Lukas 1:1

Explanatory Preface

1:1 Now ¹  many have undertaken to compile an account ²  of the things ³  that have been fulfilled ⁴  among us,

Lukas 2:32

2:32 a light, ⁵ 

for revelation to the Gentiles,

and for glory ⁶  to your people Israel.”

Lukas 4:21

4:21 Then ⁷  he began to tell them, “Today ⁸  this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.” ⁹ 

Lukas 4:24

4:24 And he added, ¹⁰  “I tell you the truth, ¹¹  no prophet is acceptable ¹²  in his hometown.

Lukas 6:40

6:40 A disciple ¹³  is not greater than ¹⁴  his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher.

Lukas 10:37

10:37 The expert in religious law ¹⁵  said, “The one who showed mercy ¹⁶  to him.” So ¹⁷  Jesus said to him, “Go and do ¹⁸  the same.”

Lukas 11:47

11:47 Woe to you! You build ¹⁹  the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors ²⁰  killed.

Lukas 18:17

18:17 I tell you the truth, ²¹  whoever does not receive ²²  the kingdom of God like a child ²³  will never ²⁴  enter it.”

Lukas 23:43

23:43 And Jesus ²⁵  said to him, “I tell you the truth, ²⁶  today ²⁷  you will be with me in paradise.” ²⁸ 

Lukas 24:17

24:17 Then ²⁹  he said to them, “What are these matters ³⁰  you are discussing so intently ³¹  as you walk along?” And they stood still, looking sad.

[1:1]  ¹ tn Grk “Since” or “Because.” This begins a long sentence that extends through v. 4. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence and the tendency of contemporary English style to use shorter sentences, the Greek sentence has been divided up into shorter English sentences in the translation.

[1:1]  ² tn This is sometimes translated “narrative,” but the term itself can refer to an oral or written account. It is the verb “undertaken” which suggests a written account, since it literally is “to set one’s hand” to something (BDAG 386 s.v. ἐπιχειρέω). “Narrative” is too specific, denoting a particular genre of work for the accounts that existed in the earlier tradition. Not all of that material would have been narrative.

[1:1]  ³ tn Or “events.”

[1:1]  ⁴ tn Or “have been accomplished.” Given Luke’s emphasis on divine design (e.g., Luke 24:43-47) a stronger sense (“fulfilled”) is better than a mere reference to something having taken place (“accomplished”).

[2:32]  ⁵ tn The syntax of this verse is disputed. Most read “light” and “glory” in parallelism, so Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and is glory to the people for Israel. Others see “light” (1:78-79) as a summary, while “revelation” and “glory” are parallel, so Jesus is light for all, but is revelation for the Gentiles and glory for Israel. Both readings make good sense and either could be correct, but Luke 1:78-79 and Acts 26:22-23 slightly favor this second option.

[2:32]  ⁶ sn In other words, Jesus is a special cause for praise and honor (“glory”) for the nation.

[4:21]  ⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[4:21]  ⁸ sn See the note on today in 2:11.

[4:21]  ⁹ tn Grk “in your hearing.”

[4:24]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “said,” but since this is a continuation of previous remarks, “added” is used here.

[4:24]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[4:24]  ¹² sn Jesus argues that he will get no respect in his own hometown. There is a wordplay here on the word acceptable (δεκτός, dektos), which also occurs in v. 19: Jesus has declared the “acceptable” year of the Lord (here translated year of the Lord’s favor), but he is not “accepted” by the people of his own hometown.

[6:40]  ¹³ tn Or “student.”

[6:40]  ¹⁴ tn Or “significantly different.” The idea, as the next phrase shows, is that teachers build followers who go the same direction they do.

[10:37]  ¹⁵ 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.

[10:37]  ¹⁶ 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.

[10:37]  ¹⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the concluding summary.

[10:37]  ¹⁸ tn This recalls the verb of the earlier reply in v. 28.

[11:47]  ¹⁹ sn The effect of what the experts in the law were doing was to deny the message of the prophets and thus honor their death by supporting those who had sought their removal. The charge that this is what previous generations did shows the problem is chronic. As T. W. Manson said, the charge here is “The only prophet you honor is a dead prophet!” (The Sayings of Jesus, 101).

[11:47]  ²⁰ tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”

[18:17]  ²¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[18:17]  ²² sn On receive see John 1:12.

[18:17]  ²³ 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.

[18:17]  ²⁴ tn The negation in Greek used here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong.

[23:43]  ²⁵ tn Grk “he.”

[23:43]  ²⁶ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

[23:43]  ²⁷ sn Jesus gives more than the criminal asked for, because the blessing will come today, not in the future. He will be among the righteous. See the note on today in 2:11.

[23:43]  ²⁸ sn In the NT, paradise is mentioned three times. Here it refers to the abode of the righteous dead. In Rev 2:7 it refers to the restoration of Edenic paradise predicted in Isa 51:3 and Ezek 36:35. In 2 Cor 12:4 it probably refers to the “third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2) as the place where God dwells.

[24:17]  ²⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[24:17]  ³⁰ tn Grk “words,” but the term λόγος (logos) can refer to “matters” rather than only “words” (BDAG 600 s.v. 1.a.ε).

[24:17]  ³¹ tn “Discussing so intently” translates the reciprocal idea conveyed by πρὸς ἀλλήλους (pro" allhlou"). The term ἀντιβάλλω (antiballw), used only here in the NT, has the nuance of “arguing” or “debating” a point (the English idiom “to exchange words” also comes close).