¹ tn Grk “And Zechariah.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

² tn Grk “How will I know this?”

³ tn Grk “is advanced in days” (an idiom for old age).

⁴ tn Grk “Thus.”

⁵ tn Grk “in the days.”

⁶ tn Grk “has looked on me” (an idiom for taking favorable notice of someone).

⁷ 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).

⁸ tn Grk “among men”; but the context clearly indicates a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") here.

⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.

¹⁰ tn Grk “he said to them.”

¹¹ tn Grk “Why is it that you were looking for me?”

¹² tn Or “I must be about my Father’s business” (so KJV, NKJV); Grk “in the [things] of my Father,” with an ellipsis. This verse involves an idiom that probably refers to the necessity of Jesus being involved in the instruction about God, given what he is doing. The most widely held view today takes this as a reference to the temple as the Father’s house. Jesus is saying that his parents should have known where he was.

¹³ tn Grk “and does them.”

¹⁴ tn Or “roof; therefore.”

¹⁵ tn Grk “I did not consider myself worthy to come to you.” See BDAG 94 s.v. ἀξιόω 1. “Presume” assumes this and expresses the idea in terms of offense.

¹⁶ tc The aorist imperative ἰαθήτω (iaqhtw, “must be healed”) is found in Ì^75vid B L 1241 sa. Most mss (א A C D W Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï latt bo) have instead a future indicative, ἰαθήσεται (iaqhsetai, “will be healed”). This is most likely an assimilation to Matt 8:8, and thus, as a motivated reading, should be considered secondary. The meaning either way is essentially the same.

tn The aorist imperative may be translated as an imperative of command (“must be healed” or, more periphrastically, “command [my servant] to be healed”) or as a permissive imperative (“let my servant be healed”), which lessens the force of the imperative somewhat in English.

¹⁷ tn Grk “before your face” (an idiom).

¹⁸ sn The quotation is primarily from Mal 3:1 with pronouns from Exod 23:20. Here is the forerunner who points the way to the arrival of God’s salvation. His job is to prepare and guide the people, as the cloud did for Israel in the desert.

¹⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

²⁰ 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.

²¹ tn Grk “to come after me.”

²² 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.

²³ 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.

²⁴ sn The point of the saying whoever wants to save his life will lose it is that if one comes to Jesus then rejection by many will certainly follow. If self-protection is a key motivation, then one will not respond to Jesus and will not be saved. One who is willing to risk rejection will respond and find true life.

²⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

²⁶ sn Judaism had a similar exhortation in 4 Macc 13:14-15.

²⁷ tn This is the frequent expression δεῖ (dei, “it is necessary”) that notes something that is a part of God’s plan.

²⁸ tn Or “unthinkable.” See L&N 71.4 for both possible meanings.

²⁹ tn Or “should perish away from.”

³⁰ sn Death in Jerusalem is another key theme in Luke’s material: 7:16, 34; 24:19; Acts 3:22-23. Notice that Jesus sees himself in the role of a prophet here. Jesus’ statement, it is impossible that a prophet should be killed outside Jerusalem, is filled with irony; Jesus, traveling about in Galilee (most likely), has nothing to fear from Herod; it is his own people living in the very center of Jewish religion and worship who present the greatest danger to his life. The underlying idea is that Jerusalem, though she stands at the very heart of the worship of God, often kills the prophets God sends to her (v. 34). In the end, Herod will be much less a threat than Jerusalem.

map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

³¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the master’s response to the slave’s report.

³² tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215).

³³ 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.

³⁴ 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).

³⁵ 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.”

³⁶ 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.

³⁷ sn So that my house will be filled. God will bless many people.

³⁸ tn Grk “Likewise therefore every one of you who does not renounce all his own possessions cannot be my disciple.” The complex double negation is potentially confusing to the modern reader and has been simplified in the translation. See L&N 57.70.

sn The application of the saying is this: Discipleship requires that God be in first place. The reference to renunciation of all his own possessions refers to all earthly attachments that have first place.

³⁹ tn Grk “And coming into his…” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁴⁰ sn A touch of drama may be present, as the term calls together can mean a formal celebration (1 Kgs 1:9-10).

⁴¹ tn Grk “the”; in context the article is used as a possessive pronoun (ExSyn 215). It occurs before “neighbors” as well (“his friends and his neighbors”) but has not been translated the second time because of English style.

⁴² sn In the confession “I have sinned” there is a recognition of wrong that pictures the penitent coming home and “being found.”

⁴³ sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God.

⁴⁴ tn According to BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνωπιον 4.a, “in relation to ἁμαρτάνειν ἐ. τινος sin against someone Lk 15:18, 21 (cf. Jdth 5:17; 1 Km 7:6; 20:1).”

⁴⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the manager’s decision.

⁴⁶ tn Grk “summoning.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος (proskalesameno") has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.

⁴⁷ sn This widow was not necessarily old, since many people lived only into their thirties in the 1st century.

⁴⁸ tn Or “town.”

⁴⁹ tn This is an iterative imperfect; the widow did this on numerous occasions.

⁵⁰ tn That is, “If you really feared me why did you not do a minimum to get what I asked for?”

⁵¹ tn Grk “on the table”; the idiom refers to a place where money is kept or managed, or credit is established, thus “bank” (L&N 57.215).

⁵² sn A quotation from Isa 56:7.

⁵³ tn Or “a hideout” (see L&N 1.57).

⁵⁴ sn A quotation from Jer 7:11. The meaning of Jesus’ statement about making the temple courts a den of robbers probably operates here at two levels. Not only were the religious leaders robbing the people financially, but because of this they had also robbed them spiritually by stealing from them the opportunity to come to know God genuinely. It is possible that these merchants had recently been moved to this location for convenience.

⁵⁵ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

⁵⁶ tn Grk “my beloved son.” See comment at Luke 3:22.

sn The owner’s decision to send his one dear son represents God sending Jesus.

⁵⁷ tn Grk “to the master of the household,” referring to one who owns and manages the household, including family, servants, and slaves (L&N 57.14).

⁵⁸ sn A quotation from Ps 31:5. It is a psalm of trust. The righteous, innocent sufferer trusts in God. Luke does not have the cry of pain from Ps 22:1 (cf. Matt 27:46; Mark 15:34), but notes Jesus’ trust instead.

⁵⁹ tn Grk “sending on you.”

⁶⁰ tn Grk “the promise of my Father,” with τοῦ πατρός (tou patros) translated as a subjective genitive. This is a reference to the Holy Spirit and looks back to how one could see Messiah had come with the promise of old (Luke 3:15-18). The promise is rooted in Jer 31:31 and Ezek 36:26.

⁶¹ sn The city refers to Jerusalem.

⁶² sn Until you have been clothed with power refers to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. What the Spirit supplies is enablement. See Luke 12:11-12; 21:12-15. The difference the Spirit makes can be seen in Peter (compare Luke 22:54-62 with Acts 2:14-41).