Luke 3

Translator Notes

1. Luke's sixfold dating formula imitates the style of Old Testament prophetic introductions (cf. Isaiah 1:1, Jeremiah 1:1-3, Hosea 1:1) and Hellenistic historical writing. The fifteenth year of Tiberius would be approximately AD 28-29. The scope expands outward from the emperor to the local rulers, placing God's prophetic word within the structures of worldly power. 'Tetrarch' (tetraarchountos) literally means 'ruler of a quarter' — these were subordinate rulers under Roman authority.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Isaiah 1:1. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Jeremiah 1:1-3. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
4. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Hosea 1:1. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. Technically only one high priest served at a time; Caiaphas held the office officially (AD 18-36), but Annas, his father-in-law who had served earlier (AD 6-15), retained enormous influence (cf. John 18:13, Acts 4:6). Luke names both to reflect the political reality. The phrase egeneto rhema theou epi Ioannen ('the word of God came upon John') is a classic prophetic call formula — the same language used for Elijah (1 Kings 17:2), Jeremiah (Jeremiah 1:4), and Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1:3). After centuries of prophetic silence, God speaks again.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on 1 Kings 17:2. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Jeremiah 1:4. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
4. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Ezekiel 1:3. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The phrase baptisma metanoias ('baptism of repentance') combines a ritual act (immersion in water) with its purpose (turning back to God). The Greek metanoia ('repentance, change of mind') corresponds to the Hebrew teshuvah — a turning, a return. 'For the forgiveness of sins' (eis aphesin hamartion) indicates the goal or result of this repentance-baptism. John's baptism is preparatory, pointing forward to the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (v. 16).

Translator Notes

1. The quotation is from Isaiah 40:3-5 (LXX). Luke quotes more of Isaiah than Matthew or Mark, extending to the universal climax in v. 6. In its original context, Isaiah 40 announced the end of Babylonian exile — God would make a highway through the desert to lead his people home. Luke sees John as the fulfillment of this prophetic voice. The 'way of the Lord' (ten hodon kyriou) in Isaiah refers to YHWH; Luke's application to Jesus carries a high christological claim.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Isaiah 40:3-5. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. The imagery is of ancient road-building for a royal procession — filling valleys, leveling hills, straightening curves, and smoothing surfaces. The language operates on both literal and metaphorical levels: God is coming, and the landscape (both physical and spiritual) must be prepared. The reversal theme (valleys raised, mountains lowered) echoes the Magnificat's theme of the proud brought low and the humble lifted up (1:52).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Isaiah 40:3-5 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. This final line of the Isaiah quotation is included only by Luke among the Synoptic Gospels. It is characteristically Lukan — 'all flesh' (pasa sarx) means all humanity, not just Israel. This universal vision connects to Simeon's prophecy (2:30-32) and anticipates the Gentile mission in Acts. The phrase to soterion tou theou ('the salvation of God') echoes Isaiah 52:10 and the Nunc Dimittis.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Isaiah 40:3-5. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Isaiah 52:10. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. In Matthew 3:7, this denunciation is directed specifically at Pharisees and Sadducees; Luke directs it to 'the crowds' — a broader audience consistent with Luke's portrayal of John as a public preacher. 'Brood of vipers' (gennemata echidnon) is a devastating image — vipers fleeing a brush fire, scattering before the flames. The 'coming wrath' (mellouses orges) refers to eschatological judgment, which John sees as imminent.

Translator Notes

1. The plural karpous ('fruits') in Luke (Matthew has the singular 'fruit') may emphasize the variety of righteous deeds expected. John attacks the presumption that ethnic descent from Abraham guarantees standing before God — a revolutionary claim that dismantles ethnic privilege. The wordplay between 'stones' (lithon) and 'children' (tekna) may reflect an Aramaic pun between avanim ('stones') and banim ('sons'), though the pun does not work in Greek.

Translator Notes

1. The axe 'at the root' (pros ten rhizan) — not at the branches — indicates total destruction, not pruning. The present tenses ekkoptetai ('is being cut down') and balletai ('is being thrown') convey urgency: judgment is not merely future but already in process. The tree-and-fruit metaphor will recur throughout Luke's Gospel (6:43-44, 13:6-9).

Translator Notes

1. This question — ti oun poiesomen ('what then should we do?') — will be asked three times (vv. 10, 12, 14), with each group receiving specific, practical instruction. This threefold dialogue is unique to Luke and reflects his characteristic interest in the practical outworking of repentance in daily life and social relationships.

Translator Notes

1. The chiton ('tunic, inner garment') was a basic necessity, not a luxury. John is not asking for extraordinary sacrifice but for the sharing of essentials. The ethic is simple: if you have more than you need and your neighbor has less, share. This practical social ethic anticipates the economic themes that pervade Luke's Gospel (the rich fool, Lazarus and the rich man, Zacchaeus).

Translator Notes

1. Tax collectors (telonai) were Jews who contracted with the Roman authorities to collect taxes, often extracting more than required and keeping the surplus. They were despised as collaborators and sinners. That they come to John for baptism is remarkable — Luke consistently shows tax collectors responding positively to God's message (5:27-32, 7:29, 15:1, 18:10-14, 19:1-10). Their address 'Teacher' (didaskale) shows respect for John's authority.

