Discovery BoxLuke 10:25-29 
Context10:25 Now 1 an expert in religious law 2 stood up to test Jesus, 3 saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 4 10:26 He said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?” 5 10:27 The expert 6 answered, “Love 7 the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, 8 and love your neighbor as yourself.” 9 10:28 Jesus 10 said to him, “You have answered correctly; 11 do this, and you will live.”
10:29 But the expert, 12 wanting to justify 13 himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
1 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
2 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (see also Luke 7:30, where the same term occurs).
3 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 sn The combination of inherit with eternal life asks, in effect, “What must I do to be saved?”
5 tn Grk “How do you read?” The pronoun “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
6 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the expert in religious law, shortened here to “the expert”) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
7 tn Grk “You will love.” The future indicative is used here with imperatival force (see ExSyn 452 and 569).
8 sn A quotation from Deut 6:5. The fourfold reference to different parts of the person says, in effect, that one should love God with all one’s being.
9 tn This portion of the reply is a quotation from Lev 19:18. The verb is repeated in the translation for stylistic reasons.
10 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
11 sn Jesus commends the reply (you have answered correctly). What is assumed here, given the previous context, is that he will respond to Jesus’ message, as to love God is to respond to his Son; see v. 22.
12 tn Grk “And he”; the referent (the expert in religious law, shortened here to “the expert”) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
13 tn Or “vindicate.”
sn The expert in religious law picked up on the remark about the neighbor and sought to limit his responsibility for loving. Some believed this obligation would only be required toward the righteous (Sir 12:1-4). The lawyer was trying to see if that was right and thus confidently establish his righteousness (wanting to justify himself).
