LUKE 20:37 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.
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 that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

UST Now that I have answered your question about marriage, I will show from Scripture that God does make people alive again after they have died. Even Moses wrote about this. In the place where he describes meeting God at the burning bush, he records how the Lord called himself ‘the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.’ God would not have said that if he had not made those men alive again and he were not still their God.

BSB Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, [ in the passage ] about the [ burning ] bush. For he calls [the] Lord ‘the God of Abraham, [the] God of Isaac, and [the] God of Jacob.’[fn]

MSB Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, [ in the passage ] about the [ burning ] bush. For he calls [the] Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’[fn]

BLB But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.'

AICNT “{But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where}[fn] he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and [the God][fn] of Isaac[fn] [, and [the God][fn] of Jacob].[fn]

20:37 , But that the dead are raised ...: Some manuscripts read “For indeed, Moses demonstrated that the dead are raised, at the bush, as.” D(05)

20:37, the God: Absent from some manuscripts. W(032) Latin(e)

20:37, Exodus 3:6, 15

20:37, the God: Absent from some manuscripts. Latin(a e)

20:37, and the God of Jacob: Absent from W(032).

OEB As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the Bush, when he calls the Lord –
⇔ “The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”

WEBBE But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

WMBB (Same as above)

NET But even Moses revealed that the dead are raised in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

LSV And that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the Bush, since he calls the LORD the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;

FBV But on the question of whether the dead are raised, even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning[fn] bush, when he calls the Lord, ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’[fn]

20:37 “Burning bush”—the Greek simply says “bush.”

20:37 Quoting Exodus 3:6.

TCNT But even Moses indicated that the dead are raised, when he said in the passage about the burning bush, ‘The Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

T4T But as for people becoming alive again after they die, Moses wrote something about that. In the place where he wrote about the burning bush, he mentions the Lord as being the God whom Abraham worships and the God whom Isaac worships and the God whom Jacob worships.

LEB But that the dead are raised, even Moses revealed in the passage about[fn] the bush, when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

20:37 *The words “the passage about” are not in the Greek text but are implied; here a common form of rabbinic citation is being used to refer to an Old Testament passage

BBE But even Moses made it clear that the dead come back to life, saying, in the story of the burning thorn-tree, The Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

Moff And that the dead are raised has been indicated by Moses in the passage on the Bush, when he calls the Lord 'God of Abraham and God of Isaac and God of Jacob.'

Wymth But that the dead rise to life even Moses clearly implies in the passage about the Bush, where he calls the Lord `The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.'

ASV But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the place concerning the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

DRA Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed, at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;

YLT 'And that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the Bush, since he doth call the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;

Drby But that the dead rise, even Moses shewed in [the section of] the bush, when he called [the] Lord the [fn]God of Abraham and the [fn]God of Isaac and the [fn]God of Jacob;

20.37 Elohim

RV But that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed, in the place concerning the Bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
(But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the place concerning the Bush, when he calleth/calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. )

SLT And that the dead are raised, Moses made known at the bramble, when he calls the Lord, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.

Wbstr Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

KJB-1769 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
( Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth/calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. )

KJB-1611 Now that the dead are raised, euen Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isahac, and the God of Iacob.
(Now that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he calleth/calls the Lord, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isahac, and the God of Yacob.)

Bshps And that the dead shall ryse agayne, Moyses also sheweth besides the bushe, when he calleth the Lorde the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, & the God of Iacob.
(And that the dead shall rise again, Moses also sheweth/shows besides the bushe, when he calleth/calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Yacob.)

Gnva And that the dead shall rise againe, euen Moses shewed it besides the bush, when he said, The Lord is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob.
(And that the dead shall rise again, even Moses showed it besides the bush, when he said, The Lord is the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Yacob. )

Cvdl But that the deed ryse agayne, hath Moses also signified besydes the bush, when he called the LORDE, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob.
(But that the deed rise again, hath/has Moses also signified besides the bush, when he called the LORD, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Yacob.)

TNT And that the deed shall ryse agayne even Moses signified besydes the busshe when he sayde: the Lorde God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob.
(And that the deed shall rise again even Moses signified besides the busshe when he said: the Lord God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Yacob. )

Wycl And that deed men risen ayen, also Moises schewide bisidis the busch, as he seith, The Lord God of Abraham, and God of Ysaac, and God of Jacob.
(And that dead men risen again, also Moses showed besides the busch, as he saith/says, The Lord God of Abraham, and God of Ysaac, and God of Yacob.)

Luth Daß aber die Toten auferstehen, hat auch Mose gedeutet bei dem Busch, da er den HErr’s heißet GOtt Abrahams und GOtt Isaaks und GOtt Jakobs.
(That but the killing(n) resurrection, has also Moses gedeutet at/in to_him Busch, there he the LORD’s means God Abrahams and God Isaaks and God Yakobs.)

