¹ tn Heb “for their assignment in their service.”

² tn Heb “And the sons of Eleazar were found to be more, with respect to the heads of men, than the sons of Ithamar, and they divided them. To the sons of Eleazar there were sixteen heads, according to the house of the fathers; and to the sons of Ithamar there were eight, according to the house of their fathers.”

³ tn Heb “and they divided them by lots, these with these, for the officials of the holy place and the officials of God were from the sons of Eleazar and among the sons of Ithamar.”

⁴ tn Heb “one house of a father was drawn by lot for Eleazar, and one [this assumes an emendation of אָחֻז (’akhuz) to אֶחָד (’ekhad, “one”)] was drawn by lot for Ithamar.”

⁵ tn Heb “father.”

⁶ tn Heb “these were their responsibilities for their service to enter the house of the Lord according to their manner [given] by the hand of Aaron their father, as the Lord God of Israel commanded him.”

⁷ tn Heb “Belonging to the rest of the sons of Levi.”

⁸ tn This appears to be a variant of the name Shebuel (cf. 1 Chr 23:16 and 26:24).

⁹ tc Most Hebrew mss omit “Hebron” here, but see 1 Chr 23:19. The name is included in two Hebrew mss and some LXX mss.

¹⁰ tn The Hebrew text has the plural “sons,” but only one name appears after this.

¹¹ tn Heb “the sons of Jaaziah, Beno.” Apparently בְנוֹ (vÿno), which could be translated “his son,” is a proper name here. The text, however, may be corrupt at this point; a list of Jaaziah’s sons may have been accidentally omitted. See v. 27.

¹² tn Or “from Jaaziah his son.” See the note on “Beno” in v. 26.

¹³ tc The Hebrew text has, “Belonging to [i.e., from] Kish, the sons of Kish, Jerahmeel.” There appears to be a conflation of headings.

¹⁴ tn Heb “the fathers [i.e., families] of the head [i.e., oldest] just like his youngest brother.”

¹⁵ tn Heb “David and the officers of the army set apart for service the sons of Asaph and Heman and Jeduthun, the ones prophesying by harps, by lyres, and by cymbals.”

¹⁶ tn Heb “and their number was, the men of work for their service.”

¹⁷ tn Heb “the sons of Asaph [were] upon the hand of Asaph, the one prophesying upon the hands of the king.”

¹⁸ tn Heb “belonging to Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun.”

¹⁹ tn This name appears as “Izri” in v. 10.

²⁰ tc One Hebrew ms and some LXX mss supply the name “Shimei” after “Jeshaiah.” Most Hebrew mss omit the name here (but cf. v. 17).

²¹ tc The list includes only five names. Apparently the name “Shimei” (see v. 17), which appears in one medieval Hebrew ms and in the LXX, has been accidentally omitted from the Hebrew text.

²² tn Heb “belonging to Heman, the sons of Heman.”

²³ tn Heb “by the words of God to exalt a horn.” An animal’s horn is sometimes used metaphorically as a symbol of strength and honor. See BDB 901-2 s.v. קֶרֶנ.

²⁴ tn Heb “and their number with their brothers, trained in music to the Lord, all skilled, was 288.”

²⁵ tn Heb “and they cast lots [for] service, just as like small, like great, teacher with student.”

²⁶ tc Heb “The first lot went to Asaph, to Joseph.” Apparently the recurring formula, “and his sons and his relatives, twelve” has been accidentally omitted from the Hebrew text at this point (see vv. 10-31; the formula is slightly different in v. 9b). If the number “twelve” is not supplied here, the total comes to only 276, not the 288 required by v. 7.

²⁷ tn “Izri” is a variant of the name “Zeri” (cf. 25:3).

²⁸ tn “Jesharelah” is a variant of the name “Asarelah” (cf. 25:2).

²⁹ tn “Azarel” is a variant of the name “Uzziel” (cf. 25:4).

³⁰ tn Grk “shepherd,” “tend,” “pastor.”

³¹ tc A few important mss (א* B sa) lack ἐπισκοποῦντες (episkopounte", “exercising oversight”), but the participle enjoys otherwise good ms support (Ì⁷² א² A P Ψ 33 1739 Ï lat). A decision is difficult because normally the shorter reading is preferred, especially when found in excellent witnesses. However, in this instance the omission may be due to a hesitation among some scribes to associate oversight with elders, since the later church viewed overseer/bishop as a separate office from elder.

