Luke 2:1

The Census and the Birth of Jesus

2:1 Now ¹  in those days a decree ²  went out from Caesar ³  Augustus ⁴  to register ⁵  all the empire ⁶  for taxes.

Luke 5:35

5:35 But those days are coming, and when the bridegroom is taken from them, ⁷  at that time ⁸  they will fast.”

Luke 10:31

10:31 Now by chance ⁹  a priest was going down that road, but ¹⁰  when he saw the injured man ¹¹  he passed by ¹²  on the other side. ¹³ 

Luke 12:38

12:38 Even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night ¹⁴  and finds them alert, ¹⁵  blessed are those slaves! ¹⁶ 

Luke 12:43

12:43 Blessed is that slave ¹⁷  whom his master finds at work ¹⁸  when he returns.

Luke 14:24

14:24 For I tell you, not one of those individuals ¹⁹  who were invited ²⁰  will taste my banquet!’” ²¹ 

Luke 15:14

15:14 Then ²²  after he had spent everything, a severe famine took place in that country, and he began to be in need.

Luke 19:4

19:4 So ²³  he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree ²⁴  to see him, because Jesus ²⁵  was going to pass that way.

Luke 20:18

20:18 Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, ²⁶  and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.” ²⁷ 

[2:1]  ¹ 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.

[2:1]  ² sn This decree was a formal decree from the Roman Senate.

[2:1]  ³ tn Or “from the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[2:1]  ⁴ sn Caesar Augustus refers to Octavian, who was Caesar from 27 b.c. to a.d. 14. He was known for his administrative prowess.

[2:1]  ⁵ 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).

[2:1]  ⁶ tn Grk “the whole (inhabited) world,” but this was a way to refer to the Roman empire (L&N 1.83).

[5:35]  ⁷ sn The statement when the bridegroom is taken from them is a veiled allusion by Jesus to his death, which he did not make explicit until the incident at Caesarea Philippi in 9:18ff.

[5:35]  ⁸ tn Grk “then in those days.”

[10:31]  ¹³ sn The phrase by chance adds an initial note of hope and fortune to the expectation in the story.

[10:31]  ¹⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context between the priest’s expected action (helping the victim) and what he really did.

[10:31]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “him”; the referent (the injured man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:31]  ¹⁶ sn It is not said why the priest passed by and refused to help. It is not relevant to the point of the parable that no help was given in the emergency situation.

[10:31]  ¹⁷ sn The text suggests that the priest went out of his way (on the other side) not to get too close to the scene.

[12:38]  ¹⁹ sn The second or third watch of the night would be between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. on a Roman schedule and 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on a Jewish schedule. Luke uses the four-watch schedule of the Romans in Acts 12:4, so that is more probable here. Regardless of the precise times of the watches, however, it is clear that the late-night watches when a person is least alert are in view here.

[12:38]  ²⁰ tn Grk “finds (them) thus”; but this has been clarified in the translation by referring to the status (“alert”) mentioned in v. 37.

[12:38]  ²¹ tn Grk “blessed are they”; the referent (the watchful slaves, v. 37) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:43]  ²⁵ tn See the note on the word “slave” in 7:2.

[12:43]  ²⁶ tn That is, doing his job, doing what he is supposed to be doing.

[14:24]  ³¹ tn The Greek word here is ἀνήρ (anhr), which frequently stresses males or husbands (in contrast to women or wives). However, the emphasis in the present context is on identifying these individuals as the ones previously invited, examples of which were given in vv. 18-20. Cf. also BDAG 79 s.v. ἀνήρ 2.

[14:24]  ³² sn None of those individuals who were invited. This is both the point and the warning. To be a part of the original invitation does not mean one automatically has access to blessing. One must respond when the summons comes in order to participate. The summons came in the person of Jesus and his proclamation of the kingdom. The statement here refers to the fact that many in Israel will not be blessed with participation, for they have ignored the summons when it came.

[14:24]  ³³ tn Or “dinner.”

[15:14]  ³⁷ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the sequence of events in the parable. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.

[19:4]  ⁴³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Zacchaeus not being able to see over the crowd.

[19:4]  ⁴⁴ sn A sycamore tree would have large branches near the ground like an oak tree and would be fairly easy to climb. These trees reach a height of some 50 ft (about 15 m).

[19:4]  ⁴⁵ tn Grk “that one”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[20:18]  ⁴⁹ tn On this term, see BDAG 972 s.v. συνθλάω.

[20:18]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “on whomever it falls, it will crush him.”