1:24 After some time 1 his wife Elizabeth became pregnant, 2 and for five months she kept herself in seclusion. 3 She said, 4
1 tn Grk “After these days.” The phrase refers to a general, unspecified period of time that passes before fulfillment comes.
2 tn Or “Elizabeth conceived.”
3 sn The text does not state why Elizabeth withdrew into seclusion, nor is the reason entirely clear.
4 tn Grk “she kept herself in seclusion, saying.” The participle λέγουσα (legousa) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.
5 tn Grk “and behold, a woman.” 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).
6 tn Grk “a woman having a spirit of weakness” (or “a spirit of infirmity”).
7 tn Grk “years, and.” 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 here in the translation.
8 tn Or “and could not straighten herself up at all.” If εἰς τὸ παντελές (ei" to pantele") is understood to modify δυναμένη (dunamenh), the meaning is “she was not able at all to straighten herself up”; but the phrase may be taken with ἀνακύψαι (anakuyai) and understood to mean the same as the adverb παντελῶς (pantelws), with the meaning “she was not able to straighten herself up completely.” See BDAG 754 s.v. παντελής 1 for further discussion. The second option is preferred in the translation because of proximity: The phrase in question follows ἀνακύψαι in the Greek text.