Luke 4

Translator Notes

1. Luke emphasizes the Spirit's role with two references in one verse: Jesus is 'full of' (pleres) the Spirit and 'led by' (egeto en) the Spirit. The wilderness (eremos) connects to Israel's forty years of testing and to John's wilderness ministry. The passive voice 'was led' indicates divine initiative — the Spirit directs Jesus into the place of testing.

Translator Notes

1. The forty days echo Moses's forty days on Sinai (Exodus 34:28), Elijah's forty days to Horeb (1 Kings 19:8), and Israel's forty years in the wilderness. The Greek peirazomenos ('being tempted, being tested') uses the present participle, suggesting ongoing testing throughout the entire period, not just the three specific temptations. The Greek diabolos ('devil, slanderer, accuser') translates the Hebrew satan.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Exodus 34:28. 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 Kings 19:8. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The conditional ei ('if') is a first-class condition in Greek, not expressing doubt but assuming the premise: 'Since you are the Son of God...' The temptation is not about proving identity but about using divine power for personal comfort outside the Father's will. Luke has the singular 'stone' and 'bread' where Matthew has the plural — a minor variation. The temptation echoes Israel's demand for bread in the wilderness (Exodus 16).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Exodus 16 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 8:3. The SBLGNT text ends the quotation at 'bread alone' without including the second half ('but by every word that comes from the mouth of God'), which appears in some manuscripts imported from Matthew 4:4. Jesus responds to each temptation exclusively with Scripture from Deuteronomy 6-8 — the very chapters about Israel's wilderness testing. Where Israel failed, Jesus succeeds by holding to God's word.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Deuteronomy 8:3. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Deuteronomy 6-8. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. Luke's order places this temptation second (Matthew places it third). The SBLGNT does not include 'to a high mountain' (which appears in Matthew and in some Luke manuscripts). The phrase en stigme chronou ('in a point/instant of time') is unique to Luke and suggests a supernatural vision rather than a physical vantage point. The Greek oikoumenes ('of the inhabited world') is the same term used for the Roman Empire in 2:1.

Translator Notes

1. The devil's claim — that worldly authority 'has been handed over' (paradedotai) to him — is a theological assertion that Jesus does not dispute. The passive voice implies God permitted this transfer (cf. Job 1-2, where Satan operates within divine permission). The temptation offers a shortcut to universal rule without the cross. The Greek exousia ('authority, power') is the same word Jesus will use for his own authority throughout the Gospel.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Job 1-2. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. The Greek proskynesēs ('worship, bow down before') is the verb used for worship of God throughout the Septuagint and New Testament. The devil demands the one thing that belongs exclusively to God — worship. This is the most direct and naked of the three temptations: it explicitly asks Jesus to transfer his allegiance from God to Satan in exchange for earthly power.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13. The SBLGNT does not include 'Get behind me, Satan' (which appears in Matthew and some Luke manuscripts). The Deuteronomy passage is from the Shema context — the foundational confession of Israel's exclusive loyalty to God. The verb latreusis ('serve, render religious service') is the same verb used by Zechariah for the goal of redemption (1:74). Worship and service belong to God alone.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Deuteronomy 6:13 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. Luke places the temple temptation last (third), ending in Jerusalem — the city that will be the climax of Jesus's story. The Greek pterygion ('pinnacle, wing, highest point') of the temple may refer to the southeastern corner of the temple platform, which towered over the Kidron Valley. The temptation is to force God's hand — to compel a miraculous rescue that would prove sonship publicly.

Translator Notes

1. The devil now quotes Scripture — Psalm 91:11-12. This is a psalm of divine protection for the righteous. The devil's use of Scripture demonstrates that quoting the Bible does not guarantee correct application. The citation is accurate but the application is twisted — Psalm 91 promises divine protection for those who trust God, not for those who recklessly test him.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes Psalms 91:11-12 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. The quotation from Psalm 91:12 continues. Notably, the devil omits the phrase 'in all your ways' from Psalm 91:11 — a significant omission that changes the meaning. The psalm promises protection for those walking in God's appointed ways, not for those deliberately seeking danger. The devil's exegesis is selective and misleading.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes Psalms 91:11-12. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16, which specifically references Israel's testing of God at Massah (Exodus 17:1-7), where Israel demanded that God prove himself. The verb ekpeiraseis ('test, put to the test') is stronger than the simple peirazo — it implies testing with the intent to provoke or to force God's hand. Jesus completes the Deuteronomy trilogy (8:3, 6:13, 6:16), demonstrating mastery of the very scriptures that defined Israel's failure.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Deuteronomy 6:16. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on Exodus 17:1-7. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase achri kairou ('until an opportune time, until the right moment') is ominous — the devil has not been defeated permanently but has withdrawn temporarily. Luke will identify the devil's return at 22:3, when Satan enters Judas. The word kairos ('opportune moment') rather than chronos ('duration of time') suggests the devil is watching for the strategically right moment to attack again.