ClVg Quia vero resurgant mortui, et Moyses ostendit secus rubum, sicut dicit Dominum, Deum Abraham, et Deum Isaac, et Deum Jacob.[fn]
(Because indeed/however they_rise_again dead, and Moyses he_showed otherwise/wrongly rubum, like he_says the_Master, God Abraham, and God Isaac, and God Yacob. )

20.37 Quia vero resurgent mortui. Postquam propositæ quæstioni de resurrectionis conditionibus satisfecit, de ipsa resurrectione contra eorum infidelitatem agit.

20.37 Because indeed/however resurgent dead. Postquam propositæ questioni from/about resurrection conditionibus satisfecit, from/about herself resurrection on_the_contrary their infidelitatem acts.

UGNT ὅτι δὲ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροὶ, καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου, ὡς λέγει Κύριον, τὸν Θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Θεὸν Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Θεὸν Ἰακώβ;
(hoti de egeirontai hoi nekroi, kai Mōusaʸs emaʸnusen epi taʸs batou, hōs legei Kurion, ton Theon Abraʼam, kai Theon Isaʼak, kai Theon Yakōb;)

SBL-GNT ὅτι δὲ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροὶ καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου, ὡς λέγει κύριον τὸν θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ ⸀καὶ θεὸν Ἰσαὰκ ⸁καὶ θεὸν Ἰακώβ·
(hoti de egeirontai hoi nekroi kai Mōusaʸs emaʸnusen epi taʸs batou, hōs legei kurion ton theon Abraʼam ⸀kai theon Isaʼak ⸁kai theon Yakōb;)

RP-GNT Ὅτι δὲ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί, καὶ Μωσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου, ὡς λέγει, Κύριον τὸν θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τὸν θεὸν Ἰσαὰκ καὶ τὸν θεὸν Ἰακώβ.
(Hoti de egeirontai hoi nekroi, kai Mōsaʸs emaʸnusen epi taʸs batou, hōs legei, Kurion ton theon Abraʼam kai ton theon Isaʼak kai ton theon Yakōb.)

TC-GNT Ὅτι δὲ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί, καὶ [fn]Μωσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου, ὡς λέγει, Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ [fn]τὸν Θεὸν Ἰσαὰκ καὶ [fn]τὸν Θεὸν Ἰακώβ.
(Hoti de egeirontai hoi nekroi, kai Mōsaʸs emaʸnusen epi taʸs batou, hōs legei, Kurion ton Theon Abraʼam kai ton Theon Isaʼak kai ton Theon Yakōb. )

20:37 μωσης ¦ μωυσης 𝔐^pt ANT CT PCK

20:37 τον ¦ — CT

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

SOTN SIL Open Translation 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.

Paragraph 20:34–38

In this paragraph Jesus gave the Sadducees an answer that had two parts:

In 20:34–36, he explained that when people die and live again, they will have a new kind of life. They will not marry, just as angels do not marry. (See the notes on 20:36a–b.)
In 20:37–38, he reminded them what God said in one of the books of Moses. God indicated that the great ancestors of the Jewish people were still alive with him. This showed that God does cause people to live again after they die.

20:37a

Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised, in the passage about the burning bush.

Now as for dead people being resurrected, Moses himself revealed this in the account of the bush.
And the great Moses made it known that dead people live again, when he wrote what God said to him from the burning bush.
You^(plur) are wrong to think that there is no resurrection. For in the scripture about the bush, Moses showed that God causes dead people to live again.

Even Moses demonstrates that the dead are raised: In this verse Jesus introduced the second part of his answer to the Sadducees. The topic of this part is that dead people will be raised to life again. The Greek text introduces this topic by putting it first in the sentence.

The Sadducees used their story in 20:28–33 to imply that it is impossible for dead people to live again. Here in 20:37 Jesus implied that he would prove that they were wrong. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit. For example:

Furthermore you^(plur) are wrong to think that the dead cannot rise again. Even Moses showed that the dead rise.

You should introduce this topic in a way that is natural in your language. In some languages it is helpful to change the order of the clauses. See the General Comment on 20:37a for more suggestions.

Even Moses: In this context the Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as Even emphasizes Moses. He was an authority whom the Sadducees respected greatly. He was the one who received the law from God for the Jewish people. What Moses said was authoritative. Another way to express this emphasis in English is:

Moses himself (NRSV)

In some languages it may be difficult to translate this emphasis. If that is true in your language, it may be possible to add some implied information. For example:

it is the prophet Musa himselfUma back translation on TW.

our great lawgiver/ancestor Moses

demonstrates that the dead are raised: The Greek word that the BSB translates as demonstrates here means “to inform, reveal, make known.” The account of the burning bush by Moses reveals that God can and does cause the dead to live again.

the dead are raised: The phrase the dead are raised means “dead people live again.” In this context it refers to life with God in the next world. It does not refer to living again on the earth in this age. See the note on “resurrection” at 20:27b–c.

In some languages it may be helpful to make explicit here that God is the one who causes the dead to live again. For example:

God will raise people who have died to live again

in the passage about the burning bush: The phrase in the passage about the burning bush refers to Exodus 3:1–6. In those verses God spoke to Moses from a bush that was flaming but did not burn up.

