1:18 Zechariah 1 said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? 2 For I am an old man, and my wife is old as well.” 3
2:25 Now 6 there was a man in Jerusalem 7 named Simeon who was righteous 8 and devout, looking for the restoration 9 of Israel, and the Holy Spirit 10 was upon him.
4:33 Now 11 in the synagogue 12 there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean 13 demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,
6:22 “Blessed are you when people 31 hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil 32 on account of the Son of Man!
13:6 Then 74 Jesus 75 told this parable: “A man had a fig tree 76 planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.
16:1 Jesus 77 also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who was informed of accusations 78 that his manager 79 was wasting 80 his assets.
20:9 Then 108 he began to tell the people this parable: “A man 109 planted a vineyard, 110 leased it to tenant farmers, 111 and went on a journey for a long time.
1 tn Grk “And Zechariah.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
2 tn Grk “How will I know this?”
3 tn Grk “is advanced in days” (an idiom for old age).
4 tn Or “promised in marriage.”
5 tn Grk “Joseph, of the house of David.”
sn The Greek word order here favors connecting Davidic descent to Joseph, not Mary, in this remark.
6 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
7 map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4.
8 tn Grk “This man was righteous.” The Greek text begins a new sentence here, but this was changed to a relative clause in the translation to avoid redundancy.
9 tn Or “deliverance,” “consolation.”
sn The restoration of Israel refers to Simeon’s hope that the Messiah would come and deliver the nation (Isa 40:1; 49:13; 51:3; 57:18; 61:2; 2 Bar 44:7).
10 sn Once again, by mentioning the Holy Spirit, Luke stresses the prophetic enablement of a speaker. The Spirit has fallen on both men (Zechariah, 1:67) and women (Elizabeth, 1:41) in Luke 1–2 as they share the will of the Lord.
11 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a specific example of how Jesus spoke with authority (v. 32).
12 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
13 tn Grk “having an unclean, demonic spirit,” that is, an evil spirit. This is the only place Luke uses this lengthy phrase. Normally he simply says an “unclean spirit.”
14 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast involved in Jesus’ reply.
15 tn Grk “rebuked him, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
16 sn The command Come out of him! is an example of Jesus’ authority (see v. 32). Unlike other exorcists, Jesus did not use magical incantations nor did he invoke anyone else’s name.
17 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18 sn The departure of the evil spirit from the man without hurting him shows Jesus’ total deliverance and protection of this individual.
19 sn Lord is a term of high respect in this context. God’s presence in the work of Jesus makes Peter recognize his authority. This vocative is common in Luke (20 times), but does not yet have its full confessional force.
20 sn Peter was intimidated that someone who was obviously working with divine backing was in his presence (“Go away from me”). He feared his sinfulness might lead to judgment, but Jesus would show him otherwise.
21 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καὶ ἰδού (kai idou) has been translated as “just then” to indicate the somewhat sudden appearance of the men carrying the paralytic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1), especially in conjunction with the suddenness of the stretcher-bearers’ appearance.
22 tn Grk “a man who was paralyzed”; the relative clause in Greek has adjectival force and has been simplified to a simple adjective in the translation.
23 tn Traditionally, “on a bed,” but this could be confusing to the modern reader who might envision a large piece of furniture. In various contexts, κλίνη (klinh) may be translated “bed, couch, cot, stretcher, or bier” (in the case of a corpse). See L&N 6.106.
24 tn Grk “stretcher, and.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Instead, because of the tendency of contemporary English to use shorter sentences, a new sentence was begun here in the translation.
25 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
26 tn Here the conjunction δέ (de) has been translated as contrastive.
27 sn The statement that Jesus knew their thoughts adds a prophetic note to his response; see Luke 5:22.
28 tn Grk “their reasonings.” The implication is that Jesus knew his opponents’ plans and motives, so the translation “thoughts” was used here.
29 sn Most likely synagogues were arranged with benches along the walls and open space in the center for seating on the floor.
30 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the man’s action was a result of Jesus’ order.
31 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
32 tn Or “disdain you”; Grk “cast out your name as evil.” The word “name” is used here as a figure of speech to refer to the person as a whole.
sn The phrase when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil alludes to a person being ostracized and socially isolated because of association with the Son of Man, Jesus.
33 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
34 tn Grk “coming up, he touched.” The participle προσελθών (proselqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
35 sn The act of having touched the bier would have rendered Jesus ceremonially unclean, but it did not matter to him, since he was expressing his personal concern (Num 19:11, 16).
36 sn Although sometimes translated “coffin,” the bier was actually a stretcher or wooden plank on which the corpse was transported to the place of burial. See L&N 6.109.
