Luke 9:46-62 - Revision of the Textus Receptus

The gospel according to Luke

Chapter 9

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46. εισηλθεν δε διαλογισμος εν αυτοις το τις αν ειη μειζων αυτων Then an argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.

47. ο δε ιησους ιδων[1] τον διαλογισμον της καρδιας αυτων επιλαβομενος παιδιου[2] εστησεν αυτο παρ εαυτω And perceiving the reasoning of their hearts, Jesus took a child, and set him by his side,

48. και ειπεν αυτοις ος εαν δεξηται τουτο το παιδιον επι τω ονοματι μου εμε δεχεται και ος εαν[3] εμε δεξηται δεχεται τον αποστειλαντα με ο γαρ μικροτερος εν πασιν υμιν υπαρχων ουτος εσται[4] μεγας and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all, this one will be great.”

49. αποκριθεις δε ο[5] ιωαννης ειπεν επιστατα ειδομεν τινα επι[6] τω ονοματι σου εκβαλλοντα [7] δαιμονια και εκωλυσαμεν[8] αυτον οτι ουκ ακολουθει μεθ ημων And answering, John said, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us.”

50. και[9] ειπεν προς αυτον ο ιησους μη κωλυετε ος γαρ ουκ εστιν καθ υμων υπερ υμων εστιν And Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against you[10] is for you.”

51. εγενετο δε εν τω συμπληρουσθαι τας ημερας της αναληψεως[11] αυτου και αυτος το προσωπον αυτου εστηριξεν[12] του πορευεσθαι εις ιερουσαλημ And it happened, when the days of his ascension were near, that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem

52. και απεστειλεν αγγελους προ προσωπου αυτου και πορευθεντες εισηλθον εις κωμην σαμαρειτων[13] ωστε[14] ετοιμασαι αυτω and sent messengers before his face. And going, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for him.

53. και ουκ εδεξαντο αυτον οτι το προσωπον αυτου ην πορευομενον εις ιερουσαλημ But they did not receive him, because he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

54. ιδοντες δε οι μαθηται αυτου ιακωβος και ιωαννης ειπον[15] κυριε θελεις ειπωμεν πυρ καταβηναι απο του ουρανου και αναλωσαι αυτους ως και ηλιας εποιησεν And when his[16] disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did? [17]”

55. στραφεις δε επετιμησεν αυτοις [και ειπεν ουκ οιδατε οιου πνευματος εστε υμεις But turning, he rebuked them [and said, “You do not know of what spirit you are.

56. ο γαρ υιος του ανθρωπου ουκ ηλθεν ψυχας ανθρωπων απολεσαι αλλα σωσαι] και επορευθησαν εις ετεραν κωμην For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them”]. And they went to another village[18].

57. εγενετο δε[19] πορευομενων αυτων εν τη οδω ειπεν τις προς αυτον ακολουθησω σοι οπου αν[20] απερχη κυριε Now it happened, as they went on the way, that someone said to him, “Lord[21], I will follow you wherever you go.”

58. και ειπεν αυτω ο ιησους αι αλωπεκες φωλεους εχουσιν και τα πετεινα του ουρανου κατασκηνωσεις ο δε υιος του ανθρωπου ουκ εχει που την κεφαλην κλινη And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59. ειπεν δε προς ετερον ακολουθει μοι ο δε ειπεν κυριε επιτρεψον μοι απελθοντι πρωτον θαψαι τον πατερα μου And he said to another, “Follow me!”. But he said, “Lord[22], let me first go and bury my father.”

60. ειπεν δε αυτω ο ιησους αφες τους νεκρους θαψαι τους εαυτων νεκρους συ δε απελθων διαγγελλε την βασιλειαν του θεου But Jesus[23] said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead, but you go and announce the kingdom of God.”

61. ειπεν δε και ετερος ακολουθησω σοι κυριε πρωτον δε επιτρεψον μοι αποταξασθαι τοις εις τον οικον μου And another also said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to those in my house.”

62. ειπεν δε προς αυτον ο ιησους ουδεις επιβαλων την χειρα αυτου επ αροτρον και βλεπων εις τα οπισω ευθετος εστιν εις την βασιλειαν[24] του θεου But Jesus said to him[25], “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

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[1] NA-Text reads “ειδως” (interchangeable verb in the perfect tense instead of aorist).

[2] NA-Text reads “παιδιον” (accusative instead of genitive).

[3] NA-Text reads “αν”.

[4] NA-Text, P-Text and Vg-St read “εστιν” (present active instead of future middle deponent), which is supported by codices papyrus 45^vid and 75, codices א, B, C, L, Ξ, family of manuscripts ƒ¹, minuscules 33, 579, 700, 1241, 2542, the Coptic versions and Origen. The future tense is supported by codices A, D, W, Θ, Ψ, family of manuscripts ƒ¹³, the Byzantine manuscripts, the old Latin codices it^e and it^q, Origen^mss, Cyprian and Theophylact. The TR is very well supported and stands in no need of correction.