³² tn Or “not under compulsion/coercion.”

³³ tn Grk “according to God.”

³⁴ tn Grk “not as lording it over…but being examples.” The participles continue the command of v. 2 by describing how the shepherding should be carried out.

³⁵ tn Grk “the ones allotted,” referring to those God has given over to their care.

³⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then” to reflect the logical sequence of events.

³⁷ sn In this context younger and elder are terms that combine two meanings: relative age and an official structure of leadership in the church. As in v. 1, elder here denotes those who exercise spiritual leadership, who for the most part are older in years. Likewise younger means the rest of the community, who for the most part are younger in age, who are urged to accept the authority of their leaders.

³⁸ sn A quotation from Prov 3:34 (cf. Jas 4:6).

³⁹ tn Grk “in time,” but connoting “the proper time, when the time is right” as in Matt 24:45; Luke 12:42.

⁴⁰ tn Grk “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that in due time he may exalt you.” The sentence was rearranged so that the English reader could more clearly see the connection between “casting” (v. 7) and “humble” (v. 6).

⁴¹ tn Or “throwing on”; “loading.” Some scholars take the participle to function imperativally, or as attendant circumstance – thus, “cast.” See below for discussion.

sn Casting. According to ExSyn 630, “Although treated as an independent command in several modern translations (e.g., RSV, NRSV, NIV), the participle [casting] should be connected with the verb of v 6, ταπεινώθητε [tapeinwqhte, Humble yourselves]. As such, it is not offering a new command, but is defining how believers are to humble themselves. Taking the participle as means enriches the understanding of both verbs: Humbling oneself is not a negative act of self-denial per se, but a positive one of active dependence on God for help.”

⁴² tn Or “anxiety, burden,” but using a word from the same root as the verb “cares” in the last part of the verse.

⁴³ sn This phrase may be an allusion to Ps 22:13.

⁴⁴ tc A few mss (B Ψ 0206^vid pc) lack the pronoun τινα (tina), while others have it. Those that have it either put the acute accent over the penult, making this an interrogative pronoun (“whom”; L P 322 323 614 630 945 1243 1739 2298 al), or leave off any accent, making this an indefinite pronoun (“someone”; Ï), or are too early to employ accents but nevertheless have the pronoun τινα (Ì⁷² א A). Generally speaking, the shorter and harder reading is to be preferred. In this instance, the omission of the pronoun would obviously be accommodated for by scribes, since both ζητέω (zhtew, “look, seek”) and καταπίνω (katapinw, “devour”) are transitive verbs. However, if the omission were original, one might expect the position of the pronoun to float in the mss – both before and after the infinitive καταπιεῖν (katapiein, “to devour”). Further, other terms might be expected as well, such as ἕνα ἐξ ὑμῶν ({ena ex Jumwn, “one of you”) or τινα ἐξ ὑμῶν (tina ex Jumwn, “a certain one/someone of you”). The uniformity of both the word and its location suggests that the shorter reading (found in but a few Greek mss) in this instance was a scribal mistake. As to whether the pronoun is interrogative or indefinite, since accents were not a part of the earliest mss, such Greek witnesses are of no help to us in this kind of problem. There would be little difference in meaning between the two in this context.

⁴⁵ tn Grk “whom,” referring to the devil in v. 8. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

⁴⁶ tn Grk “knowing,” a participle that usually denotes a reason for the related action.

⁴⁷ tn Grk “your brotherhood.” The Greek term “brotherhood” is used in a broad sense to connote familial relationships within the family of God (cf. BDAG 19 s.v. ἀδελφότης 1). Another alternative translation would be “your fellow believers,” though this would weaken the familial connotations. This same word occurs in 2:17; there it has been translated “family of believers.”

⁴⁸ tn Grk “your brotherhood in the world,” referring to the Christian community worldwide.

⁴⁹ tn This verb carries the nuance “to accomplish, complete,” emphasizing their faithful endurance in suffering. The verb is passive in Greek (“suffering is being endured by your brotherhood”), but has been translated as an active to give a smoother English style.

⁵⁰ tn Grk “the same things of sufferings.”

