Matthew 15:25

15:25 But she came and bowed down ¹  before him and said, ²  “Lord, help me!”

Matthew 8:2

8:2 And a leper ³  approached, and bowed low before him, saying, ⁴  “Lord, if ⁵  you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Matthew 18:26

18:26 Then the slave threw himself to the ground ⁶  before him, saying, ⁷  ‘Be patient with me, and I will repay you everything.’

Matthew 9:18

Restoration and Healing

9:18 As he was saying these things, a ruler came, bowed low before him, and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and she will live.”

[15:25]  ¹ tn In this context the verb προσκυνέω (proskunew), which often describes worship, probably means simply bowing down to the ground in an act of reverence or supplication (see L&N 17.21).

[15:25]  ² tn Grk “she bowed down to him, saying.”

[8:2]  ³ tn Grk “And behold, a leper came.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).

[8:2]  ⁴ tn Grk “a leper approaching, bowed low before him, saying.”

[8:2]  ⁵ tn This is a third class condition. The report portrays the leper making no presumptions about whether Jesus will heal him or not.

[18:26]  ⁵ tn Grk “falling therefore the slave bowed down to the ground.” The redundancy of this expression signals the desperation of the slave in begging for mercy.

[18:26]  ⁶ tc The majority of mss (א L W 058 0281 Ë^1,13 33 Ï it sy^p,h co) begin the slave’s plea with “Lord” (κύριε, kurie), though a few important witnesses lack this vocative (B D Θ 700 pc lat sy^s,c Or Chr). Understanding the parable to refer to the Lord, scribes would be naturally prone to add the vocative here, especially as the slave’s plea is a plea for mercy. Thus, the shorter reading is more likely to be authentic.