Luke 12:27-40

New English Translation

Notas al pie

1. Luke 12:27 tn Traditionally, “lilies.” According to L&N 3.32, “Though traditionally κρίνον has been regarded as a type of lily, scholars have suggested several other possible types of flowers, including an anemone, a poppy, a gladiolus, and a rather inconspicuous type of daisy.” In view of the uncertainty, the more generic “flowers” has been used in the translation.
2. Luke 12:27 tn Traditionally, “toil.” Although it might be argued that “work hard” would be a more precise translation of κοπιάω (kopiaō) here, the line in English scans better in terms of cadence with a single syllable.
3. Luke 12:28 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.
4. Luke 12:28 tn Grk “grass in the field.”
5. Luke 12:28 tn Grk “which is in the field today.”
6. Luke 12:28 tn Grk “into the oven.” The expanded translation “into the fire to heat the oven” has been used to avoid misunderstanding; most items put into modern ovens are put there to be baked, not burned.sn The oven was most likely a rounded clay oven used for baking bread, which was heated by burning wood and dried grass.
7. Luke 12:28 sn The phrase how much more is a typical form of rabbinic argumentation, from the lesser to the greater. If God cares for the little things, surely he will care for the more important things.
8. Luke 12:29 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion drawn from the previous illustrations.
9. Luke 12:29 tn Grk “do not seek,” but this could be misunderstood to mean that people should make no attempt to obtain their food. The translation “do not be overly concerned” attempts to reflect the force of the original.
10. Luke 12:29 tn The words “about such things” have been supplied to qualify the meaning; the phrase relates to obtaining food and drink mentioned in the previous clause.
11. Luke 12:30 tn Grk “seek.”
12. Luke 12:31 tn Grk “seek,” but in the sense of the previous verses.
13. Luke 12:31 tc Most mss (P⁴⁵ A D¹ Q W Θ 070 ƒ^1,13 33 M lat sy) read τοῦ θεοῦ (tou theou, “of God”) instead of αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”; found in א B D* L Ψ 579 892 co). But such a clarifying reading is suspect. αὐτοῦ is superior on both internal and external grounds. P⁷⁵ includes neither and as such would support the translation above since the article alone can often be translated as a possessive pronoun.
14. Luke 12:31 sn His (that is, God’s) kingdom 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.
15. Luke 12:32 tn Or perhaps, “your Father chooses.”
16. Luke 12:33 sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.
17. Luke 12:33 tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.
18. Luke 12:33 tn Grk “in the heavens.”
19. Luke 12:33 tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”
20. Luke 12:33 tn The term σής (sēs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.
21. Luke 12:34 sn Seeking heavenly treasure means serving others and honoring God by doing so; see Luke 6:35-36.
22. Luke 12:35 tn Grk “Let your loins be girded,” an idiom referring to the practice of tucking the ends of the long cloak (outer garment) into the belt to shorten it in preparation for activities like running, etc.
23. Luke 12:35 sn Keep your lamps burning means to be ready at all times.
24. Luke 12:36 tn That is, like slaves (who are mentioned later, vv. 37-38), although the term ἀνθρώποις (anthrōpois) is used here. Since in this context it appears generic rather than gender-specific, the translation “people” is employed.
25. Luke 12:36 sn An ancient wedding celebration could last for days (Tob 11:18).
26. Luke 12:37 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
27. Luke 12:37 tn Or “watching”; Grk “awake,” but in context this is not just being awake but alert and looking out.
28. Luke 12:37 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
29. Luke 12:37 tn See v. 35 (same verb).
30. Luke 12:37 tn Grk “have them recline 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.
31. Luke 12:37 tn The participle παρελθών (parelthōn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
32. Luke 12:37 sn He…will come and wait on them is a reversal of expectation, but shows that what Jesus asks for he is willing to do as well; see John 13:5 and 15:18-27, although those instances merely foreshadow what is in view here.
33. Luke 12:38 sn The second or third watch of the night would be between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on a Roman schedule and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on a Jewish schedule. Luke uses the four-watch schedule of the Romans in Acts 12:4, so that is more probable here. Regardless of the precise times of the watches, however, it is clear that the late-night watches when a person is least alert are in view here.
34. Luke 12:38 tn Grk “finds (them) thus,” but this has been clarified in the translation by referring to the status (“alert”) mentioned in v. 37.
35. Luke 12:38 tn Grk “blessed are they”; the referent (the watchful slaves, v. 37) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
36. Luke 12:39 sn On Jesus pictured as a returning thief, see 1 Thess 5:2, 4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15.
37. Luke 12:39 tc Most mss (א¹ A B L Q W Θ Ψ 070 ƒ^1,13 33 M lat sy^p,h sa^ms bo) read “he would have watched and not let” here, but this looks like an assimilation to Matt 24:43. The alliance of two significant and early mss along with a few others (P⁷⁵ א* [D] e i sy^s,c sa^mss), coupled with much stronger internal evidence, suggests that the shorter reading is authentic.
38. Luke 12:40 sn Jesus made clear that his coming could not be timed, and suggested it might take some time—so long, in fact, that some would not be looking for him any longer (at an hour when you do not expect him).