⁵¹ tc ‡ A few important mss (א B 614 630 1505 pc) lack “Jesus” after “Christ,” while the majority include the name (Ì⁷² A P Ψ 33 1739 Ï latt). However, the inclusion is a natural and predictable expansion on the text. NA²⁷ includes ᾿Ιησοῦ (Ihsou, “Jesus”) in brackets, indicating doubts as to its authenticity. .

⁵² tn The pronoun “you” is not used explicitly but is clearly implied by the Greek.

⁵³ tn No verb is expressed here but the verb “is” or “belongs” is clearly implied. This doxology expresses a fact for which God should be glorified (as in 4:11), rather than a wish or prayer (“may power be to him”).

⁵⁴ sn The phrase Through Silvanus means either that Silvanus was the secretary (amanuensis) who assisted Peter in writing or composing the letter (cf. Rom 16:22) or that he carried the letter to the churches. The latter sense is more likely since this is the meaning of the Greek wording when it is used elsewhere (cf. Acts 15:23; Ignatius, Letter to the Romans 10:1; Letter to the Philadelphians 11:2; Letter to the Smyrnaeans 12:1; Polycarp, Letter to the Philippians 14), though it is perhaps possible that both ideas could be incorporated by this expression. For a detailed argument regarding this issue, see E. R. Richards, “Silvanus Was Not Peter’s Secretary: Theological Bias in Interpreting διὰ Σιλουανοῦ…ἔγραψα,” JETS 43 (September 2000): 417-32.

⁵⁵ tn Grk “the faithful brother, as I think.”

⁵⁶ tn These are participles (“encouraging and testifying”) showing purpose. The pronoun object “you” is omitted in Greek but implied by the context.

⁵⁷ tn Grk “in which stand fast.” For emphasis, and due to constraints of contemporary English, this was made a separate sentence in the translation.

⁵⁸ tn Grk “the one in Babylon,” which could refer to some individual woman (“she who is in Babylon”) since the Greek article (here “the one”) is feminine. But it is much more likely to be a veiled reference to a church (the Greek word “church” is also feminine in gender).

⁵⁹ sn Most scholars understand Babylon here to be a figurative reference to Rome. Although in the OT the city of Babylon in Mesopotamia was the seat of tremendous power (2 Kgs 24-25; Isa 39; Jer 25), by the time of the NT what was left was an insignificant town, and there is no tradition in Christian history that Peter ever visited there. On the other hand, Christian tradition connects Peter with the church in Rome, and many interpreters think other references to Babylon in the NT refer to Rome as well (Rev 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2, 10, 21). Thus it is likely Peter was referring to Rome here.

⁶⁰ tn Grk “chosen together,” implying the connection “with you” in context.

⁶¹ tn Grk “a kiss of love.”

⁶² tc Most mss (א P 1739^c Ï) have ἀμήν (amen, “amen”) at the end of 1 Peter. Such a conclusion is routinely added by scribes to NT books because a few of these books originally had such an ending (cf. Rom 16:27; Gal 6:18; Jude 25). A majority of Greek witnesses have the concluding ἀμήν in every NT book except Acts, James, and 3 John (and even in these books, ἀμήν is found in some witnesses). It is thus a predictable variant. Further, the absence of such a conclusion to the epistle in such witnesses as A B Ψ 81 323 945 1241 1739* co seems inexplicable unless the word here is not authentic.

⁶³ tn Heb “heads.”

⁶⁴ tn Heb “house.”

⁶⁵ tn Heb “Should you not know justice?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course you should!”

⁶⁶ tn Heb “the ones who.”

⁶⁷ tn Or “good.”

⁶⁸ tn Or “evil.”

⁶⁹ tn Heb “their skin from upon them.” The referent of the pronoun (“my people,” referring to Jacob and/or the house of Israel, with the Lord as the speaker) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁷⁰ tn Heb “and their flesh from their bones.”

sn Micah compares the social injustice perpetrated by the house of Jacob/Israel to cannibalism, because it threatens the very lives of the oppressed.

⁷¹ tn Heb “who.”

⁷² tc The MT reads “and they chop up as in a pot.” The translation assumes an emendation of כַּאֲשֶׁר (ka’asher, “as”) to כִּשְׁאֵר (kish’er, “like flesh”).

