1 min read

"Let Us Be Going"

For all the troubles that a subjunctive might give to a failing Greek student like myself, I can’t help but smile at how the big boys do it: “ἐγείρεσθε ἄγωμεν· ἰδοὺ ἤγγικεν ὁ παραδιδούς με.” (Mat 26:46)

NASB: “Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”
ESV: “Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
NKJ:”Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
KJV: “Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.”
NRSV: “Get up, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand.”

There are some who go the English route with it (in agreement with BDAG, by the way):

NIV: “Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
CEV: “Get up! Let’s go. The one who will betray me is already here.”
CSB: “Get up; let’s go! See, My betrayer is near.”
NET: “Get up, let us go. Look! My betrayer is approaching!”
TNIV: “Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”

But I honestly think the biggest surprise here is seeming role reversal between the New Living Translation and Young’s Literal Translation,

NLT: “Up, let’s be going. Look, my betrayer is here!”
YLT: “Rise, let us go; lo, he hath come nigh who is delivering me up.”

It’s not a big deal, but it gave me chuckle. And I’m quite sure “Let us be going” is my new catch phrase.