LUKE 11:46 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.)

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, red:negative.
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 But he said, “Woe also to you lawyers! For you burden men with burdens difficult to carry, but you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

UST But Jesus responded, “How terrible it will also be for you who are teachers of the Jewish laws! I say this because you tell people to follow so many rules, yet you will not do even the smallest thing to help them.

BSB “Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied. “For you weigh men down [with] heavy burdens, but you yourselves will not lift a finger {to lighten} [their] load.

BLB And He said, "Woe to you lawyers also! For you burden men with burdens heavy to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

AICNT And he said, “Woe to you lawyers [as well],[fn] for you load men with [[heavy]] burdens hard to bear, and you [yourselves][fn] do not touch [it][fn] [the burdens][fn] with one of your fingers.

11:46, as well: Absent from some manuscripts. D(05)

11:46, yourselves: Absent from some manuscripts. 𝔓75 B(03)

11:46, it: Absent from some manuscripts. 𝔓75

11:46, the burdens: Absent from some manuscripts. D(05) Latin(b) Syriac(sy^s sy^c)

OEB But Jesus went on, ‘Alas for you, too, you students of the Law! You load people with loads that are too heavy to carry, but do not, yourselves, touch them with one of your fingers.

WEBBE He said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.

WMBB He said, “Woe to you Torah scholars also! For you load men with burdens that are difficult to carry, and you yourselves won’t even lift one finger to help carry those burdens.

NET But Jesus replied, “Woe to you experts in religious law as well! You load people down with burdens difficult to bear, yet you yourselves refuse to touch the burdens with even one of your fingers!

LSV and He said, “And to you, the lawyers, woe! Because you burden men with burdens [too] grievous to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

FBV Jesus replied, “Shame on you lawyers too! You place burdens on people that are too hard to carry, but you don't lift a finger to help them.

TCNT But Jesus said, “Woe also to you lawyers! For you burden people with burdens that are hard to bear, but you yourselves do not touch the burdens with even one of your fingers.

T4T Jesus said, “It will be terrible also for you who teach the Jewish laws! You require people to obey many rules that are difficult to obey [MET]. That is like making them carry heavy burdens on their backs. But you yourselves do not obey the laws that you require others to obey. (OR, you do not do anything to help others to obey the laws.)

LEB So he said, “Woe to you also, legal experts, because you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers!

BBE And he said, A curse is on you, teachers of the law! for while other men are crushed under the weight of the rules you make for them, you yourselves do not put so much as one finger to them.

Moff He said,
⇔ "And woe to you jurists! you load men with irksome burdens,
⇔ and you will not put a single finger to their burdens.

Wymth "Alas too for you expounders of the Law!" replied Jesus, "for you load men with cumbrous burdens which you yourselves will not touch with one of your fingers.

ASV And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

DRA But he said: Woe to you lawyers also, because you load men with burdens which they cannot bear, and you yourselves touch not the packs with one of your fingers.

YLT and he said, 'And to you, the lawyers, woe! because ye burden men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves with one of your fingers do not touch the burdens.

Drby And he said, To you also woe, doctors of the law, for ye lay upon men burdens heavy to bear, and yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

RV And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
(And he said, Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye/you_all lade men with burdens grievous to be born, and ye/you_all yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. )

SLT And he said, And woe to you, skilled in the law! for ye load men with loads difficult to carry, and ye yourselves touch not one of the fingers to the load.

Wbstr And he said, Woe to you also, ye lawyers, for ye load men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.

KJB-1769 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
(And he said, Woe unto you also, ye/you_all lawyers! for ye/you_all lade men with burdens grievous to be born, and ye/you_all yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. )

KJB-1611 And he said, Woe vnto you also ye lawyers: for ye lade men with burdens grieuous to be borne, and ye your selues touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps And he sayde, Wo vnto you also ye lawyers: for ye lade me with burthens greeuous to be borne, and ye your selues touche not ye burthens with one of your fyngers.
(And he said, Woe unto you also ye/you_all lawyers: for ye/you_all lade me with burdens grievous to be born, and ye/you_all yourselves touch not ye/you_all burdens with one of your fingers.)

Gnva And he sayde, Wo be to you also, yee Lawyers: for yee lade men with burdens grieuous to be borne, and yee your selues touche not the burdens with one of your fingers.
(And he said, Woe be to you also, ye/you_all Lawyers: for ye/you_all lade men with burdens grievous to be born, and ye/you_all yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. )

Cvdl But he saide: And wo vnto you also ye scrybes, for ye lade men with vntollerable burthens, and ye youre selues touch them not with one of yor fyngers.
(But he said: And woe unto you also ye/you_all scribes, for ye/you_all lade men with untollerable burdens, and ye/you_all yourselves touch them not with one of your fingers.)

