1-2]) only mentions a census in
[2:1] 278 tn Grk “the whole (inhabited) world,” but this was a way to refer to the Roman empire (L&N 1.83).
[2:2] 279 tn Or “was a minister of Syria.” This term could simply refer to an administrative role Quirinius held as opposed to being governor (Josephus, Ant. 18.4.2 [18.88]). See also Luke 2:1.
[2:3] 280 tn Grk “And everyone.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:3] 281 tn Or “hometown” (so CEV).
[2:4] 282 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.
[2:4] 283 sn On Nazareth see Luke 1:26.
[2:4] map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[2:4] 284 tn Or “town.” The translation “city” is used here because of its collocation with “of David,” suggesting its importance, though not its size.
[2:4] 285 sn The journey from Nazareth to the city of David called Bethlehem was a journey of about 90 mi (150 km). Bethlehem was a small village located about 7 miles south-southwest of Jerusalem.
[2:4] map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[2:4] 286 sn Luke’s use of the term “house” probably alludes to the original promise made to David outlined in the Nathan oracle of 2 Sam 7:12-16, especially in light of earlier connections between Jesus and David made in Luke 1:32. Further, the mention of Bethlehem reminds one of the promise of Mic 5:2, namely, that a great king would emerge from Bethlehem to rule over God’s people.
[2:4] 287 tn Or “family,” “lineage.”
[2:5] 288 tn The words “He went” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to begin a new sentence in the translation. The Greek sentence is longer and more complex than normal contemporary English usage.
[2:5] 289 tn Traditionally, “Mary, his betrothed.” Although often rendered in contemporary English as “Mary, who was engaged to him,” this may give the modern reader a wrong impression, since Jewish marriages in this period were typically arranged marriages. The term ἐμνηστευμένῃ (emnhsteumenh) may suggest that the marriage is not yet consummated, not necessarily that they are not currently married. Some
[2:6] 290 tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:6] 291 tn The words “her child” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to clarify what was being delivered. The wording here is like Luke 1:57. Grk “the days for her to give birth were fulfilled.”
[2:7] 292 sn The strips of cloth (traditionally, “swaddling cloths”) were strips of linen that would be wrapped around the arms and legs of an infant to keep the limbs protected.
[2:7] 293 tn Or “a feeding trough.”
[2:7] 294 tn The Greek word κατάλυμα is flexible, and usage in the LXX and NT refers to a variety of places for lodging (see BDAG 521 s.v.). Most likely Joseph and Mary sought lodging in the public accommodations in the city of Bethlehem (see J. Nolland, Luke [WBC], 1:105), which would have been crude shelters for people and animals. However, it has been suggested by various scholars that Joseph and Mary were staying with relatives in Bethlehem (e.g., C. S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 194; B. Witherington, “Birth of Jesus,” DJG, 69-70); if that were so the term would refer to the guest room in the relatives’ house, which would have been filled beyond capacity with all the other relatives who had to journey to Bethlehem for the census.
[2:7] sn There was no place for them in the inn. There is no drama in how this is told. There is no search for a variety of places to stay or a heartless innkeeper. (Such items are later, nonbiblical embellishments.) Bethlehem was not large and there was simply no other place to stay. The humble surroundings of the birth are ironic in view of the birth’s significance.
[2:8] 295 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[2:8] 296 sn Some argue that shepherds were among the culturally despised, but the evidence for this view of shepherds is late, coming from 5th century Jewish materials. December 25 as the celebrated date of Jesus’ birth arose around the time of Constantine (ca.
[2:8] 297 tn Grk “in that region.”
[2:8] 298 tn Grk “living in the field (see BDAG 15 s.v. ἀγραυλέω) and guarding their flock.”
[2:9] 299 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:9] 300 tn Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:11.
[2:9] 301 tn Or “stood in front of.”
[2:9] 302 tn Grk “they feared a great fear” (a Semitic idiom which intensifies the main idea, in this case their fear).
[2:9] sn Terrified. See similar responses in Luke 1:12, 29.
[2:10] 304 tn Grk “I evangelize to you great joy.”
[2:11] 305 sn The Greek word for today (σήμερον, shmeron) occurs eleven times in the Gospel of Luke (2:11; 4:21; 5:26; 12:28; 13:32-33; 19:5, 9; 22:34, 61; 23:43) and nine times in Acts. Its use, especially in passages such as 2:11, 4:21, 5:26; 19:5, 9, signifies the dawning of the era of messianic salvation and the fulfillment of the plan of God. Not only does it underscore the idea of present fulfillment in Jesus’ ministry, but it also indicates salvific fulfillment present in the church (cf. Acts 1:6; 3:18; D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:412; I. H. Marshall, Luke, [NIGTC], 873).
[2:11] 306 tn Or “town.” See the note on “city” in v. 4.
[2:11] 307 tn This is another indication of a royal, messianic connection.
[2:11] 308 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[2:11] sn The term χριστός (cristos) was originally an adjective (“anointed”), developing in LXX into a substantive (“an anointed one”), then developing still further into a technical generic term (“the anointed one”). In the intertestamental period it developed further into a technical term referring to the hoped-for anointed one, that is, a specific individual. In the NT the development starts there (technical-specific), is so used in the gospels, and then develops in Paul to mean virtually Jesus’ last name.
[2:12] 309 tn Grk “And this.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:12] 310 sn The sign functions for the shepherds like Elizabeth’s conception served for Mary in 1:36.
[2:12] 311 tn Or “a feeding trough,” see Luke 2:7.
[2:13] 312 tn Grk “And suddenly.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:13] 313 tn Grk “a multitude of the armies of heaven.”
[2:14] 314 sn Glory here refers to giving honor to God.
[2:14] 315 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") referring to both males and females.
[2:14] 316 tc Most witnesses (א2 B2 L Θ Ξ Ψ Ë1,13 Ï sy bo) have ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία (en anqrwpoi" eudokia, “good will among people”) instead of ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας (en anqrwpoi" eudokia", “among people with whom he is pleased”), a reading attested by א* A B* D W pc (sa). Most of the Itala witnesses and some other versional witnesses reflect a Greek text which has the genitive εὐδοκίας but drops the preposition ἐν. Not only is the genitive reading better attested, but it is more difficult than the nominative. “The meaning seems to be, not that divine peace can be bestowed only where human good will is already present, but that at the birth of the Saviour God’s peace rests on those whom he has chosen in accord with his good pleasure” (TCGNT 111).
[2:15] 317 tn Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:15] 318 map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.
[2:15] 319 sn Note how although angels delivered the message, it was the Lord whose message is made known, coming through them.
[2:16] 320 tn Or “a feeding trough.”
[2:17] 321 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:17] 322 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[2:17] 323 tn Grk “the word which had been spoken to them.”
[2:18] 324 tn Grk “marveled.” It is a hard word to translate with one term in this context. There is a mixture of amazement and pondering at work in considering the surprising events here. See Luke 1:21, 63; 2:33.
[2:19] 325 tn The term συμβάλλουσα (sumballousa) suggests more than remembering. She is trying to put things together here (Josephus, Ant. 2.5.3 [2.72]). The words “what they might mean” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[2:20] 326 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.
[2:20] 327 sn The mention of glorifying and praising God is the second note of praise in this section; see Luke 2:13-14.
[2:20] 328 tn Grk “just as [it] had been spoken to them.” This has been simplified in the English translation by making the prepositional phrase (“to them”) the subject of the passive verb.
[2:20] sn The closing remark just as they had been told notes a major theme of Luke 1-2 as he sought to reassure Theophilus: God does what he says he will do.
[2:21] 329 tn Grk “And when eight days were completed.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:21] 330 sn Jesus’ parents obeyed the angel as Zechariah and Elizabeth had (1:57-66). These events are taking place very much under God’s direction.
[2:22] 331 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[2:22] 332 tc The translation follows most
[2:22] tn Or “when the days of their purification were completed.” In addition to the textual problem concerning the plural pronoun (which apparently includes Joseph in the process) there is also a question whether the term translated “purification” (καθαρισμός, kaqarismo") refers to the time period prescribed by the Mosaic law or to the offering itself which marked the end of the time period (cf. NLT, “it was time for the purification offering”).
[2:22] sn Exegetically the plural pronoun “their” creates a problem. It was Mary’s purification that was required by law, forty days after the birth (Lev 12:2-4). However, it is possible that Joseph shared in a need to be purified by having to help with the birth or that they also dedicated the child as a first born (Exod 13:2), which would also require a sacrifice that Joseph would bring. Luke’s point is that the parents followed the law. They were pious.
[2:22] 333 tn Grk “they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:22] 334 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:22] 335 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:23] 336 tn Grk “every male that opens the womb” (an idiom for the firstborn male).
[2:23] 337 sn An allusion to Exod 13:2, 12, 15.
[2:24] 338 sn The offering of a pair of doves or two young pigeons, instead of a lamb, speaks of the humble roots of Jesus’ family – they apparently could not afford the expense of a lamb.
[2:24] 339 sn A quotation from Lev 12:8; 5:11 (LXX).
[2:25] 340 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[2:25] 341 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:25] 342 tn Grk “This man was righteous.” The Greek text begins a new sentence here, but this was changed to a relative clause in the translation to avoid redundancy.
[2:25] 343 tn Or “deliverance,” “consolation.”
[2:25] sn The restoration of Israel refers to Simeon’s hope that the Messiah would come and deliver the nation (Isa 40:1; 49:13; 51:3; 57:18; 61:2; 2 Bar 44:7).
[2:25] 344 sn Once again, by mentioning the Holy Spirit, Luke stresses the prophetic enablement of a speaker. The Spirit has fallen on both men (Zechariah, 1:67) and women (Elizabeth, 1:41) in Luke 1–2 as they share the will of the Lord.
[2:26] 345 tn Grk “And it.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:26] 346 tn The use of the passive suggests a revelation by God, and in the OT the corresponding Hebrew term represented here by κεχρηματισμένον (kecrhmatismenon) indicated some form of direct revelation from God (Jer 25:30; 33:2; Job 40:8).
[2:26] 347 tn Grk “would not see death” (an idiom for dying).
[2:26] 348 tn On the grammar of this temporal clause, see BDF §§383.3; 395.
[2:26] 349 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[2:26] sn The revelation to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ is yet another example of a promise fulfilled in Luke 1-2. Also, see the note on Christ in 2:11.
[2:27] 350 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.
[2:27] 351 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:27] 352 tn Grk “So in the Spirit” or “So by the Spirit,” but since it refers to the Spirit’s direction the expanded translation “directed by the Spirit” is used here.
[2:27] 353 tn Grk “the temple.”
[2:27] sn The temple courts is a reference to the larger temple area, not the holy place. Simeon was either in the court of the Gentiles or the court of women, since Mary was present.
[2:27] 354 tn Grk “to do for him according to the custom of the law.” See Luke 2:22-24.
[2:28] 355 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:28] 356 tn Grk “and said.” The finite verb in Greek has been replaced with a participle in English to improve the smoothness of the translation.
[2:29] 357 sn The phrase according to your word again emphasizes that God will perform his promise.
[2:29] 358 tn The Greek word translated here by “Sovereign Lord” is δεσπότης (despoth").
[2:29] 359 sn This short prophetic declaration is sometimes called the Nunc dimittis, which comes from the opening phrase of the saying in Latin, “now dismiss,” a fairly literal translation of the Greek verb ἀπολύεις (apolueis, “now release”) in this verse.
[2:29] 360 tn Here the Greek word δοῦλος (doulos, “slave”) has been translated “servant” since it acts almost as an honorific term for one specially chosen and appointed to carry out the Lord’s tasks.
[2:29] sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times (Isa 43:10), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses (Josh 14:7), David (Ps 89:3; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8) and Elijah (2 Kgs 10:10); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”
[2:29] 361 tn Grk “now release your servant.”
[2:30] 362 sn To see Jesus, the Messiah, is to see God’s salvation.
[2:31] 363 sn Is the phrase all peoples a reference to Israel alone, or to both Israel and the Gentiles? The following verse makes it clear that all peoples includes Gentiles, another key Lukan emphasis (Luke 24:47; Acts 10:34-43).
[2:32] 364 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] 365 sn In other words, Jesus is a special cause for praise and honor (“glory”) for the nation.
[2:33] 366 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.
[2:33] 367 tn Grk “his”; the referent (the child) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:33] 368 tc Most
[2:33] 369 tn The term refers to the amazement at what was happening as in other places in Luke 1–2 (1:63; 2:18). The participle is plural, while the finite verb used in the periphrastic construction is singular, perhaps to show a unity in the parents’ response (BDF §135.1.d: Luke 8:19).
[2:34] 370 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[2:34] 372 tn Grk “this one”; the referent (the child) is supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:34] 373 sn The phrase the falling and rising of many emphasizes that Jesus will bring division in the nation, as some will be judged (falling) and others blessed (rising) because of how they respond to him. The language is like Isa 8:14-15 and conceptually like Isa 28:13-16. Here is the first hint that Jesus’ coming will be accompanied with some difficulties.
[2:34] 374 tn Grk “and for a sign of contradiction.”
[2:35] 375 tn Or “reasonings” (in a hostile sense). See G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.
[2:35] 376 sn The remark the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed shows that how people respond to Jesus indicates where their hearts really are before God.
[2:35] 377 sn A sword refers to a very large, broad two-edged sword. The language is figurative, picturing great pain. Though it refers in part to the cross, it really includes the pain all of Jesus’ ministry will cause, including the next event in Luke 2:41-52 and extending to the opposition he faced throughout his ministry.
[2:35] 378 sn This remark looks to be parenthetical and addressed to Mary alone, not the nation. Many modern English translations transpose this to make it the final clause in Simeon’s utterance as above to make this clear.
[2:36] 379 tn Her age is emphasized by the Greek phrase here, “she was very old in her many days.”
[2:37] 380 tn Grk “living with her husband for seven years from her virginity and she was a widow for eighty four years.” The chronology of the eighty-four years is unclear, since the final phrase could mean “she was widowed until the age of eighty-four” (so BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b.α). However, the more natural way to take the syntax is as a reference to the length of her widowhood, the subject of the clause, in which case Anna was about 105 years old (so D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:251-52; I. H. Marshall, Luke, [NIGTC], 123-24).
[2:37] 381 sn The statements about Anna worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day make her extreme piety clear.
[2:38] 382 tn Grk “at that very hour.”
[2:38] 383 tn Grk “And coming up.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. The participle ἐπιστᾶσα (epistasa) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[2:38] 384 tn The imperfect ἐλάλει (elalei) here looks at a process of declaration, not a single moment. She clearly was led by God to address men and women about the hope Jesus was. The testimony of Luke 1—2 to Jesus has involved all types of people.
[2:38] 385 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the child) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:38] 386 tc A few
[2:38] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:39] 387 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.
[2:39] 388 tn Grk “when they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:39] 390 sn On the phrase the law of the Lord see Luke 2:22-23.
[2:39] 392 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[2:40] 393 tc Most
[2:40] 394 sn With the description grew and became strong, filled with wisdom Luke emphasizes the humanity of Jesus and his growth toward maturity.
[2:40] 396 sn On the phrase the favor of God see Luke 1:66.
[2:41] 397 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[2:41] 398 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:41] 399 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[2:41] 400 tn On the distributive use of the term κατά (kata), see BDF §305.
[2:41] 401 sn The custom of Jesus and his family going to Jerusalem every year for the feast of the Passover shows their piety in obeying the law (Exod 23:14-17).
[2:42] 402 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:42] 403 sn According to the Mishnah, the age of twelve years old is one year before a boy becomes responsible for his religious commitments (m. Niddah 5.6).
[2:42] 404 tc Most
[2:43] 405 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated contrastively in keeping with the context. This outcome is different from what had happened all the times before.
[2:43] 406 tn Grk “when the days ended.”
[2:43] 407 tn The word “home” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity.
[2:43] 408 tn Grk “And his.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:43] 409 tc Most
[2:44] 410 sn An ancient journey like this would have involved a caravan of people who traveled together as a group for protection and fellowship.
[2:44] 411 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[2:44] 412 tn Or “and friends.” See L&N 28.30 and 34.17.
[2:45] 413 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:45] 414 sn The return to Jerusalem would have taken a second day, since they were already one day’s journey away.
[2:46] 415 tn Grk “And it happened that after.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:46] 416 sn Three days means there was one day out, another day back, and a third day of looking in Jerusalem.
