LUKE 23:29 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) because the time is coming when they’ll say, ‘Blessed are the childless couples and the women who never bore or raised a child.’

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, 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 For behold, days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, yes, the wombs that did not give birth and breasts that did not nurse.’

UST For I want you to know that there will soon be a time when people will say, ‘How fortunate are the women who have never given birth to children or nursed babies!’

BSB Look, [the] days are coming when [people] will say, ‘Blessed [are] the barren [women], the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’

MSB Look, [the] days are coming when [people] will say, ‘Blessed [are] the barren [women], the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’

BLB For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never did bear, and breasts that never nursed.'

AICNT For [behold],[fn] the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’

23:29, Behold: Absent from some manuscripts. 𝔓75 D(05) Latin(a b e ff² it) Syriac(sy^s sy^c)

OEB A time, I tell you, is coming, when it will be said – “Happy are the women who are barren, and those who have never borne children or nursed them!”

WEBBE For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’

WMBB (Same as above)

NET For this is certain: The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never nursed!’

LSV for behold, days come in which they will say, Blessed the barren, and wombs that did not bear, and breasts that did not give suck;

FBV For the time is coming when they'll say, ‘Happy are those who are childless, and those who never had babies, and those who never nursed them.’

TCNT For behold, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that have not given birth, and the breasts that have not [fn]nursed!’

23:29 nursed ¦ given nourishment CT

T4T I want you to know that there will soon be a time when people will say, ‘Women [SYN] who have never borne children or nursed babies are fortunate!’

LEB For behold, days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that did not give birth, and the breasts that did not nurse!’

BBE For the days are coming in which they will say, Happy are those who have had no children, whose bodies have never given birth, whose breasts have never given milk.

Moff For there are days coming when the cry will be,
⇔ "Blessed are the barren,
⇔ the wombs that never have borne
⇔ and the breasts that never have suckled!"

Wymth For a time is coming when they will say, `Blessed are the women who never bore children, and the breasts which have never given nourishment.'

ASV For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck.

DRA For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck.

YLT for, lo, days do come, in which they shall say, Happy the barren, and wombs that did not bare, and paps that did not give suck;

Drby for behold, days are coming in which they will say, Blessed [are] the barren, and wombs that have not borne, and breasts that have not given suck.

RV For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck.
(For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breast/chests that never gave suck. )

SLT For, behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, Happy the barren, and the wombs which never brought forth, and the breasts which gave not suck.

Wbstr For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts which never nourished infants.

KJB-1769 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.

KJB-1611 For beholde, the dayes are comming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that neuer bare, and the paps which neuer gaue sucke.
(For behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave sucke.)

Bshps For beholde, the dayes wyll come, in the which they shal say: Happy are the barren, & the wombes that neuer bare, & the pappes which neuer gaue sucke.
(For behold, the days will come, in the which they shall say: Happy are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the pappes which never gave sucke.)

Gnva For behold, the dayes wil come, when men shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombes that neuer bare, and the pappes which neuer gaue sucke.
(For behold, the days will come, when men shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the pappes which never gave sucke. )

Cvdl For beholde, the tyme wil come, wherin it shal be sayde: Blessed are the baren, and the wombes that haue not borne, and the pappes that haue not geuen sucke.
(For behold, the time will come, wherein it shall be said: Blessed are the baren, and the wombs that have not born, and the pappes that have not given sucke.)

TNT For beholde, the dayes will come, when men shall saye: happy are the baren and the wombes that never bare and the pappes which never gave sucke.
(For behold, the days will come, when men shall say: happy are the barren and the wombs that never bare and the pappes which never gave sucke. )

Wycl For lo! daies schulen come, in whiche it schal be seid, Blessid be bareyn wymmen, and wombis that han not borun children, and the tetis that han not youun souke.
(For lo! days should come, in which it shall be said, Blessed be barren women, and wombs that have not born children, and the teats/nipples that have not given souke.)

Luth Denn siehe, es wird die Zeit kommen, in welcher man sagen wird: Selig sind die Unfruchtbaren und die Leiber, die nicht geboren haben, und die Brüste, die nicht gesäuget haben.
(Because see/look, it becomes the time/period coming, in which man say becomes: Blessed are the infertile_(ones) and the bodies, the not born have, and the breasts, the not suckled have.)

ClVg Quoniam ecce venient dies in quibus dicent: Beatæ steriles, et ventres qui non genuerunt, et ubera quæ non lactaverunt.[fn]
(Since behold they_will_come days in/into/on to_whom they_will_say: Beatæ steriles, and bellies who/which not/no they_gave_birth, and breasts which not/no they_milked. )

23.29 Ecce venient dies. Dies Romanæ obsidionis et captivitatis. Naturale est imminente captivitate, hostilique per agros urbesque clade fervente, cunctos qui evadere queant, alta quæque vel abdita refugia quibus abscondantur, requirere.