⁷³ tn Heb “then they will cry out to the Lord.” The words “Someday these sinners” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁷⁴ tn Heb “concerning the prophets, those who mislead my people.” The first person pronominal suffix is awkward in a quotation formula that introduces the words of the Lord. For this reason some prefer to begin the quotation after “the Lord says” (cf. NIV), but this leaves “concerning the prophets” hanging very awkwardly at the beginning of the quotation. It is preferable to add הוֹי (hoy, “woe, ah”) at the beginning of the quotation, right after the graphically similar יְהוָה (yÿhvah; see D. R. Hillers, Micah [Hermeneia], 44). The phrase הוֹי עַל (hoy ’al, “woe upon”) occurs in Jer 50:27 and Ezek 13:3 (with “the prophets” following the preposition in the latter instance).

⁷⁵ tn Heb “those who bite with their teeth and cry out, ‘peace.’” The phrase “bite with the teeth” is taken here as idiomatic for eating. Apparently these prophets were driven by mercenary motives. If they were paid well, they gave positive oracles to their clients, but if someone could not afford to pay them, they were hostile and delivered oracles of doom.

⁷⁶ tn Heb “but [as for the one] who does not place [food] in their mouths, they prepare for war against him.”

⁷⁷ tn Heb “it will be night for you without a vision.”

sn The coming of night (and darkness in the following line) symbolizes the cessation of revelation.

⁷⁸ tn Heb “it will be dark for you without divination.”

sn The reading of omens (Heb “divination”) was forbidden in the law (Deut 18:10), so this probably reflects the prophets’ view of how they received divine revelation.

⁷⁹ tn Heb “and the day will be dark over them.”

⁸⁰ tn Or “seers.”

⁸¹ tn Or “the mustache,” or perhaps “the beard.” Cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “cover their lips.”

⁸² tn Heb “for there will be no answer from God.”

⁸³ sn The prophet Micah speaks here and contrasts himself with the mercenaries just denounced by the Lord in the preceding verses.

⁸⁴ tn Heb “am full of power, the Spirit of the Lord, and justice and strength.” The appositional phrase “the Spirit of the Lord” explains the source of the prophet’s power. The phrase “justice and strength” is understood here as a hendiadys, referring to the prophet’s strong sense of justice.

⁸⁵ tn Heb “to declare to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin.” The words “this enables me” are supplied in the translation for clarification.

⁸⁶ tn Heb “house.”

⁸⁷ tn Heb “house.”

⁸⁸ tn Heb “who.” A new sentence was begun here in the translation for stylistic reasons (also at the beginning of v. 10).

⁸⁹ tn Heb “who.”

⁹⁰ tn Heb “bloodshed” (so NAB, NASB, NIV); NLT “murder.”

⁹¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

⁹² sn The pronoun Her refers to Jerusalem (note the previous line).

⁹³ tn Heb “judge for a bribe.”

⁹⁴ tn Heb “they lean upon” (so KJV, NIV, NRSV); NAB “rely on.”

⁹⁵ tn Heb “Is not the Lord in our midst?” The rhetorical question expects the answer, “Of course he is!”

⁹⁶ tn Or “come upon” (so many English versions); NCV “happen to us”; CEV “come to us.”

⁹⁷ tn The plural pronoun refers to the leaders, priests, and prophets mentioned in the preceding verse.

⁹⁸ tn Or “into” (an adverbial accusative of result).

⁹⁹ tn Heb “the mountain of the house” (so KJV, ASV, NRSV).

¹⁰⁰ tn Heb “a high place of overgrowth.”

¹⁰¹ tn The phrase ἐν οἷς (en Jois) can be translated “meanwhile.”

¹⁰² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁰³ tn According to L&N 27.59, “to pay attention to, to keep on the lookout for, to be alert for, to be on your guard against.” This is another Lukan present imperative calling for constant vigilance.

¹⁰⁴ sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

¹⁰⁵ sn The pursuit of popularity can lead to hypocrisy, if one is not careful.

¹⁰⁶ tn Or “concealed.”

¹⁰⁷ sn I.e., be revealed by God. The passive voice verbs here (“be revealed,” be made known”) see the revelation as coming from God. The text is both a warning about bad things being revealed and an encouragement that good things will be made known, though the stress with the images of darkness and what is hidden in vv. 2-3 is on the attempt to conceal.

¹⁰⁸ tn Or “because.” Understanding this verse as a result of v. 2 is a slightly better reading of the context. Knowing what is coming should impact our behavior now.

¹⁰⁹ tn Grk “spoken in the ear,” an idiom. The contemporary expression is “whispered.”