[2:46] 417 tn Grk “the temple.”
[2:46] 418 tn This is the only place in Luke’s Gospel where the term διδάσκαλος (didaskalo", “teacher”) is applied to Jews.
[2:47] 419 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:47] 420 sn There was wonder (all who heard…were astonished) that Jesus at such a young age could engage in such a discussion. The fact that this story is told of a preteen hints that Jesus was someone special.
[2:48] 421 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:48] 422 tn Grk “when they”; the referent (his parents) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[2:48] 423 tn Grk “And his.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[2:48] 424 tn The Greek word here is τέκνον (teknon) rather than υἱός (Juios, “son”).
[2:48] 425 tn Or “Child, why did you do this to us?”
[2:48] 426 tn Or “your father and I have been terribly worried looking for you.”
[2:49] 427 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
[2:49] 428 tn Grk “he said to them.”
[2:49] 429 tn Grk “Why is it that you were looking for me?”
[2:49] 430 tn Or “I must be about my Father’s business” (so KJV, NKJV); Grk “in the [things] of my Father,” with an ellipsis. This verse involves an idiom that probably refers to the necessity of Jesus being involved in the instruction about God, given what he is doing. The most widely held view today takes this as a reference to the temple as the Father’s house. Jesus is saying that his parents should have known where he was.
[2:50] 431 tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast.
[2:50] 432 tn Grk “they”; the referent (his parents) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[2:50] 433 sn This was the first of many times those around Jesus did not understand what he was saying at the time (9:45; 10:21-24; 18:34).
[2:50] 434 tn Or “the matter.”
[2:50] 435 tn Grk “which he spoke.”
[2:51] 436 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[2:51] 437 map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[2:51] 438 tn Or “was submitting.”
[2:51] 439 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.
[2:51] 440 tn Or “all these words.”
[2:51] 441 sn On the phrase his mother kept all these things in her heart compare Luke 2:19.
[2:52] 442 tn Or “kept increasing.” The imperfect tense suggests something of a progressive force to the verb.
[3:1] 443 tn Or “Emperor Tiberius” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
[3:1] sn Tiberius Caesar was the Roman emperor Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus, who ruled from
[3:1] 444 sn The rule of Pontius Pilate is also described by Josephus, J. W. 2.9.2-4 (2.169-177) and Ant. 18.3.1 (18.55-59).
[3:1] 445 sn Herod refers here to Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great. He ruled from 4
[3:1] 446 sn A tetrarch was a ruler with rank and authority lower than a king, who ruled only with the approval of the Roman authorities. This was roughly equivalent to being governor of a region. Several times in the NT, Herod tetrarch of Galilee is called a king (Matt 14:9, Mark 6:14-29), reflecting popular usage.
[3:1] 447 sn Philip refers to Herod Philip, son of Herod the Great and brother of Herod Antipas. Philip ruled as tetrarch of Iturea and Trachonitis from 4
[3:1] 448 sn Nothing else is known about Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene.
[3:2] 449 sn Use of the singular high priesthood to mention two figures is unusual but accurate, since Annas was the key priest from
[3:2] 450 tn The term translated “word” here is not λόγος (logos) but ῥῆμα (rJhma), and thus could refer to the call of the Lord to John to begin ministry.
[3:3] 452 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[3:3] 453 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
[3:3] 454 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it (Luke 3:10-14).
[3:4] 456 tn Or “desert.” The syntactic position of the phrase “in the wilderness” is unclear in both Luke and the LXX. The MT favors taking it with “Prepare a way,” while the LXX takes it with “a voice shouting.” If the former, the meaning would be that such preparation should be done “in the wilderness.” If the latter, the meaning would be that the place from where John’s ministry went forth was “in the wilderness.” There are Jewish materials that support both renderings: 1QS 8:14 and 9.19-20 support the MT while certain rabbinic texts favor the LXX (see D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:290-91). While it is not absolutely necessary that a call in the wilderness led to a response in the wilderness, it is not unlikely that such would be the case. Thus, in the final analysis, the net effect between the two choices may be minimal. In any case, a majority of commentators and translations take “in the wilderness” with “The voice of one shouting” (D. L. Bock; R. H. Stein, Luke [NAC], 129; I. H. Marshall, Luke [NIGTC], 136; NIV, NRSV, NKJV, NLT, NASB, REB).
[3:4] 457 tn This call to “make paths straight” in this context is probably an allusion to preparation through repentance as the verb ποιέω (poiew) reappears in vv. 8, 10, 11, 12, 14.
[3:5] 458 sn The figurative language of this verse speaks of the whole creation preparing for the arrival of a major figure, so all obstacles to his approach are removed.
[3:6] 460 sn A quotation from Isa 40:3-5. Though all the synoptic gospels use this citation from Isaiah, only Luke cites the material of vv. 5-6. His goal may well be to get to the declaration of v. 6, where all humanity (i.e., all nations) see God’s salvation (see also Luke 24:47).
[3:7] 461 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[3:7] 462 sn The crowds. It is interesting to trace references to “the crowd” in Luke. It is sometimes noted favorably, other times less so. The singular appears 25 times in Luke while the plural occurs 16 times. Matt 3:7 singles out the Sadducees and Pharisees here.
[3:7] 464 sn The rebuke “Who warned you to flee…?” compares the crowd to snakes who flee their desert holes when the heat of a fire drives them out.
[3:8] 465 tn The verb here is ποιέω (poiew; see v. 4).
[3:8] 466 tn Grk “fruits.” The plural Greek term καρπούς has been translated with the collective singular “fruit” (so NIV; cf. Matt 3:8 where the singular καρπός is found). Some other translations render the plural καρπούς as “fruits” (e.g., NRSV, NASB, NAB, NKJV).
[3:8] 467 tn In other words, “do not even begin to think this.”
[3:8] 468 sn We have Abraham as our father. John’s warning to the crowds really assumes two things: (1) A number of John’s listeners apparently believed that simply by their physical descent from Abraham, they were certain heirs of the promises made to the patriarch, and (2) God would never judge his covenant people lest he inadvertently place the fulfillment of his promises in jeopardy. In light of this, John tells these people two things: (1) they need to repent and produce fruit in keeping with repentance, for only that saves from the coming wrath, and (2) God will raise up “children for Abraham from these stones” if he wants to. Their disobedience will not threaten the realization of God’s sovereign purposes.
[3:8] 469 sn The point of the statement God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham is that ancestry or association with a tradition tied to the great founder of the Jewish nation is not an automatic source of salvation.
[3:9] 470 sn Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees. The imagery of an “ax already laid at the root of the trees” is vivid, connoting sudden and catastrophic judgment for the unrepentant and unfruitful. The image of “fire” serves to further heighten the intensity of the judgment referred to. It is John’s way of summoning all people to return to God with all their heart and avoid his unquenchable wrath soon to be poured out. John’s language and imagery is probably ultimately drawn from the OT where Israel is referred to as a fruitless vine (Hos 10:1-2; Jer 2:21-22) and the image of an “ax” is used to indicate God’s judgment (Ps 74:5-6; Jer 46:22).
[3:9] 471 tn Grk “is”; the present tense (ἐκκόπτεται, ekkoptetai) has futuristic force here.
[3:10] 472 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the people’s response.
[3:10] 473 tn Though this verb is imperfect, in this context it does not mean repeated, ongoing questions, but simply a presentation in vivid style as the following verbs in the other examples are aorist.
[3:11] 474 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[3:11] 475 tn Grk “Answering, he said to them.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation to “answered them.”
[3:11] 476 tn Or “shirt” (a long garment worn under the cloak next to the skin). The name for this garment (χιτών, citwn) presents some difficulty in translation. Most modern readers would not understand what a ‘tunic’ was any more than they would be familiar with a ‘chiton.’ On the other hand, attempts to find a modern equivalent are also a problem: “Shirt” conveys the idea of a much shorter garment that covers only the upper body, and “undergarment” (given the styles of modern underwear) is more misleading still. “Tunic” was therefore employed, but with a note to explain its nature.
[3:12] 477 sn The tax collectors would bid to collect taxes for the Roman government and then add a surcharge, which they kept. Since tax collectors worked for Rome, they were viewed as traitors to their own people and were not well liked. Yet even they were moved by John’s call.
[3:13] 478 tn In the Greek text μηδὲν πλέον (mhden pleon, “no more”) is in an emphatic position.
[3:13] sn By telling the tax collectors to collect no more than…required John was calling for honesty and integrity in a business that was known for greed and dishonesty.
[3:13] 479 tn Or “than you are ordered to.”
[3:14] 480 tn Grk “And soldiers.”
[3:14] 481 tn Grk “And what should we ourselves do?”
[3:14] 482 tn Or “Rob no one.” The term διασείσητε (diaseishte) here refers to “shaking someone.” In this context it refers to taking financial advantage of someone through violence, so it refers essentially to robbery. Soldiers are to perform their tasks faithfully. A changed person is to carry out his tasks in life faithfully and without grumbling.
[3:14] 483 tn The term translated “accusation” (συκοφαντήσητε, sukofanthshte) refers to a procedure by which someone could bring charges against an individual and be paid a part of the fine imposed by the court. Soldiers could do this to supplement their pay, and would thus be tempted to make false accusations.
[3:15] 484 tn Or “with expectation.” The participle προσδοκῶντος (prosdokwnto") is taken temporally.
[3:15] sn The people were filled with anticipation because they were hoping God would send someone to deliver them.
[3:15] 485 tn Grk “pondered in their hearts.”
[3:15] 486 tn Grk “in their hearts concerning John, (whether) perhaps he might be the Christ.” The translation simplifies the style here.
[3:15] 487 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[3:15] sn See the note on Christ in 2:11.
[3:16] 488 tn Grk “answered them all, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant and has not been translated.
[3:16] 489 tc A few
[3:16] 490 tn Grk “of whom I am not worthy.”
[3:16] sn The humility of John is evident in the statement I am not worthy. This was considered one of the least worthy tasks of a slave, and John did not consider himself worthy to do even that for the one to come, despite the fact he himself was a prophet!
[3:16] 491 tn The term refers to the leather strap or thong used to bind a sandal. This is often viewed as a collective singular and translated as a plural, “the straps of his sandals,” but it may be more emphatic to retain the singular here.
[3:16] 492 sn With the Holy Spirit and fire. There are differing interpretations for this phrase regarding the number of baptisms and their nature. (1) Some see one baptism here, and this can be divided further into two options. (a) The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire could refer to the cleansing, purifying work of the Spirit in the individual believer through salvation and sanctification, or (b) it could refer to two different results of Christ’s ministry: Some accept Christ and are baptized with the Holy Spirit, but some reject him and receive judgment. (2) Other interpreters see two baptisms here: The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to the salvation Jesus brings at his first advent, in which believers receive the Holy Spirit, and the baptism of fire refers to the judgment Jesus will bring upon the world at his second coming. One must take into account both the image of fire and whether individual or corporate baptism is in view. A decision is not easy on either issue. The image of fire is used to refer to both eternal judgment (e.g., Matt 25:41) and the power of the Lord’s presence to purge and cleanse his people (e.g., Isa 4:4-5). The pouring out of the Spirit at Pentecost, a fulfillment of this prophecy no matter which interpretation is taken, had both individual and corporate dimensions. It is possible that since Holy Spirit and fire are governed by a single preposition in Greek, the one-baptism view may be more likely, but this is not certain. Simply put, there is no consensus view in scholarship at this time on the best interpretation of this passage.
[3:17] 493 sn A winnowing fork is a pitchfork-like tool used to toss threshed grain in the air so that the wind blows away the chaff, leaving the grain to fall to the ground. The note of purging is highlighted by the use of imagery involving sifting though threshed grain for the useful kernels.
[3:17] 494 tn Or “granary,” “barn” (referring to a building used to store a farm’s produce rather than a building for housing livestock).
[3:17] 495 sn The image of fire that cannot be extinguished is from the OT: Job 20:26; Isa 34:8-10; 66:24.
[3:18] 496 tn On construction μὲν οὖν καί (men oun kai), see BDF §451.1.
[3:18] 497 tn Grk “he”; the referent (John) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[3:19] 498 sn Herod refers here to Herod Antipas. See the note on Herod Antipas in 3:1.
[3:19] 499 sn See the note on tetrarch in 3:1.
[3:19] 500 tc Several
[3:19] sn This marriage to his brother’s wife was a violation of OT law (Lev 18:16; 20:21). In addition, both Herod Antipas and Herodias had each left previous marriages to enter into this union.
[3:19] 501 tn Or “immoralities.”
[3:21] 502 tn Grk “Now it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[3:21] 503 tn Grk “and while Jesus was being baptized and praying.” The first of these participles has been translated as a finite verb to be more consistent with English style.
[3:21] 504 tn Or “the sky”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. In this context, although the word is singular, the English plural “heavens” connotes the Greek better than the singular “heaven” would, for the singular does not normally refer to the sky.
[3:22] 505 tn This phrase is a descriptive comparison. The Spirit is not a dove, but descends like one in some type of bodily representation.
[3:22] 506 tn Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός (agaphtos) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1).
[3:22] 507 tc Instead of “You are my one dear Son; in you I take great delight,” one Greek ms and several Latin
[3:22] tn Or “with you I am well pleased.”
[3:22] sn The allusions in the remarks of the text recall Ps 2:7a; Isa 42:1 and either Isa 41:8 or, less likely, Gen 22:12,16. God is marking out Jesus as his chosen one (the meaning of “[in you I take] great delight”), but it may well be that this was a private experience that only Jesus and John saw and heard (cf. John 1:32-33).
[3:23] 508 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the summary nature of the statement.
[3:23] 509 tn The words “his ministry” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the contemporary English reader.
[3:23] 510 tn Grk “of age, being.” Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the participle ὤν (wn) has been translated as a finite verb with the pronoun “he” supplied as subject, and a new sentence begun in the translation at this point.
[3:23] 511 sn The parenthetical remark as was supposed makes it clear that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. But a question still remains whose genealogy this is. Mary is nowhere mentioned, so this may simply refer to the line of Joseph, who would have functioned as Jesus’ legal father, much like stepchildren can have when they are adopted by a second parent.
[3:23] 512 tc Several of the names in the list have alternate spellings in the ms tradition, but most of these are limited to a few
[3:23] tn The construction of the genealogy is consistent throughout as a genitive article (τοῦ, tou) marks sonship. Unlike Matthew’s genealogy, this one runs from Jesus down. It also goes all the way to Adam, not stopping at Abraham as Matthew’s does. Jesus has come for all races of humanity. Both genealogies go through David.
[3:27] 513 sn On Zerubbabel see Ezra 2:2.
[3:27] 514 sn Grk and KJV Salathiel. Most modern English translations use the OT form of the name (Shealtiel, Ezra 3:2).
[3:27] 515 sn Shealtiel, the son of Neri. 1 Chr 3:17 identifies Jeconiah as the father of Shealtiel. The judgment on Jeconiah’s line (Jer 22:30) may be reflected here.
[3:31] 516 sn The use of Nathan here as the son of David is different than Matthew, where Solomon is named. Nathan was David’s third son. It is not entirely clear what causes the difference. Some argue Nathan stresses a prophetic connection, but it is not clear how (through confusion with the prophet Nathan?). Others note the absence of a reference to Jeconiah later, so that here there is a difference to show the canceling out of this line. The differences appear to mean that Matthew’s line is a “royal and physical” line, while Luke has a “royal and legal” line.
[3:31] 517 sn The mention of David begins a series of agreements with Matthew’s line. The OT background is 1 Chr 2:1-15 and Ruth 4:18-22.
[3:32] 518 tc The reading Σαλά (Sala, “Sala”) is found in the best and earliest witnesses (Ì4 א* B sys sa). Almost all the rest of the
[3:33] 519 tc The number and order of the first few names in this verse varies greatly in the
[3:34] 520 sn The list now picks up names from Gen 11:10-26; 5:1-32; 1 Chr 1:1-26, especially 1:24-26.
[3:36] 521 tc It is possible that the name Καϊνάμ (Kainam) should be omitted, since two key
[3:37] 522 sn Here the Greek text reads Mahalaleel. Some modern English translations follow the Greek spelling (NASB, NRSV) while others (NIV) use the OT form of the name (Gen 5:12, 15).
