LUKE 9:46 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]Then the apprentices got themselves into a discussion about which of them might hopefully be considered the greatest.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, pink:genitive/possessor, cyan:dative/indirect object.
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 Then an argument started among them as to which of them might be the greatest.

UST Sometime later, the disciples began to argue among themselves about which one of them would be the most important.

AICNT [But a dispute arose among them as to][fn] {“What might be greater than these?”}[fn]

9:46, But a dispute arose among them as to: Absent from some manuscripts. D(05)

9:46, What might be greater than these: Or “Who might be the greatest among them.”

OEB A discussion arose among the disciples as to which of them was the greatest;

WEBBE An argument arose amongst them about which of them was the greatest.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET Now an argument started among the disciples as to which of them might be the greatest.

LSV And there entered a reasoning among them, this—who may be greater of them.

FBV Then an argument started among the disciples about which of them was the greatest.

TCNT Now an argument arose among the disciples as to which of them was greater.

T4T The disciples began to argue among themselves about which one of them would be the greatest when Jesus became king.

LEB ¶ And an argument developed among them as to who of them might be greatest.

BBE Now there was a discussion among them about which of them would be the greatest.

Moff A dispute arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.

Wymth Now there arose a dispute among them, which of them was to be the greatest.

ASV And there arose a reasoning among them, which of them was the greatest.

DRA And there entered a thought into them, which of them should be greater.

YLT And there entered a reasoning among them, this, Who may be greater of them?

Drby And a reasoning came in amongst them, who should be [the] greatest of them.

RV And there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

SLT And there came up a conference among them, thus, which of them should be the greatest.

Wbstr Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

KJB-1769 ¶ Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.

KJB-1611 ¶ Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.
(Same as from KJB-1769 above)

Bshps Then there arose a disputatio among them, which of them should be the greatest.

Gnva Then there arose a disputation among them, which of them should be the greatest.

Cvdl There came a thought also amonge them, which of them shulde be the greatest.
(There came a thought also among them, which of them should be the greatest.)

TNT Then ther arose a disputacion amonge the: who shuld be the greatest.
(Then there arose a disputacion among them: who should be the greatest. )

Wycl But a thouyt entride in to hem, who of hem schulde be grettest.
(But a thought entered in to hem, who of hem should be greatest.)

Luth Es kam auch ein Gedanke unter sie, welcher unter ihnen der Größte wäre.
(It came also a Gedanke under they/she/them, which under to_them the/of_the Größte were.)

ClVg Intravit autem cogitatio in eos quis eorum major esset.[fn]
(Intravit however thought/reflection in/into/on them who/any their major/greater was. )

9.46 Intravit autem cogitatio. Quia viderant Petrum et Jacobum et Joannem in montem seorsum ductos, secretumque aliquod eis esse traditum. Sed et Petro superius claves regni cœlorum esse promissas, Ecclesiamque super eum esse ædificandam rati sunt; vel, istos tres cæteris, vel, omnibus apostolis Petrum esse prælatum: vel quia in tributi solutione Petrum ipsi Domino parificatum viderant, ipsum cæteris præferendum arbitrabantur. Sed sciendum est istam quæstionem et ante tributum et post tributum solutum esse factam.

9.46 Intravit however thinksio. Because they_had_seen Peter and Yacobum and Yoannem in/into/on mountain apart/separately ductos, secretumque somewhered to_them to_be traditum. But and Petro above claves of_the_kingdom of_the_heavens to_be promisess, assembly/churchque over him to_be buildndam rati are; or, these three the_rests, or, to_all apostles Peter to_be beforelatum: or because in/into/on tributi solutione Peter themselves Master parificatum they_had_seen, him the_rests beforeferendum arbitrabantur. But sciendum it_is that_(one) questionem and before tributum and after tributum solutum to_be made.

