unfoldingWord_en_tn/luk/04/25.md

# General Information:

Jesus reminds the people who are listening to him in the synagogue about Elijah and Elisha, who were prophets about whom they knew. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/writing-background]])

# But in truth I tell you

"I tell you truthfully." Jesus uses this phrase to emphasize the importance, truth, and accuracy of the statement that follows.

# widows

Widows are women whose husbands have died.

# during the time of Elijah

The people to whom Jesus was speaking would have known that Elijah was one of God's prophets. If your readers would not know that, you can make this implicit information explicit as in the UDB. Alternate translation: "when Elijah was prophesying in Israel" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# when the sky was shut up

This is a metaphor. The sky is pictured as a ceiling that was closed, and so no rain would fall from it. Alternate translation: "when no rain fell down from the sky" or "when there was no rain at all" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# a great famine

"a serious lack of food." A famine is a long period of time when the crops do not produce enough food for the people.