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InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
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Luke 2 V1 V3 V5 V7 V9 V11 V13 V15 V17 V19 V21 V23 V25 V27 V29 V31 V33 V35 V37 V39 V41 V43 V45 V47 V49 V51
OET (OET-LV) And the messenger said to_them:
Be_ not _fearing, because/for see, I_am_good_message_preaching to_you_all great joy, which will_be to_all the people,
OET (OET-RV) “Don’t be scared,” the messenger told them, “because I’m bringing you a good message that will bring great happiness to all people
In this section some shepherds were taking care of their sheep in fields near Bethlehem. An angel came to them and told them that Christ the Savior had been born that night in Bethlehem. He told them that they would find the baby lying in a feeding box for animals. Then other angels came and praised God. After the angels left, the shepherds went to Bethlehem and found the baby, just as the angel had said they would.
It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it. Some other possible headings for this section are:
Angels tell shepherds about Jesus’ birth and the shepherds visit him
The Shepherds and the Angels (GNT)
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid!
But/Then the angel told them, “Do not be afraid.
The angel told them not to be afraid. Then he said,
But: The Greek word that the BSB here translates as But introduces what the angel told the shepherds. In 2:10a the angel told them not to be afraid. This contrasts with their being terrified in 2:9c. Some English versions, such as the ESV and NASB, translate this conjunction as “And.” Other English versions do not translate this word. Connect 2:9c with 2:10a in a way that is natural in your language for this type of contrast.
the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid!: In some languages it may be more natural to use indirect speech for this part of what the angel said. For example:
the angel told them not to be afraid
angel: This word also occurred in 2:9a. Translate it the same way in both these verses.
For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:
I announce to you a sweet message of great joy that is for all the people.
“I have come to tell you good news that will cause all the people who receive/welcome it to be very happy.
For behold In Greek this part of the verse begins with a phrase that the BSB translates as For behold. The conjunction For introduces the reason the angel gave the shepherds for why they should not be afraid. The word behold indicates that the explanation was something important. Another way to translate this is:
Listen carefully, for… (NET)
Use a natural way in your language to introduce the important words in this part of the verse. In some languages, special words of introduction may not be necessary.
I bring you good news: The Greek verb that the BSB here translates as I bring you good news also occurs in 1:19b.In 1:19b, it is an infinitive. There the BSB translates this verb as “bring…good news.”
Some other ways to say I bring you good news are:
I announce good news to you
I have a good message for you
The good news that the angel referred to, as stated in 2:11, was the message that the Christ had come.
good news of great joy that will be for all the people: The message that the Messiah had come would bring great joy for all the people who believed it. God had promised the people of Israel that he would send a Savior, the Messiah. This Messiah would bring joy to all the people from Israel and every nation who would believe this message. It would not bring joy to those who did not believe it.
The phrase of great joy indicates that the good news would cause the people to rejoice. It would make them very happy.
Some ways to translate the phrase good news of great joy that will be for all the people are:
good news that will cause all the people to rejoice
sweet message that offers great joy to everyone
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / imperative
μὴ φοβεῖσθε
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος Μή φοβεῖσθε ἰδού γάρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαράν μεγάλην ἥτις ἔσται παντί τῷ λαῷ)
As in [1:13](../01/13.md), while the angel speaks these words in the form of a command, he is really telling the shepherds something to help and encourage them. Alternate translation: [You do not need to be afraid]
Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor
ἰδοὺ γὰρ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος Μή φοβεῖσθε ἰδού γάρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαράν μεγάλην ἥτις ἔσται παντί τῷ λαῷ)
The term behold focuses the attention of the listener on what the speaker is about to say. It may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: [Now listen to this]
εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαρὰν μεγάλην, ἥτις ἔσται παντὶ τῷ λαῷ
˱I˲_˓am˒_gospel_preaching ˱to˲_you_all (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος Μή φοβεῖσθε ἰδού γάρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαράν μεγάλην ἥτις ἔσται παντί τῷ λαῷ)
Alternate translation: [I have come to announce good news that will make all the people very happy]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole
παντὶ τῷ λαῷ
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ ἄγγελος Μή φοβεῖσθε ἰδού γάρ εὐαγγελίζομαι ὑμῖν χαράν μεγάλην ἥτις ἔσται παντί τῷ λαῷ)
This could be: (1) a reference to all people. That is the reading of UST. Alternate translation: [all people everywhere] (2) a figurative generalization that refers specifically to the Jewish people who would welcome Jesus as the Messiah. Alternate translation: [your people]
2:9-10 terrified: As with Zechariah and Mary, the angelic presence was glorious and frightening. The angel told the shepherds, “Don’t be afraid” (cp. 1:11-13, 28-30).
• I bring you good news: This verb (Greek euangelizō, “I evangelize”) is from the same root as the word for “Good News” (Greek euangelion, sometimes translated gospel; e.g., Gal 2:5, 7, 14). Isaiah’s prophecies describe God’s salvation as good news (see, e.g., Isa 52:7; 61:1).
• to all people (literally to all the people): In Luke’s writings, “the people” (grammatical singular) always refers to the people of Israel. The shepherds were being told that Israel’s salvation had arrived. It would ultimately go to all nations.
OET (OET-LV) And the messenger said to_them:
Be_ not _fearing, because/for see, I_am_good_message_preaching to_you_all great joy, which will_be to_all the people,
OET (OET-RV) “Don’t be scared,” the messenger told them, “because I’m bringing you a good message that will bring great happiness to all people
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.