[3:37] 523 sn The Greek text has Kainam here. Some modern English translations follow the Greek spelling more closely (NASB, NRSV Cainan) while others (NIV) use the OT form of the name (Kenan in Gen 5:9, 12).
[3:38] 524 sn The reference to the son of God here is not to a divine being, but to one directly formed by the hand of God. He is made in God’s image, so this phrase could be read as appositional (“Adam, that is, the son of God”). See Acts 17:28-29.
[4:1] 525 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate continuity with the previous topic.
[4:1] 526 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
[4:1] 527 sn The double mention of the Spirit in this verse makes it clear that the temptation was neither the fault of Jesus nor an accident.
[4:1] 528 tc Most
[4:2] 530 tn Grk “in the desert, for forty days being tempted.” The participle πειραζόμενος (peirazomeno") has been translated as an adverbial clause in English to avoid a run-on sentence with a second “and.” Here the present participle suggests a period of forty days of testing. Three samples of the end of the testing are given in the following verses.
[4:2] 531 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:2] 532 sn The reference to Jesus eating nothing could well be an idiom meaning that he ate only what the desert provided; see Exod 34:28. A desert fast simply meant eating only what one could obtain in the desert. The parallel in Matt 4:2 speaks only of Jesus fasting.
[4:2] 533 tn The Greek word here is συντελεσθείσων (suntelesqeiswn) from the verb συντελέω (suntelew).
[4:2] sn This verb and its cognate noun, sunteleia, usually implies not just the end of an event, but its completion or fulfillment. The noun is always used in the NT in eschatological contexts; the verb is often so used (cf. Matt 13:39, 40; 24:3; 28:20; Mark 13:4; Rom 9:28; Heb 8:8; 9:26). The idea here may be that the forty-day period of temptation was designed for a particular purpose in the life of Christ (the same verb is used in v. 13). The cognate verb teleiow is a key NT term for the completion of God’s plan: See Luke 12:50; 22:37; John 19:30; and (where it has the additional component of meaning “to perfect”) Heb 2:10; 5:8-9; 7:28.
[4:3] 534 tn This is a first class condition: “If (and let’s assume that you are) the Son of God…”
[4:3] 535 tn Grk “say to this stone that it should become bread.”
[4:4] 536 tn Or “a person.” The Greek word ὁ ἄνθρωπος (Jo anqrwpo") is used generically for humanity. The translation “man” is used because the emphasis in Jesus’ response seems to be on his dependence on God as a man.
[4:4] 537 tc Most
[4:4] sn A quotation from Deut 8:3. Jesus will live by doing God’s will, and will take no shortcuts.
[4:5] 538 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[4:5] sn The order of Luke’s temptations differs from Matthew’s at this point as numbers two and three are reversed. It is slightly more likely that Luke has made the change to put the Jerusalem temptation last, as Jerusalem is so important to Luke’s later account. The temporal markers in Matthew’s account are also slightly more specific.
[4:5] 540 tc Most
[4:5] 541 tn “A high place” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied for clarity.
[4:6] 542 tn Grk “And the devil.”
[4:6] 543 sn In Greek, this phrase is in an emphatic position. In effect, the devil is tempting Jesus by saying, “Look what you can have!”
[4:6] 544 tn Or “authority.” BDAG 353 s.v. ἐξουσία 6 suggests, concerning this passage, that the term means “the sphere in which the power is exercised, domain.” Cf. also Luke 22:53; 23:7; Acts 26:18; Eph 2:2.
[4:6] 545 tn The addendum referring to the glory of the kingdoms of the world forms something of an afterthought, as the following pronoun (“it”) makes clear, for the singular refers to the realm itself.
[4:6] 546 tn For the translation of παραδέδοται (paradedotai) see L&N 57.77. The devil is erroneously implying that God has given him such authority with the additional capability of sharing the honor.
[4:7] 547 tn This is a third class condition: “If you worship me (and I am not saying whether you will or will not)…”
[4:7] 548 tn Or “will prostrate yourself in worship before…” The verb προσκυνέω (proskunew) can allude not only to the act of worship but the position of the worshiper. See L&N 53.56.
[4:7] 549 tn One could translate this phrase “it will all be yours.” The sense is the same, but the translation given is a touch more emphatic and more likely to catch the force of the offer.
[4:8] 550 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:8] 551 tc Most
[4:8] 552 tn Or “You will prostrate yourself in worship before…” The verb προσκυνέω (proskunew) can allude not only to the act of worship but the position of the worshiper. See L&N 53.56.
[4:8] 553 tc Most later
[4:8] sn In the form of the quotation in the Greek text found in the best
[4:8] 554 sn A quotation from Deut 6:13. The word “only” is an interpretive expansion not found in either the Hebrew or Greek (LXX) text of the OT.
[4:9] 555 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[4:9] 556 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the devil) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:9] 557 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[4:9] 558 tn Grk “and stood him.”
[4:9] 559 sn The reference to the highest point of the temple probably refers to the one point on the temple’s southeast corner where the site looms directly over a cliff some 450 feet (135 m) high. However, some have suggested the reference could be to the temple’s high gate.
[4:9] 560 tn This is another first class condition, as in v. 3.
[4:10] 561 sn A quotation from Ps 91:11 by the devil. This was not so much an incorrect citation as a use in a wrong context (a misapplication of the passage).
[4:11] 562 sn A quotation from Ps 91:12.
[4:12] 563 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:12] 564 tn Grk “Jesus, answering, said to him.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified to “Jesus answered him.”
[4:12] 565 sn A quotation from Deut 6:16 used by Jesus in reply to the devil. The point is that God’s faithfulness should not be put to the test, but is rather a given.
[4:13] 566 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a summary.
[4:13] 567 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the devil) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:13] 568 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).
[4:14] 569 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[4:14] 570 sn Once again Jesus is directed by the Spirit. Luke makes a point about Jesus’ association with the Spirit early in his ministry (3:22, 4:1 [2x]; 4:18).
[4:14] 572 tn Grk “all the surrounding region.”
[4:15] 573 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:15] 574 tn The imperfect verb has been translated ingressively.
[4:15] 575 sn The next incident in Luke 4:16-30 is probably to be seen as an example of this ministry of teaching in their synagogues in Galilee. Synagogues were places for Jewish prayer and worship, with recognized leadership (cf. Luke 8:41). Though the origin of the synagogue is not entirely clear, it seems to have arisen in the postexilic community during the intertestamental period. A town could establish a synagogue if there were at least ten men. In normative Judaism of the NT period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present (see the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2).
[4:15] 576 tn Grk “being glorified.” The participle δοξαζόμενος (doxazomeno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style. This is the only place Luke uses the verb δοξάζω (doxazw) of Jesus.
[4:16] 577 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[4:16] 578 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:16] 579 sn Nazareth was Jesus’ hometown (which is why he is known as Jesus of Nazareth) about 20 miles (30 km) southwest from Capernaum.
[4:16] map For location see Map1 D3; Map2 C2; Map3 D5; Map4 C1; Map5 G3.
[4:16] 580 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
[4:16] 581 tn Grk “according to his custom.”
[4:16] 582 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:16] 583 sn In normative Judaism of the period, the OT scripture was read and discussed in the synagogue by the men who were present. See the Mishnah, m. Megillah 3-4; m. Berakhot 2. First came the law, then the prophets, then someone was asked to speak on the texts. Normally one stood up to read out of respect for the scriptures, and then sat down (v. 20) to expound them.
[4:17] 584 tn Grk “And unrolling the scroll he found.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Instead a new sentence has been started in the translation.
[4:17] 585 tn Grk “opening,” but a scroll of this period would have to be unrolled. The participle ἀναπτύξας (anaptuxa") has been translated as a finite verb due to the requirements of contemporary English style.
[4:18] 586 sn The phrase he has anointed me is an allusion back to Jesus’ baptism in Luke 3:21-22.
[4:18] 587 tn Grk “to evangelize,” “to preach the gospel.”
[4:18] 588 sn The poor is a key term in Luke. It refers to the pious poor and indicates Jesus’ desire to reach out to those the world tends to forget or mistreat. It is like 1:52 in force and also will be echoed in 6:20 (also 1 Pet 2:11-25). Jesus is commissioned to do this.
[4:18] 589 tc The majority of
[4:18] 590 sn The release in view here is comprehensive, both at a physical level and a spiritual one, as the entire ministry of Jesus makes clear (Luke 1:77-79; 7:47; 24:47; Acts 2:38; 5:31; 10:43).
[4:18] 591 sn Again, as with the previous phrase, regaining of sight may well mean more than simply miraculously restoring physical sight, which itself pictures a deeper reality (Luke 1:77-79; 18:35-43).
[4:18] 592 sn The essence of Jesus’ messianic work is expressed in the phrase to set free. This line from Isa 58 says that Jesus will do what the nation had failed to do. It makes the proclamation messianic, not merely prophetic, because Jesus doesn’t just proclaim the message – he brings the deliverance. The word translated set free is the same Greek word (ἄφεσις, afesi") translated release earlier in the verse.
[4:18] 593 sn Again, as with the previous phrases, oppressed may well mean more than simply political or economic oppression, but a deeper reality of oppression by sin (Luke 1:77-79; 18:35-43).
[4:19] 594 sn The year of the Lord’s favor (Grk “the acceptable year of the Lord”) is a description of the year of Jubilee (Lev 25:10). The year of the total forgiveness of debt is now turned into a metaphor for salvation. Jesus had come to proclaim that God was ready to forgive sin totally.
[4:19] 595 sn A quotation from Isa 61:1-2a. Within the citation is a line from Isa 58:6, with its reference to setting the oppressed free.
[4:20] 596 tn Grk “And closing.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[4:20] 597 tn Grk “closing,” but a scroll of this period would have to be rolled up. The participle πτύξας (ptuxas) has been translated as a finite verb due to the requirements of contemporary English style.
[4:20] 598 tn Or “gazing at,” “staring at.”
[4:21] 599 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[4:21] 600 sn See the note on today in 2:11.
[4:21] 601 tn Grk “in your hearing.”
[4:22] 602 tn Grk “And all.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:22] 603 tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:22] 604 sn The form of the question assumes a positive reply. It really amounts to an objection, as Jesus’ response in the next verses shows. Jesus spoke smoothly and impressively. He made a wonderful declaration, but could a local carpenter’s son make such an offer? That was their real question.
[4:23] 605 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:23] 606 sn The proverb Physician, heal yourself! means that Jesus should prove his claims. It is a “Prove it to us!” mentality that Jesus says the people have.
[4:23] 607 sn The remark “What we have heard that you did at Capernaum” makes many suspect that Luke has moved this event forward in sequence to typify what Jesus’ ministry was like, since the ministry in Capernaum follows in vv. 31-44. The location of this event in the parallel of Mark 6:1-6 also suggests this transposition.
[4:23] map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
[4:24] 608 tn Grk “said,” but since this is a continuation of previous remarks, “added” is used here.
[4:24] 609 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
[4:24] 610 sn Jesus argues that he will get no respect in his own hometown. There is a wordplay here on the word acceptable (δεκτός, dektos), which also occurs in v. 19: Jesus has declared the “acceptable” year of the Lord (here translated year of the Lord’s favor), but he is not “accepted” by the people of his own hometown.
[4:25] 611 sn Elijah’s days. Jesus, by discussing Elijah and Elisha, pictures one of the lowest periods in Israel’s history. These examples, along with v. 24, also show that Jesus is making prophetic claims as well as messianic ones. See 1 Kgs 17-18.
[4:25] 612 tn Or “the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. Since the context here refers to a drought (which produced the famine), “sky” is preferable.
[4:25] 613 tn Grk “as.” The particle ὡς can also function temporally (see BDAG 1105-6 s.v. 8).
[4:26] 614 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast.
[4:26] 615 sn Zarephath in Sidon was Gentile territory (see 1 Kgs 17:9-24). Jesus’ point was that he would be forced to minister elsewhere, and the implication is that this ministry would ultimately extend (through the work of his followers) to those outside the nation.
[4:26] map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[4:27] 616 sn On Elisha see 2 Kgs 5:1-14.
[4:27] 617 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast.
[4:27] 618 sn The reference to Naaman the Syrian (see 2 Kgs 5:1-24) is another example where an outsider and Gentile was blessed. The stress in the example is the missed opportunity of the people to experience God’s work, but it will still go on without them.
[4:28] 619 tn The words “the people” are not in the Greek text but have been supplied.
[4:29] 622 tn The Greek conjunction ὥστε (Jwste) here indicates their purpose.
[4:29] 623 sn The attempt to throw him down the cliff looks like “lynch law,” but it may really be an indication that Jesus was regarded as a false prophet who was worthy of death (Deut 13:5). Such a sentence meant being thrown into a pit and then stoned.
[4:30] 624 tn Grk “their midst.”
[4:30] 625 tn The verb πορεύομαι (poreuomai) in Luke often suggests divine direction, “to go in a led direction” (4:42; 7:6, 11; 9:51, 52, 56, 57; 13:33; 17:11; 22:22, 29; 24:28). It could suggest that Jesus is on a journey, a theme that definitely is present later in Luke 9-19.
[4:31] 626 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the continuation of the topic; in light of his rejection at Nazareth, Jesus went on to Capernaum.
[4:31] 627 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, and it became the hub of operations for Jesus’ Galilean ministry.
[4:31] map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
[4:31] 629 tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:32] 630 tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:32] 631 sn They were amazed. The astonishment shown here is like that in Luke 2:48.
[4:32] 632 tn Grk “because his word was.”
[4:32] 633 sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim (with authority). A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.
[4:33] 634 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a specific example of how Jesus spoke with authority (v. 32).
[4:33] 635 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
[4:33] 636 tn Grk “having an unclean, demonic spirit,” that is, an evil spirit. This is the only place Luke uses this lengthy phrase. Normally he simply says an “unclean spirit.”
[4:34] 637 tn Grk “What to us and to you?” This is an idiom meaning, “We have nothing to do with one another,” or “Why bother us!” The phrase τί ἡμῖν καὶ σοί (ti Jhmin kai soi) is Semitic in origin, though it made its way into colloquial Greek (BDAG 275 s.v. ἐγώ). The equivalent Hebrew expression in the Old Testament had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say “What to me and to you?” meaning, “What have I done to you that you should do this to me?” (Judg 11:12; 2 Chr 35:21; 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his, he could say to the one asking him, “What to me and to you?” meaning, “That is your business, how am I involved?” (2 Kgs 3:13; Hos 14:8). Option (1) implies hostility, while option (2) merely implies disengagement. BDAG suggests the following as glosses for this expression: What have I to do with you? What have we in common? Leave me alone! Never mind! Hostility between Jesus and the demons is certainly to be understood in this context, hence the translation: “Leave me alone….” For a very similar expression, see Luke 8:28 and (in a different context) John 2:4.
[4:34] 638 sn The confession of Jesus as the Holy One here is significant, coming from an unclean spirit. Jesus, as the Holy One of God, who bears God’s Spirit and is the expression of holiness, comes to deal with uncleanness and unholiness.
[4:35] 639 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast involved in Jesus’ reply.
[4:35] 640 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[4:35] 641 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
[4:35] 642 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:35] 643 sn The departure of the evil spirit from the man without hurting him shows Jesus’ total deliverance and protection of this individual.
[4:36] 644 tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[4:36] 645 tn This imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[4:36] 646 tn Grk “What is this word?” The Greek term λόγος (logos) has a wide range of meaning. Here it seems to mean, “What is this matter?” More idiomatically it would be, “What’s going on here?!”
[4:36] 647 sn The phrase with authority and power is in an emphatic position in the Greek text. Once again the authority of Jesus is the point, but now it is not just his teaching that is emphasized, but his ministry. Jesus combined word and deed into a powerful testimony in Capernaum.
[4:37] 648 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate resultative nature of the action.
[4:37] 649 tn That is, “information concerning a person or an event – ‘report, news, word, information’” (L&N 33.211).
[4:37] 650 sn Given Luke 4:31, the phrase the region is a reference to Galilee.
[4:38] 651 tn Grk “Arising from the synagogue, he entered.” The participle ἀναστάς (anastas) has been taken temporally here, and the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:38] 652 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:38] 653 tn Grk “they asked him about her.” It is clear from the context that they were concerned about her physical condition. The verb “to help” in the translation makes this explicit.
[4:39] 654 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the resultative nature of Jesus’ actions.
