Luke 10:25-42

New English Translation

Footnotes

1. Luke 10:25 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. Luke 10:25 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (see also Luke 7:30, where the same term occurs).
3. Luke 10:25 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4. Luke 10:25 sn The combination of inherit with eternal life asks, in effect, “What must I do to be saved?”
5. Luke 10:26 tn Grk “How do you read?” The pronoun “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
6. Luke 10:27 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the expert in religious law, shortened here to “the expert”) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
7. Luke 10:27 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
8. Luke 10:27 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
9. Luke 10:27 tn This portion of the reply is a quotation from Lev 19:18. The verb is repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
10. Luke 10:28 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
11. Luke 10:28 sn Jesus commends the reply (you have answered correctly). What is assumed here, given the previous context, is that he will respond to Jesus’ message, as to love God is to respond to his Son; see v. 22.
12. Luke 10:29 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the expert in religious law, shortened here to “the expert”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13. Luke 10:29 tn Or “vindicate.”sn The expert in religious law picked up on the remark about the neighbor and sought to limit his responsibility for loving. Some believed this obligation would only be required toward the righteous (Sir 12:1-4). The lawyer was trying to see if that was right and thus confidently establish his righteousness (wanting to justify himself).
14. Luke 10:30 tn Grk “answering, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “replied.”
15. Luke 10:30 sn The journey from Jerusalem to Jericho was 17 mi (27 km), descending some 3425 ft (1044 m) in altitude. It was known for its danger because the road ran through areas of desert and caves where the robbers hid.
16. Luke 10:30 tn Grk “and beat,” 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.
17. Luke 10:30 sn That is, in a state between life and death; severely wounded.
18. Luke 10:31 sn The phrase by chance adds an initial note of hope and fortune to the expectation in the story.
19. Luke 10:31 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context between the priest’s expected action (helping the victim) and what he really did.
20. Luke 10:31 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the injured man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21. Luke 10:31 sn It is not said why the priest passed by and refused to help. It is not relevant to the point of the parable that no help was given in the emergency situation.
22. Luke 10:31 sn The text suggests that the priest went out of his way (on the other side) not to get too close to the scene.
23. Luke 10:32 tn Here κατά (kata) has been translated “up to”; it could also be translated “upon.”
24. Luke 10:32 tn The clause containing the aorist active participle ἐλθών (elthōn) suggests that the Levite came up to the place, took a look, and then moved on.
25. Luke 10:33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context between the previous characters (considered by society to be examples of piety and religious duty) and a hated Samaritan.
26. Luke 10:33 tn This is at the beginning of the clause, in emphatic position in the Greek text.
27. Luke 10:33 tn The participle ὁδεύων (hodeuōn) has been translated as an adjectival participle (cf. NAB, NASB, TEV); it could also be taken temporally (“while he was traveling,” cf. NRSV, NIV).
28. Luke 10:33 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the injured man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
29. Luke 10:33 tn “Him” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The verb means “to feel compassion for,” and the object of the compassion is understood.sn Here is what made the Samaritan different: He felt compassion for him. In the story, compassion becomes the concrete expression of love. The next verse details explicitly six acts of compassion.
30. Luke 10:34 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Instead, because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
31. Luke 10:34 tn The words “to him” are not in the Greek text but are implied. The participle προσελθών (proselthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
32. Luke 10:34 sn The ancient practice of pouring olive oil on wounds was designed to ease pain and provide cleansing for the wounds (Isa 1:6).
