complete verse (Luke 19:15)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 19:15:

  • Noongar: “But people of the far country, they made this man become king. He returned. Immediately, he called his servants to stand in front of him to see how much money they had made.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “‘But he was lifted becoming king anyway, and he returned to his town. When he arrived in the town, he called his servants to meet with him, he wanted to know how much blessing/profit they had gotten.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “‘But even-so/inspite of it he was made king/given the title of king. When he returned to his country he commanded his servants to be called to him whom he had given the gold-coins so that he would know how much each one had earned.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “But in spite of that, that prince was made a king anyway, and when he returned, he immediately called the ten whom he had caused to take care of money, because he wanted to see how much increase there was of the money of each one.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But he was appointed a king nevertheless and then went-home. ‘When he arrived, he had-called his servants to whom he had given money to inquire how much they had profited.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But he was put in office of kingship anyway, and then after that was finished he went home to reign in their-place/at-home now. When he arrived, he assembled again those to whom he had given the money so that he would know how much each one had been able to make in profit.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 19:15

Exegesis:

kai egeneto ‘and it happened,’ cf. on 1.8.

en tō epanelthein auton labonta tēn basileian ‘when he returned after receiving the kingship.’ The aorist tense of epanelthein points to an event preceding that of the main verb eipen. labonta (aorist) refers to an event prior to his return. For the development of the parable, however, the return is the important event.

kai eipen phōnēthēnai autō tous doulous toutous hois dedōkei to argurion ‘he ordered to be called to him those slaves to whom he had given the money.’ The passive form of phōnēthēnai implies that the order to summon the slaves is given to one or more intermediaries. For phōneō cf. on 14.12. dedōkei (pluperfect) points to an event in the past which is still valid in the present.

hina gnoi ti diepragmateusanto ‘that he might learn what they had accomplished in business.’ gnoi is ingressive aorist.

diapragmateuomai ‘to accomplish by doing business,’ hence ‘to make profit.’

Translation:

Because Gr. kai egeneto here marks a turning point in the narrative some versions begin a new paragraph, others indicate a certain contrast, cf. “But he was made king, and on his return…” (The Four Gospels – a New Translation).

The clause having received the kingly power bridges the time-gap between vv. 12-14 and vv. 15ff. It is often better rendered as a full sentence in initial position, cf. The Four Gospels – a New Translation.

He commanded these servants … to be called to him, or more synthetically, “he … sent for the servants…” (New English Bible); or more analytically, ‘he said they (indefinite) should summon those slaves’ (Zarma, similarly Fulah), ‘he ordered somebody to tell those servants that they should come to him.’ The implied direct discourse (cf. on 4.3) may have to be made explicit on one or two levels.

To whom he had given the money, or, ‘who had received (from him) the money,’ or more specifically, ‘the pound (cf. v. 13).’

That he might know, or, ‘in order to find out’; or non-subordinated, ‘He intended/wanted to know’ (cf. Sranan Tongo). The main verb can also be rendered, ‘to hear’ (Tae’), or, ‘to be told,’ which with a further shift may lead to, ‘that they (i.e. the ten servants) could tell him.’

What they had gained by trading is again distributive, cf. “what profit each had made” (New English Bible, similarly Sundanese), ‘how much the yield of the trade of each of them’ (Bahasa Indonesia RC).

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.