translation_id: net-engnet

book_id: LUK

label: NET translator note

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


text: These are not formal legal charges, but reports from friends, acquaintances, etc.; Grk “A certain man was rich who had a manager, and this one was reported to him as wasting his property.”


text: Or “squandering.” This verb is graphic; it means to scatter (L&N 57.151).


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the reports the man received about his manager.


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


text: Or “stewardship”; the Greek word οἰκονομία ( oikonomia ) is cognate with the noun for the manager ( οἰκονόμος , oikonomo" ).


text: Here δέ ( de ) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the parable.


text: Grk “the stewardship,” “the management.”


text: Here “dig” could refer (1) to excavation (“dig ditches,” L&N 19.55) or (2) to agricultural labor (“work the soil,” L&N 43.3). In either case this was labor performed by the uneducated, so it would be an insult as a job for a manager.


text: Grk “I do not have strength to dig; I am ashamed to beg.” sn To beg would represent a real lowering of status for the manager, because many of those whom he had formerly collected debts from, he would now be forced to beg from.


text: This is a dramatic use of the aorist and the verse is left unconnected to the previous verse by asyndeton, giving the impression of a sudden realization.


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the manager’s decision.


text: Grk “summoning.” The participle προσκαλεσάμενος ( proskalesameno" ) has been translated as a finite verb due to requirements of contemporary English style.


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


text: Grk “He”; the referent (the manager) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ ( de ) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.


text: Grk “He”; the referent (the second debtor) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here δέ ( de ) has not been translated for stylistic reasons.


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


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


text: Grk “sons” (an idiom).


text: Grk “with their own generation.”


text: Grk “sons.” Here the phrase “sons of light” is a reference to the righteous. The point is that those of the world often think ahead about consequences better than the righteous do.


text: Grk “unrighteous mammon.” Mammon is the Aramaic term for wealth or possessions. The point is not that money is inherently evil, but that it is often misused so that it is a means of evil; see 1 Tim 6:6-10, 17-19 . The call is to be generous and kind in its use. Zacchaeus becomes the example of this in Luke’s Gospel ( 19:1-10 ).


text: Grk “eternal tents” (as dwelling places).


text: Or “faithful.”


text: Grk “the unrighteous mammon.” See the note on the phrase “worldly wealth” in v. 9 .


text: Grk “have not been faithful with what is another’s.”


text: Grk “what is your own.”


text: Or “and treat [the other] with contempt.”


text: Grk “God and mammon.” This is the same word ( μαμωνᾶς , mamwnas ; often merely transliterated as “mammon”) translated “worldly wealth” in vv. 9, 11 . sn The term money is used to translate mammon , the Aramaic term for wealth or possessions. The point is not that money is inherently evil, but that it is often misused so that it is a means of evil; see 1 Tim 6:6-10, 17-19 . God must be first, not money or possessions.


text: A figurative extension of the literal meaning “to turn one’s nose up at someone”; here “ridicule, sneer at, show contempt for” (L&N 33.409).


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


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


text: Grk “before men.” The contrast is between outward appearance (“in people’s eyes”) and inward reality (“God knows your hearts”). Here the Greek term ἄνθρωπος ( anqrwpo" ) is used twice in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, but “men” has been retained in the text to provide a strong verbal contrast with “God” in the second half of the verse.


text: Or “exalted.” This refers to the pride that often comes with money and position.


text: Or “is an abomination,” “is abhorrent” (L&N 25.187).


text: There is no verb in the Greek text; one must be supplied. Some translations (NASB, NIV) supply “proclaimed” based on the parallelism with the proclamation of the kingdom. The transitional nature of this verse, however, seems to call for something more like “in effect” (NRSV) or, as used here, “in force.” Further, Greek generally can omit one of two kinds of verbs – either the equative verb or one that is already mentioned in the preceding context ( ExSyn 39).


text: Many translations have “entereth violently into it” (ASV) or “is forcing his way into it” (NASB, NIV). This is not true of everyone. It is better to read the verb here as passive rather than middle, and in a softened sense of “be urged.” See Gen 33:11 ; Judg 13:15-16; 19:7 ; 2 Sam 3:25, 27 in the LXX. This fits the context well because it agrees with Jesus’ attempt to persuade his opponents to respond morally. For further discussion and details, see D. L. Bock, Luke (BECNT), 2:1352-53.


text: Or “one small part of a letter” (L&N 33.37).


text: Grk “to fall”; that is, “to drop out of the text.” Jesus’ point may be that the law is going to reach its goal without fail, in that the era of the promised kingdom comes.


text: Or “celebrated with ostentation” (L&N 88.255), that is, with showing off. Here was the original conspicuous consumer.


text: The passive verb ἐβέβλητο ( ebeblhto ) does not indicate how Lazarus got there. Cf. BDAG 163 s.v. βάλλω 1.b, “he lay before the door”; Josephus, Ant. 9.10.2 (9.209).


text: Or “was covered with ulcers.” The words “whose body” are implied in the context (L&N 23.180).


text: Grk “to eat his fill,” but this phrase has been simplified as “to eat” for stylistic reasons.


text: The term κύνες ( kunes ) refers to “wild” dogs (either “street” dogs or watchdogs), not house pets (L&N 4.34).


text: Grk “Now it happened that the.” 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: Grk “to Abraham’s bosom.” The phrase “carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom” describes being gathered to the fathers and is a way to refer to heaven ( Gen 15:15; 47:30 ; Deut 31:16 ).


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


text: Grk “he lifted up his eyes” (an idiom).


text: Grk “in his bosom,” the same phrase used in 16:22 . This idiom refers to heaven and/or participation in the eschatological banquet. An appropriate modern equivalent is “at Abraham’s side.”


text: Here καί ( kai ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous actions in the narrative.


text: Grk “calling out he said”; this is redundant in contemporary English style and has been simplified to “he called out.”


text: Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92).


text: The Greek term here is τέκνον ( teknon ), which could be understood as a term of endearment.


text: Or “in terrible pain” (L&N 24.92). Here is the reversal Jesus mentioned in Luke 6:20-26 .


text: Grk “And in all these things.” There is no way Lazarus could carry out this request even if divine justice were not involved.


text: Grk “between us and you.”


text: Here δέ ( de ) has been translated as “so” to indicate the rich man’s response to Abraham’s words.


text: Grk “he”; the referent (the rich man, v. 19 ) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “Then I beg you, father, that you send him”; the referent (Lazarus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.


text: Grk “lest they also come.”


text: Grk “says.” This is one of the few times Luke uses the historical present.


text: Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” This recalls the many OT texts calling for a righteous heart to respond to people in need ( Deut 14:28-29 ; Isa 3:14-15 ; Amos 2:6-8 ; Mic 2:1-2 ; Zech 7:9-10 ).


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


text: Here δέ ( de ) has not been translated.


text: Or “obey”; Grk “hear.” See the note on the phrase “respond to” in v. 29 .