6:22 “Blessed are you when people 8 hate you, and when they exclude you and insult you and reject you as evil 9 on account of the Son of Man!
6:26 “Woe to you 10 when all people 11 speak well of you, for their ancestors 12 did the same things to the false prophets.
8:4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus 26 from one town after another, 27 he spoke to them 28 in a parable:
9:7 Now Herod 29 the tetrarch 30 heard about everything that was happening, and he was thoroughly perplexed, 31 because some people were saying that John 32 had been raised from the dead,
18:15 Now people 56 were even bringing their babies 57 to him for him to touch. 58 But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them. 59
20:9 Then 68 he began to tell the people this parable: “A man 69 planted a vineyard, 70 leased it to tenant farmers, 71 and went on a journey for a long time.
1 tn Grk “Thus.”
2 tn Grk “in the days.”
3 tn Grk “has looked on me” (an idiom for taking favorable notice of someone).
4 sn Barrenness was often seen as a reproach or disgrace (Lev 20:20-21; Jer 22:30), but now at her late age (the exact age is never given in Luke’s account), God had miraculously removed it (see also Luke 1:7).
5 tn Grk “among men”; but the context clearly indicates a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") here.
6 tn Grk “behold.”
7 tn Grk “I evangelize to you great joy.”
8 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
9 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.
10 tc The wording “to you” (ὑμῖν, Jumin) is lacking throughout the ms tradition except for a few witnesses (D W* Δ 1424 pc co). The Western witnesses tend to add freely to the text. Supported by the vast majority of witnesses and the likelihood that “to you” is a clarifying addition, the shorter reading should be considered original; nevertheless, “to you” is included in the translation because of English requirements.
11 tn This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.
12 tn Or “forefathers”; Grk “fathers.”
13 tn Or “Awe.” Grk “fear,” but the context and the following remark show that it is mixed with wonder; see L&N 53.59. This is a reaction to God’s work; see Luke 5:9.
14 tn This imperfect verb has been translated as an ingressive imperfect.
15 sn That Jesus was a great prophet was a natural conclusion for the crowd to make, given the healing; but Jesus is more than this. See Luke 9:8, 19-20.
16 tn Grk “arisen.”
17 tn Grk “visited,” but this conveys a different impression to a modern reader. L&N 85.11 renders the verb, “to be present, with the implication of concern – ‘to be present to help, to be on hand to aid.’ … ‘God has come to help his people’ Lk 7:16.” The language recalls Luke 1:68, 78.
18 tn Grk “In that hour.”
19 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
20 tn Grk “and sicknesses,” 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.
21 tn Or “and bestowed (sight) on.”
22 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the parenthetical nature of the comment by the author.
23 sn See the note on tax collectors in 3:12.
24 tn Or “vindicated God”; Grk “justified God.” This could be expanded to “vindicated and responded to God.” The point is that God’s goodness and grace as evidenced in the invitation to John was justified and responded to by the group one might least expect, tax collector and sinners. They had more spiritual sensitivity than others. The contrastive response is clear from v. 30.
25 tn The participle βαπτισθέντες (baptisqente") has been translated as a causal adverbial participle.
26 tn Grk “to him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
27 tn This phrase renders a distributive use of κατά (kata) with πόλις (polis), literally “according to [each] town.”
28 tn The words “to them” do not appear in the Greek text but are supplied in the translation for clarity.
29 sn Herod refers here to Herod Antipas. See the note on Herod Antipas in 3:1.
30 sn See the note on tetrarch in 3:1.
31 tn Or “was very confused.” See L&N 32.10 where this verse is given as an example of the usage.
32 sn John refers to John the Baptist, whom Herod had beheaded (v. 9).
33 tn Grk “to the Ninevites.” What the Ninevites experienced was Jonah’s message (Jonah 3:4, 10; 4:1).
34 tn The repetition of the words “a sign” are not in the Greek text, but are implied and are supplied here for clarity.
35 tc Only the Western ms D and a few Itala
36 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the discourse.
37 tn Grk “they”; the referent (people who will come to participate in the kingdom) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
38 tn Grk “and 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. The word “banquet” has been supplied to clarify for the modern reader the festive nature of the imagery The banquet imagery is a way to describe the fellowship and celebration of accompanying those who are included as the people of God at the end.
39 sn The kingdom of God 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.
40 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the master’s response to the slave’s report.
41 tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).
42 sn Go out to the highways and country roads. This suggests the inclusion of people outside the town, even beyond the needy (poor, crippled, blind, and lame) in the town, and so is an allusion to the inclusion of the Gentiles.
