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

² tn Grk “have not known.” The expression in the Greek text is a euphemism for sexual relations. Mary seems to have sensed that the declaration had an element of immediacy to it that excluded Joseph. Many modern translations render this phrase “since I am a virgin,” but the Greek word for virgin is not used in the text, and the euphemistic expression is really more explicit, referring specifically to sexual relations.

³ tn Grk “And Simon.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁴ tn Grk “answering, Simon said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation to “Simon answered.”

⁵ tn The word ἐπιστάτης is a term of respect for a person of high status (see L&N 87.50).

⁶ tn The expression “at your word,” which shows Peter’s obedience, stands first in the Greek clause for emphasis.

⁷ tn Or “let down.”

⁸ sn Love your enemies is the first of four short exhortations that call for an unusual response to those who are persecuting disciples. Disciples are to relate to hostility in a completely unprecedented manner.

⁹ tn John the Baptist is “more” because he introduces the one (Jesus) who brings the new era. The term is neuter, but may be understood as masculine in this context (BDAG 806 s.v. περισσότερος b.).

¹⁰ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the connection with the preceding statement recording the Pharisee’s thoughts.

¹¹ tn Grk “answering, said to him.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “answered him.”

sn Jesus answered him. Note that as the Pharisee is denying to himself that Jesus is a prophet, Jesus is reading his thoughts.

¹² tn Grk “he said.”

¹³ tn Grk “answering, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “answered.”

¹⁴ tn Grk “the one to whom he forgave more” (see v. 42).

¹⁵ tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹⁶ tn Grk “no kiss.” This refers to a formalized kiss of greeting, standard in that culture. To convey this to the modern reader, the words “of greeting” have been supplied to qualify what kind of kiss is meant.

¹⁷ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

¹⁸ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

¹⁹ tn Grk “Peter answering, said.” This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified to “Peter answered.”

²⁰ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

sn See the note on Christ in 2:11.

²¹ tn Grk “And as.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

²² tn Grk “going,” but “walking” is an accurate description of how they traveled about.

²³ tc Most mss (A C W Θ Ψ Ë¹³ 33 Ï) add κύριε (kurie, “Lord”) here, but scribes were prone to add to the text, especially appellations for the Lord. The shorter reading also enjoys significant ms support (Ì^45,75 א B D L Ξ Ë¹ lat co).

sn The statement “I will follow you wherever you go” is an offer to follow Jesus as a disciple, no matter what the cost.

²⁴ tn Grk “And another also said.”

²⁵ tn Grk “to those in my house.”

²⁶ sn The allusion to Sodom, the most wicked of OT cities from Gen 19:1-29, shows that to reject the current message is even more serious than the worst sins of the old era and will result in more severe punishment. The noun Sodom is in emphatic position in the Greek text.

²⁷ tn Or “city.”

²⁸ tn Grk “has come to me from the road.”

²⁹ sn The background to the statement I have nothing to set before him is that in ancient Middle Eastern culture it was a matter of cultural honor to be a good host to visitors.

³⁰ sn The finger of God is a figurative reference to God’s power (L&N 76.3). This phrase was used of God’s activity during the Exodus (Exod 8:19).

³¹ 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.

³² tn The phrase ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾿ ὑμᾶς (efqasen ef’ Juma") is important. Does it mean merely “approach” (which would be reflected in a translation like “has come near to you”) or actually “come upon” (as in the translation given above, “has already overtaken you,” which has the added connotation of suddenness)? The issue here is like the one in 10:9 (see note there on the phrase “come on”). Is the arrival of the kingdom merely anticipated or already in process? Two factors favor arrival over anticipation here. First, the prepositional phrase “upon you” suggests arrival (Dan 4:24, 28 Theodotion). Second, the following illustration in vv. 21-23 looks at the healing as portraying Satan being overrun. So the presence of God’s authority has arrived. See also L&N 13.123 for the translation of φθάνω (fqanw) as “to happen to already, to come upon, to come upon already.”

³³ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

³⁴ tn Or “confesses.”

³⁵ tn Although this is a generic reference and includes both males and females, in this context “men” has been retained because of the wordplay with the Son of Man and the contrast with the angels. The same is true of the occurrence of “men” in v. 9.

³⁶ sn This acknowledgment will take place at the judgment. Of course, the Son of Man is a reference to Jesus as it has been throughout the Gospel. On Jesus and judgment, see 22:69; Acts 10:42-43; 17:31.

³⁷ tn Grk “to my soul,” which is repeated as a vocative in the following statement, but is left untranslated as redundant.

