Lukas 8:4

The Parable of the Sower

8:4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus ¹  from one town after another, ²  he spoke to them ³  in a parable:

Lukas 8:19

Jesus’ True Family

8:19 Now Jesus’ ⁴  mother and his brothers ⁵  came to him, but ⁶  they could not get near him because of the crowd.

Lukas 8:39

8:39 “Return to your home, ⁷  and declare ⁸  what God has done for you.” ⁹  So ¹⁰  he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town ¹¹  what Jesus ¹²  had done for him.

[8:4]  ¹ tn Grk “to him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:4]  ² tn This phrase renders a distributive use of κατά (kata) with πόλις (polis), literally “according to [each] town.”

[8:4]  ³ tn The words “to them” do not appear in the Greek text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[8:19]  ⁴ tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[8:19]  ⁵ 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]  ⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[8:39]  ⁷ tn Grk “your house.”

[8:39]  ⁸ tn Or “describe.”

[8:39]  ⁹ 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]  ¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the man’s response to Jesus’ instructions.

[8:39]  ¹¹ tn Or “city.”

[8:39]  ¹² 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.