Luke 2:34

2:34 Then ¹  Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “Listen carefully: ²  This child ³  is destined to be the cause of the falling and rising ⁴  of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be rejected. ⁵ 

Luke 8:8

8:8 But ⁶  other seed fell on good soil and grew, ⁷  and it produced a hundred times as much grain.” ⁸  As he said this, ⁹  he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” ¹⁰ 

Luke 14:35

14:35 It is of no value ¹¹  for the soil or for the manure pile; it is to be thrown out. ¹²  The one who has ears to hear had better listen!” ¹³ 

Luke 22:10

22:10 He said to them, “Listen, ¹⁴  when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water ¹⁵  will meet you. ¹⁶  Follow him into the house that he enters,

---

¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

² tn Grk “behold.”

³ tn Grk “this one”; the referent (the child) is supplied in the translation for clarity.

⁴ sn The phrase the falling and rising of many emphasizes that Jesus will bring division in the nation, as some will be judged (falling) and others blessed (rising) because of how they respond to him. The language is like Isa 8:14-15 and conceptually like Isa 28:13-16. Here is the first hint that Jesus’ coming will be accompanied with some difficulties.

⁵ tn Grk “and for a sign of contradiction.”

⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in the final stage of the parable.

⁷ tn Grk “when it grew, after it grew.”

⁸ sn Unlike the parallel accounts in Matt 13:8 and Mark 4:8, there is no distinction in yield in this version of the parable.

⁹ tn Grk “said these things.”

¹⁰ tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 14:35).

¹¹ tn Or “It is not useful” (L&N 65.32).

¹² tn Grk “they throw it out.” The third person plural with unspecified subject is a circumlocution for the passive here.

¹³ tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8).

¹⁴ tn Grk “behold.”

¹⁵ sn Since women usually carried these jars, it would have been no problem for Peter and John to recognize the man Jesus was referring to.

¹⁶ sn Jesus is portrayed throughout Luke 22-23 as very aware of what will happen, almost directing events. Here this is indicated by his prediction that a man carrying a jar of water will meet you.