TNT Then he sayde: Wo be to you also ye lawears: for ye lade men with burthens greveous to be borne and ye youre selves touche not the packes with one of youre fyngers.
(Then he said: Woe be to you also ye/you_all lawars: for ye/you_all lade men with burdens greveous to be born and ye/you_all your(pl) selves touch not the packes with one of your(pl) fingers. )

Wycl And he seide, Also wo to you, wise men of lawe, for ye chargen men with birthuns which thei moun not bere, and ye you silf with youre o fyngur touchen not the heuynessis.
(And he said, Also woe to you, wise men of law, for ye/you_all chargen men with burdens which they may/can not bear, and ye/you_all yourself with your(pl) o finger touchen not the heuynessis.)

Luth Er aber sprach: Und wehe auch euch Schriftgelehrten! Denn ihr beladet die Menschen mit unerträglichen Lasten, und ihr rühret sie nicht mit einem Finger an.
(He but spoke: And woe also you scribes! Because you(pl)/their/her beladet the people with unerträglichen Lasten, and you(pl)/their/her stirs/moves/touches they/she/them not with on finger at/to.)

ClVg At ille ait: Et vobis legisperitis væ: quia oneratis homines oneribus, quæ portare non possunt, et ipsi uno digito vestro non tangitis sarcinas.
(But he/that_one he_said: And to_you(pl) legisperitis woe: because burdenstis people/men burdens, which to_carry not/no they_can, and themselves one finger your not/no touchesis burden/loads. )

UGNT ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί! ὅτι φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε τοῖς φορτίοις.
(ho de eipen, kai humin tois nomikois ouai! hoti fortizete tous anthrōpous fortia dusbastakta, kai autoi heni tōn daktulōn humōn ou prospsauete tois fortiois.)

SBL-GNT ὁ δὲ εἶπεν· Καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί, ὅτι φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε τοῖς φορτίοις.
(ho de eipen; Kai humin tois nomikois ouai, hoti fortizete tous anthrōpous fortia dusbastakta, kai autoi heni tōn daktulōn humōn ou prospsauete tois fortiois.)

RP-GNT Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν, Καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί, ὅτι φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε τοῖς φορτίοις.
(Ho de eipen, Kai humin tois nomikois ouai, hoti fortizete tous anthrōpous fortia dusbastakta, kai autoi heni tōn daktulōn humōn ou prospsauete tois fortiois.)

TC-GNT Ὁ δὲ εἶπε, Καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί, ὅτι φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε τοῖς φορτίοις.
(Ho de eipe, Kai humin tois nomikois ouai, hoti fortizete tous anthrōpous fortia dusbastakta, kai autoi heni tōn daktulōn humōn ou prospsauete tois fortiois. )

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 11:37–54: Jesus criticized the Pharisees and the teachers of the law

In this section, a Pharisee invited Jesus to his house for a meal. The Pharisee was surprised that Jesus did not ritually wash his hands before he ate. Jesus then criticized the Pharisees because they carefully observed outward rituals but neglected true devotion to God. He specifically warned the Pharisees about three ways in which they displeased God. He then directed three additional warnings to the teachers of the law.

Some other headings for this section are:

Jesus’ Criticism of the Religious Leaders

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 23:1–36 and Mark 12:38–40.

11:46a

“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied.

Then Jesus said/replied, “As for you^(plur) teachers of the law, it will be also bad/terrible for you!
Jesus said to him, “How sad/awful! God will also severely punish you^(plur) who teach the law,

“Woe to you as well, experts in the law!” He replied: In Greek, Jesus’ reply is more literally “Also to you experts in the law, woe.” The word you is in an emphatic position in the sentence. It indicates that Jesus was now addressing the law experts specifically. For example:

As for you experts in the law, woe to you also

You may have a natural way to indicate this in your language. Remember that some languages place a focused item first in the sentence; other languages place it last.

Woe to you: This is the same phrase as in 11:43a.

He replied: The BSB has placed He replied after the start of what Jesus said. In the Greek text, these words are at the beginning of the verse. Place them wherever it is natural in your language.

