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2 Samuel 19-20
New English Translation

19 (19:2) Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning over Absalom.” 2 So the victory of that day was turned to mourning as far as all the people were concerned. For the people heard on that day, “The king is grieved over his son.” 3 That day the people stole away to go to the city the way people who are embarrassed steal away in fleeing from battle. 4 The king covered his face and cried out loudly,[a] “My son, Absalom! Absalom, my son, my son!”

5 So Joab visited[b] the king at his home. He said, “Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines. 6 You seem to love your enemies and hate your friends! For you have as much as declared today that leaders and servants don’t matter to you. I realize now[c] that if[d] Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today,[e] it would be all right with you. 7 So get up now and go out and give some encouragement to[f] your servants. For I swear by the Lord that if you don’t go out there, not a single man will stay here with you tonight! This disaster will be worse for you than any disaster that has overtaken you from your youth right to the present time!”

8 So the king got up and sat at the city gate. When all the people were informed that the king was sitting at the city gate, they[g] all came before him.

David Goes Back to Jerusalem

But the Israelite soldiers[h] had all fled to their own homes.[i] 9 All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, “The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom. 10 But Absalom, whom we anointed as our king,[j] has died in battle. So now why do you hesitate to bring the king back?”[k]

11 Then King David sent a message to Zadok and Abiathar the priests saying, “Tell the elders of Judah, ‘Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back to his palace,[l] when everything Israel is saying has come to the king’s attention.[m] 12 You are my brothers—my very own flesh and blood![n] Why should you delay any further in bringing the king back?’ 13 Say to Amasa, ‘Are you not my flesh and blood?[o] God will punish me severely,[p] if from this time on you are not the commander of my army in place of Joab!’”

14 He[q] won over the hearts of all the men of Judah as though they were one man. Then they sent word to the king saying, “Return, you and all your servants as well.” 15 So the king returned and came to the Jordan River.[r]

Now the people of Judah[s] had come to Gilgal to meet the king and to help him[t] cross the Jordan. 16 Shimei son of Gera the Benjaminite from Bahurim came down quickly with the men of Judah to meet King David. 17 There were 1,000 men from Benjamin with him, along with Ziba the servant[u] of Saul’s household, and with him his fifteen sons and twenty servants. They hurriedly crossed[v] the Jordan within sight of the king. 18 They crossed at the ford in order to help the king’s household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate.

Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king. 19 He said to the king, “Don’t think badly of me, my lord, and don’t recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left[w] Jerusalem! Please don’t call it to mind! 20 For I, your servant,[x] know that I sinned, and I have come today as the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.”

21 Abishai son of Zeruiah replied, “For this should not Shimei be put to death? After all, he cursed the Lord’s anointed!” 22 But David said, “What do we have in common,[y] you sons of Zeruiah? You are like my enemy today! Should anyone be put to death in Israel today? Don’t I know that today I am king over Israel?” 23 The king said to Shimei, “You won’t die.” The king vowed an oath[z] concerning this.

24 Now Mephibosheth, Saul’s grandson,[aa] came down to meet the king. From the day the king had left until the day he safely[ab] returned, Mephibosheth[ac] had not cared for his feet[ad] nor trimmed[ae] his mustache nor washed his clothes.

25 When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king asked him, “Why didn’t you go with me, Mephibosheth?” 26 He replied, “My lord the king, my servant deceived me! I[af] said, ‘Let me get my donkey saddled so that I can ride on it and go with the king,’ for I[ag] am lame. 27 But my servant[ah] has slandered me[ai] to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you. 28 After all, there was no one in the entire house of my grandfather[aj] who did not deserve death from my lord the king. But instead you allowed me to eat at your own table![ak] What further claim do I have to ask[al] the king for anything?”

29 Then the king replied to him, “Why should you continue speaking like this? You and Ziba will inherit the field together.” 30 Mephibosheth said to the king, “Let him have[am] the whole thing! My lord the king has returned safely[an] to his house!”

31 Now when Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim, he crossed the Jordan with the king so he could send him on his way from there.[ao] 32 But Barzillai was very old—eighty years old, in fact—and he had taken care of the king when he stayed in Mahanaim, for he was a very rich[ap] man. 33 So the king said to Barzillai, “Cross over with me, and I will take care of you while you are with me in Jerusalem.”

