2:15 When 1 the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem 2 and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord 3 has made known to us.”
23:26 As 24 they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, 25 who was coming in from the country. 26 They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27
1 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.
2 map For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4.
3 sn Note how although angels delivered the message, it was the Lord whose message is made known, coming through them.
4 tn Or “in return.”
5 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the outcome or result. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.
6 sn The character of these actions reflects the grace and kindness of God, bearing witness to a “line of descent” or relationship of the individual to God (sons of the Most High). There is to be a unique kind of ethic at work with disciples. Jesus refers specifically to sons here because in the ancient world sons had special privileges which were rarely accorded to daughters. However, Jesus is most likely addressing both men and women in this context, so women too would receive these same privileges.
7 sn That is, “sons of God.”
8 tn Or “to the ungrateful and immoral.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.
9 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
10 tn Grk “he”; the referent (the boy) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 sn At this point the boy was thrown down in another convulsion by the demon. See L&N 23.168.
12 tn See L&N 23.167-68, where the second verb συσπαράσσω (susparassw) is taken to mean the violent shaking associated with the convulsions, thus the translation here “and shook him with convulsions.”
13 tn Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).
14 sn This is a reference to an evil spirit. See Luke 4:33.
15 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
16 tn Grk “two denarii.”
sn The two silver coins were denarii. A denarius was a silver coin worth about a day’s pay for a laborer; this would be an amount worth about two days’ pay.
17 tn Grk “when I come back”; the words “this way” are part of an English idiom used to translate the phrase.
18 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.
19 sn An ancient wedding celebration could last for days (Tob 11:18).
20 sn Most of the roofs in the NT were flat roofs made of pounded dirt, sometimes mixed with lime or stones, supported by heavy wooden beams. They generally had an easy means of access, either a sturdy wooden ladder or stone stairway, sometimes on the outside of the house.
21 sn The swiftness and devastation of the judgment will require a swift escape. There is no time to come down from one’s roof and pick up anything from inside one’s home.
22 sn Zacchaeus was a penitent man who resolved on the spot to act differently in the face of Jesus’ acceptance of him. In resolving to give half his possessions to the poor, Zacchaeus was not defending himself against the crowd’s charges and claiming to be righteous. Rather as a result of this meeting with Jesus, he was a changed individual. So Jesus could speak of salvation coming that day (v. 9) and of the lost being saved (v. 10).
23 tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text. It virtually confesses fraud.
24 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
25 sn Jesus was beaten severely with a whip before this (the prelude to crucifixion, known to the Romans as verberatio, mentioned in Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15; John 19:1), so he would have been weak from trauma and loss of blood. Apparently he was unable to bear the cross himself, so Simon was conscripted to help. Cyrene was located in North Africa where Tripoli is today. Nothing more is known about this Simon. Mark 15:21 names him as father of two people apparently known to Mark’s audience.
26 tn Or perhaps, “was coming in from his field” outside the city (BDAG 15-16 s.v. ἀγρός 1).
27 tn Grk “they placed the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.”