Luke 17:3

17:3 Watch ¹  yourselves! If ²  your brother ³  sins, rebuke him. If ⁴  he repents, forgive him.

Luke 15:18

15:18 I will get up and go to my father and say to him, “Father, I have sinned ⁵  against heaven ⁶  and against ⁷  you.

Luke 17:4

17:4 Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive ⁸  him.”

Luke 15:21

15:21 Then ⁹  his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven ¹⁰  and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ¹¹ 

[17:3]  ¹ tn It is difficult to know if this looks back or forward or both. The warning suggests it looks back. For this verb, see Luke 8:18; 12:1, 15; 20:46; 21:8, 34. The present imperative reflects an ongoing spirit of watchfulness.

[17:3]  ² tn Both the “if” clause in this verse and the “if” clause in v. 4 are third class conditions in Greek.

[17:3]  ³ tn Here the term “brother” means “fellow believer” or “fellow Christian” (cf. BDAG 18 s.v. ἀδελφός 2.a, contra BDAG 19 s.v. 2.c), but with a familial connotation. It refers equally to men, women, or children. However, because of the familial connotations, “brother” has been retained in the translation here in preference to the more generic “fellow believer” (“fellow Christian” would be anachronistic in this context).

[17:3]  ⁴ tn Grk “And if.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[15:18]  ⁵ sn In the confession “I have sinned” there is a recognition of wrong that pictures the penitent coming home and “being found.”

[15:18]  ⁶ sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God.

[15:18]  ⁷ tn According to BDAG 342 s.v. ἐνωπιον 4.a, “in relation to ἁμαρτάνειν ἐ. τινος sin against someone Lk 15:18, 21 (cf. Jdth 5:17; 1 Km 7:6; 20:1).”

[17:4]  ⁹ sn You must forgive him. Forgiveness is to be readily given and not withheld. In a community that is to have restored relationships, grudges are not beneficial.

[15:21]  ¹³ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[15:21]  ¹⁴ sn The phrase against heaven is a circumlocution for God. 1st century Judaism tended to minimize use of the divine name out of reverence.

[15:21]  ¹⁵ sn The younger son launches into his confession just as he had planned. See vv. 18-19.