complete verse (Luke 9:53)

Following are a number of back-translations of Luke 9:53:

  • Noongar: “But the people of the village did not want him staying because they could see Jesus was going on his way to Jerusalem.” (Source: Warda-Kwabba Luke-Ang)
  • Uma: “But those townspeople, they refused to receive Yesus, because they knew he was going-toward Yerusalem.” (Source: Uma Back Translation)
  • Yakan: “But the people in that village did not want that Isa stayed there because they knew that he was going to Awrusalam.” (Source: Yakan Back Translation)
  • Western Bukidnon Manobo: “However, the people there, they did not want Jesus to stop there, because they knew that he was a Jew and he was going up to the town of Jerusalem.” (Source: Western Bukidnon Manobo Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “But the residents there, they didn’t-want plural Jesus to stop-by their town, because they knew that it was to Jerusalem a town of the Jews where they were going.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • Tagbanwa: “But Jesus wasn’t received by the people there for they were aware that he was on his way to Jerusalem.” (Source: Tagbanwa Back Translation)

Jerusalem

The name that is transliterated as “Jerusalem” in English is signed in French Sign Language with a sign that depicts worshiping at the Western Wall in Jerusalem:


“Jerusalem” in French Sign Language (source: La Bible en langue des signes française )

While a similar sign is also used in British Sign Language, another, more neutral sign that combines the sign “J” and the signs for “place” is used as well. (Source: Anna Smith)


“Jerusalem” in British Sign Language (source: Christian BSL, used with permission)

Translation commentary on Luke 9:53

Exegesis:

kai ouk edexanto auton ‘and they (i.e. the people of the village) did not receive him,’ or, ‘they refused to receive him.’ It is implied that this refusal came to light when the messengers tried to make arrangements, i.e. before Jesus came to the village himself (see on v. 54).

hoti to prosōpon autou ēn poreuomenon eis Ierousalēm lit. ‘because his face was going to Jerusalem,’ a Hebraistic phrase cf. 2 Sam. 17.11 LXX. to prosōpon autou is here equivalent to the personal pronoun of the third person; its use makes the clause sound solemn.

Translation:

The people, or more specifically, “the people there” (An American Translation, Javanese), “the villagers” (New English Bible, similarly Tae’ 1933).

Would not receive him is intentional, referring to what they will do when Jesus arrives. For the verb see on 9.5.

His face was set toward, or more idiomatically rendered, “because he was making for” (New English Bible). It is stylistically preferable that the rendering should echo v. 51b exclusive of the concept of resolve, e.g. ‘his face was toward,’ ‘he had taken the road to.’

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.