2:1 Now 21 in those days a decree 22 went out from Caesar 23 Augustus 24 to register 25 all the empire 26 for taxes.
2:1 Now 27 in those days a decree 28 went out from Caesar 29 Augustus 30 to register 31 all the empire 32 for taxes.
1 tn Grk “he denied it…saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated.
2 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
3 tn The words “slave girl” are not in the Greek text, but are implied by the feminine singular form ἄλλη (allh).
4 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
5 tn Grk “your speech.”
6 tn It seems most likely that this refers to a real rooster crowing, although a number of scholars have suggested that “cockcrow” is a technical term referring to the trumpet call which ended the third watch of the night (from midnight to 3 a.m.). This would then be a reference to the Roman gallicinium (ἀλεκτοροφωνία, alektorofwnia; the term is used in Mark 13:35 and is found in some
7 sn When Peter went out and wept bitterly it shows he really did not want to fail here and was deeply grieved that he had.
8 tn Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amhn), I say to you.”
9 tn This occurrence of the word ἀλέκτωρ (alektwr, “rooster”) is anarthrous and consequently may not point back explicitly to the rooster which had crowed previously in v. 68. The reason for the anarthrous construction is most likely to indicate generically that some rooster crowed. Further, the translation of ἀλέκτωρ as an indefinite noun retains the subtlety of the Greek in only hinting at the Lord’s prediction v. 30. See also NAB, TEV, NASB.
10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
11 tn Grk “he wept deeply.”
12 sn How one responds now to Jesus and his teaching is a reflection of how Jesus, as the Son of Man who judges, will respond then in the final judgment.
13 tn This pronoun (τοῦτον, touton) is in emphatic position in its own clause in the Greek text: “of that person the Son of Man will be ashamed…”
14 tn Grk “in the glory of him and of the Father and of the holy angels.” “Glory” is repeated here in the translation for clarity and smoothness because the literal phrase is unacceptably awkward in contemporary English.
15 tn Or “concealed.”
16 sn I.e., be revealed by God. The passive voice verbs here (“be revealed,” be made known”) see the revelation as coming from God. The text is both a warning about bad things being revealed and an encouragement that good things will be made known, though the stress with the images of darkness and what is hidden in vv. 2-3 is on the attempt to conceal.
17 tn Grk “And this.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
18 sn The sign functions for the shepherds like Elizabeth’s conception served for Mary in 1:36.
19 tn Or “a feeding trough,” see Luke 2:7.
20 tn Or “was a minister of Syria.” This term could simply refer to an administrative role Quirinius held as opposed to being governor (Josephus, Ant. 18.4.2 [18.88]). See also Luke 2:1.
21 tn Grk “Now it happened that.” 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.
22 sn This decree was a formal decree from the Roman Senate.
23 tn Or “from the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
24 sn Caesar Augustus refers to Octavian, who was Caesar from 27
25 tn Grk “that all the empire should be registered for taxes.” The passive infinitive ἀπογράφεσθαι (apografesqai) has been rendered as an active in the translation to improve the English style. The verb is regarded as a technical term for official registration in tax lists (BDAG 108 s.v. ἀπογράφω a).
26 tn Grk “the whole (inhabited) world,” but this was a way to refer to the Roman empire (L&N 1.83).
27 tn Grk “Now it happened that.” 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.
28 sn This decree was a formal decree from the Roman Senate.
29 tn Or “from the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
30 sn Caesar Augustus refers to Octavian, who was Caesar from 27
31 tn Grk “that all the empire should be registered for taxes.” The passive infinitive ἀπογράφεσθαι (apografesqai) has been rendered as an active in the translation to improve the English style. The verb is regarded as a technical term for official registration in tax lists (BDAG 108 s.v. ἀπογράφω a).
32 tn Grk “the whole (inhabited) world,” but this was a way to refer to the Roman empire (L&N 1.83).
33 tn Grk “every male that opens the womb” (an idiom for the firstborn male).
34 sn An allusion to Exod 13:2, 12, 15.