December 29th, 2024

A blessed Christmas to you! And it may be obvious to you that this Sunday has the title of the ‘First Sunday after Christmas’. The Gospel Reading for this Sunday is the same as the previous year (although this year is the year we primarily look at the Gospel according to Luke), Luke 2:22-40. There is not much in the Gospel according to Mark about Jesus as a baby.

The current writings of this website are also going through the Gospel according to Luke, and they started at the beginning of the church year, the same time that this Gospel account looks at the things that surrounded Jesus’ birth. So this next section of the Gospel according to Luke that will be given in a VERY literal translation is probably a VERY familiar text, that of the birth of Jesus. In some congregations on Christmas Eve the text may still be spoken aloud in the King James Version. That could almost be called an ancient tradition.

One of the benefits to giving a very literal translation is that the reader gets an idea of how many words in the original language go into the English language. This can also indicate some of the extravagancy of the vocabulary used by the writer.  The hyphens are given to indicate just one word in the Greek. Taking into account some of the vocabulary below, you may wish to study the text in other translations (including the King James Version) or a study bible.

Another reason for an extremely literal translation is that it often breaks the big, rare words into words which are more familiar. It may make it a bit easier to read. But, again, it may make it more difficult. What follows is an example.

Given the extreme familiarity of this text, you probably have already heard that the word usually translated as ‘inn’ (the place where there was no room) does not usually indicate a hotel as we know it. The word given is given below is extremely literal, indicating that a trip may be ‘broken up’ into parts, and people would choose to stop somewhere. Given the small size of Bethlehem, the place where people usually stayed was probably connected to someone’s home. Now what follows is a very literal translation of Luke 2:1-20:

Now  it-happened  in  the  days,  those,  it-went-out,  a-dogma,  from  Kaiser  Augustus  to-be-registered,  all  the  inhabited-earth.  This  registration,  first,  it-happened,  being-governor  of-the  Syria,  Cyrenius.  And  they-were-going,  all,  to-be-registered,  each-man  into  the  of-himself,  city.

Now  he-went-up  also,  Joseph,  from  the  Galilee,  out-of  a-city,  Nazareth,  into  the  Judea,  into  a-city  of-David,  which  is-called  Bethlehem,  because-of  the  to-be  him  out-of  house  and  family  of-David,  to-be-registered  with  Mariam,  the  having-been-betrothed  to-him,  being  pregnant.

Now  it-happened  in  the  to-be  them  there,  they-were-fulfilled,  the  days,  of-the  to-give-birth  her,  and  she-gave-birth,  the  son  of-her,  the  firstborn,  and  she-swaddled  him,  and  she-laid-down  him  in  a-manger,  because  not  there-was  for-them  a-place  in  the  breaking-up.

And  shepherds,  they-were  in  the  country,  the  same,  making-a-field-a-courtyard  and  guarding  a-guard  of-the  night  over  the  flock  of-them.  And  an-angel  of-Lord  stood-upon  them,  and  glory  of-Lord  shone-around  them,  and  they-feared  a-fear,  great.  And  he-said  to-them  the  angel:  “Not  do-fear;  for  behold,  I-evangelize  to-you  a-joy,  great,  which  it-will-be  to-all  the  people,  because  he-was-born  for-you  today  a-Savior,  who  he-is  Christ,  Lord,  in  city  of-David.  And  this  for-you  a-sign,  you-will-find  a-babe,  having-been-swaddled  and  lying  in  a-manger.”

And  suddenly  it-happened  with  the  angel  a-multitude,  of-army  heavenly,  praising  the  God  and  saying,  “Glory  in  highest  to-God,  and  upon  earth,  peace,  in  men  of-good will.”​

And  it-happened  as  they-went-away  from  them,  into  the  heaven,  the  angels,  the  shepherds  were-saying  toward  one-another,  “Let-us-go-through  indeed  until  Bethlehem,  and  let-us-see  the  thing,  this,  the  having-happened  which  the  Lord  made-known  to-us.”  And  they-came,  having-hurried,  and  they-found  the  both,  Mariam  and  the  Joseph,  and  the  babe,  lying  in  the  manger;  now  having-seen,  they-made-known  concerning  the  word,  the  having-been-spoken  to-them  concerning  the  child,  this.  And  all  the-ones  having-heard,  they-marveled  concerning  the-things  having-been-spoken  by  the  shepherds  toward  them;  now  the  Mariam,  all,  she-was-keeping-with  the  things,  these,  throwing-together  in  the  heart  of-her.  And  they-returned,  the  shepherds,  glorifying  and  praising  the  God,  at  all-things  which  they-heard  and  they-saw,  as  it-was-spoken  toward  them.