1
Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀνέδειξεν ὁ κύριος ⸀καὶ ἑτέρους ἑβδομήκοντα ⸀δύο καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτοὺς ἀνὰ δύο ⸁δύο πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ εἰς πᾶσαν πόλιν καὶ τόπον οὗ ἤμελλεν αὐτὸς ἔρχεσθαι.
And after these things the Lord appointed seventy-two others, and sent them two by two before his face into every city and place where he himself was about to come.
Seventy-two — the manuscripts differ between seventy and seventy-two, and this edition follows its base text. This sending stands only in this book.
pronoun them = the seventy-two
pronoun his = the Lord
pronoun he = the Lord
pronoun himself = the Lord
Why this rendering
Luke.10.1 Observation
Syntactic observation
The base text reads seventy-two — ἑβδομήκοντα δύο, and the same at v.17 when they return. The manuscripts divide between seventy and seventy-two, and SBLGNT marks the variant (⸂⸃). The whole passage is Luke's alone: Matthew 10 and Mark 6 have only the sending of the twelve and no second sending. Luke sends the twelve at 9:1-6 and sends again here, and the two charges overlap and diverge. ἀναδείκνυμι, to appoint by showing, is unique in the four Gospels. ἀνὰ δύο δύο, two by two, is a Semitic doubling of the numeral, and Mark 6:7 also has δύο δύο — so the construction is in Mark and Luke and not at Matthew 10:5. πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, before his face, is the phrase of 9:52, where messengers are sent into Samaria, and it shares vocabulary with the face he set at 9:51.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “seventy-two others” — as the base text has it
Basis The number the base text prints is rendered, and the division recorded in the variants.
“seventy others”
Basis Follows the manuscripts reading seventy, and matches the familiar number.
Rejected By our base-text decision we follow SBLGNT; both readings are old, so the division is left in the variants.
2
ἔλεγεν ⸀δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι· δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ⸂ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ⸃ εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers few; so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.
Send out renders ἐκβάλλω (ekballō), the verb used of driving out demons — a hard word for a harvest.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun them = the seventy-two
pronoun his = the Lord of the harvest
3
ὑπάγετε· ⸀ἰδοὺ ἀποστέλλω ὑμᾶς ὡς ἄρνας ἐν μέσῳ λύκων.
Go; behold, I send you as lambs among wolves.
Lambs — Matthew 10:16 says sheep; this book says lambs, and this edition keeps the difference.
pronoun I = Jesus
pronoun you = the seventy-two
4
μὴ βαστάζετε βαλλάντιον, μὴ πήραν, ⸀μὴ ὑποδήματα, καὶ μηδένα κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἀσπάσησθε.
Carry no money bag, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one along the road.
Greet no one along the road — only this book has it, and the errand is urgent enough to skip courtesies.
5
εἰς ἣν δ’ ἂν ⸂εἰσέλθητε οἰκίαν⸃ πρῶτον λέγετε· Εἰρήνη τῷ οἴκῳ τούτῳ.
And into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house.'
Peace to this house — the everyday greeting, and verse 6 treats it as a thing that can be given back.
pronoun you = the seventy-two
6
καὶ ἐὰν ⸂ᾖ ἐκεῖ⸃ υἱὸς εἰρήνης, ἐπαναπαήσεται ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ἡ εἰρήνη ὑμῶν· εἰ δὲ μήγε, ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς ἀνακάμψει.
And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him; but if not, it will return to you.
A son of peace is a Semitic turn kept word for word.
pronoun your = the seventy-two
pronoun him = the son of peace
pronoun it = your peace
pronoun you = the seventy-two
7
ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ οἰκίᾳ μένετε, ἐσθίοντες καὶ πίνοντες τὰ παρ’ αὐτῶν, ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τοῦ μισθοῦ ⸀αὐτοῦ. μὴ μεταβαίνετε ἐξ οἰκίας εἰς οἰκίαν.
And stay in that house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the worker is worthy of his wage. Do not move from house to house.