[4:39] 655 tn Or “rebuked,” but “rebuke” implies strong disapproval, while the usage here involves more of a command with perhaps the implication of a threat (L&N 33.331).
[4:39] sn The language here (commanded) almost treats the illness as a personal force (see vv. 35, 41), but this is not the case. This healing shows Jesus’ power over sickness and should not be construed as an exorcism.
[4:39] 656 tn Grk “and immediately.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, δέ (de) has not been translated here. Instead a new sentence is started in the translation.
[4:39] sn The note that this happened immediately shows the speed and totality of the recovery.
[4:39] 657 tn The imperfect verb has been translated ingressively.
[4:40] 658 tn Grk “everyone, as many as had those being sick.” The use of εἶχον (eicon, “had”) suggests that the subject of the accusative participle ἀσθενοῦντας (asqenountas, “those being sick”) is not simply acquaintances, but rather relatives, perhaps immediate family, and certainly close friends.
[4:40] 659 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:40] 660 tn Or “laid.” The participle ἐπιτεθείς (epiteqei") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[4:41] 661 sn Demons also came out. Note how Luke distinguishes healing from exorcism here, implying that the two are not identical.
[4:41] 662 tn Grk “crying out and saying.” The participle λέγοντα (legonta) is redundant in English and has not been translated here.
[4:41] 663 tc Most
[4:41] 664 tn Or “commanded,” but “rebuke” implies strong disapproval, which seems to be more in keeping with the context here (L&N 33.419).
[4:41] 665 sn Jesus would not allow the demons to speak because the time for such disclosure was not yet at hand, and such a revelation would have certainly been misunderstood by the people. In all likelihood, if the people had understood him early on to be the Son of God, or Messiah, they would have reduced his mission to one of political deliverance from Roman oppression (cf. John 6:15). Jesus wanted to avoid, as much as possible, any premature misunderstanding about who he was and what he was doing. However, at the end of his ministry, he did not deny such a title when the high priest asked him (22:66-71).
[4:41] 666 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
[4:41] sn Note how Luke associates Son of God with Messiah (Christ) in this context, a regal connection with OT roots (Ps 2:7). Also, see the note on Christ in 2:11.
[4:42] 667 tn Grk “When it became day.”
[4:42] 668 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:42] 669 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate that the crowds still sought Jesus in spite of his withdrawal.
[4:43] 670 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[4:43] 671 tn Here δεῖ (dei, “it is necessary”) indicates divine commission (cf. Luke 2:49).
[4:43] 672 sn The good news of the kingdom, the kingdom of the rule of God through the Messiah, is the topic of Jesus’ preaching.
[4:43] 674 sn Jesus was sent by God for this purpose. This is the language of divine commission.
[4:43] 675 tn Grk “because for this purpose I was sent.”
[4:44] 676 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the summarization.
[4:44] 677 tc Most
[5:1] 678 tn Grk “Now it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[5:1] 679 sn The Lake of Gennesaret is another name for the Sea of Galilee. Cf. the parallel in Matt 4:18.
[5:1] 680 sn The image of the crowd pressing around him suggests the people leaning forward to catch Jesus’ every word.
[5:2] 681 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[5:3] 682 tn Grk “Getting into”; the participle ἐμβάς (embas) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[5:3] 683 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[5:3] 684 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:3] 685 tn Grk “sitting down”; the participle καθίσας (kaqisa") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[5:4] 686 tn Or “let down.” The verb here is plural, so this is a command to all in the boat, not just Peter.
[5:5] 687 tn Grk “And Simon.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[5:5] 688 tn Grk “answering, Simon said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation to “Simon answered.”
[5:5] 689 tn The word ἐπιστάτης is a term of respect for a person of high status (see L&N 87.50).
[5:5] 690 tn The expression “at your word,” which shows Peter’s obedience, stands first in the Greek clause for emphasis.
[5:6] 692 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[5:6] 693 tn In context, this imperfect verb is best taken as an ingressive imperfect (BDF §338.1).
[5:7] 694 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate consequential nature of the action.
[5:7] 695 tn That is, “they signaled by making gestures” (L&N 33.485).
[5:7] 696 tn This infinitive conveys the idea that the boats were at the point of sinking.
[5:8] 697 sn Lord is a term of high respect in this context. God’s presence in the work of Jesus makes Peter recognize his authority. This vocative is common in Luke (20 times), but does not yet have its full confessional force.
[5:8] 698 sn Peter was intimidated that someone who was obviously working with divine backing was in his presence (“Go away from me”). He feared his sinfulness might lead to judgment, but Jesus would show him otherwise.
[5:9] 699 sn An explanatory conjunction (For) makes it clear that Peter’s exclamation is the result of a surprising set of events. He speaks, but the others feel similarly.
[5:9] 700 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Peter) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:9] 701 sn In the Greek text, this term is in an emphatic position.
[5:10] 702 tn Or “business associates.”
[5:10] 703 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[5:10] 704 sn From now on is a common Lukan expression, see Luke 1:48.
[5:10] 705 tn The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”
[5:10] sn The kind of fishing envisioned was net – not line – fishing, which involved a circular net that had heavy weights around its perimeter. The occupation of fisherman was labor-intensive. The imagery of using a lure and a line (and waiting for the fish to strike) is thus foreign to this text. Rather, the imagery of a fisherman involved much strain, long hours, and often little results. Jesus’ point may have been one or more of the following: the strenuousness of evangelism, the work ethic that it required, persistence and dedication to the task (often in spite of minimal results), the infinite value of the new “catch” (viz., people), and perhaps an eschatological theme of snatching people from judgment (cf. W. L. Lane, Mark [NICNT], 67; D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:461). If this last motif is in view, then catching people is the opposite of catching fish: The fish would be caught, killed, cooked, and eaten; people would be caught so as to remove them from eternal destruction and to give them new life. With the statement “You will be catching people” Jesus turns the miracle into a metaphor for mission.
[5:11] 706 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of Jesus’ pronouncement.
[5:11] 707 sn The expression left everything and followed him pictures discipleship, which means that to learn from Jesus is to follow him as the guiding priority of one’s life.
[5:12] 708 tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[5:12] 709 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:12] 711 tn Grk “towns, behold, a man covered with leprosy.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou, “behold”) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[5:12] 712 tn Grk “full of leprosy” (an idiom for a severe condition).
[5:12] 713 sn The ancient term for leprosy covers a wider array of conditions than what is called leprosy today. A leper was totally ostracized from society until he was declared cured (Lev 13:45-46).
[5:12] 714 tn Grk “And seeing.” Because of the difference between Greek style, which often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” and English style, which generally does not, δέ (de) has not been translated here. The participle ἰδών (idwn) has been taken temporally.
[5:12] 715 tn Grk “he fell on his face”; an idiom for bowing down with one’s face to the ground.
[5:12] 716 tn Grk “and begged him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
[5:12] 717 tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.
[5:13] 718 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the response of Jesus to the man’s request.
[5:13] 719 sn Touched. This touch would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean (Lev 14:46; also Mishnah, m. Nega’im 3.1; 11.1; 12.1; 13.6-12).
[5:14] 720 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[5:14] 721 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:14] 722 sn The silence ordered by Jesus was probably meant to last only until the cleansing took place with the priests and sought to prevent Jesus’ healings from becoming the central focus of the people’s reaction to him. See also 4:35, 41; 8:56 for other cases where Jesus asks for silence with reference to miracles.
[5:14] 723 tn The words “commanded him” are not in the Greek text but have been supplied for clarity. This verse moves from indirect to direct discourse. This abrupt change is very awkward, so the words have been supplied to smooth out the transition.
[5:14] 724 tn Grk “Going, show.” The participle ἀπελθών (apelqwn) has been translated as an attendant circumstance participle. Here the syntax also changes somewhat abruptly from indirect discourse to direct discourse.
[5:14] 725 tn The words “the offering” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[5:14] 726 sn On the phrase as Moses commanded see Lev 14:1-32.
[5:14] 727 tn Or “as an indictment against them”; or “as proof to the people.” This phrase could be taken as referring to a positive witness to the priests, a negative testimony against them, or as a testimony to the community that the man had indeed been cured. In any case, the testimony shows that Jesus is healing and ministering to those in need.
[5:15] 728 sn That is, in spite of Jesus’ instructions to the man to tell no one about the healing (v. 14).
[5:15] 729 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[5:16] 730 tn Here αὐτός (autos) has been translated reflexively.
[5:16] 731 tn Grk “was withdrawing” (ἦν ὑποχωρῶν, hn jJupocwrwn). The adverb “frequently” has been added in the translation to bring out what is most likely an iterative force to the imperfect. However, the imperfect might instead portray an ingressive idea: “he began to withdraw.” See ExSyn 542-43.
[5:17] 733 tn Grk “And it happened that on.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[5:17] 734 sn Pharisees were members of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, Ant. 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.
[5:17] 735 tn That is, those who were skilled in the teaching and interpretation of the OT law. These are called “experts in the law” (Grk “scribes”) in v. 21.
[5:17] 736 sn Jesus was now attracting attention outside of Galilee as far away as Jerusalem, the main city of Israel.
[5:17] map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[5:17] 737 tc Most
[5:18] 738 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καὶ ἰδού (kai idou) has been translated as “just then” to indicate the somewhat sudden appearance of the men carrying the paralytic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1), especially in conjunction with the suddenness of the stretcher-bearers’ appearance.
[5:18] 739 tn Grk “a man who was paralyzed”; the relative clause in Greek has adjectival force and has been simplified to a simple adjective in the translation.
[5:18] 740 tn Traditionally, “on a bed,” but this could be confusing to the modern reader who might envision a large piece of furniture. In various contexts, κλίνη (klinh) may be translated “bed, couch, cot, stretcher, or bier” (in the case of a corpse). See L&N 6.106.
[5:18] 741 tn Grk “stretcher, and.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Instead, because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.
[5:18] 742 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:19] 743 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast implied in the context: They wanted to bring the man to Jesus, but found no way.
[5:19] 744 tn Grk “But finding.” The participle εὑρόντες (Jeuronte") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[5:19] 745 sn A house in 1st century Palestine would have had a flat roof with stairs or a ladder going up. This access was often from the outside of the house.
[5:19] 746 tn This word, κλινίδιον (klinidion), is a different Greek word than the one used in the previous verse (κλίνη, klinh). In this context both may be translated “stretcher” (see L&N 6.106 and 6.107).
[5:19] 747 tn There is a translational problem at this point in the text. The term Luke uses is κέραμος (keramo"). It can in certain contexts mean “clay,” but usually this is in reference to pottery (see BDAG 540 s.v. 1). The most natural definition in this instance is “roof tile” (used in the translation above). However, tiles were generally not found in Galilee. Recent archaeological research has suggested that this house, which would have probably been typical for the area, could not have supported “a second story, nor could the original roof have been masonry; no doubt it was made from beams and branches of trees covered with a mixture of earth and straw” (J. F. Strange and H. Shanks, “Has the House Where Jesus Stayed in Capernaum Been Found?” BAR 8, no. 6 [Nov/Dec 1982]: 34). Luke may simply have spoken of building materials that would be familiar to his readers.
[5:19] 748 tn Grk “in the midst.”
[5:19] 749 sn The phrase right in front of Jesus trailing as it does at the end of the verse is slightly emphatic, adding a little note of drama: What would Jesus do?
[5:20] 750 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[5:20] 751 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:20] 752 sn The plural pronoun their makes it clear that Jesus was responding to the faith of the entire group, not just the paralyzed man.
[5:20] 753 tn Grk “Man,” but the term used in this way was not derogatory in Jewish culture. Used in address (as here) it means “friend” (see BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8).
[5:20] 754 tn Grk “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” Luke stresses the forgiveness of sins (cf. 1:77; 3:3; 24:47). In 5:20 he uses both the perfect ἀφέωνται and the personal pronoun σοι which together combine to heighten the subjective aspect of the experience of forgiveness. The σοι has been omitted in translation in light of normal English style.
[5:20] sn The passive voice here is a divine passive (ExSyn 437). It is clear that God does the forgiving.
[5:21] 755 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[5:21] 756 tn Or “Then the scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.
[5:21] 757 tn Or “to reason” (in a hostile sense). See G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.
[5:21] 758 tn The participle λέγοντες (legontes, “saying”) has not been translated because it is redundant in contemporary English.
[5:21] 759 tn Grk “this one” (οὗτος, Joutos).
[5:21] 760 sn Uttering blasphemies meant to say something that dishonored God. To claim divine prerogatives or claim to speak for God when one really does not would be such an act of offense. The remark raised directly the issue of the nature of Jesus’ ministry.
[5:22] 761 sn Jesus often perceived people’s thoughts in Luke; see 4:23; 6:8; 7:40; 9:47. Such a note often precedes a rebuke.
[5:22] 762 tn Grk “reasonings.” This is the noun form of the infinitive διαλογίζεσθαι (dialogizesqai, “began to reason to themselves”) used in v. 21. Jesus’ reply to them in the latter part of the present verse makes clear that these reasonings were mental and internal, so the translation “thoughts” was used here. On the hostile or evil nature of these thoughts, see G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.
[5:22] 763 tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” This construction with passive participle and finite verb is pleonastic (redundant) and has been simplified in the translation.
[5:22] 764 tn The Greek verb διαλογίζεσθε (dialogizesqe, “you reason”), used in context with διαλογισμούς (dialogismous, “reasonings”), connotes more than neutral reasoning or thinking. While the verb can refer to normal “reasoning,” “discussion,” or “reflection” in the NT, its use here in Luke 5:22, alongside the noun – which is regularly used with a negative sense in the NT (cf. Matt 15:19; Mark 7:21; Luke 2:35, 6:8, 9:47; Rom 1:21; 1 Cor 3:20; G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:96-97; D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:484) – suggests the idea of “contention.” Therefore, in order to reflect the hostility evident in the reasoning of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, the verb has been translated as “raising objections.”
[5:23] 765 sn Which is easier is a reflective kind of question. On the one hand to declare sins are forgiven is easier, since one does not need to see it, unlike telling a paralyzed person to walk. On the other hand, it is harder, because for it to be true one must possess the authority to forgive the sin.
[5:24] 766 sn Now Jesus put the two actions together. The walking of the man would be proof (so that you may know) that his sins were forgiven and that God had worked through Jesus (i.e., the Son of Man).
[5:24] 767 sn The term Son of Man, which is a title in Greek, comes from a pictorial description in Dan 7:13 of one “like a son of man” (i.e., a human being). It is Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. Jesus did not reveal the background of the term here, which mixes human and divine imagery as the man in Daniel rides a cloud, something only God does. He just used it. It also could be an idiom in Aramaic meaning either “some person” or “me.” So there is a little ambiguity in its use here, since its origin is not clear at this point. However, the action makes it clear that Jesus used it to refer to himself here.
[5:24] 768 tn Grk “to the one who was paralyzed”; the Greek participle is substantival and has been simplified to a simple adjective and noun in the translation.
[5:24] sn Jesus did not finish his sentence with words but with action, that is, healing the paralytic with an accompanying pronouncement to him directly.
[5:24] 769 tn This word, κλινίδιον (klinidion), is the same as the one used in v. 19. In this context it may be translated “stretcher” (see L&N 6.107).
[5:24] 770 tn Grk “to your house.”
[5:25] 771 tn Grk “And immediately.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[5:25] 772 tn Grk “and picked up.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because contemporary English normally places a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series.
[5:25] 773 tn Grk “picked up what he had been lying on”; the referent of the relative pronoun (the stretcher) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:25] 774 sn Note the man’s response, glorifying God. Joy at God’s work is also a key theme in Luke: 2:20; 4:15; 5:26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 18:43; 23:47.
[5:26] 775 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[5:26] 776 tn Or “amazement.” See L&N 25.217, which translates this clause, “astonishment seized all of them.”
[5:26] 777 tn This imperfect verb could be translated as an ingressive (“they began to glorify God”), but this is somewhat awkward in English since the following verb is aorist and is normally translated as a simple past.
[5:26] 778 tn Grk “fear,” but the context and the following remark show that it is mixed with wonder; see L&N 53.59.
[5:26] 779 tn Or “remarkable.” The term παράδοξος (paradoxos) is hard to translate exactly; it suggests both the unusual and the awe inspiring in this context. For the alternatives see L&N 31.44 (“incredible”) and 58.56 (“remarkable”). It is often something beyond belief (G. Kittel, TDNT 2:255).
