translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: LUK

label: NET translator note

text: Grk “Now it happened that.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο ( egeneto , “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.


text: Or “from the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).


text: Grk “that all the empire should be registered for taxes.” The passive infinitive ἀπογράφεσθαι ( apografesqai ) has been rendered as an active in the translation to improve the English style. The verb is regarded as a technical term for official registration in tax lists (BDAG 108 s.v. ἀπογράφω a). sn This census ( a decree…to register all the empire ) is one of the more disputed historical remarks in Luke. Josephus ( Ant. 18.1.1 [18.1-2]) only mentions a census in a.d. 6, too late for this setting. Such a census would have been a massive undertaking; it could have started under one ruler and emerged under another, to whose name it became attached. This is one possibility to explain the data. Another is that Quirinius, who became governor in Syria for the later census, may have been merely an administrator for this census. See also Luke 2:2 .


text: Grk “the whole (inhabited) world,” but this was a way to refer to the Roman empire (L&N 1.83).


text: Or “was a minister of Syria.” This term could simply refer to an administrative role Quirinius held as opposed to being governor (Josephus, Ant. 18.4.2 [18.88]). See also Luke 2:1 .


text: Grk “And everyone.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: Or “hometown” (so CEV).


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.


text: Or “town.” The translation “city” is used here because of its collocation with “of David,” suggesting its importance, though not its size.


text: Or “family,” “lineage.”


text: The words “He went” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to begin a new sentence in the translation. The Greek sentence is longer and more complex than normal contemporary English usage.


text: Traditionally, “Mary, his betrothed.” Although often rendered in contemporary English as “Mary, who was engaged to him,” this may give the modern reader a wrong impression, since Jewish marriages in this period were typically arranged marriages. The term ἐμνηστευμένῃ ( emnhsteumenh ) may suggest that the marriage is not yet consummated, not necessarily that they are not currently married. Some mss read “the betrothed to him wife”; others, simply “his wife.” These readings, though probably not original, may give the right sense.


text: Grk “And it happened that while.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο ( egeneto , “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: The words “her child” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied to clarify what was being delivered. The wording here is like Luke 1:57 . Grk “the days for her to give birth were fulfilled.”


text: Or “a feeding trough.”


text: The Greek word κατάλυμα is flexible, and usage in the LXX and NT refers to a variety of places for lodging (see BDAG 521 s.v.). Most likely Joseph and Mary sought lodging in the public accommodations in the city of Bethlehem (see J. Nolland, Luke [WBC], 1:105), which would have been crude shelters for people and animals. However, it has been suggested by various scholars that Joseph and Mary were staying with relatives in Bethlehem (e.g., C. S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament , 194; B. Witherington, “Birth of Jesus,” DJG , 69-70); if that were so the term would refer to the guest room in the relatives’ house, which would have been filled beyond capacity with all the other relatives who had to journey to Bethlehem for the census. sn There was no place for them in the inn. There is no drama in how this is told. There is no search for a variety of places to stay or a heartless innkeeper. (Such items are later, nonbiblical embellishments.) Bethlehem was not large and there was simply no other place to stay. The humble surroundings of the birth are ironic in view of the birth’s significance.


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


text: Grk “in that region.”


text: Grk “living in the field (see BDAG 15 s.v. ἀγραυλέω ) and guarding their flock.”


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


text: Or “the angel of the Lord.” See the note on the word “Lord” in 1:11 .


text: Or “stood in front of.”


text: Grk “they feared a great fear” (a Semitic idiom which intensifies the main idea, in this case their fear). sn Terrified. See similar responses in Luke 1:12, 29 .


text: Grk “behold.”


text: Grk “I evangelize to you great joy.”


text: Or “town.” See the note on “city” in v. 4 .


text: This is another indication of a royal, messianic connection.


