2:15 When 13 the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem 14 and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord 15 has made known to us.”
4:42 The next morning 16 Jesus 17 departed and went to a deserted place. Yet 18 the crowds were seeking him, and they came to him and tried to keep him from leaving them.
10:1 After this 19 the Lord appointed seventy-two 20 others and sent them on ahead of him two by two into every town 21 and place where he himself was about to go.
11:1 Now 22 Jesus 23 was praying in a certain place. When 24 he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John 25 taught 26 his disciples.”
11:33 “No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place 27 or under a basket, 28 but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light.
1 tn Grk “behold.”
2 sn The predicted fulfillment in the expression my words, which will be fulfilled in their time takes place in Luke 1:63-66.
3 sn Silent, unable to speak. Actually Zechariah was deaf and mute as 1:61-63 indicates, since others had to use gestures to communicate with him.
4 tn Grk “And when.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
5 tn Grk “and they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
6 tn That is, “he had had a supernatural encounter in the holy place,” since the angel came to Zechariah by the altar. This was not just a “mental experience.”
7 tn Or “temple.” See the note on the phrase “the holy place” in v. 9.
8 tn Grk “and,” but the force is causal or explanatory in context.
9 tn Grk “dumb,” but this could be understood to mean “stupid” in contemporary English, whereas the point is that he was speechless.
10 sn The strips of cloth (traditionally, “swaddling cloths”) were strips of linen that would be wrapped around the arms and legs of an infant to keep the limbs protected.
11 tn Or “a feeding trough.”
12 tn The Greek word κατάλυμα is flexible, and usage in the LXX and NT refers to a variety of places for lodging (see BDAG 521 s.v.). Most likely Joseph and Mary sought lodging in the public accommodations in the city of Bethlehem (see J. Nolland, Luke [WBC], 1:105), which would have been crude shelters for people and animals. However, it has been suggested by various scholars that Joseph and Mary were staying with relatives in Bethlehem (e.g., C. S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, 194; B. Witherington, “Birth of Jesus,” DJG, 69-70); if that were so the term would refer to the guest room in the relatives’ house, which would have been filled beyond capacity with all the other relatives who had to journey to Bethlehem for the census.
sn There was no place for them in the inn. There is no drama in how this is told. There is no search for a variety of places to stay or a heartless innkeeper. (Such items are later, nonbiblical embellishments.) Bethlehem was not large and there was simply no other place to stay. The humble surroundings of the birth are ironic in view of the birth’s significance.
13 tn Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
14 map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
15 sn Note how although angels delivered the message, it was the Lord whose message is made known, coming through them.
16 tn Grk “When it became day.”
17 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
18 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “yet” to indicate that the crowds still sought Jesus in spite of his withdrawal.
19 tn Grk “And after these things.” Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
20 tc There is a difficult textual problem here and in v. 17, where the number is either “seventy” (א A C L W Θ Ξ Ψ Ë1,13 Ï and several church fathers and early versions) or “seventy-two” (Ì75 B D 0181 pc lat as well as other versions and fathers). The more difficult reading is “seventy-two,” since scribes would be prone to assimilate this passage to several OT passages that refer to groups of seventy people (Num 11:13-17; Deut 10:22; Judg 8:30; 2 Kgs 10:1 et al.); this reading also has slightly better ms support. “Seventy” could be the preferred reading if scribes drew from the tradition of the number of translators of the LXX, which the Letter of Aristeas puts at seventy-two (TCGNT 127), although this is far less likely. All things considered, “seventy-two” is a much more difficult reading and accounts for the rise of the other. Only Luke notes a second larger mission like the one in 9:1-6.
21 tn Or “city.”
22 tn Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο (egeneto, “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
23 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
24 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
25 sn John refers to John the Baptist.
26 sn It was not unusual for Jewish groups to have their own prayer as a way of expressing corporate identity. Judaism had the Eighteen Benedictions and apparently John the Baptist had a prayer for his disciples as well.
27 tn Or perhaps “in a cellar” (L&N 28.78). The point is that the light of Jesus’ teaching has been put in public view.
28 tc The phrase “or under a basket” is lacking in some important and early
tn Or “a bowl”; this refers to any container for dry material of about eight liters (two gallons) capacity. It could be translated “basket, box, bowl” (L&N 6.151).
29 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
30 tn Or “watching”; Grk “awake,” but in context this is not just being awake but alert and looking out.
31 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
32 tn See v. 35 (same verb).
33 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.
34 tn The participle παρελθών (parelqwn) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
35 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.
36 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).
37 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.
38 tn Or “banquet.” This may not refer only to a wedding feast, because this term can have broader sense (note the usage in Esth 2:18; 9:22 LXX). However, this difference does not affect the point of the parable.
39 tn Grk “do not recline in the place of honor.” 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.
40 tn Grk “by him”; the referent (the host) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
41 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the preceding material.
42 sn The place that is called ‘The Skull’ (known as Golgotha in Aramaic, cf. John 19:17) is north and just outside of Jerusalem. The hill on which it is located protruded much like a skull, giving the place its name. The Latin word for Greek κρανίον (kranion) is calvaria, from which the English word “Calvary” derives (cf. Luke 23:33 in the KJV).
43 sn See the note on crucify in 23:21.