12:38 In his teaching Jesus 3 also said, “Watch out for the experts in the law. 4 They like walking 5 around in long robes and elaborate greetings 6 in the marketplaces,
1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
2 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23.
3 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
4 tn Or “for the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 1:22.
5 tn In Greek this is the only infinitive in vv. 38-39. It would be awkward in English to join an infinitive to the following noun clauses, so this has been translated as a gerund.
6 sn There is later Jewish material in the Talmud that spells out such greetings in detail. See H. Windisch, TDNT 1:498.
7 tn Or “seats of honor.” The term here is plural and is not a reference only to the lead “seat of Moses” in the synagogue, but includes the front seats near the ark.
8 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:15.
9 tn Grk “and the greetings.”