¹¹⁰ sn The term translated private rooms refers to the inner room of a house, normally without any windows opening outside, the most private location possible (BDAG 988 s.v. ταμεῖον 2).

¹¹¹ tn The expression “proclaimed from the housetops” is an idiom for proclaiming something publicly (L&N 7.51). Roofs of many first century Jewish houses in Judea and Galilee were flat and had access either from outside or from within the house. Something shouted from atop a house would be heard by everyone in the street below.

¹¹² tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹¹³ sn Judaism had a similar exhortation in 4 Macc 13:14-15.

¹¹⁴ tn Grk “will show,” but in this reflective context such a demonstration is a warning or exhortation.

¹¹⁵ sn The actual performer of the killing is not here specified. It could be understood to be God (so NASB, NRSV) but it could simply emphasize that, after a killing has taken place, it is God who casts the person into hell.

¹¹⁶ tn The direct object (“you”) is understood.

¹¹⁷ sn The word translated hell is “Gehenna” (γέεννα, geenna), a Greek transliteration of the Hebrew words ge hinnom (“Valley of Hinnom”). This was the valley along the south side of Jerusalem. In OT times it was used for human sacrifices to the pagan god Molech (cf. Jer 7:31; 19:5-6; 32:35), and it came to be used as a place where human excrement and rubbish were disposed of and burned. In the intertestamental period, it came to be used symbolically as the place of divine punishment (cf. 1 En. 27:2, 90:26; 4 Ezra 7:36).

¹¹⁸ sn The pennies refer to the assarion, a small Roman copper coin. One of them was worth one sixteenth of a denarius or less than a half hour’s average wage. Sparrows were the cheapest thing sold in the market. God knows about even the most financially insignificant things; see Isa 49:15.

¹¹⁹ sn Do not be afraid. One should respect and show reverence to God (v. 5), but need not fear his tender care.

¹²⁰ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹²¹ tn Or “confesses.”

¹²² tn Although this is a generic reference and includes both males and females, in this context “men” has been retained because of the wordplay with the Son of Man and the contrast with the angels. The same is true of the occurrence of “men” in v. 9.

¹²³ sn This acknowledgment will take place at the judgment. Of course, the Son of Man is a reference to Jesus as it has been throughout the Gospel. On Jesus and judgment, see 22:69; Acts 10:42-43; 17:31.

¹²⁴ sn Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit probably refers to a total rejection of the testimony that the Spirit gives to Jesus and the plan of God. This is not so much a sin of the moment as of one’s entire life, an obstinate rejection of God’s message and testimony. Cf. Matt 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-30.

¹²⁵ tn Grk “it will not be forgiven the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit.”

¹²⁶ sn The saying looks at persecution both from a Jewish context as the mention of synagogues suggests, and from a Gentile one as the reference to the rulers and the authorities suggests.

sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.

¹²⁷ tn Grk “and the,” 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.

¹²⁸ tn Grk “about how or what you should say in your defense,” but this is redundant with the following clause, “or what you should say.”

¹²⁹ tn Grk “in that very hour” (an idiom).

¹³⁰ tn Grk “what it is necessary to say.”

¹³¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

¹³² sn Tell my brother. In 1st century Jewish culture, a figure like a rabbi was often asked to mediate disputes, except that here mediation was not requested, but representation.

¹³³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹³⁴ tn This term of address can be harsh or gentle depending on the context (BDAG 82 s.v. ἄνθρωπος 8). Here it is a rebuke.

¹³⁵ tn The pronoun ὑμᾶς (Jumas) is plural, referring to both the man and his brother; thus the translation “you two.”

¹³⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

¹³⁷ tn See L&N 13.154 for this use of the middle voice of φυλάσσω (fulassw) in this verse.

¹³⁸ tn Or “avarice,” “covetousness.” Note the warning covers more than money and gets at the root attitude – the strong desire to acquire more and more possessions and experiences.

¹³⁹ tn Grk “And he.” Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the connection to the preceding statement.

¹⁴⁰ tn Grk “a parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.

¹⁴¹ tn Or “yielded a plentiful harvest.”

¹⁴² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate that this is a result of the preceding statement.

¹⁴³ tn Grk “to himself, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated here.

¹⁴⁴ sn I have nowhere to store my crops. The thinking here is prudent in terms of recognizing the problem. The issue in the parable will be the rich man’s solution, particularly the arrogance reflected in v. 19.

