Lectionary Year B
December 29, 2002
Luke 2:22-40

Initial Acquaintance/Rough Translation

A. Comparing Translations

(JFC) The Contemporary English Version and the New revised Standard Version differ some as these notes indicate:

22 the Law of Moses says the mother is supposed to do after her baby is born. - CEV
their purification according to the law of Moses, - NRSV
took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and presented him to the Lord, - CEV they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, - NRSV

23b "Each first born baby boy belongs to the Lord." - CEV
"Every first born male shall be designated as holy to the Lord." - NRSV

24 The Law of the Lord also says that parents have to offer a sacrifice, giving at least a pair of doves or two young pigeons. So that is what Mary and Joseph did. - CEV
And they offered a sacrifice according to what is stated in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." - NRSV

25 Simeon was a good man. He loved God and was waiting for God to save the people of Israel. And the Holy Spirit came upon him. - CEV
this man was righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit rested upon him. - NRSV

27 the Spirit told Simeon to go into the temple. - CEV
Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple; - NRSV

30 With my own eyes I have seen what you have done to save your people, - CEV
for my eyes have seen your salvation, - NRSV

31 and foreign nations will also see this. - CEV
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, - NRSV

32 Your mighty power is a light for all nations, and it will bring honor to your people Israel." - CEV
a light for revelation for the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." - NRSV

34b "This child of yours will cause many people in Israel to fall and others to stand. - CEV
"This child is destined for the falling and rising of many in Israel, - NRSV

The child will be like a warning sign. Many people will reject him, - CEV
And to be a sign that will be opposed. - NRSV

36c In her youth she had been married for seven years, but her husband died. - CEV
having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, - NRSV

37b Night and day she served God in the temple - CEV
She never left the temple but worshipped there . . . night and day. - NRSV

B. Textural Criticism

(JFC) 22 For the third person plural pronoun, auvtw/n, one uncial and a few Latin and Syriac manuscripts read, autou, of which Metzger (TCGNT) says, "The Western reading, auvth/j, can be regarded as a transcriptional error for auvtw/n (in cursive Greek script the pronoun was abbreviated auvt with the termination expressed by a 'shorthand' stroke), or as a deliberate modification, introduced because afterwards (ver. 27) Jesus is the object of the presentation in the Temple."

25 Instead of the printed euvlabh,j, devout, reverent, several Western Witnesses read, eusebhj, devout, godly, pious, reverent; so, what's the difference? Well, in Acts 22:12, the former is used as a "by the standard of the law," according to Arndt and Gingrich's translation of Bauer's Lexicon, who also refer to Acts 2:5 and 8:2 as well as to our text at hand. So, the change might be worth considering.

28 Between avgka,laj and kai, several important witnesses insert autou, while almost as many such retain the received version, which does seem prudent to add, even if that makes the sentence longer, but by only one word. However, isn't it clear whose arms are meant here? Surely. So, perhaps keeping it shorter is the more likely original.

33 Where the relatively impersonal and unnamed, o` path.r auvtou/, occurs early in the sentence, several significant editors name Joseph, Iwshf, while, evidently, none names Mary, perhaps understandably for that culture's gender bias. Metzger points out that Joseph's name replaces the printed o` path.r auvtou, to preserve the doctrine of Jesus' virgin birth. Also, more reliable redactors keep the text as printed, so, the available evidence is hardly helpful in our attempt to get at the earliest form. And, again, similarly, some add that pronoun, autou, between mh,thr and qauma,zontej, while as just above many retain the printed account.

35 The third word in this verse, Īde.Š, gets omitted by several dependable witnesses and retained by equally many. So, does the context need this word? Possibly it does and therefore could well have been original, but not necessarily?

38 On to the last word in this verse VIerousalh,m, many constant witnesses add a preposition, evn, while others change it to VIsrah,l, while still others retain the printed account. Metzger notes that the additional preposition "relieves the grammatical ambiguity, and the substitution of VIsrah,l, enhances the theological implications of the passage." So, since the redactions seem equal, the points Metzger makes seem plausible.

C. Rough Translation

(JFC) 22 And when were fulfilled the days of the purification of them according to the law of Moses, they brought him to dedicate/present to the Lord, 23 according to what is written in the law of (the) Lord every male opening a womb holy/consecrated to the Lord shall be summoned/called/named, 24 and the giving of a sacrifice according to the sayings in the law of the Lord, a pair of doves or two young pigeons. 25 And behold a man was in Jerusalem whose name (was) Simeon and the man this one (was) righteous and devout awaiting (the) salvation/setting free of Israel, and (the) Spirit lived/rested/was holy on him; 26 and was to him to have been called/warned [passive, perfect, participle] by the Spirit of the holy not to see [aorist, active, infinitive] death before should appear the Christ of (the) Lord. 27 And he came in the Spirit to the temple; and in the to lead [aorist, passive, infinitive] these parents the child [accusative] Jesus to do [aorist, active, infinitive] unto him according to what was accustomed [perfect, passive, participle] of the law unto him 28 and he received/took him into the arms and praised the God and said; 29 "Now dismissing/releasing/setting free/ forgiving the servant of Yours, Master/Lord, according to the saying/promise of Yours in peace; 30 that saw the eyes of mine the salvation of Yours, 31 which You prepared according to the presence of all the peoples/nations, 32 a light unto the revelation of the nations/people and glory for people/nation of Israel." 33 And was the father of his and the mother are being amazed [present, active, participle] at the sayings concerning him. 34 And praised them Simeon and said to Mary the mother of his; "Behold, this one is destined unto fall and rise of many in this Israel and unto a sign contradicting [present, passive, participle] - 35 and of you yourself the life/psyche will go/pass through sorrow/sword - in order that might be revealed [aorist, passive, subjunctive] from many hearts' opinions. 36 And there was Anna a prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, from (the) tribe of Asher; she was old in days many, having lived with a man/husband having lived years seven after (the) virginity of hers 37 and she (was) a widow until years eighty-four, she never left the temple fasting an praying worshipping night and day. 38 And that very hour she appeared she gave thanks to the God and said/proclaimed concerning him all the waiting for (the) redemption of Jerusalem. 39 And as they finished all that according to the law of the Lord, they returned to the Galilee to the city of theirs Nazareth. 40 And the child grew [imperfect, passive, indicative] and became strong/matured (by) fulfilling wisdom, and (the) grace of God was upon him.



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