This article attempts to suggest a revised translation of Luke 18:22. In case of Luke 18:22, Korean versions seem to choose the principle of ‘sense for sense’ in translation. Korean versions are simply translating the phrase π?ντα ?σα ?χ?ι? π?λησου as “sell everything you have (or own)”, thus leaving π?ντα untranslated. There seems to be no big problem in communicating the basic meaning of the phrase in question. According to major Greek-English Lexicons edited by Liddell-Scott and Danker-Bauer, the relative pronoun ?σα can mean ‘everything’ without the aid of π?ντα. Examples from Luke-Acts cited by A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature show that the author of Luke-Acts clearly knew the usages of ?σα.
In this case, questions arise why Luke added π?ντα which might be just redundant. Is it just Luke’s literary style? But redactional comparison of the Gospel of Luke to its source material, the Gospel of Mark, leads us to assume that Luke 18:22 intentionally inserted π?ντα to the Markan parallel text 10:21. A close reading of the Gospel of Luke in comparison to the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Matthew reveals that Luke tends to emphasize and intensify the importance of the right use of possessions. To do this, Luke sometimes radicalizes the extent of giving up one’s possessions as an expression of his/her resolution to follow Jesus. (cf. Luke 5:11; 6:30). In addition, Luke’s special materials, which Luke alone reports independently of other synoptic Gospels, also supports our assumption that Luke thinks very highly of right attitude/right handling toward/of possessions. However, modern translations do not reflect this subtle difference of Luke’s theology, failing to recognize Luke’s intention to insert π?ντα/π?ντι in Luke 5:11 and 6:30.
Thus, if π?ντα in Luke 18:22 is an indication of Luke’s special theological interests, the omission of π?ντα in translation would be problematic. It would result in eclipsing Luke’s true intention, by making the same translation from the two distinctively different texts, Mark 10:21 and Luke 18:22. For this reason, I suggest to translate the phrase π?ντα ?σα ?χ?ι? π?λησου in Luke 18:22 as “sell all your possessions, whatsoever you have.” In this light, I also suggest that we should follow ‘word for word’ principle in translating Synoptic Gospels to avoid inadvertently eclipsing distinctive theological emphases of each Gospel writer.