Lukas 3:4

3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,

“The voice ¹  of one shouting in the wilderness: ² 

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make ³  his paths straight.

Lukas 7:24

7:24 When ⁴  John’s messengers had gone, Jesus ⁵  began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness ⁶  to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁷ 

Lukas 11:33

Internal Light

11:33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place ⁸  or under a basket, ⁹  but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light.

Lukas 15:4

15:4 “Which one ¹⁰  of you, if he has a hundred ¹¹  sheep and loses one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture ¹²  and go look for ¹³  the one that is lost until he finds it? ¹⁴ 

[3:4]  ¹ tn Or “A voice.”

[3:4]  ² 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]  ³ 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.

[7:24]  ⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[7:24]  ⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[7:24]  ⁶ tn Or “desert.”

[7:24]  ⁷ 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.

[11:33]  ⁸ tn Or perhaps “in a cellar” (L&N 28.78). The point is that the light of Jesus’ teaching has been put in public view.

[11:33]  ⁹ tc The phrase “or under a basket” is lacking in some important and early mss (Ì^45,75 L Γ Ξ 070 ˹ 700* 1241 2542 pc sy^s sa). It is hard to decide in this case, since the inclusion of “or under a basket” is widely attested by some early and decent witnesses, as well as the overwhelming majority of mss (א A B C D W Θ Ψ Ë¹³ Ï latt). The parallel passage in Luke 8:16 does not include “under a basket.” If the phrase “under a basket” were added as a harmonization with Mark 4:21 and Matt 5:15, it is perhaps surprising that scribes did not add the phrase at Luke 8:16 as well. It seems somewhat more likely that a scribe copying Luke would be inclined to harmonize 11:33 with 8:16 by omitting the phrase here. Thus, the words “or under a basket” seem to have the marks of authenticity.

[11:33]  tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).

[15:4]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “What man.” The Greek word ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used here in a somewhat generic sense.

[15:4]  ¹¹ sn This individual with a hundred sheep is a shepherd of modest means, as flocks often had up to two hundred head of sheep.

[15:4]  ¹² tn Or “desert,” but here such a translation might suggest neglect of the 99 sheep left behind.

[15:4]  ¹³ tn Grk “go after,” but in contemporary English the idiom “to look for” is used to express this.

[15:4]  ¹⁴ sn Until he finds it. The parable pictures God’s pursuit of the sinner. On the image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, see John 10:1-18.