I have kept all these since my youth

The Greek that is translated as “I have kept all these since my youth” or similar in English is translated in Githabul as “When I was a boy I heard [obeyed] all these things, I have never been disobedient [not hearing] to what you have said.” It was not possible to say “I have done all these things,” since that would have meant he killed, committed adultery, stole, etc. (Source: B. Moore / G. Turner in Notes on Translation 1967, p. 1ff.)

complete verse (Luke 18:21)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 18:21:

  • Noongar: “The man replied, ‘Since I was young, I have always done everything the Law says.’ ” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “That person said: ‘All those rules, I have followed since my childhood.'” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “The man said to him, ‘Sir, all that I have obeyed since I was a child.'” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And that man answered Jesus, he said, ‘Teacher, all of those things I have observed, and I have not disobeyed, ever since I was a child.'” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “That man then said, ‘Beginning from my youth, I have-been-obeying all these laws.'” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “‘Teacher,’ said that man again, ‘as for all of that, I have been obeying that since my childhood.'” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 18:21

Exegesis:

tauta panta ephulaxa ‘I have kept all these.’

ek neotētos ‘from boyhood,’ probably referring to the age of twelve, cf. on 2.42.

neotēs ‘youth,’ ‘childhood.’

Translation:

He may have to be specified, e.g. “the man” (New English Bible), celui-ci (Bible de Jérusalem), ‘the ruler (just mentioned)’ (Javanese, Tagalog).

All these I have observed. In Sranan Tongo the idiom is, ‘I have put my eye on all these things.’

From my youth, or, ‘since I became a boy.’

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.