Translator Notes

1. The threefold Spirit reference in the temptation narrative (4:1a, 4:1b, 4:14) shows progression: full of the Spirit, led by the Spirit, returning in the power of the Spirit. Jesus emerges from the testing with the Spirit's power demonstrated and confirmed. The Greek pheme ('report, fame, rumor') indicates Jesus's reputation is already spreading before Luke narrates any specific ministry.

Translator Notes

1. The imperfect edidasken ('was teaching, kept teaching') indicates ongoing activity across multiple synagogues. The verb doxazomenos ('being glorified, being praised') creates an ironic contrast with what is about to happen in Nazareth — universal praise will give way to murderous rejection. Luke sets up the Nazareth scene by first noting the positive reception elsewhere.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase kata to eithos auto ('as was his custom') indicates Jesus had a regular practice of synagogue attendance — this was not his first visit as an adult. The phrase 'where he had been raised' (hou en tethrammenos) connects to the childhood narrative of chapter 2. Standing to read was the posture for reading Scripture; sitting was the posture for teaching (v. 20). Luke provides the most detailed description of a synagogue service in the New Testament.

Translator Notes

1. The Greek biblion ('scroll, book') refers to a physical scroll; 'unrolled' (anaptuxas) is the literal action. Whether Jesus chose this passage or it was the assigned reading for that Sabbath is debated — the verb heuren ('found') could support either deliberate seeking or providential coincidence. The Isaiah scroll would have been one of the most prominent scrolls in any synagogue.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The quotation is from Isaiah 61:1-2 with a line from Isaiah 58:6 ('to set free the oppressed') inserted. The verb echrisen ('anointed') is the verbal root of Christos ('Christ/Anointed One') — Jesus reads a passage about anointing and will claim it as his own identity. 'Good news to the poor' (euangelisasthai ptochois) is Luke's signature theme. The four activities — good news to the poor, release to captives, sight to the blind, freedom for the oppressed — define Jesus's mission programmatically.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 61:1-2 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] References Isaiah 58:6 — the TCR OT rendering of that text provides the Hebrew source and explains the translation decisions involved.

Translator Notes

1. The 'year of the Lord's favor' (eniauton kyriou dekton) alludes to the Jubilee year (Leviticus 25), when debts were cancelled, slaves freed, and ancestral land returned. Isaiah 61 reinterprets the Jubilee eschatologically — the ultimate release, the final restoration. Critically, Jesus stops reading mid-verse. Isaiah 61:2 continues with 'and the day of vengeance of our God,' which Jesus deliberately omits. The omission is theologically significant — Jesus announces favor, not vengeance.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Isaiah 61:1-2. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.
3. [TCR Cross-Reference] Echoes Leviticus 25. See the TCR's OT rendering for the Hebrew behind this passage and the translation rationale.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus sits down to teach — the seated posture of a rabbi delivering instruction. The verb atenizontes ('gazing intently, staring fixedly') conveys intense anticipation. The entire congregation senses that something significant is about to happen. The dramatic pause between sitting and speaking heightens the tension Luke is building.

Translator Notes

1. The word semeron ('today') is one of the most important words in Luke's Gospel (cf. 2:11, 5:26, 19:5, 9, 23:43). It declares that the ancient prophecy has moved from promise to fulfillment in the present moment. The perfect tense peplerōtai ('has been fulfilled') indicates completed action with ongoing results — the fulfillment has happened and continues to be in effect. 'In your hearing' (en tois osin hymon, literally 'in your ears') emphasizes that they are eyewitnesses to the fulfillment event.

Translator Notes

1. The initial reaction is positive — the congregation speaks well (emarturoun, 'bore witness, testified favorably') of Jesus and marvels at his 'words of grace' (logois tes charitos). But the question 'Is this not Joseph's son?' contains the seed of rejection: they know his ordinary origins and struggle to reconcile them with extraordinary claims. The shift from admiration to hostility (vv. 28-29) will be triggered by Jesus's own provocative words.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus anticipates their demand — perform miracles here like you did in Capernaum. The proverb 'Physician, heal yourself' (iatre, therapeuson seauton) was a common ancient maxim meaning 'prove your claims on your own turf first.' This implies Jesus had already been active in Capernaum before the Nazareth visit, even though Luke places this scene first in his narrative — another indication of Luke's theological rather than strictly chronological arrangement.

