UTN uW Translation Notes:

Luke 18 Chapter Introduction

Structure and Formatting

1. Jesus tells a parable about a widow and a judge (18:1–8)
2. Jesus tells a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector (18:9–14)
3. Jesus blesses little children (18:15–17)
4. Jesus teaches about wealth and the kingdom of God (18:18–30)
5. Jesus warns about his impending death (18:31–34)
6. Jesus heals a blind man in Jericho (18:35–43)

Religious and Cultural Concepts in This Chapter

Judges

People expected judges always to do what God said was right and to make sure that other people did what was right. But some judges did not care about doing right or making sure others did right. Jesus called this kind of judge “unjust.” (See: justice)

Pharisees and tax collectors

The Pharisees thought that they themselves were the best examples of good, righteous people, and they thought that tax collectors were the most unrighteous of sinners. (See: righteous and sin)

Textual Issues in This Chapter

“that he had become sad”

At the beginning of 18:24, in the story of the ruler who asked Jesus how he could have eternal life, some ancient manuscripts of the Bible say that Jesus saw “that he had become sad.” However, the ancient manuscripts considered to be the most accurate do not have that phrase. They say simply that Jesus looked at him. ULT does not have the phrase in its text, but it does have it in a footnote.

“we have left everything”

In 18:28, in some ancient manuscripts of the Bible, Peter says that the disciples have left “everything” to follow Jesus. In other manuscripts, the expression is “our own possessions.” ULT says “everything” in its text, but it acknowledges the variant “our own possessions” in a footnote.

In each of these cases, if a translation of the Bible exists in your region, you may wish to follow its reading. If a translation of the Bible does not exist in your region, you may wish to follow the example of ULT. (See: translate-textvariants)