In some languages it may be necessary to indicate that the passage about the burning bush is part of the Scriptures. You may be able to use your usual way to refer to the Scriptures. For example:

in the Scriptures that tell what happened at the burning bush, even Moses revealed this

in the holy book/words where they wrote about the burning bush

General Comment on 20:37a

In this statement Jesus introduced the second part of his answer to the Sadducees. The topic of this part is that dead people will be raised to life again. The Greek text introduces this topic by putting it first in the sentence. Some ways to follow this order are:

And the fact that the dead are raised, Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush…. (NRSV)

But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. (NLT)

Use a natural order in your language.

20:37b

For he calls the Lord

For he refers to the Lord as
In that scripture he wrote that the Lord called himself

20:37c

‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’
the God of our^(incl) ancestors Abraham and Isaac and Jacob.

20:37b–c

For: The Greek conjunction that the BSB translates as For introduces the evidence or basis for what Jesus said in 20:37a. Other ways to introduce 20:37b are:

where he calls (RSV)

when he calls (REB)

Other English versions begin a new sentence without a conjunction. They simply refer to Moses and say “He says” (GW) or “He said” (CEV). You should introduce 20:37b in a way that is natural in your language.

he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’: Jesus referred here to what Moses wrote in Exodus 3:6. There Moses wrote what he heard the Lord say about himself. In some languages it may be necessary to make this explicit:

Moses writes that the Lord calls himself the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

This statement indicates that God still referred to himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob long after they had already died. He still called himself their God. Use an appropriate verb form in your language to indicate this. If you have translated the books of Exodus and Acts, consider how you translated this phrase in Exodus 3:6 and Acts 3:13.

calls: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as calls here is literally “says.” In Greek it is a natural verb to use to refer to what Moses wrote. Use a natural way in your language to refer to Moses’ written words. In some languages it may be more natural to use a form that refers to the past. Some other ways to translate it in English are:

says that (GW)

wrote

speaks of (GNT)

referred to (NLT)

the Lord: The phrase the Lord refers to God. See Lord, Context 2, in the Glossary.

the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: The Lord is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob because he is the one who cares for them as their God. He is the God whom they worship and serve. God is faithful to them as his people.

In some languages it may be necessary to make explicit in what sense the Lord was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For example:

I am the God whom Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob worship.

I am the God who cares for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The statement indicates that God was still caring for them as their God, and they were still worshiping him. Use an appropriate verb form in your translation.

Abraham…Isaac…Jacob: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were great ancestors of the Jewish people who died long before Jesus was born. In some languages it may be helpful to make this explicit here. For example:

our^(incl) ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροὶ

˓are_being˒_raised the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτι Δέ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί καί Μωϋσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπί τῆς βάτου ὡς λέγει Κύριον Τόν Θεόν Ἀβραάμ καί Θεόν Ἰσαάκ καί Θεόν Ἰακώβ)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could express this with an active form, and you could state who does the action. Alternate translation: [God brings back to life people who have died]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / nominaladj

οἱ νεκροὶ

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτι Δέ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί καί Μωϋσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπί τῆς βάτου ὡς λέγει Κύριον Τόν Θεόν Ἀβραάμ καί Θεόν Ἰσαάκ καί Θεόν Ἰακώβ)

Jesus is using the adjective dead as a noun in order to indicate a group of people. Your language may use adjectives in the same way. If not, you could translate this with an equivalent expression. Alternate translation: [people who have died]

καὶ Μωϋσῆς

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὅτι Δέ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί καί Μωϋσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπί τῆς βάτου ὡς λέγει Κύριον Τόν Θεόν Ἀβραάμ καί Θεόν Ἰσαάκ καί Θεόν Ἰακώβ)

Jesus is using the word even for emphasis. He is stressing the authority of Moses as someone to whom God gave an extensive revelation of his character and actions. Alternate translation: [Moses himself]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου

Jesus assumes that his listeners will know that he means the bush in the desert that was burning without being consumed, at which Moses encountered God. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could state that explicitly. Alternate translation: [at the burning bush]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου

Jesus is not referring to the actual encounter that Moses had with God at the burning bush, since during that encounter Moses did not say the words that Jesus attributes to him here. Rather, God said those words about himself, and Moses recorded them in the Scriptures. So Jesus is referring by association to the passage in which Moses describes his encounter with God at the burning bush. Alternate translation: [in the passage where he wrote about the burning bush] or [in the scripture about the burning bush]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / verbs

λέγει

˱he˲_˓is˒_calling

In many languages, it is conventional to use the present tense to describe what a writer does within a composition. However, if that would not be natural in your language, you could use the past tense here. Alternate translation: [he called]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὸν Θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Θεὸν Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Θεὸν Ἰακώβ

The implication is that God would not have identified himself as the God of these men if they were not alive. This must mean that God brought them back to life after they died. If it would be helpful to your readers, you could indicate that explicitly, as UST does.