Wage (μισθός, misthos) — Matthew 10:10 says the worker is worthy of his food; this book says his wage.
pronoun they = those in the house
pronoun his = the worker
8
καὶ εἰς ἣν ἂν πόλιν εἰσέρχησθε καὶ δέχωνται ὑμᾶς, ἐσθίετε τὰ παρατιθέμενα ὑμῖν,
And into whatever city you enter and they receive you, eat what is set before you,
Eat what is set before you — only this book gives the instruction.
pronoun you = the seventy-two — both times
pronoun they = the people of the city
9
καὶ θεραπεύετε τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ ἀσθενεῖς, καὶ λέγετε αὐτοῖς· Ἤγγικεν ἐφ’ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.
and heal the sick in it, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.'
Has come near to you — stands in the perfect.
pronoun it = the city
pronoun them = the people of the city
pronoun you = the people of the city
10
εἰς ἣν δ’ ἂν πόλιν ⸀εἰσέλθητε καὶ μὴ δέχωνται ὑμᾶς, ἐξελθόντες εἰς τὰς πλατείας αὐτῆς εἴπατε·
But into whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say,
Its streets — the refusal is answered in public.
pronoun you = the seventy-two
pronoun they = the people of the city
pronoun its = the city
11
Καὶ τὸν κονιορτὸν τὸν κολληθέντα ἡμῖν ἐκ τῆς πόλεως ὑμῶν ⸂εἰς τοὺς πόδας⸃ ἀπομασσόμεθα ὑμῖν· πλὴν τοῦτο γινώσκετε ὅτι ⸀ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ.
‘Even the dust of your city that clings to our feet we wipe off against you; yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.'
We wipe off against you — the gesture of Mark 6:11, spoken aloud here.
pronoun your = the people of the city
pronoun that = the dust
pronoun our = the seventy-two
pronoun we = the seventy-two
pronoun you = the people of the city
pronoun this = what follows
12
λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι Σοδόμοις ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἢ τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ.
I say to you that it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that city.
More bearable (ἀνεκτότερον, anektoteron) — the comparison is not softened.
first here Sodom Σόδομα Sodoma
pronoun I = Jesus
pronoun you = the seventy-two
pronoun it = that day
13
Οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν· οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ⸀ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάμεις αἱ γενόμεναι ἐν ὑμῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ ⸀καθήμενοι μετενόησαν.
Woe to you, Chorazin; woe to you, Bethsaida; for if the works of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes.
Sitting in sackcloth and ashes — only this book adds the sitting.
first here Chorazin Χοραζίν Chorazin
first here Bethsaida Βηθσαϊδά Bēthsaida
first here Tyre Τύρος Tyros
pronoun you = Chorazin and Bethsaida — “done in you” is the same
pronoun they = Tyre and Sidon
14
πλὴν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν τῇ κρίσει ἢ ὑμῖν.
But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon in the judgement than for you.
In the judgement — this book says “in the judgement”, Matthew 11:22 “on the day of judgement”.
pronoun you = Chorazin and Bethsaida
pronoun it = the judgement
15
καὶ σύ, Καφαρναούμ, ⸂μὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ⸃; ἕως ⸀τοῦ ᾅδου ⸀καταβιβασθήσῃ.
And you, Capernaum — will you be lifted up to heaven? You will go down to Hades.
Hades is a place-name kept as sound, not turned into “hell” — this edition keeps it apart from Gehenna.
first here Capernaum Καφαρναούμ Kapharnaoum
pronoun you = Capernaum
pronoun You = Capernaum
16
Ὁ ἀκούων ὑμῶν ἐμοῦ ἀκούει, καὶ ὁ ἀθετῶν ὑμᾶς ἐμὲ ἀθετεῖ· ὁ δὲ ἐμὲ ἀθετῶν ἀθετεῖ τὸν ἀποστείλαντά με.
The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me; and the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”
Rejects (ἀθετέω, atheteō) is to set aside as void — the word of 7:30.
pronoun you = the seventy-two — both times
pronoun me = Jesus — every “me” here is Jesus
17
Ὑπέστρεψαν δὲ οἱ ἑβδομήκοντα ⸀δύο μετὰ χαρᾶς λέγοντες· Κύριε, καὶ τὰ δαιμόνια ὑποτάσσεται ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί σου.
And the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.”
Submit (ὑποτάσσομαι, hypotassomai) is to be ordered under.
pronoun us = the seventy-two
pronoun your = Jesus
18
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτοῖς· Ἐθεώρουν τὸν Σατανᾶν ὡς ἀστραπὴν ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ πεσόντα.