33. Luke 10:34 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Because of the length and complexity of this Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
34. Luke 10:34 tn It is not clear whether the causative nuance of the verb included actual assistance or not (“helped him on” versus “had him get on”; see L&N 15.98), but in light of the severity of the man’s condition as described in the preceding verses, some degree of assistance was almost certainly needed.
35. Luke 10:34 sn His own animal refers to a riding animal, presumably a donkey, but not specified.
36. Luke 10:35 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
37. Luke 10:35 tn Grk “two denarii.”sn The two silver coins were denarii. A denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s pay for a laborer; this would be an amount worth about two days’ pay.
38. Luke 10:35 tn Grk “when I come back”; the words “this way” are part of an English idiom used to translate the phrase.
39. Luke 10:36 sn Jesus reversed the question the expert in religious law asked in v. 29 to one of becoming a neighbor by loving. “Do not think about who they are, but who you are,” was his reply.
40. Luke 10:37 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the expert in religious law) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
41. Luke 10:37 sn The neighbor did not do what was required (that is why his response is called mercy) but had compassion and out of kindness went the extra step that shows love. See Mic 6:8. Note how the expert in religious law could not bring himself to admit that the example was a Samaritan, someone who would have been seen as a racial half-breed and one not worthy of respect. So Jesus makes a second point that neighbors may appear in surprising places.
42. Luke 10:37 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the concluding summary.
43. Luke 10:37 tn This recalls the verb of the earlier reply in v. 28.
44. Luke 10:38 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
45. Luke 10:38 tc Most mss have “into the house” (P^3vid א C L Ξ 33 579) or “into her house” (א¹ A C² D W Θ Ψ 070 ƒ^1,13 M lat) at the end of the sentence. But the English translation masks the multitude of variants: Different forms of “house” (οἰκίαν [oikian], οἶκον [oikon]) and “her” occur (see TCGNT 129). These variations argue against authenticity; they no doubt arose because of the abrupt ending of the sentence (the Greek is more literally translated simply as “Martha received him”), prompting copyists to add the location. The shorter reading is found in P^45,75 B sa. tn For the meaning “to welcome, to have as a guest” see L&N 34.53.
46. Luke 10:39 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
47. Luke 10:39 tn This reflexive makes it clear that Mary took the initiative in sitting by Jesus.
48. Luke 10:39 sn The description of Mary sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to him makes her sound like a disciple (compare Luke 8:35).
49. Luke 10:40 sn The term distracted means “to be pulled away” by something (L&N 25.238). It is a narrative comment that makes clear who is right in the account.
50. Luke 10:40 tn Grk “with much serving.”
51. Luke 10:40 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate that the following was a result of Martha’s distraction.
52. Luke 10:40 tn The negative οὐ (ou) used with the verb expects a positive reply. Martha expected Jesus to respond and rebuke Mary.
53. Luke 10:40 tn Grk “has left me to serve alone.”
54. Luke 10:40 tn The conjunction οὖν (oun, “then, therefore”) has not been translated here.
55. Luke 10:41 tc Most mss (A B* C D W Θ Ψ ƒ^1,13 M it) read “Jesus” instead of “the Lord” here, but κύριος (kurios, “Lord”) has the support of some weighty papyri, majuscules, and other witnesses (P^3,[45],75 א B² L 579 892 lat sa).
56. Luke 10:41 tn Grk “answering, said to her.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “answered her.”
57. Luke 10:41 sn The double vocative Martha, Martha communicates emotion.
58. Luke 10:41 tn Or “upset.” Here the meanings of μεριμνάω (merimnaō) and θορυβάζομαι (thorubazomai) reinforce each other (L&N 25.234).
59. Luke 10:42 tc Or, with some mss (P³ [א] B C² L 070^vid ƒ¹ 33 [579]), “few things are needed—or only one” (as well as other variants). The textual problem here is a difficult one to decide. The shorter reading is normally preferred, but it is not altogether clear how the variants would arise from it. However, the reading followed in the translation has good support (with some internal variations) from a number of witnesses (P^45,75 A C* W Θ Ψ ƒ¹³ M lat sa).
60. Luke 10:42 tn Or “better”; Grk “good.” This is an instance of the positive adjective used in place of the superlative adjective. According to ExSyn 298, this could also be treated as a positive for comparative (“better”).