[5:26] 780 tn The word “things” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied because the adjective παράδοξος (paradoxos) is substantival. Other translations sometimes supply alternate words like “miracles” or “signs,” but “things” is the most neutral translation.
[5:26] 781 sn See the note on today in 2:11.
[5:27] 782 tn Grk “And after.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[5:27] 783 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
[5:27] 784 sn See the note on tax collectors in 3:12.
[5:27] 785 sn It is possible that Levi is a second name for Matthew, because people often used alternative names in 1st century Jewish culture.
[5:27] 786 tn While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telwnion; so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings.
[5:27] sn The tax booth was a booth located on the edge of a city or town to collect taxes for trade. There was a tax booth in Capernaum, which was on the trade route from Damascus to Galilee and the Mediterranean. The “taxes” were collected on produce and goods brought into the area for sale, and were a sort of “sales tax” paid by the seller but obviously passed on to the purchaser in the form of increased prices (L&N 57.183). It was here that Jesus met Levi (also named Matthew [see Matt 9:9]) who was ultimately employed by the Romans, though perhaps more directly responsible to Herod Antipas. It was his job to collect taxes for Rome and he was thus despised by Jews who undoubtedly regarded him as a traitor.
[5:27] 787 sn Follow me. For similar calls on the part of Jesus see Luke 5:10-11; 9:23, 59; 18:22.
[5:28] 788 sn On the phrase leaving everything see Luke 5:10-11; 14:33.
[5:28] 789 tn The participial phrase “leaving everything behind” occurs at the beginning of the sentence, but has been transposed to the end in the translation for logical reasons, since it serves to summarize Levi’s actions.
[5:29] 790 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[5:29] 791 sn A great banquet refers to an elaborate meal. Many of the events in Luke take place in the context of meal fellowship: 7:36-50; 9:12-17; 10:38-42; 11:37-54; 14:1-24; 22:7-38; 24:29-32, 41-43.
[5:29] 792 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[5:29] 793 tn Grk “reclining.” This term reflects the normal practice in 1st century Jewish culture of eating a meal in a semi-reclining position. Since it is foreign to most modern readers, the translation “sitting” has been substituted.
[5:30] 794 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the implied contrast present in this context.
[5:30] 795 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
[5:30] 796 tn Or “and their scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
[5:30] 797 tn Or “grumbled”; a term often used in the OT for inappropriate grumbling: Exod 15:24; 16:7-8; Num 14:2, 26-35; 16:11.
[5:30] 798 sn The issue here is inappropriate associations (eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners) and the accusation comes not against Jesus, but his disciples.
[5:31] 799 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[5:31] 800 sn Jesus’ point is that he associates with those who are sick because they have the need and will respond to the offer of help. A person who is well (or who thinks mistakenly that he is) will not seek treatment.
[5:32] 801 sn I have not come is another commission statement by Jesus; see 4:43-44.
[5:32] 802 sn Though parallels exist to this saying (Matt 9:13; Mark 2:17), only Luke has this last phrase but sinners to repentance. Repentance is a frequent topic in Luke’s Gospel: 3:3, 8; 13:1-5; 15:7, 10; 16:30; 17:3-4; 24:47.
[5:33] 803 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[5:33] 804 tc Most
[5:33] sn John refers to John the Baptist.
[5:33] 805 sn John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees followed typical practices with regard to fasting and prayer. Many Jews fasted regularly (Lev 16:29-34; 23:26-32; Num 29:7-11). The zealous fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursday.
[5:33] 806 tn Grk “and offer prayers,” but this idiom (δέησις + ποιέω) is often simply a circumlocution for praying.
[5:33] 807 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
[5:33] 808 tn Grk “but yours are eating and drinking.” The translation “continue to eat and drink” attempts to reflect the progressive or durative nature of the action described, which in context is a practice not limited to the specific occasion at hand (the banquet).
[5:34] 809 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ pronouncement is a result of their statements about his disciples.
[5:34] 810 tn Grk “the sons of the wedding hall,” an idiom referring to guests at the wedding, or more specifically, friends of the bridegroom present at the wedding celebration (L&N 11.7).
[5:34] 811 sn The expression while the bridegroom is with them is an allusion to messianic times (John 3:29; Isa 54:5-6; 62:4-5; 4 Ezra 2:15, 38).
[5:34] 812 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here it is “can you?”).
[5:35] 813 sn The statement when the bridegroom is taken from them is a veiled allusion by Jesus to his death, which he did not make explicit until the incident at Caesarea Philippi in 9:18ff.
[5:35] 814 tn Grk “then in those days.”
[5:36] 815 sn The term parable in a Semitic context can cover anything from a long story to a brief wisdom saying. Here it is the latter.
[5:36] 816 tn Grk “puts”; but since the means of attachment would normally be sewing, the translation “sews” has been used.
[5:36] 817 tn Grk “he tears.” The point is that the new garment will be ruined to repair an older, less valuable one.
[5:36] 818 sn The piece from the new will not match the old. The imagery in this saying looks at the fact that what Jesus brings is so new that it cannot simply be combined with the old. To do so would be to destroy what is new and to put together something that does not fit.
[5:37] 819 sn Wineskins were bags made of skin or leather, used for storing wine in NT times. As the new wine fermented and expanded, it would stretch the new wineskins. Putting new (unfermented) wine in old wineskins, which had already been stretched, would result in the bursting of the wineskins.
[5:38] 820 tc Most
[5:38] sn The meaning of the saying new wine…into new skins is that the presence and teaching of Jesus was something new and signaled the passing of the old. It could not be confined within the old religion of Judaism, but involved the inauguration and consummation of the kingdom of God.
[5:39] 821 tc The Western textual tradition (D it) lacks 5:39. The verse is unique to Luke, so the omission by these
[5:39] 822 tc ‡ Although most
[5:39] 823 tc Most
[5:39] tn Grk “good.”
[5:39] sn The third illustration points out that those already satisfied with what they have will not seek the new (The old is good enough).
[6:1] 824 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:1] 825 tn Grk “Now it happened that on.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[6:1] 826 tc Most later
[6:1] 827 tn Or “heads of grain.” While the generic term στάχυς (stacus) can refer to the cluster of seeds at the top of grain such as barley or wheat, in the NT the term is restricted to wheat (L&N 3.40; BDAG 941 s.v. 1).
[6:1] 828 tn Grk “picked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.” The participle ψώχοντες (ywconte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style, and the order of the clauses has been transposed to reflect the logical order, which sounds more natural in English.
[6:2] 829 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
[6:2] 830 tn Note that the verb is second person plural (with an understood plural pronominal subject in Greek). The charge is again indirectly made against Jesus by charging the disciples.
[6:2] 831 sn The alleged violation expressed by the phrase what is against the law is performing work on the Sabbath. That the disciples ate from such a field is no problem given Deut 23:25, but Sabbath activity is another matter in the leaders’ view (Exod 20:8-11 and Mishnah, m. Shabbat 7.2). The supposed violation involved reaping, threshing, winnowing, and preparing food. This probably explains why the clause describing the disciples “rubbing” the heads of grain in their hands is mentioned last, in emphatic position. This was preparation of food.
[6:3] 832 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[6:3] 833 tn Grk “Jesus, answering them, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “Jesus answered them.”
[6:4] 835 tn Grk “the bread of presentation.”
[6:4] sn The sacred bread refers to the “bread of presentation,” “showbread,” or “bread of the Presence,” twelve loaves prepared weekly for the tabernacle and later, the temple. See Exod 25:30; 35:13; 39:36; Lev 24:5-9. Each loaf was made from 3 quarts (3.5 liters; Heb “two tenths of an ephah”) of fine flour. The loaves were placed on a table in the holy place of the tabernacle, on the north side opposite the lampstand (Exod 26:35). It was the duty of the priest each Sabbath to place fresh bread on the table; the loaves from the previous week were then given to Aaron and his descendants, who ate them in the holy place, because they were considered sacred (Lev 24:9). These were the loaves that David requested from Ahimelech for himself and his men (1 Sam 21:1-6; cf. also Matt 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28).
[6:4] 836 sn Jesus’ response to the charge that what his disciples were doing was not lawful is one of analogy: ‘If David did it for his troops in a time of need, then so can I with my disciples.’ Jesus is clear that on the surface there was a violation here. What is not as clear is whether he is arguing a “greater need” makes this permissible or that this was within the intention of the law all along.
[6:4] 837 tc Most
[6:4] 838 tc The Western ms D adds here a full saying that reads, “On the same day, as he saw someone working on the Sabbath he said, ‘Man, if you know what you are doing, you are blessed, but if you do not know, you are cursed and a violator of the law.’” Though this is not well enough attested to be considered authentic, many commentators have debated whether this saying might go back to Jesus. Most reject it, though it does have wording that looks like Rom 2:25, 27 and Jas 2:11.
[6:4] sn See 1 Sam 21:1-6.
[6:5] 839 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[6:5] 840 tn The term “lord” is in emphatic position in the Greek text. To make this point even clearer a few
[6:5] sn A second point in Jesus’ defense of his disciples’ actions was that his authority as Son of Man also allowed it, since as Son of Man he was lord of the Sabbath.
[6:6] 841 tn Grk “Now it happened that on.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[6:6] 842 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:6] 843 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
[6:6] 844 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. In addition, because the Greek sentence is rather long and complex, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[6:6] 845 tn Grk “a man was there and his right hand was withered.”
[6:6] sn Withered means the man’s hand was shrunken and paralyzed.
[6:7] 846 tn Or “The scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
[6:7] 847 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
[6:7] 848 sn The term translated watched…closely is emotive, since it carries negative connotations. It means they were watching him out of the corner of their eye or spying on him.
[6:7] 849 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:7] 850 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text; Jesus’ opponents anticipated he would do this.
[6:7] 851 sn The background for this is the view that only if life was endangered should one attempt to heal on the Sabbath (see the Mishnah, m. Shabbat 6.3; 12.1; 18.3; 19.2; m. Yoma 8.6).
[6:8] 852 tn Here the conjunction δέ (de) has been translated as contrastive.
[6:8] 853 sn The statement that Jesus knew their thoughts adds a prophetic note to his response; see Luke 5:22.
[6:8] 854 tn Grk “their reasonings.” The implication is that Jesus knew his opponents’ plans and motives, so the translation “thoughts” was used here.
[6:8] 855 sn Most likely synagogues were arranged with benches along the walls and open space in the center for seating on the floor.
[6:8] 856 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the man’s action was a result of Jesus’ order.
[6:9] 857 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[6:9] 858 sn With the use of the plural pronoun (“you”), Jesus addressed not just the leaders but the crowd with his question to challenge what the leadership was doing. There is irony as well. As Jesus sought to restore on the Sabbath (but improperly according to the leaders’ complaints) the leaders were seeking to destroy, which surely is wrong. The implied critique recalls the OT: Isa 1:1-17; 58:6-14.
[6:10] 859 tn Grk “And after.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[6:10] 860 tn The aorist participle περιβλεψάμενος (peribleyameno") has been translated as antecedent (prior) to the action of the main verb. It could also be translated as contemporaneous (“Looking around… he said”).
[6:10] 861 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man with the withered hand) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:10] 862 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[6:10] 863 sn The passive was restored points to healing by God. Now the question became: Would God exercise his power through Jesus, if what Jesus was doing were wrong? Note also Jesus’ “labor.” He simply spoke and it was so.
[6:11] 864 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] 865 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).
[6:12] 866 tn Grk “Now it happened that in.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[6:12] 867 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:12] 868 tn Or “to a mountain” (εἰς τὸ ὅρος, eis to Joro").
[6:12] sn The expression to the mountain here may be idiomatic or generic, much like the English “he went to the hospital” (cf. 15:29), or even intentionally reminiscent of Exod 24:12 (LXX), since the genre of the Sermon on the Mount seems to be that of a new Moses giving a new law.
[6:12] 869 sn This is the only time all night prayer is mentioned in the NT.
[6:12] 870 tn This is an objective genitive, so prayer “to God.”
[6:13] 871 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[6:13] 872 sn The term apostles is rare in the gospels, found only in Matt 10:2, possibly in Mark 3:14, and six more times in Luke (here plus 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10).
[6:14] 873 sn In the various lists of the twelve, Simon (that is, Peter) is always mentioned first (Matt 10:1-4; Mark 3:16-19; Acts 1:13) and the first four are always the same, though not in the same order after Peter.
[6:14] 874 sn Bartholomew (meaning “son of Tolmai” in Aramaic) could be another name for Nathanael mentioned in John 1:45.
[6:15] 875 sn This is the “doubting Thomas” of John 20:24-29.
[6:15] 876 sn The designation Zealot means that Simon was a political nationalist before coming to follow Jesus. He may not have been technically a member of the particular Jewish nationalistic party known as “Zealots” (since according to some scholars this party had not been organized at that time), but simply someone who was zealous for Jewish independence from Rome, in which case the descriptive term applied to Simon means something like “Simon the patriot” (see L&N 25.77 and especially 11.88).
[6:16] 877 sn There is some debate about what the name Iscariot means. It probably alludes to a region in Judea and thus might make Judas the only non-Galilean in the group. Several explanations for the name Iscariot have been proposed, but it is probably transliterated Hebrew with the meaning “man of Kerioth” (there are at least two villages that had that name). For further discussion see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 1:546; also D. A. Carson, John, 304.
[6:17] 878 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[6:17] 879 tn Or “on a plateau.” This could refer to a message given in a flat locale or in a flat locale in the midst of a more mountainous region (Jer 21:13; Isa 13:2). It is quite possible that this sermon is a summary version of the better known Sermon on the Mount from Matt 5-7.
[6:17] 880 tn Grk “large crowd.”
[6:17] 881 tn There is no verb in Greek at this point, but since “a large crowd” (see preceding tn) is in the nominative case, one needs to be supplied.
[6:17] 883 tn Grk “and from,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[6:17] 884 map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.
[6:17] 885 map For location see Map1 A2; Map2 G2; Map4 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[6:17] 886 sn These last two locations, Tyre and Sidon, represented an expansion outside of traditional Jewish territory. Jesus’ reputation continued to expand into new regions.
[6:17] map For location see Map1 A1; JP3 F3; JP4 F3.
[6:17] 887 sn To hear him and to be healed. Jesus had a two-level ministry: The word and then wondrous acts of service that showed his message of God’s care were real.
[6:18] 888 tn Or “were oppressed by,” “were troubled with.” See L&N 22.17.
[6:18] 889 sn Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits. See Luke 4:33.
[6:19] 890 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[6:19] 891 sn There was a recognition that there was great power at work through Jesus, the subject of a great debate in 11:14-23. Luke highlights Jesus’ healing ministry (5:17; 6:18; 7:7; 8:47; 9:11, 42; 14:4; 17:15; 18:42-43; 22:51; Acts 10:38).
[6:20] 892 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[6:20] 893 tn Grk “lifting up his eyes” (an idiom). The participle ἐπάρας (epara") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[6:20] 894 sn The term Blessed introduces the first of several beatitudes promising blessing to those whom God cares for. They serve as an invitation to come into the grace God offers.
[6:20] 895 sn You who are poor is a reference to the “pious poor” for whom God especially cares. See Ps 14:6; 22:24; 25:16; 34:6; 40:17; 69:29.
[6:20] 896 sn The present tense (belongs) here is significant. Jesus makes the kingdom and its blessings currently available. This phrase is unlike the others in the list with the possessive pronoun being emphasized. Jesus was saying, in effect, “the kingdom belongs even now to people like you.”
[6:21] 897 sn You who hunger are people like the poor Jesus has already mentioned. The term has OT roots both in conjunction with the poor (Isa 32:6-7; 58:6-7, 9-10; Ezek 18:7, 16) or by itself (Ps 37:16-19; 107:9).
[6:21] 898 sn The promise you will be satisfied is the first of several “reversals” noted in these promises. The beatitudes and the reversals that accompany them serve in the sermon as an invitation to enter into God’s care, because one can know God cares for those who turn to him.
[6:21] 899 sn You will laugh alludes to the joy that comes to God’s people in the salvation to come.
[6:22] 900 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
[6:22] 901 tn Or “disdain you”; Grk “cast out your name as evil.” The word “name” is used here as a figure of speech to refer to the person as a whole.
[6:22] sn The phrase when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil alludes to a person being ostracized and socially isolated because of association with the Son of Man, Jesus.
