Luke 7:7-8

7:7 That is why ¹  I did not presume ²  to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed. ³  7:8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. ⁴  I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, ⁵  and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” ⁶ 

¹ tn Or “roof; therefore.”

² tn Grk “I did not consider myself worthy to come to you.” See BDAG 94 s.v. ἀξιόω 1. “Presume” assumes this and expresses the idea in terms of offense.

³ tc The aorist imperative ἰαθήτω (iaqhtw, “must be healed”) is found in Ì^75vid B L 1241 sa. Most mss (א A C D W Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï latt bo) have instead a future indicative, ἰαθήσεται (iaqhsetai, “will be healed”). This is most likely an assimilation to Matt 8:8, and thus, as a motivated reading, should be considered secondary. The meaning either way is essentially the same.

⁴ tn Grk “having soldiers under me.”

⁵ sn I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes. The illustrations highlight the view of authority the soldier sees in the word of one who has authority. Since the centurion was a commander of a hundred soldiers, he understood what it was both to command others and to be obeyed.

⁶ tn The word “it” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.