Luke 3:8

3:8 Therefore produce ¹  fruit ²  that proves your repentance, and don’t begin to say ³  to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ ⁴  For I tell you that God can raise up children for Abraham from these stones! ⁵ 

Luke 7:39

7:39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, ⁶  he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, ⁷  he would know who and what kind of woman ⁸  this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.”

Luke 11:26

11:26 Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they go in and live there, so ⁹  the last state of that person ¹⁰  is worse than the first.” ¹¹ 

Luke 12:1

Fear God, Not People

12:1 Meanwhile, ¹²  when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus ¹³  began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against ¹⁴  the yeast of the Pharisees, ¹⁵  which is hypocrisy. ¹⁶ 

Luke 12:33

12:33 Sell your possessions ¹⁷  and give to the poor. ¹⁸  Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out – a treasure in heaven ¹⁹  that never decreases, ²⁰  where no thief approaches and no moth ²¹  destroys.

Luke 13:19

13:19 It is like a mustard seed ²²  that a man took and sowed ²³  in his garden. It ²⁴  grew and became a tree, ²⁵  and the wild birds ²⁶  nested in its branches.” ²⁷ 

Luke 13:34

13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, ²⁸  you who kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! ²⁹  How often I have longed ³⁰  to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but ³¹  you would have none of it! ³² 

Luke 15:20

15:20 So ³³  he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home ³⁴  his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; ³⁵  he ran and hugged ³⁶  his son ³⁷  and kissed him.

Luke 16:3

16:3 Then ³⁸  the manager said to himself, ‘What should I do, since my master is taking my position ³⁹  away from me? I’m not strong enough to dig, ⁴⁰  and I’m too ashamed ⁴¹  to beg.

Luke 16:8

16:8 The ⁴²  master commended the dishonest ⁴³  manager because he acted shrewdly. ⁴⁴  For the people ⁴⁵  of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their contemporaries ⁴⁶  than the people ⁴⁷  of light.

Luke 16:15

16:15 But ⁴⁸  Jesus ⁴⁹  said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in men’s eyes, ⁵⁰  but God knows your hearts. For what is highly prized ⁵¹  among men is utterly detestable ⁵²  in God’s sight.

Luke 18:11

18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ⁵³  ‘God, I thank ⁵⁴  you that I am not like other people: ⁵⁵  extortionists, ⁵⁶  unrighteous people, ⁵⁷  adulterers – or even like this tax collector. ⁵⁸ 

Luke 18:13

18:13 The tax collector, however, stood ⁵⁹  far off and would not even look up ⁶⁰  to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, be merciful ⁶¹  to me, sinner that I am!’ ⁶² 

Luke 20:20

Paying Taxes to Caesar

20:20 Then ⁶³  they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. ⁶⁴  They wanted to take advantage of what he might say ⁶⁵  so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction ⁶⁶  of the governor.

Luke 23:2

23:2 They ⁶⁷  began to accuse ⁶⁸  him, saying, “We found this man subverting ⁶⁹  our nation, forbidding ⁷⁰  us to pay the tribute tax ⁷¹  to Caesar ⁷²  and claiming that he himself is Christ, ⁷³  a king.”

Luke 23:35

23:35 The people also stood there watching, but the rulers ridiculed ⁷⁴  him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save ⁷⁵  himself if ⁷⁶  he is the Christ ⁷⁷  of God, his chosen one!”

Luke 24:12

24:12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. ⁷⁸  He bent down ⁷⁹  and saw only the strips of linen cloth; ⁸⁰  then he went home, ⁸¹  wondering ⁸²  what had happened. ⁸³ 

[3:8]  ¹ tn The verb here is ποιέω (poiew; see v. 4).

[3:8]  ² tn Grk “fruits.” The plural Greek term καρπούς has been translated with the collective singular “fruit” (so NIV; cf. Matt 3:8 where the singular καρπός is found). Some other translations render the plural καρπούς as “fruits” (e.g., NRSV, NASB, NAB, NKJV).

[3:8]  ³ tn In other words, “do not even begin to think this.”