34 Barzillai replied to the king, “How many days do I have left to my life, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? 35 I am now eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I[aq] taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I[ar] continue to be a burden to my lord the king? 36 I will cross the Jordan with the king and go a short distance.[as] Why should the king reward me in this way? 37 Let me[at] return so that I may die in my own town near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you.”

38 The king replied, “Kimham will cross over with me, and I will do for him whatever I deem appropriate. And whatever you choose, I will do for you.”

39 So all the people crossed the Jordan, as did the king. After the king had kissed him and blessed him, Barzillai returned to his home.[au] 40 When the king crossed over to Gilgal, Kimham[av] crossed over with him. Now all the soldiers[aw] of Judah along with half the soldiers of Israel had helped the king cross over.[ax]

41 Then all the men of Israel began coming to the king. They asked the king, “Why did our brothers, the men of Judah, sneak the king[ay] away and help the king and his household cross the Jordan—and not only him but all of David’s men as well?” 42 All the men of Judah replied to the men of Israel, “Because the king is our close relative! Why are you so upset about this? Have we eaten at the king’s expense?[az] Or have we misappropriated anything for our own use?” 43 The men of Israel replied to the men of Judah, “We have ten shares in the king, and we have a greater claim on David than you do! Why do you want[ba] to curse us? Weren’t we the first to suggest bringing back our king?” But the comments of the men of Judah were more severe than those of the men of Israel.

Sheba’s Rebellion

20 Now a wicked man[bb] named Sheba son of Bikri, a Benjaminite,[bc] happened to be there. He blew the trumpet[bd] and said,

“We have no share in David;
we have no inheritance in this son of Jesse!
Every man go home,[be] O Israel!”

2 So all the men of Israel deserted[bf] David and followed Sheba son of Bikri. But the men of Judah stuck by their king all the way from the Jordan River[bg] to Jerusalem.

3 Then David went to his palace[bh] in Jerusalem. The king took the ten concubines he had left to care for the palace and placed them under confinement.[bi] Though he provided for their needs, he did not sleep with them.[bj] They remained under restriction until the day they died, living out the rest of their lives as widows.

4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Call the men of Judah together for me in three days,[bk] and you be present here with them too.” 5 So Amasa went out to call Judah together. But in doing so he took longer than the time that the king had allotted him.

6 Then David said to Abishai, “Now Sheba son of Bikri will cause greater disaster for us than Absalom did! Take your lord’s servants and pursue him. Otherwise he will secure[bl] fortified cities for himself and get away from us.” 7 So Joab’s men, accompanied by the Kerethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors, left Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

8 When they were near the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire and had a dagger in its sheath belted to his waist. When he advanced, it fell out.[bm]

9 Joab said to Amasa, “How are you, my brother?” With his right hand Joab took hold of Amasa’s beard as if to greet him with a kiss. 10 Amasa did not protect himself from the knife in Joab’s other hand, and Joab[bn] stabbed him in the abdomen, causing Amasa’s[bo] intestines to spill out on the ground. There was no need to stab him again; the first blow was fatal.[bp] Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bikri.

11 One of Joab’s soldiers who stood over Amasa said, “Whoever is for[bq] Joab and whoever is for David, follow Joab!” 12 Amasa was squirming in his own blood in the middle of the path, and this man had noticed that all the soldiers stopped. Having noticed that everyone who came across Amasa[br] stopped, the man[bs] pulled him[bt] away from the path and into the field and threw a garment over him. 13 Once he had removed Amasa[bu] from the path, everyone followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bikri.

14 Sheba[bv] traveled through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of[bw] Beth Maacah and all the Berite region. When they had assembled,[bx] they too joined him. 15 So Joab’s men[by] came and laid siege against him in Abel of Beth Maacah. They prepared a siege ramp outside the city that stood against its outer rampart. As all of Joab’s soldiers were trying to break through[bz] the wall so that it would collapse, 16 a wise woman called out from the city, “Listen up! Listen up! Tell Joab, ‘Come near so that I may speak to you.’”

