complete verse (Luke 14:4)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 14:4:

  • Noongar: “But they could not say one thing. Jesus took the man, healed him and told him to go away.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Those religion teachers and Parisi people refused to answer him. From there, Yesus laid-hands on that sick person, he healed him and he ordered him to go.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But they did not answer. Then Isa touched the sick person and he was made well by him and then sent him home.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But they did not answer Jesus, and then Jesus took hold of that person who was sick and immediately he was healed. And Jesus sent him home.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But they kept-quiet. So he placed-his-hands-on that sick-person and he became-well, and then he sent-him-home.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But not one of those questioned responded. Well, what Jesus did was he took hold of the hand of that sick one and healed him, and then sent him on his way.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 14:4

Exegesis:

hoi de hēsuchasan ‘but they were silent,’ i.e. “they made no answer” (An American Translation).

hēsuchazō (also 23.56) ‘to be quiet.’ ‘to rest,’ ‘to be silent.’

kai epilabomenos iasato auton ‘and taking him he cured him.’ epilabomenos describes an act which precedes healing. For epilambanomai cf. on 9.47.

kai apelusen ‘and he dismissed him,’ cf. on 2.29.

Translation:

They were silent, or, ‘they kept silent’ (Nieuwe Vertaling, Bible de Jérusalem), ‘they would not say a word.’

He took him. The pronouns may have to be specified, e.g. ‘Jesus,’ and/or, ‘the man,’ ‘the sick man’ (Bible de Jérusalem, Indonesian languages), ‘the dropsical one’ (cf. Sundanese).

And let him go, or, ‘and he dismissed him,’ ‘after that he gave him permission to go away, or, to go home.’

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.

SIL Translator’s Notes on Luke 14:4

Paragraph 14:4–6

14:4a

But they remained silent: The clause they remained silent indicates that the Pharisees and experts did not answer Jesus’ question. The text does not indicate the exact reason why they did not answer. They probably realized that people would criticize them for either answer they gave. If they said that it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, the other Jewish leaders could accuse them of not supporting the law against work on the Sabbath. If they said it was not lawful, the common people would accuse them of not caring about the suffering of sick people.

14:4b

Then: In Greek 14:4b begins with a conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then. This conjunction introduces Jesus’ next action after the Jewish leaders refused to answer his question. Many English versions, including the New International Version, translate the conjunction as “So.” Other versions, such as the Good News Translation, do not translate this conjunction. Here is another way to connect 14:4a and 14:4b:

When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man… (New Living Translation (2004))

Translate this connection in a natural way in your language.

Jesus took hold of the man, healed him: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as took hold of the man is literally “having-taken” or “having-taken-hold.” It probably indicates that Jesus put his hands on the man in order to heal him. It does not imply that Jesus took the man to a different location. While 14:4b is part of the same sentence as 14:4a in Greek, in some languages it will be more natural to start a new sentence at 14:4b. Most English versions do that. For example:

So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him (NET Bible)
-or-
Then Jesus touched the man and healed him

sent him on his way: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as sent him on his way indicates here that Jesus dismissed the man. He gave him permission to leave and go home. Be careful not to imply that Jesus harshly ordered the man to leave.

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