Translator Notes

1. John does not tell the tax collectors to quit their profession — a surprising moderation. He calls them to practice their trade honestly. The Greek diatetagmenon ('what has been ordered, what has been appointed') refers to the official tax rate. The systemic corruption was not the tax itself but the overcharging. John's ethic addresses the specific temptation of each group.

Translator Notes

1. The Greek strateuomenoi ('soldiers, those on military service') likely refers to Jewish soldiers serving under Herod Antipas rather than Roman legionaries. The verb diaseiete ('shake down, extort by intimidation') describes the common practice of soldiers using their power to extract money from civilians. The verb sykophantesete ('accuse falsely, blackmail') originally meant 'to inform on fig-smugglers' and came to mean malicious prosecution for personal gain. John again addresses the specific temptation of the group: abuse of power.

Translator Notes

1. The verb prosdokontos ('were expecting, were in anticipation') indicates that messianic expectation was running high. The verb dialogizomenon ('were debating, were reasoning, were questioning') suggests internal deliberation. John's powerful preaching and moral authority raised the question that would require an explicit denial — was he the promised Messiah?

Translator Notes

1. John's contrast is stark: water versus Holy Spirit and fire. The sandal-strap image places John below even the lowest slave — untying a master's sandals was considered too degrading for a Jewish slave. The phrase en pneumati hagio kai pyri ('with the Holy Spirit and fire') is debated: does 'fire' refer to purifying judgment (v. 17), to the fire of Pentecost (Acts 2:3), or to both? The context of v. 17 suggests judgment, but Luke's later Pentecost narrative shows fulfillment in both senses.

Translator Notes

1. The winnowing fork (ptyov) was used to toss harvested grain into the air; the heavier grain fell back to the threshing floor while the lighter chaff blew away. The metaphor depicts thorough separation — the coming one will distinguish genuine repentance from superficial compliance. 'Unquenchable fire' (pyri asbesto) intensifies the judgment theme. This agricultural image would have been immediately vivid to John's rural audience.

Translator Notes

1. Luke's summary note is striking: even John's stern warnings about judgment constitute 'good news' (euengelizeto, 'he was gospeling'). The verb is the same one used for Gabriel's announcement to Zechariah (1:19) and the angel's announcement to the shepherds (2:10). Warning of judgment is gospel when it calls people to repentance and points them to the coming Savior.

Translator Notes

1. Luke narrates Herod's imprisonment of John before Jesus's baptism, which is a literary rather than strictly chronological arrangement — Luke wants to conclude John's ministry before beginning Jesus's. Herod Antipas had married Herodias, the wife of his half-brother (Herod Philip). John's rebuke (elegchomenos, 'being reproved, being exposed') was a prophetic confrontation of royal sin in the tradition of Nathan confronting David (2 Samuel 12) and Elijah confronting Ahab (1 Kings 21).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes 2 Samuel 12. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes 1 Kings 21. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. The verb prosetheken ('added') with epi pasin ('to all the rest, on top of everything') presents the imprisonment as the crowning act of Herod's wickedness. The verb katekleisen ('shut up, locked away') is emphatic. According to Josephus (Antiquities 18.5.2), John was imprisoned at the fortress of Machaerus east of the Dead Sea. Luke leaves the story here and does not narrate John's execution until it is reported later.

Translator Notes

1. Luke's account of Jesus's baptism is notably brief and places it after John's imprisonment narrative (vv. 19-20), so John is not explicitly present. Luke uniquely adds that Jesus was 'praying' (proseuchomenou) at the moment of the heavenly revelation — prayer at key moments is a distinctive Lukan theme (5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 9:28-29, 11:1, 22:41-44). The opening of the heavens (aneochtenai ton ouranon) signals divine communication breaking through the barrier between heaven and earth (cf. Ezekiel 1:1, Isaiah 64:1).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Ezekiel 1:1. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Isaiah 64:1. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. Luke uniquely specifies somatiko eidei ('in bodily form') — the Spirit's descent was not merely a vision but a visible, physical manifestation. The heavenly voice combines Psalm 2:7 ('You are my Son') with Isaiah 42:1 ('my chosen, in whom my soul delights'), merging the royal Davidic identity with the Servant of the LORD. The second-person address 'You are' (su ei) makes this a personal declaration to Jesus, not merely an announcement to bystanders.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Psalm 2:7. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Isaiah 42:1. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The age of thirty echoes David's age when he began to reign (2 Samuel 5:4), Joseph's age when he entered Pharaoh's service (Genesis 41:46), and the age at which Levites began temple service (Numbers 4:3). The parenthetical hos enomizeto ('as was supposed, as was thought') guards the virgin birth — Joseph was the legal but not biological father. Luke's genealogy differs from Matthew's from David onward. Heli may be Mary's father, with the genealogy traced through her line, though this is debated.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References 2 Samuel 5:4 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Genesis 41:46 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
4. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Numbers 4:3 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The genealogy from this point to David (v. 31) is largely unattested in Old Testament records, representing either a lesser-known branch of the Davidic family or sources no longer extant. The names are rendered in their standard English forms where recognizable.

