LUKE 20:28 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]“Teacher, Mosheh wrote for us that if anyone’s married brother should die childless, then the surviving brother should take in the widow so they can produce children in the deceased brother’s name.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object, magenta:vocative.
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 saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, if someone’s brother dies, having a wife, and he is childless, that his brother should take his wife and raise up seed for his brother.

UST One of them said to him, “Teacher, Moses taught us Jews what to do if a man dies who has a wife but no children. His brother should marry the widow so that she can have a child by him. People will then consider that child a descendant of the man who died.

BLB saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote to us if anyone's brother should die having a wife, and he is childless, that his brother should take the wife and should raise up seed to his brother.

AICNT saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies having {a wife, and this one is childless},[fn] his brother should take the wife [of him][fn] and raise up offspring for his brother.[fn]

20:28, a wife, and this one is childless: Some manuscripts read “a childless wife.” D(05) Latin(e)

20:28, of him: Some manuscripts include. Latin(a e)

20:28, Deuteronomy 25:5-6

OEB ‘Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that –
⇔ “Should a man’s married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.”

WEBBE They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother.

WMBB They asked him, “Rabbi, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife and raise up children for his brother.

NET They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother*.

LSV saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us if anyone’s brother may die, having a wife, and he may die childless—that his brother may take the wife, and may raise up seed to his brother.

FBV “Teacher,” they began, “Moses gave us a law that if a married man dies leaving a wife without children, then his brother should marry the widow and have children for his dead brother.[fn]

20:28 Quoting Deuteronomy 25:5.

TCNT “Teacher, Moses wrote for us: ‘If a man's brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’

T4T They wanted to ask Jesus a question in order to discredit the idea that dead people will live again. One of them said to Jesus, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us Jews about situations where a man who has a wife but no children. If the man dies, his brother should marry the dead man’s widow so that she can have a child by him. People will consider that the child is the descendant of the man who died, and in that way the dead man will have descendants.

LEB saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us if someone’s brother dies having a wife, and this man is childless, that his brother should take the wife and _⌊father_⌋[fn] descendants for his brother.

20:28 Literally “raise up”

BBE Master, Moses said that if a man's brother comes to his end, having a wife, but no children, his brother is to take the wife, and get a family for his brother.

Moff "Teacher," they said, "Moses has written this law for us, that if a man's married brother dies and is childless, his brother is to take the woman and raise offspring for his brother.

Wymth "Rabbi, Moses made it a law for us that if a man's brother should die, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up a family for his brother.

ASV and they asked him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man’s brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

DRA Saying: Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he leave no children, that his brother should take her to wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

YLT saying, 'Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If any one's brother may die, having a wife, and he may die childless — that his brother may take the wife, and may raise up seed to his brother.

Drby demanded of him saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If any one's brother, who has a wife, die, and he die childless, his brother shall take the wife and raise up seed to his brother.

RV saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man’s brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

SLT Saying, Teacher, Moses wrote to us, If any one’s brother die having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed to his brother.

Wbstr Saying, Master, Moses wrote to us, If any man's brother should die, having a wife, and he should die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.

KJB-1769 Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

KJB-1611 Saying, Master, Moses wrote vnto vs, If any mans brother die, hauing a wife, and hee die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise vp seede vnto his brother.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps Saying: Maister, Moyses wrote vnto vs, yf any mans brother dye, hauyng a wyfe, and he dye without chyldren: that then his brother shoulde take his wyfe, & rayse vp seede vnto his brother.
(Saying: Master, Moses wrote unto us, if any mans brother dye, having a wife, and he dye without children: that then his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.)

Gnva Saying, Master, Moses wrote vnto vs, If any mans brother die hauing a wife, and hee die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise vp seede vnto his brother.
(Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any mans brother die having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. )

Cvdl and sayde: Master, Moses wrote vnto vs, yf eny mans brother dye hauynge a wife, and dyeth without childre, then shal his brother take his wife, and rayse vp sede vnto his brother.
(and said: Master, Moses wrote unto us, if any mans brother dye having a wife, and dieth/dies without children, then shall his brother take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.)

