complete verse (Luke 17:9)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 17:9:

  • Noongar: “You do not praise servant for doing what you told him to do, do you?” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “We do not need to say thank you to our slave, because he is just following our commands.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Do you thank your servant because he has done what you told him to do? Certainly not.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And Jesus said again, ‘As for that servant, he will not think that it is necessary that he be praised if he just obeys the commandments of his master.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Do you (sing.) moreover thank him if he has obeyed what you (sing.) commanded? No indeed!” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “And when that slave has obeyed all that was ordered him, will he be thanked by that master of his? Probably not.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 17:9

Exegesis:

mē echei charin tō doulō ‘is he grateful to the servant?’ mē presupposes an answer in the negative. echei has the same subject as erei in vv. 7 and 8. charin echō lit. ‘to give thanks’ means ‘to thank,’ ‘to be thankful.’

hoti epoiēsen ta diatachthenta ‘because he has done what was ordered,’ i.e. ‘what he was told to do.’

Translation:

Does he thank the servant? or, ‘he will not thank the servant’; or with further shifts, “the servant does not deserve thanks…, does he?” (Good News Translation). For to thank cf. on “ungrateful” in 6.35.

He did what was commanded, or, ‘he (i.e. the servant) did as he (i.e. the master) had commanded him, or, told him to do.’ One or both pronouns may require specification.

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.