Translator Notes

1. The phrase amen lego hymin ('truly I tell you') is a solemn introductory formula unique to Jesus in the Gospels — no rabbi or prophet before him used 'amen' to introduce rather than conclude a statement. Jesus identifies himself as a prophet and simultaneously predicts his rejection. The word dektos ('accepted, welcome') echoes the 'acceptable year' (eniauton dekton) of v. 19 — the same root word. The year is acceptable; the prophet is not.

Translator Notes

1. Jesus introduces two Old Testament precedents that will enrage his audience. The 'three years and six months' specification matches James 5:17 but exceeds the 1 Kings 18:1 reference to 'the third year.' The detail may come from Jewish tradition. The point is building: even in Elijah's day, God's prophet was rejected by Israel and sent instead to a Gentile.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] This verse quotes 1 Kings 18:1 — see the TCR rendering of that passage for the Hebrew source text and translation decisions.

Translator Notes

1. The reference is to 1 Kings 17:8-24. Zarephath was in Phoenician territory — Gentile land. The scandalous implication is clear: God bypassed all the widows of Israel and sent his prophet to a Gentile woman. This is not just a historical anecdote but a prophetic pattern that Jesus is about to repeat — his ministry will extend beyond Israel's borders.
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Quotes 1 Kings 17:8-24. The TCR rendering of that OT passage preserves the Hebrew source text and documents the translation decisions behind it.

Translator Notes

1. The reference is to 2 Kings 5:1-14. Naaman was a commander of the Syrian army — not just a Gentile but an enemy military officer. Jesus's point is devastating: God's grace is not bound by ethnic boundaries, and when Israel rejects God's prophet, God sends that prophet's healing power to Israel's enemies. This is the statement that transforms admiration into rage (v. 28).
2. [TCR Cross-Reference] Draws on 2 Kings 5:1-14. Consult the TCR rendering of that passage for the underlying Hebrew and the rationale for key translation choices.

Translator Notes

1. The verb eplesthesan ('were filled') is the same word used for being 'filled with the Holy Spirit' (1:15, 41, 67) — here the filling is with thymos ('rage, fury, wrath'). The transition from 'all spoke well of him' (v. 22) to 'all were filled with rage' is abrupt and total. The trigger is clear: Jesus's implication that God's grace extends to Gentiles, especially when Israel proves unfaithful.

Translator Notes

1. The mob action — expulsion from the city and attempted execution — mirrors the pattern of rejected prophets. Nazareth sits on a ridge with steep slopes. The verb katakremisai ('to throw down a cliff, to hurl headlong') describes a form of execution. The attempt to kill Jesus at the very beginning of his ministry foreshadows the crucifixion — rejection by his own people leading to his death outside the city.

Translator Notes

1. The manner of Jesus's escape is left unexplained — whether by natural means (the crowd's hesitation, his composure) or supernatural intervention. The brevity of the statement (seven Greek words) is striking after the dramatic buildup. Jesus is untouchable until his appointed hour (cf. John 7:30, 8:59). The verb eporeueto ('was going on his way') uses the imperfect, suggesting calm, deliberate movement — not panicked flight.

Translator Notes

1. The verb katelten ('went down') is geographically accurate — Capernaum sits on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, significantly lower than Nazareth in the hills. Capernaum becomes Jesus's base of operations in Galilee, replacing the hometown that rejected him. The imperfect 'was teaching' (en didaskon) indicates regular, ongoing instruction.

Translator Notes

1. The Greek exousia ('authority, power') is a key Lukan term. Unlike the scribes who taught by citing rabbinic precedent, Jesus taught with inherent authority — his word itself carried weight. The verb exeplessonto ('were astonished, were struck with amazement') indicates the teaching made a deep impact. The contrast with Nazareth is implicit: in Capernaum, Jesus's authority is recognized; in Nazareth, it was rejected.

Translator Notes

1. Luke's phrase pneuma daimoniou akathartou ('spirit of an unclean demon') is fuller than Mark's 'unclean spirit.' The encounter takes place in the synagogue — the sacred space is not immune to demonic presence. The loud cry (anekraxen phone megale) disrupts the worship setting. Luke presents exorcism as a core component of Jesus's ministry alongside teaching.