37 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
38 tn Grk “But what.” Here ἀλλά (alla, a strong contrastive in Greek) produces a somewhat awkward sense in English, and has not been translated. The same situation occurs at the beginning of v. 26.
39 tn Or “soft”; see L&N 79.100.
40 sn The reference to fancy clothes makes the point that John was not rich or powerful, in that he did not come from the wealthy classes.
41 tn See L&N 88.253, “to revel, to carouse, to live a life of luxury.”
42 tn Or “palaces.”
43 tn Grk “Behold a man.”
44 sn Neither were they happy with Jesus (the Son of Man), even though he was the opposite of John and associated freely with people like tax collectors and sinners. Either way, God’s messengers were subject to complaint.
45 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate a conclusion and transition in the narrative.
46 tn The words “of pigs” are supplied because of the following verb in English, “were drowned,” which is plural.
47 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
48 tn Jairus is described as ἄρχων τῆς συναγωγῆς (arcwn th" sunagwghs), the main elder at the synagogue who was in charge of organizing the services.
49 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
50 tn Grk “and falling.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.
51 tn This verb is an imperfect tense, commonly used by Luke for vividness.
52 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the somewhat unexpected appearance of the man. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
53 tn Grk “cried out, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
54 tn This verb means “to have regard for”; see Luke 1:48.
55 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
56 sn Jesus’ reply is simply this: Does the man understand the rejection he will be facing? Jesus has no home in the world (the Son of Man has no place to lay his head).
57 sn The phrase by chance adds an initial note of hope and fortune to the expectation in the story.
58 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context between the priest’s expected action (helping the victim) and what he really did.
59 tn Grk “him”; the referent (the injured man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
60 sn It is not said why the priest passed by and refused to help. It is not relevant to the point of the parable that no help was given in the emergency situation.
61 sn The text suggests that the priest went out of his way (on the other side) not to get too close to the scene.
62 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context between the previous characters (considered by society to be examples of piety and religious duty) and a hated Samaritan.
63 tn This is at the beginning of the clause, in emphatic position in the Greek text.
64 tn The participle ὁδεύων (Jodeuwn) has been translated as an adjectival participle (cf. NAB, NASB, TEV); it could also be taken temporally (“while he was traveling,” cf. NRSV, NIV).
65 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the injured man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
66 tn “Him” is not in the Greek text but is implied. The verb means “to feel compassion for,” and the object of the compassion is understood.
sn Here is what made the Samaritan different: He felt compassion for him. In the story, compassion becomes the concrete expression of love. The next verse details explicitly six acts of compassion.
67 sn Jesus reversed the question the expert in religious law asked in v. 29 to one of becoming a neighbor by loving. “Do not think about who they are, but who you are,” was his reply.
68 tn Grk “to the Ninevites.” What the Ninevites experienced was Jonah’s message (Jonah 3:4, 10; 4:1).
69 tn The repetition of the words “a sign” are not in the Greek text, but are implied and are supplied here for clarity.
70 tc Only the Western ms D and a few Itala
71 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.
72 tn Grk “it will not be forgiven the person who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit.”
73 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).
74 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
75 tn Grk “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
76 sn The fig tree is a variation on the picture of a vine as representing the nation; see Isa 5:1-7.
77 tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
78 tn These are not formal legal charges, but reports from friends, acquaintances, etc.; Grk “A certain man was rich who had a manager, and this one was reported to him as wasting his property.”
79 sn His manager was the steward in charge of managing the house. He could have been a slave trained for the role.
80 tn Or “squandering.” This verb is graphic; it means to scatter (L&N 57.151).
81 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the first debtor) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
82 sn A measure (sometimes translated “bath”) was just over 8 gallons (about 30 liters). This is a large debt – about 875 gallons (3000 liters) of olive oil, worth 1000 denarii, over three year’s pay for a daily worker.
83 tn Grk “He”; the referent (the manager) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.
84 sn The bill was halved (sit down quickly, and write fifty). What was the steward doing? This is debated. 1) Did he simply lower the price? 2) Did he remove interest from the debt? 3) Did he remove his own commission? It is hard to be sure. Either of the latter two options is more likely. The goal was clear: The manager would be seen in a favorable light for bringing a deflationary trend to prices.
85 tn Grk “to eat his fill,” but this phrase has been simplified as “to eat” for stylistic reasons.
86 tn The term κύνες (kunes) refers to “wild” dogs (either “street” dogs or watchdogs), not house pets (L&N 4.34).
87 sn When the dogs came and licked his sores it meant that he was unclean. See the negative image of Rev 22:15 that draws on this picture.
88 sn The Son of Man’s coming in power will be sudden and obvious like lightning. No one will need to point it out.
89 tc Some very important
90 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
91 tn Or “as it happened.”
