complete verse (Luke 17:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 17:9:

  • Noongar: “You do not praise servant for doing what you told him to do, do you?” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “We do not need to say thank you to our slave, because he is just following our commands.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Do you thank your servant because he has done what you told him to do? Certainly not.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus said again, ‘As for that servant, he will not think that it is necessary that he be praised if he just obeys the commandments of his master.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Do you (sing.) moreover thank him if he has obeyed what you (sing.) commanded? No indeed!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And when that slave has obeyed all that was ordered him, will he be thanked by that master of his? Probably not.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 17:9

Exegesis:

mē echei charin tō doulō ‘is he grateful to the servant?’ mē presupposes an answer in the negative. echei has the same subject as erei in vv. 7 and 8. charin echō lit. ‘to give thanks’ means ‘to thank,’ ‘to be thankful.’

hoti epoiēsen ta diatachthenta ‘because he has done what was ordered,’ i.e. ‘what he was told to do.’

Translation:

Does he thank the servant? or, ‘he will not thank the servant’; or with further shifts, “the servant does not deserve thanks…, does he?” (Good News Translation). For to thank cf. on “ungrateful” in 6.35.

He did what was commanded, or, ‘he (i.e. the servant) did as he (i.e. the master) had commanded him, or, told him to do.’ One or both pronouns may require specification.

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 17:9

17:9

Does he thank the servant because he did what he was told?: This is a rhetorical question. Jesus used this rhetorical question to emphasize that the master would not do this.

Some ways to translate this emphasis are:

• As a rhetorical question. For example:

Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? (English Standard Version)
-or-
The servant does not deserve thanks for obeying orders, does he? (Good News Translation)

• As a statement. For example:

The servant does not get any special thanks for doing what his master commanded. (New Century Version)

In some languages it may be necessary to supply an answer to the question. For example:

And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. (New Living Translation (2004))

Translate this emphasis in a way that is natural in your language.

Does he thank the servant: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Does he thank is more literally “does he have thanks.” In this context the word “thanks” refers to special thanks, praise, or reward. The question in this verse implies that the master is not obligated to give his slave a special reward, privileges, or thanks just for obeying orders.

Some other ways to translate this are:

Would he thank/reward his servant
-or-
Should he give ⌊his servant⌋ special thanks/privileges

because he did what he was told: The Greek clause that the Berean Standard Bible translates as because he did what he was told is literally “because he did the things commanded.” This clause is passive. Some ways to translate it are:

• As a passive clause. For example:

because he did what was commanded (English Standard Version)

• As an active clause. For example:

for doing what his master commanded (New Century Version)

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