LUKE 10:2 Parallel Verse View

Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible—click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed as a tool for doing comparisons of different translations—the older translations are further down the page (so you can read up from the bottom to trace the English translation history). The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible—please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.

Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) [ref]He told them, “There’s a large harvest ready, but there’s only a few workers. So ask the owner of the crop to send out more workers to help with his harvest.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT And he said to them, “Indeed the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, earnestly ask the Lord of the harvest, so that he would send out laborers into his harvest.

UST He said to them, “Many people are ready to believe in me, but there are only a few of you whom I can send out to help them. So pray to God, who wants all of those people to believe, and plead with him for more disciples who can go and help them.

BSB And He told them, “The harvest [is] plentiful, but the workers [are] few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.

MSB Therefore[fn] He told them, “The harvest [is] plentiful, but the workers [are] few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.

BLB And He was saying to them, "The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the workmen are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest, that He may send out workmen into His harvest.

AICNT [[Therefore]][fn] He said to them, “[Indeed,][fn] The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few; [therefore],[fn] pray to [the Lord][fn] of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

10:2, Therefore: Later manuscripts add. BYZ TR

10:2, indeed: Absent from some manuscripts. D(05) Latin(a e).

10:2, therefore: Absent from D(05).

10:2, the Lord: D(05) reads “God.”

OEB ‘The harvest,’ he said, ‘is abundant, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray to the owner of the harvest to send labourers to gather in his harvest.

WEBBE Then he said to them, “The harvest is indeed plentiful, but the labourers are few. Pray therefore to the Lord of the harvest, that he may send out labourers into his harvest.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

LSV then He said to them, “The harvest [is] indeed abundant, but the workmen few; implore then the Lord of the harvest, that He may put forth workmen to His harvest.

FBV “The harvest is large, but the number of workers is small,” he told them. “Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest fields.

TCNT He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.

T4T He said to them, “The people who are ready to receive my message are like a field of [MET] grain that is ready for people to harvest {to be harvested}. But there are not many people to bring them to God. So pray and ask the Lord God to send more workers who will gather people together and teach them my message, just like a landowner sends workers into his fields to gather the harvest.

LEB And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest that he send out workers into his harvest.

BBE And he said to them, There is much grain ready to be cut, but not enough workers: so make prayer to the Lord of the grain-fields that he will send workers to get in the grain.

Moff He said to them, "The harvest is rich, but the labourers are few; so pray the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to gather his harvest.

Wymth And He addressed them thus: "The harvest is abundant, but the reapers are few: therefore entreat the Owner of the harvest to send out more reapers into His fields. And now go.

ASV And he said unto them, The harvest indeed is plenteous, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest.

DRA And he said to them: The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest.

YLT then said he unto them, 'The harvest indeed [is] abundant, but the workmen few; beseech ye then the Lord of the harvest, that He may put forth workmen to His harvest.

Drby And he said to them, The harvest indeed [is] great, but the workmen few; supplicate therefore the Lord of the harvest that he may send out workmen into his harvest.

RV And he said unto them, The harvest is plenteous, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.
(And he said unto them, The harvest is plenteous/plentiful, but the labourers are few: pray ye/you_all therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest. )

SLT Then said he to them, Truly the harvest much, and the laborers few: implore therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.

Wbstr Therefore said he to them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest.

KJB-1769 Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.
(Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye/you_all therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. )

KJB-1611 Therefore said hee vnto them, The haruest truly is great, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the haruest, that he would send foorth labourers into his haruest.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Therefore sayde he vnto them: The haruest is great, but the labourers are fewe. Pray ye therfore the Lorde of the haruest, to sende foorth labourers into his haruest.
(Therefore said he unto them: The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye/you_all therefore the Lord of the harvest, to send forth labourers into his harvest.)

Gnva And he said vnto them, The haruest is great, but the labourers are fewe: pray therefore the Lord of the haruest to sende foorth labourers into his haruest.
(And he said unto them, The harvest is great, but the labourers are few: pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth labourers into his harvest. )

Cvdl and sayde vnto them: The haruest is greate, but the labourers are fewe. Praye therfore the LORDE of the haruest, to sende forth labourers in to his haruest.
(and said unto them: The harvest is great, but the labourers are few. Praye therefore the LORD of the harvest, to send forth labourers in to his harvest.)

TNT And he sayde vnto them the harvest is greate: but the laborers are feawe. Praye therfore the Lorde of the harvest to send forth laborers into his hervest.
(And he said unto them the harvest is great: but the laborers are few. Praye therefore the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into his harvest. )

Wycl And he seide to hem, There is myche ripe corn, and fewe werke men; therfor preie ye the lord of the ripe corn, that he sende werke men in to his ripe corn.
(And he said to hem, There is much ripe corn, and few work men; therefore pray ye/you_all the lord of the ripe corn, that he send work men in to his ripe corn.)