And he said to them, “I was watching Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
I was watching stands in the imperfect — the seeing is drawn out. Only this book has this line.
first here Satan Σατανᾶς Satanas
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun them = the seventy-two
pronoun I = Jesus
19
ἰδοὺ ⸀δέδωκα ὑμῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πατεῖν ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, καὶ οὐδὲν ὑμᾶς οὐ μὴ ⸀ἀδικήσῃ.
Behold, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will harm you at all.
Snakes and scorpions — the pair returns at 11:11–12.
pronoun I = Jesus
pronoun you = the seventy-two — both times
20
πλὴν ἐν τούτῳ μὴ χαίρετε ὅτι τὰ πνεύματα ὑμῖν ὑποτάσσεται, χαίρετε δὲ ὅτι τὰ ὀνόματα ὑμῶν ⸀ἐγγέγραπται ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
Yet do not rejoice in this, that the spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names have been written in the heavens.”
Have been written stands in the perfect — written, and standing written.
pronoun this = that the spirits submit
pronoun you = the seventy-two
pronoun your = the seventy-two
21
Ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἠγαλλιάσατο ⸀τῷ πνεύματι ⸂τῷ ἁγίῳ⸃ καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐξομολογοῦμαί σοι, πάτερ κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἀπέκρυψας ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν, καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας αὐτὰ νηπίοις· ναί, ὁ πατήρ, ὅτι οὕτως ⸂εὐδοκία ἐγένετο⸃ ἔμπροσθέν σου.
In that hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I acknowledge you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you hid these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to infants. Yes, Father, because so it seemed good before you.
He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit — only this book says so. Infants (νήπιοι, nēpioi) are those who cannot yet speak.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun I = Jesus
pronoun you = the Father — every “you” here is the Father
pronoun these things = what has been shown
pronoun them = these things
pronoun it = what the Father did
22
⸀πάντα μοι παρεδόθη ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός μου, καὶ οὐδεὶς γινώσκει τίς ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς εἰ μὴ ὁ πατήρ, καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ πατὴρ εἰ μὴ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ ᾧ ⸀ἐὰν βούληται ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψαι.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and the one to whom the Son wants to reveal him.”
Who the Son is … who the Father is — this book puts both as questions of identity; Matthew 11:27 has “no one knows the Son”.
pronoun me = Jesus
pronoun my = Jesus
pronoun him = the Father
23
Καὶ στραφεὶς πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς κατ’ ἰδίαν εἶπεν· Μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ οἱ βλέποντες ἃ βλέπετε.
And turning to the disciples privately he said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see;
Privately — the blessing is not said to the crowd.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun you = the disciples
24
λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ βασιλεῖς ἠθέλησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ ὑμεῖς βλέπετε καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.
for I say to you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see and did not see it, and to hear what you hear and did not hear it.”
Prophets and kings — this book says kings; Matthew 13:17 says righteous people.
pronoun I = Jesus
pronoun you = the disciples — both times
pronoun it = what you see — the second “it” is what you hear
25
Καὶ ἰδοὺ νομικός τις ἀνέστη ἐκπειράζων ⸀αὐτὸν λέγων· Διδάσκαλε, τί ποιήσας ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω;
And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, putting him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
Lawyer (νομικός, nomikos) is one learned in the law.
pronoun him = Jesus
pronoun I = the lawyer
26
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τί γέγραπται; πῶς ἀναγινώσκεις;
And he said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
How do you read it — the question is put back as a question about his reading.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun him = the lawyer
pronoun you = the lawyer
pronoun it = the law
27
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης ⸀τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ⸂ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ⸃ σου καὶ ⸂ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ἰσχύϊ⸃ σου καὶ ⸂ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ⸃ σου, καὶ τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς σεαυτόν.
And answering he said, “You shall love the Lord your God out of all your heart, and in all your life, and in all your strength, and in all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.”
