The Greek that is translated as “tax collector” in English is translated in Tagbanwa as “money-grabbing official receivers of payment” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation) and in Noongar as mammarapa boya-barranginy or “people taking money” (source: Tagbanwa Back Translation). Likewise, in Cashibo-Cacataibo, it is the “ones who take the money” (source: Bratcher / Nida 1961).
In Mairasi it is translated as “the people who collect money pertaining to head payment.” (Source: Enggavoter 2004)
Click or tap here to see a short video clip about tax collectors in biblical times (source: Bible Lands 2012)
Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 5:29:
Noongar: “Then Levi prepared much food and drink at his home so people could eat with Jesus. Many tax collectors and other people, they were friends of Levi.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
Uma: “Lewi made a big party at his house, to honor/guest Yesus. He also called many tax collectors and other people to eat with them.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
Yakan: “Then Libi and company were feasting in his house in order to honor Isa. Many tax collectors and other people were sitting and eating together.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Then levi held a large feast in his house because Jesus was there. And there were many tax collectors, companions of Levi, who attended. And there were also there some other people who ate with them.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
Kankanaey: “They then went to plural Levi’s house, and he gave-a-feast-for (lit. butchered-for) Jesus with many (animals). There were also many tax collectors and other people eating-with them.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
Tagbanwa: “Before long, Levi caused a big feast/meal to be prepared at his house, which was his making-welcome of Jesus. Many gathered who were his companion official receivers of payment and there were other people too. They all ate together with Jesus.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)
Living Water is produced for the Bible translation movement in association with Lutheran Bible Translators. Lyrics derived from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®).
kai epoiēsen dochēn megalēn Leuis autō en tē oikia autou ‘and Levi made a great feast for him in his house.’ The word order (object before subject) tends to emphasize dochēn megalēn ‘a great feast.’ en tē oikia autou ‘in his house’ refers to Levi’s house. The fact that Levi still had a house after leaving everything (v. 28) shows that the latter refers to his ‘whole mode of life’ (Plummer), not to each of his possessions.
kai ēn ochlos polus telōnōn kai allōn ‘and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people,’ presumably of the same reputation as the tax collectors.
hoi ēsan met’ autōn katakeimenoi ‘who were dining with them.’ met’ autōn ‘with them’ is best understood as referring to Jesus and Levi (the only persons mentioned so far). For katakeimai cf. on v. 25.
Translation:
Made him a great feast, i.e. ‘arranged/organised a great feast in honour of him.’ Where one has to choose between distinctive terms specifying the time of day one should use the term best suited to receptor culture customs, since the text does not say anything about this detail. In some languages, where an honorific word for ‘meal/banquet/feast’ is required because of its connexion with Jesus, the use of such a word would exclude other guests of lower social status; this leads in Balinese to, ‘Levi offered Him a meal (honorific), great the reception (neutral in matters of honorifics),’ thus suggesting that many persons more were present.
A large company, of, ‘very many people,’ cf. on ‘multitudes’ in 3.7.
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.
Then: The Greek conjunction that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Then is literally “And.” It introduces what happened next in the story. Some other ways to connect this paragraph to 5:28 are:
Later (New Living Translation (2004)) -or-
Afterwards (Revised English Bible)
Levi hosted a great banquet for Jesus: The phrase Levi hosted a great banquet for Jesus means “Levi invited many people to come and eat a meal to honor Jesus.” Levi was the host of the banquet.
banquet: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as banquet refers to a large meal. Some other ways to translate this word are:
big dinner (Contemporary English Version) -or-
big feast (Good News Translation) -or-
big reception (Revised English Bible)
for Jesus: The phrase for Jesus here means that Jesus was invited to the banquet as the guest of honor. Levi had the feast in order to honor Jesus in the presence of all the other guests. For example:
with Jesus as the guest of honor (New Living Translation (2004))
5:29b
tax collectors: The term tax collectors also occurs in 5:27b. See the note there.
along with others: The Greek word the Berean Standard Bible translates as others refers to “other people.” It refers generally to other people whom Levi knew. It includes Jesus’ disciples. Translate this word in a general way. For example:
other people (Good News Translation) -or-
other guests (New Living Translation (2004))
were eating: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as were eating is literally “were reclining” (as in the New American Standard Bible). The Jews usually ate at low tables while reclining on the floor (on cushions). This is not the custom in many parts of the world, and the posture is not in focus here. So most English versions translate this with more general expressions. For example:
sitting at table (Revised Standard Version) -or-
were eating (New Century Version) -or-
ate (New Living Translation (2004))
with them: The word them probably refers to Levi, the host, and to Jesus, the honored guest.
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