17 When he approached her, the woman asked, “Are you Joab?” He replied, “I am.” She said to him, “Listen to the words of your servant.” He said, “Go ahead. I’m listening.” 18 She said, “In the past they would always say, ‘Let them inquire in Abel,’ and that is how they settled things. 19 I represent the peaceful and the faithful in Israel. You are attempting to destroy an important city[ca] in Israel. Why should you swallow up the Lord’s inheritance?”

20 Joab answered, “Not at all![cb] I don’t intend to swallow up or destroy anything! 21 That’s not the way things are. There is a man from the hill country of Ephraim named Sheba son of Bikri. He has rebelled[cc] against King David. Give me just this one man, and I will leave the city.” The woman said to Joab, “This very minute[cd] his head will be thrown over the wall to you!”

22 Then the woman went to all the people with her wise advice and they cut off Sheba’s head[ce] and threw it out to Joab. Joab[cf] blew the trumpet, and his men[cg] dispersed from the city, each going to his own home.[ch] Joab returned to the king in Jerusalem.

23 Now Joab was the general in command of all the army of Israel. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Kerethites and the Perethites. 24 Adoniram[ci] was supervisor of the work crews.[cj] Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the secretary. 25 Sheva was the scribe, and Zadok and Abiathar were the priests. 26 Ira the Jairite was David’s personal priest.[ck]