³⁸ tn Here the English word “cent” is used as opposed to the parallel in Matt 5:26 where “penny” appears, since the Greek word there is different and refers to a different but similar coin.

sn This cent was a lepton, the smallest coin available. It was copper or bronze, worth one-half of a quadrans or 1/128 of a denarius. The parallel in Matt 5:26 mentions the quadrans instead of the lepton. The illustration refers to the debt one owes God and being sure to settle with him in the right time, before it is too late. Some interpreters, however, consider it to be like Matt 5:26, which has similar imagery but a completely different context.

³⁹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁴⁰ tc Most mss (Ì^75* A D L W Θ Ψ 070 Ë^1,13 Ï) have ἐρεῖ λέγω ὑμῖν (erei legw Jumin; “he will say, ‘I say to you’”) here, while some have only ἐρεῖ ὑμῖν (“he will say to you” in א 579 pc lat sa) or simply ἐρεῖ (“he will say” in 1195 pc). The variety of readings seems to have arisen from the somewhat unusual wording of the original, ἐρεῖ λέγων ὑμῖν (erei legwn Jumin; “he will say, saying to you” found in Ì^75c B 892 pc). Given the indicative λέγω, it is difficult to explain how the other readings would have arisen. But if the participle λέγων were original, the other readings can more easily be explained as arising from it. Although the external evidence is significantly stronger in support of the indicative reading, the internal evidence is on the side of the participle.

tn Grk “he will say, saying to you.” The participle λέγων (legwn) and its indirect object ὑμῖν (Jumin) are redundant in contemporary English and have not been translated.

⁴¹ sn The issue is not familiarity (with Jesus’ teaching) or even shared activity (eating and drinking with him), but knowing Jesus. Those who do not know him, he will not know where they come from (i.e., will not acknowledge) at the judgment.

⁴² tn Grk “all you workers of iniquity.” The phrase resembles Ps 6:8.

⁴³ tn Or “make me.” Here is a sign of total humility.

⁴⁴ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the rich man’s response to Abraham’s words.

⁴⁵ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴⁶ tn Grk “Then I beg you, father, that you send him”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁴⁷ sn To warn them. The warning would consist of a call to act differently than their dead brother had, or else meet his current terrible fate.

⁴⁸ tn Grk “lest they also come.”

⁴⁹ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

⁵⁰ sn On receive see John 1:12.

⁵¹ sn The point of the comparison receive the kingdom of God like a child has more to do with a child’s trusting spirit and willingness to be dependent and receive from others than any inherent humility the child might possess.

⁵² tn The negation in Greek used here (οὐ μή, ou mh) is very strong.

⁵³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

⁵⁴ tn Grk “Truly, I say to you.”

⁵⁵ sn Has put in more than all of them. With God, giving is weighed evaluatively, not counted. The widow was praised because she gave sincerely and at some considerable cost to herself.

⁵⁶ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

⁵⁷ sn This is one of the hardest verses in the gospels to interpret. Various views exist for what generation means. (1) Some take it as meaning “race” and thus as an assurance that the Jewish race (nation) will not pass away. But it is very questionable that the Greek term γενεά (genea) can have this meaning. Two other options are possible. (2) Generation might mean “this type of generation” and refer to the generation of wicked humanity. Then the point is that humanity will not perish, because God will redeem it. Or (3) generation may refer to “the generation that sees the signs of the end” (vv. 25-26), who will also see the end itself. In other words, once the movement to the return of Christ starts, all the events connected with it happen very quickly, in rapid succession.

⁵⁸ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus’ pronouncement.

⁵⁹ sn The members of the council understood the force of the claim and asked Jesus about another title, Son of God.

⁶⁰ tn Grk “He said to them.”

⁶¹ sn Jesus’ reply, “You say that I am,” was not a denial, but a way of giving a qualified positive response: “You have said it, but I do not quite mean what you think.”

⁶² tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

⁶³ tn Grk “find no cause.”

sn Pilate’s statement “I find no reason for an accusation” is the first of several remarks in Luke 23 that Jesus is innocent or of efforts to release him (vv. 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 22).

⁶⁴ tn Grk “he.”

⁶⁵ tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”

⁶⁶ sn Jesus gives more than the criminal asked for, because the blessing will come today, not in the future. He will be among the righteous. See the note on today in 2:11.

⁶⁷ sn In the NT, paradise is mentioned three times. Here it refers to the abode of the righteous dead. In Rev 2:7 it refers to the restoration of Edenic paradise predicted in Isa 51:3 and Ezek 36:35. In 2 Cor 12:4 it probably refers to the “third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2) as the place where God dwells.