OET interlinear LUKE 5:23

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου, ἢ εἰπεῖν, ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τί ἐστίν εὐκοπώτερον εἰπεῖν Ἀφέωνται σοί αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σοῦ ἤ εἰπεῖν Ἔγειρε καί περιπάτει)

Jesus is using the form of a question in order to teach. He wants to make the scribes and Pharisees reflect on the situation and realize something. There are many implications. For example, these religious leaders may take the question in the sense, “Which is easier to get away with saying?” The answer would be, “Your sins are forgiven,” because people don’t expect visual proof of that, whereas if someone says, “Get up and walk,” and nothing happens, that proves the speaker doesn’t have the power to heal. Jesus likely intends the question in a different sense: “Which is the easier way to deal with a situation like this?” It appears that the man’s sickness has something to do with his sins, because Jesus forgives them. In such a situation, it would not be sufficient to say, “Get up and walk,” since that would address the effect but not the cause. To say, “Your sins are forgiven,” would deal with both the cause and the effect, so that would be the easier way to deal with the situation. There are many other implications that could also be drawn out as well—too many to include in the text of a translation. Since the question form is intrinsic to Jesus’ teaching method, you may wish simply to retain it in your translation. However, to show that he is teaching, not asking for information, you could introduce his question with a phrase that indicates its purpose. Alternate translation: [Think about this. Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk'?]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

τί ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, ἀφέωνταί σοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σου, ἢ εἰπεῖν, ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει?

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Τί ἐστίν εὐκοπώτερον εἰπεῖν Ἀφέωνται σοί αἱ ἁμαρτίαι σοῦ ἤ εἰπεῖν Ἔγειρε καί περιπάτει)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: [Is it easier to tell someone that his sins are forgiven, or to tell him to get up and walk?]