Luke 11:24

Response to Jesus’ Work

11:24 “When an unclean spirit ¹  goes out of a person, ²  it passes through waterless places ³  looking for rest but ⁴  not finding any. Then ⁵  it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’ ⁶ 

Luke 12:45

12:45 But if ⁷  that ⁸  slave should say to himself, ⁹  ‘My master is delayed ¹⁰  in returning,’ and he begins to beat ¹¹  the other ¹²  slaves, both men and women, ¹³  and to eat, drink, and get drunk,

Luke 17:7

17:7 “Would any one of you say ¹⁴  to your slave ¹⁵  who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal’? ¹⁶ 

Luke 21:8

21:8 He ¹⁷  said, “Watch out ¹⁸  that you are not misled. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ ¹⁹  and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them!

¹ sn This is a reference to an evil spirit. See Luke 4:33.

² tn Grk “man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.

³ sn The background for the reference to waterless places is not entirely clear, though some Jewish texts suggest spirits must have a place to dwell, but not with water (Luke 8:29-31; Tob 8:3). Some suggest that the image of the desert or deserted cities as the places demons dwell is where this idea started (Isa 13:21; 34:14).

⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

⁵ tc ‡ Most mss, including a few early and important ones (Ì⁴⁵ א* A C D W Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat), lack τότε (tote, “then”). Other mss, including some early and important ones (Ì⁷⁵ א² B L Θ Ξ 070 33 579 892 1241 pc co), have the adverb. Although the external evidence better supports the longer reading, the internal evidence is on the side of the shorter, for conjunctions and adverbs were frequently added by copyists to remove asyndeton and to add clarification. The shorter reading is thus preferred. The translation, however, adds “Then” because of English stylistic requirements. NA²⁷ has τότε in brackets indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

⁶ tn Grk “I will return to my house from which I came.”

⁷ tn In the Greek text this is a third class condition that for all practical purposes is a hypothetical condition (note the translation of the following verb “should say”).

⁸ tn The term “that” (ἐκεῖνος, ekeino") is used as a catchword to list out, in the form of a number of hypothetical circumstances, what the possible responses of “that” servant could be. He could be faithful (vv. 43-44) or totally unfaithful (vv. 45-46). He does not complete his master’s will with knowledge (v. 47) or from ignorance (v 48). These differences are indicated by the different levels of punishment in vv. 46-48.

⁹ tn Grk “should say in his heart.”

¹⁰ tn Or “is taking a long time.”

¹¹ sn The slave’s action in beginning to beat the other slaves was not only a failure to carry out what was commanded but involved doing the exact reverse.

¹² tn The word “other” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.

¹³ tn Grk “the menservants and the maidservants.” The term here, used in both masculine and feminine grammatical forms, is παῖς (pais), which can refer to a slave, but also to a slave who is a personal servant, and thus regarded kindly (L&N 87.77).

¹³ tn Grk “Who among you, having a slave… would say to him.”

¹⁴ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

¹⁵ tn Grk “and recline at table,” as 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away. See BDAG 70 s.v. ἀναπίπτω 1.

¹⁹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

²⁰ tn Or “Be on guard.”

²¹ tn That is, “I am the Messiah.”