text: Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn The term χριστός ( cristos ) was originally an adjective (“anointed”), developing in LXX into a substantive (“an anointed one”), then developing still further into a technical generic term (“the anointed one”). In the intertestamental period it developed further into a technical term referring to the hoped-for anointed one, that is, a specific individual. In the NT the development starts there (technical-specific), is so used in the gospels, and then develops in Paul to mean virtually Jesus’ last name.


text: Grk “And this.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: Or “a feeding trough,” see Luke 2:7 .


text: Grk “And suddenly.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: Grk “a multitude of the armies of heaven.”


text: This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος ( anqrwpo" ) referring to both males and females.


text: Ï sy bo) have ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία ( en anqrwpoi" eudokia , “good will among people”) instead of ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας ( en anqrwpoi" eudokia" , “among people with whom he is pleased”), a reading attested by א * A B* D W pc (sa). Most of the Itala witnesses and some other versional witnesses reflect a Greek text which has the genitive εὐδοκίας but drops the preposition ἐν . Not only is the genitive reading better attested, but it is more difficult than the nominative. “The meaning seems to be, not that divine peace can be bestowed only where human good will is already present, but that at the birth of the Saviour God’s peace rests on those whom he has chosen in accord with his good pleasure” ( TCGNT 111).


text: Grk “And it happened that when.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο ( egeneto , “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-E2 ; Map10-B4 .


text: Or “a feeding trough.”


text: Grk “And when.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.


text: Grk “the word which had been spoken to them.”


text: Grk “marveled.” It is a hard word to translate with one term in this context. There is a mixture of amazement and pondering at work in considering the surprising events here. See Luke 1:21, 63; 2:33 .


text: The term συμβάλλουσα ( sumballousa ) suggests more than remembering. She is trying to put things together here (Josephus, Ant. 2.5.3 [2.72]). The words “what they might mean” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.


text: Grk “just as [it] had been spoken to them.” This has been simplified in the English translation by making the prepositional phrase (“to them”) the subject of the passive verb. sn The closing remark just as they had been told notes a major theme of Luke 1-2 as he sought to reassure Theophilus: God does what he says he will do.


text: Grk “And when eight days were completed.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


text: vg} [though the Latin word eius could be either masculine or feminine]) that read “her purification.” But the extant evidence for an unambiguous “her” is shut up to one late minuscule ({codex 76}) and a couple of patristic citations of dubious worth ({Pseudo-Athanasius} whose date is unknown, and the { Catenae in euangelia Lucae et Joannis }, edited by J. A. Cramer. The Catenae is a work of collected patristic sayings whose exact source is unknown [thus, it could come from a period covering hundreds of years]). A few other witnesses (D pc lat) read “his purification.” The KJV has “her purification,” following Beza’s Greek text (essentially a revision of Erasmus’). Erasmus did not have it in any of his five editions. Most likely Beza put in the feminine form αὐτῆς ( auths ) because, recognizing that the eius found in several Latin mss could be read either as a masculine or a feminine, he made the contextually more satisfying choice of the feminine. Perhaps it crept into one or two late Greek witnesses via this interpretive Latin back-translation. So the evidence for the feminine singular is virtually nonexistent, while the masculine singular αὐτοῦ ( autou , “his”) was a clear scribal blunder. There can be no doubt that “ their purification” is the authentic reading. Or “when the days of their purification were completed.” In addition to the textual problem concerning the plural pronoun (which apparently includes Joseph in the process) there is also a question whether the term translated “purification” ( καθαρισμός , kaqarismo" ) refers to the time period prescribed by the Mosaic law or to the offering itself which marked the end of the time period (cf. NLT, “it was time for the purification offering”). sn Exegetically the plural pronoun “their” creates a problem. It was Mary’s purification that was required by law, forty days after the birth ( Lev 12:2-4 ). However, it is possible that Joseph shared in a need to be purified by having to help with the birth or that they also dedicated the child as a first born ( Exod 13:2 ), which would also require a sacrifice that Joseph would bring. Luke’s point is that the parents followed the law. They were pious.


text: Grk “they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Grk “every male that opens the womb” (an idiom for the firstborn male).


