complete verse (Luke 20:26)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 20:26:

  • Noongar: “There, in front of the people, they could not trap Jesus, not one thing, so they kept silent, and they were amazed because of everything Jesus said.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Finally/at the end those enemies of Yesus were defeated. They could not find even one wrong word of his in front of the people. They were surprised to hear his answer, that is why they were quiet.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “They could not catch him in his words in front of the people. But they wondered very much at his answer therefore they didn’t say anymore.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “And as for those people who were watching Jesus secretly, they were not able there in front of the people, to find anything in the answer of Jesus that they could arrest him for. Therefore, they didn’t say anything and they were very much surprised at his answer.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “So then, they were already/completely defeated in their attempt to deceive Jesus in front of the many-people, so after that they kept-quiet, because they were amazed at what he had answered.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “That motive in their minds to snare Jesus in what he said in front of everybody was just frustrated. And another thing, since they were amazed at that which Jesus replied, they couldn’t respond.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 20:26

Exegesis:

ouk ischusan epilabesthai autou rēmatos ‘they could not catch him in (one) word,’ cf. on v. 20. For ischuō cf. on 6.48.

enantion tou laou ‘in the presence of the people,’ i.e. ‘with the people present,’ or ‘in public.’

thaumasantes epi tē apokrisei autou ‘astonished at his answer,’ here with negative connotation, ‘taken aback.’ apokrisis, cf. on 2.47.

esigēsan ‘they fell silent,’ ingressive aorist.

Translation:

In the presence of the people, cf. also on 8.47.

Marvelling at, cf. on “wondered at” in 1.21.

His answer refers to the contents, ‘what he had answered,’ ‘the things he had said in reply.’

They were silent, or, ‘they said nothing more,’ ‘they became speechless,’ is a resultative clause: ‘so amazed that they fell silent.’

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.