complete verse (Luke 10:28)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 10:28:

  • Noongar: “‘You speak the truth,’ Jesus said. ‘Do this and you will live.'” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Yesus said: ‘Your (sing.) answer is right/true. Do like that, you (sing.) will get/attain good life.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘Your answer is right,’ said Isa. ‘Do that and you will be given everlasting life.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And then Jesus said to him, ‘What you said is true. If you do that, you will be given life without end.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “‘Your (sing.) answer is correct,’ Jesus said. ‘If you (sing.) do that, you (sing.) will have life that has no ending.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Really true is what you answered there,’ said Jesus. ‘Provided you always obey those, this life will be yours.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 10:28

Exegesis:

orthōs apekrithēs ‘you have answered correctly,’ cf. 7.43.

touto poiei kai zēsē ‘do that, and you will live.’ The imperative has the force of a conditional clause, ‘if you do that, you will live.’ The present tense of poiei points to a continued attitude. In the present context zēsē refers to zōē aiōnios ‘eternal life.’

Translation:

You have answered right, or another idiomatic expression of approval, cf. “you are right” (An American Translation), “quite right” (Phillips); and cf. on 7.43.

You will live, or ‘you will have/acquire eternal life.’

Quoted with permission from Reiling, J. and Swellengrebel, J.L. A Handbook on the Gospel of Luke. (UBS Handbook Series). New York: UBS, 1971. For this and other handbooks for translators see here . Make sure to also consult the Handbook on the Gospel of Mark for parallel or similar verses.