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 19:4 tn Heb “with a great voice.”
  2. 2 Samuel 19:5 tn Heb “came to.”
  3. 2 Samuel 19:6 tn Heb “today.”
  4. 2 Samuel 19:6 tc The translation follows the Qere, 4QSama, and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading לוּ (lu, “if”) rather than MT לֹא (loʾ, “not”).
  5. 2 Samuel 19:6 tc The Lucianic Greek recension and Syriac Peshitta lack “today.”
  6. 2 Samuel 19:7 tn Heb “and speak to the heart of.”
  7. 2 Samuel 19:8 tn Heb “all the people.”
  8. 2 Samuel 19:8 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Israel” (see 18:16-17).
  9. 2 Samuel 19:8 tn Heb “had fled, each to his tent.”
  10. 2 Samuel 19:10 tn Heb “over us.”
  11. 2 Samuel 19:10 tc The LXX includes the following words at the end of v. 11: “And what all Israel was saying came to the king’s attention.” The words are misplaced in the LXX from v. 12 (although the same statement appears there in the LXX as well).
  12. 2 Samuel 19:11 tn Heb “his house.”
  13. 2 Samuel 19:11 tc The Hebrew text adds “to his house” (= palace), but the phrase, which also appears earlier in the verse, is probably accidentally repeated here.
  14. 2 Samuel 19:12 tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.”
  15. 2 Samuel 19:13 tn Heb “my bone and my flesh.”
  16. 2 Samuel 19:13 tn Heb “Thus God will do to me and thus he will add.”
  17. 2 Samuel 19:14 tn The referent of “he” is not entirely clear: cf. NCV “David”; TEV “David’s words”; NRSV, NLT “Amasa.”
  18. 2 Samuel 19:15 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  19. 2 Samuel 19:15 tn The Hebrew text has simply “Judah.”
  20. 2 Samuel 19:15 tn Heb “the king.” The pronoun (“him”) has been used in the translation to avoid redundancy.
  21. 2 Samuel 19:17 tn Heb “youth.”
  22. 2 Samuel 19:17 tn Heb “rushed into.”
  23. 2 Samuel 19:19 tn Though this verb in the MT is third person masculine singular, it should probably be read as second person masculine singular. It is one of fifteen places where the Masoretes placed a dot over each of the letters of the word in question in order to call attention to their suspicion of the word. Their concern in this case apparently had to do with the fact that this verb and the two preceding verbs alternate from third person to second and back again to third. Words marked in this way in Hebrew manuscripts or printed editions are said to have puncta extrordinaria, or “extraordinary points.”
  24. 2 Samuel 19:20 tn The Hebrew text has simply “your servant.” The word "I" has been supplied for English style.
  25. 2 Samuel 19:22 tn Heb “what to me and to you.”
  26. 2 Samuel 19:23 tn Heb “swore to him.”
  27. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “son.”
  28. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “in peace.” So also in v. 31.
  29. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Mephibosheth) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  30. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “done his feet.”
  31. 2 Samuel 19:24 tn Heb “done.”
  32. 2 Samuel 19:26 tn Heb “your servant.”
  33. 2 Samuel 19:26 tn Heb “your servant.”
  34. 2 Samuel 19:27 tn Heb “and he”; the referent (the servant) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  35. 2 Samuel 19:27 tn Heb “your servant.”
  36. 2 Samuel 19:28 tn Heb “father.”
  37. 2 Samuel 19:28 tn Heb “and you placed your servant among those who eat at your table.”
  38. 2 Samuel 19:28 tn Heb “to cry out to.”
  39. 2 Samuel 19:30 tn Heb “take.”
  40. 2 Samuel 19:30 tn Heb “in peace.”
  41. 2 Samuel 19:31 tc The MT reading אֶת־בַיַּרְדֵּן (ʾet vayyarden, “in the Jordan”) is odd syntactically. The use of the preposition after the object marker אֶת (ʾet) is difficult to explain. Graphic confusion is likely in the MT; the translation assumes the reading מִיַּרְדֵּן (miyyarden, “from the Jordan”). Another possibility is to read the definite article on the front of “Jordan” (הַיַּרְדֵּן, hayyarden; “the Jordan”).
  42. 2 Samuel 19:32 tn Heb “great.”
  43. 2 Samuel 19:35 tn Heb “your servant.”
  44. 2 Samuel 19:35 tn Heb “your servant.”
  45. 2 Samuel 19:36 tn Heb “Like a little your servant will cross the Jordan with the king.”
  46. 2 Samuel 19:37 tn Heb “your servant.”
  47. 2 Samuel 19:39 tn Heb “to his place.”
  48. 2 Samuel 19:40 tn The MT in this instance alone spells the name with final ן (nun, “Kimhan”) rather than as elsewhere with final ם (mem, “Kimham”). As in most other translations, the conventional spelling (with ם) has been used here to avoid confusion.
  49. 2 Samuel 19:40 tn Heb “people.”
  50. 2 Samuel 19:40 tc The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading the Hiphil verb הֶעֱבִירוּ (heʿeviru, “they caused to pass over”) rather than the Qal verb וַיְעֱבִרוּ (vayeʿeviru, “they crossed over”) of the MT.
  51. 2 Samuel 19:41 tn Heb “sneak you.”
  52. 2 Samuel 19:42 tn Heb “from the king.”
  53. 2 Samuel 19:43 tn The translation understands the verb in a desiderative sense, indicating the desire but not necessarily the completed action of the party in question. It is possible, however, that the verb should be given the more common sense of accomplished action, in which case it means here “Why have you cursed us?”
  54. 2 Samuel 20:1 tn Heb “a man of worthlessness.”
  55. 2 Samuel 20:1 tn The expression used here יְמִינִי (yemini) is a short form of the more common “Benjamin.” It appears elsewhere in 1 Sam 9:4 and Esth 2:5. Cf. 1 Sam 9:1.
  56. 2 Samuel 20:1 tn Heb “the shofar” (the ram’s horn trumpet). So also v. 22.