Translator Notes

1. The interjection ea ('ha!' or 'leave us alone!') expresses alarm. The phrase ti hemin kai soi ('what to us and to you?') is a Semitic idiom meaning 'what business do you have with us?' The demon uses the plural 'us' (hemin, hemas), possibly speaking for all demons. The title 'the Holy One of God' (ho hagios tou theou) is a correct identification — the demons know exactly who Jesus is. In the ancient world, knowing and speaking someone's name was believed to give power over them; the demon attempts to control Jesus by identifying him.

Translator Notes

1. The verb phimotheti ('be muzzled, be silenced') is a strong command — the same verb used for muzzling an animal. Jesus refuses the demon's identification not because it is wrong but because the testimony of demons is not the appropriate source for revealing his identity. The detail 'without injuring him' (meden blapsan auton) shows Jesus's protective concern for the man even during the dramatic exorcism.

Translator Notes

1. The Greek thambos ('amazement, astonishment, wonder') is a stronger reaction than the earlier 'astonishment' at his teaching (v. 32). The combination of exousia ('authority') and dynamis ('power') represents both the right and the ability to command — Jesus has both the divine authorization and the supernatural power to cast out demons. The crowd recognizes that teaching authority (v. 32) and power over demons (v. 36) are manifestations of the same logos ('word').

Translator Notes

1. The Greek echos ('sound, report, echo') suggests the news reverberates outward like sound waves. The verb exeporeueto (imperfect, 'kept going out') indicates ongoing, expanding fame. This echoes the summary of v. 14 and shows the growing impact of Jesus's combined ministry of teaching and healing.

Translator Notes

1. Luke introduces Simon (Peter) without prior explanation — the reader is assumed to know who Simon is, or Luke treats his first mention as sufficient introduction. Luke the physician uses medical language: pyreto megalo ('a great/high fever'). The verb synechomene ('held fast, gripped, suffering from') suggests the fever's oppressive hold on her. That 'they asked him about her' indicates the household's trust in Jesus's power to heal.

Translator Notes

1. Luke uniquely describes Jesus rebuking (epetimesen) the fever — the same verb used for rebuking the demon (v. 35). This suggests Luke views the fever as having a spiritual dimension or at least shows Jesus exercising the same authority over disease as over demons. The immediate recovery (parachrona, 'at once') and her ability to serve (diekonei, 'was serving, was ministering') demonstrate the completeness of the healing — no recovery period needed.

Translator Notes

1. The timing 'as the sun was setting' (dynontos tou heliou) marks the end of the Sabbath — people waited until the Sabbath restrictions on carrying burdens were lifted before bringing the sick. Luke uniquely notes that Jesus laid hands 'on each one' (heni hekasto) — individual, personal attention to every sick person, not a mass healing from a distance. This detail reflects Luke's interest in Jesus's compassionate engagement with individuals.

Translator Notes

1. The demons' confession 'You are the Son of God' (su ei ho huios tou theou) is theologically correct but procedurally inappropriate. Jesus silences them (ouk eia auta lalein, 'he was not permitting them to speak') because the messianic identity must be revealed on God's timetable and through proper channels, not through demonic proclamation. Luke explains the reason plainly: 'because they knew he was the Christ' (edeisan ton christon auton einai).

Translator Notes

1. Jesus's withdrawal to a 'deserted place' (eremon topon) for prayer is a Lukan pattern (5:16, 6:12, 9:18, 28). The verb kateichon ('were holding back, were restraining') is strong — the crowds physically tried to prevent him from leaving. Their desire to keep him reflects the attractiveness of his healing ministry, but Jesus will redirect their attention to the broader mission.

Key Terms

Translator Notes

1. The verb dei ('it is necessary, I must') again expresses divine necessity — Jesus's mission is not self-determined but divinely appointed. The phrase euangelisasthai ten basileian tou theou ('to proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God') is Luke's summary of Jesus's core message. 'The kingdom of God' (he basileia tou theou) is the central concept of Jesus's teaching — God's rule breaking into the present world. The passive apestalen ('I was sent') identifies Jesus as one sent by God, a prophetic self-understanding.

Translator Notes

1. The SBLGNT reads 'Judea' (Ioudaias) rather than 'Galilee' (Galilaias, found in many manuscripts). Luke may use 'Judea' in the broader sense of 'the land of the Jews' (i.e., all of Palestine), which is attested elsewhere in Luke-Acts (cf. 6:17, 7:17, 23:5, Acts 10:37). The imperfect periphrastic en kerisson ('was preaching, continued preaching') emphasizes the ongoing nature of Jesus's synagogue ministry.