text: 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 ).


text: Grk “This man was righteous.” The Greek text begins a new sentence here, but this was changed to a relative clause in the translation to avoid redundancy.


text: Or “deliverance,” “consolation.” sn The restoration of Israel refers to Simeon’s hope that the Messiah would come and deliver the nation ( Isa 40:1; 49:13; 51:3; 57:18; 61:2; 2 Bar 44:7).


text: Grk “And it.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: The use of the passive suggests a revelation by God, and in the OT the corresponding Hebrew term represented here by κεχρηματισμένον ( kecrhmatismenon ) indicated some form of direct revelation from God ( Jer 25:30; 33:2 ; Job 40:8 ).


text: Grk “would not see death” (an idiom for dying).


text: On the grammar of this temporal clause, see BDF §§383.3; 395.


text: Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn The revelation to Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord ’ s Christ is yet another example of a promise fulfilled in Luke 1-2 . Also, see the note on Christ in 2:11 .


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the consequential nature of the action.


text: Grk “he”; the referent (Simeon) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “So in the Spirit” or “So by the Spirit,” but since it refers to the Spirit’s direction the expanded translation “directed by the Spirit” is used here.


text: Grk “the temple.” sn The temple courts is a reference to the larger temple area, not the holy place. Simeon was either in the court of the Gentiles or the court of women, since Mary was present.


text: Grk “to do for him according to the custom of the law.” See Luke 2:22-24 .


text: Grk “and said.” The finite verb in Greek has been replaced with a participle in English to improve the smoothness of the translation.


text: The Greek word translated here by “Sovereign Lord” is δεσπότης ( despoth" ).


text: Here the Greek word δοῦλος ( doulos , “slave”) has been translated “servant” since it acts almost as an honorific term for one specially chosen and appointed to carry out the Lord’s tasks. sn Undoubtedly the background for the concept of being the Lord’s slave or servant is to be found in the Old Testament scriptures. For a Jew this concept did not connote drudgery, but honor and privilege. It was used of national Israel at times ( Isa 43:10 ), but was especially associated with famous OT personalities, including such great men as Moses ( Josh 14:7 ), David ( Ps 89:3 ; cf. 2 Sam 7:5, 8 ) and Elijah ( 2 Kgs 10:10 ); all these men were “servants (or slaves) of the Lord.”


text: Grk “now release your servant.”


text: The syntax of this verse is disputed. Most read “light” and “glory” in parallelism, so Jesus is a light for revelation to the Gentiles and is glory to the people for Israel. Others see “light” ( 1:78-79 ) as a summary, while “revelation” and “glory” are parallel, so Jesus is light for all, but is revelation for the Gentiles and glory for Israel. Both readings make good sense and either could be correct, but Luke 1:78-79 and Acts 26:22-23 slightly favor this second option.


text: Grk “his”; the referent (the child) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: 33 Ï it) read “Joseph,” but in favor of the reading ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ ( Jo pathr autou , “his father”) is both external ( א B D L W 1 700 1241 pc sa) and internal evidence. Internally, the fact that Mary is not named at this point and that “Joseph” is an obviously motivated reading, intended to prevent confusion over the virgin conception of Christ, argues strongly for ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ as the authentic reading here. See also the tc note on “parents” in 2:43 .


text: The term refers to the amazement at what was happening as in other places in –2 ( 1:63; 2:18 ). The participle is plural, while the finite verb used in the periphrastic construction is singular, perhaps to show a unity in the parents’ response (BDF §135.1.d: Luke 8:19 ).


