Parallel LUKE 18:17

18:17a

Truly I tell you: The clause that the BSB translates as Truly I tell you is literally “Amen I tell you.” Jesus often used this clause to introduce a statement that he wanted to emphasize.This clause occurs six times in Luke. (In five of these passages, Jesus spoke to a group of people. Once he spoke to the thief on the cross.) Another phrase, which the NIV translates as “I tell you the truth,” uses the Greek word alēthōs, which means “truly,” instead of “Amen.” (This phrase occurs in 9:27, 12:44, and 21:3; the BSB says “truthfully” in the first passage and “truly” in the other two.) In Luke, Jesus used these similar phrases in the same way to introduce solemn declarations. Marshall (p. 683) says, “The story reaches its climax in an authoritative saying of Jesus with a solemn amēn introduction.” In his note on 4:24 (p. 187), Marshall points out that other gospel writers use the amēn introduction where Luke uses “truly.” This fact implies that these phrases are used with the same meaning. (Compare 9:27 with Mark 9:1; 12:44 with Matthew 24:47; and 21:3 with Mark 12:43.) This factor probably disproves the interesting suggestions in two Jerusalem Perspective articles that the “Amen” in “Amen, I say to you” points back to what has been said previously. Magnuson (Jerusalem Perspective 3, Dec. 1987) suggests that with the expression “Amen, I tell you,” Jesus used “amen” to affirm his previous statement and then said “I tell you” to emphasize a further statement about that. This view fits the context in 18:17, but is problematical in other contexts in Luke. For example, in 4:23 Jesus quoted the proverb that was in people’s minds, “Physician, heal yourself.” His next statement, beginning with “Amen, I tell you,” was a contradiction of the people’s expectation: “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” Robert Lindsey (cited in the Jerusalem Perspective 4, January 1988) suggests that the saying here is parallel to Jeremiah 28:6–7. According to Lindsey, Jeremiah said “Amen” to the false prophet’s favorable prophecy to express his wish that it might come true, but then Jeremiah contradicted what the prophet had said. Lindsey suggests that in Luke 4:24 Jesus said “Amen” to agree with his fellow citizens’ desire that he do miracles there, but he then emphatically denied that it would happen. This viewpoint would need more confirmation from other sources before a translator should follow it, since it is a minority view that no English version supports.The Notes takes the view that the whole phrase “Amen, I say to you” here refers to what Jesus was about to say. Doriani states, “When the prophets often said, ‘Thus says the Lord,’ Jesus often says, ‘Amen I say to you.…’ Jesus often uses the formula when he corrects errors or is engaged in disputes.” Doriani also indicates that Jesus used the phrase when he said things that he knew would startle his listeners. He did not offer any proof for these sayings other than his own authority. Doriani states that whenever Jesus uses the phrase “Amen, I say to you,” “he shows awareness of his authority, his deity.” (Daniel Doriani, “Amen,” Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Cited March 21, 2011. Online: http:www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/amen.html.) It indicates that the statement was important and people should listen carefully to it. It implies that the statement is totally reliable because it is based on Jesus’ own authority.

In this context Jesus used the words Truly I tell you to introduce the serious warning that whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will never enter it. The pronoun you is a plural pronoun.

See how you translated Truly I tell you in 4:24. In some languages you may need to translate it differently in different contexts. Do not translate in a way that implies that Jesus had not been telling the truth at other times.

Here are some ways to translate the phrase in this context:

I assure you that…

Listen carefully, because this is important/true:

If you have another way in your language to emphasize an important statement that is totally reliable, consider using it here.

18:17b

18:17c

18:17b–c

anyone who does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it: The word receive means “accept, welcome.” A person must be willing to accept and welcome God as the ruler in his life. He must be part of the group of people who accept God’s authority.

The word enter figuratively refers to becoming a person whom God rules and cares for as his king. If a person does not welcome God to rule over him, God will not allow that person to belong to His kingdom. This is an emphatic statement. Some other ways to translate it are:

whoever does not accept God’s ruling over him the way a child accepts it, he absolutely will not be included in God’s kingdom

people who will not depend on God like children will not become his people in his Kingdom

The word enter is used in a similar way in 18:24. See also kingdom of God, Context 1, in the Glossary.

not…never: In some languages, two negatives such as this may be confusing. Here are some ways you might translate this phrase without using two negatives:

God will accept into his kingdom only those people who will accept his rule as if they were children

no one will be included in the kingdom of God unless he welcomes God’s rule in his life as a child does