  57. 2 Samuel 20:1 tc The MT reads לְאֹהָלָיו (leʾohalayv, “to his tents”). For a similar idiom, see 19:9. An ancient scribal tradition understands the reading to be לֵאלֹהָיו (leʾlohav, “to his gods”). The word is a tiqqun sopherim, and the scribes indicate that they changed the word from “gods” to “tents” so as to soften its theological implications. In a consonantal Hebrew text the change involved only the metathesis of two letters.
  58. 2 Samuel 20:2 tn Heb “went up from after.”
  59. 2 Samuel 20:2 tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
  60. 2 Samuel 20:3 tn Heb “house.”
  61. 2 Samuel 20:3 tn Heb “and he placed them in a guarded house.”
  62. 2 Samuel 20:3 tn Heb “come to them.” The expression בּוֹא אֶל (boʾ ʾel) means “come to” or “approach,” but is also used as a euphemism for sexual relations.
  63. 2 Samuel 20:4 tn The present translation follows the Masoretic accentuation, with the major mark of disjunction (i.e., the ’atnakh) placed at the word “days.” However, some scholars have suggested moving the ’atnakh to “Judah” a couple of words earlier. This would yield the following sense: “Three days, and you be present here with them.” The difference in meaning is slight, and the MT is acceptable as it stands.
  64. 2 Samuel 20:6 tn Heb “find.” The perfect verbal form is unexpected with the preceding word “otherwise.” We should probably read instead the imperfect. Although it is possible to understand the perfect here as indicating that the feared result is thought of as already having taken place (cf. BDB 814 s.v. פֶּן 2), it is more likely that the perfect is simply the result of scribal error. In this context the imperfect would be more consistent with the following verb וְהִצִּיל (vehitsil, “and he will get away”).
  65. 2 Samuel 20:8 sn The significance of the statement it fell out here is unclear. If the dagger fell out of its sheath before Joab got to Amasa, how then did he kill him? Josephus, Ant. 7.11.7 (7.284), suggested that as Joab approached Amasa he deliberately caused the dagger to fall to the ground at an opportune moment as though by accident. When he bent over and picked it up, he then stabbed Amasa with it. Others have tried to make a case for thinking that two swords are referred to—the one that fell out and another that Joab kept concealed until the last moment. But nothing in the text clearly supports this view. Perhaps Josephus’ understanding is best, but it is by no means obvious in the text either.
  66. 2 Samuel 20:10 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  67. 2 Samuel 20:10 tn Heb “his”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  68. 2 Samuel 20:10 tn Heb “and he did not repeat concerning him, and he died.”
  69. 2 Samuel 20:11 tn Heb “takes delight in.”
  70. 2 Samuel 20:12 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  71. 2 Samuel 20:12 tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man who spoke up in v. 11) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  72. 2 Samuel 20:12 tn Heb “Amasa.” For stylistic reasons the name has been replaced by the pronoun (“him”) in the translation.
  73. 2 Samuel 20:13 tn Heb “him”; the referent (Amasa) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  74. 2 Samuel 20:14 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Sheba) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  75. 2 Samuel 20:14 tc In keeping with the form of the name in v. 15, the translation deletes the “and” found in the MT.
  76. 2 Samuel 20:14 tc The translation follows the Qere, many medieval Hebrew mss, and the ancient versions in reading וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ (vayyiqqahalu, “and they were gathered together”) rather than the Kethib of the MT וַיִּקְלֻהוּ (vayyiqluhu, “and they cursed him”). The Kethib is the result of metathesis.
  77. 2 Samuel 20:15 tn Heb “they.” The following context makes it clear that this refers to Joab and his army.
  78. 2 Samuel 20:15 tc The LXX has here ἐνοοῦσαν (enoousan, “were devising”), which apparently presupposes the Hebrew word מַחֲשָׁבִים (makhashavim) rather than the MT מַשְׁחִיתִם (mashkhitim, “were destroying”). With a number of other scholars Driver thinks that the Greek variant may preserve the original reading, but this seems to be an unnecessary conclusion (but see S. R. Driver, Notes on the Hebrew Text and the Topography of the Books of Samuel, 346).
  79. 2 Samuel 20:19 tn Heb “a city and a mother.” The expression is a hendiadys, meaning that this city was an important one in Israel and had smaller cities dependent on it.
  80. 2 Samuel 20:20 tn Heb “Far be it, far be it from me.” The expression is clearly emphatic, as may be seen in part by the repetition. P. K. McCarter, however, understands it to be coarser than the translation adopted here. He renders it as “I’ll be damned if…” (II Samuel [AB], 426, 429), which (while it is not a literal translation) may not be too far removed from the way a soldier might have expressed himself.
  81. 2 Samuel 20:21 tn Heb “lifted his hand.”
  82. 2 Samuel 20:21 tn Heb “Look!”
  83. 2 Samuel 20:22 tn Heb “the head of Sheba son of Bikri.”
  84. 2 Samuel 20:22 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Joab) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  85. 2 Samuel 20:22 tn Heb “they”; the referent (Joab’s men) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  86. 2 Samuel 20:22 tn Heb “his tents.”
  87. 2 Samuel 20:24 tn Heb “Adoram” (so KJV, NAB, NRSV, CEV), but see 1 Kgs 4:6; 5:14.
  88. 2 Samuel 20:24 tn Heb “was over the forced labor.”
  89. 2 Samuel 20:26 tn Heb “priest for David.” KJV (“a chief ruler about David”) and ASV (“chief minister unto David”) regarded this office as political.
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Luke 18:1-23
New English Translation

