Luke 12:54-56

Context

Reading the Signs

12:54 Jesus¹ also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west,² you say at once, ‘A rainstorm³ is coming,’ and it does. 12:55 And when you see the south wind⁴ blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and there is. 12:56 You hypocrites!⁵ You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky, but how can you not know how⁶ to interpret the present time?

[12:54] ¹tn Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Here καί (kai) has been translated as “also” and δέ (de) has not been translated.

[12:54] ²sn A cloud rising in the west refers to moisture coming from the Mediterranean Sea.

[12:54] ³tn The term ὄμβρος (ombro") refers to heavy rain, such as in a thunderstorm (L&N 14.12).

[12:55] ⁴sn The south wind comes from the desert, and thus brings scorching heat.

[12:56] ⁵sn In Luke, the term hypocrites occurs here, in 6:42, and in 13:15.

[12:56] ⁶tc Most mss (Ì⁴⁵ A W Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï lat) have a syntax here that reflects a slightly different rhetorical question: “but how do you not interpret the present time?” The reading behind the translation, however, has overall superior support: Ì⁷⁵ א B L Θ 33 892 1241 pc.