[5] NA-Text omits the definite article “ο” before the proper name John.

[6] NA-Text and Vg-St read “εν” (Latin equivalent: “in”), which is supported by papyri 45 and 75, codices א, B, L, Δ, Ξ, Ψ, both families of manuscripts ƒ¹ and ƒ¹³, minuscules 33, 579, 700, 892, 1241 and 2542. The TR is supported by codices A, C, D, W, Θ, the Byzantine manuscripts and Theophylact. The Byzantine is is very well supported and has preserved the harder reading so its reading stands as it has been handed down faithfully through this transmission line.

[7] NA-Text, P-Text, WPF³⁵ and M-Text omit the definite article “τα” before “demons”, which is supported by codices א, B, D, Θ, the Byzantine manuscripts and Theophylact. It is evident that this article does not belong in the original Greek text and has been removed accordingly.

[8] NA-Text reads “εκωλυομεν” (imperfect instead of aorist). External evidence is unequivocally on the side of the aorist form of this verb. The imperfect was likely transferred from the parallel passage in Mark 9:38 to this verse in manuscripts of Alexandrian type.

[9] NA-Text reads “δε”, placing it after the verb. Same meaning.

[10] NA-Text, P-Text and Vg-St read “you” twice in the verse, which is supported by codices א¹, B, C, D, K, L, W, Ξ, Ψ, minuscules 33, 565, 700, 892, 1241 and 1424, old Latin codices, the Syriac versions and the Coptic versions. The Byzantine text is supported by codices א², both families of manuscripts ƒ¹ and ƒ¹³, the Byzantine manuscripts and Theophylact. The Alexandrian reading is widespread across all text types. Besides, the Byzantine reading is clearly the result of scribal harmonization to the parallel passage in Mark 9:40. The Greek text and the translation have been corrected, following the NA-Text.

[11] NA-Text reads “αναλημψεως”. Same noun, different spelling.

[12] NA-Text reads “εστηρισεν” and omits the pronoun “αυτου” and renders “set the face…”. The verbal tense is the same with a different spelling. The pronoun in the text is supported by all text types, including codex Sinaiticus and the Latin scriptures.

[13] NA-Text reads “σαμαριτων”. Same noun and declension.

[14] NA-Text reads “ως” (as).

[15] NA-Text reads “ειπαν”. Same verbal tense, different spelling.

[16] NA-Text omits the pronoun and renders “the disciples”. The inclusion of the article is very well supported by all text types, the Latin scriptures and the Syriac and Coptic versions.

[17] NA-Text and Vg-St omit “just as Elijah did”, which is supported by papyri 45  and 75, codices א, B, L, Ξ, minuscules 157, 579, 700*, 1241, 1342, the old Latin codices it^aur, it^e and it^l, the Curetonian Syriac, the Syriac Sinaiticus, the Sahidic Coptic, the Armenian, the Georgian¹ version, the Diatessaron, Jerome and Cyril of Alexandria. The Bohairic Coptic version is divided. The inclusion is supported by codices A, C, D, K, W, X, Δ, Θ, Π, Ψ, both families of manuscripts ƒ¹ and ƒ¹³, minuscules 28, 33, 180, 205, 565, 597, 700c, 892, 1006, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1079, 1216, 1230, 1242, 1243, 1253, 1292, 1344, 1365, 1424, 1505, 1546, 1646, 2148, 2174, the Byzantine manuscripts, the old Latin codices it^a, it^b, (it^c), it^d, it^f, it^q and it^r1, the Peshitta, the Harklean Syriac, the Palestinian Syriac, the Gothic, the Ethiopic, the Georgian², the Slavic version, the Diatessaron, Marcion, Basil, (Chrysostom), Antiochus and Theophylact. This is no parallel passage to suggest these words to scribes in all transmission lines. It is possible that the addition is inspired by the passage in 2 Kings 1:10-12, but again it is hard to believe that everybody in all transmission lines would have had the very same idea. Also, visual homoeuteleuton by an early scribe cannot be totally ruled out (αυτους ως και ηλιας εποιησεν στραφεις, thus missing “just as Elijah did”), but intentional editing is more probable, possibly when an early scribe mistook the text for a marginal note. As a side note, the Greek text in the Complutensian Polyglot, which is Byzantine, added this clause whereas the Latin column omitted it.