The lawyer quotes it himself — in Mark 12:29 Jesus does. Life here is ψυχή (psychē), often rendered “soul”; the four words are heart, life, strength and mind.
pronoun he = the lawyer
pronoun You = the hearer of the commandment
pronoun your = the hearer — every “your” here is the hearer
pronoun yourself = the hearer
Why this rendering
Luke.10.27 Observation
Syntactic observation
The count in the Shema quotation differs across the books. Matthew 22:37 has three (heart, life, mind) and no ἰσχύς, strength — the word occurs nowhere in Matthew. Mark 12:30 has four (heart, life, mind, strength). Luke 10:27 also has four, in another order — heart, life, strength, mind, the last two exchanged against Mark. The prepositions divide too: Matthew has ἐν three times, Mark ἐξ four times, Luke one ἐξ followed by three ἐν. So the three books differ in count, in order and in preposition. ἰσχύς stands three times in the four Gospels (Mark 12:30, 33; Luke 10:27) and never in Matthew or John. And in Luke the quotation is spoken not by Jesus but by the lawyer — at Matthew 22:37 and Mark 12:29-30 it is Jesus answering. In Luke, Jesus asks back what is written in the law, how do you read, and the lawyer quotes.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “out of all your heart … in all your life, in all your strength, in all your mind” — the prepositions kept apart
Basis Only Luke mixes the two prepositions; evening them out erases one of the three divergences. ψυχή is fixed as life in the four Gospels.
Even the prepositions and render as with all your heart
Basis It reads more naturally.
Rejected Matthew, Mark and Luke differ in count, order and preposition; evening them out makes the three texts show no difference side by side.
28
εἶπεν δὲ αὐτῷ· Ὀρθῶς ἀπεκρίθης· τοῦτο ποίει καὶ ζήσῃ.
And he said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this and you will live.”
Do this and you will live — the answer sends him back to doing.
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun him = the lawyer
pronoun You = the lawyer
pronoun this = what you have said
pronoun you = the lawyer
29
Ὁ δὲ θέλων ⸀δικαιῶσαι ἑαυτὸν εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν· Καὶ τίς ἐστίν μου πλησίον;
But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?”
Justify himself — the writer names the motive, and the parable answers it.
first here Jesus Ἰησοῦς Iēsous
pronoun he = the lawyer
pronoun himself = the lawyer
pronoun my = the lawyer
30
ὑπολαβὼν ⸀δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν· Ἄνθρωπός τις κατέβαινεν ἀπὸ Ἰερουσαλὴμ εἰς Ἰεριχὼ καὶ λῃσταῖς περιέπεσεν, οἳ καὶ ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν καὶ πληγὰς ἐπιθέντες ἀπῆλθον ἀφέντες ⸀ἡμιθανῆ.
Taking it up, Jesus said, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among robbers, who stripped him and laid blows on him and went off, leaving him half dead.
Robbers (λῃσταί, lēstai) — the word of 19:46. This parable stands only in this book.
first here Jerusalem Ἰερουσαλήμ Ierousalēm
first here Jericho Ἰεριχώ Ierichō
pronoun who = the robbers
pronoun him = the man — both times
31
κατὰ συγκυρίαν δὲ ἱερεύς τις κατέβαινεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ ἐκείνῃ, καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν·
And by coincidence a certain priest was going down that road, and seeing him he passed by on the other side.
By coincidence renders συγκυρία (synkyria), used once in the four Gospels. Passed by on the other side is one Greek verb.
pronoun him = the man
Why this rendering
Luke.10.31 Observation
Syntactic observation
ἀντιπαρέρχομαι, to pass by on the other side, occurs at vv.31 and 32, and at those two places only in the four Gospels. Priest and Levite pass in the same word — the text records their action with one verb and gives no reason. συγκυρία, coincidence, is likewise unique, and it is the only place where by chance is attached. The three arrivals are shaped alike: priest (v.31), Levite (v.32), Samaritan (v.33) each first sees (ἰδών) and then they part — the first two ἀντιπαρῆλθεν, the third ἐσπλαγχνίσθη. Three men see the same thing at the same place and do differently. Samaritans appear several times in the four Gospels — Σαμαρίτης once in Matthew (10:5), three times in Luke (9:52, 10:33, 17:16) and four times in John (4:9, 39, 40; 8:48) — and besides these the feminine Σαμαρῖτις stands twice at John 4:9 (the woman at the well). Only in Luke, though, is one held up favourably. And at v.37, when the lawyer answers, he does not say the Samaritan but ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ’ αὐτοῦ, the one who showed mercy to him — he avoids the word.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “passed by on the other side” — one rendering at both verses
Basis The text uses one verb twice; one rendering shows that the two did the same thing.
Supply motive — “ignored him and passed by”
Basis Lets the reader see why they passed.