[6:23] 902 tn Grk “because behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this clause has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[6:23] 903 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[6:23] 904 sn Mistreatment of the prophets is something Luke often notes (Luke 11:47-51; Acts 7:51-52).
[6:24] 905 sn Jesus promises condemnation (woe) to those who are callous of others, looking only to their own comforts. On Luke and the rich see 1:53; 12:16; 14:12; 16:1, 21-22; 18:23; 19:2; 21:1. These woes are unique to Luke.
[6:24] 906 sn Ironically the language of reward shows that what the rich have received is all they will get. This result looks at a current situation, just as the start of the beatitudes did. The rest of the conclusions to the woes look to the future at the time of judgment.
[6:24] 907 tn Grk “your consolation.”
[6:25] 908 tn Grk “who are filled.” See L&N 23.18 for the translation “well satisfied with food.”
[6:25] 909 tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is lacking in several witnesses (א B K L T W Θ Ξ 0147 Ë1,13 579 700 892 1241 2542 al), though found in most (Ì75 A D Q Ψ 33 Ï lat co). The longer reading looks to be a clarifying addition; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.
[6:25] 910 sn That is, laugh with happiness and joy.
[6:26] 911 tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is lacking throughout the ms tradition except for a few witnesses (D W* Δ 1424 pc co). The Western witnesses tend to add freely to the text. Supported by the vast majority of witnesses and the likelihood that “to you” is a clarifying addition, the shorter reading should be considered original; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.
[6:26] 912 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
[6:26] 913 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
[6:27] 914 sn Love your enemies is the first of four short exhortations that call for an unusual response to those who are persecuting disciples. Disciples are to relate to hostility in a completely unprecedented manner.
[6:28] 915 tn The substantival participle ἐπηρεαζόντων (ephreazontwn), sometimes translated “those who abuse” (NRSV), is better rendered “those who mistreat,” a more general term (see L&N 88.129).
[6:29] 916 sn The phrase strikes you on the cheek probably pictures public rejection, like the act that indicated expulsion from the synagogue.
[6:29] 917 sn This command to offer the other cheek as well is often misunderstood. It means that there is risk involved in reaching out to people with God’s hope. But if one is struck down in rejection, the disciple is to continue reaching out.
[6:29] 919 tn See the note on the word “tunics” in 3:11.
[6:29] 920 sn The command do not withhold your tunic either is again an image of continually being totally at risk as one tries to keep contact with those who are hostile to what Jesus and his disciples offer.
[6:30] 921 sn Jesus advocates a generosity and a desire to meet those in dire need with the command give to everyone who asks you. This may allude to begging; giving alms was viewed highly in the ancient world (Matt 6:1-4; Deut 15:7-11).
[6:30] 922 tn Grk “your things,” sometimes translated “what is yours” or “what belongs to you.”
[6:30] 923 sn Do not ask for your possessions back… is an example of showing forgiveness. Paul’s remarks in 1 Cor 6:7 may reflect this principle.
[6:31] 924 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
[6:31] 925 sn Jesus’ teaching as reflected in the phrase treat others in the same way you would want them to treat you, known generally as the Golden Rule, is not completely unique in the ancient world, but it is stated here in its most emphatic, selfless form.
[6:32] 926 tn Grk “And if.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. This is a first class condition, but the next two conditional clauses are third class conditions, so that stylistic variation is probably at work.
[6:32] 927 sn Here the term sinners may refer to people who had no concern for observing the details of the Mosaic law; these were often treated as social outcasts. See L&N 88.295.
[6:32] 928 sn Jesus’ point in the statement even sinners love those who love them is that disciples are to go farther than sinners do. The examples replay vv. 29-30.
[6:33] 929 tc ‡ Three key
[6:33] 930 tc Most
[6:33] 931 sn See the note on the word sinners in v. 32.
[6:34] 932 tn Grk “to receive”; but in context the repayment of the amount lent is implied. Jesus was noting that utilitarian motives are the way of the world.
[6:34] 933 sn See the note on the word sinners in v. 32.
[6:34] 934 tn Grk “to receive as much again.”
[6:35] 936 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the outcome or result. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.
[6:35] 937 sn The character of these actions reflects the grace and kindness of God, bearing witness to a “line of descent” or relationship of the individual to God (sons of the Most High). There is to be a unique kind of ethic at work with disciples. Jesus refers specifically to sons here because in the ancient world sons had special privileges which were rarely accorded to daughters. However, Jesus is most likely addressing both men and women in this context, so women too would receive these same privileges.
[6:35] 938 sn That is, “sons of God.”
[6:35] 939 tn Or “to the ungrateful and immoral.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[6:36] 940 sn Merciful is a characteristic of God often noted in the OT: Exod 34:6; Deut 4:31; Joel 2:31; Jonah 4:2; 2 Sam 24:14. This remark also echoes the more common OT statements like Lev 19:2 or Deut 18:13: “you must be holy as I am holy.”
[6:37] 941 tn Grk “And do.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[6:37] 942 sn As the Gospel makes clear, with the statement do not judge Jesus had in mind making a judgment that caused one to cut oneself off from someone so that they ceased to be reached out to (5:27-32; 15:1-32). Jesus himself did make judgments about where people stand (11:37-54), but not in such a way that he ceased to continue to offer them God’s grace.
[6:37] 943 sn The point of the statement do not judge, and you will not be judged is that the standards one applies to others God applies back. The passive verbs in this verse look to God’s action.
[6:37] 944 sn On forgive see Luke 11:4; 1 Pet 3:7.
[6:38] 945 sn The background to the image pressed down, shaken together, running over is pouring out grain for measure in the marketplace. One often poured the grain into a container, shook it to level out the grain and then poured in some more. Those who are generous have generosity running over for them.
[6:38] 946 tn Grk “they will give”; that is, “pour.” The third person plural has been replaced by the passive in the translation.
[6:38] 947 tn Grk “by [the measure] with which you measure it will be measured back to you.”
[6:39] 948 tn Questions prefaced with μή (mh) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here it is “can he?”).
[6:39] 949 sn The picture of a blind man leading a blind man is a warning to watch who one follows: Won’t they both fall into a pit? The sermon has been about religious choices and reacting graciously to those who oppose the followers of Jesus. Here Jesus’ point was to be careful who you follow and where they are taking you.
[6:40] 951 tn Or “significantly different.” The idea, as the next phrase shows, is that teachers build followers who go the same direction they do.
[6:41] 952 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[6:41] 953 sn A speck (also twice in v. 42) refers to a small piece of wood, chaff, or straw (L&N 3.66).
[6:41] 954 tn Or “do not notice.”
[6:41] 955 sn The beam of wood (also twice in v. 42) refers to a big piece of wood, the main beam of a building, in contrast to the speck in the other’s eye (L&N 7.78).
[6:43] 956 tn The explanatory connective γάρ (gar) is often dropped from translations, but the point of the passage is that one should be self-corrective and be careful who one follows (vv. 41-42), because such choices also reflect what the nature of the tree is and its product.
[6:43] 957 tn Grk “rotten.” The word σαπρός, modifying both “fruit” and “tree,” can also mean “diseased” (L&N 65.28).
[6:43] 958 tc Most
[6:44] 959 sn The principle of the passage is that one produces what one is.
[6:44] 960 tn Grk “they do not gather”; this has been simplified to the passive voice in the translation since the subject “they” is not specified further in the context.
[6:44] 961 tn This is a different verb (τρυγῶσιν, trugwsin) for gathering from the previous one (συλλέγουσιν, sullegousin).
[6:44] 962 tn This is a different term (βάτος, batos) for a thorn or bramble bush than the previous one (ἄκανθα, akanqa).
[6:44] sn The statement nor are grapes picked from brambles illustrates the principle: That which cannot produce fruit, does not produce fruit.
[6:45] 963 tn Grk “the”; the Greek article has been translated here and in the following clause (“out of the evil”) as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
[6:45] 964 sn Mention of the heart shows that Jesus is not interested in what is done, but why. Motives are more important than actions for him.
[6:45] 965 tn The word “treasury” is not repeated in the Greek text at this point, but is implied.
[6:45] 966 sn What one utters from one’s mouth is especially singled out as the example of this principle. James seems to have known this teaching (Jas 1:26; 3:1-12).
[6:45] 967 tn Grk “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.”
[6:46] 968 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[6:46] 969 tn The double use of the vocative is normally used in situations of high emotion or emphasis. Even an emphatic confession without action means little.
[6:46] 970 sn Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do what I tell you? Respect is not a matter of mere words, but is reflected in obedient action. This short saying, which is much simpler than its more developed conceptual parallel in Matt 7:21-23, serves in this form to simply warn and issue a call to hear and obey, as the last parable also does in vv. 47-49.
[6:47] 971 tn Grk “and does them.”
[6:48] 972 tn Here and in v. 49 the Greek text reads ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), while the parallel account in Matt 7:24-27 uses ἀνήρ (anhr) in vv. 24 and 26.
[6:48] 973 tn There are actually two different Greek verbs used here: “who dug (ἔσκαψεν, eskayen) and dug deep (ἐβάθυνεν, ebaqunen).” Jesus is placing emphasis on the effort to which the man went to prepare his foundation.
[6:48] 974 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[6:48] 975 sn The picture here is of a river overflowing its banks and causing flooding and chaos.
[6:48] 976 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the context.
[6:48] 977 tc Most
[6:49] 978 tn Grk “does not do [them].”
[6:49] 979 tn Grk “against which”; because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, the relative clause was converted to a temporal clause in the translation and a new sentence started here.
[6:49] 980 tn Grk “it”; the referent (that house) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[6:49] 981 tn Grk “and its crash was great.”
[6:49] sn The extra phrase at the end of this description (and was utterly destroyed) portrays the great disappointment that the destruction of the house caused as it crashed and was swept away.
[7:1] 982 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:1] 983 tn Grk “After he had completed all his sayings in the hearing of the people.”
[7:1] 984 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.
[7:1] map For location see Map1 D2; Map2 C3; Map3 B2.
[7:2] 985 sn A centurion was a noncommissioned officer in the Roman army or one of the auxiliary territorial armies, commanding a centuria of (nominally) 100 men. The responsibilities of centurions were broadly similar to modern junior officers, but there was a wide gap in social status between them and officers, and relatively few were promoted beyond the rank of senior centurion. The Roman troops stationed in Judea were auxiliaries, who would normally be rewarded with Roman citizenship after 25 years of service. Some of the centurions may have served originally in the Roman legions (regular army) and thus gained their citizenship at enlistment. Others may have inherited it, like Paul.
[7:2] 986 tn The word “there” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[7:2] 987 tn Though δοῦλος (doulos) is normally translated “servant,” the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that “‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times… in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished” (BDAG 260 s.v. 1). The most accurate translation is “bondservant” (sometimes found in the ASV for δοῦλος) in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force. In addition, the parallel passage in Matt 8:6 uses the Greek term παῖς (pais), to refer to the centurion’s slave. This was a term often used of a slave who was regarded with some degree of affection, possibly a personal servant.
[7:2] 988 tn The term ἔντιμος (entimos) could mean “highly valued,” but this sounds too much like the slave was seen as an asset, while the text suggests a genuine care for the person. More archaically, it could be said the centurion was fond of this slave.
[7:3] 989 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the centurion) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:3] 990 tn The participle ἀκούσας (akousas) has been taken temporally.
[7:3] 991 sn Why some Jewish elders are sent as emissaries is not entirely clear, but the centurion was probably respecting ethnic boundaries, which were important in ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish culture. The parallel account in Matt 8:5-13 does not mention the emissaries.
[7:3] 992 tn The participle ἐλθών (elqwn) has been translated as an infinitive in parallel with διασώσῃ (diaswsh) due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[7:4] 993 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[7:4] 994 tn Although the participle παραγενόμενοι (paragenomenoi) is preceded by the Greek article (οἱ, Joi) which would normally cause it to be regarded as an adjectival or substantival participle, most modern translations, probably as a result of the necessities of contemporary English style, render it as a temporal participle (“when they came”).
[7:4] 996 tn Grk “urged him earnestly, saying”; the participle λέγοντες (legontes) is pleonastic (redundant) and has not been translated.
[7:4] 997 tn Grk “Worthy is he to have you do this”; the term “worthy” comes first in the direct discourse and is emphatic.
[7:5] 998 tn Or “people.” The use of ἔθνος (eqnos, “nation”) here instead of “God” probably meant the man was not a full proselyte, but that he had simply been supportive of the Jews and their culture. He could have been a God-fearer. The Romans saw a stable religious community as politically helpful and often supported it (Josephus, Ant. 16.6.2 [16.162-165], 19.6.3 [19.300-311]).
[7:5] 999 tn In the Greek text, the pronoun αὐτός (autos) is included, making this emphatic. Naturally the force of this statement is causative, meaning the centurion either had the synagogue built or donated the cost of its construction.
[7:5] 1000 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
[7:6] 1001 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the resultative action.
[7:6] 1002 tn The participle ἀπέχοντος (apeconto") has been taken temporally.
[7:6] 1003 sn See the note on the word centurion in 7:2.
[7:6] 1004 tn Or “do not be bothered.”
[7:6] 1005 sn Note the humility in the centurion’s statement I am not worthy in light of what others think (as v. 4 notes). See Luke 5:8 for a similar example of humility.
[7:7] 1006 tn Or “roof; therefore.”
[7:7] 1007 tn Grk “I did not consider myself worthy to come to you.” See BDAG 94 s.v. ἀξιόω 1. “Presume” assumes this and expresses the idea in terms of offense.
[7:7] 1008 tc The aorist imperative ἰαθήτω (iaqhtw, “must be healed”) is found in Ì75vid B L 1241 sa. Most
[7:7] tn The aorist imperative may be translated as an imperative of command (“must be healed” or, more periphrastically, “command [my servant] to be healed”) or as a permissive imperative (“let my servant be healed”), which lessens the force of the imperative somewhat in English.
[7:8] 1009 tn Grk “having soldiers under me.”
[7:8] 1010 sn I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. The illustrations highlight the view of authority the soldier sees in the word of one who has authority. Since the centurion was a commander of a hundred soldiers, he understood what it was both to command others and to be obeyed.
[7:8] 1011 tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[7:9] 1012 tn Or “pleased with him and amazed.” The expanded translation brings out both Jesus’ sense of wonder at the deep insight of the soldier and the pleasure he had that he could present the man as an example of faith.
[7:9] 1013 sn There are two elements to the faith that Jesus commended: The man’s humility and his sense of Jesus’ authority which recognized that only Jesus’ word, not his physical presence, were required.
[7:10] 1014 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the summarization at the end of the account.
[7:10] 1015 tc Most
[7:11] 1016 tn Grk “And it happened that soon.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[7:11] 1017 tc Several variants to ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ (egeneto en tw) are found before the adverb ἑξῆς (Jexh"), all of them clarifying by the use of the feminine article that the next day is meant (τῇ [th] in D; ἐγένετο τῇ in W; ἐγένετο ἐν τῇ in א* C K 565 892 1424 pm). But these readings are decidedly secondary, for they are more specific than Luke usually is, and involve an unparalleled construction (viz., article + ἡμέρα [Jhmera] + ἑξῆς; elsewhere, when Luke uses this adverb, the noun it modifies is either implied or after the adverb [cf. Luke 9:37; Acts 21:1; 25:17; 27:18)]. The reading adopted for the translation is a more general time indicator; the article τῷ modifies an implied χρόνῳ (cronw), with the general sense of “soon afterward.”
[7:11] 1018 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:11] 1019 tn The term πόλις (polis) can refer to a small town, which is what Nain was. It was about six miles southeast of Nazareth.
[7:12] 1020 tn Grk “behold.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[7:12] 1021 tn That is, carried out for burial. This was a funeral procession.
[7:12] 1022 tn Grk “and she.” The clause introduced by καί (kai) has been translated as a relative clause for the sake of English style.
[7:12] 1023 sn The description of the woman as a widow would mean that she was now socially alone and without protection in 1st century Jewish culture.
[7:13] 1025 tn Grk “And seeing her, the Lord.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. The participle ἰδών (idwn) has been taken temporally.
[7:13] 1026 sn He had compassion. It is unusual for Luke to note such emotion by Jesus, though the other Synoptics tend to mention it (Matt 14:14; Mark 6:34; Matt 15:32; Mark 8:2).