¹⁴⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

¹⁴⁶ sn Note how often the first person pronoun is present in these verses. The farmer is totally self absorbed.

¹⁴⁷ tn Grk “to my soul,” which is repeated as a vocative in the following statement, but is left untranslated as redundant.

¹⁴⁸ tn Grk “your soul,” but ψυχή (yuch) is frequently used of one’s physical life. It clearly has that meaning in this context.

¹⁴⁹ tn Or “required back.” This term, ἀπαιτέω (apaitew), has an economic feel to it and is often used of a debt being called in for repayment (BDAG 96 s.v. 1).

¹⁵⁰ tn Grk “the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” The words “for yourself” are not in the Greek text, but are implied.

¹⁵¹ sn It is selfishness that is rebuked here, in the accumulation of riches for himself. Recall the emphasis on the first person pronouns throughout the parable.

¹⁵² tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. Jesus’ remarks to the disciples are an application of the point made in the previous parable.

¹⁵³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁵⁴ tc αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”) is lacking in Ì^45vid,75 B 1241 c e. Although the addition of clarifying pronouns is a known scribal alteration, in this case it is probably better to view the dropping of the pronoun as the alteration in light of its minimal attestation.

¹⁵⁵ tn Or “do not be anxious.”

¹⁵⁶ tc Most mss (Ì⁴⁵ Ψ 070 ˹³ 33 Ï) supply the pronoun ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “your”) here, although several important and early witnesses omit it (Ì⁷⁵ א A B D L Q W Θ Ë¹ 700 2542 al lat). Externally, the shorter reading is superior. Internally, the pronoun looks to be a scribal clarification. In context the article can be translated as a possessive pronoun anyway (ExSyn 215), as it has been done for this translation.

¹⁵⁷ tc Some mss (B 070 ˹³ 33 1424 al) supply the pronoun ὑμῶν (Jumwn, “your”) here, although the witnesses for the omission are early, important, and varied (Ì^45vid,75 א A D L Q W Θ Ψ Ë¹ Ï lat). See previous tc note for more discussion.

¹⁵⁸ tn Or “crows.” Crows and ravens belong to the same family of birds. English uses “crow” as a general word for the family. Palestine has several indigenous members of the crow family.

¹⁵⁹ tn Or “God gives them food to eat.” L&N 23.6 has both “to provide food for” and “to give food to someone to eat.”

¹⁶⁰ tn Or “by being anxious.”

¹⁶¹ tn Or “a cubit to his height.” A cubit (πῆχυς, phcu") can measure length (normally about 45 cm or 18 inches) or time (a small unit, “hour” is usually used [BDAG 812 s.v.] although “day” has been suggested [L&N 67.151]). The term ἡλικία (Jhlikia) is ambiguous in the same way as πῆχυς. Most scholars take the term to describe age or length of life here, although a few refer it to bodily stature (see BDAG 435-36 s.v. 1.a for discussion). Worry about length of life seems a more natural figure than worry about height. However, the point either way is clear: Worrying adds nothing to life span or height.

¹⁶² tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.

¹⁶³ tn Or “why are you anxious for.”

¹⁶⁴ 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.

¹⁶⁵ tn Traditionally, “toil.” Although it might be argued that “work hard” would be a more precise translation of κοπιάω (kopiaw) here, the line in English scans better in terms of cadence with a single syllable.

¹⁶⁶ tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.

¹⁶⁷ tn Grk “grass in the field.”

¹⁶⁸ tn Grk “which is in the field today.”

¹⁶⁹ 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.

¹⁷⁰ 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.

¹⁷¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion drawn from the previous illustrations.

¹⁷² 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.

¹⁷³ 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.

¹⁷⁴ tn Grk “seek.”

¹⁷⁵ tn Grk “seek,” but in the sense of the previous verses.

¹⁷⁶ tc Most mss (Ì⁴⁵ A D¹ Q W Θ 070 Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat sy) read τοῦ θεοῦ (tou qeou, “of God”) instead of αὐτοῦ (autou, “his”; found in א B D* L Ψ 579 892 pc co). But such a clarifying reading is suspect. αὐτοῦ is superior on both internal and external grounds. Ì⁷⁵ includes neither and as such would support the translation above since the article alone can often be translated as a possessive pronoun.

