Luke 8:43

8:43 Now 1  a woman was there who had been suffering from a hemorrhage 2  for twelve years 3  but could not be healed by anyone.

Luke 9:23

A Call to Discipleship

9:23 Then 4  he said to them all, 5  “If anyone wants to become my follower, 6  he must deny 7  himself, take up his cross daily, 8  and follow me.

1 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.

2 tn Grk “a flow of blood.”

3 tc ‡ Most mss, including the majority of later mss (א[* C] A L W Θ Ξ [Ψ] Ë1,13 33 [1424] Ï [lat syc,p,h]) read here, “having spent all her money on doctors.” Uncertainty over its authenticity is due primarily to the fact that certain important witnesses do not have the phrase (e.g., Ì75 B [D] 0279 sys sa Or). This evidence alone renders its authenticity unlikely. It may have been intentionally added by later scribes in order to harmonize Luke’s account with similar material in Mark 5:26 (see TCGNT 121). NA27 includes the words in brackets, indicating doubt as to their authenticity.

4 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

5 sn Here them all could be limited to the disciples, since Jesus was alone with them in v. 18. It could also be that by this time the crowd had followed and found him, and he addressed them, or this could be construed as a separate occasion from the discussion with the disciples in 9:18-22. The cost of discipleship is something Jesus was willing to tell both insiders and outsiders about. The rejection he felt would also fall on his followers.

6 tn Grk “to come after me.”

7 tn This translation better expresses the force of the Greek third person imperative than the traditional “let him deny,” which could be understood as merely permissive.

8 sn Only Luke mentions taking up one’s cross daily. To bear the cross means to accept the rejection of the world for turning to Jesus and following him. Discipleship involves a death that is like a crucifixion; see Gal 6:14.