translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: MRK

label: NET translator note

text: Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


text: The Greek negative here ( οὐ μή , ou mh ) is the strongest possible.


text: Grk “will not taste.” Here the Greek verb does not mean “sample a small amount” (as a typical English reader might infer from the word “taste”), but “experience something cognitively or emotionally; come to know something” (cf. BDAG 195 s.v. γεύομαι 2).


text: Grk “And after six days.”


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


text: Grk “And answering, Peter said to Jesus.” The participle ἀποκριθείς ( apokriqeis ) is redundant and has not been translated.


text: Or “dwellings,” “booths” (referring to the temporary booths constructed in the celebration of the feast of Tabernacles). sn Peter apparently wanted to celebrate the feast of Tabernacles or Booths that looked forward to the end and wanted to treat Moses, Elijah, and Jesus as equals by making three shelters (one for each). It was actually a way of expressing honor to Jesus, but the next few verses make it clear that it was not enough honor.


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


text: Grk “And there came a cloud, surrounding them.”


text: Grk “my beloved Son,” or “my Son, the beloved [one].” The force of ἀγαπητός ( agaphtos ) is often “pertaining to one who is the only one of his or her class, but at the same time is particularly loved and cherished” (L&N 58.53; cf. also BDAG 7 s.v. 1 ).


text: Grk “And they were asking him, saying.” The participle λέγοντες ( legontes ) is redundant and has not been translated.


text: Or “Why do the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


text: Or “and scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22 .


text: Grk The participle προστρέχοντες ( prostrecontes ) has been translated as a finite verb to make the sequence of events clear in English.


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


text: The words “to do so” are not in the Greek text, but have been supplied for clarity and stylistic reasons.


text: Grk “And answering, he said to them.” The participle ἀποκριθείς ( apokriqeis ) is redundant, but the phrasing of the sentence was modified slightly to make it clearer in English.


text: Grk “O.” The marker of direct address, ὦ ( w ), is functionally equivalent to a vocative and is represented in the translation by “you.”


text: Or “faithless.” sn The rebuke for lack of faith has OT roots: Num 14:27 ; Deut 32:5, 30 ; Isa 59:8 .


text: Grk “how long.”


text: Or “put up with.” See Num 11:12 ; Isa 46:4 .


text: Grk “him.”


text: Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


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


text: ] W). The reading that best explains the rise of the others is τὸ εἰ δύνῃ . The neuter article indicates that the Lord is now quoting the boy’s father who, in v. 22 , says εἴ τι δύνῃ ( ei ti dunh , “if you are able to do anything”). The article is thus used anaphorically (see ExSyn 238). However, scribes could easily have overlooked this idiom and would consequently read τὸ εἰ δύνῃ as the protasis of a conditional clause of the Lord’s statement. As such, it would almost demand the infinitive πιστεῦσαι , producing the reading τὸ εἰ δύνασαι πιστεῦσαι (“if you are able to believe, all things are possible…”). But the article here seems to be meaningless, prompting other scribes to modify the text still further. Some dropped the nonsensical article, while others turned it into the demonstrative τοῦτο and dropped the infinitive. It is clear that scribes had difficulty with the original wording here, and made adjustments in various directions. What might not be so clear is the exact genealogy of the descent of all the readings. However, τὸ εἰ δύνῃ is both a hard saying, best explains the rise of the other readings, and is supported by the best witnesses. It thus rightly deserves to be considered authentic.


text: Or “commanded” (often with the implication of a threat, L&N 33.331).


text: Grk “he”; the referent (the boy) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.


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


text: 33 Ï lat co), have “and fasting” ( καὶ νηστείᾳ , kai nhsteia ) after “prayer” here. But this seems to be a motivated reading, due to the early church’s emphasis on fasting ( TCGNT 85; cf., e.g., 2 Clem . 16:4; Pol. Phil 7:2; Did . 1:3; 7:4). That the most important witnesses ( א * B), as well as a few others (0274 2427 k), lack καὶ νηστείᾳ , when a good reason for the omission is difficult to find, argues strongly for the shorter reading.


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


text: The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων ( anqrwpwn ) is considered by some to be used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NRSV, “into human hands”; CEV, “to people”). However, because this can be taken as a specific reference to the group responsible for Jesus’ arrest, where it is unlikely women were present (cf. Matt 26:47-56 ; Mark 14:43-52 ; Luke 22:47-53 ; John 18:2-12 ), the word “men” has been retained in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” earlier in the verse.


text: Grk “They will kill him, and being killed, after…” The redundancy in the statement has been removed in the translation.


text: For location see Map1-D2 ; Map2-C3 ; Map3-B2 .


text: This verb, δέχομαι ( decomai ), is a term of hospitality (L&N 34.53).


text: Grk “Truly ( ἀμήν , amhn ), I say to you.”


text: Grk “in [the] name that of Christ you are.”


text: Or “bear the Messiah’s”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.” sn See the note on Christ in 8:29 .


text: Grk “the millstone of a donkey.” This refers to a large flat stone turned by a donkey in the process of grinding grain (BDAG 661 s.v. μύλος 2; L&N 7.68-69). The same term is used in the parallel account in Matt 18:6 . sn The punishment of drowning with a heavy weight attached is extremely gruesome and reflects Jesus’ views concerning those who cause others who believe in him to sin.


text: Grk “than having.”


text: Grk “throw it out.”