Luke 5:39

5:39 ¹  No ²  one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, ‘The old is good enough.’” ³ 

Luke 6:35

6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. ⁴  Then ⁵  your reward will be great, and you will be sons ⁶  of the Most High, ⁷  because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people. ⁸ 

[5:39]  ¹ tc The Western textual tradition (D it) lacks 5:39. The verse is unique to Luke, so the omission by these mss looks like assimilation to the other synoptic accounts.

[5:39]  ² tc ‡ Although most mss begin the verse with καί (kai, “and”), beginning the sentence without a conjunction is both a harder reading and is found in early and important witnesses (Ì^4,75vid א² B 579 700 892 1241). NA²⁷ puts the word in brackets indicating doubts as to its authenticity.

[5:39]  ³ tc Most mss, especially the later ones (A C Θ Ψ Ë^1,13 33 Ï lat), read χρηστότερος (crhstotero", “better”), a smoother reading. The reading of the text (found in Ì⁴ א B L W 1241 pc) is preferred as the more difficult reading. This reading could suggest that the new thing Jesus brings is not even considered, since the “old wine” is already found quite acceptable.

[6:35]  ⁴ tn Or “in return.”

[6:35]  ⁵ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the outcome or result. Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started in the translation at this point.

[6:35]  ⁶ sn The character of these actions reflects the grace and kindness of God, bearing witness to a “line of descent” or relationship of the individual to God (sons of the Most High). There is to be a unique kind of ethic at work with disciples. Jesus refers specifically to sons here because in the ancient world sons had special privileges which were rarely accorded to daughters. However, Jesus is most likely addressing both men and women in this context, so women too would receive these same privileges.

[6:35]  ⁷ sn That is, “sons of God.”

[6:35]  ⁸ tn Or “to the ungrateful and immoral.” The word “people” is not in the Greek text, but is implied.