UGNT εἰσῆλθεν δὲ διαλογισμὸς ἐν αὐτοῖς, τὸ τίς ἂν εἴη μείζων αὐτῶν.
(eisaʸlthen de dialogismos en autois, to tis an eiaʸ meizōn autōn.)

SBL-GNT Εἰσῆλθεν δὲ διαλογισμὸς ἐν αὐτοῖς, τὸ τίς ἂν εἴη μείζων αὐτῶν.
(Eisaʸlthen de dialogismos en autois, to tis an eiaʸ meizōn autōn.)

RP-GNT Εἰσῆλθεν δὲ διαλογισμὸς ἐν αὐτοῖς, τὸ τίς ἂν εἴη μείζων αὐτῶν.
(Eisaʸlthen de dialogismos en autois, to tis an eiaʸ meizōn autōn.)

TC-GNT Εἰσῆλθε δὲ διαλογισμὸς ἐν αὐτοῖς, τὸ τίς ἂν εἴη μείζων αὐτῶν.
(Eisaʸlthe de dialogismos en autois, to tis an eiaʸ meizōn autōn. )

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

SOTN SIL Open Translation Notes:

Section 9:46–48: Jesus told his disciples that they must be humble

In Section 9:28–36, the disciples saw Jesus’ glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. In Section 9:37–43a, they saw further evidence of his power when he cast out the demon from the boy (9:37–43a). In the previous Section 9:43b–45, Jesus told his disciples that he would soon be handed over to his enemies. However, his disciples did not understand what would happen. In this Section 9:46–48, Luke showed the contrast between Jesus predicting his approaching death and the disciples being preoccupied over which of them was the greatest. In response to the disciples’ attitude, Jesus showed that being truly humble was the way to be great in God’s opinion.

Some other examples of headings for this section are:

Greatness in the Kingdom (GW)

Who Is the Greatest? (NCV)

There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 18:1–5 and Mark 9:33–37.

9:46a

Then an argument started among the disciples

¶ The disciples began arguing with one another

Luke did not make explicit where or when the event in this section occurred. According to the parallel passage in Mark, it happened while Jesus and his disciples were traveling to Capernaum. Introduce this event in an appropriate way in your language.

Then: This verse begins with a Greek conjunction. The BSB translates it as Then, as do some other versions (KJV, NLT), in order to show that it introduces the next event in the story. Some other versions translate this conjunction as “And” (RSV) or “Now” (NASB, NET), while still others do not translate it (CEV, ESV, NIV, NRSV). Introduce this new event in a natural way in your language.

an argument started among the disciples: The clause an argument started among the disciples means that the disciples started to argue with each other. Another way to translate this is:

his disciples began arguing (NLT)

9:46b

as to which of them would be the greatest.

about who among them was the most important.
about which of them was the greatest/highest in rank/status.

as to which of them would be the greatest: The context implies that the phrase which of them refers to which one among the disciples.

would be the greatest: There are two ways to interpret the phrase would be the greatest here:

It refers to which disciple was the most important at that time. For example:
about which of them was the greatest (NLT) (RSV, NASB, NJB, REB, CEV, NCV, NET, GNT, NLT)
It refers to which disciple would be the greatest in the future in God’s kingdom. For example:
about who would be the greatest (GW) (BSB, NIV, KJV, NLT96, GW)

It is recommended that you follow interpretation (1), along with most English versions. Since the BSB follows interpretation (2), the GNT is used as the source line of the Display.The Greek verb is in the optative mood. Here this appears to mean that the answer is doubtful. See the NET footnote: “The use of the optative mood means the answer is not clear.” The NET translates this as “as to which of them might be the greatest.”

the greatest: The word greatest refers to having the highest status. The disciples wanted to know who among them was the most important person.

Some other ways to translate this are:

who was the most important

who was greatest in rank

who was highest in status/name

who was more important than all the others

Parallel LUKE 9:46

Section 9:46–48: Jesus told his disciples that they must be humble

9:46a

9:46b