[7:13] 1027 tn The verb κλαίω (klaiw) denotes the loud wailing or lamenting typical of 1st century Jewish mourning.
[7:14] 1028 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[7:14] 1029 tn Grk “coming up, he touched.” The participle προσελθών (proselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[7:14] 1030 sn The act of having touched the bier would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean, but it did not matter to him, since he was expressing his personal concern (Num 19:11, 16).
[7:14] 1031 sn Although sometimes translated “coffin,” the bier was actually a stretcher or wooden plank on which the corpse was transported to the place of burial. See L&N 6.109.
[7:14] 1032 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[7:15] 1033 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of Jesus’ command.
[7:15] 1034 tn Or “the deceased.”
[7:15] 1035 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:15] 1036 tn In the context, the verb δίδωμι (didwmi) has been translated “gave back” rather than simply “gave.”
[7:16] 1037 tn Or “Awe.” Grk “fear,” but the context and the following remark show that it is mixed with wonder; see L&N 53.59. This is a reaction to God’s work; see Luke 5:9.
[7:16] 1038 tn This imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[7:16] 1039 sn That Jesus was a great prophet was a natural conclusion for the crowd to make, given the healing; but Jesus is more than this. See Luke 9:8, 19-20.
[7:16] 1041 tn Grk “visited,” but this conveys a different impression to a modern reader. L&N 85.11 renders the verb, “to be present, with the implication of concern – ‘to be present to help, to be on hand to aid.’ … ‘God has come to help his people’ Lk 7:16.” The language recalls Luke 1:68, 78.
[7:17] 1042 tn Grk “And this.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[7:17] 1043 sn See Luke 4:14 for a similar report.
[7:17] 1044 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:17] 1045 tn Grk “went out.”
[7:17] 1046 tn Grk “through the whole of.”
[7:18] 1047 tn Grk “And John’s.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. This is a reference to John the Baptist as the following context makes clear.
[7:18] 1048 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that John’s action was a result of the report he had heard.
[7:18] 1049 tn Grk “And calling two of his disciples, John sent.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[7:19] 1050 tc ‡ Although most
[7:19] 1051 tn Grk “to Jesus, saying,” but since this takes the form of a question, it is preferable to use the phrase “to ask” in English.
[7:19] 1052 sn Aspects of Jesus’ ministry may have led John to question whether Jesus was the promised stronger and greater one who is to come that he had preached about in Luke 3:15-17.
[7:20] 1053 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[7:20] 1054 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:20] 1055 tn Grk “to you, saying,” but since this takes the form of a question, it is preferable to use the phrase “to ask” in English.
[7:20] 1056 tn This question is repeated word for word from v. 19.
[7:21] 1057 tn Grk “In that hour.”
[7:21] 1058 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:21] 1059 tn Grk “and sicknesses,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[7:21] 1060 tn Or “and bestowed (sight) on.”
[7:22] 1061 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the relationship to Jesus’ miraculous cures in the preceding sentence.
[7:22] 1062 tn Grk “answering, he said to them.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation to “he answered them.”
[7:22] 1063 sn The same verb has been translated “inform” in 7:18.
[7:22] 1064 sn What you have seen and heard. The following activities all paraphrase various OT descriptions of the time of promised salvation: Isa 35:5-6; 26:19; 29:18-19; 61:1. Jesus is answering not by acknowledging a title, but by pointing to the nature of his works, thus indicating the nature of the time.
[7:22] 1065 tn Grk “and the,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[7:24] 1067 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[7:24] 1068 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:24] 1070 tn There is a debate as to whether one should read this figuratively (“to see someone who is easily blown over?”) or literally (Grk “to see the wilderness vegetation?…No, to see a prophet”). Either view makes good sense, but the following examples suggest the question should be read literally and understood to point to the fact that a prophet drew them to the desert.
[7:25] 1071 tn Grk “But what.” Here ἀλλά (alla, a strong contrastive in Greek) produces a somewhat awkward sense in English, and has not been translated. The same situation occurs at the beginning of v. 26.
[7:25] 1072 tn Or “soft”; see L&N 79.100.
[7:25] 1073 sn The reference to fancy clothes makes the point that John was not rich or powerful, in that he did not come from the wealthy classes.
[7:25] 1074 tn See L&N 88.253, “to revel, to carouse, to live a life of luxury.”
[7:26] 1076 tn John the Baptist is “more” because he introduces the one (Jesus) who brings the new era. The term is neuter, but may be understood as masculine in this context (BDAG 806 s.v. περισσότερος b.).
[7:27] 1077 tn Grk “before your face” (an idiom).
[7:27] 1078 sn The quotation is primarily from Mal 3:1 with pronouns from Exod 23:20. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.
[7:28] 1079 sn In the Greek text greater is at the beginning of the clause in the emphatic position. John the Baptist was the greatest man of the old era.
[7:28] 1080 tc The earliest and best
[7:28] 1081 sn After John comes a shift of eras. The new era is so great that the lowest member of it (the one who is least in the kingdom of God) is greater than the greatest one of the previous era.
[7:28] 1082 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ proclamation. 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. It is not strictly future, though its full manifestation is yet to come. That is why membership in it starts right after John the Baptist.
[7:29] 1083 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the parenthetical nature of the comment by the author.
[7:29] 1084 sn See the note on tax collectors in 3:12.
[7:29] 1085 tn Or “vindicated God”; Grk “justified God.” This could be expanded to “vindicated and responded to God.” The point is that God’s goodness and grace as evidenced in the invitation to John was justified and responded to by the group one might least expect, tax collector and sinners. They had more spiritual sensitivity than others. The contrastive response is clear from v. 30.
[7:29] 1086 tn The participle βαπτισθέντες (baptisqente") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[7:30] 1087 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
[7:30] 1088 tn That is, the experts in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (see also Luke 5:17, although the Greek term is not identical there, and Luke 10:25, where it is the same).
[7:30] 1090 tn The participle βαπτισθέντες (baptisqente") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle; it could also be translated as means (“for themselves, by not having been baptized”). This is similar to the translation found in the NRSV.
[7:30] 1091 tn Grk “by him”; the referent (John the Baptist) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:30] 1092 sn Luke 7:29-30 forms something of an aside by the author. To indicate this, they have been placed in parentheses.
[7:31] 1093 tn Grk “men,” but this is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"). The comparison that follows in vv. 32-34 describes “this generation,” not Jesus and John.
[7:32] 1094 tn Grk “They are like children sitting…and calling out…who say.”
[7:32] 1095 sn ‘We played the flute for you, yet you did not dance…’ The children of this generation were making the complaint (see vv. 33-34) that others were not playing the game according to the way they played the music. John and Jesus did not follow “their tune.” Jesus’ complaint was that this generation wanted things their way, not God’s.
[7:32] 1096 tn The verb ἐθρηνήσαμεν (eqrhnhsamen) refers to the loud wailing and lamenting used to mourn the dead in public in 1st century Jewish culture.
[7:33] 1097 tn The perfect tenses in both this verse and the next do more than mere aorists would. They not only summarize, but suggest the characteristics of each ministry were still in existence at the time of speaking.
[7:33] 1098 tn Grk “neither eating bread nor drinking wine,” but this is somewhat awkward in contemporary English.
[7:33] 1099 sn John the Baptist was too separatist and ascetic for some, and so he was accused of not being directed by God, but by a demon.
[7:34] 1100 tn Grk “Behold a man.”
[7:34] 1101 sn Neither were they happy with Jesus (the Son of Man), even though he was the opposite of John and associated freely with people like tax collectors and sinners. Either way, God’s messengers were subject to complaint.
[7:35] 1102 tn Or “shown to be right.” This is the same verb translated “acknowledged… justice” in v. 29, with a similar sense – including the notion of response. Wisdom’s children are those who respond to God through John and Jesus.
[7:35] 1103 tn Or “by all those who follow her” (cf. CEV, NLT). Note that the parallel in Matt 11:19 reads “by her deeds.”
[7:36] 1104 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
[7:36] 1105 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:36] 1106 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ action was the result of the Pharisee’s invitation.
[7:36] 1107 tn Grk “and reclined at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
[7:37] 1108 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[7:37] 1109 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:37] 1110 tn Grk “was reclining at table.”
[7:37] 1111 sn A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be used.
[7:37] 1112 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205). The same phrase occurs at the end of v. 38 and in v. 46.
[7:37] sn Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This perfumed oil, if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.
[7:38] 1113 tn Grk “And standing.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[7:38] 1114 tn Grk “standing”; the participle στᾶσα (stasa) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[7:38] 1115 tn Grk “tears, and she.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[7:38] 1116 tn Grk “with the hair of her head.”
[7:38] 1117 tn Grk “and kissed,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[7:38] 1118 tn Grk “kissed his feet,” but this has been replaced by the pronoun “them” in keeping with contemporary English style.
[7:38] 1119 sn The series of verbs in this verse detail the woman’s every move, much as if the onlookers were watching her every step. That she attended the meal is not so surprising, as teachers often ate an open meal where listeners were welcome, but for her to approach Jesus was unusual and took great nerve, especially given her reputation.
[7:39] 1120 tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
[7:39] 1121 tn This is a good example of a second class (contrary to fact) Greek conditional sentence. The Pharisee said, in effect, “If this man were a prophet (but he is not)…”
[7:39] 1122 sn The Pharisees believed in a form of separationism that would have prevented them from any kind of association with such a sinful woman.
[7:40] 1123 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the connection with the preceding statement recording the Pharisee’s thoughts.
[7:40] 1124 tn Grk “answering, said to him.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “answered him.”
[7:40] sn Jesus answered him. Note that as the Pharisee is denying to himself that Jesus is a prophet, Jesus is reading his thoughts.
[7:41] 1126 sn A creditor was a moneylender, whose business was to lend money to others at a fixed rate of interest.
[7:41] 1127 tn The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
[7:41] 1128 tn Grk “five hundred denarii.”
[7:41] sn The silver coins were denarii. The denarius was worth about a day’s wage for a laborer; this would be an amount worth not quite two years’ pay. The debts were significant: They represented two months’ pay and one and three quarter years’ pay (20 months) based on a six day work week.
[7:42] 1129 tn The verb ἐχαρίσατο (ecarisato) could be translated as “forgave.” Of course this pictures the forgiveness of God’s grace, which is not earned but bestowed with faith (see v. 49).
[7:43] 1130 tn Grk “answering, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “answered.”
[7:43] 1131 tn Grk “the one to whom he forgave more” (see v. 42).
[7:43] 1132 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[7:44] 1133 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[7:44] 1134 sn It is discussed whether these acts in vv. 44-46 were required by the host. Most think they were not, but this makes the woman’s acts of respect all the more amazing.
[7:45] 1135 tn Grk “no kiss.” This refers to a formalized kiss of greeting, standard in that culture. To convey this to the modern reader, the words “of greeting” have been supplied to qualify what kind of kiss is meant.
[7:46] 1136 sn This event is not equivalent to the anointing of Jesus that takes place in the last week of his life (Matt 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8). That woman was not a sinner, and Jesus was eating in the home of Simon the leper, who, as a leper, could never be a Pharisee.
[7:47] 1137 tn Grk “for she loved much.” The connection between this statement and the preceding probably involves an ellipsis, to the effect that the ὅτι clause gives the evidence of forgiveness, not the ground. For similar examples of an “evidentiary” ὅτι, cf. Luke 1:22; 6:21; 13:2. See discussion in D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:703-5. Further evidence that this is the case here is the final statement: “the one who is forgiven little loves little” means that the one who is forgiven little is thus not able to love much. The REB renders this verse: “her great love proves that her many sins have been forgiven; where little has been forgiven, little love is shown.”
[7:47] sn She loved much. Jesus’ point is that the person who realizes how great a gift forgiveness is (because they have a deep sense of sin) has a great love for the one who forgives, that is, God. The woman’s acts of reverence to Jesus honored him as the one who brought God’s message of grace.
[7:48] 1138 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[7:48] 1139 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[7:48] 1140 sn Jesus showed his authority to forgive sins, something that was quite controversial. See Luke 5:17-26 and the next verse.
[7:49] 1141 tn Grk “And”; here καί (kai) has been translated as an adversative (contrastive).
[7:49] 1142 tn Grk “were reclining at table.”
[7:50] 1143 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[7:50] 1144 sn On faith see Luke 5:20; 7:9; 8:25; 12:28; 17:6; 18:8; 22:32.
[7:50] 1145 sn The questioning did not stop Jesus. He declared authoritatively that the woman was forgiven by God (your faith has saved you). This event is a concrete example of Luke 5:31-32.
[8:1] 1146 tn Grk “And it happened that some time.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
[8:1] 1147 tn Καθεξῆς (Kaqexh") is a general temporal term and need not mean “soon afterward”; see Luke 1:3; Acts 3:24; 11:4; 18:23 and L&N 61.1.
[8:1] 1149 sn The combination of preaching and proclaiming the good news is a bit emphatic, stressing Jesus’ teaching ministry on the rule of God.
[8:1] 1150 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.
[8:1] 1151 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[8:2] 1152 sn There is an important respect shown to women in this text, as their contributions were often ignored in ancient society.
[8:2] 1153 tn Or “illnesses.” The term ἀσθένεια (asqeneia) refers to the state of being ill and thus incapacitated in some way – “illness, disability, weakness.” (L&N 23.143).
[8:2] 1154 sn This Mary is not the woman mentioned in the previous passage (as some church fathers claimed), because she is introduced as a new figure here. In addition, she is further specified by Luke with the notation called Magdalene, which seems to distinguish her from the woman at Simon the Pharisee’s house.
[8:3] 1155 sn Cuza is also spelled “Chuza” in many English translations.
[8:3] 1156 sn Herod’s refers here to Herod Antipas. See the note on Herod Antipas in 3:1.
[8:3] 1157 tn Here ἐπίτροπος (epitropo") is understood as referring to the majordomo or manager of Herod’s household (BDAG 385 s.v. ἐπίτροπος 1). However, as BDAG notes, the office may be political in nature and would then be translated something like “governor” or “procurator.” Note that in either case the gospel was reaching into the highest levels of society.
[8:3] 1158 tc Many
[8:4] 1159 tn Grk “to him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:4] 1160 tn This phrase renders a distributive use of κατά (kata) with πόλις (polis), literally “according to [each] town.”
[8:4] 1161 tn The words “to them” do not appear in the Greek text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
[8:5] 1162 sn A sower went out to sow. The background for this well-known parable is a field through which a well-worn path runs in the Palestinian countryside. Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest. The use of seed as a figure for God’s giving life has OT roots: Isa 55:10-11.
[8:5] 1163 tn Luke’s version of the parable, like Mark’s (cf. Mark 4:1-9) uses the collective singular to refer to the seed throughout, so singular pronouns have been used consistently throughout this parable in the English translation. However, the parallel account in Matt 13:1-9 begins with plural pronouns in v. 4 but then switches to the collective singular in v. 5 ff.
[8:5] 1164 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
[8:6] 1165 sn The rock in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.
[8:7] 1166 sn Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to six feet in height and have a major root system.
[8:7] 1167 sn That is, crowded out the good plants.
[8:8] 1168 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the final stage of the parable.
[8:8] 1169 tn Grk “when it grew, after it grew.”
[8:8] 1170 sn Unlike the parallel accounts in Matt 13:8 and Mark 4:8, there is no distinction in yield in this version of the parable.
[8:8] 1171 tn Grk “said these things.”
[8:8] 1172 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 14:35).
[8:9] 1173 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[8:9] 1174 tn Grk “what this parable might be” (an optative after a secondary tense, in keeping with good Koine style).
[8:10] 1175 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:10] 1176 tn This is an example of a so-called “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).
[8:10] 1177 tn Grk “it has been given to you to know.” The dative pronoun occurs first, in emphatic position in the Greek text, although this position is awkward in contemporary English.
[8:10] 1178 tn Grk “the mysteries.”
[8:10] sn The key term secrets (μυστήριον, musthrion) can mean either (1) a new revelation or (2) a revealing interpretation of existing revelation as in Dan 2:17-23, 27-30. Jesus seems to be explaining how current events develop old promises, since the NT consistently links the events of Jesus’ ministry and message with old promises (Rom 1:1-4; Heb 1:1-2). The traditional translation of this word, “mystery,” is misleading to the modern English reader because this English word suggests a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand (L&N 28.77).