[3:8]  ⁴ sn We have Abraham as our father. John’s warning to the crowds really assumes two things: (1) A number of John’s listeners apparently believed that simply by their physical descent from Abraham, they were certain heirs of the promises made to the patriarch, and (2) God would never judge his covenant people lest he inadvertently place the fulfillment of his promises in jeopardy. In light of this, John tells these people two things: (1) they need to repent and produce fruit in keeping with repentance, for only that saves from the coming wrath, and (2) God will raise up “children for Abraham from these stones” if he wants to. Their disobedience will not threaten the realization of God’s sovereign purposes.

[3:8]  ⁵ sn The point of the statement God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham is that ancestry or association with a tradition tied to the great founder of the Jewish nation is not an automatic source of salvation.

[7:39]  ⁶ tn The word “this” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were frequently omitted in Greek when clear from the context.

[7:39]  ⁷ tn This is a good example of a second class (contrary to fact) Greek conditional sentence. The Pharisee said, in effect, “If this man were a prophet (but he is not)…”

[7:39]  ⁸ sn The Pharisees believed in a form of separationism that would have prevented them from any kind of association with such a sinful woman.

[11:26]  ¹¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the concluding point of the story.

[11:26]  ¹² tn Grk “man.” This is a generic use of ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo"), referring to both males and females.

[11:26]  ¹³ sn The point of the story is that to fail to respond is to risk a worse fate than when one started.

[12:1]  ¹⁶ tn The phrase ἐν οἷς (en Jois) can be translated “meanwhile.”

[12:1]  ¹⁷ tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:1]  ¹⁸ tn According to L&N 27.59, “to pay attention to, to keep on the lookout for, to be alert for, to be on your guard against.” This is another Lukan present imperative calling for constant vigilance.

[12:1]  ¹⁹ sn See the note on Pharisees in 5:17.

[12:1]  ²⁰ sn The pursuit of popularity can lead to hypocrisy, if one is not careful.

[12:33]  ²¹ sn The call to sell your possessions is a call to a lack of attachment to the earth and a generosity as a result.

[12:33]  ²² tn Grk “give alms,” but this term is not in common use today.

[12:33]  ²³ tn Grk “in the heavens.”

[12:33]  ²⁴ tn Or “an unfailing treasure in heaven,” or “an inexhaustible treasure in heaven.”

[12:33]  ²⁵ tn The term σής (shs) refers to moths in general. It is specifically the larvae of moths that destroy clothing by eating holes in it (L&N 4.49; BDAG 922 s.v.). See Jas 5:2, which mentions “moth-eaten” clothing.

[13:19]  ²⁶ sn The mustard seed was noted for its tiny size.

[13:19]  ²⁷ tn Grk “threw.”

[13:19]  ²⁸ tn Grk “garden, and it.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.

[13:19]  ²⁹ sn Calling the mustard plant a tree is rhetorical hyperbole, since technically it is not one. This plant could be one of two types of mustard popular in Palestine and would be either 10 or 25 ft (3 or 7.5 m) tall.

[13:19]  ³⁰ tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).

[13:19]  ³¹ sn The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of the mustard seed that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22-24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.

[13:34]  ³¹ sn The double use of the city’s name betrays intense emotion.

[13:34]  ³² tn Although the opening address (“Jerusalem, Jerusalem”) is direct (second person), the remainder of this sentence in the Greek text is third person (“who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her”). The following sentences then revert to second person (“your… you”), so to keep all this consistent in English, the third person pronouns in the present verse were translated as second person (“you who kill… sent to you”).

[13:34]  ³³ sn How often I have longed to gather your children. Jesus, like a lamenting prophet, speaks for God here, who longed to care tenderly for Israel and protect her.

[13:34]  ³⁴ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[13:34]  ³⁵ tn Grk “you were not willing.”

[15:20]  ³⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the result of the son’s decision to return home. Greek style often begins sentences or clauses with “and,” but English style generally does not.

[15:20]  ³⁷ tn Grk “a long way off from [home].” The word “home” is implied (L&N 85.16).

[15:20]  ³⁸ tn Or “felt great affection for him,” “felt great pity for him.”