¹⁷⁷ sn His (that is, God’s) kingdom is a major theme of Jesus. It is a realm in which Jesus rules and to which those who trust him belong. See Luke 6:20; 11:20; 17:20-21.

¹⁷⁸ tn Or perhaps, “your Father chooses.”

¹⁷⁹ sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.

¹⁸⁰ tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.

¹⁸¹ tn Grk “in the heavens.”

¹⁸² tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”

¹⁸³ tn The term σής (shs) 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.

¹⁸⁴ sn Seeking heavenly treasure means serving others and honoring God by doing so; see Luke 6:35-36.

¹⁸⁵ 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.

¹⁸⁶ sn Keep your lamps burning means to be ready at all times.

¹⁸⁷ tn That is, like slaves (who are mentioned later, vv. 37-38), although the term ἀνθρώποις (anqrwpoi") is used here. Since in this context it appears generic rather than gender-specific, the translation “people” is employed.

¹⁸⁸ sn An ancient wedding celebration could last for days (Tob 11:18).

¹⁸⁹ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

¹⁹⁰ tn Or “watching”; Grk “awake,” but in context this is not just being awake but alert and looking out.

¹⁹¹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

¹⁹² tn See v. 35 (same verb).

¹⁹³ 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.

¹⁹⁴ tn The participle παρελθών (parelqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

¹⁹⁵ 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.

¹⁹⁶ 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.

¹⁹⁷ tn Grk “finds (them) thus”; but this has been clarified in the translation by referring to the status (“alert”) mentioned in v. 37.

¹⁹⁸ tn Grk “blessed are they”; the referent (the watchful slaves, v. 37) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

¹⁹⁹ sn On Jesus pictured as a returning thief, see 1 Thess 5:2, 4; 2 Pet 3:10; Rev 3:3; 16:15.

²⁰⁰ tc Most mss (א¹ A B L Q W Θ Ψ 070 Ë^1,13 33 Ï 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 important and early mss along with a few others (Ì⁷⁵ א* [D] e i sy^s,c sa^mss), coupled with much stronger internal evidence, suggests that the shorter reading is authentic.

²⁰¹ 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).

²⁰² tn Grk “And Peter.” Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the connection to the preceding statement.

²⁰³ sn Is the parable only for disciples (us) or for all humanity (everyone)? Or does Peter mean for disciples (us) or for the crowd (everyone)? The fact that unfaithful slaves are mentioned in v. 46 looks to a warning that includes a broad audience, though it is quality of service that is addressed. This means the parable focuses on those who are associated with Jesus.

²⁰⁴ tn Grk “And the Lord said.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²⁰⁵ tn Or “administrator,” “steward” (L&N 37.39).

²⁰⁶ tn This term, θεραπεία (qerapeia), describes the group of servants working in a particular household (L&N 46.6).

²⁰⁷ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

²⁰⁸ tn That is, doing his job, doing what he is supposed to be doing.

²⁰⁹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀληθῶς, alhqw"), I say to you.”

²¹⁰ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity. See also Luke 19:11-27.

²¹¹ tn In the Greek text this is a third class condition that for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition (note the translation of the following verb “should say”).

²¹² tn The term “that” (ἐκεῖνος, ekeino") is used as a catchword to list out, in the form of a number of hypothetical circumstances, what the possible responses of “that” servant could be. He could be faithful (vv. 43-44) or totally unfaithful (vv. 45-46). He does not complete his master’s will with knowledge (v. 47) or from ignorance (v 48). These differences are indicated by the different levels of punishment in vv. 46-48.

²¹³ tn Grk “should say in his heart.”

²¹⁴ tn Or “is taking a long time.”

²¹⁵ sn The slave’s action in beginning to beat the other slaves was not only a failure to carry out what was commanded but involved doing the exact reverse.

²¹⁶ tn The word “other” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

²¹⁷ tn Grk “the menservants and the maidservants.” The term here, used in both masculine and feminine grammatical forms, is παῖς (pais), which can refer to a slave, but also to a slave who is a personal servant, and thus regarded kindly (L&N 87.77).

²¹⁸ tn The verb διχοτομέω (dicotomew) means to cut an object into two parts (L&N 19.19). This is an extremely severe punishment compared to the other two later punishments. To translate it simply as “punish” is too mild. If taken literally this servant is dismembered, although it is possible to view the stated punishment as hyperbole (L&N 38.12).