11:46b

“You weigh men down with heavy burdens,

For you^(plur) put such heavy burdens/loads on people that they can hardly carry them,
because you^(plur) insist that people obey many rules that they are not able to follow. It is as if you place a heavy load on their backs that is too heavy for them to carry.
because you^(plur) burden/tire the people with many rules that are hard to obey/follow,

You weigh men down with heavy burdens: This is a metaphor. It indicates that the experts in the law were teaching people that they must keep many difficult laws in order to please God. Their teachings were like heavy burdens to the people.

In this metaphor the topic is implied. The chart below gives the full metaphor:

topic	you make the Jewish people follow many complicated religious laws that are too difficult to obey
image	you make people carry loads that are too heavy for them
point of similarity	both are too difficult to do

God intended that the Old Testament Law should show people how to serve him happily. But these experts in the Law had made it into an unbearable burden by adding many extra laws.

Some ways to translate this metaphor are:

Change the metaphor to a simile and make the topic explicit. For example:
you make people follow many rules. It is as if you are placing heavy loads on their backs that they are unable to carry.
State the meaning of the metaphor directly. For example:
You make strict rules that are very hard for people to obey. (NCV)

If possible, use words that would imply a heavy load. For example:

you crush people with unbearable religious demands (NLT)

Remember that one of the purposes of a metaphor is to create a picture in the hearer’s mind. So if possible, your translation of this metaphor should help your readers to imagine a heavy load.

11:46c

but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load.

and/but you^(plur) yourselves will not join/participate in carrying these burdens even a little bit.
while you^(plur) yourselves do not make the slightest effort to help them to obey/follow these rules.

but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as but you yourselves will not lift a finger to lighten their load is an idiom. It can be translated more literally:

you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers (RSV)

There are two ways to interpret this idiom:

It means that the law experts made no effort to help others follow their laws. They did not make the laws any easier, and they did not give any help or counsel to people who were trying to obey them. For example:
you yourselves will not stretch out a finger to help them carry those loads (GNT) (BSB, NIV, GNT, NRSV, REB, CEV, NLT)
It means that the law experts made no effort to try to obey their own laws. They were hypocrites who did not follow their own teaching. Instead, they were experts in finding ways to avoid following the law. For example:
you yourselves don’t even try to follow those rules (NCV) (NCV, NJB)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1) along with most English versions. It is clear from the preceding context that the Jewish leaders were careful to follow even unimportant regulations.

will not lift a finger to lighten their load: The phrase lift a finger is an idiom in English as well as in Greek. It means here that the law experts refused to make any effort to help lighten the burdens of the people.

Some ways to translate this are:

you do not help them even by using one of your fingers

you do not do the smallest thing to help them

you do not help people even a little bit

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ εἶπεν καί ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί Ὅτι φορτίζετε τούς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα καί αὐτοί ἑνί τῶν δακτύλων ὑμῶν οὒ προσψαύετε τοῖς φορτίοις)

The implication is that Jesus did intend to condemn the actions of the experts in the law along with the actions of the Pharisees. Alternate translation: [God is just as displeased with you experts in the law]

Note 2 topic: translate-unknown

τοῖς νομικοῖς

the lawyers

See how you translated lawyers in [11:45](../11/45.md). Alternate translation: [experts in the Jewish law]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

φορτίζετε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα

˱you_all˲_˓are˒_burdening (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ εἶπεν καί ὑμῖν τοῖς νομικοῖς οὐαί Ὅτι φορτίζετε τούς ἀνθρώπους φορτία δυσβάστακτα καί αὐτοί ἑνί τῶν δακτύλων ὑμῶν οὒ προσψαύετε τοῖς φορτίοις)

Jesus is describing the many rules that these experts give people as burdens that are too heavy to carry. Alternate translation: [you give people more rules than they can possibly follow]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / gendernotations

τοὺς ἀνθρώπους

Here Jesus is using the term men in a generic sense that includes all people. Alternate translation: [people]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / hyperbole

αὐτοὶ ἑνὶ τῶν δακτύλων ὑμῶν οὐ προσψαύετε τοῖς φορτίοις

Jesus uses the least possible thing someone could do to help someone else carry a burden, lifting part of it with a single finger, to emphasize how little these experts are actually doing to help people follow the law of Moses. Alternate translation: [you are not doing anything at all to help people truly obey the law]

Parallel LUKE 11:46

Section 11:37–54: Jesus criticized the Pharisees and the teachers of the law

11:46a

11:46b

11:46c