Prayer and the Parable of the Persistent Widow

18 Then[a] Jesus[b] told them a parable to show them they should always[c] pray and not lose heart.[d] 2 He said,[e] “In a certain city[f] there was a judge[g] who neither feared God nor respected people.[h] 3 There was also a widow[i] in that city[j] who kept coming[k] to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For[l] a while he refused, but later on[m] he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people,[n] 5 yet because this widow keeps on bothering me, I will give her justice, or in the end she will wear me out[o] by her unending pleas.’”[p] 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says![q] 7 Won’t[r] God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out[s] to him day and night?[t] Will he delay[u] long to help them? 8 I tell you, he will give them justice speedily.[v] Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith[w] on earth?”

The Parable of the Pharisee and Tax Collector

9 Jesus[x] also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down[y] on everyone else. 10 “Two men went up[z] to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee[aa] and the other a tax collector.[ab] 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this:[ac] ‘God, I thank[ad] you that I am not like other people:[ae] extortionists,[af] unrighteous people,[ag] adulterers—or even like this tax collector.[ah] 12 I fast twice[ai] a week; I give a tenth[aj] of everything I get.’ 13 The tax collector, however, stood[ak] far off and would not even look up[al] to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful[am] to me, sinner that I am!’[an] 14 I tell you that this man went down to his home justified[ao] rather than the Pharisee.[ap] For everyone who exalts[aq] himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus and Little Children

15 Now people[ar] were even bringing their babies[as] to him for him to touch.[at] But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them.[au] 16 But Jesus called for the children,[av] saying, “Let the little children come to me and do not try to stop them, for the kingdom of God[aw] belongs to such as these.[ax] 17 I tell you the truth,[ay] whoever does not receive[az] the kingdom of God like a child[ba] will never[bb] enter it.”

