Discovery BoxLuke 17:7-10 
Context17:7 “Would any one of you say 1 to your slave 2 who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’? 3 17:8 Won’t 4 the master 5 instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready 6 to serve me while 7 I eat and drink. Then 8 you may eat and drink’? 17:9 He won’t thank the slave because he did what he was told, 9 will he? 10 17:10 So you too, when you have done everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of special praise; 11 we have only done what was our duty.’” 12
1 tn Grk “Who among you, having a slave… would say to him.”
2 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.
3 tn Grk “and recline at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away. See BDAG 70 s.v. ἀναπίπτω 1.
4 tn The question includes a Greek particle, οὐχί (ouci), that expects a positive reply. The slave is expected to prepare a meal before eating himself.
5 tn Grk “he”; the referent has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn Grk “and gird yourself” (with an apron or towel, in preparation for service).
7 tn BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 2.b, “to denote contemporaneousness as long as, while… w. subjunctive… Lk 17:8.”
8 tn Grk “after these things.”
9 tn Grk “did what was commanded.”
10 tn The Greek construction anticipates a negative reply which is indicated in the translation by the ‘tag’ at the end, “will he?” Thanks are not required.
11 tn Some translations describe the slaves as “worthless” (NRSV) or “unworthy” (NASB, NIV) but that is not Jesus’ point. These disciples have not done anything deserving special commendation or praise (L&N 33.361), but only what would normally be expected of a slave in such a situation (thus the translation “we have only done what was our duty”).
12 tn Or “we have only done what we were supposed to do.”