23.29 Behold they_will_come days. The_day Romanæ obsidionis and captivity. Naturale it_is imminent captivity, hostileque through fields citiesque clade fervente, together who/which to_escape queant, high each or abdita refugia to_whom hideur, to_require.

UGNT ὅτι ἰδοὺ, ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν, μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι, καὶ αἱ κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν, καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν.
(hoti idou, erⱪontai haʸmerai en hais erousin, makariai hai steirai, kai hai koiliai hai ouk egennaʸsan, kai mastoi hoi ouk ethrepsan.)

SBL-GNT ὅτι ἰδοὺ ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι καὶ ⸀αἱ κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ ⸀ἔθρεψαν.
(hoti idou erⱪontai haʸmerai en hais erousin Makariai hai steirai kai ⸀hai koiliai hai ouk egennaʸsan kai mastoi hoi ouk ⸀ethrepsan.)

RP-GNT Ὅτι ἰδού, ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν, Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι, καὶ κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν, καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ ἐθήλασαν.
(Hoti idou, erⱪontai haʸmerai en hais erousin, Makariai hai steirai, kai koiliai hai ouk egennaʸsan, kai mastoi hoi ouk ethaʸlasan.)

TC-GNT Ὅτι ἰδού, ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσι, Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι, καὶ [fn]κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν, καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ [fn]ἐθήλασαν.
(Hoti idou, erⱪontai haʸmerai en hais erousi, Makariai hai steirai, kai koiliai hai ouk egennaʸsan, kai mastoi hoi ouk ethaʸlasan. )

23:29 κοιλιαι ¦ αι κοιλιαι CT

23:29 εθηλασαν ¦ εθρεψαν CT

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

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 23:26–43: Soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross

In this section the Roman soldiers did what their commander Pontius Pilate had ordered them to do. They led Jesus outside the town to the place where they crucified criminals. There they nailed Jesus on a cross. They did the same to two other men, who were criminals. Then they made the three men hang there until they died. The Jewish leaders, the soldiers, and even one of the criminals mocked Jesus. But the other criminal believed in him.

Other examples of headings for this section are:

The Crucifixion (NIV)

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross (CEV)

Roman soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 27:31–44, Mark 15:21–32, and John 19:17–27.

23:29a

Look, the days are coming

because the time is coming
I tell you^(plur) this because someday

Look, the days are coming: The Greek phrase that the BSB translates as Look, the days are coming is more literally “because look, days are coming.” It introduces the reason the women should cry for themselves and for their children in 23:28c. They should cry because of what will happen at a time in the future. Jesus probably used the word Look here to emphasize that his prediction was certain to happen. Some ways to translate this certain prediction are:

Indicate certainty at the beginning of the clause. For example:
for indeed, the days are coming (NAB)
For this is certain: The days are coming (NET)
Indicate certainty within the clause itself. For example:
For look, the days are surely coming (NJB)
because it will certainly happen that
Do not indicate certainty in an explicit way. For example:
The time is coming when (GW)
Someday (CEV)

Translate the phrase in a natural way in your language. A similar phrase occurs in 17:22 without the word Look.

In this verse Jesus predicted an event that would happen sometime after his death. He probably referred to the time when the Romans would destroy Jerusalem (in A.D. 70). At that time, the Jewish people suffered terribly. For some translations it may be helpful to include this information in a footnote. For example:

Such a time came in A.D. 70. A Roman army besieged and destroyed Jerusalem and killed many Jewish people.

23:29b

when people will say,

when they will say,
people will say,
people will say that

people will say: The Greek verb that the BSB translates as people will say is literally “they will say.” The phrase refers to people in general. It probably refers mainly to the people who will be in the city of Jerusalem at the terrible time that Jesus predicted. However, it could refer to anyone who talks about that situation. Use a natural way in your language to introduce what some people will say at that time. In some languages it may be more natural to use indirect speech to tell what the people will say. For example:

people will say that…

23:29c

‘Blessed are the barren women,

‘The women without children are the fortunate/favored ones,
‘How good it is for the women who do/can not have any children!
it is better to be barren/childless than to be a mother.

23:29d

the wombs that never bore,

those women who never gave birth
The women who have never given birth to a baby
They will say that it is better to have never had a baby

23:29e

and breasts that never nursed!’

or breast-fed a child!’
or held an infant to their breasts are the ones that are fortunate.’
or nursed a little one.

