5:34

This verse begins with a Greek conjunction that connects Jesus’ answer here to the people’s statement about his disciples in 5:33. Several English versions, such as the English Standard Version, translate this conjunction as “and.” However, other versions translate it in a way that indicates that Jesus’ answer is a result of the people’s statement. For example:

So (NET Bible)
-or-
As a result

In some languages, no connecting word is necessary.

Jesus replied: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as Jesus replied is literally “he said.” Use a verb that is natural in your language for this context.

Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them?: This is a rhetorical question that expects the answer “No.” This question emphasizes that the guests of the bridegroom cannot fast while he is with them. Fasting would imply that the guests were sad or serious. It would not be appropriate for them to be sad while they were at the wedding feast with the bridegroom.

There are several ways to translate this rhetorical question:

• As a question. For example:

Can you force wedding guests to fast while the groom is still with them? (God’s Word)

• As a statement. For example:

The friends of a bridegroom don’t go without eating while he is still with them. (Contemporary English Version)

• As a statement with a tag question. For example:

You cannot make the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? (NET Bible)

• As a question with an answer. For example:

Do wedding guests fast while celebrating with the groom? Of course not. (New Living Translation (2004))

Use whichever form is most natural in your language to emphasize something that people know is true.

make the guests…fast: The phrase make the guests…fast means to cause the wedding guests to fast. Some other ways to translate this are:

Can you force the wedding guests to fast…? (God’s Word)
-or-
Will anyone ask/require the guests of the bridegroom to fast…?

the guests of the bridegroom: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as the guests of the bridegroom is literally “the sons of the wedding hall.” It refers to people who come to rejoice with the bridegroom at his wedding. There are at least two ways to translate this term:

• Use an expression that refers specifically to the bridegroom’s friends who come to his wedding. For example:

the friends of a bridegroom (Contemporary English Version)

• Use a general expression that refers to people who come to a wedding. For example:

the wedding guests (Revised Standard Version)

In some cultures, marriage customs may be so different from those of the Jews that the term guests of the bridegroom may be difficult to translate. For example, there may be no celebration at the time of a couple’s marriage, or the bridegroom may not be involved in the celebration. If that is true in your culture, you may need to use a very general phrase. For example:

friends who are celebrating with the man-who-has-gotten-a-wife

bridegroom: The word bridegroom refers to the man who is getting married. In modern English, this man is often called simply the “groom” (as in the God’s Word).

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