TNT sayinge: Master Moses wrote vnto vs if eny mannes brother dye havinge a wyfe and the same dye with out yssue: that then his brother shuld take his wyfe and reyse vp seede vnto his brother.
(saying: Master Moses wrote unto us if any mannes brother dye having a wife and the same dye with out issue: that then his brother should take his wife and raise up seed unto his brother. )

Wycl and seiden, Maister, Moises wroot to vs, if the brother of ony man haue a wijf, and be deed, and he was with outen eiris, that his brothir take his wijf, and reise seed to his brother.
(and said, Master, Moses wrote to us, if the brother of any man have a wife, and be deed, and he was without heirs, that his brother take his wife, and raise seed to his brother.)

Luth und sprachen: Meister, Mose hat uns geschrieben: So jemands Bruder stirbt, der ein Weib hat, und stirbt erblos, so soll sein Bruder das Weib nehmen und seinem Bruder einen Samen erwecken.
(and said: master, Moses has us/to_us/ourselves written: So someone brother dies, the/of_the a woman has, and dies erblos, so should be brother the woman take and his brother a seed(s) awaken.)

ClVg dicentes: Magister, Moyses scripsit nobis: Si frater alicujus mortuus fuerit habens uxorem, et hic sine liberis fuerit, ut accipiat eam frater ejus uxorem, et suscitet semen fratri suo.[fn]
(saying: Teacher/Master, Moyses wrote us: When/But_if brother alicuyus dead has_been having wife, and this/here without freedom has_been, as let_him_accept her brother his wife, and raise seed brother his_own. )

20.28 Magister. Qui resurrectionem corporum non credunt, et animas putant interire cum corporibus, turpitudinem fabulæ fingunt, quæ deliramenti arguit eos qui resurrectionem asserunt. Potest autem fieri, ut in gente eorum hoc aliquando acciderit. Ut accipiat, etc. In lege litteræ cogebatur nubere in vita. Sed in lege spiritus commendatur castitas.

20.28 Teacher/Master. Who resurrection of_bodies not/no they_believe, and souls they_think to_perish when/with to_the_bodybus, ugliness fabulæ fingunt, which deliramenti argues them who/which resurrection asserunt. Can however to_be_done, as in/into/on nation their this sometimes will_happen. As let_him_accept, etc. In lawfully letters cogebatur cloudre in/into/on life. But in/into/on lawfully spirit recommendsur chastity/purity.

UGNT λέγοντες, Διδάσκαλε, Μωϋσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν, ἐάν τινος ἀδελφὸς ἀποθάνῃ ἔχων γυναῖκα, καὶ οὗτος ἄτεκνος ᾖ, ἵνα λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ.
(legontes, Didaskale, Mōusaʸs egrapsen haʸmin, ean tinos adelfos apothanaʸ eⱪōn gunaika, kai houtos ateknos aʸ, hina labaʸ ho adelfos autou taʸn gunaika, kai exanastaʸsaʸ sperma tōi adelfōi autou.)

SBL-GNT λέγοντες· Διδάσκαλε, Μωϋσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν, ἐάν τινος ἀδελφὸς ἀποθάνῃ ἔχων γυναῖκα, καὶ οὗτος ἄτεκνος ⸀ᾖ, ἵνα λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ.
(legontes; Didaskale, Mōusaʸs egrapsen haʸmin, ean tinos adelfos apothanaʸ eⱪōn gunaika, kai houtos ateknos ⸀aʸ, hina labaʸ ho adelfos autou taʸn gunaika kai exanastaʸsaʸ sperma tōi adelfōi autou.)

RP-GNT λέγοντες, Διδάσκαλε, Μωσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν, Ἐάν τινος ἀδελφὸς ἀποθάνῃ ἔχων γυναῖκα, καὶ οὗτος ἄτεκνος ἀποθάνῃ, ἵνα λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ.
(legontes, Didaskale, Mōsaʸs egrapsen haʸmin, Ean tinos adelfos apothanaʸ eⱪōn gunaika, kai houtos ateknos apothanaʸ, hina labaʸ ho adelfos autou taʸn gunaika, kai exanastaʸsaʸ sperma tōi adelfōi autou.)

