Discovery BoxLuke 7:37 
Context7:37 Then 1 when a woman of that town, who was a sinner, learned that Jesus 2 was dining 3 at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar 4 of perfumed oil. 5
Luke 7:39
Context7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, 6 he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, 7 he would know who and what kind of woman 8 this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”
Luke 8:47
Context8:47 When 9 the woman saw that she could not escape notice, 10 she came trembling and fell down before him. In 11 the presence of all the people, she explained why 12 she had touched him and how she had been immediately healed.
Luke 15:8
Context15:8 “Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins 13 and loses 14 one of them, 15 does not light a lamp, sweep 16 the house, and search thoroughly until she finds it?
1 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative. 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 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 tn Grk “was reclining at table.”
4 sn A jar made of alabaster stone was normally used for very precious substances like perfumes. It normally had a long neck which was sealed and had to be broken off so the contents could be used.
5 tn Μύρον (muron) was usually made of myrrh (from which the English word is derived) but here it is used in the sense of ointment or perfumed oil (L&N 6.205). The same phrase occurs at the end of v. 38 and in v. 46.
sn Nard or spikenard is a fragrant oil from the root and spike of the nard plant of northern India. This perfumed oil, if made of something like nard, would have been extremely expensive, costing up to a year’s pay for an average laborer.
6 tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
7 tn This is a good example of a second class (contrary to fact) Greek conditional sentence. The Pharisee said, in effect, “If this man were a prophet (but he is not)…”
8 sn The Pharisees believed in a form of separationism that would have prevented them from any kind of association with such a sinful woman.
9 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
10 tn Or “could not remain unnoticed” (see L&N 28.83).
11 tn Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation. The order of the clauses in the remainder of the verse has been rearranged to reflect contemporary English style.
12 tn Grk “told for what reason.”
13 sn This silver coin is a drachma, equal to a denarius, that is, a day’s pay for the average laborer.
14 tn Grk “What woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses.” The initial participle ἔχουσα (ecousa) has been translated as a finite verb parallel to ἀπολέσῃ (apolesh) in the conditional clause to improve the English style.
15 tn Grk “one coin.”
16 tn Grk “and sweep,” but καί (kai) has not been translated since English normally uses a coordinating conjunction only between the last two elements in a series of three or more.
