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Legacy Standard Bible Translation Notes
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The Tyndale Center for Bible Translation

NOTES

BIBLE

Luke 17

1

Now He said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come!

Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ· Ἀνένδεκτόν ἐστιν τοῦ τὰ σκάνδαλα μὴ ἐλθεῖν, πλὴν οὐαὶ διʼ οὗ ἔρχεται·

 
2

It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.

λυσιτελεῖ αὐτῷ εἰ λίθος μυλικὸς περίκειται περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρριπται εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ἢ ἵνα σκανδαλίσῃ τῶν μικρῶν τούτων ἕνα.

 
3

Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

προσέχετε ἑαυτοῖς. ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἐπιτίμησον αὐτῷ, καὶ ἐὰν μετανοήσῃ ἄφες αὐτῷ·

 
4

And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

καὶ ἐὰν ἑπτάκις τῆς ἡμέρας ἁμαρτήσῃ εἰς σὲ καὶ ἑπτάκις ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς σὲ λέγων· Μετανοῶ, ἀφήσεις αὐτῷ.

 
5

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”

Καὶ εἶπαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῷ κυρίῳ· Πρόσθες ἡμῖν πίστιν.

 
6

And the Lord said, “If you have faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.

εἶπεν δὲ ὁ κύριος· Εἰ ἔχετε πίστιν ὡς κόκκον σινάπεως, ἐλέγετε ἂν τῇ συκαμίνῳ ταύτῃ· Ἐκριζώθητι καὶ φυτεύθητι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ· καὶ ὑπήκουσεν ἂν ὑμῖν.

 
7

“But which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’?

Τίς δὲ ἐξ ὑμῶν δοῦλον ἔχων ἀροτριῶντα ἢ ποιμαίνοντα, ὃς εἰσελθόντι ἐκ τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ· Εὐθέως παρελθὼν ἀνάπεσε,

 
8

But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and, clothing yourself properly, serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’?

ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ ἐρεῖ αὐτῷ· Ἑτοίμασον τί δειπνήσω καὶ περιζωσάμενος διακόνει μοι ἕως φάγω καὶ πίω, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα φάγεσαι καὶ πίεσαι σύ;

 
9

Is he grateful to the slave because he did the things which were commanded?

μὴ ἔχει χάριν τῷ δούλῳ ὅτι ἐποίησεν τὰ διαταχθέντα;

Is he grateful
This question opens with the Greek negative particle μή (), which is used to prime the listener for an assumed negative answer. Thus, the correct answer to Jesus’ rhetorical question is “no.” This is why some translations structure question, “he does not thank…does he?” However, to avoid adding words which do not appear in the Greek, the rhetorical question is simply translated with a familiar English structure. This way, nothing external is added and the force of the rhetorical question and the expected negative answer remain perfectly intact.

 
10

In this way, you also, when you do all the things which are commanded of you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done that which we ought to have done.’”

οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὅταν ποιήσητε πάντα τὰ διαταχθέντα ὑμῖν, λέγετε ὅτι Δοῦλοι ἀχρεῖοί ἐσμεν, ὃ ὠφείλομεν ποιῆσαι πεποιήκαμεν.

 
11

And it happened that while He was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing through Samaria and Galilee.

Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ πορεύεσθαι εἰς Ἰερουσαλὴμ καὶ αὐτὸς διήρχετο διὰ μέσον Σαμαρείας καὶ Γαλιλαίας.

And it happened
The phrase “And it happened” translates the formulaic introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto). Though often absent from modern English translations, this phrase is frequently used at the outset of a literary unit in order to draw attention to a larger episode comprised of several smaller events. When used in the middle of an episode, the phrase functions as a marker, indicating either a pause in the flow of the story, or a point of emphasis to which the author is drawing the reader’s attention. In this context, its use at the outset of this scene highlights this narrative in the midst of the teaching ministry of Jesus which surrounds this passage (17:11-19).

 
12

And as He entered a village, ten leprous men who stood at a distance met Him.

καὶ εἰσερχομένου αὐτοῦ εἴς τινα κώμην ἀπήντησαν δέκα λεπροὶ ἄνδρες, οἳ ἔστησαν πόρρωθεν,

 
13

And they raised their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

καὶ αὐτοὶ ἦραν φωνὴν λέγοντες· Ἰησοῦ ἐπιστάτα, ἐλέησον ἡμᾶς.

 
14

When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And it happened that as they were going, they were cleansed.

καὶ ἰδὼν εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Πορευθέντες ἐπιδείξατε ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν. καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ ὑπάγειν αὐτοὺς ἐκαθαρίσθησαν.

And it happened
Refer to the discussion on verse 11 above. By occurring in the middle of the narrative rather than at the beginning, this expression showcases a particular event, namely, Jesus’ immediate healing of the ten lepers.

 
15

Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice,

εἷς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν, ἰδὼν ὅτι ἰάθη, ὑπέστρεψεν μετὰ φωνῆς μεγάλης δοξάζων τὸν θεόν,

 
16

and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan.

καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον παρὰ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ εὐχαριστῶν αὐτῷ· καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν Σαμαρίτης.

 
17

Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine⁠—where are they?

ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· Οὐχὶ οἱ δέκα ἐκαθαρίσθησαν; οἱ δὲ ἐννέα ποῦ;

 
18

Was there no one found who turned back to give glory to God, except this foreigner?”

οὐχ εὑρέθησαν ὑποστρέψαντες δοῦναι δόξαν τῷ θεῷ εἰ μὴ ὁ ἀλλογενὴς οὗτος;

 
19

And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.”

καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀναστὰς πορεύου· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε.

 
20

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed,

Ἐπερωτηθεὶς δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν Φαρισαίων πότε ἔρχεται ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς καὶ εἶπεν· Οὐκ ἔρχεται ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ παρατηρήσεως,

 
21

nor will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘There!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.”

οὐδὲ ἐροῦσιν· Ἰδοὺ ὧδε ἤ· Ἐκεῖ· ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ ἐντὸς ὑμῶν ἐστιν.

 
22

And He said to the disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.

Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς· Ἐλεύσονται ἡμέραι ὅτε ἐπιθυμήσετε μίαν τῶν ἡμερῶν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἰδεῖν καὶ οὐκ ὄψεσθε.

 
23

And they will say to you, ‘Look there! Look here!’ Do not go away, and do not run after them.

καὶ ἐροῦσιν ὑμῖν· Ἰδοὺ ἐκεῖ· Ἰδοὺ ὧδε· μὴ ἀπέλθητε μηδὲ διώξητε.

 
24

For just like the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day.

ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἀστραπὴ ἀστράπτουσα ἐκ τῆς ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰς τὴν ὑπʼ οὐρανὸν λάμπει, οὕτως ἔσται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ αὐτοῦ.

 
25

But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

πρῶτον δὲ δεῖ αὐτὸν πολλὰ παθεῖν καὶ ἀποδοκιμασθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης.

 
26

And just as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man:

καὶ καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Νῶε, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου·

was
The word γίνομαι (ginomai) is translated here as “was” rather than the common translation “happened” because Jesus is using it here to describe the state of things rather than a specific event (cf. vv. 11, 14). This is simply ‘how it was’ at that time. This helps to highlight the similarity between the state of things then (how it was) and the state of things in Jesus’ coming day (how it will be). This is a warning not to take the current state of seeming prosperity and security as an indication that judgment will never come. It will come quickly and suddenly as in the times of Noah and Lot.

 
27

they were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.

ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἐγάμουν, ἐγαμίζοντο, ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας εἰσῆλθεν Νῶε εἰς τὴν κιβωτόν, καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ κατακλυσμὸς καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας.

 
28

It was the same as in the days of Lot⁠—they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building;

ὁμοίως καθὼς ἐγένετο ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις Λώτ· ἤσθιον, ἔπινον, ἠγόραζον, ἐπώλουν, ἐφύτευον, ᾠκοδόμουν·

was
Refer to the discussion on verse 26 above.

 
29

but on the day that Lot went out from Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.

ᾗ δὲ ἡμέρᾳ ἐξῆλθεν Λὼτ ἀπὸ Σοδόμων, ἔβρεξεν πῦρ καὶ θεῖον ἀπʼ οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀπώλεσεν πάντας.

 
30

It will be just the same on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.

κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ἔσται ᾗ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἀποκαλύπτεται.

 
31

On that day, the one who is on the housetop and whose goods are in the house must not go down to take them out, and likewise the one who is in the field must not turn back.

ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὃς ἔσται ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος καὶ τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, μὴ καταβάτω ἆραι αὐτά, καὶ ὁ ἐν ἀγρῷ ὁμοίως μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω.

 
32

Remember Lot’s wife.

μνημονεύετε τῆς γυναικὸς Λώτ.

 
33

Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.

ὃς ἐὰν ζητήσῃ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ περιποιήσασθαι ἀπολέσει αὐτήν, ὃς δʼ ἂν ἀπολέσῃ ζῳογονήσει αὐτήν.

 
34

I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.

λέγω ὑμῖν, ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἔσονται δύο ἐπὶ κλίνης μιᾶς, ὁ εἷς παραλημφθήσεται καὶ ὁ ἕτερος ἀφεθήσεται·

 
35

There will be two women grinding grain at the same place; one will be taken and the other will be left.

ἔσονται δύο ἀλήθουσαι ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό, ἡ μία παραλημφθήσεται ἡ δὲ ἑτέρα ἀφεθήσεται.

 
36

[Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.”]

 
37

And answering they said to Him, “Where, Lord?” And He said to them, “Where the body is, there also the vultures will be gathered.

καὶ ἀποκριθέντες λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ποῦ, κύριε; ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· Ὅπου τὸ σῶμα, ἐκεῖ καὶ οἱ ἀετοὶ ἐπισυναχθήσονται.

 
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The Hebrew Old Testament is taken from the Unicode/XML Westminster Leningrad Codex
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Edited by Michael W. Holmes
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