OET interlinear LUKE 19:42

19:42–44

In these verses Jesus spoke to the city of Jerusalem, using singular forms of “you.” This is a figure of speech. The city represents the people in the city. In some languages it may be necessary to indicate that Jesus spoke to the people. For example:

People of Jerusalem , if you^(plur) also had only known…

In other languages the figure may be natural except in certain statements. There you will need to indicate that Jesus spoke of the people. For example:

O Jerusalem, if only your people had known

In some languages it is not natural to speak to people who are not present. In those languages, you may use forms that are natural for talking about a city or its people. For example:

If only Jerusalem too had known the things that would have brought her/it peace…

If only the people of Jerusalem had known what would bring them peace…

Translate these verses in a natural way in your language. See the second meaning lines of the Display for examples of Jesus addressing the people directly.

19:42a–b

If only you had known on this day what would bring you peace: In this lament Jesus expressed his longing for something that did not happen. The lament implies that:

1. the people of Jerusalem did not know what would bring them peace;

2. if they had known, they would have recognized Jesus as the Messiah. Then God would have given them peace, and the city would not have been destroyed.

In most languages, this information can be left implied. However, in some languages it may be necessary to make some of it explicit. If that is true in your language, express it in a general way. For example:

then God would have given peace to you/it

19:42a

If only you had known: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as If only you had known is an exclamation of sorrow and regret. It implies “I wish that you had known” or “it would have been so good if you had known, but you did not.”

Jesus knew the terrible things that would happen to the people because they refused to know the truth. The result would be tragedy, destruction, and death. Jesus used this lament to express his sorrow over that. Some other ways to translate it are:

It is so terrible/tragic that you did not know

How I wish that you had known

If you only knew (GNT)

It is such a grief that you did not know

Consider how to express Jesus’ lament in a natural way in your language.

you had known: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as you had known is literally “you, even you, had known.” Scholars differ about the function of the word “even” here. However, it is probably best understood as “you alsoA number of English versions translate this as “even you,” but it is unclear what the sense of that would be. Nor do commentaries that favor this translation make much comment as to its meaning in context. Normally, “even you” would suggest a counter-expectation: “even you who would not normally be expected to understand the things that would bring you peace.” Rather it seems that Jerusalem, more than others, should have recognized the coming of her Messiah. One possibility is for “even you” to indicate Jesus’ wish for Jerusalem to find peace in spite of her record: “even you who have always been hard-hearted, slow to believe, opposing my work, I wish even you had known the way of peace.” Another possibility is to understand και συ as merely emphatic: something like “you, yes, you” or “you yourself.” But grammarians are not in agreement as to whether και can serve as an emphatic conjunction. Dana and Mantey state that “the emphatic use of και is unquestionable and frequent” (p. 250). But Wallace does not include και under his list of emphatic conjunctions (p. 673). A few English versions (RSV, NLT96, JBP) translate the και as modifying “in this day.” However, there is very little commentary support for this view. The Exegetical Summary on Luke does not mention it as an option. (in addition to my disciples).” The disciples recognized Jesus as the Messiah, but most people in Jerusalem did not. Here is another way to translate this:

If you too had only recognized on this day the way to peace! (NJB)

Several English versions, including the BSB, do not translate this word. This is a good option in languages where it may imply a wrong or ambiguous meaning.

on this day: The phrase on this day refers to that day when Jesus came to Jerusalem as their king and Messiah. He came to them, but they did not accept him. It happened as Jesus predicted in the parable in the preceding section.

19:42b

what would bring you peace: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as what would bring you peace is literally: “the for/toward peace things.” It is translated in various ways in English versions:

the things that make for peace (RSV)

what would bring you peace (NIV)

what is needed for peace (GNT)

the way that leads to peace (REB)

In all these examples, the idea is that the people of Jerusalem did not recognize what would cause them to have peace. Express this in a way that is natural in your language.

peace: See the note on peace at 19:38b. Here Jesus probably referred to two aspects of peace: harmony with God and absence of war/conflict.Fitzmyer (p. 1256) says, “If ‘peace’ in verse 38 carries the full connotation of OT shalom, it is used in this passage not only with the same connotation, but also more specifically with the nuance of absence of war or hostilities, as the allusions in verses 43–44 make clear.” In 19:43–44 Jesus implied that if the people had recognized him as the Messiah, God would have given them peace. They would have been in harmony with God, and they would have had freedom from war as well. They would not have been judged and punished by having their city destroyed.

Some ways to translate peace in this context are:

• Choose a term that can imply different types of peace.

• Indicate that two aspects of peace are in focus here. For example:

  harmony with God and people

• Use a term that refers mainly to freedom from conflict, war, or hostility.We make this recommendation because: (a) In the context, failure to recognize “the things that bring peace” leads directly to military conquest. (b) This whole passage strongly alludes to Zechariah 9:9–10, which talks about the coming Messiah riding on a donkey and follows with saying that the Messiah will remove chariots and war-horses from Jerusalem. (c) There is a possible allusion to passages such as Jeremiah 6 that describe the siege of Jerusalem: “Cut down the trees and raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem” (6:6); “They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all” (6:14). See also passages such as Isaiah 48:18, 48:22; 57:19, 57:21; Jeremiah 8:11, and Ezekiel 13:10–11. (d) It can be seen how peace in its spiritual sense (peace with God) derives from the meaning “absence of conflict” between God and man. It may not be as clear how a translation of “well-being” connects with either peace as absence of conflict or peace in the spiritual sense. A number of commentators (Marshall, Green, Kittel and Friedrich, Bock, Arndt) have suggested that peace should be viewed essentially as salvation in this passage, i.e., peace with God. We do not disagree and feel that this is included in the meaning. Pastors and teachers can build on a translation of “peace” (absence of conflict) and draw out the spiritual aspects. But a translation of “peace” as “salvation” or “peace with God” has the danger of excluding other aspects of the meaning of the word. For example:

  save you from hostility/war

  free you from conflict with God and people

See how you translated peace in 12:51 and 19:38. See also peace, Meanings 1 and peace, Meaning 2, in the Glossary. Remember that some languages have idioms to express this meaning.

19:42c

But now: The phrase But now introduces a contrast between a previous situation and the present situation. Before that time, the people could have realized what would cause them to have peace. But at the present time (as Jesus was speaking), it was already too late for Jerusalem to realize that and change. Some ways to translate this could be:

But as it is

But as things are now

But alas, as it is

But now it is too late

it is hidden from your eyes: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates literally as it is hidden from your eyes is a figure of speech. Jesus was saying that the people of Jerusalem were not able to understand the things that would have brought them peace.

In some languages, this figure of speech is hard to understand or is not natural. Other ways to translate the meaning are:

• Use a different figure of speech in your language that has the same meaning.

• Substitute “you” for your eyes:

  they are hidden from you

• Translate the meaning more directly:

  you are not able to understand them

it: The word it probably refers back to the phrase “the things that would bring you peace” instead of to “peace” itself.The Greek grammar is ambiguous, since the third person singular verb could either go with “peace” (εἰρήνην, feminine singular) or “things” (τὰ, neuter plural). But the context slightly favors the plural subject. It may not be an important distinction, since not recognizing the things that would lead to peace necessarily meant they would not experience peace itself.