LUKE 16:17 Interlinear View

1. Greek word
2. Greek lemma
3. OET-LV words
4. OET-RV words
5. Strongs
6. Role/Morphology
7. OET Gloss
8. VLT Gloss
9. CAPS codes
10. Confidence
11. OET tags
12. OET word #
1. εὐκοπώτερον
2. eukopōteros
3. easier
4. easier
5. 21230
6. S····NNS
7. easier
8. easier
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54150
1. Δέ
2. de
3. But
4. but
5. 11610
6. C·······
7. but
8. but
9. S
10. Y33
11. 54151
1. ἐστίν
2. eimi
3. it is
4. -
5. 15100
6. VIPA3··S
7. ˱it˲ is
8. ˱it˲ is
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54152
1. τόν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AMS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54153
1. οὐρανόν
2. ouranos
3. for heaven
4. -
5. 37720
6. N····AMS
7. ˱for˲ heaven
8. ˱for˲ heaven
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54154
1. καί
2. kai
3. and
4. and
5. 25320
6. C·······
7. and
8. and
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54155
1. τήν
2. ho
3. the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····AFS
7. ¬the
8. ¬the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54156
1. γῆν
2. gē
3. earth
4. earth
5. 10930
6. N····AFS
7. earth
8. earth
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54157
1. παρελθεῖν
2. parerχomai
3. to pass away
4. -
5. 39280
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ pass_away
8. ˓to˒ pass_away
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54158
1. ἤ
2. ē
3. than
4. -
5. 22280
6. C·······
7. than
8. than
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54159
1. τοῦ
2. ho
3. of the
4. -
5. 35880
6. E····GMS
7. ˱of˲ the
8. ˱of˲ the
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54160
1. νόμου
2. nomos
3. law
4. -
5. 35510
6. N····GMS
7. law
8. law
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54161
1. μίαν
2. heis
3. one
4. -
5. 15200
6. E····AFS
7. one
8. one
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54162
1. κεραίαν
2. keraia
3. serif
4. -
5. 27620
6. N····AFS
7. serif
8. serif
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54163
1. μίαν
2. heis
3. -
4. -
5. 15200
6. E····AFS
7. one
8. one
9. -
10. -
11. 54164
1. πεσεῖν
2. piptō
3. to fall
4. -
5. 40980
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ fall
8. ˓to˒ fall
9. -
10. Y33
11. 54165
1. παρελθεῖν
2. parerχomai
3. -
4. -
5. 39280
6. VNAA····
7. ˓to˒ pass_away
8. ˓to˒ pass_away
9. -
10. -
11. 54166

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 16:14–18: Jesus spoke to the Pharisees

In this section Jesus talked to the Pharisees about several topics. He told them that God understood their hearts, that is, that he knew what they most deeply valued and desired. He also talked to them about the authority of God’s law.

Another possible heading for this section is:

Some other things that Jesus taught

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 5:31–32 and Mark 10:11–12.

16:17a–b

But: In the Greek text this verse connects to the previous verse with a conjunction that introduces a contrast: The good news is now being preached, but/nevertheless the Law and the Prophets remain valid. The BSB (like the RSV and GNT) translates this conjunction as But. Other versions, such as the CEV, GW, and NIV, do not translate this conjunction. You should indicate this contrast in a way that is natural in your language.

it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law: The phrase heaven and earth refers to the universe as a whole. The universe was considered to be a symbol of permanence. So this comparison means that God’s word will not lose any of its authority. It is even more permanent than heaven and earth. In some languages it may be necessary to translate this comparison in other ways. For example:

The sky and the earth will come to an end, but even the smallest letter in God’s Law will remain unchanged.

It may be necessary to reorder the clauses of 16:17a–b. See the General Comment on 16:17a–b at the end of 16:17b for further suggestions.

In translating this verse, be careful not to imply that:

it is easy for heaven and earth to disappear;
heaven and earth will never disappear.

Although many people thought that the universe would last almost forever, other verses teach that it will be destroyed in the future. See Matthew 5:18, Mark 13:31, 2 Peter 3:7, 3:10.

16:17a

But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away

But it is easier for the earth and everything in the sky to disappear
The skies and the earth will come to an end,
Nevertheless, the authority of God’s words does not change. In fact, even though the heavens and the earth cease to exist,

heaven and earth: In some languages it may be more natural to say “earth and heaven.” You may use whatever order is more natural in your language.

heaven: The word heaven in this context refers to the sky and the physical universe beyond the earth. It includes the sun, moon, and stars. See heaven, Meaning 1, in the Glossary.

pass away: The Greek word that the BSB translates as pass away means to end, to cease to exist.

16:17b

than for a single stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

than for one letter in the Law to disappear.
but even the smallest letter/word in God’s Law will remain valid/unchanged.
not a single letter/detail of God’s book will lose its strength.

a single stroke of a pen: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as a single stroke of a pen is more literally “one projection/stroke.” It refers to the smallest part of a letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It would be like the cross on the “t” in English or one of the lines on the letter “m.” Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

the smallest part of a letter (NCV)

one letter (REB)

the smallest detail (GNT)

drop out: The Greek word that the BSB translates as drop out is literally “fall.” In this context it has a figurative meaning. Some other ways to translate this are:

become void (RSV)

cease to be valid/authoritative

lose its force (REB)

to be changed (NCV)

the Law: In 16:16a, Jesus used the term “the Law and the Prophets” to refer to the Old Testament as a whole. Here the word Law alone is also used to refer to the whole Old Testament. In some languages a literal translation may imply that Jesus is excluding the writings of the prophets and the rest of the Old Testament. If that is true in your language, consider using a more general term, such as “God’s Book” or “the words of God.”

General Comment on 16:17a–b

In some languages it may be necessary to reorder the clauses of 16:17a–b. For example:

Even the smallest part of God’s Word is more permanent than the sky and the earth.

Use a natural order in your language.

In some languages it may be necessary to state the main point about the Law before giving the comparison about the heaven and earth. For example:

But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned. (NLT)

uW Translation Notes:

εὐκοπώτερον δέ ἐστιν τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν παρελθεῖν, ἢ τοῦ νόμου μίαν κερέαν πεσεῖν

easier (Some words not found in SR-GNT: εὐκοπώτερον Δέ ἐστίν τόν οὐρανόν καί τήν γῆν παρελθεῖν ἤ τοῦ νόμου μίαν κεραίαν πεσεῖν)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this contrast in the reverse order. Alternate translation: [Even the smallest detail of the law will remain valid for longer than the whole creation exists]

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / merism

τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: εὐκοπώτερον Δέ ἐστίν τόν οὐρανόν καί τήν γῆν παρελθεῖν ἤ τοῦ νόμου μίαν κεραίαν πεσεῖν)

Jesus is describing all of creation by referring to its two components. Alternate translation: [all of creation]

παρελθεῖν

˓to˒_pass_away

Alternate translation: [to go out of existence]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἢ τοῦ νόμου μίαν κερέαν

A stroke is the smallest part of a letter. Jesus is referring to the teachings of the law by association with the way they have been recorded in written letters. Alternate translation: [than for any of the law]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

πεσεῖν

˓to˒_fall

Jesus uses the term fall to mean to be of no further use, such as a building would be if it collapsed. Alternate translation: [to become invalid]

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.