TC-GNT λέγοντες, Διδάσκαλε, [fn]Μωσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν, Ἐάν τινος ἀδελφὸς ἀποθάνῃ ἔχων γυναῖκα, καὶ οὗτος ἄτεκνος [fn]ἀποθάνῃ, ἵνα [fn]λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ.
(legontes, Didaskale, Mōsaʸs egrapsen haʸmin, Ean tinos adelfos apothanaʸ eⱪōn gunaika, kai houtos ateknos apothanaʸ, hina labaʸ ho adelfos autou taʸn gunaika, kai exanastaʸsaʸ sperma tōi adelfōi autou. )

20:28 μωσης ¦ μωυσης ANT CT

20:28 αποθανη ¦ η CT

20:28 λαβη ο αδελφος αυτου ¦ ο αδελφος αυτου λαβη PCK

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 20:27–40: Sadducees asked Jesus a trick question about the resurrection

The Jewish leaders continued to challenge Jesus’ authority and the things that he was teaching. In this section some Sadducees asked Jesus a question to try to show that his teaching was wrong. Like the Pharisees, the Sadducees were another group of Jewish leaders with certain religious beliefs. Many of the Sadducees were priests. They did not believe that God would cause anyone who had died to live again.

Jesus taught that God does cause people who have died to live again. The Sadducees tried to use this belief to trick Jesus in 20:27–40. They told a story to ridicule these beliefs that Jesus taught. The story was not true, but they used it to ask a question. They thought that if a person believed that people who died could live again, there was no sensible answer to the question.

The Sadducees based their story on the custom that is described in Deuteronomy 25:5–6. This scripture teaches that if an Israelite woman did not have any children by her husband before he died, her husband’s brother should marry her. Their first child would have the name of his dead brother and would be the heir of the dead brother.This custom was called levirate marriage. Jewish people considered the first son that the widow bore after marrying the brother of her dead husband to be the son of her dead husband, not the son of the man who was now her husband. This meant that this son and his descendants would carry on the dead man’s family and family name through future generations. Any sons born after this to the woman and her living husband would carry on the name of the living husband for future generations. In that way, the dead man’s family and family name could continue through future generations. Since the Scripture taught this custom, the Sadducees believed that they could prove from Scripture that Jesus was wrong.

Examples of headings for this section are:

The Question about Rising from Death (GNT)

Do the dead rise again?

The Sadducees challenged Jesus on people rising from death

Parallel passages for this section are found in Matthew 22:23–33 and Mark 12:18–27.

20:28a

“Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that

saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote that we^(incl) must follow a certain custom:
They said to him, “Sir, when Moses wrote God’s laws for us^(incl) Jews, he told us

“Teacher,” they said: The BSB places the words they said after the word Teacher. In Greek, the word that the BSB translates as they said occurs at the beginning of 20:28a. Place the words they said where it is natural in your language.

If you begin 20:28a with they said you may want to use a word or phrase to show the connection between 20:28a and 20:27b. For example:

So they said to him

With this in mind , they said to him

For help in translating Teacher, see the note on 20:21a.

Moses wrote for us: This phrase introduces a specific law that God gave the Jews. Moses wrote this law for them in Deuteronomy 25:5–10. The word us here includes Jesus, because he also was a Jew.

In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit that what Moses wrote was a law. It may also be necessary to clarify that the phrase for us refers to the Jews in general. It does not refer only to the Sadducees of Jesus’ time. One way to clarify these things is:

Our^(incl) law that Moses wrote says

Moses wrote this law for us Jews:

In some languages it may be more natural to refer to this particular law as a custom. For example:

Moses wrote that we Jews should follow this custom

Moses: Moses was one of the greatest leaders of the Jews. He lived long before Jesus was born. He wrote God’s laws for the Jews. That is why the first five books of the Old Testament are often called “the Law of Moses.”

20:28b

if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children,

If a man’s married brother dies without having any children,
what a man should do when his brother marries but dies before he fathers a child.

if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children: This clause describes the situation that Moses gave instructions about in Deuteronomy 25:5–10. It is a situation that might happen. A married man might die without having any children. Moses wrote a law that would apply to the wife and the man’s brother in this situation.

Languages have different ways to begin a description like this. Another way to do this in English is:

He told us what a man should do when his married brother dies without having any children.