Translator Notes

1. The names Amos and Nahum are shared with Old Testament prophets, though these are different individuals. Luke's genealogy contains several names with theophoric elements — names that incorporate references to God.

Translator Notes

1. The repetition of names like Mattathias and Joseph within the genealogy is common in Jewish naming practice — families frequently reused ancestral names across generations.

Translator Notes

1. Zerubbabel and Shealtiel appear in both Matthew's and Luke's genealogies, though the surrounding names differ. In 1 Chronicles 3:17-19, Shealtiel is the son of Jeconiah, while Luke makes him the son of Neri. This is one of the key points where the two genealogies diverge. Zerubbabel led the return from exile and rebuilt the temple (Ezra 3-6).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on 1 Chronicles 3:17-19. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Ezra 3-6. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. These names span the exilic and post-exilic period. The name Er ('watchful') appears in Genesis 38:3 as Judah's firstborn, though this is obviously a different individual. Many of these names are otherwise unattested in surviving records.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Genesis 38:3 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The Greek Iesou here is the same name as Jesus (Yeshua/Joshua). This ancestor shares the name that means 'the LORD saves.' The name Eliezer ('my God is help') is prominent in the Old Testament as Abraham's servant (Genesis 15:2) and Moses's son (Exodus 18:4).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Genesis 15:2. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Exodus 18:4. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. The names Simeon, Judah, and Joseph echo the great patriarchal names. Their recurrence in the genealogy reflects the enduring practice of naming children after the ancestral heroes of Israel.

Translator Notes

1. Here is the decisive divergence from Matthew's genealogy: Luke traces the line through Nathan, a son of David (2 Samuel 5:14, 1 Chronicles 3:5), while Matthew traces through Solomon. Nathan was David's son by Bathsheba (1 Chronicles 3:5) but not a king. If Luke traces Mary's lineage, both parents descend from David but through different sons — Joseph through Solomon (the royal line) and Mary through Nathan (a non-royal branch).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes 2 Samuel 5:14. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes 1 Chronicles 3:5. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. From David back to Nahshon, Luke's genealogy matches Matthew's and the Old Testament records (Ruth 4:18-22, 1 Chronicles 2:10-15). These are the ancestors familiar from the book of Ruth: Boaz the kinsman-redeemer, Obed the son of Ruth and Boaz, Jesse the father of David. The genealogy passes through the key figures of God's covenant faithfulness.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Ruth 4:18-22. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on 1 Chronicles 2:10-15. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The SBLGNT includes Admin and Arni between Amminadab and Hezron, where Matthew has only Ram/Aram. This reflects a textual tradition with additional generations. Perez was the son of Judah and Tamar (Genesis 38), the beginning of the line that leads to David. The genealogy anchors in the patriarchal period with Judah, son of Jacob.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Genesis 38 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The patriarchal triad — Jacob, Isaac, Abraham — forms the backbone of Israel's covenant identity. Where Matthew's genealogy begins with Abraham, Luke passes through Abraham and continues backward. Abraham's father Terah and grandfather Nahor take the line into the pre-Abrahamic period (Genesis 11:24-26). Luke's genealogy is about to move beyond the covenant people into universal human ancestry.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Genesis 11:24-26. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. These names follow the genealogy of Genesis 11:10-26. Eber is traditionally considered the ancestor from whom the name 'Hebrew' derives. Peleg's name means 'division' — 'for in his days the earth was divided' (Genesis 10:25), traditionally associated with the Tower of Babel event.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Genesis 11:10-26 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. Luke includes Cainan between Arphaxad and Shelah, following the Septuagint text of Genesis 10:24 and 11:12-13. The Hebrew Masoretic Text does not include this generation. Shem ('name') is the ancestor of the Semitic peoples. Noah, the survivor of the flood, marks the genealogy's passage through the great judgment-and-renewal event of Genesis 6-9.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Genesis 10:24. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Genesis 6-9. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. These names follow the genealogy of Genesis 5. Enoch is singled out in Genesis 5:24: 'Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.' Methuselah is traditionally the longest-lived person in the Bible (969 years, Genesis 5:27). These antediluvian figures connect Jesus to the earliest epochs of human history.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Genesis 5. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The genealogy reaches its theological climax: Adam, the son of God (tou theou). Where Matthew begins with Abraham (father of Israel), Luke ends with God (father of all humanity). This universal scope is characteristic of Luke's theology — Jesus is not only Israel's Messiah but the Savior of all humanity, descended from the first human whom God created. The phrase 'son of God' applied to Adam echoes Genesis 1:27 (created in God's image) and sets up a parallel with Jesus as 'Son of God' in a unique and ultimate sense. The genealogy thus frames Jesus's identity: he is both son of Adam (fully human, connected to all people) and Son of God (divinely begotten, announced by heaven).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Genesis 1:27 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.