19:3 Then some Pharisees 4 came to him in order to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful 5 to divorce a wife for any cause?” 6
10:25 Now 7 an expert in religious law 8 stood up to test Jesus, 9 saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 10
11:53 When he went out from there, the experts in the law 11 and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, 12 and to ask him hostile questions 13 about many things, 11:54 plotting against 14 him, to catch 15 him in something he might say.
20:20 Then 16 they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. 17 They wanted to take advantage of what he might say 18 so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction 19 of the governor. 20:21 Thus 20 they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, 21 and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22 20:22 Is it right 23 for us to pay the tribute tax 24 to Caesar 25 or not?” 20:23 But Jesus 26 perceived their deceit 27 and said to them,
20:1 Now one 28 day, as Jesus 29 was teaching the people in the temple courts 30 and proclaiming 31 the gospel, the chief priests and the experts in the law 32 with the elders came up 33
1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, 34 have not ceased praying for you and asking God 35 to fill 36 you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
1 tn The verb נָסָה (nasah) means “to test, to tempt, to prove.” It can be used to indicate things are tried or proven, or for testing in a good sense, or tempting in the bad sense, i.e., putting God to the test. In all uses there is uncertainty or doubt about the outcome. Some uses of the verb are positive: If God tests Abraham in Genesis 22:1, it is because there is uncertainty whether he fears the
2 tn “Ten” is here a round figure, emphasizing the complete testing. But see F. V. Winnett, The Mosaic Tradition, 121-54.
3 tn Heb “listened to my voice.”
4 tn Grk “And Pharisees.”
5 tc ‡ Most
6 sn The question of the Pharisees was anything but sincere; they were asking it to test him. Jesus was now in the jurisdiction of Herod Antipas (i.e., Judea and beyond the Jordan) and it is likely that the Pharisees were hoping he might answer the question of divorce in a way similar to John the Baptist and so suffer the same fate as John, i.e., death at the hands of Herod (cf. 14:1-12). Jesus answered the question not on the basis of rabbinic custom and the debate over Deut 24:1, but rather from the account of creation and God’s original design.
7 tn Grk “And behold.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic. The Greek word ἰδού (idou) at the beginning of this statement has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
8 tn Traditionally, “a lawyer.” This was an expert in the interpretation of the Mosaic law (see also Luke 7:30, where the same term occurs).
9 tn Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
10 sn The combination of inherit with eternal life asks, in effect, “What must I do to be saved?”
11 tn Or “the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
12 tn Or “terribly.”
13 tn For this term see L&N 33.183.
14 tn Grk “lying in ambush against,” but this is a figurative extension of that meaning.
15 tn This term was often used in a hunting context (BDAG 455 s.v. θηρεύω; L&N 27.30). Later examples of this appear in Luke 20.
16 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
17 tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.
18 tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”
19 tn This word is often translated “authority” in other contexts, but here, in combination with ἀρχή (arch), it refers to the domain or sphere of the governor’s rule (L&N 37.36).
20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “thus” to indicate the implied result of the plans by the spies.
21 tn Or “precisely”; Grk “rightly.” Jesus teaches exactly, the straight and narrow.
22 sn Teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Very few comments are as deceitful as this one; they did not really believe this at all. The question was specifically designed to trap Jesus.
23 tn Or “lawful,” that is, in accordance with God’s divine law. On the syntax of ἔξεστιν (exestin) with an infinitive and accusative, see BDF §409.3.
24 tn This was a “poll tax.” L&N 57.182 states this was “a payment made by the people of one nation to another, with the implication that this is a symbol of submission and dependence – ‘tribute tax.’”
25 tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).
26 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
27 tn Or “craftiness.” The term always has negative connotations in the NT (1 Cor 3:19; 2 Cor 4:2; 11:3; Eph 4:14).
28 tn Grk “Now it happened that one.” 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. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
29 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
30 tn Grk “the temple.”
31 tn Or “preaching.”
32 tn Or “and the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 5:21.
33 sn The chief priests and the experts in the law with the elders came up. The description is similar to Luke 19:47. The leaders are really watching Jesus at this point.
34 tn Or “heard about it”; Grk “heard.” There is no direct object stated in the Greek (direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context). A direct object is expected by an English reader, however, so most translations supply one. Here, however, it is not entirely clear what the author “heard”: a number of translations supply “it” (so KJV, NASB, NRSV; NAB “this”), but this could refer back either to (1) “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8, or (2) “your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the saints” (v. 4). In light of this uncertainty, other translations supply “about you” (TEV, NIV, CEV, NLT). This is preferred by the present translation since, while it does not resolve the ambiguity entirely, it does make it less easy for the English reader to limit the reference only to “your love in the Spirit” at the end of v. 8.
35 tn The term “God” does not appear in the Greek text, but the following reference to “the knowledge of his will” makes it clear that “God” is in view as the object of the “praying and asking,” and should therefore be included in the English translation for clarity.
36 tn The ἵνα (Jina) clause has been translated as substantival, indicating the content of the prayer and asking. The idea of purpose may also be present in this clause.