The Wealthy Ruler

18 Now[bc] a certain leader[bd] asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”[be] 19 Jesus[bf] said to him, “Why do you call me good?[bg] No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’”[bh] 21 The man[bi] replied, “I have wholeheartedly obeyed[bj] all these laws[bk] since my youth.”[bl] 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have[bm] and give the money[bn] to the poor,[bo] and you will have treasure[bp] in heaven. Then[bq] come, follow me.” 23 But when the man[br] heard this he became very sad,[bs] for he was extremely wealthy.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 18:1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  2. Luke 18:1 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  3. Luke 18:1 tn Or “should pray at all times” (L&N 67.88).
  4. Luke 18:1 sn This is one of the few parables that comes with an explanation at the start:…they should always pray and not lose heart. It is part of Luke’s goal in encouraging Theophilus (1:4).
  5. Luke 18:2 tn Grk “lose heart, saying.” This is a continuation of the previous sentence in the Greek text, but a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronominal subject “He.”
  6. Luke 18:2 tn Or “town.”
  7. Luke 18:2 sn The judge here is apparently portrayed as a civil judge who often handled financial cases.
  8. Luke 18:2 tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used as a generic in comparison to God.
  9. Luke 18:3 sn This widow was not necessarily old, since many people lived only into their thirties in the 1st century.
  10. Luke 18:3 tn Or “town.”
  11. Luke 18:3 tn This is an iterative imperfect; the widow did this on numerous occasions.
  12. Luke 18:4 tn Grk “And for.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  13. Luke 18:4 tn Grk “after these things.”
  14. Luke 18:4 tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used as a generic in comparison to God.
  15. Luke 18:5 tn The term ὑπωπιάζω (hupōpiazō) in this context means “to wear someone out by continual annoying” (L&N 25.245).
  16. Luke 18:5 tn Grk “by her continual coming,” but the point of annoyance to the judge is her constant pleas for justice (v. 3).
  17. Luke 18:6 sn Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! The point of the parable is that the judge’s lack of compassion was overcome by the widow’s persistence.
  18. Luke 18:7 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  19. Luke 18:7 sn The prayers have to do with the righteous who cry out to him to receive justice. The context assumes the righteous are persecuted.
  20. Luke 18:7 tn The emphatic particles in this sentence indicate that God will indeed give justice to the righteous.
  21. Luke 18:7 sn The issue of delay has produced a whole host of views for this verse. (1) Does this assume provision to endure in the meantime? Or (2) does it mean God restricts the level of persecution until he comes? Either view is possible.
  22. Luke 18:8 tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.
  23. Luke 18:8 sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.
  24. Luke 18:9 tn Grk “He”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  25. Luke 18:9 tn Grk “and despised.” This is a second parable with an explanatory introduction.
  26. Luke 18:10 sn The temple is on a hill in Jerusalem, so one would go up to enter its precincts.
  27. Luke 18:10 sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.
  28. Luke 18:10 sn See the note on tax collectors in 3:12.
  29. Luke 18:11 tn Or “stood by himself and prayed like this.” The prepositional phrase πρὸς ἑαυτόν (pros eauton, “to/about himself”) could go with either the aorist participle σταθείς (statheis, “stood”) or with the imperfect verb προσηύχετο (prosēucheto, “he prayed”). If taken with the participle, then the meaning would seem at first glance to be: “stood ‘by himself’,” or “stood ‘alone’.” Now it is true that πρός can mean “by” or “with” when used with intransitive verbs such as ἵστημι (histēmi, “I stand”; cf. BDAG 874 s.v. πρός 2.a), but πρὸς ἑαυτόν together never means “by himself” or “alone” in biblical Greek. On the other hand, if πρὸς ἑαυτόν is taken with the verb, then two different nuances emerge, both of which highlight in different ways the principal point Jesus seems to be making about the arrogance of this religious leader: (1) “prayed to himself,” but not necessarily silently, or (2) “prayed about himself,” with the connotation that he prayed out loud, for all to hear. Since his prayer is really a review of his moral résumé, directed both at advertising his own righteousness and exposing the perversion of the tax collector, whom he actually mentions in his prayer, the latter option seems preferable. If this is the case, then the Pharisee’s mention of God is really nothing more than a formality.
  30. Luke 18:11 sn The Pharisee’s prayer started out as a thanksgiving psalm to God, but the praise ended up not being about God.
  31. Luke 18:11 tn Here the plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anthrōpōn) is used as a generic and can refer to both men and women (NASB, NRSV, “people”; NLT, “everyone else”; NAB, “the rest of humanity”).
  32. Luke 18:11 tn Or “swindlers” (BDAG 134 s.v. ἅρπαξ 2); see also Isa 10:2; Josephus, J. W. 6.3.4 [6.203].
  33. Luke 18:11 sn A general category for “sinners” (1 Cor 6:9; Lev 19:3).
  34. Luke 18:11 sn Note what the Pharisee assumes about the righteousness of this tax collector by grouping him with extortionists, unrighteous people, and adulterers.
  35. Luke 18:12 sn The law only required fasting on the Day of Atonement. Such voluntary fasting as this practiced twice a week by the Pharisee normally took place on Monday and Thursday.
  36. Luke 18:12 tn Or “I tithe.”
  37. Luke 18:13 tn Grk “standing”; the Greek participle has been translated as a finite verb.
