Luke 10:42

NET ©

but one thing 1  is needed. Mary has chosen the best 2  part; it will not be taken away from her.”

NIV ©

but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

NASB ©

but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

NLT ©

There is really only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it––and I won’t take it away from her."

MSG ©

One thing only is essential, and Mary has chosen it--it's the main course, and won't be taken from her."

BBE ©

Little is needed, or even one thing only: for Mary has taken that good part, which will not be taken away from her.

NRSV ©

there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her."

NKJV ©

"But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her."

KJV
But
<1161>
one thing
<1520>
is
<2076> (5748)
needful
<5532>_:
and
<1161>
Mary
<3137>
hath chosen
<1586> (5668)
that good
<18>
part
<3310>_,
which
<3748>
shall
<851> (0)
not
<3756>
be taken away
<851> (5701)
from
<575>
her
<846>_.
GREEK
oligwn
<3641>
A-GPN
de
<1161>
CONJ
estin
<1510> (5748)
V-PXI-3S
creia
<5532>
N-NSF
h
<2228>
PRT
enov
<1520>
A-GSN
mariam
<3137>
N-PRI
gar
<1063>
CONJ
thn
<3588>
T-ASF
agayhn
<18>
A-ASF
merida
<3310>
N-ASF
exelexato
<1586> (5668)
V-AMI-3S
htiv
<3748>
R-NSF
ouk
<3756>
PRT-N
afaireyhsetai
<851> (5701)
V-FPI-3S
authv
<846>
P-GSF
NET © [draft] ITL
but
<1161>
one thing
<1520>
is
<1510>
needed
<5532>
. Mary
<3137>
has chosen
<1586>
the best
<18>
part
<3310>
; it will
<851>
not
<3756>
be taken away from
<851>
her
<846>
.”
NET © Notes

1 tc Or, with some mss (Ì3 [א] B C2 L 070vid Ë1 33 [579] pc), “few things are needed – or only one” (as well as other variants). The textual problem here is a difficult one to decide. The shorter reading is normally preferred, but it is not altogether clear how the variants would arise from it. However, the reading followed in the translation has good support (with some internal variations) from a number of witnesses (Ì45,75 A C* W Θ Ψ Ë13 Ï lat sa).

2 tn Or “better”; Grk “good.” This is an instance of the positive adjective used in place of the superlative adjective. According to ExSyn 298, this could also be treated as a positive for comparative (“better”).