OET interlinear LUKE 7:24

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: writing-pronouns

ἤρξατο λέγειν

˱he˲_began /to_be/_saying

Here the pronoun he refers to Jesus. Alternate translation: “Jesus began to say”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

τί ἐξήλθατε εἰς τὴν ἔρημον θεάσασθαι? κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον?

what ˱you_all˲_came_out into the desert /to/_see /a/_reed by /the/_wind /being/_shaken

Jesus is using these questions as a teaching tool. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could show that consequently he expects a negative answer. You could also translate these words as a statement. Alternate translation: “Did you go out into the wilderness just to see a reed that the wind was shaking? Of course not!” or “Surely you did not go out into the wilderness just to see a reed that the wind was shaking.”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον

/a/_reed by /the/_wind /being/_shaken

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active form. Alternate translation: “A reed that the wind was shaking?”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

κάλαμον ὑπὸ ἀνέμου σαλευόμενον

/a/_reed by /the/_wind /being/_shaken

The implication seems to be that a reed swaying in the breeze by the banks of the Jordan River is a commonplace sight that no one would make a trip out into the desert just to see. Alternate translation: “An ordinary thing such as a reed that the wind was shaking?”