[15:20]  ³⁹ tn Grk “he fell on his neck,” an idiom for showing special affection for someone by throwing one’s arms around them. The picture is of the father hanging on the son’s neck in welcome.

[15:20]  ⁴⁰ tn Grk “him”; the referent (the son) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:3]  ⁴¹ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events in the parable.

[16:3]  ⁴² tn Grk “the stewardship,” “the management.”

[16:3]  ⁴³ tn Here “dig” could refer (1) to excavation (“dig ditches,” L&N 19.55) or (2) to agricultural labor (“work the soil,” L&N 43.3). In either case this was labor performed by the uneducated, so it would be an insult as a job for a manager.

[16:3]  ⁴⁴ tn Grk “I do not have strength to dig; I am ashamed to beg.”

[16:8]  ⁴⁶ tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[16:8]  ⁴⁷ sn Is the manager dishonest because of what he just did? Or is it a reference to what he had done earlier, described in v. 1? This is a difficult question, but it seems unlikely that the master, having fired the man for prior dishonesty, would now commend those same actions. It would also be unusual for Jesus to make that point of the story the example. Thus it is more likely the reference to dishonesty goes back to the earliest events, while the commendation is for the cleverness of the former manager reflected in vv. 5-7.

[16:8]  ⁴⁸ sn Where this parable ends is debated: Does it conclude with v. 7, after v. 8a, after v. 8b, or after v. 9? Verse 8a looks as if it is still part of the story, with its clear reference to the manager, while 8b looks like Jesus’ application, since its remarks are more general. So it is most likely the parable stops after v. 8a.

[16:8]  ⁴⁹ tn Grk “sons” (an idiom).

[16:8]  ⁵⁰ tn Grk “with their own generation.”

[16:8]  ⁵¹ tn Grk “sons.” Here the phrase “sons of light” is a reference to the righteous. The point is that those of the world often think ahead about consequences better than the righteous do.

[16:15]  ⁵¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[16:15]  ⁵² tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:15]  ⁵³ tn Grk “before men.” The contrast is between outward appearance (“in people’s eyes”) and inward reality (“God knows your hearts”). Here the Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anqrwpo") is used twice in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, but “men” has been retained in the text to provide a strong verbal contrast with “God” in the second half of the verse.

[16:15]  ⁵⁴ tn Or “exalted.” This refers to the pride that often comes with money and position.

[16:15]  ⁵⁵ tn Or “is an abomination,” “is abhorrent” (L&N 25.187).

[18:11]  ⁵⁶ tn Or “stood by himself and prayed like this.” The prepositional phrase πρὸς ἑαυτόν (pros eauton, “to/about himself”) could go with either the aorist participle σταθείς (staqeis, “stood”) or with the imperfect verb προσηύχετο (proshuceto, “he prayed”). If taken with the participle, then the meaning would seem at first glance to be: “stood ‘by himself’,” or “stood ‘alone’.” Now it is true that πρός can mean “by” or “with” when used with intransitive verbs such as ἵστημι ({isthmi, “I stand”; cf. BDAG 874 s.v. πρός 2.a), but πρὸς ἑαυτόν together never means “by himself” or “alone” in biblical Greek. On the other hand, if πρὸς ἑαυτόν is taken with the verb, then two different nuances emerge, both of which highlight in different ways the principal point Jesus seems to be making about the arrogance of this religious leader: (1) “prayed to himself,” but not necessarily silently, or (2) “prayed about himself,” with the connotation that he prayed out loud, for all to hear. Since his prayer is really a review of his moral résumé, directed both at advertising his own righteousness and exposing the perversion of the tax collector, whom he actually mentions in his prayer, the latter option seems preferable. If this is the case, then the Pharisee’s mention of God is really nothing more than a formality.

[18:11]  ⁵⁷ sn The Pharisee’s prayer started out as a thanksgiving psalm to God, but the praise ended up not being about God.

[18:11]  ⁵⁸ tn Here the plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is used as a generic and can refer to both men and women (NASB, NRSV, “people”; NLT, “everyone else”; NAB, “the rest of humanity”).

