1:45a
But: In this context the Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as But introduces a contrast. Although Jesus had warned the man not to tell other people, the man disobeyed. Express the contrast in a natural way in your language.
the man: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the man is literally “he,” as in the Revised Standard Version. The Berean Standard Bible uses the phrase the man so that it is clear that Jesus is not the one who “went out.” Refer to the man in a way that is natural in your language.
went out: The words went out indicate here that the man left that place.
openly began to proclaim: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as openly began to proclaim is literally “began to proclaim much.” It indicates that the man told many people that Jesus had healed him.
1:45b
spread the news: The phrase spread the news is an idiom. It indicates that the man told many people in different places about what Jesus had done for him.
1:45c
Consequently: The word Consequently introduces what happened as a result of the man’s actions in 1:45a–b.
Here are some other ways to express the connection in English:
so that (NET Bible)
-or-
As a result (New International Version)
-or-
The result was that
Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view: This sentence includes implied information: So many people wanted Jesus to heal them that he could not enter a town openly. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit. For example:
Jesus could no longer enter a town in plain view because so many people would crowd around him to be healed
in plain view: The phrase in plain view in this context means “publicly.” Jesus could no longer enter a town freely and easily, in the normal way. If people saw him, they crowded around him.
1:45d
but: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as but introduces what Jesus had to do because he could not enter towns publicly. In some languages it may not be necessary to translate it explicitly.
solitary places: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as solitary places refers to isolated areas where few people lived. It is the plural of the Greek word used in 1:3a (“wilderness”) and 1:4a (“wilderness”).
Here are some other ways to translate this word:
deserted places (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
places where he could be alone (God’s Word)
-or-
countryside
-or-
places where there were few/no people
1:45e
Yet: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Yet is often translated as “and,” as in the Revised Standard Version. However, in this context it introduces an unexpected action on the part of the people.
Here are some other ways of expressing this unexpected action:
Even so, people from all around (New Jerusalem Bible)
-or-
but people still came to him (Contemporary English Version)
people came to Him from every quarter: The phrase every quarter is a hyperbole. It indicates that people came to him from many places. If your readers will think this meant that people from every place in the world came to him, you may need to say something like this:
people came to him from many different places
Paragraph 2:1–5
2:1a
A few days later: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as A few days later is literally “after some days.” This phrase begins a new story that happened a few days after Jesus healed the man with leprosy in 1:40–45. Begin the story in a natural way in your language.
went: In this context the word went refers to going into the town.
back: The word back indicates that Jesus had been to Capernaum before (see 1:21a).
Capernaum: Capernaum was a small town with probably fewer than two thousand people. In some languages it may be natural to indicate that Capernaum was a town. For example:
to the town of Capernaum
2:1b
And when the people heard: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the people heard is literally “it was heard.” It means that the people living in Capernaum learned that Jesus had come to a house there. They heard people talking about it. They did not necessarily hear Jesus’ own voice or footsteps.
Here are some other ways to translate this:
the news spread (NET Bible)
-or-
the people there told one another
that He was home: The phrase He was home in this context indicates that Jesus was in or at a house in Capernaum. It probably implies that he returned to that same house often. It does not imply that he owned the house or that the house was in the town where he was born. Use an appropriate word in your language.
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