In some languages it may be more natural to begin by talking about the brother who died. For example:

If a man dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man’s brother must marry the widow

Use a natural way in your language to begin describing this situation.

a man’s brother: The Greek word that the BSB translates as brother could refer to an older or younger brother. The verses in Deuteronomy do not indicate whether one brother was older or younger than the other. However, if you must be specific, you can specify that the older brother died. It is more likely that an older brother would marry and die before his younger brother.

20:28c

the man is to marry his brother’s widow

then the man must marry the widow
That man should marry his dead brother’s widow

the man is to marry his brother’s widow: This clause tells what a man must do in the situation described in 20:28b. It is the Jewish law and custom for that situation.

the man: The Greek word that the BSB translates as the man refers to the surviving brother. Refer to him in the way that is most natural in your language.

widow: A widow is a woman whose husband has died. If she remarries, she is no longer a widow. However, she would still be considered the widow of her deceased husband.

20:28d

and raise up offspring for him.

and have a son for that brother.
and have a child who will be considered the dead man’s child.
and father an heir for his brother.

raise up offspring for him: The Greek word that the BSB translates as offspring is literally “seed.” Here it refers to a son and that son’s descendants. When the brother and the widow had their first son, that son would inherit the dead brother’s name and land. Through this son, the dead brother would then have descendants and his family could continue.

You may want to make explicit in your translation that only the first child would be considered the child of the dead brother. For example:

Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother. (CEV)

…his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will be the brother’s heir. (NLT96)

Consider if it would be helpful to have a footnote briefly explaining this custom. For example:

In ancient Israel there was a custom that if a man married and then died childless, one of his brothers should marry his widow. The first son that the widow bore in her new marriage would legally be the son of her first husband. He would be the heir of the first husband’s name and property. See Deuteronomy 25:5–10.

for him: In this context the phrase for him means “in his brother’s name” or “to keep alive his brother’s family line.” Other ways to translate the phrase for him are:

who will carry on the brother’s name (NLT)

who will be considered the dead man’s child

who will be his brother’s heir

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

λέγοντες

saying

Luke could mean that one Sadducee spoke on behalf of the whole group, and you could indicate that as UST does. If you decide to do that, it may be helpful to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: [One of them said to Jesus]

Διδάσκαλε

Teacher

Teacher is a respectful title. You can translate it with an equivalent term that your language and culture would use.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

Μωϋσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν

Moses wrote ˱to˲_us

These Sadducees are describing Moses giving this instruction in the law by association with the way that he wrote it down. Alternate translation: [Moses instructed us in the law]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / exclusive

ἡμῖν

˱to˲_us

Here, the word us would be inclusive, if your language marks that distinction. The Sadducces mean “us Jews,” and they are speaking to Jesus, who is also a Jew.

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / hypo

ἐάν τινος ἀδελφὸς ἀποθάνῃ ἔχων γυναῖκα, καὶ οὗτος ἄτεκνος ᾖ, ἵνα

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: λέγοντες Διδάσκαλε Μωϋσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν Ἐάν τινός ἀδελφός ἀποθάνῃ ἔχων γυναῖκα καί οὗτος ἄτεκνος ἵνα λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφός αὐτοῦ τήν γυναῖκα καί ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ)

Alternate translation: [if a man’s brother dies who is married but who does not have children,]

λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα

˓may˒_take the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: λέγοντες Διδάσκαλε Μωϋσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν Ἐάν τινός ἀδελφός ἀποθάνῃ ἔχων γυναῖκα καί οὗτος ἄτεκνος ἵνα λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφός αὐτοῦ τήν γυναῖκα καί ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ)

Alternate translation: [that man should marry his dead brother’s widow]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ

˓may˒_raise_up seed ˱to˲_the brother ˱of˲_him

The Sadducees assume that Jesus will know that this law specified that if the widow had children by her late husband’s brother, those children would be considered the children of her late husband. Alternate translation: [and have children who will be considered his brother’s descendants]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

σπέρμα

seed

See how you translated this figurative sense of the word seed in [1:55](../01/55.md). Alternate translation: [descendants]

Parallel LUKE 20:28

Section 20:27–40: Sadducees asked Jesus a trick question about the resurrection

20:28a

20:28b

20:28c

20:28d