92 sn Like the days of Noah, the time of the flood in Gen 6:5-8:22, the judgment will come as a surprise as people live their day to day lives.
93 tn Some argue this should be translated “suddenly.” When vindication comes it will be quick. But the more natural meaning is “soon.” God will not forget his elect and will respond to them. It may be that this verse has a prophetic perspective. In light of the eternity that comes, vindication is soon.
94 sn Will he find faith on earth? The Son of Man is looking for those who continue to believe in him, despite the wait.
95 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
96 tn Grk “He was trying to see who Jesus was.”
97 tn Grk “and he was not able to because of the crowd, for he was short in stature.”
98 tn Grk “they”; the referent is unspecified but is probably the crowd in general, who would have no great love for a man like Zacchaeus who had enriched himself many times over at their expense.
99 tn This term is used only twice in the NT, both times in Luke (here and 15:2) and has negative connotations both times (BDAG 227 s.v. διαγογγύζω). The participle λέγοντες (legonte") is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
100 sn Being the guest of a man who is a sinner was a common complaint about Jesus: Luke 5:31-32; 7:37-50; 15:1-2.
101 tn Or “subjects.” Technically these people were not his subjects yet, but would be upon his return. They were citizens of his country who opposed his appointment as their king; later the newly-appointed king will refer to them as his “enemies” (v. 27).
102 tn The imperfect is intense in this context, suggesting an ongoing attitude.
103 tn Grk “this one” (somewhat derogatory in this context).
104 tn Or “to rule.”
105 tn Or “exacting,” “harsh,” “hard.”
106 tn Grk “man, taking out.” The Greek word can refer to withdrawing money from a bank (L&N 57.218), and in this context of financial accountability that is the most probable meaning. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation by supplying the pronoun “you” as subject and translating the participle αἴρεις (airei") as a finite verb.
107 tn The Greek verb τίθημι (tiqhmi) can be used of depositing money with a banker to earn interest (L&N 57.217). In effect the slave charges that the master takes what he has not earned.
108 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. The parable Jesus tells here actually addresses the question put to him by the leaders.
109 tc ‡ There are several variants here, most of which involve variations in word order that do not affect translation. However, the presence or absence of τις (ti") after ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), which would be translated “a certain man,” does affect translation. The witnesses that have τις include A W Θ Ë13 1241 2542 al sy. Those that lack it include א B C D L Ψ Ë1 33 Ï it. Externally, the evidence is significantly stronger for the omission. Internally, however, there is some pause. A feature unique to Luke-Acts in the NT is to use the construction ἄνθρωπος τις (cf. 10:30; 12:16; 14:2, 16; 15:11; 16:1; 19:12; Acts 9:33). However, scribes who were familiar with this idiom may have inserted it here. In light of the overwhelming external support for the omission of τις, the shorter reading is preferred. NA27 places τις in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.
110 sn The vineyard is a figure for Israel in the OT (Isa 5:1-7). The nation and its leaders are the tenants, so the vineyard here may well refer to the promise that resides within the nation. The imagery is like that in Rom 11:11-24.
111 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
112 sn The call to be alert at all times is a call to remain faithful in looking for the Lord’s return.
113 tn For the translation of μέλλω (mellw) as “must,” see L&N 71.36.
114 tn The Greek term here is παιδίσκη (paidiskh), referring to a slave girl or slave woman.
115 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
116 sn In Mark 14:69, the same slave girl made the charge. So apparently Peter was being identified by a variety of people.
117 tn Here and in v. 60 “Man” is used as a neutral form of address to a stranger.
118 tn Grk “And immediately.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
119 tn A real rooster crowing is probably in view here (rather than the Roman trumpet call known as gallicinium), in part due to the fact that Mark 14:72 mentions the rooster crowing twice. See the discussion at Matt 26:74.
120 tn Or “delivered up.”
121 sn He handed Jesus over to their will. Here is where Luke places the major blame for Jesus’ death. It lies with the Jewish nation, especially the leadership, though in Acts 4:24-27 he will bring in the opposition of Herod, Pilate, and all people.
122 sn This man has done nothing wrong is yet another declaration that Jesus was innocent of any crime.
123 tn Grk “saying that,” but this would be redundant in English. Although the translation represents this sentence as indirect discourse, the Greek could equally be taken as direct discourse: “Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee: ‘the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’”
124 tn See Luke 9:22, 44; 13:33.
125 tn Because in the historical context the individuals who were primarily responsible for the death of Jesus (the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem in Luke’s view [see Luke 9:22]) would have been men, the translation “sinful men” for ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτωλῶν (anqrwpwn Jamartwlwn) is retained here.
126 sn See the note on crucify in 23:21.
127 tn Here the infinitive ἀναστῆναι (anasthnai) is active rather than passive.