23:29c–e

‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’: Here Jesus gave an example of what people will say during the future time of suffering. Normally Jewish people considered a woman who had many children to be Blessed. But in that future time, the children of Jerusalem will suffer in terrible ways. Then the people will think that it is better for people who do not have children. They do not have the grief of seeing their children suffer or die.

In some languages it may be necessary to make the reason for the saying more explicit. For example:

It is good/blessed not to have children during this terrible time. It is good/blessed never to have had a child or nursed a baby.

In this time of suffering, barren women are more fortunate/blessed than mothers! It is better never to have given birth or nursed a baby!

Blessed: The Greek word that the BSB translates as Blessed describes a person who is in a good situation. In the Bible, the good situation usually results from God showing favor/kindness to the person. Some other ways to translate this word are:

How good it is for…

fortunate

Often, a person who is blessed in this sense will have good feelings like happiness. However, in this context the women did not have good feelings. But the context implies that they did not have as much grief as the women who watched their children suffer.

For more information, see bless, Meaning 3, in the Glossary.

the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed: Jesus used three phrases here to refer to women who have never had children. The phrase the barren women has the same meaning as the phrase the wombs that never bore. The phrase breasts that never nursed also has the same general meaning as the other two phrases in this context. These three phrases emphasize that the whole statement in 23:29 is a surprising and terrible warning.

barren women: The Greek word that the BSB translates as barren literally means “sterile” or “incapable of having children.” However, in this context the focus is on not having children at that time of suffering. Because of that, it may be more natural in some languages to use a more general term. For example:

women who are childless (NLT)

women who never had children (GNT)

the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed: These two phrases are figures of speech that further explain the meaning of “barren women” in 23:29c. In some languages it is not natural or appropriate to speak of wombs and breasts being blessed. If that is true in your language, you can speak of the women who never bore children or nursed them. For example:

the women…who couldn’t give birth, and who couldn’t nurse a child (GW)

the women who cannot bear children and the women who never gave birth and gave suckYakan back translation on TW.

General Comment on 23:29c–e

In some languages it may be more natural to combine one or more of the three phrases in 23:29c–e. For example, it may be helpful to combine the phrases “the barren women” and “the wombs that never bore.” For example:

Happy are the women who cannot have children and who have no babies to nurse. (NCV)

In some languages it may be more natural to use only one phrase. For example:

Women who never had children are really fortunate! (CEV)

Translate 23:29c–e in a natural way in your language.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: translate-versebridge

ὅτι

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι ἰδού ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι καί κοιλίαι αἵ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν καί μαστοί οἵ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν)

Jesus is giving the reason why the women of Jerusalem should weep for themselves and their children, as he told them to do in the previous verse. If it would be helpful in your language, you could put this reason before the result by combining this verse and the previous one into a verse bridge. See the suggestions in the note about the similar situation in [22:16](../22/16.md) for how you might do this.

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ἰδοὺ

Jesus is using the term behold to get the women to focus their attention on what he is about to say. Alternate translation: [indeed]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς

˓are˒_coming days in which

Jesus is using the term days to refer to a specific time. Alternate translation: [there will be a time when]

Note 4 topic: writing-pronouns

ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν

in which ˱they˲_˓will_be˒_saying

Here Jesus is using the pronoun they in an indefinite sense. He does not have specific individuals in mind. Alternate translation: [when people will say]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / quotesinquotes

ἐροῦσιν, μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι, καὶ αἱ κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν, καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν

˱they˲_˓will_be˒_saying (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι ἰδού ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι καί κοιλίαι αἵ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν καί μαστοί οἵ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν)

If it would be helpful in your language, you could translate this so that there is not a quotation within a quotation. Alternate translation: [people will say that women are fortunate if they never had children, if they never gave birth or nursed babies]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / parallelism

αἱ στεῖραι, καὶ αἱ κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν, καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν

the barren (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι ἰδού ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι καί κοιλίαι αἵ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν καί μαστοί οἵ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν)

After speaking of women who were barren, that is, who did not have children, Jesus describes the same women in more detail. He is likely using repetition for emphasis. If it would be helpful in your language, you could combine these phrases, as UST does.

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / synecdoche

αἱ κοιλίαι αἳ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν, καὶ μαστοὶ οἳ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν

the (Some words not found in SR-GNT: Ὅτι ἰδού ἔρχονται ἡμέραι ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσιν Μακάριαι αἱ στεῖραι καί κοιλίαι αἵ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν καί μαστοί οἵ οὐκ ἔθρεψαν)

These are two figures of speech in which Jesus is using one part of a person to represent the entire person. Alternate translation: [women who have never given birth or nursed]

Parallel LUKE 23:29