"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies" (Ps. 23:5)—Moffatt suggests the rendering: "Thou art my host, spreading a feast for me, while my foes have to look on;" while Dr. Briggs records the illuminating comment: "The Psalmist is not without adversaries, but they are not dangerous. He has guest-right with Yahweh. He is safe and secure, because, in accordance with Oriental customs, the host is obliged to protect his guest from all enemies, at all costs" (Commentary on Psalms, Vol. 1, p. 210).

"When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room" (Luke 14:8; cf. verse 7)—The Greek term rendered "highest room" in verse 8, and "chief rooms" in the preceding verse, does not, of course, refer to any "room" in its familiar sense of "chamber," but describes "the chief (most honourable) reclining-place on the dining couches at a dinner-table" (Souter: Greek Lexicon, p. 223).

"They were in the way going up to Jerusalem" (Mark 10:32)—It may be recalled that Jerusalem was in a literal sense "a city that is set on an hill," and, as a result, those who would reach it from any point had perforce to go up; while, conversely, we are informed that the man in the parable who "fell among thieves" "went down from Jerusalem to Jericho" (Luke 10:30).

"This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:20)—The Greek word "diatheke," here rendered "testament," can also be translated "covenant," and it is of interest to compare the early Jewish belief that a covenant should be sealed or ratified by the shedding of blood, as in Exodus 24:6–8. In Luke 22:20, the Revised Version translates: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you;" and Moffatt: "This cup means the new covenant ratified by my blood shed for your sake;" while Weymouth (5th edition) has: "'This cup,' He said, 'is the new Covenant ratified by my blood which is to be poured out on your behalf.'"

"The mount of Olives" (Luke 22:39)—This was properly a range of hills rather than a single summit, and lay to the east of Jerusalem, being separated from Mount Zion, on which the temple stood, by the valley of the Kidron (cf. Hastings: Bible Dictionary, p. 667; Stanley: Sinai and Palestine, p. 186).

"He was withdrawn from them" (Luke 22:41)—When literally translated, the verb used in this passage is found to be a peculiarly strong and vivid one, meaning "to wrench away from, drag away" (Souter: op. cit., p. 34); hence, Farrar suggests the rendering: "He was torn away from them," or, "He tore himself away from them."

"Rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation" (Luke 22:46)—The Greek term "peirasmon," here rendered "temptation," means literally "trial or test." Consequently, Goodspeed translates: "Get up, and pray that you may not be subjected to trial;" and Dr. Torrey of Yale has: "Up, and pray not to fail in the trial;" though Moffatt prefers: "Get up and pray that you may not slip into temptation;" and Weymouth (5th edition): "Rise up; and pray that you may not come into temptation."

"Lord, shall we smite with the sword?" (Luke 22:49)—It is not known whether the disciples made a practice of carrying swords "such as poor Galilean pilgrims took to defend themselves from wild beasts or robbers" (Farrar: St. Luke, Cambridge Greek Testament, p. 374), but from verse 38 of this same chapter we learn that on this occasion at least they had two such weapons among them.

"Be ye come out, as against a thief" (Luke 22:52)—The word rendered "thief" means more literally "robber, brigand, bandit"; and Good-speed, Moffatt, Torrey, Weymouth, and the American Standard Version all translate "robber."

"A man named Joseph, a counsellor" (Luke 23:50)—The Greek term rendered "counsellor" seems to have been employed by the Jews in a special sense as denominating specifically one who belonged to their highest "council"—the Sanhedrin. Thus, Weymouth and Goodspeed translate: "a member of the Council;" while Moffatt has: "a member of council."

"Calvary" (Luke 23:33)—The Greek word is "kranion," meaning literally "a skull," and having the same sense as the Aramaic "Golgotha" referred to in Matthew 27:33. In the Latin Vulgate version, "kranion" is represented by "calvaria" (again meaning "skull"), while "calvaria" in turn was adapted to form the English word "calvary."

"They came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them" (Luke 24:1)—The words "and certain others with them" are not to be found in the best manuscripts of the original, and, consequently, are omitted by Moffatt, the Revised Version, Weymouth, Goodspeed, and other modern translators.

"The sea of Tiberias" (John 21:1)—This was one of the various names given in the Bible to that lake in the vicinity of which so much of the Way-shower's work was carried on, Tiberias being an important city which lay not far from the western shore of what is elsewhere described in the New Testament as "the sea of Galilee" (e.g., Matt. 4:18), or again as the "lake of Gennesaret" (Luke 5:1).

"When the morning was now come" (John 21:4)—The Greek phrase thus translated appears to be more exactly represented by the rendering of the Revisers: "when day was now breaking." Similarly, Goodspeed suggests: "just as day was breaking;" while Moffatt has: "at break of day."