Rejected The text gives no reason; supplying a motive makes the translation judge the two men and fills a gap the text leaves.
32
ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ⸀Λευίτης κατὰ τὸν τόπον ἐλθὼν καὶ ἰδὼν ἀντιπαρῆλθεν.
And likewise a Levite also, coming to the place and seeing him, passed by on the other side.
Likewise — the second passing is told in the same words as the first.
first here Levites Λευίτης Leuitēs
pronoun him = the man
33
Σαμαρίτης δέ τις ὁδεύων ἦλθεν κατ’ αὐτὸν καὶ ⸀ἰδὼν ἐσπλαγχνίσθη,
But a certain Samaritan, journeying, came upon him, and seeing him he was moved with compassion,
A Samaritan — the hearer at 9:53 has just seen a Samaritan village refuse him. Moved with compassion is built on the word for the inward parts.
first here Samaritan Σαμαρίτης Samaritēs
pronoun him = the man — both times
pronoun he = the Samaritan
34
καὶ προσελθὼν κατέδησεν τὰ τραύματα αὐτοῦ ἐπιχέων ἔλαιον καὶ οἶνον, ἐπιβιβάσας δὲ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὸ ἴδιον κτῆνος ἤγαγεν αὐτὸν εἰς πανδοχεῖον καὶ ἐπεμελήθη αὐτοῦ.
and coming to him he bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and setting him on his own animal he brought him to an inn and cared for him.
Inn renders πανδοχεῖον (pandocheion) — used once in all four Gospels, and not the word rendered “lodging room” at 2:7. This edition keeps the two apart.
pronoun he = the Samaritan
pronoun him = the man — every “him” here is the wounded man
pronoun his = the man — “his own animal” is the Samaritan
Why this rendering
Luke.10.34 Observation
Syntactic observation
πανδοχεῖον, an inn, stands at this one place in the four Gospels. It bears on the judgement at 2:7: there Luke used κατάλυμα, a lodging room, the word that at Mark 14:14 and Luke 22:11 is the room for the Passover. Luke has a separate word for an inn and did not use it at 2:7. πανδοχεύς, innkeeper, is likewise unique. These two verses crowd with words found nowhere else: ἡμιθανής, half dead (v.30); τραῦμα, wound; καταδέω, to bind up; κτῆνος, animal; προσδαπανάω, to spend besides (v.35) — and ἐπιμελέομαι, to care for, stands at vv.34-35 only. What the Samaritan spends is worth counting: oil and wine, his own animal, two denarii, and whatever more. Two denarii is two days of the wage priced at Matthew 20:2. And the ἐσπλαγχνίσθη of v.33 is one of Luke's three, the other two being 7:13 and 15:20 — all three in passages only Luke has.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “inn” and “innkeeper” — kept apart from the lodging room of 2:7
Basis They are different words, and dividing them shows what Luke did not choose at 2:7.
Match the rendering at 2:7
Basis Both are places to lodge.
Rejected Luke has both words and chose between them; matching erases the choice and the ground for the judgement at 2:7.
35
καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ⸀αὔριον ἐκβαλὼν ⸂δύο δηνάρια ἔδωκεν⸃ τῷ πανδοχεῖ καὶ ⸀εἶπεν· Ἐπιμελήθητι αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅ τι ἂν προσδαπανήσῃς ἐγὼ ἐν τῷ ἐπανέρχεσθαί με ἀποδώσω σοι.
And on the next day, taking out two denarii, he gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Care for him, and whatever you spend besides I will repay you when I return.'
Two denarii — the coin is kept as sound; a denarius was a day's wage.
pronoun he = the Samaritan
pronoun them = the two denarii
pronoun him = the wounded man
pronoun you = the innkeeper
pronoun I = the Samaritan
36
⸀τίς τούτων τῶν τριῶν πλησίον δοκεῖ σοι γεγονέναι τοῦ ἐμπεσόντος εἰς τοὺς λῃστάς;
Which of these three seems to you to have become a neighbour to the man who fell among the robbers?”
Which of these three — the question of verse 29 is turned round: not who is my neighbour, but who became one.
pronoun these = the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan
pronoun you = the lawyer
37
ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Ὁ ποιήσας τὸ ἔλεος μετ’ αὐτοῦ. εἶπεν ⸀δὲ αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Πορεύου καὶ σὺ ποίει ὁμοίως.
