Luke 1:71

1:71 that we should be saved ¹  from our enemies, ² 

and from the hand of all who hate us.

Luke 1:78

1:78 Because of ³  our God’s tender mercy ⁴ 

the dawn ⁵  will break ⁶  upon us from on high

Luke 11:16

11:16 Others, to test ⁷  him, ⁸  began asking for ⁹  a sign ¹⁰  from heaven.

Luke 12:25

12:25 And which of you by worrying ¹¹  can add an hour to his life? ¹² 

Luke 24:22

24:22 Furthermore, some women of our group amazed us. ¹³  They ¹⁴  were at the tomb early this morning,

[1:71]  ¹ tn Grk “from long ago, salvation.”

[1:71]  ² sn The theme of being saved from our enemies is like the release Jesus preached in Luke 4:18-19. Luke’s narrative shows that one of the enemies in view is Satan and his cohorts, with the grip they have on humanity.

[1:78]  ³ tn For reasons of style, a new sentence has been started in the translation at this point. God’s mercy is ultimately seen in the deliverance John points to, so v. 78a is placed with the reference to Jesus as the light of dawning day.

[1:78]  ⁴ sn God’s loyal love (steadfast love) is again the topic, reflected in the phrase tender mercy; see Luke 1:72.

[1:78]  ⁵ sn The Greek term translated dawn (ἀνατολή, anatolh) can be a reference to the morning star or to the sun. The Messiah is pictured as a saving light that shows the way. The Greek term was also used to translate the Hebrew word for “branch” or “sprout,” so some see a double entendre here with messianic overtones (see Isa 11:1-10; Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12).

[1:78]  ⁶ tn Grk “shall visit us.”

[11:16]  ⁵ tn Grk “testing”; the participle is taken as indicating the purpose of the demand.

[11:16]  ⁶ tn The pronoun “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[11:16]  ⁷ tn Grk “seeking from him.” The imperfect ἐζήτουν (ezhtoun) is taken ingressively. It is also possible to regard it as iterative (“kept on asking”).

[11:16]  ⁸ sn What exactly this sign would have been, given what Jesus was already doing, is not clear. But here is where the fence-sitters reside, refusing to commit to him.

[12:25]  ⁷ tn Or “by being anxious.”

[12:25]  ⁸ tn Or “a cubit to his height.” A cubit (πῆχυς, phcu") can measure length (normally about 45 cm or 18 inches) or time (a small unit, “hour” is usually used [BDAG 812 s.v.] although “day” has been suggested [L&N 67.151]). The term ἡλικία (Jhlikia) is ambiguous in the same way as πῆχυς. Most scholars take the term to describe age or length of life here, although a few refer it to bodily stature (see BDAG 435-36 s.v. 1.a for discussion). Worry about length of life seems a more natural figure than worry about height. However, the point either way is clear: Worrying adds nothing to life span or height.

[24:22]  ⁹ sn The account in 24:1-12 is repeated here, and it is clear that the other disciples were not convinced by the women, but could not explain the events either.

[24:22]  ¹⁰ tn In the Greek text this is a continuation of the previous sentence, but because of the length and complexity of the construction a new sentence was started here in the translation.