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


text: Grk “behold.”


text: Grk “this one”; the referent (the child) is supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “and for a sign of contradiction.”


text: Or “reasonings” (in a hostile sense). See G. Schrenk, TDNT 2:97.


text: Her age is emphasized by the Greek phrase here, “she was very old in her many days.”


text: Grk “living with her husband for seven years from her virginity and she was a widow for eighty four years.” The chronology of the eighty-four years is unclear, since the final phrase could mean “she was widowed until the age of eighty-four” (so BDAG 423 s.v. ἕως 1.b. α ). However, the more natural way to take the syntax is as a reference to the length of her widowhood, the subject of the clause, in which case Anna was about 105 years old (so D. L. Bock, Luke [BECNT], 1:251-52; I. H. Marshall, Luke , [NIGTC], 123-24).


text: Grk “at that very hour.”


text: Grk “And coming up.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. The participle ἐπιστᾶσα ( epistasa ) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.


text: The imperfect ἐλάλει ( elalei ) here looks at a process of declaration, not a single moment. She clearly was led by God to address men and women about the hope Jesus was. The testimony of —2 to Jesus has involved all types of people.


text: Grk “him”; the referent (the child) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: 33 Ï ), though the preposition was almost surely added to clarify (and perhaps alter) the meaning of the original. The simple ᾿Ιερουσαλήμ , without preposition, is found in א B W Ξ 1 565* lat co. For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the conclusion of the topic.


text: Grk “when they”; the referents (Joseph and Mary) have been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Or “completed.”


text: Or “city.”


text: 33 Ï ) read πνεύματι ( pneumati , “in spirit”) after “became strong,” but this looks like an assimilation to Luke 1:80 . The better witnesses ( א B D L N W pc lat co) lack the word.


text: Or “grace.”


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.


text: Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: For location see Map5-B1 ; Map6-F3 ; Map7-E2 ; Map8-F2 ; Map10-B3 ; JP1-F4 ; JP2-F4 ; JP3-F4 ; JP4-F4 .


text: On the distributive use of the term κατά ( kata ), see BDF §305.


text: Grk “And when.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: 33 Ï lat) have εἰς ῾Ιεροσόλυμα ( eij" &ierosoluma , “to Jerusalem”) here, but the ms support for the omission is much stronger ( א B D L W 579 1241 pc co); further, the longer reading clarifies what they went up to and thus looks like a motivated reading.


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated contrastively in keeping with the context. This outcome is different from what had happened all the times before.


text: Grk “when the days ended.”


text: The word “home” is not in the Greek text, but has been supplied for clarity.


text: Grk “And his.” Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: 33 579 1241 pc lat sa read οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ ( Joi gonei" autou , “his parents”) as in the translation. Such motivated readings as the former lack credibility, especially since the better witnesses affirm the virgin conception of Christ in Luke 1:34-35 .


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


text: Or “and friends.” See L&N 28.30 and 34.17.


text: Grk “And it happened that after.” The introductory phrase ἐγένετο ( egeneto , “it happened that”), common in Luke (69 times) and Acts (54 times), is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated. Here καί ( kai ) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.


text: Grk “the temple.”


text: This is the only place in Luke’s Gospel where the term διδάσκαλος ( didaskalo" , “teacher”) is applied to Jews.


text: Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “when they”; the referent (his parents) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.


text: The Greek word here is τέκνον ( teknon ) rather than υἱός ( Juios , “son”).


text: Or “Child, why did you do this to us?”


text: Or “your father and I have been terribly worried looking for you.”


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast.


text: Grk “he said to them.”


text: Grk “Why is it that you were looking for me?”


text: Or “I must be about my Father’s business” (so KJV, NKJV); Grk “in the [things] of my Father,” with an ellipsis. This verse involves an idiom that probably refers to the necessity of Jesus being involved in the instruction about God, given what he is doing. The most widely held view today takes this as a reference to the temple as the Father’s house. Jesus is saying that his parents should have known where he was.


text: Grk “And they.” Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “yet” to indicate the contrast.


text: Grk “they”; the referent (his parents) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Or “the matter.”


text: Grk “which he spoke.”


text: For location see Map1-D3 ; Map2-C2 ; Map3-D5 ; Map4-C1 ; Map5-G3 .


text: Or “was submitting.”


text: Or “all these words.”


text: Or “kept increasing.” The imperfect tense suggests something of a progressive force to the verb.