complete verse (Luke 21:14)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 21:14:

  • Noongar: “Before that day, you must prepare yourselves. You must not fear how you will answer them,” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “Make your hearts strong ahead-of-time, so that you do not need to think first how your answer should be.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “Really consider/remember in your liver that you do not think about it beforehand as to what you should answer when you are interrogated.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “Draw your thinking tight before hand (decide beforehand) that you will not be troubled about what your answer will be to their questions.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “Be firmly resolved (lit. cause-to-persevere in your minds) that you will not think-and-think about what you will answer,” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “Just strengthen your mind/inner-being, and don’t agitate your mind/thinking about your answering when you will be interrogated.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Translation commentary on Luke 21:14

Exegesis:

thete oun en tais kardiais humōn lit. ‘so lay to your hearts.’ For this phrase cf. on 1.66, but here its meaning is ‘to resolve,’ ‘to make up one’s mind,’ ‘to come to a decision’ (cf. Acts 5.4).

mē promeletan apologēthēnai ‘not to prepare beforehand (how) to defend yourselves.’ For apologeomai cf. on 12.11. Here it refers to the wording of their defence.

promeletaō ‘to practise beforehand,’ ‘to prepare beforehand.’

Translation:

To meditate beforehand, or, ‘to think-out before it happens’ (Tae’).

How to answer, cf. on 12.11. Batak Toba uses here, ‘your-justification (lit. being-cleansed).’

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.