December 14th, 2024

This Sunday is known as the Third Sunday in Advent. And the Gospel reading for this Sunday jumps all the way to Luke 7:18-28; there is also the option of including verses 29 through 35.

As was mentioned in the writings of last week, we have recently started to go through the Gospel according to Luke in the order that was made by the writer. There will be no jumps in these studies of the text.

Now there will be some significantly different emphases from the other two Gospel accounts that are very similar to this one (the Gospel according to Matthew and the Gospel according to Mark). And to make those differences a bit more noticeable, the translation of the text below will be called a very literal translation.

In much the same way that a typical doctor has a significantly different vocabulary, the writer of this Gospel account (who, by the way, was also a doctor), uses some significantly different vocabulary. To help point that out, instead of a somewhat-literal translation that was used with the other two accounts, the following translation will be (and will be called) very literal.  

With such a translation, the hyphens will point out the multiple words in English that are just one word in Greek (the language of the New Testament). Such a translation may be especially difficult to follow for someone reading the text for the first (or second) time. As part of an informal ‘bible study’, you may wish to look at other translations or a study bible to help with your understanding of the text.

Such a translation may also remind you that the Greek language has some similarities to the English, and to learn such a language is not an impossible thing. (By the way it could be said to almost all people that the first language you learned was definitely the most difficult one; you simply do not remember most of those difficulties.)

What follows could be called a very literal translation of Luke 1:26-56 (and it should be said at this point that there are still A LOT of different ways to translate this text).

Now  in  the  month,  the  sixth,  he-was-sent-out,  the  angel,  Gabriel,  from  the  God,  into  a-city  of-the  Galilee,  to-which  name  Nazareth,  toward  a-virgin  having-been-engaged  to-a-man,  to-whom  name  Joseph,  out-of  house  of-David,  and  the  name  of-the  virgin,  Mariam.  And  having-come-into  toward  her,  he-said,  “Rejoice,  having-been-graced-one,  the  Lord  with  you.”  Now  the-one  upon  the  word,  she-was-thoroughly-troubled,  and  she-was-dialoguing  of-what-kind  it-might-be,  the  greeting,  this.  And  he-said,  the  angel,  to-her,  “Not  do-fear,  Mariam;  for  you-found  grace  with  the  God.  And  behold,  you-will-conceive  in  womb,  and  you-will-bear  a-son,  and  you-will-call  the  name  of-him  Jesus.  This-one  will-be  mega,  and  Son  of-Highest,  he-will-be-called,  and  he-will-give  to-him,  Lord  the  God,  the  throne  of-David,  of-the  Father  of-him,  and  he-will-reign  over  the  house  of-Jacob  into  the  ages,  and  of-the  kingdom  of-him  not  it-will-be  an-end.”

Now  she-said,  Mariam,  toward  the  angel,  “How  will-be  this,  since  a-man  not  I-know?”

And  having-answered  the  angel,  he-said  to-her,  “Spirit  Holy,  he-will-come-upon  upon  you,  and  power  of-Highest,  it-will-overshadow  you;  wherefore  also,  the  one-being-born  Holy  he-will-be-called,  Son  of-God.  And  behold,  Elisabeth,  the  relative  of-you,  also  she  she-has-conceived  a-son  in  old-age  of-her,  and  this  month,  sixth  it-is,  with-her  the-one  being-called  sterile;  because  not  it-will-be-impossible  with  the  God,  all  word.”

Now  she-said  Mariam,  “Behold,  the  slave  of-Lord.  May-it-be  to-me  according-to  the  word  of-you.”  And  he-came-away  from  her,  the  angel. 

Now  having-risen-up  Mariam,  in  the  days,  these,  she  traveled  into  the  hill-country  with  haste  into  a-city  of-Juda.  And  she-came-into  into  the  house  of-Zachariah  and  she-greeted  the  Elisabeth. 

And  it  happened  as  she-heard  the  greeting of-the  Mariam,  the  Elisabeth,  he  jumped,  the  infant  in  the  womb  of-her,  and  she-was-filled  of-Spirit,  Holy,  the  Elisabeth,  and  she-called-out  a-cry,  mega,  and  she-said,  “Eulogized  you,  in  women,  and  having-been-eulogized  the  fruit  of-the  womb  of-you.  And  from-where  to-me  this,  that  she-comes  the  mother  of-the  Lord  of-me,  toward  me?  For  behold,  as  it-happened  the  call  of-the  greeting  of-you  into  the  ears  of-me,  he-jumped  in  exaltation,  the  infant  in  the  womb  of-me.  And  happy,  the-one  having-believed  that  it-will-be  a-completion  to-the-things  having-been-spoken  to-her  from  Lord.”​

And  she-said,  Mariam,  “It-makes-mega  the  soul  of-me,  the  Lord,  and  it-is-exalted,  the  spirit  of-me,  upon  the  God,  the  Savior  of-me;  because  he-looked-upon,  upon  the  humiliation  of-the  slave  of-him.  For  behold,  from  the  now,  they-will-be-call-happy  me,  all  the  generations;  because  he-did  to-me  mega-things,  the  Mighty-one.  And  holy,  the  name  of-him,  and  the  mercy  of-him  into  generations  and generations  to-the-ones  fearing  him.  He-did  power  in  arm  of-him,  he-scattered  proud-ones  in-understanding  of-heart  of-them.  He-pulled-down  dynasties  from  thrones,  and  he-exalted  humble-ones,  hungering-ones  he-filled  of-good-things,  and  rich-ones  he-sent-out-away  empty.  He-has-taken-upon  Israel,  servant  of-him,  to-remember  mercy,  just-as  he-spoke  toward  the  fathers  of-us,  to  Abram  and  to-the  seed  of-him,  into  the  age.”  Now  she-remained,  Mariam  with  her,  as  months,  three;  and   she-returned  into  the  house  of-her.