43 tn The Greek word φραγμός (fragmo") refers to a fence, wall, or hedge surrounding a vineyard (BDAG 1064 s.v. 1). “Highways” and “country roads” probably refer not to separate places, but to the situation outside the town where the rural roads run right alongside the hedges or fences surrounding the fields (cf. J. A. Fitzmyer, Luke [AB], 1057).
44 tn Traditionally “force” or “compel,” but according to BDAG 60 s.v. ἀναγκάζω 2 this is a weakened nuance: “strongly urge/invite.” The meaning in this context is more like “persuade.”
45 tn The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
46 sn So that my house will be filled. God will bless many people.
47 tn This is a dramatic use of the aorist and the verse is left unconnected to the previous verse by asyndeton, giving the impression of a sudden realization.
48 sn Thinking ahead, the manager develops a plan to make people think kindly of him (welcome me into their homes).
49 tn Grk “And they will say.” The plural in Greek is indefinite, referring to people in general. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
50 tn The words “he is” here and in the following clause are understood and have been supplied from the context.
51 sn Do not go out or chase after them. There will be no need to search for the Son of Man at his coming, though many will falsely claim its arrival.
52 sn There is debate among commentators and scholars over the phrase one will be taken and the other left about whether one is taken for judgment or for salvation. If the imagery is patterned after the rescue of Noah from the flood and Lot from Sodom, as some suggest, the ones taken are the saved (as Noah and Lot were) andthose left behind are judged. The imagery, however, is not directly tied to theidentification of the two groups. Its primary purposein context is topicture the sudden, surprisingseparation of the righteous and the judged (i.e., condemned) at the return of the Son of Man.
53 tn Grk “And for.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
54 tn Grk “after these things.”
55 tn Grk “man,” but the singular ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used as a generic in comparison to God.
56 tn Grk “they.”
57 tn The term βρέφος (brefos) here can refer to babies or to toddlers (2:12, 16; Acts 7:19; 2 Tim 3:15; 1 Pet 2:2).
58 tn Grk “so that he would touch them.” Here the touch is connected with (or conveys) a blessing (cf. Mark 10:16; also BDAG 126 s.v. ἅπτω 2.c).
59 tn Grk “the disciples began to scold them.” In the translation the referent has been specified as “those who brought them,” since otherwise the statement could be understood to mean that the disciples began scolding the children rather than their parents who brought them.
60 tn Or “received” (see the note on the phrase “let me see again” in v. 41).
61 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
62 sn The presence of God’s work leads again to joy, with both the beggar and the people praising God (1:64; 2:20; 5:25-26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 19:37).
63 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
64 tn The word “too” has been supplied for stylistic reasons.
65 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.
66 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.
67 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.
68 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.
69 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.
70 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.
71 sn The leasing of land to tenant farmers was common in this period.
72 sn The statement that the owner will come and destroy those tenants is a promise of judgment; see Luke 13:34-35; 19:41-44.
73 sn The warning that the owner would give the vineyard to others suggests that the care of the promise and the nation’s hope would be passed to others. This eventually looks to Gentile inclusion; see Eph 2:11-22.
74 tn Grk “they”; the referent (the people addressed in v. 9) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
75 sn May this never happen! Jesus’ audience got the point and did not want to consider a story where the nation would suffer judgment.
76 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ unexpected answer.
77 tn On this term, see BDAG 374 s.v. ἐπιλαμβάνομαι 3.
78 tn Grk “to trap him in a saying.”
79 tn Or “amazed.”
80 tn According to L&N 23.184 this could be mainly a psychological experience rather than actual loss of consciousness. It could also refer to complete discouragement because of fear, leading people to give up hope (L&N 25.293).
81 sn An allusion to Isa 34:4. The heavens were seen as the abode of heavenly forces, so their shaking indicates distress in the spiritual realm. Although some take the powers as a reference to bodies in the heavens (like stars and planets, “the heavenly bodies,” NIV) this is not as likely.
82 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
83 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
84 tn Grk “were seeking how.”
85 tn The Greek verb here means “to get rid of by execution” (BDAG 64 s.v. ἀναιρέω 2; cf. also L&N 20.71, which states, “to get rid of someone by execution, often with legal or quasi-legal procedures”).
86 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
87 sn The suggestion here is that Jesus was too popular to openly arrest him. The verb were trying is imperfect. It suggests, in this context, that they were always considering the opportunities.
88 tn Or “were adamant.” For “persisted in saying,” see L&N 68.71.
89 sn He incites the people. The Jewish leadership claimed that Jesus was a political threat and had to be stopped. By reiterating this charge of stirring up rebellion, they pressured Pilate to act, or be accused of overlooking political threats to Rome.
90 tn Grk “beginning from Galilee until here.”