  38. Luke 18:13 tn Grk “even lift up his eyes” (an idiom).
  39. Luke 18:13 tn The prayer is a humble call for forgiveness. The term for mercy (ἱλάσκομαι, hilaskomai) is associated with the concept of a request for atonement (BDAG 473-74 s.v. 1; Pss 51:1, 3; 25:11; 34:6, 18).
  40. Luke 18:13 tn Grk “the sinner.” The tax collector views himself not just as any sinner but as the worst of all sinners. See ExSyn 222-23.
  41. Luke 18:14 sn The prayer that was heard and honored was the one given with humility; in a surprising reversal it was the tax collector who went down to his home justified.
  42. Luke 18:14 tn Grk “the other”; the referent (the Pharisee, v. 10) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  43. Luke 18:14 sn Everyone who exalts himself. See Luke 14:11. Jesus often called for humility and condemned those who sought honor.
  44. Luke 18:15 tn Grk “they.”
  45. Luke 18:15 tn The term βρέφος (brephos) here can refer to babies or to toddlers (2:12, 16; Acts 7:19; 2 Tim 3:15; 1 Pet 2:2).
  46. Luke 18:15 tn Grk “so that he would touch them.” Here the touch is connected with (or conveys) a blessing (cf. Mark 10:16; also BDAG 126 s.v. ἅπτω 2.c).
  47. Luke 18:15 tn Grk “the disciples began to scold them.” In the translation the referent has been specified as “those who brought them,” since otherwise the statement could be understood to mean that the disciples began scolding the children rather than their parents who brought them.
  48. Luke 18:16 tn Grk “summoned them”; the referent (the children) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  49. Luke 18:16 sn The kingdom of God is a major theme of Jesus’ teaching. The nature of the kingdom of God in the NT and in Jesus’ teaching has long been debated by interpreters and scholars, with discussion primarily centering around the nature of the kingdom (earthly, heavenly, or both) and the kingdom’s arrival (present, future, or both). An additional major issue concerns the relationship between the kingdom of God and the person and work of Jesus himself. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.
  50. Luke 18:16 sn The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Children are a picture of those whose simple trust illustrates what faith is all about. The remark illustrates how everyone is important to God, even those whom others regard as insignificant.
  51. Luke 18:17 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
  52. Luke 18:17 sn On receive see John 1:12.
  53. Luke 18:17 sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.
  54. Luke 18:17 tn The negation in Greek used here (οὐ μή, ou mē) is very strong.
  55. Luke 18:18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
  56. Luke 18:18 tn Grk “a certain ruler.” BDAG 140 s.v. ἄρχων 2.a takes this to be a member of the Sanhedrin, but Bock understands this to be “an influential wealthy man or civic leader who may have been known for his piety” (D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT] 2:1476).sn Only Luke states this man is a leader (cf. the parallels in Matt 19:16-22 and Mark 10:17-22, where the questioner is described only as “someone”). He is probably a civic leader of some kind, a leader in the society.
  57. Luke 18:18 sn The rich man wanted to know what he must do to inherit eternal life, but Jesus had just finished teaching that eternal life was not earned but simply received (18:17). See the similar question about inheriting eternal life in Luke 10:25.
  58. Luke 18:19 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  59. Luke 18:19 sn Jesus’ response, Why do you call me good?, was designed to cause the ruler to stop and think for a moment about who Jesus really was. The following statement No one is good except God alone seems to point the man in the direction of Jesus’ essential nature and the demands which logically follow on the man for having said it.
  60. Luke 18:20 sn A quotation from Exod 20:12-16 and Deut 5:16-20. Jesus cited the parts of the ten commandments that relate to how others should be treated.
  61. Luke 18:21 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the ruler mentioned in v. 18) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
  62. Luke 18:21 tn Grk “kept.” The implication of this verb is that the man has obeyed the commandments without fail throughout his life, so the adverb “wholeheartedly” has been added to the translation to bring out this nuance.
  63. Luke 18:21 tn Grk “these things.” The referent of the pronoun (the laws mentioned by Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.sn While the rich man was probably being sincere when he insisted I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws, he had confined his righteousness to external obedience. The rich man’s response to Jesus’ command to give away all he had revealed that internally he loved money more than God.
  64. Luke 18:21 sn Since my youth. Judaism regarded the age of thirteen as the age when a man would have become responsible to live by God’s commands.
  65. Luke 18:22 sn See Luke 14:33.
  66. Luke 18:22 tn The words “the money” are not in the Greek text, but are implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
  67. Luke 18:22 sn See Luke 1:50-53; 6:20-23; 14:12-14.
  68. Luke 18:22 sn The call for sacrifice comes with a promise of eternal reward:…you will have treasure in heaven. Jesus’ call is a test to see how responsive the man is to God’s direction through him. Will he walk the path God’s agent calls him to walk? For a rich person who got it right, see Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10.
  69. Luke 18:22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the conversation.
  70. Luke 18:23 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  71. Luke 18:23 tn Or “very distressed” (L&N 25.277).
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