[18] NA-Text and Vg-St omit “and said, “You do not know of what kind of spirit you are. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”. The Clementine vulgate is more aligned with the Latin tradition by adding both verses in full. The omission is supported by paryri 45 and 75, codices א, A, B, C, E, G, H, L, W, X, Δ, Ξ, Ψ, minuscules 28, 33, 157, 565, 892, 1009, 1010, 1071, 1241, 1342, 1424, part of the Byzantine manuscripts, the old Latin codex it^l, the Syriac Sinaiticus, the Sahidic Coptic, the Ethiopic^pp, Basil, Cyril of Jerusalem and Cyril of Alexandria. The Slavic and Bohairic Coptic versions are divided. The inclusion is supported by codices K, M, U, Y, (Γ), (Θ), Π, both (families of manuscripts ƒ¹ and ƒ¹³), minuscules 180, 205, (579), 597, 700, 1006, 1079, 1195, 1216, 1230, 1242, 1243, 1253, 1292, 1344, 1365, 1505, 1546, 1646, 2148, 2174, 2542, part of the Byzantine manuscripts, the old Latin codices it^a, it^aur, it^b, it^c, it^e, it^f, it^q and it^r1, the Curetonian Syriac, the Harklean Syriac, the Peshitta, the Palestinian Syriac, the Sahidic Coptic, the Gothic, the (Ethiopic^TH), the Armenian version, the Diatessaron, Marcion?, Ambrosiaster, Ambrose, Epiphanius, Antiochus and Theophylact. Codex D, both in Greek and Latin, the Georgian version, Didymus the blind, (Epiphanius), Chrysostom and Theodoret^vid omit only the part contained in verse 55. The support for the full omission is strong. On the other hand, an early parabletic error can easily explain the omission (και ειπεν ουκ οιδατε οιου πνευματος εστε υμεις ο γαρ υιος του ανθρωπου ουκ ηλθεν ψυχας ανθρωπων απολεσαι αλλα σωσαι και, thus missing part of verse 55 and 56). If we assume that the reading of the earliest copies in the western tradition opened verse 56 with a “και” instead of “γαρ”, then the omission of part of verse 56 in codex D can also be the result of a parableptic error (και ο υιος του ανθρωπου ουκ ηλθεν ψυχας ανθρωπων απολεσαι αλλα σωσαι και, thus missing part of verse 56). There are no parallel passages to suggest to scribes these words in different transmission lines. Also, these words are found in several early witnesses. The Diatessaron reflecting a text from the 100’s contains both verses. Didymus the Blind, Ambrose, Epiphanius and Chrysostom quote verse 55 in the 300’s . And verse 56 is quoted by Cyprian in the 200’s (Letter 58, # 3). The idea that verse 56 echoes the unrelated passage of Luke 19:10 is unconvincing, especially because the wording is different in this passage and cannot explain the same form of text found in a diversity of witnesses. Besides, there is no parallel verse in any other gospel that can explain verse 55. So, because the longer reading explains very well the shorter reading by a simple parableptic error, it is well supported by early witnesses and is spread in multiple locations, it has been retained in the Greek text and the English translation. Brackets have been used to express the strong agreement of important manuscripts and some early fathers like Basil and Cyril of Alexandria against it. As a sidenote, the Complutensian Polyglot included both verses in full, both in the Greek and the Latin columns.

[19] NA-Text reads “και” and renders “And” instead of “And it happened”.

[20] NA-Text and P-Text read “εαν”, which is supported by codex B. The TR is supported by codices א, D, Θ and Theophylact. The “εαν” found in codex Vaticanus is a scribal adjustment based on the parallel passage in Matthew 8:19.

[21] NA-Text and Vg-St omit “Lord”, which is supported by papyri 45 and 75, codices א, B, D, L, Ξ, family of manuscripts ƒ¹, the Syriac Sinaiticus, the Curetonian Syriac and the Coptic versions. The inclusion is supported by codices A, C, W, Θ, Ψ, families of manuscripts ƒ¹ and ƒ¹³, minuscule 33, the Byzantine manuscripts, the old Latin codices (it^b), it^f and it^q, the Peshitta, the Harklean Syriac, some manuscripts of the Bohairic Coptic version and Theophylact. The word “κυριε” is well supported and cannot be explained by the parallel passage that reads “διδασκαλε”.

[22] NA-Text brackets “Lord”.

[23] NA-Text omits “Jesus”.

[24] NA-Text reads “τη βασιλεια” (dative instead of accusative).

[25] NA-Text brackets “to him”.

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Notes:

1. Text in red letters are places where the original reading in the Textus Receptus has been revised and corrected;

2. The English translation used as a reference is the WEB brought to conformity as literal as possible to the Textus Receptus. The end product though is not the WEB or a revised WEB and it should not be called WEB. The content of this post is freely available to everyone and it is not supposed to be copyrighted;

3. TR: Textus Receptus. This text is not copyrighted;

4. NA-Text: Nestle-Aland text commonly known as critical text;

5. M-Text: Majority Text;

6. Vg-St: Vulgate of Stuttgart;  

7. WPF³⁵: Wilbur Pickering-family 35;

8. P-Text: Patriarchal Text, also known as Patriarchal Greek New Testament, published by the ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.

9. The creator of the variant apparatus available in the VarApp kindly gave me permission to freely use the information contained in the material he put together.

 

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To God all the glory for the preservation of the scriptures! He reigns!