[8:10] 1179 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.
[8:10] 1180 sn A quotation from Isa 6:9. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.
[8:11] 1181 tn Grk “is,” but in this context it is clearly giving an explanation of the parable.
[8:12] 1182 sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for the devil here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Mark 4:15 has “Satan.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.
[8:12] 1183 sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.
[8:12] 1184 tn The participle πιστεύσαντες (pisteusante") has been translated as a finite verb here. It may be regarded as an adverbial participle of attendant circumstance. From a logical standpoint the negative must govern both the participle and the finite verb.
[8:13] 1185 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:13] 1186 sn This time of temporary faith represented by the description believe for a while is presented rather tragically in the passage. The seed does not get a chance to do all it can.
[8:13] 1187 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[8:13] 1188 tn Traditionally, “temptation.” Such a translation puts the emphasis on temptation to sin rather than testing of faith, which is what the context seems to indicate.
[8:13] 1189 sn Fall away. On the idea of falling away and the warnings against it, see 2 Tim 3:1; Heb 3:12; Jer 3:14; Dan 9:9.
[8:14] 1190 tn Grk “What”; the referent (the seed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:14] 1191 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[8:14] 1192 sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.
[8:14] 1193 sn On warnings about the dangers of excessive material attachments, described here as the worries and riches and pleasures of life, see Luke 12:12-21; 16:19-31.
[8:14] 1194 tn The verb τελεσφορέω (telesforew) means “to produce mature or ripe fruit” (L&N 23.203). Once again the seed does not reach its goal.
[8:15] 1195 tn The aorist participle ἀκούσαντες (akousante") has been taken temporally, reflecting action antecedent (prior to) that of the main verb.
[8:15] 1196 sn There is a tenacity that is a part of spiritual fruitfulness.
[8:15] 1197 sn In an ancient context, the qualifier good described the ethical person who possessed integrity. Here it is integrity concerning God’s revelation through Jesus.
[8:15] 1198 sn Given the pressures noted in the previous soils, bearing fruit takes time (steadfast endurance), just as it does for the farmer. See Jas 1:2-4.
[8:16] 1199 tn The participle ἅψας ({aya") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[8:16] 1200 sn This is probably an ancient oil burning lamp or perhaps a candlestick. Jesus is comparing revelation to light, particularly the revelation of his ministry; see 1:78-79.
[8:16] 1201 tn Or “its light,” if the Greek article is translated as a possessive pronoun (for such usage, cf. ExSyn 215).
[8:17] 1202 sn Nothing is hidden. Light also exposes, and Jesus was suggesting that his teaching likewise revealed where people are and where they will be. Truth will be manifest in the future, just as it was declared by him then. Nothing will be concealed.
[8:17] 1203 tn Or “disclosed.”
[8:18] 1204 tn Or “Therefore pay close attention”; Grk “Take heed therefore how you hear.”
[8:18] 1205 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[8:18] 1206 sn The phrase what he thinks he has is important, because it is not what a person thinks he has that is important but whether he actually has something or not. Jesus describes the person who does not heed his word as having nothing. The person who has nothing loses even that which he thought was something but was not. In other words, he has absolutely nothing at all. Jesus’ teaching must be taken seriously.
[8:19] 1207 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:19] 1208 sn The issue of whether Jesus had brothers (siblings) has had a long history in the church. Epiphanius, in the 4th century, argued that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no offspring other than Jesus. Others argued that these brothers were really cousins. Nothing in the text suggests any of this. See also John 7:3.
[8:19] 1209 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[8:20] 1210 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the sequence of events.
[8:21] 1211 tn Grk “answering, he said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “he replied.”
[8:21] 1212 tn There is some discussion about the grammar of this verse in Greek. If “these” is the subject, then it reads, “These are my mother and brothers, those who.” If “these” is a nominative absolute, which is slightly more likely, then the verse more literally reads, “So my mother and brothers, they are those who.” The sense in either case is the same.
[8:21] 1213 sn Hearing and doing the word of God is another important NT theme: Luke 6:47-49; Jas 1:22-25.
[8:22] 1214 tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here δέ (de) has not been translated either.
[8:22] 1215 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:22] 1216 sn A boat that held all the disciples would be of significant size.
[8:22] 1217 tn Grk “lake, and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the response to Jesus’ request. In addition, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[8:23] 1219 sn A violent windstorm came down on the lake. The Sea of Galilee is located in a depression some 700 ft (200 m) below sea level and is surrounded by hills. Frequently a rush of wind and the right mix of temperatures can cause a storm to come suddenly on the lake. Storms on the Sea of Galilee were known for their suddenness and violence.
[8:23] 1220 tn Grk “they were being swamped,” but English idiom speaks of the boat being swamped rather than the people in it, so the referent (the boat) has been supplied to reflect this usage.
[8:24] 1221 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:24] 1222 tn The participle προσελθόντες (proselqonte") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
[8:24] 1223 tn The double vocative shows great emotion.
[8:24] 1224 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the connection to the preceding events.
[8:24] 1225 tn Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).
[8:24] 1226 sn Who has authority over the seas and winds is discussed in the OT: Ps 104:3; 135:7; 107:23-30. When Jesus rebuked the wind and the raging waves he was making a statement about who he was.
[8:25] 1227 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[8:25] 1228 sn “Where is your faith?” The call is to trust God and realize that those who exercise faith can trust in his care.
[8:25] 1229 sn The combination of fear and respect (afraid and amazed) shows that the disciples are becoming impressed with the great power at work in Jesus, a realization that fuels their question. For a similar reaction, see Luke 5:9.
[8:25] 1230 sn Jesus’ authority over creation raised a question for the disciples about who he was exactly (“Who then is this?”). This verse shows that the disciples followed Jesus even though they did not know all about him yet.
[8:26] 1231 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a summary and transition in the narrative.
[8:26] 1232 tc The textual tradition here is quite complicated. Most
[8:26] sn The region of the Gerasenes would be in Gentile territory on the (south)eastern side of the Sea of Galilee across from Galilee. Matthew 8:28 records this miracle as occurring “in the region of the Gadarenes.” “Irrespective of how one settles this issue, for the Third Evangelist the chief concern is that Jesus has crossed over into Gentile territory, ‘opposite Galilee’” (J. B. Green, Luke [NICNT], 337). The region of Gadara extended to the Sea of Galilee and included the town of Sennabris on the southern shore – the town that the herdsmen most likely entered after the drowning of the pigs.
[8:26] 1233 sn That is, across the Sea of Galilee from Galilee.
[8:27] 1234 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:27] 1235 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:27] 1236 tn Grk “stepped out on land.”
[8:27] 1238 tn Grk “who had demons.”
[8:27] 1239 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the demon-possessed man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:28] 1241 tn Grk “And seeing.” The participle ἰδών (idwn) has been taken temporally. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:28] 1242 tn Grk “and fell,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[8:28] 1243 tn Grk “What to me and to you?” (an idiom). The phrase τί ἐμοὶ καὶ σοί (ti emoi kai soi) is Semitic in origin, though it made its way into colloquial Greek (BDAG 275 s.v. ἐγώ). The equivalent Hebrew expression in the OT had two basic meanings: (1) When one person was unjustly bothering another, the injured party could say “What to me and to you?” meaning, “What have I done to you that you should do this to me?” (Judg 11:12; 2 Chr 35:21; 1 Kgs 17:18). (2) When someone was asked to get involved in a matter he felt was no business of his own, he could say to the one asking him, “What to me and to you?” meaning, “That is your business, how am I involved?” (2 Kgs 3:13; Hos 14:8). These nuances were apparently expanded in Greek, but the basic notions of defensive hostility (option 1) and indifference or disengagement (option 2) are still present. BDAG suggests the following as glosses for this expression: What have I to do with you? What have we in common? Leave me alone! Never mind! Hostility between Jesus and the demons is certainly to be understood in this context, hence the translation: “Leave me alone….”
[8:28] 1244 sn On the title Most High see Luke 1:35.
[8:28] 1245 sn The demons’ plea “do not torment me” is a recognition of Jesus’ inherent authority over evil forces. The request is that Jesus not bother them. There was an appointed time in which demons would face their judgment, and they seem to have viewed Jesus’ arrival on the scene as an illegitimate change in God’s plan regarding the time when their sentence would be executed.
[8:29] 1246 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:29] 1247 tc ‡ Although the external evidence favors the aorist παρήγγειλεν (parhngeilen, “he commanded”; Ì75 B Θ Ξ Ψ Ë13 579 700 1241 1424 2542 pm), the internal evidence favors the imperfect παρήγγελλεν (parhngellen, here translated “he had started commanding”; א A C K L W Γ Δ 1 33 565 892 pm). The aorist is suspect because it can more easily be taken as a single command, and thus an immediate exorcism. The imperfect would most likely be ingressive (BDF §§328; 329; 331), suggesting that Jesus started to command the evil spirit to depart, and continued the command.
[8:29] 1249 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so,” introducing a clause that gives the result of the man being seized by the demon.
[8:29] 1250 tn Or “fetters”; these were chains for the feet.
[8:29] 1251 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
[8:29] 1252 tn Grk “into the deserts.” The plural use here has been translated as “deserted places,” that is, uninhabited areas.
[8:29] 1253 sn This is a parenthetical, explanatory comment by the author.
[8:30] 1254 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to pick up the sequence of the narrative prior to the parenthetical note by the author.
[8:30] 1255 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:30] 1256 sn The name Legion means “thousands,” a word taken from a Latin term for a large group of soldiers. The term not only suggests a multiple possession, but also adds a military feel to the account. This is a true battle.
[8:31] 1257 tn One could also translate the imperfect tense here with a repetitive force like “begged him repeatedly.”
[8:31] 1259 tn This word, ἄβυσσος (abusso"), is a term for the place where the dead await the judgment. It also could hold hostile spirits according to Jewish belief (Jub. 5:6-7; 1 En. 10:4-6; 18:11-16).
[8:32] 1260 tn Grk “mountain,” but this might give the English reader the impression of a far higher summit.
[8:32] 1261 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the demonic spirits) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:32] 1262 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:32] 1263 sn Many have discussed why Jesus gave them permission, since the animals were destroyed. However, this is another example of a miracle that is a visual lesson. The demons are destructive: They were destroying the man. They destroyed the pigs. They destroy whatever they touch. The point was to take demonic influence seriously, as well as Jesus’ power over it as a picture of the larger battle for human souls. There would be no doubt how the man’s transformation had taken place.
[8:33] 1264 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion and transition in the narrative.
[8:33] 1265 tn The words “of pigs” are supplied because of the following verb in English, “were drowned,” which is plural.
[8:34] 1266 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:34] 1267 tn Or “reported it.” This verb is used three times in the next few verses (vv. 36, 37), showing how the healing became a major topic of conversation in the district.
[8:35] 1269 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the people’s response to the report.
[8:35] 1270 tn Grk “Jesus, and they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[8:36] 1271 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:36] 1272 tn Or “had been delivered”; Grk “had been saved.” This should not be understood as an expression for full salvation. They were only discussing the healing.
[8:37] 1273 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[8:37] 1274 tc See the tc note on “Gerasenes” in v. 26 for the same geographical options for the textual variants.
[8:37] 1275 tn Grk “all the people of the surrounding region of the Gerasenes,” but according to L&N 1.80, “περίχωρος may include not only the surrounding region but also the point of reference, for example…‘the Gerasenes and the people living around them’ Lk 8:37.”
[8:37] 1276 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:37] 1277 tn Or “to depart from them.”
[8:37] 1278 sn Again there is great fear at God’s activity, but there is a different reaction. Some people want nothing to do with God’s presence. Mark 5:16 hints that economic reasons motivated their request.
[8:37] 1279 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that Jesus’ departure was the result of the Gerasenes’ response. A new sentence was started in the translation at this point for stylistic reasons.
[8:37] 1280 tn Grk “returned,” but the effect is that he departed from the Gerasene region.
[8:38] 1281 tn Grk “be,” that is, “remain.” In this context that would involve accompanying Jesus as he went on his way.
[8:38] 1282 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:39] 1283 tn Grk “your house.”
[8:39] 1285 sn Jesus instructs the man to declare what God has done for him, in contrast to the usual instructions (e.g., 8:56; 9:21) to remain silent. Here in Gentile territory Jesus allowed more open discussion of his ministry. D. L. Bock (Luke [BECNT], 1:781) suggests that with few Jewish religious representatives present, there would be less danger of misunderstanding Jesus’ ministry as political.
[8:39] 1286 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the man’s response to Jesus’ instructions.
[8:39] 1288 sn Note that the man could not separate what God had done from the one through whom God had done it (what Jesus had done for him). This man was called to witness to God’s goodness at home.
[8:40] 1289 tn This is a temporal infinitival clause in contrast to Mark’s genitive absolute (Mark 5:21).
[8:40] sn Here the author notes that Jesus returned to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee after his brief excursion into Gentile territory (8:26-39; cf. also Mark 5:21).
[8:41] 1290 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
[8:41] 1291 tn Jairus is described as ἄρχων τῆς συναγωγῆς (arcwn th" sunagwghs), the main elder at the synagogue who was in charge of organizing the services.
[8:41] 1292 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
[8:41] 1293 tn Grk “and falling.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.
[8:41] 1294 tn This verb is an imperfect tense, commonly used by Luke for vividness.
[8:42] 1295 tn This imperfect verb could be understood ingressively: “she was beginning to die” or “was approaching death.”
[8:42] 1296 sn Pressed is a very emphatic term – the crowds were pressing in so hard that one could hardly breathe (L&N 19.48).
[8:43] 1297 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
[8:43] 1298 tn Grk “a flow of blood.”
[8:43] 1299 tc ‡ Most
[8:44] 1300 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[8:44] 1301 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:44] 1302 sn The edge of his cloak refers to the kraspedon, the blue tassel on the garment that symbolized a Jewish man’s obedience to the law (cf. Num 15:37-41). The woman thus touched the very part of Jesus’ clothing that indicated his ritual purity.
[8:44] 1303 tn Grk “garment,” but here ἱμάτιον (Jimation) denotes the outer garment in particular.
[8:44] 1304 tn Grk “the flow of her blood.”
[8:44] sn The woman was most likely suffering from a vaginal hemorrhage, in which case her bleeding would make her ritually unclean.
[8:45] 1305 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[8:45] 1307 tc Most
[8:45] 1308 sn Pressing is a graphic term used in everyday Greek of pressing grapes. Peter says in effect, “How could you ask this? Everyone is touching you!”
[8:46] 1309 tn This is a consummative perfect. Jesus sensed that someone had approached him to be healed, as his reference to power makes clear. The perception underlies Jesus’ prophetic sense as well.
[8:47] 1310 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
[8:47] 1311 tn Or “could not remain unnoticed” (see L&N 28.83).
[8:47] 1312 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. The order of the clauses in the remainder of the verse has been rearranged to reflect contemporary English style.
[8:47] 1313 tn Grk “told for what reason.”
[8:48] 1314 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
[8:48] 1315 tn Or “has delivered you”; Grk “has saved you.” This should not be understood as an expression for full salvation in the immediate context; it refers only to the woman’s healing.
[8:49] 1316 tn That is, “the official in charge of the synagogue”; ἀρχισυνάγωγος (arcisunagwgo") refers to the “president of a synagogue” (so BDAG 139 s.v. and L&N 53.93). In this case the referent is Jairus (v. 41).
[8:50] 1317 tn Grk “answered.”
[8:50] 1318 tn Or “will be delivered”; Grk “will be saved.” This should not be understood as an expression for full salvation in the immediate context; it refers only to the girl’s healing.
[8:51] 1319 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:51] 1320 tn Grk “and John,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
[8:52] 1321 sn This group probably includes outside or even professional mourners, not just family, because a large group seems to be present.
[8:52] 1322 tn Grk “beating the breasts” (in mourning); see L&N 52.1.
[8:53] 1323 tn This imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
[8:53] 1324 tn The participle εἰδότες (eidotes) has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
[8:54] 1326 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
[8:54] 1327 tn Grk “and called, saying.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation to “and said.”
[8:55] 1328 tn Grk “And her.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[8:55] 1329 sn In other words, she came back to life; see Acts 20:10.
[8:55] 1330 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
[8:56] 1331 tn Grk “And her.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
[8:56] 1332 sn Jesus ordered them to tell no one because he desired that miracles not become the center of his ministry.