²¹⁹ tn Or “unbelieving.” Here the translation employs the slightly more ambiguous “unfaithful,” which creates a link with the point of the parable – faithfulness versus unfaithfulness in servants. The example of this verse must be taken together with the examples of vv. 47-48 as part of a scale of reactions with the most disobedient response coming here. The fact that this servant is placed in a distinct group, unlike the one in vv. 47-48, also suggests ultimate exclusion. This is the hypocrite of Matt 24:51.

²²⁰ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

²²¹ tn Grk “or do according to his will”; the referent (the master) has been specified in the translation for clarity. This example deals with the slave who knew what the command was and yet failed to complete it.

²²² tn Grk “did not know”; the phrase “his master’s will” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context, but must be supplied for the contemporary English reader.

²²³ tn Grk “blows.”

²²⁴ tn Grk “will receive few (blows).”

²²⁵ tn Grk “required from him”; but the words “from him” are redundant in English and have not been translated.

²²⁶ sn Entrusted with much. To be gifted with precious responsibility is something that requires faithfulness.

²²⁷ tn Grk “they will ask even more.”

²²⁸ sn This mission statement, “I have come to bring fire on the earth,” looks to the purging and division Jesus causes: See Luke 3:9, 17; 9:54; 17:29 for fire, 5:32; 7:34; 9:58; 12:51 for the topic of mission.

²²⁹ tn Grk “cast.” For βάλλω (ballw) in the sense of causing a state or condition, see L&N 13.14.

²³⁰ sn The figure of the baptism is variously interpreted, as some see a reference (1) to martyrdom or (2) to inundation with God’s judgment. The OT background, however, suggests the latter sense: Jesus is about to be uniquely inundated with God’s judgment as he is rejected, persecuted, and killed (Ps 18:4, 16; 42:7; 69:1-2; Isa 8:7-8; 30:27-28; Jonah 2:3-6).

²³¹ tn Grk “to be baptized with.”

²³² tn Or “hostility.” This term pictures dissension and hostility (BDAG 234 s.v. διαμερισμός).

²³³ sn From now on is a popular phrase in Luke: 1:48; 5:10; 22:18, 69; see Mic 7:6.

²³⁴ tn There is dispute whether this phrase belongs to the end of v. 52 or begins v. 53. Given the shift of object, a connection to v. 53 is slightly preferred.

²³⁵ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “also” and δέ (de) has not been translated.

²³⁶ sn A cloud rising in the west refers to moisture coming from the Mediterranean Sea.

²³⁷ tn The term ὄμβρος (ombro") refers to heavy rain, such as in a thunderstorm (L&N 14.12).

²³⁸ sn The south wind comes from the desert, and thus brings scorching heat.

²³⁹ sn In Luke, the term hypocrites occurs here, in 6:42, and in 13:15.

²⁴⁰ tc Most mss (Ì⁴⁵ A W Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat) have a syntax here that reflects a slightly different rhetorical question: “but how do you not interpret the present time?” The reading behind the translation, however, has overall superior support: Ì⁷⁵ א B L Θ 33 892 1241 pc.

²⁴¹ tn Jesus calls for some personal reflection. However, this unit probably does connect to the previous one – thus the translation of δέ (de) here as “And” – to make a good spiritual assessment, thus calling for application to the spiritual, rather than personal, realm.

²⁴² sn The term magistrate (ἄρχων, arcwn) refers to an official who, under the authority of the government, serves as judge in legal cases (see L&N 56.29).

²⁴³ sn The officer (πράκτωρ, praktwr) was a civil official who functioned like a bailiff and was in charge of debtor’s prison. The use of the term, however, does not automatically demand a Hellenistic setting (BDAG 859 s.v.; K. H. Rengstorf, TDNT 8:539; C. Maurer, TDNT 6:642).

²⁴⁴ tn Here the English word “cent” is used as opposed to the parallel in Matt 5:26 where “penny” appears, since the Greek word there is different and refers to a different but similar coin.

sn This cent was a lepton, the smallest coin available. It was copper or bronze, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius. The parallel in Matt 5:26 mentions the quadrans instead of the lepton. The illustration refers to the debt one owes God and being sure to settle with him in the right time, before it is too late. Some interpreters, however, consider it to be like Matt 5:26, which has similar imagery but a completely different context.