And he said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” And Jesus said to him, “Go, and you do likewise.”
The one who showed mercy — the lawyer will not say “the Samaritan”.
pronoun he = the lawyer — “Jesus said to him” is Jesus
pronoun him = the wounded man — “Jesus said to him” is the lawyer
pronoun you = the lawyer
38
⸂Ἐν δὲ⸃ τῷ πορεύεσθαι ⸀αὐτοὺς αὐτὸς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς κώμην τινά· γυνὴ δέ τις ὀνόματι Μάρθα ὑπεδέξατο ⸀αὐτὸν.
And as they were going, he entered a certain village; and a woman named Martha welcomed him.
Welcomed him — the word of 8:40. This scene stands only in this book.
first here Martha Μάρθα Martha
pronoun they = Jesus and the disciples
pronoun he = Jesus
pronoun him = Jesus
39
καὶ τῇδε ἦν ἀδελφὴ καλουμένη ⸀Μαριάμ, ἣ καὶ ⸂παρακαθεσθεῖσα πρὸς⸃ τοὺς πόδας τοῦ ⸀Ἰησοῦ ἤκουεν τὸν λόγον αὐτοῦ.
And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat beside the Lord's feet and was listening to his word.
Sat beside the Lord's feet — where a disciple sits, as at 8:35.
first here Mariam Μαριάμ Mariam
pronoun she = Martha
pronoun who = Mary
pronoun his = the Lord
40
ἡ δὲ Μάρθα περιεσπᾶτο περὶ πολλὴν διακονίαν· ἐπιστᾶσα δὲ εἶπεν· Κύριε, οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἡ ἀδελφή μου μόνην με ⸀κατέλειπεν διακονεῖν; ⸀εἰπὲ οὖν αὐτῇ ἵνα μοι συναντιλάβηται.
But Martha was being pulled about with much serving; and coming up she said, “Lord, does it not matter to you that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her, then, to lend me a hand.”
Being pulled about renders περισπάομαι (perispaomai), used once in the four Gospels — dragged in several directions. Serving is the table-verb of 8:3.
pronoun she = Martha
pronoun you = the Lord
pronoun my = Martha
pronoun me = Martha — both times
pronoun her = Mary
41
ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ⸀κύριος· Μάρθα Μάρθα, μεριμνᾷς καὶ ⸀θορυβάζῃ περὶ πολλά,
But answering, the Lord said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things;
Martha, Martha — the doubling is an address, as at 22:31.
pronoun her = Martha
pronoun you = Martha
42
⸂ὀλίγων δέ ἐστιν χρεία ἢ ἑνός⸃· ⸂Μαριὰμ γὰρ⸃ τὴν ἀγαθὴν μερίδα ἐξελέξατο ἥτις οὐκ ἀφαιρεθήσεται ⸀αὐτῆς.
but few things are needed, or one. For Mary chose the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Few things are needed, or one — the manuscripts differ widely here, and some read only “one thing is needed”. This edition follows its base text.
pronoun her = Mary
Why this rendering
Luke.10.42 Observation
Syntactic observation
The passage (vv.38-42) is Luke's alone, and its five short verses hold seven words found nowhere else in the four Gospels, four of them striking — παρακαθέζομαι, to sit beside (v.39); περισπάομαι, to be pulled about (v.40); συναντιλαμβάνομαι, to lend a hand (v.40); θορυβάζω, to be troubled (v.41) — and μερίς, portion (v.42), as well. The opening of v.42 is a place where the manuscripts divide, and SBLGNT marks it (⸂⸃): the base text reads ὀλίγων δέ ἐστιν χρεία ἢ ἑνός, few things are needed, or one — a form that sets few and one side by side and does not settle what is needed. Whether ἑνός, one, means one dish or something else the text does not say. The address at v.41 is doubled — Μάρθα Μάρθα, the same shape as ἐπιστάτα ἐπιστάτα at 8:24. ἐκλέγομαι, to choose, was the word attached to the Son at 9:35; here Mary chooses a portion.
Rendering options · 2
Adopted “Few things are needed, or one” — as the base text has it, unresolved
Basis The base text sets the two side by side; reducing them to one lets the translation settle a place where the manuscripts divide.
Reduce to “one thing is needed”
Basis Follows the shorter reading and reads more clearly.
Rejected What the base text prints keeps the two together; the gain in clarity closes what the text leaves open.