Luth Und sprach zu ihnen: Die Ernte ist groß, der Arbeiter aber ist wenig; bittet den HErr’s der Ernte, daß er Arbeiter aussende in seine Ernte!
(And spoke to/for to_them: The harvest is large, the/of_the work/jober but is few; requests the LORD’s the/of_the harvest, that he work/jober aussende in his harvest!)

ClVg Et dicebat illis: Messis quidem multa, operarii autem pauci. Rogate ergo dominum messis ut mittat operarios in messem suam.[fn]
(And he_said to_them: Harvest indeed fine, to_worki however a_few. Rogate therefore master harvest/crop as mittat to_workos in/into/on messem his_own. )

10.2 Messis quidem multa, operarii autem pauci. Messis, turba credentium, operarii apostoli et sequaces eorum. Et licet messis verbo Dei sit sata, tamen culturæ laborem et sollicitum munus operarii requirit, ne aves cœli sparsa semina dissipent.

10.2 Harvest indeed fine, to_worki however a_few. Harvest, crowd believers, to_worki apostles and sequaces their. And although harvest/crop word of_God be sata, nevertheless culturæ work and sollicitum task/function to_worki requirit, not birds heavens sparsa semina dissipent.

UGNT ἔλεγεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς, ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι. δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅπως ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
(elegen de pros autous, ho men therismos polus, hoi de ergatai oligoi. deaʸthaʸte oun tou Kuriou tou therismou, hopōs ergatas ekbalaʸ eis ton therismon autou.)

SBL-GNT ἔλεγεν ⸀δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι· δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ⸂ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ⸃ εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
(elegen ⸀de pros autous; Ho men therismos polus, hoi de ergatai oligoi; deaʸthaʸte oun tou kuriou tou therismou hopōs ⸂ergatas ekbalaʸ⸃ eis ton therismon autou.)

RP-GNT Ἔλεγεν οὖν πρὸς αὐτούς, Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι· δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
(Elegen oun pros autous, Ho men therismos polus, hoi de ergatai oligoi; deaʸthaʸte oun tou kuriou tou therismou, hopōs ekbalaʸ ergatas eis ton therismon autou.)

TC-GNT Ἔλεγεν [fn]οὖν πρὸς αὐτούς, Ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι· δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ, ὅπως [fn]ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ.
(Elegen oun pros autous, Ho men therismos polus, hoi de ergatai oligoi; deaʸthaʸte oun tou Kuriou tou therismou, hopōs ekbalaʸ ergatas eis ton therismon autou. )

10:2 ουν ¦ δε CT

10:2 εκβαλη εργατας ¦ εκβαλλη εργατας TR ¦ εργατας εκβαλη CT

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–24: Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples

In Section 9:1–6 Jesus sent out the twelve apostles to preach and to heal. Here in Section 10:1–24 he sent out a larger group of disciples to different towns. Jesus told this larger group of disciples to visit many towns. They would visit the towns to find out which people and towns would receive Jesus and which would not receive him. Jesus ended his instructions to these disciples by telling them that God would punish the towns where the people did not welcome him.

Notice that in Luke 10:1 there is a textual issue concerning the number of disciples Jesus sent. You should make a decision about this textual issue before you decide on the heading for this section.

Another possible heading for this section is:

Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples to preach and to heal people

Luke is the only gospel writer who wrote about this event. However, there are parallel passages for some of the verses in this section in Matthew 9:37–38, 10:7–16, and 11:21–23.Marshall, p. 412.

10:2a

And He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

He told them this illustration/parable: “There is much ripe grain to be harvested, but there are not many people/workers who are able to harvest/reap it.
Before they left, he/Jesus said to them, “There are many people who are ready to believe in me. They are like a ripe crop, but there are few harvesters/pickers.

In this verse Luke began to quote what Jesus told the seventy-two disciples before they left. Be sure that the sequence of events is clear. See the note on 10:1–2.

And: This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as And, as do some other English versions (ESV, NASB). Many other versions do not translate this conjunction. Connect 10:2a to 10:1 in a way that is natural in your language.

He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few…”: Jesus spoke here of a large crop with only a few people to harvest it. This is a metaphor. It means that many people were ready to hear Jesus’ message, but there were only a few people to tell them.

In some languages people may not understand that Jesus was using a metaphor here, or they may not understand its meaning. If that is true in your language, some other ways to translate this metaphor are:

Keep the entire metaphor, but make explicit in some way that Jesus was using figurative language. For example:
He told them this illustration/parable: “The…”
Jesus told them, “I am sending you out like workers who will harvest a crop. The harvest…”
Keep part of the metaphor. Make part of the meaning explicit. For example:
There are a great many people to harvest, but there are only a few workers. (NCV)
Change the metaphor to a simile. Make one or both parts of the topic explicit. For example:
Many people are ready to believe in me, but there are not many people to tell them the good news. They are like a big grain field that is ripe, and there are not enough workers to harvest the ripe grain.
Translate the meaning without the metaphor. For example:
There are many people who are ready to believe in me, but there are not many who can help/invite them. This option should only be used if the other options are not clear or natural.