[18:11]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “swindlers” (BDAG 134 s.v. ἅρπαξ 2); see also Isa 10:2; Josephus, J. W. 6.3.4 [6.203].

[18:11]  ⁶⁰ sn A general category for “sinners” (1 Cor 6:9; Lev 19:3).

[18:11]  ⁶¹ sn Note what the Pharisee assumes about the righteousness of this tax collector by grouping him with extortionists, unrighteous people, and adulterers.

[18:13]  ⁶¹ tn Grk “standing”; the Greek participle has been translated as a finite verb.

[18:13]  ⁶² tn Grk “even lift up his eyes” (an idiom).

[18:13]  ⁶³ tn The prayer is a humble call for forgiveness. The term for mercy (ἱλάσκομαι, Jilaskomai) is associated with the concept of a request for atonement (BDAG 473-74 s.v. 1; Ps 51:1, 3; 25:11; 34:6, 18).

[18:13]  ⁶⁴ tn Grk “the sinner.” The tax collector views himself not just as any sinner but as the worst of all sinners. See ExSyn 222-23.

[20:20]  ⁶⁶ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[20:20]  ⁶⁷ tn Grk “righteous,” but in this context the point is their false sincerity.

[20:20]  ⁶⁸ tn Grk “so that they might catch him in some word.”

[20:20]  ⁶⁹ 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).

[23:2]  ⁷¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[23:2]  ⁷² sn They began to accuse him. There were three charges: (1) disturbing Jewish peace; (2) fomenting rebellion through advocating not paying taxes (a lie – 20:20-26); and (3) claiming to be a political threat to Rome, by claiming to be a king, an allusion to Jesus’ messianic claims. The second and third charges were a direct challenge to Roman authority. Pilate would be forced to do something about them.

[23:2]  ⁷³ tn On the use of the term διαστρέφω (diastrefw) here, see L&N 31.71 and 88.264.

[23:2]  ⁷⁴ tn Grk “and forbidding.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated to suggest to the English reader that this and the following charge are specifics, while the previous charge was a summary one. See the note on the word “misleading” earlier in this verse.

[23:2]  ⁷⁵ 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.’”

[23:2]  ⁷⁶ tn Or “to the emperor” (“Caesar” is a title for the Roman emperor).

[23:2]  ⁷⁷ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[23:35]  ⁷⁶ tn A figurative extension of the literal meaning “to turn one’s nose up at someone”; here “ridicule, sneer at, show contempt for” (L&N 33.409).

[23:35]  ⁷⁷ sn The irony in the statement Let him save himself is that salvation did come, but later, not while on the cross.

[23:35]  ⁷⁸ tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text.

[23:35]  ⁷⁹ tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”

[24:12]  ⁸¹ sn While the others dismissed the report of the women, Peter got up and ran to the tomb, for he had learned to believe in what the Lord had said.

[24:12]  ⁸² sn In most instances the entrance to such tombs was less than 3 ft (1 m) high, so that an adult would have to bend down and practically crawl inside.

[24:12]  ⁸³ tn In the NT this term is used only for strips of cloth used to wrap a body for burial (LN 6.154; BDAG 693 s.v. ὀθόνιον).

[24:12]  ⁸⁴ tn Or “went away, wondering to himself.” The prepositional phrase πρὸς ἑαυτόν (pros Jeauton) can be understood with the preceding verb ἀπῆλθεν (aphlqen) or with the following participle θαυμάζων (qaumazwn), but it more likely belongs with the former (cf. John 20:10, where the phrase can only refer to the verb).

[24:12]  ⁸⁵ sn Peter’s wondering was not a lack of faith, but struggling in an attempt to understand what could have happened.

[24:12]  ⁸⁶ tc Some Western mss (D it) lack 24:12. The verse has been called a Western noninterpolation, meaning that it reflects a shorter authentic reading in D and other Western witnesses. Many regard all such shorter readings as original (the verse is omitted in the RSV), but the ms evidence for omission is far too slight for the verse to be rejected as secondary. It is included in Ì⁷⁵ and the rest of the ms tradition.