Try to keep at least part of the metaphor if possible. If you translate the metaphor literally, you may want to include a footnote with an explanation. For example:

The “harvest” symbolizes people who need to hear Jesus’ message. The “workers” symbolize people who tell them his message.

The harvest is plentiful: The word harvest refers here to a crop that is ready to be gathered. It is a general word that can refer to different types of crops, for example, ripe grain or fruit. See also Matthew 9:37–38. Other ways to translate this clause are:

There is a large crop ready to be harvested

The fields are full of ripe grain

the workers are few: The clause the workers are few means that not many people were working in the field to harvest the crop.

the workers: In some languages it may be more natural to translate this phrase with a word that refers specifically to harvest workers. For example:

the reapers

the harvesters

10:2b

Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.

So ask/beg^(plur) the owner of the grain field to send more people who can harvest the ripe grain.
So pray^(plur) to God, who is in charge of the harvesting. Plead with him to send more people to do this work.

Ask: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Ask means to ask urgently or plead. In this context it can also mean to pray. You may use a word that is appropriate for pleading with a literal human owner of the harvest or for praying to God, the figurative owner. For example:

beseech (NASB)

pray to (NLT)

the Lord of the harvest: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as the Lord was used in 10:1a to refer to Jesus. Here it has both a literal and a figurative meaning. In the illustration it refers literally to the owner of a field. He is the one who gets workers to come and harvest the crop. Figuratively, it refers to God. It does not refer here to Jesus. The Greek word meaning “owner” or “master” was the same word that the Jews used for God. That is why the BSB translates it as Lord.

In some languages you may be able to use a word that could refer to both a master/owner or to God. For example:

the owner of the harvest (GNT)

the master who is in charge of the harvest

In other languages it may be more appropriate to refer specifically to God. For example:

God, who is the Lord of the harvest

God, who owns the harvest (NCV)

therefore: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as therefore introduces 10:2b as the logical conclusion of 10:2a. The BSB has placed this word in the middle of the sentence. In some languages it may be more natural to place it at the beginning of 10:2b. For example:

therefore ask… (NRSV)

to send out workers into His harvest: In this context the word workers implies more workers. The disciples were to ask the field owner to send more people to work in his field to harvest the crop. Some other ways to express this request are:

that he will send more workers to help gather his harvest (NCV)

to send more workers into his fields (NLT)

Here His harvest is a metaphor that refers to the many people in the world who had not heard Jesus’ message. In many languages it will be possible to keep this figure of speech. However, if it gives the wrong meaning in your language, you may translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:

So pray to God, who has been making these people ready to believe. Ask him to send more disciples to help people to come to me.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / events

ἔλεγεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἔλεγεν δέ πρός αὐτούς ὁ Μέν θερισμός πολύς οἱ δέ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι δεήθητε Οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ εἰς τόν θερισμόν αὐτοῦ)

Jesus said these things to the 72 disciples before they actually went out. Alternate translation: [He had said to them] or [Before they went out, he told them]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ μὲν θερισμὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἔλεγεν δέ πρός αὐτούς ὁ Μέν θερισμός πολύς οἱ δέ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι δεήθητε Οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ εἰς τόν θερισμόν αὐτοῦ)

This statement means, “There is a big crop, but there are not enough workers to bring it in.” Jesus is speaking. Alternate translation: [There are many people who are ready to enter God’s kingdom, but there are not enough disciples to help them understand how to do that]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ

˱of˲_the Lord ˱of˲_the harvest

Jesus continues to speak and extends his metaphor by describing God as the Lord of the harvest. Alternate translation: [God, who leads people to believe]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / exmetaphor

ὅπως ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ εἰς τὸν θερισμὸν αὐτοῦ

so_that workers ˱he˲_˓may˒_cast_out into (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ἔλεγεν δέ πρός αὐτούς ὁ Μέν θερισμός πολύς οἱ δέ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι δεήθητε Οὖν τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ θερισμοῦ ὅπως ἐργάτας ἐκβάλῃ εἰς τόν θερισμόν αὐτοῦ)

Jesus extends his metaphor even further by describing disciples who help others to trust in him as laborers in the harvest. Alternate translation: [to send more disciples to go and help people trust in me]

Parallel LUKE 10:2

Section 10:1–24: Jesus sent out seventy-two disciples

10:2a

10:2b